I have been more than a little preoccupied with house-hunting recently, so have been neglecting writing here on Substack, including the ‘Favourite Photos’ series. I have, however, been adding more photos to the collection that Paid Subscribers can download for free.

This week’s photo is of a beautiful peacock butterfly (Aglais io) feeding on a teasel flower.

I took this photo a few years ago in Barlow Common Nature Reserve which is near Selby in North Yorkshire, England.

Barlow Common has lots of beautiful wildflowers, including many teasels. I took this photo on a glorious sunny July morning when the teasels were flowering, and they were simply covered with peacock, small tortoiseshell and painted lady butterflies - such a beautiful sight.

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 60mm Macro

Aperture: f2.8

Shutter speed: 1/800 sec

ISO: 100

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

I have to admit to being a little bit obsessed with volcanoes.

I think this obsession began when I watched the film ‘Krakatoa, East of Java’ as a child. I remember watching the film with a combination of absolute terror and utter fascination, and spent months (years?) afterwards wondering what it would have been like to have witnessed such a catastrophic event. Despite its many inaccuracies, not least the title (Krakatoa is actually west of Java), the film inspired an interest that has remained with me for life.

When Matt and I were traveling a lot I would select destinations known for their volcanic activity and features. Hence we had some wonderful trips exploring Iceland, the Azores (with many hot springs and fumaroles), the Italian Aeolian Islands (with fumaroles on Vulcano and regular eruptions on Stromboli), Sicily (for Mount Etna) and last but not least the Spanish Canary Islands.

Lanzarote

Lanzarote in the Canary Islands is sometimes known as the Island of Volcanoes.

The island has over 200 volcanoes, and although there have been no eruptions since 1824, there is evidence of volcanic activity everywhere.

The abundant lava on the island is put to good use in constructing its vineyards, where it is used to build walls to provide shelter for the young vines.

Timanfaya National Park

The Timanfaya National Park is a fascinating, starkly beautiful landscape, where it is possible to observe many volcanic features, including the slow colonization of the lava by lichens and plants. It is the only area of the island that is still considered to be volcanically active, with high surface temperatures and steam vents.

The photo below shows Montana Colorada dotted with aulaga plants (Canarian gorse) in sunlight. The red colour is caused by iron oxides in the lava.

The one below shows a remarkably large lava bomb, with Matt giving a sense of scale. I would not have wanted to be nearby when this was ejected!

There are few trees in the National Park, but here tree tobacco (which is in fact a non-native and invasive species) is in the process of colonizing the bleak landscape.

Lava Tubes

A particularly interesting feature of Lanzarote is its extensive lava tubes and caves, some of which have been converted into tourist attractions.

La Cueva de los Verdes (Green Cave) is a fascinating cave system located within a lava tube. Tourists can explore part of this system, which includes a subterranean lake with a perfect reflection of the walls and roof. The beautiful yellow colour is produced by phosphates and the whites by calcium carbonate.

Jameos del Agua is another cave system located within the same lava tube. Here the wonderful local architect César Manrique created a fascinating space combining a subterranean lake, a bar and restaurant, a garden and even a concert hall, all within the lava tube!

A particularly interesting feature of Jameos del Agua is the subterranean lake, which contains a population of tiny white squat lobsters. These little squat lobsters (Munidopsis polymorpha) are blind, being adapted to life underground, and they are totally unique to Lanzarote.

Black Coast at El Golfo

The lovely little village of El Golfo is located on the coast within the Timanfaya National Park.

In this area the coast is completely black, which brings us back to the ‘Favourite Photo’ at the head of this post.

It was a sunny but very windy day when we visited El Golfo, and beautiful white Atlantic waves were crashing onto the black volcanic shore. I love the way this photo captures the movement of the waves, and the stark contrast between the intense blue sky, the frothy white surf and the black lava.

Here are some more photos taken on that wild and windy afternoon.

