Holy Water?

I just found the clash of a modern safety device and the beautiful stained-glass window in an alcove of a magnificent mediaeval cathedral too irrestible to ignore. The red fire-hose casing is glaringly ugly, and seems to be frowned upon by the holy figure in the window. I don't blame him one bit! But there's some nice light contrasts going on there with the yellow. Location: Norwich, England

Tram Stop

A tram stop in San Diego. A veteran in a wheelchair one side and a gleaming red tram on the other, almost like racers in a competition. I liked the lines of the tracks and platform, and the parity between the colour of the tram and the colour of the platform structure.Location: San Diego, USA

Striped Roofs

The striped roofs of an English city market seen from above. No spectacular story, I just liked the variety of colours contrasting with the white and stretching out into the distance, the eveness broken up by the string of lights –which should also have been coloured!

Location: Norwich, England

River Bikes and Dolphin Lamp

I adore London's South Bank, and like few things more than to walk from Tower Bridge to Westminster with the Thames flowing beside me. There is so much to see, experience, take in and photograph. Here, Waterloo Bridge stretches generously across the river and parked bicycles seem almost to form part of the ornamentation of the fence. Beside them one of magnificent Victorian "dolphin" lamps that line the whole embankment, and for me encapsualte "London" just as much as red double-deckers, Big Ben and the changing of the guard. It is a little dreadful to see their modern counterparts high above on the bridge -bleak and unimaginative; but down here, the lamp stands majestically and solidly comforting.

Location: London, England

A Question of Lights

I do not drive. But even I did I would not know what to think of this. A question mark on a sign is surely a muddlesome thing, creating confusion and doubt rather than clarity and direction. Well, apart from that I found the traffic lights reminded me of large lego bricks, so perhaps the dilemma here is just how one should go about putting them together!

Location: Halifax, Canada

St. Patrick's Day Joy

Sometimes a photograph doesn't turn out as well as one hopes –it may be out of focus, or badly lit or constructed, yet it nevertheless captures a moment well worth saving –like this snapshot of a joyous elderly lady on a float on St.Patrick's Day. There's something infectious about her total enjoyment of the moment, her laughter seems to spill out and enthuse everyone with life, and I am rather fond of the picture, despite its technical shortcomings.

Location: New Orleans, USA

Lifeguard Tower

I think anyone would instantly know that this picture says "Florida" -the colours and style of bright lifeguard towers on sandy beaches seem so typical a feature of that state..., well, it could be somewhere else, but it's not, and I for one amd very fond of these colourful little structures -as, I am sure, anyone who has had need of rescue is too!

Location: Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Resting Ties

Lots of glorious, vivid colour and a mixture of styles and textures in this jumble of dormant ties, each a little work of art on its own, and seldom appreciated enough in bunches.

The Guided Walk

Fort Sumnter –the site of the first shots of the American Civil War, and now a National Park site, accessible only by boat, but a popular day-trip destination for visitors to Charleston. Here a group of visitors listens to a park ranger telling the story of the fort. All but two are paying close attention (maybe you can spot them). I like the wide mix of bright colours, and the myriad ways people are standing as they listen, and how clear it is just who is in charge here.

Location: Charleston, SC

Tangle!

I get terribly frustrated by the tangling of a couple of headphone wires, but heaven help any telephone engineer who is called out to fix a problem at this spaghetti-like intersection -so thick that it almost obliterates the sky.

Location: Bucharest, Romania

The Face of a Cabin

I find I frequently see faces in things, buildings, patterns etc. and this little cabin in the Norwegian mountains has all the facial features one could want. I particularly like the way the light in the little windows makes the "eyes" come alive, and the way the step creates the mouth. It's quite a benign, sagacious face too, almost like a dozy cat!

Location: Valdres, Norway

Through a Window

This phone box in London caught my attention because of its missing pane, through which the wet street, with busses, traffic and lights, revealed itself cinematically, in wide-screen. The image is in monochrome, but the colour version is almost as washed out due to the damp windows and white lights. My own favorite of the pictures I have taken so far this year.

Location: London, England

Organic Roof

I was so impressed when I passed through London's newly refurbished King's Cross station recently, and snapped this picture of the magnificently organic roof, or ceiling. I love curved interiors and here the new is blended with the old -brave but not overpowering. The lighting was magical and I felt a great sense of excitement at being in such a vibrant place –an echo of how the former great train station buildings of London must have been when they were first built.

Location: London, England

Shoes I Can't Quite Bear to Discard...Yet!

I think of all clothes, shoes, along perhaps with jackets, are the ones that become most like old friends. Obviously this pair has seen better days, but I am loathe to part with them even though I have a dozen other pairs, some quite similar to these. One doesn't discard friends just because they are old or worn out, after all! However, I see that these are beyond repair or vintage or even practical use, and so a photograph of them so that here at least they will survive!

