CAPTURE NEW HORIZONS

Well that was 2012, a very successful year for us.  We've now looking forward to 2013 with plenty of places on the itinerary.  Starting in January we will be back to France for the launch of the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Paris.   The Vale of Belvoir near Redmile April will see the first of twelve events, this one is close to home with Round 1 of the WEC and European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at Silverstone.  Further event on the 2013 calendar will include Spa (Belgium), Le Mans (France), Imola (Italy), Budapest (Hungary), Red Bull Ring (Austria), Paul Ricard (France), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Austin (USA), Fuji (Japan), Shanghai (China) and Bahrain. Eiffel Tower - Paris In addition there will be business trips to Paris and Le Mans throughout the year plus family trips to Mull (May), Northumberland and Southern Scotland. We will also hopefully be visiting our friends on Skye and the Lake District at some point.  I will also be continuing my personal pro

Well I was holding back on posting something for December in my 2012 review because I was hoping for a typically Christmas landscape to post, but the weather didn't play ball and the snow once again failed to materialise. However we did have a pre Christmas cold snap so I took some macro shots of the ice on the leaves in the garden. Nikon D700 - Nikon 60mm f2.8 micro Nikon D700 - Nikon 60mm f2.8 micro Hopefully we'll get some snow in early 2013. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

After overseas trips to Japan and China we managed to get a weekend family break at the start of November in Berwick on Tweed.  This was the third of three trips to Northumberland this year and a biting wind was coming off the North Seas.  However the changeable weather produced a glorious sunrise over the pier at the mouth of the River Tweed. While I was shooting long 120 second exposures on the Nikon, I was using my newly purchased Fuji X100 to capture details on the beach.  This lobster pot was lying nearby and gave me the perfect foreground to capture the sunrise over the North Sea and the pier. Fujifilm X100, 23mm f2, 1/90 @f8, ISO400 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IM

Autumn in the UK is one of my favourite times for photography.  The colours of the trees as the leaves turn to yellow, brown and gold, with berries in bushes and fungi in the woods, there are plenty of things to point the camera lens at. This shot was taken in the woods near Grantham, with the soft light filtering through the leafy canopy giving me the perfect conditions for this shot of these mushrooms / toadstools. Nikon D700, Nikon 28-105, 1/125 @ f6.3, ISO2000 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

Despite travelling to Sao Paulo and Bahrain in September, the image I have chosen was taken a little closer to home. Belton House is a National Trust property situated on the outskirts of Grantham, where we live.   As we are NT members we tend to go for walks in the gardens on nice days and this particular day the autumn sunshine was just perfect.  This image was taken from the gardens of the property and I visualised it a mono image when I pressed the shutter release. Belton House - Nikon D700, Nikon 50mm f1.4, 1/400s @ f8, ISO200  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

With no FIA World Endurance Championship events for six weeks after Le Mans it gave us the opportunity to take a much needed family holiday.  We decided to visit the beautiful Tuscany region of Italy, staying at an agriturismo we found on the internet.  Due Piani is a converted farm house on a working farm / vine yard and we had an apartment with a stunning view across the valley to the small hamlet of Tignano. This image was taken in the morning just as the sun was rising above Tignano.  A 200mm telephoto lens isolated the church and buildings while an exposure of 1/4000s at f11 ensured the building came out as a silhouette against the fiery sky. Sunrise over Tignano, Tuscany.  Nikon D700, Nikon 80-200 f2.8, 1/4000s @ f11, ISO400 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like

A family weekend in London at the start of July gave me plenty of opportunity to test my newly purchased Nikon D700, a full frame professional DSLR.  We visited the Tate Modern gallery on the South Bank of the Thames and I set about capturing a set of images featuring the Millennium foot bridge and St Paul's Cathedral on the north side of the river. Millennium Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral - Nikon D700, Nikon 17-35 f2.8, 1/640 @ f8, ISO200  Merry Christmas to all the followers and viewers of this blog.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