Charco de los Clicos

Charco de los Clicos, also known as the Green Lagoon, is another interesting feature near El Golfo. Here sea water has become trapped in a lagoon inside a volcanic crater. Algae in the lagoon give the water a green colour.

To me, though, the most interesting feature is the spatter pattern created when fountains of lava spattered onto the walls of the crater and solidified.

There is so much more to Lanzarote than its holiday resorts. Anyone who has any interest in geology and volcanic landscapes is sure to be captivated by this lovely island.

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This week’s favourite photo was taken several years ago during a long tour of Iceland’s Westfjords. During this trip we had been greatly looking forward to visiting the famous Látrabjarg cliffs with their massive seabird colony.

It was a long and difficult trek to get there in our modest hire car, over rutted gravel roads with a multitude of dangerous potholes. And as we traveled, the weather gradually deteriorated.

A highlight of the journey was passing the beautiful sandy beach at Breiðavík. Many of Iceland’s beaches are black but this one has golden sand, and we were lucky enough to pass at low tide. Though as you can see from the photo below, the clouds were already low in the sky.

When we finally arrived at the Látrabjarg cliffs, the visibility had reduced to a few feet and we could feel the wind buffeting the car. Several other cars were parked in the parking area and most had their occupants sensibly huddled inside.

But we had come a long way, and had been looking forward to this visit, so we were determined to have a walk along the cliff path. We cautiously ventured out into the wind and, by now, horizontal rain. After struggling to put on our waterproofs in the wind we set off along the clifftop path.

Látrabjarg has some of the highest cliffs in Europe, and is famous for its amazing views as well as its massive seabird colony. Unfortunately we didn’t see any of the views.

The path itself was easy to follow, and it is probably just as well that we couldn’t see the view down because the path is close to the cliff edge.

Walking along the path, fighting against the wind, was both an eerie and a frustrating experience. We literally couldn’t see beyond a few feet, but we could hear a constant stream of birds flying past and calling at eye level. And we could definitely sense the immense drop just to the side of the (fenceless) path.

Fortunately the wind was blowing us away from the cliff edge, but it was still disconcerting. After a particularly strong gust blew us off course we decided to call it a day and return to the car.

We had just turned round to return when we saw the little puffin in the photo above. We must have walked within a couple of feet of it, but not noticed. It was totally unbothered by our presence, and waited while I struggled to wipe the rain off my lens and take a couple of quick shots.

The rain stopped on the walk back (but not the wind), and I managed to get a few more shots. Not great shots, I have to admit. But considering the weather I was just relieved to have a few photos to remind me of this exciting day.

Technical Information (for main photo above)

Camera: Olympus E-M10 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 40-150mm

Aperture: f5.6

Shutter speed: 1/160 sec

ISO: 100

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This weeks ‘Favourite Photo’ is of a small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) feeding on lavender flowers in a Yorkshire garden. I use this one as wallpaper on my computer.

I love the colour and smell of lavender, and grow some each year in my own garden.

I took this photo several years ago, and it always makes me think of the carefree summer days of childhood. I grew up in a house with a spacious cottage-style garden, and used to love watching bees and butterflies flitting among the flowers.

If only life could be so carefree now……

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M10 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 14-150mm

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter speed: 1/1000 sec

ISO: 320

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This week’s favourite photo is of the beautiful sandy beach at Filey in North Yorkshire, England.

I have been visiting this lovely beach for many years. Best experienced at low tide and in low sunlight, it is a great place for a long walk, with a salty breeze in your face and the sounds of waves and seabirds.

You can read my longer post about walking on Filey Beach here.

Technical Information (for main photo above)

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 14-150

Aperture: f9

Shutter speed: 1/640 sec

ISO: 100

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This week’s favourite photo is of the annually flooded meadows at North Duffield Carrs in North Yorkshire, England.

It was hard to choose a favourite photo from this lovely nature reserve, because when the meadows are flooded in winter it is so photogenic.

