It’s nice to get back to some blue sky thinking in front of the computer today after a hectic few weeks re-drafting a talk (‘Observations on a Visual Journey’) for camera clubs, which aired for the first time last night at Bookham Camera Club. One of the joys for me, as a long-in-the-tooth Photographer, is to share some of my images and talk about what I have learnt in the course of a 50 year visual journey. It was good to meet such an enthusiastic bunch of people last night, who seemed to enjoy what I had to say, and were very welcoming. Thank you, Bookham.
A puddle on a fine day often provides an interpretation of the world, or the sky – and always upside down. Inverting the view, and some careful weeding of ‘dirt’ dispersed across the sky, has produced a sky-scape to brighten what is, meteorologically, a rather drab day today.
As always, click on the image to see a higher quality enlargement.
LensScaper 
Marvelous photo. Love your sky puddle.
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Thanks very much for your comment, Cee.
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Fabulous photo Andy. I’m not surprised your talk was received with such enthusiasm. You have a great deal of experience and it’s great that you are willing to share that. A shame a certain organisation seems to be having trouble recognising your expertise but we will battle on. Good to be back blogging after a much needed break. You can’t know how wonderful it was, not to hear the word Brexit for a whole month! 🙂
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Thanks very much Adrian. Just spotted your latest Post and I will be back over there to comment shortly. Glad too you had a good break, you deserved it and I’m sure needed it. One of the real pleasures of getting a little long in the tooth is not being fussed about recognition, it’s the freedom to be oneself that’s important which is exactly what Julian Schnabel said (as a Painter): ‘One of the great things about getting old is the kind of freedom you have as a painter’.
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Very wise words Andy!
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What a lovely natural mixture…of sky and ground. Would have loved to have heard your “Observations on a Visual Journey” talk. 🙂
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Many thanks for your comment, Earl. What a pity the USA is so far away, the ‘expenses’ what be rather high for a visiting photographer from the UK!
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Lovely photo, Andy. I attended a lecture given by the photographer David Tipling in Cley Bird Club the other day and now I’m on the lookout for more. Will you visit any camera clubs in Norfolk in the distant future? I’d love to attend a lecture by you!
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Hi Dina, and thanks for your comment. The only time I’ve visited Norfolk was to fly Kites at Caister a few years ago. It’s an area of the country that I would love to see more of. My talk can travel, if clubs want to hear it, although I couldn’t make it up to Norfolk and back in a day from down here in W Sussex.
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Fantastic..
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Thanks very much for your comment, and welcome to my blog.
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A fine image, Andy, but I thought you were only 39!
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Thanks Ken. 39? I wish! Add 30 and you are nearer…
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What an interesting image. The cloud gives the impression of waves crashing against a seawall. The ragged edges only add to the effect, which really is quite compelling.
I’m glad your talk went well. Like others, I’d love to hear it, but you’re right that the complexities of getting there would be substantial. Still, there’s plenty for us new photographers to learn right here on your blog, both in your posts and in the discussions. It’s one reason I so love the internet.
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Many thanks for your generous comments Linda. I’ve found over the years that the simple inversion of some images can completely alter their impact. And I agree – it’s good when the images come to us via the Net, rather than having to drive long distances to see them in an exhibition. And that’s not to imply comparable standards, but we can learn from all levels of art, and the daily galleries that arrive on our desktops are always prompts for further work.
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I wish I could have been there for your talk, Andy — I know I would have learned a lot from you. But your marvelous image makes up for a little bit of my disappointment. The composition is wonderful, as is your deft placement of the tufts of green below the “horizon.” Nicely seen!
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Many thanks for your comment. It’s really such a simple image: seen after parking the car to visit a National Trust Art Deco House. A puddle in the car park. Invert it and clean up the ‘sky’ and the picture comes to life. Isn’t it a pity that we don’t all live a lot closer to each other.
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Sometimes the simplest images have the most impact, Andy — the textures and colors and imitation of land-and-sky really captured my imagination. And yes, yes it IS a shame we don’t all live closer to each other! It’s still pretty wondrous to live in an age when we can at least make virtual friends halfway around the world, though …
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Amen to all that.
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Perhaps one of the camera clubs will make a video recording of one of your talks—and put it on YouTube. Then we could all see and hear you. I’d really enjoy that! In this photo, I like how the reflected cloud more or less follows the U shape of the unreflected elements.
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Thanks Linda – it would be a 2hr video – longer than most feature films! Isn’t it strange how a chance shot of a puddle in a car park can turn out to be an intriguing image with an inversion of the original and a clean-up.
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A very creative approach, Andy…nicely done.
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Many thanks Scott.
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At first glance, your title and image made me see a splash of clouds – then I saw the actual puddle’s reflection. Nice shot.
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There is always fun to be had in inverting reflections, sometimes they can produce an unusual image.
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In this photo, I like how the reflected cloud more or less follows the U shape of the unreflected elements. There is always fun to be had in inverting reflections, sometimes they can produce an unusual image.
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