Photography by Colin Rayner LRPS

New Blog

2011-06-08T12:21:00.003+01:00

This blog has now been superceded by a new one incorporated into my new web site at photography.colinrayner.org.uk.

Please visit my web site for all the latest news and images.

Wells panorama

2011-04-20T19:05:00.007+01:00

The city of Wells is a beautiful place, with its Market Square, bustling on Market Day, and the Cathedral and the Bishops Palace. On a sunny day, it's really 'picture postcard'.

Panoramas are now so easy in Photoshop with Photomerge so I've put together a panorama of 3 images of the Bishops Palace and Moat.

Return to Weston Super Mare pier

2011-04-08T18:51:00.004+01:00

I visited the new pier just after it opened last October so a return visit was overdue. As I had a print to deliver to a client in Weston, taking some more photos of the pier seemed a good idea.

Luckily it was a super sunset - one of those where the sun is visible right down to the horizon and is a clearly visible ball.

So here's one from the other evening.

Sunny afternoon at Blagdon lake

2011-03-20T17:36:00.004Z

Such a beautiful spring afternoon, so an expedition with the camera beckoned.

After driving around randomly looking for something to photograph, I found myself at Blagdon Lake. Haven't been there for years and I just love water and trees :-)

So here's a few images from the ridiculous number I took !!

Beached ships at Purton

2011-03-17T12:01:00.006Z

In the Severn Estuary near Purton, just north of Sharpness, is the largest collection of maritime wrecks in the UK, totalling about 80 rusting hulks. These were beached intentionally to stop erosion of the canal bank by the river.
It's a wonderful source of images, and I was lucky to pick a warm and sunny day when the light was excellent.
I think I'll have to go back when the tide is high though.

Valentine's Rose

2011-02-18T22:22:00.003Z

Having bought my wife some roses for Valentine's Day, it seemed a waste not to take some macro shots of them !

Usual set up - kitchen with light from window, black card background, D300S with 105mm Sigma macro and various apertures (wide and small) for different effects.

Here's an example.

Gloucester Docks

2011-02-09T18:49:00.003Z

Lovely sunny afternoon and my first trip to the old Gloucester docks. Always plenty of image opportunities in docks and harbours and interesting close-ups of machinery etc.

Also the first real try out of the recently acquired Nikon D300S body !. Feels so good in the hands, just like my D200 did.

Here's a couple of examples.

Before the snow came !!

2010-12-21T11:37:00.004Z

After last year's accident I DON'T go out in the snow anymore. Before the snow came I had a walk around Bath Christmas Market and Bristol Harbour (a favorite haunt) and took a few shots after dark. Here's a couple including a giant inflatable Snowman in Bristol and Bath Abbey.

Beautiful Stourhead

2010-11-11T10:38:00.004Z

Well I finally made it to Stourhead in Wiltshire, the National Trust park featuring trees, gardens and the superb lake. I think the best of this year's autumn colours were over after the recent windy days but the sunny late autumn light made up for it.
Quite slippery in places - and the last thing I want to do is fall over and break something again !!
Lots of photos to look at, at www.colinrayner.org.uk/stourhead. Here's a couple :-

NEW Weston Super Mare Pier

2010-10-29T16:14:00.001+01:00

I've really been looking forward to the new pier at Weston, but not for the rides. The new lighting is supposed to be spectacular and I just love night photography :-)

Unfortunately the outside lights on the pavilion aren't working yet, but the walkway is superb.
Here's a couple of pictures and lots more at www.colinrayner.org.uk/newwestonpier. Enjoy.

Amateur Football

2010-10-15T17:30:00.005+01:00

As my youngest daughter's boyfriend plays amateur football, I thought it was a good opportunity to try something different. So it was Cotswold Rangers v Wickwar Wanders :-)
Unfortunately the light wasn't too good and I don't have a fast telephoto lens (can't afford x thousand pounds !!) so had to push the iso and work wide open with what I have. So results not fantastic but it was fun :-)

Bristol Festival 2010

2010-09-29T12:19:00.005+01:00

What a super weekend at the Bristol Festival. Weather was really kind (it's raining now!) and the opportunities for photography were boundless.
As well as the bands, there was street theatre, graffiti art and lots of interesting people to photograph.
Lots to look at, at www.colinrayner.org.uk/bristolfestival2010.

