Year in Review 2018

ONE DAY AT A TIME....

Year in Review 2018 At the end of 2017, I felt my work as a professional photographer was repeating a little too much.

Virtually every day of the week you could find me at the side of a football, rugby, cricket or hockey pitch, at an athletics event, or taking portraits of sports people - either amateur and professional.

I wanted to make some changes and was approached about getting involved with a few long term photo-stories that seemed both exciting and challenging. I have now started working on them.

I’ve also been holding off committing to personal projects for a few years, but made the decision that I wanted to start working on a few ideas that I’ve had at the back of my mind for some time. As a result, 2018 has seen me start up five multi-year projects!

One thing I have noticed quite a few photographers do over the past few years is commit to 365 (or one a day) projects and it is something that has always intrigued me.

On the face of it...it sounds easy. But it isn’t.

Even if you set yourself very few rules, or even no rules, it can be a testing project to complete.

Weather, illness, work commitments and even simple inspiration can all try and get in the way of you taking that one frame a day.

The images on the following pages combine to make a record of my year and this is my attempt at a 365 project. Each one has a personal story attached, that I can remember how the shot came about, where, when and why.

I set out with very few rules except that this was to be a personal, non-commercial project; as a result very few [if any] photos that I would supply to an agency or client were to be included. I think I’ve ended up with around ten images in this collection that can be deemed commercial in some way.

Please note that the shots of artwork and open days at heritage buildings included in this project are purely personal photos, recording my specific visit for this 365 project. Copyright of any original work is retained by the artist.

I’ve (re)learned a few things over the year doing this particular project. I’ve realised that a quickly taken photo can provide a lot of emotional pleasure and that sometimes taking a photo too quickly has resulted in a disappointing image that I’ve wanted to go back and improve on.

I’ve learned that in specialising in taking sport and low-light shots, I’ve forgotten a lot about other types of photography...so I’ve had to relearn some techniques. This should be evident in the change in style of shots from the start to the end of the book.

I’ve learned that taking photos without people in them is very, very challenging. There has been more than one occasion that I wanted to throw someone into the scene to improve it...but one of the few rules I did set myself, was to keep the number of people in the photographs to an absolute minimum.

I have included a few photos from my other long term projects, from location scouting and some personal family photos. I didn’t want to specifically go out and shoot different photos just for the 365 project. I’d also like to thank my son, Connor, for getting involved and helping to make quite a few of these images.

It has been a tough year working on this and if you decide to take up the challenge, you will realise how tough it can be. However, it can also be very rewarding.

I have been to new locations, revisited places I haven’t been since I was a child, and forced myself not to drive past places I would normally ignore as I go from one job to another.

I’ve really enjoyed working on this project - even though the quality of the photos is very variable. I hope you find some of the images in this collection interesting!

Mark

JANUARY

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Howling at the Moon

(Previous Page) Is There Trust?

A super-moon in the early hours...also known as a Wolf moon. Shot at a few minutes before closest approach, high in the sky.

FC Halifax Town fan walks past one of the flags set up around the ground.

The super-moon was forecast to be at it’s closest around 2:40am and for once, the sky had very few clouds to get in the way overnight.

The relationship between the fans and the manager wasn’t the best at the beginning of January, with a few of them calling for Billy Heath to be sacked due to some poor results.

However, many fans still back the manager and are willing to display that support.

Lookout!

A man walks his dog past a wall painting of Harry Potter and his owl; Knaresborough town centre.

I would recommend going on a walk around Knaresborough - just to find as many of these pieces of art as you can. They are a real ‘hidden’ gem in the town.

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Storm in a Teacup A picnic bench next to a choppy and full Swinsty Reservoir - on a day when storm Eleanor was hitting Britain and Ireland.

Ghosts from the Past Composite of a photo taken around 1905 and one today. The faces of school children look out across a century from a school and village that they would easily recognise today.

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Blue is the Colour The old buildings of Harrogate Granby High School showing serious decay, waiting to be demolished having been replaced by the newly constructed Harrogate High School.

Rare Sunshine Harrogate Town’s new 3G pitch in the sunshine, on a rare day so far in January that has been mostly stormy, overcast, cold and snowy.

First day of the year where there was warm sunshine and clear skies - t-shirt weather!

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Here to get you there First day of industrial action in the new year, as train services are disrupted by strikes over the role of conductors and drivers.

View down onto Harrogate train station as a train is parked up.

Bucket List FC Halifax Town played Macclesfield Town in a re-arranged FA Trophy tie at the MBI Shay Stadium. The home team went on to win the tie 1-0.

The club mascot was collecting money for charity during half-time and this shot was taken as he was walking back to the side of the pitch for the start of the second half.

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Waiting for the sun to come back Disused cricket pavilion near Horticap, Harrogate Broken and boarded up windows, decaying roof and wooden walls in a poor state of repair.

Misty Morning A tree is isolated by the fog in Beckwithshaw village, by The Smiths Arms.

A shot taken during the morning school run - in particular, as we were about to walk up to drop off the kids at Beckwithshaw Primary School.

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Gates in the Mist Builders put up gates at the entrance of a new building site on Otley Road, Harrogate.

There are big changes coming to the Harrogate district in 2018 as various significant building projects get underway to provide thousands of new houses.

Please use the other door A closed flower-shop with steamy windows and the softest pink and purple flowers on display.

Cold Bath Road, Harrogate.

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I’m watching!

A fan watches the game from behind one of the dugouts as everyone else appears to not be.

Ripon City Ladies take on Ossett Albion in a friendly game arranged at the last moment, when their league game was postponed. The home team lost the game 3-1 to the team in a higher league.

#ModernGraffiti Graffiti on the doors of a disused storage garage on Otley Road, near the Bluecoat Nurseries.

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Proud to be Town Security light creates a crazy pattern on the wall, shining through a metal mesh window protector.

Shot taken at the CNG Stadium, Harrogate on the evening that Harrogate Town beat St. Albans City FC 5-0 in the FA Trophy second round replay.

A play on words?

A significant, new housing development is given a name that suggests something other than bricks, mortar, concrete and urbanisation.

The reality is that trees, hedges, flowers and open fields will give way to the spread of the town.

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Overnight Snow Harrogate woke up to a light dusting of snow, but even this small amount seemed to cause havoc with the transport system.

It all meant a quiet Thursday morning in town, with fewer people out shopping.

James Street 2018 Francis Frith created a library of images starting around the end of the 19th Century - capturing places on camera, many for the first time.

Those images show the briefest moments in time and their true value is in trying to recreate the views to see what has changed.

See how the scene above has changed since 1914, by going to www.francisfrith.com and typing 67283 (or 71649 for the 1921 photo) into the search box.

I will be revisiting this theme for Harrogate throughout 2018.

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Christ Church Another in the series of recreating shots from the Francis Frith collection (No. 88346).

It was impossible to capture the same shot that was taken in 1938 as there are trees obscuring the original view. So walking in to the nearest trees allowed a better sight of the Church.

What is surprising, given that we are constantly told that we are losing trees, is that Harrogate Seems to have had a lot of trees planted during the past century.

The Stray Harrogate is famous for it’s open land that encircles a large part the town centre.

The open spaces are a fantastic resource for the people of the town to use, picnic on, play sport and enjoy.

Yet another day of poor conditions - snow, hailstones, sleet and strong winds means that all the games I should have been covering have been postponed.

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Birstwith - The Church Built around 1856-57, the church sits on the hill overlooking the village.

A similar Frith Collection shot is from c1960 (B338011)

After the Coal Dust Visited the Bradford Industrial Museum to take a look at this picture exhibition. Some brilliant captures of life around the area.

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Two Gates Where industrial and rural meet.

I have often driven past an aerial installation on Briscoe Ridge Lane, Beckwithshaw and have wanted to make an image of the metal structure - perhaps from underneath.

However, when I got to the road right in front of the site, I was struck by the industrial look of the security, next to a farmer’s gate and field with a copse on the horizon and flares dramatically dropping down from behind the clouds. I liked the contrast of urban/ industrial and rural side by side.

Little Houses Deadline for submissions to the Pinewoods Conservation Group was the 26th January - to try and get the local Harrogate Council to reconsider Irongate Field as a designated green space along with the rest of the Pinewoods.

On a cold grey January Thursday, I walked around the field looking for some of the details that people may not see and found many of the little touches that the group have installed to enhance the public’s enjoyment of this open space.

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Curtain Time A shot of the front of Harrogate Theatre on a quiet Friday afternoon.

Another cold, grey day in January...but thankfully dry!

M A crane slowly extends it’s arm on a windy day, with slow deliberate movements.

This apparently wasn’t to do any real work, but seemed more like it was being checked or tested.

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Where’s the Sphinx?

Contemporary architecture in Hornbeam Park, Harrogate.

Called The Inspire, the pyramidal building was completed in 2004 and is built over three floor and has been described as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of the business park.

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Light Trails The Royal Pump Rooms taken as the sky was losing the last of the blue colouring late in the evening.

One of the iconic buildings in Harrogate that sits opposite the entrance to the Valley Gardens and has provided residents and visitors with a taste of the medicinal waters.

