Sky - Thematic Photography

Having waited all week to have a sky worth photographing I've given up and gone back to shots from my archives.

Traverse City, Michigan - 22 July 2007 

From a shot exactly eight years ago to one slightly earlier in Cornwall.

Readymoney Cove, Fowey - May 2007

The elevated house in the centre of the picture was then the home of Dawn French and Lennie Henry. The house obscured by the rock on the right of the beach was occupied by author Daphne du Maurier in 1943.

I shown shots of Stockton's Infinity Bridge before where the sky has enhanced the photo significantly. Here's another one.

Infinity Bridge, Stockton-on-Tees - May 2009

Finally one taken from our front garden.

Can you see the second rainbow?

For more shots of the sky please visit the links at Carmi's Thematic-Photographic-342.

Bodies of Water - Thematic Photography

On some bodies of water you cannot see from shore to shore.

Lake Michigan  - empty shoreline

There's more chance of action at Grand Traverse Bay.

Fancy a yacht on this body of water?

Someone did around the Isles of Scilly.

Off Tresco in the Scilly Isles

Closer to home some bodies take to water.

Like a duck and these geese on the River Tees

While at Portrack Nature Reserve alongside the river you can also show your bodies off.

Herons and a lapwing on a Portrack 'island'

Not a wave in sight; meanwhile down the Yorkshire coast at Whitby

The barque Endeavour creates a ripple as in comes in 

But can you see the bodies 'in the water' back in Michigan?

What no dogs?

For other watery offerings check out the links where Carmi hosts the theme - Bodies of Water - Thematic-photographic-329

Cloudspotting -Thematic Photography

I looked out of my office window when I saw Carmi's cloudspotting theme and, of course, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. However I have managed to find a few photos containing clouds and as usual some are there by accident; in others the clouds 'make' the shot.

Cloudy Horizon - Traverse City, Michigan

Norwegian Fjord in Autumn

Air Monaco Helicopter coming in to land at Nice Airport

Just two clouds for company - good visibility all round.

Majorca - early morning clouds

Back home in England large clouds dwarf the bridges at Yarm.

Yarm Bridge and Viaduct (behind) from the Teesdale Way

From Saltholme Nature Reserve there is a good view of the Transporter Bridge under a cloudy sky/

Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge

And a close up with the clouds above.

Looking up

You can't have failed to spot the clouds.

The clouds cannot be reached this way.

Firefighters practising with a Simon Snorkel Ladder

The English county of Cornwall is also known as the Land of the Saints or Cornubia.

Cornubia - painted by John Miller

This picture hangs in Truro Cathedral. It was painted to celebrate the centenary of the Cathedral in 1980. I am glad the clouds did not block out the light.

Now it's time for you to follow the Rolling Stones' advice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3F4GmbHl5g ) and cross over to other cloud spotters at Thematic-photographic-252.

The Natural World - Thematic Photograpy

As I'm in Michigan it seemed right to me to post some photos taken there even if they are from previous visits.

Traverse City Harbour

OK, I'll admit that man has changed the view a bit as he has also in the next shot.

Lake Michigan from the Mountain Dew golf course

This shot was taken from an elevated tee on the golf course at the Homestead, Michigan's fresh water resort. That island on the horizon is South Manitou  which in the Ojibwe Indian legend of the sleeping bear is one of the two cubs of Mishe Mokwa. Mishe Mokwa and her two cubs tried to swim the Lake to escape a fire. The cubs did not make and drowned. The great spirit Manitou formed the two islands North and South Manitou as the cubs' resting places. Meanwhile Mishe Mokwa became the sleeping bear dunes on the Lake Michigan shore - where she had waited for her cubs in vain..

Meanwhile nearer home it was foggy on the island of Tresco in the Scilly Isles.

Tresco - 2008

Also in Tresco near the Island Hotel we could see a pile of rocks - not put there by man.

These reminded me of a rocky place in Yorkshire.

Brimham Rocks, Yorkshire
(photo by Penny Mayes - CC A-S A 2.0 generic license)

If that leaves you between a rock and a hard place I can only suggest you take a look at some more of the natural world at Carmi's thematic-photographic-198

Metallica - Thematic Photography

I'm not into heavy metal but have found some interesting photos for this week's theme.

It all starts with a WWII 'kiss' from my brother's war photos -

A Swordfish 'Kisses' a Taxi

This grating prevents you accessing a waterwheel.

Waterwheel at Fountains Abbey

Last week I showed a photo of Hope House for the triangular theme. A number of you commented on the viaduct dwarfing the house. This week I'll maintain the viaduct connection.

Blue Plague - Yarm Viaduct

One day I 'll post more about the viaduct but now I'll switch from a metal plaque to railings across the Atlantic in Michigan.

Harbour entrance at Traverse City

For other metallic wonders please check out posts at Carmi's Metallica