June was dominated by the 24 Hours of Le Mans but we also managed to squeeze in a quick trip to the Isle of Skye, our third trip to Scotland in 2012.  This was a special event as it was the wedding of some close friends who had also asked me to be the official photographer for the day. The wedding took place at Elgol, which is a little harbour on the south west side of the island.  The scenery is stunning and the weather was kind so I made the most of the scenery to give Tom and Beccii a set of photographs that they will hopefully remind them of the happy day for years to come. This shot was taken on the beach looking across the bay towards the Cuillin mountains.  The clouds were starting to form across the mountain top and a long exposure has blurred the sea, giving a dramatic scene. Across the sea to Skye - Nikon D300s, Sigma 10-20, 25s @ f11, ISO400, 10x ND Filter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In May we had our first of three visits to Northumberland, England's most northern county.  Beautiful beaches, quaint towns and villages and historic castles are the hallmark of this fantastic place. This image was taken from the beach at Low Newton by the Sea and across the bay to the south you can see the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. Low Newton, Northumberland.  Nikon D300s, Sigma 10-20, 1/125 @ f11, ISO200 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

April saw us visiting Mull for the second time in four months, we just love the place.  This image of Lismore Lighthouse in the Sound of Mull was taken from the Oban to Craignure ferry on our way back from a shopping trip into Oban. Lismore Lighthouse - Nikon D300s, Sigma 18-50 f2.8, 1/200 @ f8, ISO200 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

March saw the first of eight FIA World Endurance Championship events around the globe, with the first taking place at Sebring in Florida.  Flying from Miami airport at the end of the eight day stay gave me the opportunity to visit Key Biscayne and Miami Beach, with its famous art deco architecture. This image is of the Beach Patrol Headquarters building just behind South Beach and is typical of the period architecture of this part of the world. Beach Patrol HQ - Nikon D300s, Sigma 10-20, 1/800 @ f11, ISO400  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

One of the advantages with my day job is working for a French company.  This means I have to travel to Paris and Le Mans for meetings which gives me ample opportunity to take the camera for a walk.  This shot was taken during the first of five visits to Paris this year. The River Seine at Night - Nikon D300s - Sigma 18-50 f2.8 - 15s @ f8 - ISO100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our  Facebook  page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON  FLICKR  AND ON OUR  WEBSITE

2012 has been an interesting year with more opportunity to travel due to my work on the FIA World Endurance Championship and also family trips.  Over the next twelve days I will choose one image from each month, starting with this picture of a waterfall near Loch na Keal on the Isle of Mull from our visit to the island for Hogmanay (New Year). Waterfall near Loch na Keal - Nikon D90, Sigma 10-20, 8s @ f14 - ISO200 This year we have visited - Shanghai, China Fuji, Japan Bahrain Sao Paulo, Brazil Marrakech, Morocco Florida, USA Istanbul, Turkey Le Mans, France Paris, France Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium Tuscany, Italy In the UK we have visited: Isle of Mull, Scotland Isle of Skye, Scotland London, England Berwick on Tweed, England Alnmouth / Alnwick, England Farne Islands, England Leeds, England  Southwell, England Vale of Belvoir, England  I will post an image from February tomorrow morning. --------------------------------------------------------

With just one week to Christmas I thought I would post some shots of lights and decorations from the Carter family tree, which was decorated last Sunday. So where did the tradition for Christmas Trees come from? Germany would be the answer but the story goes back 1400 years.   In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. He did many good works there, and spent much time in Thuringia. Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree, as they had previously revered the Oak. By the 12th century it was being hung, upside-down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity. The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to sh