I chose the photo above because I like the various lines - the hedgerow, the raised bank and the bare trees - that together form a Z shape.

The reserve forms part of the Lower Derwent Valley, and acts as a floodplain for the adjacent River Derwent. A vast area is flooded each winter, and this attracts huge numbers of waterfowl, as well as the raptors that prey on them.

You can read more about the reserve in my earlier post North Duffield Carrs.

Technical Information (for main photo above)

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 14-150

Aperture: f22

Shutter speed: 1/250 sec

ISO: 800

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

When I am not exploring my local nature reserves or tending to my own garden, I can often be found photographing flowers in local public gardens.

I have a huge collection of flower photographs, many of which I submit to online microstock agencies, which brings in a small but very welcome income.

This weeks favourite photo is of a beautiful pink Kaffir lily (Hesperantha coccinea), also known as river lily or crimson flag.

Despite their common name, Kaffir lilies are not lilies at all, but are related to irises. They flower in autumn and are happy growing beside ponds and streams, but are not fussy and will happily grow in most locations as long as they are well watered in summer.

This specimen was photographed just after a rain shower in the lovely gardens at Burnby Hall, East Yorkshire.

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45 Pro

Aperture: f4

Shutter speed: 1/160 sec

ISO: 100

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This weeks favourite photo was taken in the woods at Skipwith Common in North Yorkshire, England.

It was taken on a sunny December morning a few years ago. The warm sunlight was filtering through the tree branches and illuminating the fallen leaves and golden bracken, creating a magical scene.

Skipwith Common is a wonderful place for a brisk walk at any time of year - there is always something interesting to see. You can read more in my earlier post Seasonal Strolls Around Skipwith Common.

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45 Pro

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter speed: 1/100 sec

ISO: 400

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This weeks favourite photo was taken in Wheldrake Woods in North Yorkshire, England.

The photo was taken on a sunny February morning. The low winter sunlight was illuminating these pine tree trunks giving them a lovely warm glow, while the clear blue sky could be seen above. The air was still and the woods were quiet except for the regular cry of a buzzard soaring overhead.

Just a lovely day for a walk in the woods!

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45 Pro

Aperture: f8

Shutter speed: 1/80 sec

ISO: 200

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This week’s favourite photo was taken on the lovely sandy beach of Ettrick Bay on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. It is a view over the small island of Inchmarnock to the Isle of Arran.

A couple of years ago Matt and I spent two great weeks exploring the Isle of Bute and the Argyll Forest Park. On Bute we stayed in the elegant main town of Rothesay.

On the first day of our stay we drove to Port Bannatyne on the east coast of the island.

From here we walked right across the island to Ettrick Bay on the west coast, which is a distance of only about 2 miles. Part of the route follows an old tramway, and the gradients are gentle with pleasant countryside views.

We arrived at Ettrick Bay as the tide was going out, and spent a couple of hours exploring the lovely sandy beach, watching the shore birds and enjoying the great views.

The view of the mountains on Arran was especially appealing. I have twice booked trips to Arran, and both times had to cancel. The first time was at Easter a few years ago. Just before we were due to travel there was unseasonably heavy snow which caused major disruption in the area, and people were asked to stay away. The second time the ferry to Arran was out of action. Perhaps it will be a case of ‘Third Time Lucky’.

Back to our day on the Isle of Bute, a short sharp shower was a perfect excuse to indulge in a coffee and extremely generous cake in the Ettrick Bay Cafe. We then walked back to our car at Port Bannatyne to complete a lovely introduction to this unspoiled little island.

Technical Information (for main photo above)

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45 Pro

Aperture: f11

Shutter speed: 1/640 sec

ISO: 250

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ and many more to download free here.