The original extension (to the right of the photo) was added in around 1913 and this is a modern update.

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Elephant Rock - Birk Crag Looking at the places now that were photographed at the turn of the century is a real eye-opener.

To see how they have developed in the intervening century is awe-inspiring, given that nature has played a large part coupled in some cases with the vision of the Victorians.

This scene is now dominated by trees and nature’s changes make recognising Elephant Rock challenging.

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Sunshine and Snow The Sun Pavilion in the Valley Gardens on a day of changing weather - sunshine gave way to a snow flurry to a gusty winds and finally to rain.

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FEBRUARY

The Hunter Tea rooms in Valley Gardens at night has the Winter’s constellation, Orion sparkling high above it.

(Previous Page) St. Winifred’s Church Construction of this church started in around 1905 and was added to over the next thirty years to what it is today.

The view above is shot to allow comparisons with photos taken over the last century, to see how little has changed apart from the hedges and trees growing.

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All Stop A train rolls through Starbeck high street, closing off traffic to and from Harrogate/Knaresborough.

I wonder how much time has been spent by drivers waiting for the trains to cross the road?

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The Cabman’s Hut on Montpellier Hill on a grey, heavily overcast day.

Vandals struck later on during 2018 to damage this historic building.

Left at the Altar Detail behind one of the altars in the cathedral at Ripon.

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High Spirits I was spotted taking photos in Knaresborough High Street and they wanted their pictures taking...who was I to complain!

About to go in for a drink at The Board Inn, Knaresborough.

A Walk by the River Midday on a cold, February Wednesday. The sun low in the sky, but very brightly illuminating the road down one side of the River Nidd and casting deep, black shadows.

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Very Cold Stones The Coldstones Cut sculpture on a very cold and snowy day. The path up to the top was a never-ending sheet of ice, the cloud was down hugging the top of the hill and the quarry was shrouded in mist. All that could be heard was the sounds of heavy machinery working.

The wind whipped through the sculpture, bringing with it a fine rain.

It is not surprising that I had the place to myself!

Standing Stones Devil’s Arrows | Prehistoric monoliths of millstone grit dating from around 2700BC sit obscured by trees, either side of a road and in the shadow of the A1, Boroughbridge.

Three standing stones remain today, but it is believed that there were up to five in a line.

Two of the standing stones are located in a farmer’s field and the third ringed by a fence and separated from the other two by a road.

It is so easy to drive past this ancient site without realising it is there.

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Take the Stairs Business parks seem to be springing up everywhere. They feature an impressive selection of buildings and architectural styles.

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The Yorkshire Late afternoon winter sunshine on the front of The Yorkshire in Harrogate.

The strong sunshine and near blue sky belies the fact that an Arctic blast has brought bitterly cold air down from the North.

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Of Life and Land Took a round trip of over 100 miles to take in the Lucy Saggers exhibition at the Ryedale Folk Museum today.

Lucy has documented the village she lives in and how life is changing for the residents. This has been a long term project and something she can be very proud of.

Adulation The fans celebrate with one of the Gateshead players following their 1-0 victory away at Guiseley in the National League.

The game was Guiseley’s sixth straight defeat in the league and the following day, Paul Cox, their manager left his role at the club.

At this point in the season, Guiseley are bottom of the league and many points from safety - it looks like they will be relegated into the National League North, two steps below league football.

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Valentine’s Night Work means I am in Harrogate and my wife is away with the children in Ireland. So no Valentine’s night drinks tonight!

The Last Post, Cold Bath Road, on a night that has had intermittent sleet and hailstones.

Kursaal Today marks the first Royal Hall open day of 2018.

The venue was built over a two-year period between 1901 and 1903 and officially opened on 28 May 1903.

2002 saw the Royal Hall close due to urgent restoration needing to take place and following a period of fundraising, work started in 2006.

The Royal Hall was re-opened on 21 January 2008.

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Harlow Manor Hydro One of those places that has required some investigation to find. Unfortunately, the Hydro no longer exists and this is one of the few references that can be found online to it’s existence.

Para 13.15 – with reference to Cold Bath Road we would suggest adding number 62, Harlow Manor Lodge house, because of its historical connections with Harlow Manor and its prestigious owner and its subsequent extension and conversion into Harlow Manor Hydro. The buildings were requisitioned during the war and subsequently used by the Air Ministry and following there return to civilian use they became vacant and were vandalised which led to a serious fire and ultimately demolition, despite the building

being Listed. The Lodge House is quite a pretty building in its own right, but we do not think it was ever Listed with the Manor.

Document - Comments on Draft Harrogate Conservation Area Appraisal

The Seagulls I cover a lot of sport, both professional and amateur.

Saturdays can see me cover up to five different games and work from when I get up to when I am going to bed.

I get to see all levels of grounds - from open fields up to national stadiums...the difference couldn’t be more different.

However, the one thing they all have in common...is the passion with which the competitors play.

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Someone’s Watching An Arctic blast may still be with us, but the beautiful colours of the first flowers of 2018 light up the greenhouses at the council nursery on Harlow Hill, Harrogate.

Misty Path

19 Walking through a ginnel to the car having covered an under 21s game at the CNG Stadium, Harrogate.

Getting to the Top Climbers enjoy a sunny day of training on Almscliffe Crag, North Rigton just outside of Harrogate.

Despite the bright sunshine, the wind was blowing hard and made standing difficult at times.

The trip up to the crag was interesting as the public footpath was completely saturated and my new boots disappeared deep into the mud...good thing that they are waterproof!

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Grand View Looking down the line avenue from St. Mary’s Church in Studley Royal Deer Park towards Ripon Cathedral around three miles away.

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Happy Birthday A day of reflection as I visited my dad’s grave on what would have been his birthday. This is the first one since he passed away last August.

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Make The Call A lone red telephone box stands in the countryside as a testament to a bygone era when it was relevant.

The phone box is now empty, the phone long-since removed as technology advanced and mobile phones made these once essential landmarks redundant.

I wonder how long before they disappear completely and a generation is born that would ask what are they meant to be for?

Location of the box is Norwood at the crossroads and overlooking the reservoir.

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Battered Everything tastes better when it is battered...It’s that time of the year when the strangest of things are put together.

This fish ‘n chip shop offering battered Cadbury’s Cream Eggs.

Y A trip down the M1 to watch Connor play rugby at Sandal Rugby Club.

A compact layout of pitches around the clubhouse - with a shared stand structure between the first and second team pitches.

Another beautiful day - but bitterly cold even in the sun!

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Magna Carta It is rumoured that Richard de Percy, one of the signatories of the Magna Carta, held a meeting of the insurgent barons here at Spofforth Castle where the provisions of the document were drawn up.

The castle has been in ruins for over 500 years.

Beast from the East We were warned a week ago about the weather front coming in from the east/north east bringing with it exceptionally code temperatures and snow.

We are predicted to have temperatures colder than the Arctic in the next few days.

Shot taken on the path up through the Pinewoods in Harrogate.

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“Why does February feel like one big Tuesday?”

Todd Stocker

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A Treat on a Snowy Day School was closed and we decided to go for a walk in the snow and call in on the way home to Betty’s to pick up a couple of cakes...

MARCH

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Snow Joke The Beast from the East hit Harrogate and the surrounding Yorkshire countryside hard, closing schools and many businesses.

One of the massively impacted sectors, were the sports clubs, with none of the leagues operating on the Saturday or Sunday at all.

While driving around getting shots for the local paper, I nearly got stranded twice - once at Harrogate Cricket Club and the second time at Beckwithshaw Cricket Club as I tried to turn around in the car park.

I luckily managed to drive out of both after clearing some snow from under the car wheels!

Harlow Hill Tower From their Twitter account - the observation tower is the highest building and view point in Harrogate at 700ft above sea level and stands 90 feet tall.

The tower was built by John Thompson in around 1829 and is a grade II listed building.

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The building is now privately owned and forms part of a home and therefore not open to the public.

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In the Mist A view from the middle of the road (while dodging the traffic) of the Grand Opera House.

First opened in January 1900, this is another case of a building having not changed much in the intervening century.

A canopy around the building has been removed and a tree has grown on the left. However, to the right of the photo, there was an avenue of trees that have now long-since gone.

Views of the Stray The Trinity Methodist Church was built between 1876 and 1879 at a cost of around ÂŁ10,000 and renovated over two years starting in 2009.

The Gothic style church is grade II listed and has an impressive view over the Stray and the Prince of Wales building and roundabout.

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Harrogate Advertiser Now fading paintwork identifies what used to be one of the Harrogate Advertiser offices - the local paper that is now housed at Cardale Park on Harlow Hill.

The building is now the Slug and Lettuce and is on the corner of the Montpellier Quarter.

St. Robert’s Church Looking at the church now against photographs taken a hundred years ago - the church is easily identifiable.

A wall and railings have been removed, the ivy that grew on the bell tower has gone and a tree now obscures part of the buildings.

But a parishioner from bygone years would still recognise the place of worship.

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Snow Again!

