Day 19 - 18th February 2015 - Hurley to Cookham

In contrast with some recent days on 'The Path' today was blazing sun all day. The occasional rare cloud relieved the unaccustomed dazzle for a minute or so just a few times only through the day. But, for the first time whilst hiking The Thames Path there was a cloud worthy of including in my portfolio. It occurred at the end of the hike, just minutes from getting back to my car. It's included in the images from today's hike. I overheard a lady walking with her young daughter say of the cloud - "it's a dragon"! I'm an occasional contributor of cloud photographs to The Cloud Appreciation Society and sent this one in to them this afternoon. I just took a look at the website and it seems as though it will appear there shortly in their photo gallery. I suspected that my day's efforts would yield little to satisfy me but on working through my output in Lightroom and Photoshop I turned in a few that I am pleased with. And this time I've included a "Symmetrograph". This is a symmetrical image derived from a photograph (symmetrical photograph) through multiple manipulations to create what is usually a complex pattern. This one is actually from a hike a week or two ago. A Symmetrograph (my coining) has absolutely no significance, except that I enjoy making them. A few years ago I produced a (Blurb) book devoted to them - linked here. I may try to produce one from an image on each of my remaining hikes.

Click on any image to see full size views of the day's set of images.

Dragon Cloud

Symmetrograph

Hurley Footbridge

Zebra Bridge

Marlow Chimneys

Hurley Weir

Support

Day 18 - 11th February 2015 - Henley-on-Thames to Hurley

A quiet day's hiking which at first seemed like it wouldn't provide much for me to photograph. But, (almost) always, once settled into the business of hiking the business of looking took over and a few images came into focus. I took far too many photographs at Hambledon Weir leaving myself the task of choosing. In the end I selected a mono and a colour. It was another grey day - not a single shaft of sunlight - but that's often the best condition for photography - flat light, no harsh shadows.

Click on any image to see full size views of the day's set of images.

Hambledon Weir - I

Hambledon Weir - II

Fungi on Dead Wood

Footbridge - Hurley Lock

Boat Sheds

Day 17 - 4th February 2015 - Sonning to Henley-on-Thames

Not one on my best days for hiking - the mud was partly frozen on my outward hike but by the time I was returning it had completely thawed - so it was miles of sticky, slippery mud. Not at all conducive to calm contemplation of what might make a good photograph. Notwithstanding that, I did find several although this time the waters of the Thames played a lesser part. The area I'm hiking through is part of the Chilterns chalk downs in which flint stones are a feature. They are used in buildings, often to decorate and make patterns as well as adding strength to built structures. There are two photographs herein where they feature of the walls of St Mary's Church in Henley as an integral part of a property boundary wall. Colour has won out today - I tried several in b&w but most didn't work out too well.

Click on any image to see full size views of the day's set of images.

Laid up for the winter

Cloudy Ripples

Boat Shed Knots

Boat Shed

Flint Blocks

St Mary's - Henley

Flint Wall

On reflection, it's a tree.