Autumn Close-Ups at the Newt
A couple of hours yesterday at The Newt in Somerset - with a little creative licence.
Returning to Iona
The Four Seasons of Life: Art and Poetry in Dialogue
Sunrise over Fionnphort, Mull.
More than twenty years ago, Helen and I visited Iona for the first time. Nestled off the west coast of Scotland, Iona is a tiny island with a rich spiritual heritage. For centuries, it has been a place of pilgrimage, known for its ancient abbey and tranquil landscapes—a sacred haven, a “thin place” for reflection and renewal.
Recently, we had the opportunity to return, this time with our friend Sarah. The anticipation was palpable; Iona is not just a beautiful destination, but a place of deep meaning for all who seek quiet and connection. This time, our journey focused less on photography and more on personal exploration and renewal. We joined a week-long retreat, ‘The Four Seasons of Life – art and poetry in dialogue’, guided by Dr Mark S. Burrows, Dr Deborah Lewer, and Dr Pat Bennett, each bringing wisdom, passion, and creative energy.
I don’t recall reading poetry in my childhood or hearing it. Maybe I did or maybe there was some poetry studied at school – I don’t know. It was in 2003 that I encountered poetry, as I recall. It was spiritual poetry as I was going through a time of spiritual ‘expansion’, from my narrow fundamentalist Christian past to something more open, curious, exploratory and confident. Still spiritual, even Christ-centred, but no longer closed to the insight and wisdom flowing through many sources, philosophical, scientific or religious. Or indeed poetry, art and music as sources of inspiration, insight and opening.
It was the Sufi poets first, poems like this simple one by Rabia:
Love is
the perfect stillness
and the greatest excitement
and most profound act,
and the word almost as complete
as His name
After the Sufi poets I began to discover other poets, including living poets. Try this one from Fron Henard:
Do something strange today…
love someone no one else can loveand watch them open like a flower
that you might dance together
in the sun.
Rip off the clothes of your enculturation
and let your soul run naked
in the garden
as Eve before the fall.
You’re not required to wear a label
to be limited to only this or that,
but tasting all things freely
keep only what is good.
God does not put you in a box…
He does not build for you a cage
and lock the door.
Come nestle in his arms
knowing you are his
and know that you are home
just as yourself
and you are loved.
Heaven is all around you…
can you see it?
God has made a door for you…
can you step through and enter in?
I discovered the poetry of Mary Oliver, Robert Frost and so many more and would occasionally dip into them as sources of encouragement, resilience, inspiration and imagination.
What about art. Art was always my best subject at school, at least in the first two years of grammar school, until that day when I had to make a choice between art and sciences. I chose the latter, and no regrets there. Except, yes – art is important to me. I love going to art galleries and I love practicing the art of photography, as well as the improvisation of piano which I see as art too.
And so a trip to Iona to a Poetry and Art retreat. And what a treat! To be immersed in the mystery, imagination and meaning of poetry and art, with music and photography too. Among friends, old and new.
The poetry and art explorations were exhilarating. My approach to poetry and art galleries will never be the same! Insights were shared with gentle passion, nurturing the soul. We explored themes such as artistic imagination, living an artistic life, the meaning of eros, disruptive grace, seeing subversively, lingering, wondering, pondering, living with astonishment, embracing risk and change, letting be, serenity, ripening, growing deeper, transformation, the expansion of the self, and attentive looking.
It’s difficult to convey the richness of our time together. The poetry and art presented were wonderful, and we also had the opportunity to join the Iona Community’s worship at the abbey—especially powerful on the first evening.
Although the focus was on art and poetry, we did take our cameras. The journey took us through the quiet waters of Loch Lomond, past the harbour at Oban, and across the wild expanse of Mull—about 500 miles and two ferries before arriving on Iona. The weather and light changed constantly, with sunshine, gales, and heavy rain. One morning, we witnessed a sunrise so vivid it seemed to set the sea ablaze—gold, pink, and deep violet streaked across the sky.
Looking back, the week on Iona was nothing short of transformative. The combination of art, poetry, and fellowship, set against breath-taking scenery, created a memorable experience—a powerful encouragement to live a life open to the artistic, creative, and divine energy that surges through the earth, to be expressed in lives of goodness, beauty, and truth.
Fungi at Beaconhill and Stockhill woods.
It's the season of fungi - so at last a chance to do some photography at Beaconhill wood and Stockhill wood.
