17 - January Afternoon

17 - January Afternoon, originally uploaded by North Light.

So, nearly a year since I last contributed to my own blog! 2010 proved o be a long year, too much time spent in front of a computer the majority of which related to the hotel and not enough time spent with a camera and exploring where I live. When you're part of a family business it's important to get the right balance between work and play, something I got very wrong last year, so my one and only resolution for this year is to put that right!

One down, eleven to go!

31 - North Wind, originally uploaded by North Light.

End of the first month's photography of the year, always a difficult month but when the weather is good some of the years best photographs normally come from January.
I've not found the first month particularly satisfying, I think that I've got past just being happy with getting a photograph each day this year, and am looking to get more out of the photography, we'll see how this progresses through the year.

The last shot of the month was taken from a blustery Sunday afternoon's walk on Thurso Beach, using a fixed length medium telephoto, always makes me work hard as I am not always the best at seeing isolated "bits" of the view, end result, well a good one to finish the month on.

750 Days

19 - History Uncovered, originally uploaded by North Light.

One of my methods of keeping myself motivated is to set myself targets and objectives, ugh I hear you say, a few years ago I would agreed with you, the occasional pat on the back is needed and whilst I'm not a proponent of self congratulation it does have its uses, shear obstinacy will only get you so far!

It seems appropriate that the photograph for this milestone is Dunnet Bay, I never cease to find some interest in this beautiful location, and hence it will always remain a favourite.

Starting Another Years Photography

6 - A Joy to Work With, originally uploaded by North Light.

So, it's with some relief that I've completed my second year of "A Photograph a Day", yet a certain amount of anticipation and enjoyment as I start the third! Bizarre, I'm not sure if thats because this year has what I see as a neat goal, 1000 days of Photography.
This photograph was taken on a day of sunshine and snow showers, after a snow shower had swept through out came the sun, the low January sunshine providing a beautifully warm and contrasty light, which combined with an interesting collection of boats in the harbour makes the daily photograph a pleasure.

Limited Exposure

357 - A Break in the Weather, originally uploaded by North Light.

Nearing the end of this years "365" now, Icy roads and work have limited the range I have been working over for the last few days. This always makes it difficult to find something fresh, not only to keep the viewers interest up, but also mine.
This photograph was particularly pleasing, taken with a compact camera, but one of the most successful of the month. I do like the contrast of the hard lines of the Sea Wall against the sky.

Starting to think about the next years photography now, what goals to set, at the moment another year of daily photography seems a bit daunting, but the concept of a 1000 days of photography is too challenging to ignore.

A Bit of a Landmark

334 - A Bit of a Landmark, originally uploaded by North Light.

I have to say I'm just a little pleased with this one! Taken on the last day of November, with everchanging light it was good to be in the right place at the right time.
It is also photograph number 700 in my "Photo a Day Series", one month to go to complete this year, then embark on one more year! I have the bizarre notion to do 1000, quite mad.

I seem to have been neglecting the blog a bit, over a month since I last blogged, energies have been going in other directions, one of which is now taking shape, but demands a lot more work is my website, having been "Up" for a year I felt it deserved a change, I have also been able to take advantage of some changes which allow me to upload larger images, drop by and have a look, http://www.heilanlight.com/ Comments are welcome.

Heading Towards Winter

292 - Sliding Towards Winter, originally uploaded by North Light.

As the nights draw in the daily photograph starts to become a real challenge, grey autumn evenings are not the most inspiring of subjects and test my abilities to produce interesting photographs.
Scrabster Harbour has become a focal point for my photography over the last few days, the colours and lights on the fishing boats providing a much needed contrast to the gloom of a grey and damp evening.

Something Different

283 - Autumn Leaf at Eden Court, originally uploaded by North Light.

Over a month since I last blogged! Excuses, well yes I do have some, a bout of flu etc, but also, it's been a long season, it's all to easy to let the hotel part of my life become all consuming!
As the "Hotel Season" eases off, the photographic one starts, autumn light, when we get it is for me the best time for photography, the Camera Club season has started again, and a few days away in Inverness lets me do something different.
I have always been interested in architecture, and Eden Court Theatre is a perfect subject, very different from landscapes, well perhaps not, the same principals apply, composition, light and subject.

Breaks in the Weather

248 - From Clardon Haven, originally uploaded by North Light.

My feeling was that August was wet, but the beginning of September has completely surpassed anything that August had to offer, torrential rain a few days ago left parts of northern Scotland flooded, Caithness has missed the worst of the flooding, but rivers and burns are very swollen, and there is a wide selection of temporary lochs and lakes.
As a photographer, rain is the most difficult element to work with, and I have to admit that on the worst day I resorted to working from inside the car, only the second time I have had to this year.
Otherwise, despite the rain, our quickly changing weather has produced some good breaks in the weather, yesterday evening's "Rock Hopping" at Clardon Haven producing some very satisfying images.

Photography on a Damp August Evening

239 - Everything Stops Fror Rain, originally uploaded by North Light.

On days like this its a challenge, after a day of rain it was still trying to rain, but the diffuse light was still strong enough to bring out the colours in the barley and the red in the combine provided the point of interested needed to lift the photograph.

Nearing the end of the Season

234 - A Hint of the End of Summer, originally uploaded by North Light.

