Back Street

I am quite often more fascinated by back streets and side streets than main streets –they seem to have more genuine character, and more interesting things can often be found there. This particular cobblestone street in the Polish capital appealed to me particularly because of the unusual angled lower walls on the left, but I also liked the way the soft sun shone down the street, playing mellow light against the buildings. Location: Warsaw, Poland

Vespas!

No, this picture was not taken in Italy, even though it has an undeniably Italian flavour in more ways than one. It was actually taken outside a pizza restaurant in central Oslo. The Vespas have clearly been parked there to advertise the establishment, but in a seemingly casual but cheeky way. Three of anything is always interesting, and the three mopeds are echoed by the three empty chairs visible through the window and the three waiting customers inside. The colours and composition worked well, in all making me quite proud of this picture. Location: Oslo, Norway

Gloves

With the sweltering heat of this weekend, winter seems a distant memory; yet I only got round to packing away my winter clothes a few days ago. I did some stock-taking first, and took this photograph of some of my gloves before packing them down. I just liked the different colours and textures and all those dozens of empty fingers! Now it's all about shorts and T-shirts!

Greek Balcony

I have a little balcony at home, and now that summer is almost here I am trying hard to create a little oasis of colour and life there with flowers and plants. Sadly however I do not have green fingers, so my balcony will never look as pretty and "unforced" as this one which I passed by while on holiday on a Greek island It's so simple, but I love the colours and textures and feeling that this has been here for ever. One day, when my own balcony efforts have improved, I will post a picture of that. In the meantime I hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do. Location: Levkada, Greece

Polynesian Coast

I had the good fortune some time ago of staying in a hotel in Tahiti that was the former palace of a Polynesian queen. It had a jetty that struck out across crystal clear water filled with colourful fish, and I took this picture from there. I happened to have black and white film in the camera at the time, so you will have to imagine the vibrant colours of the water, sky and vegetation –at least until I can get some of the transparancies I shot scanned. But I rather like the picture nonetheless. The building sticking into the water is really just a big hall, and if you could see inside at this particular moment you would see a wedding taking place -exotic and accompanied by much drumming- but otherwise this is a supremely peaceful place. Location: Tahiti

Windows For Smokers!

I am always looking out for patterns and shapes in things, both intended and unintended –it goes back to a childhood pastime of trying to make out animals in clouds. I love discovering that something looks like something else too, so I was thrilled to snap these windows on a bright sunny day when the blinds are down, reminding me instantly of cigarettes lined up –well, maybe that's just me. I think it makes for an interesting photograph nonetheless. Location: Oslo, Norway

Chimney Pots

Down on the street one doesn't always see the multitude of chimneys that fill the roofs of London. I took this picture from the window of a tiny top-floor room of a hotel in Paddington that I was staying at. Fortunately it was the wrong time of the year for lighting fires, otherwise the amount of smoke would surely have been choking. Location: London, England

Silhouette of a Church

One of the few remaining old buildings in the centre of Birmingham around The Bullring is St. Martin's Church, seen here against a bright morning sun. It's a charming church, nestling close to the market, and the silhouette effect here means one is able to appreciate its fine and rather lovely spire. Such beautiful skies are not an everyday occurence in the usually grey Midlands, so I was grateful to have my camera handy on this particular morning. Location: Birmingham, England