Early Evening

The sun is just going down, bathing the brick facade of a Norfolk musuem with golden light. It was a pity that the lamp had not yet been turned on, but the reflection of the light on the panel gives a magical illumination to this narrow alley. I also like the way the white walls of the building behind seem blue and peach here.

Location: Great Yarmouth, England

Train Stop in Tennessee

The sleek, silver side of "The City of New Orleans" the Superliner that rolls between Louisiana and Chicago, caught here in evening sun in Tennessee during a short stop for smoking and stretching of legs. The windows are those of little bedrooms, and nothing I know beats an overnight journey on a train for coziness, wonder and a sense of adventure. The telephone lines here complement in an understated way the lines on the train, and the solitary figure on the platform –the guard? indicates that the train will soon depart.

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Singin' in the Rain

The Palace Theatre, London on a wet evening. The show has started –Singin' in the Rain– and outside, the wet paving stones reflect the colourful theatre lights as a couple, huddled under one umbrella, scurry across -I wonder if they are singin'?

Location: London, England

Old Lady Entering a Shabby Alley

I like this picture as it has a sort of fraught drama attached to it, even though I am sure the old lady managed to pass through the alley perfectly safely. There is something ominous about the graffiti-covered walls, the narrowness of the alley and its uneven surface, but especially the dark figure at the other end –headng towards her (perhaps?) They will meet halfway, and there will be an exchange of something –a glance, perhaps a nod. At the moment however they look like two duellists in a faded western...

Location: Bucharest, Romania

Ramshackle Shed in Snow

A ramshackle farm-building in the Norwegian mountains -fog and snow -winter is just starting, soon all will be covered with white, but with just a sprinking of snow the decay of the building, thh cracks in the roof and the tumbled beams are somehow heightened. I also like the lonliness of the building.

Location: Valdres, Norway

Eros

Probably one of the most famous and recognizable statues around –Eros, in or on Piccadilly Circus, the hub of the world. I never saw it look more beautiful than on this occasion, siloutted against a magnificent late-afternoon sky. The light was so extraordinary and momentary that by the time I got nearer to take a closer picture the effect had gone.

Location: London, England

View From My Flat -Winter

Nothing special, just the view from my flat on a winter's day. Snow falling, the kind of weather that calls the coziness of staying indoors.

Location: Oslo, Norway

Doggie Underwear

This little pooch spends much of its day in a shop that sells women's clothes, and underwear in particular. And being a very curious dog he (or she) loves to watch people passing by from this silky spot -and what a great advertisement for the underwear!

Location: Norfolk, England

Winter Afternoon in Oslo

Chilly weather all over Europe, but snow brings beauty, especially when the sky takes on the hues of a water colour painting and creates a warming glow despite the cold. Such as here in the usually much busier Frogner park.

Location: Oslo, Norway

Simplicity

Sky, sea and the perfect lawn of a bowling green. Canopied benches along the promenade, a low fence and an even lower hedge. I love the simplicity and cleanliness of this picture –taken perhaps surprisingly not in summer but on a cold December afternoon on the Norfolk coast.

Location: Great Yarmouth, England

Tree With Attitude

I came across this tree in New Mexico and found it to have real personality.. it seems to be pleading to the mountains and sky, one armlike branch pointing to itself..look at me, listen to me! Maybe it was asking for some company in such a barren landscape.

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Sun and Clouds Over Gibraltar

This is as close as I have gotten to Gibraltar –I took the picture from a boat between Spain and Morocco with a very old 110-film Kodak camera, way back in 1984 when I was travelling around Europe. I was struck by the magnificence of the sun and clouds and the majesty of the rock at the tip of Europe.

Location: Gibraltar

Polar Express

Until I hit Canada in the midst of ferocious winter conditions I hadn't really felt the cold, even in Scandinavia, the sides of this carriage seem to ooze iciness, with the reflection of icicles in the windows –fortunately all was warm and cozy inside!

Location: Montreal/Quebec, Canada

Railway Track

Tracks are always interesting to photograph –they simultaneously lead somewhere and come from somewhere –a metaphor for life itself. This track is in the Norfolk town where I grew up. It is no longer part of a regular rail network, but a private line maintained by enthusiasts. The building on the left was once a signalman's cottage.

Location: Dereham, England

Splash of Colour In London

A telephone box, the blue facade of a café, and green hoarding for Shrek at the Theatre Royal. A wet pavement, a waiter taking a cigarette-break. The effect reminded me of a 1990s music video, but mostly I just loved the combination of bright colours.

Location: London, England

Front of a Closed Shop

Abandoned buildings always fascinate me; they often continue to "talk", echoing stories of former days. I have no idea what was behind the windows of this closed shop in Poland, but I find the colours, ironwork and peeling paint bothe evocative and fascinating.

Location: Warsaw, Poland

Mountain Colours

The top of a (little) mountain in Norway in late autumn. The colours reminded me a bit of the film version of "Brigadoon" -which seemed deliberately artificial in their majesty. Well, now I know that such a wealth of colour does exist, when you climb and go "wandering through the heather on the hill..."

