Banksy on the beach - Barneville-Carteret - Manche - France

When I took this photo I didn't realise this child flying a kite on the beach. It's only when I opened it on my computer that I realised the similarities with one of Banksy's graffitis. 

I chose to only keep the kite in red to reinforce and emphasis the resemblance.

Click on the photo to see the resemblance!

Banksy - Girl with a balloon

Leeds' skyline

I found some pictures of Leeds' skyline which I thought deserved to be published on my blog. I was browsing my Picasa library when I found them. I must admit I had forgotten them. Let's hope you won't.

Actually most of these shots have been taken during my stay in Leeds though only a couple are from Leeds' skyline the other ones still being from West Yorkshire. But I'll specify which town the photos actually come from.

This photo is actually of Leeds' skyline. It is one of the Town Hall's owl. I particularly like the golden colour of the statue that contrasts against the deep blue sky. It was one of the few sunny days I experienced when I lived in the north of England!

The Yorkshire seaside

 I lived for two years in Leeds in West Yorkshire and I made the most of the county by visiting as many town, cities and places I could. 

 I went to Whitby where Bram Stoker's Dracula's legend came to life and enjoyed one of the few sunny days available in the north of England. 

 Whitby is a little seaside town on the east cost of North Yorkshire. It offers touristic as well as historical places and make the visit quite interesting. 

 Here are a few photos I took when I was there:  

The Whitby harbour

In the Whitby harbour, there are a few fishing boats, a lot of seagulls and very nice seaside houses.

 

Seaside moments

 Capturing people on film, even on digital film is quite a difficult process. If you want to make sure that the scene remains natural and intimate, you must make yourself disappear in the landscape in order not to disturb the authenticity of what happening in front of you. 

Here are a few shots I am proud of. I was able to capture those moments without any interference on my part.

I really like these two photos of the children playing by the sea. The first one is a particularly favorite of mine. You can almost hear them whispering secrets to one another unaware that anyone is watching.

Setting suns

Still in Whitstable. I've chosen to show you several photos of the sun setting on the sea, always a beautiful experience to witness and to immortalize.

I particularly like the way the sun rays pierce the sky on this shot and how the different levels of the wooden fence mark another division in the shot.

Luxury life

Since I've been living in England, I tried to visit as many places as I could. Now living in Kent, I stumble upon a very nice Castle in the Kentish countryside. England is very proud of its mansions and castle and has transformed most of those estates into museums and parks. 

Here are several pictures I took when I went there.

The park of Leeds Castle is quite beautiful, especially in the spring when all the flowers bloom. A small river passes through the park and on its banks, you can see a multitude of little white flowers. It is a very nice place for a picnic.

Sheep and Wales

A couple of years ago, I went to visit a friend in Wales, in Swansea. Another city bu the sea. I seem to be attracted by the sea. 

Unfortunately, despite the fact that it was spring, the weather was ghastly. Not a ray of sun could pierce the thick clouds that were overrunning the sky that day. As you will see on these photos, a very thick fog was also here to dampen our spirits.

We went to visit a small town on the seaside and we were welcomed by this thick fog that prevented us for seeing anything further away than our feet. On the cliffs, you could see sheep scattered all over the wet, damp grass. Some of those sheep were dangerously close to the edge but none of them seemed to fall on the beach.

Wind turbines, seagulls and beach huts in Whitstable

I was born near the sea and therefore I feel a very profound bond to its smells, colours and landscapes. Now that I live near Whitstable, I go there often and never without my camera. Therefore, it will probably not be my first or last post with photographs of the Whitstable landscape.

On this photo, you cannot clearly distinguish the sand from the water as it is a low tide. however, the persons walking are an indication of where the sand seems to be.

English countryside - Malham, North Yorkshire

On the Yorkshire Dales, there is a cute little village called Malham where you can visit the countryside. There are paths to follow and definitely pictures to be taken. 

Here is a picture I took the second time I went there. I like this shot. You can almost see the fairies. This shot could also illustrate the covers of the Brontë sisters' books. This is Angria.

A Christmas at the beach

After a very filling Christmas lunch, we took a stroll on the beach watching the sunset. Even though we were in Normandy, the day was perfect for this, fresh enough to help digestion yet not too cold that you had to stay in the car.

A very hot day

One spring day, some friends and I went on the seaside to have a drink in a pub overlooking the sea. I live in Kent and it's the most sunny place in Britain. But I never thought that the warmth would cause the seas to evaporate!

Nevertheless, it created very interesting shots. On the two following photos, you can see this strange fog  covering the Pegwell bay.

Wight is Wight...

Here are a few pictures of the seaside of the Isle of Wight. The cliffs are particularly interesting. The fact that they're made of limestone give nice colours to the photos.

Here is a picture of a beach where we went to see the famous Neddles. The little boats on the right hand side of the shot counterbalances the dock that streches away from the focal point. 

Where is Tess?

On the journey back from the Isle of Wight, we stopped to see Stonehenge. It was the worst day of the trip as it was raining so much that day. But even though the visit was short and wet, it offered a nice opportunity for taking pictures.

Greecian calanque or Norman sea?

As you may have read before, I was born in Normandy and there is a very nice place to visit called Etretat. We went there in May and the weather was wonderful. 

On these two pictures the colour of the sea clearly show that it was a particularly beautiful day. If I didn't know that I had taken those shots in Normandy I could say they were from Greece or at least the south of France.

The world's end - Etretat

When I went to Etretat, we went for a walk on the cliffs and I took the opportunity to take several pictures.

Chalky cliffs

These pictures are of the chalk cliffs in Etretat. On several of them you can see the needle that detach from the cliff.

On this first photo, the boats and people on the left hand side counterbalances the cliff. The way people lazily leaned on the boats give this scene a tranquil atmosphere. The tint also suggests an old postcard.

Deep in the woods...

These two photos have been taken in a park near my hometown. It was a very sunny day and the light was quite interesting. It gives the shots a yellow tint. The second photo is a framed shot and the way the ivy climbs on the ruins of an old church clearly attracts the eye.

Snowy landscapes

I went to Switzerland in February and I took the opportunity to capture a few snowy landscapes. I particularly like this one of a lonely tree in a snowy field. I find this photo quite poetic.

A sea of clouds

I went to visit the top of Mont Moléson with cable cars. Once I overcame the feeling of vertigo and of imminent death by falling hundreds of feet, I was able to realise the beauty laid out before me.

Here is a photo of Mont Moléson. The weather was perfect for this kind of picture.

Key quays...

When I went to Switzerland, we visited several lakes. These photos are my favorites from this trip. I'll let you judge for yourself whether you find them interesting as well.

This quay offers a nice barrier between the water and the sky which share the same tint. It also enables us to skim through the photo from left to right. The atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing.