Brian's Photographic Art

Autumn was well underway when I visited Prince Edward County, on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The county sits on a peninsula, and so is off the beaten track. There's a history there of farming, but today land usage is changing as there are many wineries and craft breweries that find their homes there. With that, there are many old, tired farm buildings scattered about the county, just like the one seen in this image, which sits by the side of a road near Picton. It's clearly some time since it saw productive use, but who cares when it makes such a lovely picture? I do hope you enjoy it.

This image, originally captured on film in the autumn of 1987, depicts the Ashness Bridge, in the Lake District National Park, in England. This is a popular spot for capturing images, but it has changed over the years as the view across to Skiddaw and Derwentwater, the mountain and lake in the distance, is now restricted by the abundance of trees that have grown. This image, therefore, represents a historical view. The bridge is a traditional Lakeland bridge, in that the arch does not contain a keystone. Within the park, there are many 'pack horse' bridges such as this, mostly built during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The fact that they still stand after 300 or more years is a testament to their construction.

This image, originally captured on film in 1987, shows a solitary tree amid a snow squall. The image was captured on a road running north from London, Ontario. We had tried to drive up to our cottage that day but had to turn around as the snow squall developed. Visibility was significantly reduced, creating an otherworldly experience, something that deserved to be captured. I've always loved the look of trees in winter; their summer drapery of leaves gone to reveal their skeletal structure. But on this day, as the snow blew and stuck to the windward surfaces, it artistically defined this tree, almost as if the darkness of the tree had been etched from a white canvas. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

We were on the road in Cambodia from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap; driving all day at about 60 kph. It was slow with so many amazingly overladen vehicles crawling along the road. It was late in the afternoon, almost dusk when we encountered this small truck carrying what I must assume are farm workers at the end of their day. I've looked at this image many times, but each time that I do, I seem to count more heads. I think that 14 people were travelling on the back, plus probably more in the cab. They appear to be sitting on top of what might have been harvested, but just what that might be I'm not sure. It really does look like the end of a hard day's work, which is what I feel makes this such a fascinating image.

A few years ago, I took a car ride in Cambodia from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Although the journey was slow, all day at about 60 kph, the sights to my Western eyes were extraordinary. I couldn't get over the way people used motorbikes. Motorbikes are at the heart of commerce in Southeast Asia; there's nothing a motorbike can't do. But to me, this man takes the prize; I think that that load would have daunted the most ardent of pickup truck drivers and yet this was the sight on the road to Siem Reap, and probably an everyday occurrence for the rider involved here. I couldn't help but notice that he was keeping his feet up near the handlebars. maybe it was a comfort thing, but could it be that the little engine was really hot?

A uniformed guard stands at attention in a historical stone corridor, possibly within a castle or an old military facility. The guard, wearing a tall furry hat known as a bearskin, is in a side profile view holding a rifle with a fixed bayonet. This image, originally captured on film in 1987, depicts a royal guard. A lot of Windsor Castle is open to the public, but this image is a peek into the royally private part of the castle. The lonely soldier—resplendent in his red tunic and bearskin hat—standing guard in front of his sentry box, the flagstones beneath his feet glistening with the wetness of the recent rain, and the magnificent stonework. I think it's a cool image; I hope you do too.

This is one of my favourite images, as it depicts a cairn, on a small mountain called Side Pike, that overlooks the Langdale Valley; one of my favourite places. Side Pike is part of a mountain ridge in the Lake District National Park, in the UK. The Cairn has gone now, alas, but the valley remains. ;-) This image, originally captured on film, in early '84, shows the distant mountains coated in snow, but the old cairn creates so much interest.

A meticulously stacked stone cairn stands prominently in the foreground, with a dramatic mountainous landscape stretching out in the background under a cloud-filled sky. The photograph is in black and white, which adds a timeless quality and emphasizes the textures of the rocks and the sweeping shadows across the hills. This is one of my favourite images, as it depicts a cairn, on a small mountain called Side Pike, that overlooks the Langdale Valley; one of my favourite places. Side Pike is part of a mountain ridge in the Lake District National Park, in the UK. The Cairn has gone now, alas, but the valley remains. ;-)

Originally captured on film in the winter of 1984, this is an image of Stickle Tarn with Pavey Ark beyond. The tarn, a lake that resides in a hanging valley above the Langdale Valley, is perhaps one of the most visited mountain tarns in the Lake District National Park, in England. The tarn is about 300–350 metres above the valley. The well-worn path leading up to the tarn follows Mill Ghyll, the tumbling stream that is the outflow from the tarn. The more intrepid hikers will then go around the tarn and ascend Pavey Ark, the mountainous cliff across from the tarn, which is about another 200 metres of ascent, and then on to Harrison Stickle which is off to the left. When done, a pint at one of the three pubs in the valley would be the reward.

The Baphuon Temple is part of the Bayon complex in Angkor Thom, itself within the overall Angkor Wat Archaeological Park. This image is taken in one of the passageways within the temple structure. The temple was built in the mid-11th century to honour the Hindu god Shiva, but later became a Buddhist temple.

You will need to get there early to see Angkor Wat at its best. The early morning light brings tranquillity to this remarkably peaceful place. Of course, you are not alone. Angkor Wat is the biggest tourist attraction in Cambodia, it even appears on the national flag. But the place is so enormous that finding a spot without tourists is not difficult. The temple was originally dedicated to the Indian god, Vishnu, but became a Buddhist temple within a hundred years of its construction, which started during the early 12th century. This image is a view along the first inner gallery.

This is an image of one of the open galleries that line the outer walls of the Angkor Wat temple. The temple is enormous. Although we were there with many hundreds of others, it wasn't difficult to find incredible views, such as this, without another person in sight. Built about 900 years ago, it is an architectural tour de force, a remarkable testament to its builders, and today remains an incredible engineering masterpiece. To walk through the complex is an awe-inspiring experience, one that I won't forget. What I love about this image is the incredible depth; the vanishing point at the far end. Think of the engineering required to build something so straight, so square, all those years ago.

This is an image of the open, outer gallery on the south side of the Angkor Wat temple. The temple is enormous. Although we were there with many hundreds of others, it wasn't difficult to find incredible views, such as this, without another person in sight. Although the temple was built about 900 years ago, it is a remarkable testament to its builders in that it remains an incredible architectural masterpiece today. It is an awe-inspiring experience to walk through the complex, one that I won't forget. What I love about this image is the incredible depth; the vanishing point at the far end. Think of the engineering required to build something so straight all those years ago.

While driving in Co, Clare, Ireland, I came across the ruins of an old church. It was off the beaten track, but a delight to find. Later I did some research to find that the church had been called St. John's, but I've no idea when it fell into ruin. From what I could tell the cemetery was still active, evidenced by the fact that many graves were located within the old wall, some even with fresh flowers. The day was wet and blustery with fresh winds off the nearby Atlantic. Even for the wildness of the day, the place was peaceful.

While driving in Co, Clare, Ireland, I came across the ruins of an old church. It was off the beaten track, but a delight to find. Later I did some research to find that the church had been called St. John's, but I've no idea when it fell into ruin. From what I could tell the cemetery was still active, evidenced by the fact that many graves were located within the old wall, some even with fresh flowers. The day was wet and blustery with fresh winds off the nearby Atlantic. Even for the wildness of the day, the place was peaceful.

This is the Stradun, the main street in Dubrovnik's old city, in the early evening. The tourists stroll along the polished stone pavement in search of a restaurant, a souvenir, or a memory of their time in this extraordinary, medieval city. The mood is exciting; people are exploring and enjoying their time in this enchanting place. I love this image, and I hope you do too!

When walking around within the old Roman town of Split, it's a labyrinth of narrow alleyways. There's a bit of Roman architecture remaining, but today it's mainly medieval. It's very quiet at night, so it's perfect for capturing moody shots cast against the very old buildings. I hope you enjoy this image.

We were about to embark on a cruise, leaving from Split in Croatia, but we had a night to spend in the city before we boarded. This image is of the delightful square at the western end of the Riva boardwalk. It was early May, so the tourists hadn't yet arrived in throngs, but the restaurants were busy. The evening was warm, the atmosphere inviting.

As you walk up into the old city of Coimbra, you pass under this wonderful arch. It's curious that structures that were built centuries ago, and yet remain, must, I suppose, still be useful. In this instance, the utility must be in its undeniable charm. I hope you enjoy the image as much as I do.

This image is of the Duoro River as it flows through Porto, Portugal. It was a wonderful, warm evening. The illuminated buildings and streetlights along the river made it such a lovely scene.

The Fortress of Louisbourg is today a reconstruction of the fortress built by the French in the early to mid-1700s. The reconstruction, while not complete, is so extensive that it has the feeling of an old French town. The project was started in the 1960s. With the aid of the French government which supplied thousands of documents, it was possible to reconstruct many of the buildings almost exactly as they were originally built. The documentation included information about the people who lived there and in which houses they lived. With that information, re-enactments of the daily activities of these people are celebrated. This particular image was captured as I was about to leave.

I came across this tall ship in the harbour at Reykjavik, Iceland. I didn't expect to find such a ship there, but it looked so good tied up to the dock. With a bit of research, it turns out that the ship is used for sail training. What I love about this image is the calmness, the sense of peace, that this ship brings as it sits by the dock. I'm sure that in its time at sea, there's no time for calm, but here by the dock, it is at rest.