Location: Valdres, Norway

Le Chateau Frontenac

I just watched (again) Alfred Hitchcock's moody film "I Confess" from 1953, and realised just how much it had inspired my photography in Quebec earlier this year. The Chateau Fronteac features heavily in the film, and still looks exactly as it did in the film. Of course my photographs of it had to be in black and white too, and taken from obscure angles -my own homage to cinematographer Robert Burks.

Location: Quebec, Canada

Spanish Moss

Old Savannah, one of my favourite US cities -full of character, history and texture. The lazy trees, bedecked with Spanish moss are eerie by night, but provide welcome shade in the heat of day, as well as wonderful subjects for pictures.

Location: Savannah, Georgia

Jeans

Not really a story behind this one, just experimenting with my camera and finding lines and textures in everyday objects, like this pile of jeans -waves of them!

Riverside

I am always fascinated by old, seemingly deserted buildings. This one on the bank of the Thames in Hammersmith is interesting because of its curves and mellow and warm colours in the late afternoon sun. It also contrasts with the more formal building on the other side of the river in the background.

Location: London, England

Signs in American Shop Window

Notice boards and shop windows are fertile grounds for gems of the bizarre and out-of-the-ordinary kind. One wonders just how safe people may have felt when passing this particular window!

Location: New Orleans, USA

Links

I have been experimenting a bit with taking close-up pictures of small things that don't usually get much attention, but look great enlarged, like these cufflinks. Expect more like this as my roving eye seeks out other little things deserving more attention!

Peacock

There are few things more magnificent than the fabulous outfit of a peacock, feathers unfurled. I find it incredible and humbling that nature could produce something so beautiful, and was thrilled that this particular bird elected to show off for me.

Location: Bucharest, Romania

Another Glass Roof...or Ceiling?

One of Europe's most spectacular train stations is the Berlin Hauptbahnhof -an architectural wonder, not least because of the brilliant use of glass, creating a spacious, light interior and quite a classical overall look. Also rather good for pictures!

Location: Berlin, Germany

English Country Road

I love the total Englishness of this picture -the quiet country road and the eccentric placing of a telephone box, far from any form of civilisation and standing slightly askew. The bright red indeed contrasts with the green, but somehow the telephone box seems perfectly happy where it is -out of place, yet not out of place at the same time.

Location: Berkshire, England

A Day at the Musuem

The first time I saw the rebuilt inner courtyard of the British Musuem I just stood and stared in amazement. It was one of the most stunning interior spaces I had ever seen. The intricate glass ceiling is as beautiful as any of the objects on display, and informs the whole space, especially when the sun shines and creates a web of shadows on the pristine marble floors and stairs. I tried to capture some of the immensity and beauty in this picture, but this is only a small part of the whole.

Location: London, England.

Derelict Building

I have always found derelict buildings fascinating. Their stories are often somehow more tangible than buildings that are new or lived in. And surfaces, textures and crumbling features seem almost organic. This former apartment building unexpectedly has a sad beauty about it. I find the curved corners especially appealing.

Location: Warsaw, Poland

Those Autumn Leaves

Autumn in New England is always magnificent, and even in the cities. This tree on Boston Common seemed especially beautiful -delicate and somehow still full of life, with its few remaining, perfectly contrasting, leaves.

Location: Boston, USA

Autumn Vista

This photograph was taken in just about my favourite place in the whole world -the mountains of central Norway, and in the autumn when the colours become especially beautiful. Lakes, trees, sky and snow-topped mountains in the distance... and quiet, perfect quiet in the crisp air. Utter peace.

Location: Rundmellen, Valdres, Norway

Birds On A Wire

Just a simple photograph that I quite liked -the sun going down in Tennessee, birds resting or waiting on telephone wires, wondering perhaps where all the leaves have gone.

Location: Memphis, USA

People in Covent Garden

This is a very calm picture.The five main figures all appear to be in their own little world -waiting, resting, reading -each is somehow both alone and part of the whole. The portico of St. Paul's Church provide some shade from the sun and the bases of the columns a place to sit -as they have for several hundred years.

Location: London, England

Chic Loo

South Beach is rightly famous for its art deco hotel facades. But the style extends to such otherwise mundane features as public toilets, or restrooms- I liked the symmetry, broken by the tree and the bin, and of course the lighting.

Location: Miami Beach, USA

Keyboard Steps

So many people pass through London's Underground system that the steps need to be reinforced with metal treads so as not to wear away. But they give the impression of a stack of keyboards -or maybe it's just the way my eyes see them!

Location: London, England

Reflections

Late evening. After a rain shower. Red lights of barriers reflected in the pools of water and on the wet pavements. Horizontal and vertical lines. Some nice effects created by the combination of all these things.

Location: Oslo, Norway

Street Scene

Another monochrome photograph inspired by the Andreas Feininger portraits of Chicago in 1941. Taken many years later, of course.

Location: Chicago, USA