Waking up this morning to the return of snow...causing much chaos as the roads hadn’t appeared to be gritted this time.

Fast forward four hours and nearly all the snow had disappeared and the town was basking in temperatures of nearly 10c

Meet Victoria The Victoria monument sits in front of the Victoria Shopping Centre at the heart of Harrogate.

This mall-like shopping centre replaced the old indoor market that existed around the same area in the 1980s.

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Gatehouse The last remaining part of what was...

There may be a speck of mud...

Harrogate Rugby Juniors travelled to Ripon City for training and to play some games...made difficult by the testing conditions!

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We are not amused The Victoria monument is dwarfed by the new tower block in the centre of town.

Film Time The Odeon is the established cinema in the town having seen the ABC cinema come and go.

Now there’s a new rival in town...the Everyman. This has meant the Odeon has gone through a refurbishment programme to compete.

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Moment of thought Jo looks out of the shed across the farmyard for a moment as she cleans out the shed before letting the cows out to feed.

Daylight Light shines through a window in a forgotten corner of an outbuilding...

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Workshop Went over to the Yorkshire Air Museum to have a one-toone workshop.

The weather was poor - drizzly rain, flat grey skies and dull uninteresting lighting.

Thankfully, the rain stopped long enough to allow us to get outside to shoot a few frames as part of the getting to know what the camera could do.

Beast from the East Part II Not as severe as the first spell of cold weather, but one that was probably colder and in spells having heavier snowfalls.

On this particular day, the day started cold but sunny, then degenerated into a white-out, back to sun and all the snow melted.

But it wasn’t finished there...another white-out, followed by rapid thaw that meant all the snow disappeared...followed by more snow and the temperatures dropping to -2c.

The games were called off and everyone retreated inside...as the snow disappeared once more!

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A Clearing in the Snow Frustrating day as snow means all the Sunday sports fixtures are cancelled.

A rapid thaw is expected today, meaning that most if not all the snow will disappear sometime during the next few hours.

Return of the Sun Back to the farm to shoot a landscape to record how the views looked, before a tree planting scheme gets underway this week.

Still cold out, but bright sunshine and blue skies...makes a pleasant change to the recent weather.

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Equinox Spring equinox sees the return of the good weather, with blue skies and warm sunshine.

The colours of the heather at RHS Gardens Harlow Carr stand out strongly on the banks that overlook the gardens.

Hopefully this is the real start of Spring and the bad weather is now behind us...

NCEL Premier League A busman’s holiday for me as I went down to watch a game at Station View.

Harrogate Railway played Liversedge in the first of a double header (second game to be played on Saturday).

A rather flat performance saw the Harrogate team lose 3-0

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Look up!

Looking up, at the back of St. Wilfred’s Church on Duchy Road.

Another grey, overcast day as the poor weather continues in March. At some point, there’s got to be a prolonged spell of dry, warm and sunny weather doesn’t there?

The Queen’s in the House A Rolls Royce is parked outside of a cafe at the bottom of Cold Bath Road, next to a wall mural on a side road.

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Hockey Harrogate Hockey Club have their last full day of home fixtures as many of the leagues come to an end. A few teams complete their fixtures today, a number of others have one or two away games still to complete...

In this shot, the Men’s first team play Wilmslow and despite taking an early lead, they eventually lose the game by a narrow margin.

Two of the club’s 12 senior teams have won their leagues and gained promotion and luckily none of the teams have been relegated.

A good season overall.

When you have Demons Harrogate Rugby Ladies take on Doncaster Demons at Rudding Lane on a beautifully warm Sunday Spring day.

With their victory, the Harrogate team are assured of a play off place and the possibility of promotion.

The clocks have gone forward by an hour and the sky only has a few clouds in it.

25 The various winter sports’ seasons are coming to an end as March turns to April and May approaches.

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Smiths Arms Another shot of Beckwithshaw that captures how the village has both retained the familiar from 100 years ago and at the same time has changed.

I believe the pub has been here for a long time, as well as being the site of a blacksmith.

Meant a Lot Prized allotments in the gaps between houses on Harlow Hill.

It is surprising how much it means to have an allocated space in the allotments.

I understand that there is a waiting list for them and there is even a subtext of ‘politics’ regarding applying to be allocated one of the spaces.

The winter months are coming to an end now and there will be a hive of activity here shortly.

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Battle for the Skies I think that Spring is winning the fight...the temperatures are rising and the weather is getting more changeable as blue skies are starting to show themselves more.

Isolated rain showers cross over Harrogate and Nidderdale.

Anniversary It’s been a hundred years since the end of World War I and there are a load of events planned to commemorate the anniversary.

Emma Calvert conducts a combined armed forces band, choir, school bands and primary school children at the Harrogate Convention Centre during the afternoon practice before the evening performance.

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Cross to Bear Harlow Hill cemetery on Good Friday.

Dropping some flowers off at my dad’s grave, I was taken by the fashion for different types of memorials throughout the years.

It seemed that large crosses were popular during the early 1900’s, this particular white cross stood out in the gloomy, overcast light.

Old and Modern A clash of styles from the older architectural design to the towering modern (more like 1960’s now) style of modular building.

One has a charm, style and lasting appeal and the other is just ugly, box-like, functional but soul-less.

31 The shot is taken from Victoria Road looking back towards St. Mary’s Walk and Cold Bath Road.

APRIL

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Return of the Snow Billed as The Beast from the East Part III - it turned out to be nothing more than a quick dip in temperature and a brief snow flurry followed by a rapid melt.

But still a day to be inside.

Here is a shot of the walk back from the Victoria Centre back across the bridge to the car park with the dark, heavy storm clouds visible.

(Previous Page) Building reflection in the flooding in the centre of Harrogate

Skies Clearing A view from the small graveyard, looking back towards St. John’s Church, Bilton in Harrogate.

The church is going through renovations at the moment and the other end of the church is shrouded in scaffolding.

Photo is the third taken with an ultra-wide lens, and is meant to give a slightly alternative view of the church and grounds.

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Road Ahead Closed This is the point in Flaxby where the old road that used to go from Knaresborough towards Green Hammerton has been made into a dead end by the upgraded A1.

A barricade closes the road and signs have been put up everywhere to protect the now disused golf course entrances.

Fly-tippers have dumped rubbish in the entrances to the fields as this is a very secluded spot, despite the major motorway being only a few feet away.

This is an obvious sign of changing times in the area, with the road surface showing neglect and will probably return to an overgrown, natural state given time.

Le Tour Le Monument is a sculpture put up in Ripley to commemorate the Tour de France race that passed that point on 5 July 2014.

Shot as the sun was starting to set, allowing it to shine through the cut out in the sculpture.

The cycle path runs alongside the A61, the other side of the installation to provide a safer environment for young and old to ride on.

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Going, Going... ...nearly gone. A derelict farm sits on the top of the hill overlooking Skipton Road and opposite Jennyfields.

To the left of the farm is the advancing building site, where new houses are being built and will eventually mean that the farm disappears and a new housing estate takes over.

Spring is Springing!

The weather is highly changeable, with a cold spell just over and blue skies forecast - unfortunately the sun didn’t make an appearance today, however, the Daffodils have come out in force along the stray trying to brighten a dull day.

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Easter Training Sunday morning on the side of the Harrogate Rugby Junior training fields before a day in front of the computer working on a number of projects for clients - getting printed books designed and sent off to the printers.

Rudding Lane pitches are starting to dry out...no where near as much mud as there has been in the past few months.

You’ve been framed Probably the best day of the year so far...bright sunshine and warm temperatures.

I find myself walking around Ripon city centre for 30 minutes before a dentist appointment and I’m naturally attracted towards the cathedral and the ancient streets around the grounds.

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Rabbits and Owls Aibhlinn’s fifth birthday today and this meant a trip to the garage in Knaresborough to drop a car off; a visit to the dentist in Ripon for a check-up; and then the cinema at 10:30am to watch Peter Rabbit. A busy morning!

After a stop for lunch at a Mexican restaurant, we walked back to the car and there were some birds being shown to the public at the Victoria Centre...so we had to stop and find out more!

Foggy Day Blues The fog hasn’t lifted at all today...warmer temperatures, a lot of moisture in the air and no wind has meant that visibility has been poor all day.

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All in a Row Another foggy day as the temperatures are slowly starting to rise.

Looking across The Stray in Harrogate, the fog helps to silhouette the row of trees that line the road that crosses the open grass area.

Looking Down People are getting more and more absorbed by what the small screen is showing than seemingly taking in the real world.

Out shopping in the centre of the Town, it is amazing how many people fill their time by looking down at mobile phone screens, rather than taking in what is happening around them.

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Watching Monica watching the world go by...

Deep Thought Sitting having a coffee and working on...? Whatever is being worked on is taking a lot of concentration and caffeine!

The nature of Harrogate’s town centre is changing as more and more shops are replaced with CafÊs, restaurants, wine bars and the like.

The town seems to be a battlefront between bigger chain/ national restaurants trying to establish themselves and smaller independents that have been here for years - and to be honest, both are losing out.

At this time there has been an increase in all types of shops closing in the town centre with many units standing empty.