This week’s favourite photo is from a wonderful voyage up the stunning coast of Norway. The photo was taken in Hjørundfjord, a lesser known fjord in the beautiful Sunnmøre Alps. It’s not a favourite because it is a great photo (all that blue sky can be a bit boring!) but because it reminds me of that magical journey.

I had previously read that Hjørundfjord is extremely scenic and was disappointed when we entered the fjord in thick fog. But the fog began to clear, gradually revealing the peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps with a clear vivid blue sky above. Soon there was just a dense layer of mist that appeared to hover over the fjord, creating the magical effect above.

Later the mist cleared completely, revealing the full splendour of the Sunnmøre Alps. The trip through Hjørundfjord was so beautiful that it was difficult to pick a favourite photo, so here is a small gallery of photos from that trip. The final photo in the gallery below was taken from a viewpoint in the idyllic village of Sæbø.

Technical Information (for main photo above)

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45 Pro

Aperture: f11

Shutter speed: 1/250 sec

ISO: 200

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ (and many more) to download free here.

I love this photo because it portrays the stillness and quietness that sometimes occurs in woods on calm winter days.

In other seasons woods are never so quiet. There is birdsong, which is of course beautiful, and the slightest breeze causes rustling in the leaves and branches.

Walking in woods in winter is a totally different experience. The silence can be almost eerie. But for someone like me who finds constant noise stressful it can be magical and therapeutic.

I took this photo in Skipwith Common National Nature Reserve in North Yorkshire, England, on a very calm late winter morning.

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45 Pro

Aperture: f8

Shutter speed: 1/50 sec

ISO: 400

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ to download free here.

This week’s Favourite Photo is of golden reeds beside the blue water of a pond.

I absolutely love being surrounded by reeds.

There is something about the gentle swooshing sound they make as they sway in a gentle breeze that I find so comforting and relaxing. Akin to the sound of leaves blowing softly in a wood. Or waves lapping on the shore. To me these are the sounds of nature.

And reeds are mysterious - you never know what might be hiding just out of sight. Perhaps an otter, or a water rail, or even a bittern!

I know in some places Phragmites reeds are considered invasive and actively removed. But if they are managed they can be so useful. Fish use them as nursery grounds. Insects and spiders shelter among them. Reed buntings and bearded tits feed on their seeds.

And they are useful to us too. In the past they were planted and harvested extensively for thatch. These days they are used in nature reserves and water treatment plants to help remove pollutants from waste water. They can be compressed to create fiberboard, used as insulation and used as a renewable energy source.

I take a lot of photos of reeds. I particularly liked the simplicity of this week’s photo, and the contrast between the golden reeds and the blue water. It was taken at Fairburn Ings nature reserve in West Yorkshire, England, on a calm spring afternoon.

I hope you like it too.

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 60 mm Macro

Aperture: f7.1

Shutter speed: 1/320 sec

ISO: 100

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ to download free here.

This is the first in a regular series featuring photos that are personal favourites of mine, together with a bit of background information about them.

This photo was taken in Skipwith Common National Nature Reserve in North Yorkshire, England.

When I took this photo I was sitting with my partner, Matt, on a wooden bench beneath the branches of this magnificent old oak tree. It was a sunny December morning with a lovely clear blue sky.

The tree had lost many of its leaves, so it was possible to appreciate the incredible length and form of its overhanging branches. The leaves that were still remaining were illuminated by the low winter sunlight, making their autumn colours shine.

I remember feeling in awe of how strong the tree must be to support such massive branches. This is by no means the oldest tree at Skipwith Common, but it will always be one of my favourites.

You can read more about Skipwith Common in my post Seasonal Strolls around Skipwith Common.

Technical Information

Camera: Olympus E-M1 MarkII

Lens: Olympus 12-45mm f4 Pro

Aperture: f6.3

Shutter speed: 1/640 sec

ISO: 400

You can see more of my photographs here at Photo4Me, where you can also buy prints in various formats.

Paid subscribers can access all ‘Favourite Photos’ to download free here.