Wet week in Weymouth :-(

2010-08-28T18:58:00.001+01:00

Back from a miserable (weather-wise) week in Dorset :-(

Lots of indoor shots of grandson but very little outdoor photography !!!

Balloon Fiesta

2010-08-14T11:22:00.007+01:00

Although I've been to the Balloon Fiesta before, and taken lots of photographs of balloons both on the ground and in flight, I've never done the 'night glow' before.

Several dozen balloons inflated and tethered to the ground lighting their burners in time to music !! Photographically quite a challenge if you've not done it before, but I did manage a few decent shots :-)

Bristol Harbour Festival

2010-08-03T16:26:00.004+01:00

Phew what a crowd !!!
Certainly busier than last year and so much more to see and photograph. You need an army of photographers to do it justice !
I spent Saturday around the harbour and Queens Square taking dance and music shots and plenty of crowds shots. Then Sunday was Castle Green and the circus stage.
So much to photograph - so little time !!

Giant print 'in situ' :-)

2010-07-19T22:47:00.002+01:00

Well, I've finally been able to see the giant (5ft x 3½ft) print of the Suspension Bridge framed and on the customers wall.

.... and very impressive it is too - even if I say so myself ;-)

St Paul's Carnival 2010

2010-07-07T18:17:00.003+01:00

Excellent weather for the Carnival again this year and even bigger crowds than last year, I think. It made taking photographs even more challenging and a few sharp elbows were needed :-)
Photographs at www.colinrayner.org.uk/stpauls2010.

Boat trip and rickshaw ride !

2010-06-02T15:08:00.004+01:00

Great fun this morning at the press launch for the Bristol Harbour Festival 2010. A boat trip up to Castle Park, a performer from Cirque Bijou on a tightrope then a rickshaw ride back. And hobnobing with the Mayor :-)

Photos at http://www.colinrayner.org.uk/harbourfestivallaunch

Bristol Harbour Festival 2010

2010-05-28T20:28:00.003+01:00

After posting a link on Facebook to my images from last year's Bristol Harbour Festival, I've had an invitation to the press launch for this year's event.

Well chuffed :-)

Bristol Art Market - Sunday 25th

2010-04-21T11:42:00.002+01:00

At last I'm able to start back at the Art Market in Millennium Square, Bristol on Sunday, after the 'broken ankle incident' !!

Weather looks like it might be good so I'm hoping that might get the crowds out :-)

Finishing the job !

2010-02-21T12:38:00.003Z

Well despite the plaster cast, I've been able to finish the jewellery job I started before Christmas. The client had to come to me this time !

Not easy on one leg, but a solid tripod to lean on is useful :-)

As well as images for web site and advertising, the client is having several large prints (1ft x 3ft) as a backdrop at events.

Perhaps I should concentrate on product photography - it's a lot less hazardous than snow !!

Damn snow :-(

2010-02-07T11:36:00.002Z

The snow seemed an ideal opportunity to get some lovely winter pictures. Didn't work out quite as expected as I managed to break my ankle and am looking at being in plaster till early March !!

Can't say the photos make it worthwhile either. www.colinrayner.org.uk/winter2010

Famous sale - sort of ....

2009-12-31T22:06:00.003Z

Had an order for a print of Weston Super Mare pier before it burnt down.

Not so unusual as it's one of my more popular prints.

Turns out the order was from the insurance company who had insured the pier and wanted to present it to the owners of the pier.

Nice :-)

It's ASDA !!

2009-11-30T19:45:00.004Z

Finally found out which lucky high street store has licensed 5 of my flower images. It's ASDA :-)
Can't wait to see them on sale in store !!

Something different - Jewellery

2009-11-21T12:51:00.003Z

A different experience this week - taking photos of jewellery.
This came from a chance conversation earlier this year at a Craft Fair and out of the blue a commission to photograph lots of hand made jewellery for a web site.
So out came the light tent and it seems to have worked quite well.

See www.colinrayner.org.uk/jewellery

Bristol Festival

2009-09-25T08:43:00.005+01:00

Had a great time at the Bristol Festival last weekend. So much to see and photograph - bands, art, performance etc. Over 500 shots !! And a lot of the bands want to use the photos, so that's great :-)

This is 'Howlin Lord'.