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Lazy Mondays A teaching day gave us the opportunity of walking around RHS Harlow Carr Gardens and following the Easter Egg treasure hunt.

Six clues and six answers later, Connor and Avie collected their Lindt Bunny eggs and we headed into town.

Connor wanted to capture a shot of Crescent Gardens and recreate a shot taken in 1909 to see what had changed in the intervening 109 years.

I took the opportunity to capture a shot of the now empty Council buildings before the developers start work to convert to rather expensive apartments.

Sleeping Rough Second day down around Crescent Gardens, but this time not capturing the shot that was intended...

It is a real shame that an affluent town such as Harrogate, still has an issue with homelessness and people sleeping outside.

The Victorian structure stands proudly in Crescent Gardens as a homeless person sleeps in the sun inside.

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Summer’s Coming A beautiful April evening and the sky is staying blue longer into the night.

A great time to watch football as the season reaches a climax and promotion and relegation matters are decided.

Here Harrogate Railway fight to earn points that may help them beat the drop into the NCEL Division One.

More Blue Sky Another warm evening, that goes a long way to make me think the weather has finally changed from the wet, grim winter to a more pleasant spring and summer.

This is the back of Queen’s House that overlooks the Valley Gardens.

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Traditional A trip to Knaresborough and some brunch...and close by was this fantastic wall art in a side street.

As in a previous month where I have taken Connor around Knaresborough to seek out the wall, door and window paintings, there is a wealth of subjects to be photographed.

This is well worth a tour around the town centre, just to see how many you can find.

Early Afternoon Not working today due to feeling unwell, but by early evening went out to get a breath of fresh air and clear my head.

Decided to get a cold drink at the Smiths Arms and sit just inside to take advantage of the warm breeze blowing through the door without getting sunburned.

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Paolo The Bear An excited five year old brought Paolo back from school on Friday and we’ve had to carry him around all weekend.

The school encourage good behaviour by giving out the bear for the young children to take home at the weekends and Aibhlinn got it this week.

The idea is that the kids take the bear on adventures and then get a few photos taken with Paolo and write about it in his diary.

22 Here Avie and Paolo read the Adventures of Stickman.

Muddy View The field opposite RHS Harlow Carr Gardens is about to change forever...the builders are busy churning up the ground to put in the foundations for a lot of houses.

The road layout is being put in place and this diagonal view across the building site, looking back towards the existing houses just off Otley Road at the top of Harlow Hill will soon be gone.

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Crown Green Bowling On another wet and blustery day in April, I found myself driving past Burton Leonard and decided to drive to the playing fields.

I’ve covered many cricket matches next to the bowling club, but have always wanted to get shot of the small club nestled between the car park, tennis courts and the cricket club.

With rain spitting down and the wind driving the droplets onto the lens of the camera, I managed to get a few frames without too many raindrops on the front element.

A Road To...

Not an obvious photo to shoot...but I’ve seen several shots taken around 100 years ago of Almsford Bank and decided it would be good to record what it looks like today.

What the shot does reveal, is that the roads and pavements in and around the district are in dire need of resurfacing.

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Gentle Stream A stream runs down between St. Robert’s Church and houses in Pannal.

A blockage by the church recently caused havoc for the residents as a torrent of water threatened to break into their homes.

26 Thankfully, a combination of local action, sandbags, and the Fire Service helped divert most of the water.

Dunlopillo A victim of the recession in the past decade, work has now begun on converting the business park, by the train station in Pannal.

A once famous brand, the faded wording on the side of the building will soon be gone.

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A forgotten Era? A nameplate at a turnstile, on one of the unused entrances to Harrogate Railway.

Details of the manufacturers from when the club had better times. The turnstiles are exposed to the elements and it is a testament to how well they were constructed as to the relatively good condition that they are in today.

Fitness Lessons Stopping off in Pannal to get some money out of the service till at the Coop, a slightly different view of the work to clear the existing business park.

A site to revisit in the coming months as the skyline changes...

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“April showers bring forth May flowers” Proverb

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Disappearing World Looking out from Harlow Hill across Harrogate and the Vale of York, as the builders move in to start the construction of new houses that will block this historic view.

To the left of the picture (just out of frame) is the White Horse on Sutton Bank (around 26 miles away); under the bucket of the digger is the Harrogate International Centre; First tall white office block marks the centre of Harrogate by the train station; and just to the right of the photo (out of frame) you can see York Minster (around 21 miles away).

Within a few months, the houses will be built and this view will no longer be available to the general public walking down the right of way to the Water and Observation Towers.

A great shame really that more couldn’t have been done to protect such a view and perhaps create a public attraction to encourage people to go and take in the magnificent vista.

There is a less impressive, but still significant view that looks out from the other side of Harlow Hill. The Pinewoods have a dedicated viewing spot, with binoculars to take in the sights of the countryside, including Knabbs Ridge Wind farm.

MAY

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I’m Tyred...

Looking through the tyres hung in Roberts Crescent playground, across the allotments towards St. Luke’s Church on King’s Road, Harrogate.

A really sunny, warm and pleasant day meant that on the way back from a shoot and picking up some fruits and vegetables from Roots and Fruits, I could explore a few of the less travelled roads in the town to find a few photographs.

(Previous) Graffiti under the bridge by B&Q and Pets at Home stores on Skipton Road.

Local Elections Unlike many of the most recent elections and referendums - the current local elections have gone very much under the radar.

Usually, we have been under siege from door to door canvassing, a rainforest of party political leaflets and constant comments on TV and radio.

Not this time...election day has come around and the polls have been quieter than in recent times. Are people fed up of democracy?

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Demolition A view from the Leeds Road side of Pannal back at the business park that is now starting to be demolished.

The site has been extensively cleared and the ground levelled.

Explosion of Colour The bank holiday weekend brings a massive change in the weather - it is into the 20’s and very few clouds in the sky.

The Stray has started to explode in colour as the Cherry Blossoms start to flower and the contrast between the blue skies and pink flowers is spectacular!

Just a shame this won’t last.

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The Old Swan Hotel Another brilliant day of sunshine over the bank holiday weekend.

The sun shines down on the front of the Old Swan Hotel, with the Cherry Blossoms creating a frame around the world famous hotel.

More Development As one aspect of the personal 365 project, I’ve also got a number of other projects running alongside. One of them is on the theme of change.

The scale of housing development going on in and around Harrogate shouldn’t be underestimated. 66.36 acres is available here and around the corner a site of 50 acres is also under offer.

This is in addition to the existing developments currently underway.

The real problem is that there is simply no capacity on the existing road and rail infrastructure at these sites to accommodate all these new houses.

There are more suitable sites for developing enough houses to satisfy both local and national needs - that have access to existing road infrastructure and the ability to build a new railway station on an existing line to cope with all the demands.

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A Pretty View?

I live in a beautiful part of the world, without a doubt.

What annoys and astonishes me in equal parts is that it is increasingly a more common sight to see fly-tipping.

The shot above was taken in a lay-by, looking towards Knabbs Ridge.

The annoying thing is that there is a recycling centre around five minutes from this lay-by. The facility is easy to access, drive in and out of, and to recycle.

If the costs involved in recycling is prohibitive, then the council should be looking at trying to resolve this as ultimately, they will be sending out a van to clean up this mess - which obviously costs.

Soft Light The skylight allows diffused light through onto the wall of the Pavilion walkway, showing graffiti scrawled on plaster.

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Breakfast and a photo Decided to go and shoot some street photography this morning as part of a personal project, with the intention of getting one particular shot.

Unfortunately, the light wasn’t right for that shot, so ended up going to get a quick breakfast and coffee.

I found myself at the bottom of Cold Bath Road and decided to pop into Prego.

Having finished breakfast, I went to pay and cheekily asked if I could take a photo...there was a slight look of concern at the request, but then an okay and brilliant pose behind the counter to really make the shot!

A Favourite Tree Connor and Aibhlinn deciding to mess around in the Valley Gardens after I’d taken them down to do a fun shoot and more importantly to get ice cream.

I’ve got to admit, this is one of my favourite trees and I come back on a regular basis to shoot it and the Colonnade.

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In the shade All change today...work plans changed.

A dedication was held in memory of my dad who passed away last August.

There was a tree dedication on the Stray and then a ceremony held by Harrogate Rotary in the Valley Gardens.

My dad had just been appointed the President of the Rotary Club of Harrogate in June/July 2017.

A few yards away from the Valley Gardens ceremony was a clearing with these Bluebells sitting in the soft, subdued light of midday.

We’re Going Up! Change of plans for the weekend meant that I ended up at the CNG Stadium covering the National League North promotional final between Harrogate Town and Brackley Town.

Harrogate dominated play and put three goals past their opponents to earn promotion into the National League and just one step away from that coveted league place.

Here Lloyd Kerry of Harrogate Town lifts the trophy in front of the home fans as the celebrations truly get underway.

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Tewit Well The Chalybeate sprint beneath the Tewit Well is believed to have been discovered by William Slingsby in 1571 and is the oldest known spring in Harrogate.