The caves on Elephanta Island, just offshore from Mumbai, India, are stunning. Carved out of rock cliffs, the caves, there are several, have their origins in both Buddhist and Hindu worship. Today, This cave, "Cave No. 1", dates back to the 4th or 5th centuries. the caves are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is a depiction of several skeletal trees, each ready to meet winter. The white sky stands in stark contrast with the branches of the trees as they trace their way across the image. The branches trace a filigree-like pattern that appears to fan out diagonally across the frame, reaching into every corner.

Eze is a gorgeous medieval village on the south coast of France, between Nice and Monte Carlo. It has no roads, just red-tiled footpaths marking the way throughout this wonderful hillside settlement.

I took this photograph on a stormy day at a time when the rain had abated. The road we were on took us past this iconic landmark on the Wiltshire Plains, so we stopped. Today, Stonehenge is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it's so old people really don't know why it was built. Sun worship is the popular thought and who is to say that is wrong? Certainly, the alignment of the stones seems to indicate an association with the Sun at the time of the summer solstice, but nobody really knows. What they do know is that some of the stones were probably brought there from south Wales; it's the closest known place in the UK where such stone exists. Much of the folklore that surrounds Stonehenge reflects a connection with the sky

While driving Route 66 through Tucumcari, New Mexico, we stopped off at the Blue Swallow Motel. There weren't any guests there, they had all moved on that morning, so we were allowed to wander the grounds. I'm sure there were a few nods to modernity, but the motel was otherwise true to its origins. There were even a few 50s-era cars parked there. The one in the image was a Hudson. It was a very cool stop.

This image looks up from the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon, near Page, Arizona. What a remarkable place. The canyon changes with every storm as the rainwater rushes through the canyon The water erodes the sides to create fantastic curves, swirls, ridges, and myriad other shapes from the sandstone rock. The rock is relatively soft and easily shaped by the force of the rushing water. It is a must-see if you're in that part of the world.

This image looks up from the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon, near Page, Arizona. What a remarkable place. The canyon changes with every storm as the rainwater rushes through the canyon The water erodes the sides to create fantastic curves, swirls, ridges, and myriad other shapes from the sandstone rock. The rock is relatively soft and easily shaped by the force of the rushing water. It is a must-see if you're in that part of the world.

This image looks up from the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon, near Page, Arizona. What a remarkable place. The canyon changes with every storm as the rainwater rushes through the canyon The water erodes the sides to create fantastic curves, swirls, ridges, and myriad other shapes from the sandstone rock. The rock is relatively soft and easily shaped by the force of the rushing water. It is a must-see if you're in that part of the world.

This image looks up from the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon, near Page, Arizona. What a remarkable place. The canyon changes with every storm as the rainwater rushes through the canyon The water erodes the sides to create fantastic curves, swirls, ridges, and myriad other shapes from the sandstone rock. The rock is relatively soft and easily shaped by the force of the rushing water. It is a must-see if you're in that part of the world.

This is a portion of the view from atop the Angel's Window in Grand Canyon National Park, looking across to the South Rim. I must admit that I was so taken with the multitude of colours in the rock on the far side of the canyon that I had to see if I could capture it. It was a wonderfully clear day, so much so that the richness of the rocky tones seemed beyond compare, Deep in the canyon flows the Colorado River, and true to its name, it flows as a meandering reddy-orange ribbon. It is extraordinary to think that all that has eroded from that landscape has flowed down that river.

This is an image captured from Point Imperial in the Grand Canyon National Park. It seems that Point Imperial is the highest lookout in the park at close to 9000 feet above sea-level. You certainly are a long way up, but just look at the landscape, it is remarkable.

This image is taken just below the lodge at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. We had been driving most of the day, but when we arrived a heavy mist had set in, completely obscuring the view of the canyon. But undeterred, we explored the area near the lodge, where I found this view of the trees on the ridge that leads to Bright Angel Point. There's something very cool about trees shrouded in mist.

This is a black-and-white image of the Rua Visconde da Luz, in Coimbra, on a warm September night. It was late in the season, so the throngs of tourists were thinning out, which made it all the more pleasant. The warm light of the street lighting, the casual way the people were strolling along the street, and the wonderful, geometric paving, to me, make this a delightful image. I hope you like it as well.

When walking around the old Roman city of Split, it's a labyrinth of narrow alleyways, some, as in this instance, built as tunnels through buildings. It's very quiet at night, so it's perfect for capturing moody shots cast against the very old buildings. I hope you enjoy this image.