Short Morning Walk
Main intention here was to have a slow morning walk using natural light for some close-up or macro photos. Often my preferred technique for the greatest colour and detail is to use flash with diffuser for macro. With a new camera system I’m not quite ready for that and, in any case, it’s nice to walk out with this relatively small camera without the addition of flash and diffuser. Using flash and diffuser does offer some advantages including control of light and freezing motion. But here goes: Sony A1ii, 90mm macro lens and natural light. I hope you like flies, they make a great macro subject - I find them fascinating…
Walk in Wonder
There’s something uniquely calming about a slow walk in nature. Most mornings, Helen and I start the day with an early walk. Sometimes it’s brisk, even involving a bit of running—it’s a fantastic way to start the day, especially under the golden autumn light. Lately, I’ve taken to trail running, but even more enjoyable, or at least very different, is a slow walk with a camera in hand.
Here in Wells, we are lucky to be surrounded by nature. I wander the many trails, through woods and over hills, looking and listening. I try to cultivate looking with fresh eyes - as if for the first time. On these September mornings, the world opens up in quiet symphonies—misty paths, dew-laden leaves, sunlight streaming through branches, and birdsong in the air.
Photo-walks allow me to slow down, release my anxieties, and truly see the world. The more I look, the more I notice. Armed with a macro lens, I seek out tiny marvels—the curve of a fern, a spider’s web glistening in morning light, water droplets clinging to leaves, or small flowers and insects. It’s about capturing beauty, but also about reflecting on life—the fresh growth, the vibrant bloom, the inevitable decay and death. It’s all there, the moving, painful, and beautiful cycle of existence.
There’s a spiritual quality to these moments—a sense of being alive within the embrace of nature, a connection to the universe’s creative energy, and a glimpse of something or someone greater that I might call ‘God.’ I have a sense of a Presence within, among and all around.
For me photography is a wonderful contemplative practice, leading to wonder wonder and the invitation to embrace life’s mysteries, offering a sense of hope amidst the profound cycles of life and death.
Here are some images from a couple of morning walks this past few days.
All Change
Some health issues have resulted on me deciding to change to a lighter camera, quite a major step to take after 15 years of Nikon. My wife uses Sony, so another reason to choose a lighter Sony camera. No regrets - and here are some images from the first week or so. These were all taken on a couple of morning walks from our home.
Talgarth
For our visit to the Hay Festival and 'How the Light Get's In' festival, Hay-on-Wye, we stayed near Talgarth. The beautiful Pwll-y-Wrach Nature Reserve is nearby, set in a narrow and steep sided valley. The reserve is an oak-ash woodland. at the eastern end of the reserve the river Enig plunges to create a waterfall into a dark pool below known as the ‘Witches Pool’ from which the reserve gets its name.
The countryside around Talgarth is beautiful and there is also the very interesting, now derelict, psychiatric hospital. Initially known as the Brecon and Radnor Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum, it was designed to function independently featuring its own water supply, electricity and agricultural land. Over time, it was integrated into the NHS, providing treatments such as art therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychiatric care. It is now in a dangerous and ruinous state but interesting to explore. Some photographers have ventured inside but we were not quite as daring as that.
We saw many Red Kites in the sky on this trip.
Kilver Court in June
Another visit to the lovely Kilver Court, Shepton Mallet - beautiful garden, architectural features and excellent café. It was a rainy morning but the beauty shone through between the showers. I didn't take a macro lens on this occasion but couldn't resist close -up photography with 24-120 lens.
Westhay Moor mostly insects
I love exploring Westhay Moor nature reserve. The other morning I spent an hour or two there and, as usual, couldn’t resist the lure of close up and macro of insects especially. Westhay Moor is a fantastic place for birds and insects, nestled within the Avalon Marshes on the Somerset Levels. The nature reserve is a biodiversity hotspot, with a mix of reedbeds, open water, raised bog, and damp deciduous woodland. A nature delight!
On this short walk I saw many different types of insect and in this collection you may spot the azure damsel fly, stretch spiders (some with prey - beware), marsh crane flies, dryomyza fly, various damsel flies, the striped swamp fly, a small spotty-eyed drone fly, soldier beetles, crickets, chasers, flesh fly, kidney spot ladybird, scorpion fly thick legged flower beetle and the sun fly. Oh, and a flower and snail crept in to the set.
Pictorial Play
I’ve been playing with creative/pictorial image editing with some images from Mapperton House, West Bay and Kilver Court.
Kilver Court
Kilver Court was looking good yesterday morning. The entry, courtyard, café and downstairs facilitates have been completely upgraded but, more importantly, the garden was looking beautiful - especially after light rain. I came only with camera and macro lens…
The Newt - with an ND filter
A bit of an experimental afternoon at the Newt in Somerset using an ND filter on my 24-70 F2.8 lens, allowing slow shutter speeds, ICM, abstract etc.
Dawn Rise 9th Jan 2025
Another visit to RSPB Ham Wall to see the dawn starling rise. A cold morning with clear sky.
Crazy Ham Wall
It was rather crazy at RSPB Ham Wall last night - so many cars, people and, of course, starlings. I didn’t see any amazing murmurations on this occasion but here are a few images.