The present cover was built from designs by Thomas Chippindale in 1807-8 and up to 1842 stood over the sulphur spring in low Harrogate.

(Description taken from the plaque on the well - The Harrogate Society, 1975).

The Old Church At the bottom of Forest Moor Road, at the junction with Thistle Hill is The Union pub and Knaresborough Forest Cricket Club.

Next to the pub car park is a building that used to be a church, with a striking stained glass window and bell tower that, combined with the multitude of shades of green, blue sky and direct sunshine make a captivating piece of architecture (or is that landscape?) to photograph.

15 Deep greens and blues are becoming a theme of May as the hot weather continues.

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DoubleTree by Hilton A small change for the town, but The Majestic is about to be re-branded as DoubleTree by Hilton.

The hotel has been standing since 1900 and occupies a prime location in the centre of Harrogate.

It is the heart of the conference centre and is surrounded by the Harrogate Convention Centre, the Exhibition Halls, the Royal Hall and other hotels.

Literally a few minutes walk from the various major venues and the town centre, The Majestic is probably one of the most recognisable buildings in the town.

Standing Out This shot was taken while I walked around Grove Road Cemetery.

This gravestone/monument stood out...in fact it has an imposing presence and I wanted to try and capture the feeling it gives the person looking at it.

Shooting up into the sun, the shot tries to do justice to the overwhelming, almost oppressive nature of the stone sculpture.

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A race to blow out the candles It’s my mum’s birthday today, so after taking her out for a meal and the giving of presents...we headed back home to have a piece of birthday cake.

Blowing out the candles seemed to be all about who would do it first!

Not a technically great photo, but one that is full of emotional attachment. I make no apologies for including it in my 365 project. For all its faults...I probably won’t take a better shot all year.

Happy birthday mum!

Planning a Shoot Went out for 1:30am to plan a night time shoot, scout out the area and take a few test exposures early this morning.

After watching the International Space Station fly overhead, a few meteors burn up in the atmosphere...it was time to pack up.

But just before I left, I decided to grab this quick selfie.

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Just Not Cricket...well maybe it is actually!

With the number of shoots I’ve been doing in the past couple of weeks, the delayed start to the season (allowing pitches to dry out), and the clash between the hockey, cricket and football seasons...this is actually the first time I’ve covered a game this season.

Beautiful weather, almost perfect for cricket!

Harrogate Cricket Club took on Whitley Hall in the second round of the Yorkshire Leagues Knock Out Cup at St. George’s Road. Batting second, the home team went on to win the game and progress to the next round.

On Reflection The top of the newly renamed Harrogate Convention Centre is reflected in the windows of The Crowne Plaza hotel on yet another bright, sunny Spring day.

21 No clouds in the sky to help composition, but I loved the intense blue colours reflecting in the mirror windows.

The Final Frontier The International Space Station soars across the night sky above the Magnesia Well Cafe in the Valley Gardens at 2am.

I feel a little guilty for coming back to the Valley Gardens and taking a shot of the Cafe again as part of this project.

However, getting the ISS going over this famous Harrogate landmark is worth the risk of repetition in these pages!

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A Riverside Walk Waiting to pick up Connor from a school cricket tournament, we decided to get an ice cream in the grounds of Knaresborough castle.

Once we’d finished them, we walked down the steps to the river and walked along the path to the boats by The Worlds End pub.

The boats seem to have a new splash of green and red paint, shining in the strong springtime light.

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Strike!

On another day of industrial action by the RMT union, there is a restricted service running on a number of lines around the country.

A shot across the central Harrogate Train station, and not many passengers waiting on the platforms.

All the fun of the fair Rightly or wrongly...I have always considered the start of Summer to be around the time that the fun fair arrives on the Stray in Harrogate.

So this is the first day of their week-long visit, and they are setting up in the misty rain that is falling. Bright colours of the rides contrasting with the grey, overcast sky.

The fair then returns for what usually is the last week of the school Summer holidays, and to me marks the end of Summer.

Having been brought up near the seaside, fairgrounds have always seemed rather melancholy to me in the daytime...they are the ultimate night time destination.

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One Last Shop Another high street victim of the change in the way that people shop.

I’ve been going to Maplin to buy things for longer than I care to remember. It is a real shame that this specialist retailer has been forced to close.

This was my last visit to pick up a few things that I needed, but the store has been pretty much emptied and there is little left on the shelves.

Blue Hour 10:23pm and probably one of the earliest times that you can see the ISS fly overhead during spring/summer and the rapidly brightening evening skies.

As blue hour came to an end, the space station came out of the Earth’s shadow and started its trek across the sky above Harrogate.

The thin bright line comes into frame during a long exposure and disappears behind the Water Tower on Harlow Hill.

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Harlow Hill The Harlow Hill Methodist Church, is situated near the top of Harlow Hill on the side of Otley Road.

An unassuming building, one that many drive past without noticing.

The original Methodist Church was built in 1903 and it is still in use today.

Here Lieth...

One of my favourite places to visit and photograph is a church that is not far from where I used to live - Holy Trinty Church in Little Ouseburn.

A compact church and grounds, it always provides a good challenge to photograph in different ways.

Graves from the early 19th century sit in front of Thompson’s Mausoleum, built in 1742 for Henry Thompson and restored between 1994 and 2006.

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Kings Club It’s like a mid-Winter’s day...dark, gloomy skies and intermittent showers. Really horrible way to end the month!

The Kings Club now occupies what once was the home of the Salvation Army, which was built next to a Methodist Church.

On the left is the corner of the Victoria multi-storey Car Park, which was once the site of North Eastern Railway workers’ cottages.

Afternoon Tea Diners at Bettys Tea Rooms, RHS Harlow Carr mirrored in the glass overhead.

Bright sunshine streams through the windows as people eat in the cafe mid-afternoon. The closed blinds helps to make their reflections more visible.

(Over page) The road structure has been marked out for the new housing development by Penny Pot Lane. This is going to be a significant new housing estate (currently called King Edwin Park) and will join the houses recently built on the old site of Queen Ethelberga’s School and the Army camp/ houses by Jubilee Roundabout.

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JUNE

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Penny Pot Lane Heavy rain returns and wipes out many of the cricket fixtures, so a trip around to scout for photo locations.

A view down Penny Pot Lane, with a complete lack of traffic and lit with defuse light at several points down the long straight road.

In a Spin It seems that this 365 project is not only a collection of photos, but a day to day weather report.

Heavy rain forecast for the region didn’t materialise, but low cloud bringing drizzle did.

I had difficulty seeing the blades going over the top as the mist enveloped the wind-farm.

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The bright light and mist produced a soft halo effect around the tower.

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Fancy a Round of Golf?

This certainly was a trip down memory lane as I took a shot of the Yorkshire Drystone Walling Guild sculpture that occupies what was once the first tee for Crimple Valley Golf Course.

I took a moment to take a seat and look down what was the fairway for the long first hole, taking you from the top of the valley, down a considerable drop. I used to play here regularly when I was a teenager.

I believe that the course was closed around four years ago, but it is still very easy to locate the various fairways of the golf course.

West Park A shot looking up towards the West Park United Reformed Church during golden hour - as the sun sets over The Stray bringing out a contrast between the warm golden sunshine on the stonework and the clear, deep-blue sky.

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Sports Day It’s Beckwithshaw Primary School’s sports day.

Parents sit and watch their children running a race, while recording on their mobile phones.

Almscliffe Crag Light washes across the rocks of Almscliffe Crag, late afternoon.

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Goldsborough A shot looking back at St. Mary The Virgin Church in the centre of Goldsborough.

The church is grade 1 listed and has its origins in 13th century Norman architecture.

The three bells in the church date from the late 14th to the first few years of the 15th centuries.

In the grounds of the Church is stone dating back to around 500AD that was used for trading and collecting taxes.

White Wedding Connor sits on the small pier out into the lake looking across the water to a few people standing

by Ripley Castle.

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They appear to be guests of the wedding that is taking place in the grounds.

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Spruisty Bridge Not a place that many visitors to Harrogate visit - A 17th century listed bridge, within the Royal Forest of Knaresborough and Ripley at the end of Knox Mill Lane.

The path from Knaresborough to Ripley carried packhorse traffic until other roads were built in the 18th century.

Information taken from the plaque on the bridge.

Communication Via Medium I started photography so many years ago...that digital cameras hadn’t even been thought of.

Over the years, I’ve sold my 35mm format film cameras, but have kept hold of the two medium format cameras. One is a Hasselblad and the other is a twin lens reflex camera.

I love shooting on both, the manner in which you have to slow down, think about settings and framing before releasing the shutter. I particularly love seeing the image forming on the ground glass screen of this particular camera.

I usually shoot once a month with one of these cameras...today I grabbed this one and took a walk around town.

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Selfie I think this is only the second time I have ever taken a selfie...and the first one was accidentally done as I tested a remote camera to ensure that it was aligned correctly and listening to the remote.

Shot taken while location scouting for a future client shoot.

Lady of the Crag The Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag - a shrine from 1408, created by John the Mason as thanks for his son surviving a falling rock.

