This blog is my first attempt at a video where I share a few thoughts on how you can get really stunning butterfly pictures here in the Uk. Earlier in the year, I spoke of the need for long lens or long and macro. This was based on the 'flittiness' of these beauties in the height of summer when they have much more energy due to the heat and sun, As summer comes to the end, there is a late hatch, in this case, of Red Admirals Vanessa atalanta.

When you've got used to looking, and allowing your eyes to see, you notice things that others would never see. Walking our dog one morning. After a night of sporadic rain, leaves had fallen, and traffic had passed, leaving a pressure mark, painted with mud. The tyre had left a stone from within it's tread , the shadow of which leaves it's own creativity

The geese had already left, there were a few mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) still snoozing, a handful of teal (Anas crecca) feeding, and a solitary grey heron (Ardea cinerea) slowly wading through the middle of the pond. I had one of my Nikon Camera's, fitted in case you're interested with a 70-200mm f2.8 and 1.7 teleconverter. If you have one of the latest iphones or similar, you could still make a good effort, as you will understand in a bit.

Today marks six months of my Simple Photography Tips - twice a week, with the "motto ut aspias, done videas" - that you may look until...

Anyway, this stripey monster with the goggly eyes was heading over this rather substantial piece of cow-dung (FYI it was a Dexter), and I couldn't resist getting my knees dirty to share a portrait with you.

Yes, sometimes my mantra of 'look until you see' is necessarily tempered by the desirability of not missing the moment - and experience with reading the signs helps. Grab the moment, and re-shoot if it gets better. So two things I want to chat about, the first is the one addressed already, the need for character to produce emotive coastal images. The other is what lens to use with your iphone, other phone camera, or camera.

Doing things together isn’t only about striving forward; it’s also about arriving, resting, and being present with one another. Just as these swans settle gracefully onto the water, we too find strength and comfort in shared moments of calm. Whether it’s winding down after a busy day, walking in nature, or simply sitting quietly with someone we care about, togetherness softens the landing.

If you look long enough, you'll see that it's actually a basket resting on a table - funny how the eye sees things differently sometimes! It's an image that would be brighter but less rustic if you were to set it up using those ultra-bright fruits from a supermarket.

We are all very aware of the environmental nego's around replacing our old toys, for a new one's, whether it's a car, boat, or latest phone. In my case it was the temptation of a new lens. Did I need to? Not really. I did think it would be worth spending a little bit of time, for your sake as well as mine, seeing if there was much of an improvement to be made, without the material waste.

The second leg of the Ocean Race Europe starts off the Royal Yacht Squadron on Sunday. The yachts will then pass through the narrows at Hurst Point, the same location from which I photographed the Fastnet Race, before skirting round France and heading for a quick stop in Portugal.

Whether you're a fellow photographer, a creative soul, or just someone who enjoys a quiet moment of inspiration, I hope these 'images with words' bring you something valuable.

In reality, although the higher the IQ the better the response to greytone, it is colour that we were created to see, and it is colour that can be a huge blessing in many ways. The effects of bright colour on the brain, and thereby the rest of that body of yours, are considerable,

“From the archives — a quiet moment to end the week.”

This image is only possible from a land base when the sea and wind conditions are such that it is of tactical advantage to the yachts to come in close before tacking back across the channel, or in this case a turn of a few degrees to avoid the rocks, but to remain close-hauled in the favourable water / wind conditions.

As my photography mentoring gets busier, it feels like the right time to simplify. Last week I started a new weekly series—sharing one of my photographs along with a few thoughtful words of encouragement, laughter or straightforward sass.

I'm forever referring to the 'rule of thirds', that series of imaginary lines that sit grid-like on any scene, and indeed not so imaginary on the 'viewfinder' of some cameras and phones.

These aren't simple photography tips as such, but more like life inspiration through photography—a mix of visual with meaningful reflections, with lighthearted quotes

With the summer holidays in full swing, it’s the perfect time for families to get outdoors and enjoy some creative fun together. If you’re looking for things to do with young people—or just want a relaxing, activity for yourself—why not go on a photography adventure? One beautiful and accessible subject this season is the sunflower. While entire fields can create breathtaking landscape photos, but don’t overlook the detail in a single bloom.

As my photography mentoring gets busier, it feels like the right time to simplify. I’m starting a new weekly series—sharing one of my photographs along with a few thoughtful words of encouragement. These aren't simple photography tips as such, but more like life inspiration through photography—a mix of visual with meaningful reflections.

What does fascinate me is the range of imagery, and there is an increasing fascination in the whole genre of street art, and the artists involved, both well-known such as: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Banksy, Keith Haring, Shepard Fairey, and Os Gemeos; and the unknown "urban art guerillas"

A late evening preamble by the lake to the side of this wart, is an enjoyable experience, and we partook. Aware of the difficulty with exposure in these conditions, where the eye/brain is so clever, but a camera is not, I took a short series of photos to help you sort your images, and to inspire you to experiment.

There was I wandering alongside one of the leats in the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen, an amazing place of grown-over sand-dunes which are used as a huge water purification system to supply Amsterdam, when I saw a toad.

The scene, although not particularly photogenic as a whole, was one of fascination. The water in the canal next to us, was mostly sunlit, and over the period of time we sat imbibing, the angle of the sun on the water, changed, and with it the reflections, and clarity of the water, and what and how we saw.

The Simple Photography Tips I want to share with you are based upon a handful of photographs I took as I walked down, and which centre upon using features to lead the eye.