About Waves and Imogen

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Rachael

Poseidon Rising

Last month I published a collection of ‘wave monsters’. I have been down to the South Coast almost every week all through the winter, working mainly on fast-shutter captures of high seas. That’s a round trip of 140 miles at least once every week, usually getting down there in time for dawn. Often, my efforts have been rewarded with poor light or even driving rain. But it has still been one of my most exhilarating projects so far. Finally, my patience paid off, when Storm Imogen hit the coast earlier this month. Epic surf met great light, and I was one very happy, wave-obsessed photographer. So, I hope you will forgive me for one more surf-orientated post. If, like me, you are addicted to seascapes, there are more on my website.

Raptor

Leviathan

Thetis

Panther

Kraken

Methuselah

Landfall

Bleak winter

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Rachael

The weather during my recent trip to the Lofoten Islands was often disappointing, but necessity being the mother of invention, I tried to make the most of it. This minimal image captures something of the lonely, bleak feeling of these islands when the weather closes in.

Waterworld 2

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Rachael

Walton Bridge

Last month I posted some photographs of the floods along my local stretch of the River Thames, between Weybridge and Hampton.

Hampton riverside

As many will know, the Thames has burst its banks again, only more so.

Walton Bridge from Thames Meadow

I took these photos today and yesterday. If you are not familiar with the area, these images will not have as much impact but, for locals, the inundated landscape is a weird and frightening sight, strangely beautiful at times, but bringing suffering to so many.

Fire Brigade rescuing people from flooded homes

The people I saw being evacuated were outwardly cheerful, putting a brave face on a horrible situation.

Walton Quay

Sadly, more rain is forecast for tonight and the rest of the week – I fear the worst is yet to come.

The Thames claims Walton Lane

Weather front

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Rachael

50, f/11, 1.3″, 20 mm
Circ. polariser, .6 ND hard grad. and .9 pro glass (I think!)

Another shot from Tuesday’s day out along the Wey Navigation. Was it worth it, capturing this towering weather front, in return for three days of foul weather and counting? Definitely.

A return to bugs tomorrow – this warning is for you, Gunta. 😉

Epic light and changeable weather

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Rachael

The last couple of days have been really foul here – loads more rain that our already saturated landscape really didn’t need, and unremitting grey skies. But on Tuesday, as the weather front rolled slowly in over the Surrey countryside, Jen and I were treated to some seriously epic skies.

Fortuitously, we had chosen for our weekly photoshoot the Wey Navigation towpath between Cartbridge and Triggs Lock. The Navigation is bounded here by water meadows, open spaces and big skies. We were like the proverbial children in the sweet shop (kids in a candy store in American!). It will take me a while to get through all the images I made but here are the first few out of the digital darkroom. Little editing required thanks to my circ. polariser and ND grad. filters. Colours as they appeared on the day.

Waterworld

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Rachael

As some of you may have read on the news, here in Surrey we are experiencing some seriously epic flooding as the Thames bursts its banks.

This is usually a meadow.

We are safe and dry at home here, safely removed by a small hill from the danger, but I have friends who are anxiously watching as the water level rises ever higher.

Desborough Island is now Desborough Lake

I could hardly resist popping out today and yesterday to capture the changed landscape, or should I say waterscape, of my local area.

A swan claims new territory

We’re going to need a bigger bridge!

Sun shower

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Rachael

A lot of weather comes to visit our little island. And we do tend to whinge about it from time to time. But when sun and rain coincide, diamonds are scattered over the garden. A good time to put a transparent bag over the camera and step outside.

Focused Moments

A professional photographer's life

Tag Archives: weather