An out of the way, hidden gem by the river Nidd in Knaresborough. Not many tourists will find this historic site - it is easy to miss, even when walking on the road past it!

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Wide View This is a shot that I keep going back to the Royal Hall to capture again and again.

Usually, it is during events with the venue set up for a show, an awards dinner, or a sporting event.

However, getting into the main auditorium during the day is great - as there is more light to help bring out the rich colours.

Arkendale A religious building has stood On the site since the 14th Century, although the present church dates from 1836.

As is often the way - I actually went out to photograph another location (photo was taken) but as soon as I drove past this building, I had to stop and get a few shots!

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On Trial It’s still in June, but Harrogate Railway started preparations for their 2018/19 NCEL Premier League campaign today.

Trials for players wanting to pull on the green and red of the club got underway with over 40 players taking part.

By the end of the training session, the management team already had a list of players that they were considering signing on for the start of the new season.

Hot Property The waste incinerator at Allerton has been a fiercely contested development in North Yorkshire.

By any standards, this is a huge building that can be easily seen from Harlow Hill in Harrogate - I believe around 13 or 14 miles away.

Built in the past few years, the operators have tried to bridge the divide between the local residents and themselves by allowing the public to take a tour around the site and see how they are trying to be environmentally friendly.

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Five-Rise Locks A barge traverses the Bingley Five-Rise Locks. This is a staircase lock on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal.

Boats going through this short stretch of canal are lifted or lowered in five stages.

This is the steepest flight of locks in the UK and boats are lowered/rise by around 18 meters.

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The Five-Rise opened in 1774 and were restored in 2004, 2006 and again in 2012.

Heritage A trip towards Fewston Reservoir and a stop at the Washburn Heritage Centre.

The centre is attached to the church, but was unfortunately closed when I arrived.

Taking a stroll around the grounds - I found out that the church dates to 1697 and that the graveyard is currently overrun by grass, flowers and weeds...so much so that it is difficult to see the writing on the gravestones.

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Climate Change The world’s forests absorb in excess of 100 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year from the atmosphere.

But the health of those trees is now in danger as rising temperatures, droughts, increasingly damaging storms and human activities means that we are losing huge numbers of them.

One estimate says that a third of all human carbon emissions are absorbed by trees and plants and with a rising population this percentage needs to increase.

The forests of 200 years from now will be very different from the ones we see today.

20 We need to take action now.

The Longest Day From a dismal day to the longest one and a complete change of weather.

The sun came up at 4:33am and will set around 9:42pm on this, the longest day of the year - the Summer Solstice.

I believe, technically, the solstice occurs at 11:03am.

Shot taken overlooking Nidderdale, with beautiful greens and blues throughout the scene.

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22 The almost perfect weather for growing crops.

The Royal Baths Start of golden hour and the setting sun starts to cast a golden cast across the Royal Baths.

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A Direct Line to God? Another trip out at the end of a long, hot, bright day to try and get more sympathetic light.

The setting sun illuminates St. Andrew’s Church at Blubberhouses on the A59.

The A59 is closed at this point due to subsidence on the hill at the side of the road. Work to assess the scope of the issues is on-going and more remedial work will be required to make the road safe.

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Plastic Fantastic A walk down the receding waterline at the local reservoir reveals an alarming amount of plastic laying on the drying mud and stones.

On one short stretch I saw remnants of plastic bags, plastic forks, bottle tops and even a deflated silver coloured balloon.

Plastic has become a major environmental concern all over the world and I know that this isn’t at the levels of other places...but to see this in an area of outstanding natural beauty and around our local water supply is really concerning.

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Riverside Stroll In between shoots, I took a stroll down the River Nidd in Knaresborough and came across this beautiful part of the river.

Midday sun is not the best light to take shots like this... but decided to capture something from the walk.

Living Alone Saint Robert lived here from 1180 until his death in 1218.

He tried to live a reclusive life, but the poor and sick came to him for physical and spiritual healing.

His most famous visitor was King John in 1216 a couple of years before St. Robert’s death.

27 (History of the site taken from the information on-site).

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Over the Rooftops A view from York Place across the curving rooftops of Swan Road towards The Majestic.

A view from a Hill A wander across the top of the hill from Norwood towards Leeds revealed extensive logging that has removed cover that the once mature trees provided.

New trees are starting to grow further down the hill as evidence of a managed forest policy.

With the intense heat from the ongoing heatwave there is a smell of hot/burning wood in the area - the fire brigade having been called out in the last 24 hours to a fire on the land around here.

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“June is the gateway to summer” Jean Hersey

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In Hampsthwaite Another glorious day in the sunshine and a visit to Hampsthwaite to have a look around...

JULY

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Well...well...well...

St. John’s Well on the Stray sits alongside Wetherby Road and is currently used as the premises for a small business.

The building is grade II listed and was built in around 1842 to replace an earlier well from around 1786 - the spring itself being discovered in 1631.

Calm Before The Storm It’s early afternoon, a few hours before England’s first knock out game in the World Cup round of 16.

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It’s very quiet around Harrogate, but the flags are everywhere in preparation.

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Taking the Toll I took a specific drive out to Aldwark after another shoot, to photograph a scene I’ve taken a few times over the years.

Unfortunately the light wasn’t great - but it did allow to capture all the details of the church without deep shadows.

St. Stephen’s Church is a real gem, with some wonderful architecture and idyllic surroundings.

I will be back to capture this building at sunrise or sunset in the near future.

Happy Birthday A light trail in front of Knaresborough House during blue hour.

The building is lit by a soft blue light as part of the NHS 70 birthday celebrations being marked around the country.

Iconic buildings are being lit up in blue to celebrate this milestone, with Harrogate and Ripon joining in by lighting the Royal Hall and Ripon City Hall respectively.

The blue light on this building was very subtle to the eye, and took the long exposure to really bring it out.

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Harrogate in the Sun The heat around the country continues...a brief break between portrait shoots meant getting some lunch and a quick trip into the town centre for a couple of errands.

A Room with a View Needed to do a few things around town...and given that it was after 3pm and England were playing in the quarter finals of the World Cup...it was quiet!

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Setting Sun The front of St. Thomas The Apostle church, Killinghall is lit up by the setting sun on what has been just about the hottest day of the year so far.

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Overcast Went down to Knaresborough during golden hour to take a few photos and clear my head of all the nonsense of day to day life.

The heavy overcast conditions put paid to a blazing sunset, or bathing the town and river in golden light.

However, the evenly lit scene allowed the existing colours to come out as the light levels dropped as the sun set.

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Don’t Look Cross After a shoot, I headed up towards a place I have photographed many times. However, despite finding a composition and setting up the tripod, the light was not cooperating, so decided to head back.

Quite by chance I spotted a graveyard nearby...no church, no buildings, no fuss, no intricate stonework... simply just a field surrounded by a drystone wall.

The graveyard is pretty overgrown but is marked by a large, weathered wooden cross at the entrance.

With the views over the dales, it is simply a stunning place to be laid to rest.

Local Photo Exhibition I had some free time towards the end of the afternoon...so headed down to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens to take in a photo exhibition being staged at the Bathhouse there.

I was highly impressed by a lot of the work on display.

On the way out, I took a quick shot of the Sunflowers that looked completely in their element with the blue skies and hot temperature.

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Walking back from a shoot, down the side of the river in Knaresborough.

Parked in the car park opposite this one and really enjoy the details on the building - so much better than looking at bare concrete.

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Lunchtime and a quick stop off in Ripon to get a bite to eat.

14 Always enjoy taking a walk around the city.

Back in Ripon for the second day to take some shots for the agency.

A little bit of an abstract shot, with the mix of colours, straight lines and signs catching the eye.

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Weather Related Again!

The recent continued spell of hot weather came to an end spectacularly today as torrential rain was accompanied by thunder and lightning.

A sleepy Connor watched out of the front window as the lightning danced across the dark sky.

Back in the centre of Harrogate for a photo-shoot and the designs at the bottom of the West Park multi-storey car park.

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The Almshouses on Bedford Road are 150 years old this year.

They were a gift from the Bradford textile manufacturer and philanthropist George Rogers. The Grade II listed building sits just off Belford Road

The oldest chemist shop in England...and a great place to drop in for an ice-cream.

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Looking from Norwood towards Stainburn Forest.

A fireworks competition at Newby Hall.

An evening watching various teams’ fireworks displays put to music of their choice.

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Birds fly over the walls at Ripley Castle as the sun starts to set.

Not a bird to put your fingers too close to!

23 I believe this Magpie talks in a Yorkshire accent!

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Aibhlínn’s new bike...about to take her first tentative ride on it.

A visit to Coldstones Cut with Connor near midnight to capture the International Space Station soaring overhead.

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Harrogate Railway 1-2 Headingley FC - penultimate preseason friendly for Railway.

Celebrating reading A silhouette next to Harrogate Library.

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I think I was being watched while on a photo-shoot...

Artwork celebrating the Feva festival in 2006.

Knaresborough has so many art installations in and around the town...it is worth spending a day walking around the town just to find them.