End of Summer

2009-09-05T15:58:00.003+01:00

Well in theory summer's over, with all the schools back and Christmas starting to appear in the shops !!!
But it now looks like we're getting a period of Indian Summer for a while :-)

Despite the unsettled weather over the summer, I had some super days out with the camera including the Harbour Festival, Balloon Fiesta (where I managed to get a presss pass!), St Pauls Carnival. All these are featured on my web site now.

In addition, we had the best week of the summer for our family holiday in Weymouth :-)

Bristol Harbour Festival

2009-08-03T21:40:00.002+01:00

Well at least there was one summer day for the Bristol Harbour Festival weekend. Sunday was dry and sunny and perfect for photography.

As usual I headed for the stages and caught some good music acts and excellent circus performances from Cirque Bijou. See photograph.

A selection of the days shots are on www.colinrayner.org.uk/harbour2009.

More Restaurant News

2009-07-24T17:38:00.003+01:00

Well, the 10 prints are now adorning the walls of the Redorwhite restaurant in Trowbridge. Just waiting for the orders to come rolling in now !!

There's also something else afoot with the restaurant, but more of that when it's firmed up :-)

St Paul's Carnival, Bristol

2009-07-05T18:58:00.005+01:00

Yesterday was the annual St Paul's Carnival and for the first time I was able to go and capture the sheer colour of it all. Wonderful costumes, strange outfits and a lot of people who really know how to enjoy themselves.

Have a look at
www.colinrayner.org.uk/stpauls2009
for a selection of images.

Beautiful bluebells

2009-05-09T16:36:00.006+01:00

Apparently this year has been a bumper year for bluebells and judging by my outing yesterday that's certainly the case.

The West Woods near Marlborough are renowned as one of the best bluebell woods in Europe and it was certainly the best show I've seen.

The woods cover a large area and much of it is carpeted in bluebells. The picture here doesn't do justice to the magnificent show of colour there.

Resurrected images - #2

2009-04-30T10:27:00.004+01:00

Well, the scanner has arrived and I've started scanning in some of my old black & white negatives from over 30 years ago !!!

The film scanning seems to have worked perfectly straight out of the box with none of the fiddling about I've read on some forums. At the moment I'm scanning at a pretty low resolution, then I'll rescan selected images at a higher res for printing.

This picture is Niki Lauda at the British Grand Prix in 1974.

Pretty good day at the office :-)

2009-04-26T20:01:00.004+01:00

Despite the weather not living up to the forecast (sunny v cloudy and cold !!), today was a good day at the Art Market. Good sales and a most enjoyable time talking to potential customers and catching up with the other regular stall holders.

Looking forward to next month now :-0

Resurrected images

2009-04-24T13:18:00.003+01:00

Many years ago (about 25 in fact), I did a huge amount of black and white photography, processing and printing my own work. Luckily I still have all the negatives from that 'era' and they seem to be still in pretty good condition.

So, after lengthy deliberation, I've taken the plunge and ordered a film scanner, with the intention of scanning in some of that work. It's a flat bed with capability to scan 24 35 mm Negs in one go.

Much of the images are motor sport of many different sorts, both two wheels and four, including many F1 stars from that time - Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill etc. So I wonder if there's any market for these sorts of images ?

Watch this space :-)

Bristol Art Market .... again.

2009-04-24T13:09:00.004+01:00

The Bristol Art Market returns to Millenium Square, Bristol Harbour this weekend and as usual I'll be there all day Sunday. I can't do Saturday as it's the last home game at Ashton Gate for the season !!

My new easels stood up to the test last time and seem to show off the framed prints quite nicely :-)

Restaurant Gallery

2009-04-08T18:03:00.004+01:00

Well, the Restaurant Web site is now live, featuring many of the interior photos I took.
An unexpected bonus is that the proprietors also want me to use the restaurant as a gallery, where customers can buy framed prints which will be featured on the walls. The idea will be to have a themed selection of prints which will change periodically, possibly seasons.

So the next thing is to choose suitable images and get prints and framing done :-)

Crafts galore !

2009-04-08T17:45:00.005+01:00

After the Bristol Art Market last week, the Craft Fair season is getting well under way and over Easter (Saturday and Sunday) I'll be in the beautiful city of Wells.
The Fair is held in the Town Hall, right next to Wells Cathedral. On Saturday, the open air market is also taking place in the Market Square, so the place should be buzzing !
Last Easter in Wells was most enjoyable and quite successful, so I'm hoping for a good weekend.

