The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Country landscapes.

On 30th May 202230th May 2022 By dalecooper57In nature photography, photography15 Comments

Hello wherever you are and welcome to another Monday edition of The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which is brought to you this week by the prompt; Country landscapes.

As I was rudely awakened at 6am on Saturday, by our antisocial upstairs neighbours having one of their early morning screaming matches, I thought I may as well make the most of it. So I drove up onto Exmoor and captured the start of another glorious day in the Devon countryside.

How did your rural idyll develop? Show us what wonders you discovered and let us all enjoy them…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: In the trees.

On 9th May 20228th May 2022 By dalecooper57In photography15 Comments

What a beautiful weekend it was, the perfect weather to be out taking pictures for The Cosmic Photo Challenge, which is brought to you this week by the prompt; In the trees.

I love this time of year, when the leafy canopies are opening and whole areas of open ground, previously covered in bare sticks once again become green cathedrals of dappled shade and birdsong. And the good part is, I only have to walk two minutes down the road and I’m in this small slice of arboreal paradise.

Where did your weekend wanderings take you..?

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

Any and all effects, editing, Photoshop, Instagram, morphing, collages, animation, gifs, or whatever other post production techniques you fancy are permitted, (in fact, they’re actively encouraged!) so get creative and turn your photos into artworks for the Cosmic Photo Challenge.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: On the shore.

On 11th Apr 202210th Apr 2022 By dalecooper57In nature photography, photography17 Comments

On The Cosmic Photo Challenge this week, I asked you to capture your images; On the shore.

After over 20 years living in North Devon, I finally made my first trip to a hidden Victorian gem, Tunnel Beaches in Ilfracombe.

Accessed by an unassuming white tunnel entrance just a few minutes walk from the high street, these beaches were opened in the early 1800s with the two naturally separated coves enabling ladies and gentlemen to bathe with their modesty intact. The gentlemen’s beach was in use for a wedding yesterday, so I took a stroll around the rugged landscape of the ladies beach and made a video tour, accompanied by an extract from a recently composed piece of appropriately watery ambient electronica*.

Where did your search for the water’s edge take you at the weekend? Let’s have a look at your pictures…

*****

*{Should you wish to experience the full version of this new track, along with it’s own, strangely mesmerizing video, you can do so HERE}

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: In bloom.

On 4th Apr 20224th Apr 2022 By dalecooper57In nature photography, photography23 Comments

This week’s prompt for The Cosmic Photo Challenge was an optimistic one for some of you, I know, due to all that pesky geography and those inconsiderate local seasons, for which I can only apologise. ;~}

But for those of us fortunate enough to be entering the beginning of the end of the beginning of Spring, a lot of the world is at last; In bloom.

I returned once more to Marwood Hill Gardens just outside Barnstaple (and you can see my full collection of photos HERE); where their internationally renowned camellia collection was still in spectacular flower, along with magnolias and rhododendrons, under-planted with swathes of daffodils, anemones and hellebores.

So, what’s bursting forth in your part of the world at the moment? Time to let the rest of us see what you have for show and tell…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: From an interesting angle.

On 28th Mar 202227th Mar 2022 By dalecooper57In photography14 Comments

This week on The Cosmic Photo Challenge, we’re all taking photos; From an interesting angle, leaving everything else about the pictures entirely up to you.

I decided to capture yesterday’s late afternoon sun over the river Taw from some unusual perspectives, where a considerate crow took off for me at just the right time…

Now it’s your chance to impress us with your own spin on this week’s theme…

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: As the world warms up.

On 21st Mar 202221st Mar 2022 By dalecooper57In photography10 Comments

Good morning, on this Monday’s edition of The Cosmic Photo Challenge, we’re having a photographic roundup of how it looks; As the world warms up.

I wasn’t (necessarily) looking for photos of impending climate catastrophe with this week’s theme, although you can, as always, spin the prompt however you like.

I was inspired simply by the weather brightening up over the weekend and, for a couple of hours each day at least, you could actually imagine you felt the promise of summer warmth on your face.

I took a drive up into the hills between Barnstaple and Bideford, the land of the wind turbines and solar farms, where I discovered what happens to that blades in a panoramic shot if it’s taken while the turbine is revolving…

Where did the sunshine take you over the last few days?

Come and join in, it’s so easy to do…

*****

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Art from nature.

On 14th Mar 202213th Mar 2022 By dalecooper57In editing and effects, photography16 Comments

Yes, I’m afraid it’s Monday again, but don’t let the start of the week get you down, The Cosmic Photo Challenge is here to brighten your day.

This week the prompt gives free reign for your creative imagination to take flight, as we consider the possibilities of; Art from nature.

I chose the literal path and made three artistic images from recent photos, since the weather refused to cooperate with outdoor photographic pursuits over the weekend.

The first of two reimaginings of the Devon countryside is especially effective if you are viewing it on a phone or tablet, as it comprises multiple landscapes from different angles…

…and the second is a kind of photographic trompe l’oeil, combining elements of four different locations to create the illusion of a fifth.

Now let’s see your artistic contributions for the week, it’s easy, come and join in…

To get involved with the challenge; check out the Cosmic Photo Prompt each Friday, then post a photo (or photos) on your blog the following Monday, with a pingback link to my Monday post.

Tag your posts with #CosPhoChal.

The Cosmic Photo Challenge: Picturing the past.

On 14th Feb 202213th Feb 2022 By dalecooper57In photography14 Comments

This week on The Cosmic Photo Challenge it’s turned into a bit of a local history special, (so apologies to those of you with slow internet speed if it takes a while to load) going with the prompt; Picturing the past.

Another weekend of inclement weather and I had a flash of inspiration on Saturday morning, leading to a pleasant hour or so wandering round the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, capturing snapshots of life in the past and examples of two of the town’s most famous exports; ceramics and furniture.

Both used to be made in Barnstaple by Brannam pottery and Shapland and Petter respectively and I passed the entrance to the old pottery buildings on my way from the museum, to see the 350 year old alms houses, just off the town square on a quiet side street.

The museum was recently refurbished, with a slightly controversial new wing, which I think looks fabulous, especially now the elements have formed a rich brown patina on the modern copper box sections.