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A few days later and this is the confidence with which Aibhlinn is riding her bike now...

Archie enjoying the sunshine in the garden.

Unfortunately, he was very ill at this point and passed away the following morning.

RIP Archie

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AUGUST

A view down Kirkgate in Ripon towards the cathedral.

Ripon have made a massive effort to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I.

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The heaviest rain I have seen in years...

A really poor day of weather that meant that most of the outdoor shoots I had planned were postponed.

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A drive out to Sutton Bank to get dark skies and photograph the Milkyway.

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A few clouds tried to spoil the view.

A water tower near Coldstones Cut is bathed in a pink, blue and purple glow from the setting sun.

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I think I spend way too much time in restaurants and coffee houses!

Another break between shoots means I head indoors for a coffee.

Driving past Greenhow Hill and I had to stop to capture the magnificent sky...more pinks, purples and blues.

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Bilton House, Harrogate A quick photo taken between wedding ceremonies.

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A view down the back road off the main shopping centre in Harrogate.

Viewing the Perseid Meteor shower over Little Almscliffe Crag.

10 The peak night is on the 12th, but the weather is not promising, with complete cloud cover forecast for the next couple of days.

A view across The Stray

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Decided to head out at 2am to see if I might get a break in the clouds.

After a fruitless hour and a half, as I was heading home...I got lucky with a brief 20 minute window.

I also got to chat with the police as I took some shots!

The things you find at a garden centre.

Killinghall, near Harrogate

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A view down from the balcony in Harrogate Library.

On the Fairy Door Trail A day of exploring the Pinewoods at the top of the Valley Gardens to find the numerous Fairy Doors left around the woods.

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The Tree of Life Stone This ancient stone carving is on open access land, Snowden Carr, Askwith.

16 It is believed to have been carved in the Bronze Age.

Harlow Hill Observation Town lit by the street-lights in the distance as the stars burn brightly overhead.

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We went for a walk around Hackfall Woods today.

18 I set up the camera and had to pump the waterfall to get it working.

World Photography Day

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Yorke’s Folly, Bewerley near Pateley Bridge.

Overlooking Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale.

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Almscliffe Crag on a moonlit night...

It was actually pitch black and the camera could see more than I could!

23 A little house for the Bees...perhaps?

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Dinosaur Hunt RHS Harlow Carr Another return to the gardens to walk around the dinosaur trail.

A back view of Beckwithshaw Church

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Walking back up from a shoot in Harrogate, I decided to go through the Valley Gardens and up through the Pinewoods.

26 Some lovely soft light between the trees.

Some fantastic light on the front of the Sun Pavilions.

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At the end of another day-long shoot I decided it was too late to cook...so into Domino’s to pick something up.

A long drive up through Scotland and then the boat across to Ireland.

Time to go and visit family.

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A stop off during our drive along the Causeway Coast road.

Sand blows over the ripples on the beach at Glenone.

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SEPTEMBER

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A view across the countryside from Ballerin GAA pitch.

The Old Mill at Thrusscross Reservoir on a day of mixed weather.

The low water levels after such a dry summer, have revealed many long-lost buildings, villages and structures in the local area.

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Never work with animals and children!

First day back at school after the long summer holiday.

Probably the best road in Harrogate - no potholes!

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Royal Chambers, Station Parade A view across from The Stray.

Mr. F Graffiti on a power box at the side of the railway tracks in Harrogate.

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An open day at the Harlow Hill Observation Tower run by the Harrogate Astronomical Society.

We had the top of the tower to ourselves, as it was blowing a gale and throwing it down!

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We descended after 20 minutes completely soaked through from the rain.

What a difference 24 hours makes!

I didn’t plan to visit the same place to shoot a similar image on consecutive days, however, the weather showed a marked improvement and a 360 shot from the top of Harlow Hill Tower proved far too tempting a proposition to pass up.

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The newly restored King Edward VII Memorial Gate undertaken by the Friends of Valley Gardens, working in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council.

Japanese Garden - Valley Gardens.

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In preparation for Battle of Britain Day on Saturday 15 September - I took a wander around the Commonwealth War Graves at Stonefall on a beautiful warm afternoon.

Heritage buildings open day.

I decided I wanted to take advantage of the opportunities to wander around the historic buildings being opened up to the public in Harrogate.

13 This is the Turkish Baths in the Royal Baths. I haven’t been here in over 20 years.

Harrogate Theatre open day

14 I wanted to take a tour around the theatre to take in one of the most historic buildings of the town.

Fire Station Open Day

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Heritage Open Week - Royal Pump Rooms A group takes a tour around the sulphur well below the main building.

A view across the allotments in Harrogate from Osborne Walk

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Market Tavern in Knaresborough

On the way back from a shoot in Leeds - passing The Squinting Cat.

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20 A view from a room...

Invitation to an evening wedding at Jervaux Abbey.

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Railway are becoming a difficult team to beat at Station View - this time a strong Bridlington Town leave with only a point as Railway deservedly earn a 1-1 draw.

Today is the Autumnal Equinox and the start of Autumn.

The trees are starting to turn various colours of brown, orange and gold, and in keeping with Autumn we’ve had a day of rain, hailstones, wind, clouds and sunshine.

The shadows are lengthening and the air colder.

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A walk from Brackenthwaite Lane across the fields on a beautifully warm afternoon.

The intention of sitting pitch-side tonight was to get the new cameras set up for night shooting.

Low light, fast action and challenging conditions means that this is a real test of what the mirrorless system can do.

It also gives me a chance to learn how to interact with them.

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2018 RHS Photographic Competition Exhibition A specific trip across to RHS Gardens Harlow Carr to take in the images awarded prizes in the 2018 RHS Photographic Competition.

A nice stroll through the gardens in the sunshine...but blown around by the gusty wind!

Betty’s bathed in bright Autumnal sunshine.

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28 I don’t think this particular building needs much of an introduction!

Having started to put Connor’s 2018/19 yearbook together - I wanted to get a few images shot of the school to act as page backgrounds and to remember what the school looked like during his final year.

So a quick visit on Saturday early evening when no one is around seemed the best solution.

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“September: it was the most beautiful of words, he’d always felt, evoking orange-flowers, swallows, and regret” Alexander Theroux

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Where modern infrastructure meets the countryside, Knaresborough.

OCTOBER

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Methodist Chapel in Little Ribston, built in 1818.

Letterbox in Kettlesing (Part of a series of photographs)

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Sun Inn near Norwood

Basketball court in the village hall car park at Beckwithshaw.

(Part of a sports venues project)

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Open access land.

We are blessed with large areas of open access land, public rights of way and bridle paths...all allowing quick and easy access to the wonderful Yorkshire countryside.

In many cases, new signs are going up to provide information on where you can walk.

Church at Burnt Yates - stopping off for a brief moment during a drive to a shoot.

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One of those typically picturesque Yorkshire houses by the river in Wath.

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Glorious end to the day as the sun shines and the air is warm.

Ripon has probably one of the most poignant displays of remembrance to mark 100 years since the end of World War I. The silhouettes situated in and around the city are simply brilliant.

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A walk down from the Pinewoods, through the Valley Gardens during a break in shooting one of the long term projects I am working on.

The skies are grey and the approaching storm has changed the mood around the town.

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The stocks in front of the Boar’s Head, Ripley on a cold, wet and very stormy day.

Storm Callum brings strong winds and heavy downfalls of rain...but we’ve missed the full force of the storm as it headed up the west coast of England.

Are you looking at me?

Walking back from the football.

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Penultimate silhouette was installed yesterday opposite Ripon Ambulance Service.

These are simply stunning art installations.

A long lost railway line in plain sight on the Stray in Harrogate.

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A view from the cliff overlooking the River in Knaresborough.

Autumnal colours try to break through the grey, overcast conditions left over from storm Callum.

Glorious blue skies over the church of St. Martin at Allerton Mauleverer.

After days of rain and grey skies, the clouds clear and allow the combination of Autumnal browns, greens and golds to mix with the deep blue of the sky.

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The centre of Whixley on another brilliant Autumn day.

It’s cold...but the sun is shining!

Not the best composition of shot, but this is simply all about the colours.

The trees are turning from green to various colours of gold, brown, yellow...an amazing demonstration of Autumnal colour.

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Nigel Farage talks at the Leave Means Leave event held at Harrogate Convention Centre.

One of my four assignments today...followed by a quick drive across Harrogate to cover the second half of a football match.

Almscliffe Crag backlit in the hazy midday light.

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A hide in the woods...

Re-purposing An old decommissioned telephone box is being used to house a defib in a small village just outside Knaresborough.

A really great use of an iconic British sight in the 21st Century.

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24 A bench with a view...

All Saints’ Church in Kirkby Overblow Another stunning day around the area - bright sunshine hides the slight drop in air temperatures in this shot.

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26 A London street performer poses for a photo with AibhĂ­inn

A tourist walks past a display of a Pliosaur at the National History Museum.

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Waiting in line at the Tower of London - to see the Crown Jewels.

It is hard to comprehend the number of people involved in the making of a film.