The picture shows the Cathedral reflected in the moat around the Bishop's Palace.

Bristol Art Market this Sunday

2009-03-25T13:00:00.006Z

After a gap of a few months (and last month's cancellation), I'll be back at the Bristol Art Market this Sunday, in Millenium Square, Bristol Harbour.
I hope this wind drops a bit or we'll all be blown away !!

And I have some new artist's easels to display prints and I don't think they'll stand up to the wind that can blow through that market :-(

The usual suspects !

2009-03-15T10:32:00.003Z

Well it was good to get back to doing Fairs last Sunday at the Paintworks. It was quite steady all day and it's a nice atmosphere there.
It was the usual images which were most popular - Clifton Suspension Bridge and Clevedon Pier !

Lots of interest in the new snow images as well but no takers. :-(
Perhaps people don't want to be reminded of the cold weather.

Paintworks Spring Art Market - Sunday

2009-03-05T22:38:00.005Z

This Sunday, I'll be selling (hopefully !) at the Spring Art Market being held at the Paintworks, which is on Bath Road, Bristol, between Temple Meads and Brislington.

I did this event last year and it was quite successful and had a good atmosphere.

It's my first event of 2009 (after the cancellation of the Bristol Art Market last weekend) so I'm keen to show off the new images I've added, including many winter (frost and snow) pictures.

Two for the price of one.

2009-03-03T08:25:00.002Z

As well as the photography, I do a bit of web development when I get the chance.

Today, I've been able to combine the two and have been doing some interior shots of a restaurant for a new web site I've been asked to do for a restaurant owner acquaintance of mine.

Thank goodness for wide angle lenses. Although the restaurant is quite spacious, some shots wouldn't have been possible without my Sigma 10-20 mm lens. There's lots of light coming into the restaurant so flash wasn't necessary, just long exposures on a tripod !

NO Bristol Art Market

2009-02-27T22:01:00.005Z

The Bristol Art Market will not take place this weekend as originally planned, due to unforeseen circumstances.

It should be back again at the end of March.

Bristol Art Market

2009-02-25T17:19:00.004Z

This weekend sees the return of the Bristol Art Market and I'm really looking forward to getting back to having a stall and, hopefully, selling some prints.

The market is held in Millennium Square, in Bristol Harbour near the Planetarium. It's a mixture of artists and photographers and is great fun to be involved in.
I'll be there all day Sunday from about 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.

My first blog entry

2009-02-25T14:41:00.005Z

After much debate, I've taken the plunge and created my own blog. I'm still not convinced anyone will read it, but I guess that's down to me to make people aware :-)

So what will I write about in my blog ?

Well, this is linked to my photography endeavours, so it will log photography news such as trips, new images, markets and fairs I'll be attending etc.

So please come back and see if you enjoy my jottings :-)

You can follow this blog by clicking on 'follow this blog' (there's a surprise !) in the right-hand column.

Photography by Colin Rayner LRPS

New Blog

Wells panorama

Return to Weston Super Mare pier

Sunny afternoon at Blagdon lake

Beached ships at Purton

Valentine's Rose

Gloucester Docks

Before the snow came !!

Beautiful Stourhead

**NEW ** Weston Super Mare Pier

Amateur Football

Bristol Festival 2010

Wet week in Weymouth :-(

Balloon Fiesta

Bristol Harbour Festival

Giant print 'in situ' :-)

St Paul's Carnival 2010

Boat trip and rickshaw ride !

Bristol Harbour Festival 2010

Bristol Art Market - Sunday 25th

Finishing the job !

Damn snow :-(

Famous sale - sort of ....

It's ASDA !!

Something different - Jewellery

Bristol Festival

End of Summer

Bristol Harbour Festival

More Restaurant News

St Paul's Carnival, Bristol

Beautiful bluebells

Resurrected images - #2

Pretty good day at the office :-)

Resurrected images

Bristol Art Market .... again.

Restaurant Gallery

Crafts galore !

Bristol Art Market this Sunday

The usual suspects !

Paintworks Spring Art Market - Sunday

Two for the price of one.

NO Bristol Art Market

Bristol Art Market

My first blog entry

NEW Weston Super Mare Pier