The end of August is drawing closer, so far it has proven to be a very changeable month, with plenty of rain, doesn't always make the photography easy, it leaves me some evenings chasing inspiration!

Yesterday early evening saw me doing a longish circular drive, Thurso, Reay, Westerdale, Halkirk where I took some photographs, and back to Thurso! Lots of miles for three or four photographs, still on foot for the first part of next week as the car in off to the garage for a few days! That will reduce my CO2 footprint a little bit.

Number 234 this year is also number 600 in my goal of 1000 days of photography, just 400 to go.

Captivating Colours

218 - Citrus Reflections, originally uploaded by North Light.

Good news - The hotel is very busy at the moment, Bad News - Not much time or energy for the photography.

A combination of the above, basically very tired at the moment and trying to find a photograph each day whilst not being too repetitive led to a series of photographs in Scrabster Harbour using a long lens, this photograph was one of the results, an abstract photograph of the reflections on Subsea Viking's hull in the water. Am I pleased? Yes, I like the softening of the colours and the photographs I took went some way to re-motivating me.

Now what am I going to find today ..............

Not My Forte

213 - Gala Night, originally uploaded by North Light.

Thurso Gala Parade, the beginning of Gala Week, an annual event run by Thurso Town Improvements Association.
My photograph a day would not be complete without some images of the event, but I do have to say that photography of people is really not my forte, and something I would normally avoid like the plague!

After a Day of Rain

199 - After the Race, originally uploaded by North Light.

This is one of my personal favourites of the photographs I have taken over the last couple of weeks, after a day of rain, watched from the reception area of the hotel I was contemplating what to do for the "Days photograph", driving west out of Thurso gives a great view of the bay, I could see yachts racing in the bay, so the location was sorted, as so often happens, a little bit of luck makes the photograph, the days racing had finished, and the best photograph was of the returning boats.
Why do I like the photograph? Simplicity is the answer, a very minimalist composition, the bold colours on the sails providing a touch of contrast against the muted greys, above all it catches the mood.

Somewhere New

191 - Old Track, Dirlot, originally uploaded by North Light.

There is a real joy in finding a new location, a visit to Dirlot Castle one evening with Thurso Camera Club this week produced a couple of interesting photographs despite not so good weather. I am now more than a little captivated by the place, so went back at the end of the week for a second take! I have no doubt that this will be repeated, as I think there is more to come from this location.

Working with Overcast Skies

182 - After the Rain, originally uploaded by North Light.

We are now beginning to get to the point in the year where overcast skies are common, they seem to be very characteristic of July and August weather in Caithness. The popular thought would be that this is not good for photography, the opposite is true, the diffuse light allows photography throughout the day, exploration of colours and shapes is much easier than in bright sunshine, saturation and contrast being lower and easier to control.
Sandside Harbour is always a good subject with lots of detail and interest in the equipment dotted around the harbour, this old storehouse providing an excellent backdrop.

Wick HarbourFest 2009

178 - HarbourFest 2009, originally uploaded by North Light.

Or perhaps the title should have been "Expanding the Repertoire".

After long days at work it's all too easy to take the easy option and go where I know that I can get a photograph with the minimum of effort. Not surprisingly this ultimately proves unsatisfying, it seems that I need to keep a level of challenge in my photography, when it becomes routine and I feel that I am not learning, or pushing myself, the motivation becomes much more difficult to maintain. An interesting thought as I near the half way point of this year, and contemplate that I am also closing on the mid point of my objective of three years of a photo a day!

So yesterday I managed to get to the HarbourFest at Wick on a glorious summer's day, I arrived late in the day, and most of the stands were being broken down, definitely not my usual subject, lots more photographs than I would normally take, but I am pleased with this one which I hope gives the feeling of a crowded marina. As usual I've had to keep the saturation down, Nikon reds easily become too dominating.

A Grumpy Photographer

174 - Fresgoe Thrift, originally uploaded by North Light.

It's reached that time of year where there is an inevitable conflict between my photography and the "Day Job".
The hotel is busy at the moment, and combined with Summer light, which is not my favourite it makes for difficult photography.
I am still achieving the "Photo a Day", but am I succeeding at my other objectives? Is my photography improving is an important question for me, part of the satisfaction I get is from being able to see an positive changes in my photography, having spent a little time looking at photographs from a year ago I think I am still improving, so I shall try and be a bit less grumpy today!

Sliding into Summer

Flowers, Cottage and Crows, originally uploaded by North Light.

So the weather is improving as we approach the longest day, my only complaint is that the temperatures are not really matching the sunlight, a cold north / north easterly wind is holding it down in the lower teens.

The hotel is busy so my time to "Blog" and comment on Flickr is considerably reduced, today I have grabbed a few minutes whilst I am sitting at reception waiting for a group of Italians to check out. Today I will make some time to ensure I respond to all those people who are kind enough to comment on my photographs.

Looking for Something Different

149 - The Trinkie, originally uploaded by North Light.

One of the problems of participating in "A Photograph a Day" is that with over 500 days under my belt I am finding that I need to seek new subjects to keep the inspiration going.
Yesterday the light took me over towards Wick, a sudden moment of inspiration had me at the Trinkie, and a fortunate appearance of some sunlight has produced a photograph that I am pleased with on the first visit to a location.