At the Harry Potter Studios in Watford, each person has a wand with their name on - it fills the room as you exit the tour.

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Connor and AibhlĂ­nn pose with one of the lions in Trafalgar Square.

Having completed the river tour on the Thames, looking back at the London Eye.

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NOVEMBER

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Beckwithshaw from the air - shadows are stretching along the ground as the low sun starts to set.

It is getting darker earlier and Autumn/Winter has definitely arrived!

Remember remember the...erm...Fifth of November.

With it being Saturday, a lot of the Bonfire Night celebrations are going on tonight rather than on Monday night.

This is the bonfire held on the Stray in Harrogate.

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A huge display of the various varieties of apple on display at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens today.

A family outing to check The Room on the Broom trail around the gardens.

Back to Ripon Cathedral to capture the last images of the Field of Mud, Seeds of Hope display.

I was very fortunate to meet one of the artists behind the project Jeanne Mundy.

Jeanne was meeting people and drawing near to the main display.

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Thrusscross reservoir - the water levels are looking really low and it is going to take quite a lot of rainfall to fill it back up.

Rain clouds threaten to provide a downpour in the distance....but the day stayed mainly dry!

Today it rained...and rained...and rained!

Plans made for various shoots had to be amended as they were all set initially outside.

There was a brief moment when the water stopped falling from the sky... so popped out to grab a photo.

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The Nidd Gorge down Bilton Lane has reappeared in the local news again.

Plans to build a bypass to accommodate traffic being generated by existing and new housing are being actively discussed, with the old railway line one possibility to place a new road.

Ghosts from the past.

Young faces look down from Ripon cathedral at the large crowd as the moving light show commemorates the men and women of the city who fought in World War I Ripon has marked the centenary with an amazing display of art, poppies and light.

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Malcolm Neesam giving a talk at the Royal Pump Rooms about his new book - Harrogate in 50 Buildings.

Malcolm talked about eleven of the iconic buildings to a full house at the museum, before signing copies.

Remembrance Sunday at St. Wilfrid’s and Connor is the flag bearer for the Cub Scouts.

I’ve always loved the ceremony at this church each year as they drop red petals down from the roof to mark the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

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Pannal - another place threatened with yet more potential house building schemes.

It would appear that there is a complete frenzy to build on greenbelt land in and around Harrogate - but I am unsure who is going to buy all the thousands of new homes.

The nature of the town is going to change - if not controlled more carefully.

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A train crosses the Crimple Viaduct as a shaft of light breaks through the low cloud to illuminate the centre of the iconic landmark on the edge of Harrogate.

The sun isn’t getting too high in the sky now and the shadows are stretching across the landscape.

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Following on from yesterday and the theme of railways...I was aware of an old disused railway line from Crimple.

A search of the maps and I discovered the location of one end of Prospect Tunnel - amazingly still open at both ends...but too muddy to walk today. I will be back at some point to explore!

A misty, heavily overcast day developed from a misty and bright morning...

The colours of Autumn have nearly all faded to those of winter, with this one exception it seems.

Browns, oranges, golds and reds pierce the afternoon gloom.

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Change of plans as Aibhlinn was off school recovering from being ill.

Different little girl today as she was back to her usually self!

A visit to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens followed some shopping in town.

Checkmate.

Looking down from the balcony at the Victorian Arcade in Harrogate.

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Touching the sun.

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are starting to drop.

A spectacular sunset over the fields, looking towards Almscliffe Crag and Beckwithshaw.

Oliver’s Clump overlooks the surrounding ground.

This is the site of The Battle of Marston Moor (2 July 1644).

The site of the biggest and bloodiest battle in the Civil War between the King and Parliament.

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A day of frustration due to the first real prolonged and heavy rain of the Autumn/Winter.

I ended up sitting in Ripley waiting to pick up my son from an enrichment week orienteering trip...he was soaked through!

Press event at RHS Gardens Harlow Carr - the Glow Winter Illuminations.

The gardens are lit up for the second year in succession, showcasing the trees, plants, sculptures and structures in the beautiful grounds.

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Steady rain and fog throughout the day meant that opportunities were limited to get some more landscape shots.

Visibility at Little Almscliffe Crag was down to under 50 meters - although the forestry workers were busy, they (and the trees) couldn’t be seen!

A second consecutive day of fog forecast to linger the whole day turns out to be accurate.

Here the overhead power-lines in Knaresborough disappear into the patchy and unevenly lit mist.

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Fog replaced by rain and it seems Winter is here to stay...

A view down Otley Road on a wet and blustery night.

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Shaking a fist at the clouds

Walking down to the reservoir past this innocuous looking hut.

This is the site of the Haverah Park cosmic ray experiment just outside of Beckwithshaw.

The experiment ran for 20 years before closing in the late 1980’s The site is remarkably well preserved.

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28 Walking the back-streets up towards Ripon Cathedral

A stormy Autumnal sky just before 3pm and the sun is getting low.

Clouds obscure the setting sun casting dark shadows across the Yorkshire valleys and dales.

This shot is looking over Norwood towards the hills.

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DECEMBER

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Location scouting for a future shoot, I drove past Linton Falls and decided to take a walk.

I haven’t been here in a very long time and enjoyed an hour of walking and taking a few photos.

(Previous Page) Watching non-league football in the pouring rain on a Saturday afternoon.

Grimwith Reservoir Stopped here on the way back from a shoot to grab some lunch. The sky was amazing - so decided to take out the camera and capture a long exposure shot of the water and sky.

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On the drive back from a shoot, heading towards Bolton Abbey.

The first really miserable day of Winter as the rain is incessant, the fog blanketed the ground all day and the light levels are so low that the house lights were on all day.

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Between showers, the sun breaks through some cloud and casts a golden light across the trees on the far bank of Swinsty Reservoir.

The weather is getting really changeable and it is difficult to plan work shoots outside at the moment.

Golden light streams down on Almscliffe Crag before the first heavy wintry rainfall of the day.

It felt like snow was in the air and it started to hailstone shortly afterwards.

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Morning sun illuminates Beech Villa on the Esplanade, The Adelphi in the middle of Cold Bath Road, St. Mary’s/Kairos Church on Harlow Terrace, Harlow Hill Water Tower and the Victorian Observation Tower at the top of Harlow Hill.

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A view from the centre of Harrogate by the Cenotaph covering over a mile.

With the return of really dark skies...comes the possibilities of getting out and shooting various astronomical events.

The ISS reappears in the night sky over the Business Park at the top of Harlow Hill.

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Boating Pond in the Valley Gardens on a rather overcast day that threatened wintry showers.

A splash of bright green on a very, very grey day in Knaresborough down by the river.

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Part of a 360 capture of the centre of the town showing the Victorian buildings.

The image is pretty much straight out of camera and once processed correctly, will form part of a personal project that I am working on over the next 18 months.

Betty’s Christmas window display

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Taking a photo during golden hour at Little Almscliffe Crag.

Looking back up to the road from the walk down to Scargill Reservoir, a couple stand on top of the crag around a mile away.

This shot is all about the golden colours in the sky.

Overcast day - waiting for the freezing rain to fall.

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Valley Garden World War II USA memorial.

The rising winter’s sun filters through the trees at Flaxby Moor Golf Course during late-morning.

A shot taken from the road looking across the now disused fairways.

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Down by Fewston Reservoir on a very wet and windy day...as the sun started to set.

Knaresborough Castle illuminated for Christmas.

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20 A grim day weather-wise, the Valley Gardens in the dark despite it being just after midday.

Probably one of the most photographed locations in Knaresborough. It must have been taken thousands and thousands of times.

I haven’t taken this particular shot in many years...so thought it was about time I stopped by and shot it again.

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Beulah Street with the Christmas lights up.

I thought it would be late night shopping - but very few of the shops were open.

At the centre of this image is a green fuzzy dot. This is comet 46P/Wirtanen and 2018’s brightest comet as seen from Earth. I was hoping to get a better shot on the 16th when it was at its closest, but the British weather thought otherwise!

The icy nucleus is just 1.2km in diameter.

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24 A view down the brightly lit Station Parade on Christmas Eve.

Happy Christmas!

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Walking back up home from my mum’s house on Boxing day - trying to work off the excesses of the past 48 hours.

26 A view up Pannal Ash Road late on in the evening.

Cheltenham Crescent in the brief spell of sunshine.

Walking back to the car from a photo-shoot.

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On Reflection Hoopers is reflected in the glass of another shop.

Time for lunch, looking out on John Street

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St. Mary’s Church in Stainburn.

Another location scout for a future job and we drove past this wonderful disused church.

It seems a perfect location for a starry sky shoot at some point in the new year.

I wanted to end the 365 project with this particular shot.

It is a view back across towards Harlow hill and Harrogate from Beckwithshaw.

This view is going to change over the next five years as housing estates are built.

Change is inevitable, but there has to be some consideration as to the necessity of change and the impact on the wonderful place we live in.

It isn’t all about money and desire. Just because you can... doesn’t mean you should.

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A FEW MORE...

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end” Seneca The Younger

The Year in Review 2018 © Caught Light Photography Limited