While I was in Paris at the weekend for the WEC Awards Gala I did get the oportunity to walk up the Champs Elysees while changing hotels on Saturday morning. This impressive bronze statue of Clemenceau, by the French sculptor François Cogné, caught my eye. The statue was erected in 1932 in front of the Petit Palais, Place Clemenceau. Georges Clemenceau is standing on a big rock, wearing a long army coat and a wind-blown scarf as well as tall army boots and helmet. A cane is resting on his right forearm and he is standing in a walking position. Georges Benjamin Clemenceau (1841 – 1929) was a French statesman, physician and journalist. He served as the Prime Minister of France from 1906 to 1908, and again from 1916 to 1920. He is commonly nicknamed "Le Tigre" (The Tiger) and "Père-la-Victoire" (Father Victory) for his determination as a leader during World War I. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes I see an image within an image and this shot is a typical example of this.  Sitting on the balcony of the Sofitel in Bahrain on the morning we were leaving for the airport I was looking out over the hotel pool towards the sea when I saw potential in this part of the pool area.    The striking blue of the water against the bleached whites of the stone were set off by the green of palm tree and plants in the foreground.  This looks like one of those typical travel brochure shots and it could have been taken anywhere in the world. Well anywhere that is tropical - definately not the UK. The other thing about this shot that works for me is the lack of people in the image, which keeps the picture clean and simple. The image was taken on a Nikon D700 with a 80-200 f2.8 AF-D lens.  Exposure was 1/1250 @ f8 ISO 400 and the finished image was cropped to a square image.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As we approach the end of the 2012 I have been looking back at the places I've visited this year, either with my work on the FIA World Endurance Championship or with my family.  I've stayed in a lot of hotel rooms and this got me thinking about the views from these rooms.  Some have been looking out over car parks or boring courtyards, but the views from others have been nothing short of spectacular.    Here are my favourite views from the places we've stayed in 2012. The view from the apartment balcony at Due Piani in Tuscany, Italy The view from my hotel room at the Sofitel in Bahrain The view over Tobermory Bay from the cottage on the Isle of Mull, Scotland The view from the balcony at the Hilton Hotel in Istanbul - looking out over the Bosphorus View out of the hotel bedroom window in Japan - that's Mount Fuji! The view from my bedroom window at the house we rented in Le Mans The Sofitel in Marrakech - those are the Atlas Moun

This is one of my favourite shots from last Friday's FIA Awards Gala in Istanbul.  It is a close up of Tom Kristensen's FIA WEC runners up trophy which features a blue glass globe inside two metal sweeps.  The stage lighting inside the ballroom produced some amazing colours are it was reflected off the metal parts of the trophy. This was taken on the Fujifilm X100 on macro mode with the lens aperture set at f2 to produce a very shallow depth of field. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our Facebook page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON FLICKR AND ON OUR WEBSITE

The 2012 FIA Awards Gala were held on Friday 7 December in the opulant surroundings of the Ciragan Palace Kempinski in Istanbul.  A beautiful former palace that has been completely restored to former glories, it was the perfect venue to honour the motorsport world champions from F1, WRC, WTCC, GT1 and, of course, the World Endurance Championship - which was the reason I was there.   After the ceremony and dinner I had a quick look around the foyer and took the following images of the beautiful fixtures and fittings. The staircase The ceiling and chandolier The chandolier Istanbul All images taken on a Fujifilm X100 - 19mm f2 (WCL-X100 wide angle converter fitted) More on the Ciragan Palace Kempinski HERE More images from the FIA Awards Gala and the winners of the FIA World Endurance Championship visit the WEC Facebook gallery HERE   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have just booked my flight for my final visit to Paris on the 14/15/16 December for meetings at the FIA and the FIA WEC Awards Evening.  This is one of my favourite images from my first trip to Paris in 2012, back in February. The shot was taken from the Place de la Concorde looking up towards the Arc de Triomphe.  A long shutter speed has blurred the lights of the cars and caused the street lamps to give off a 'star burst' halo effect.  I have been to Paris five times in 2012 and I've enjoyed every visit to the City of Light.  More trips will undoubtedly take place in 2013. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION If you like what you see on this blog please visit our Facebook page and click 'like' MORE IMAGES CAN BE VIEWED ON FLICKR AND ON OUR WEBSITE

With life being so full on these days sometimes you just have to switch off and recharge your batteries. My favourite way of recharging is going for a walk with my camera to see what I can spot.  Today was one of those days when the winter sun was shining, so wrapping up warm I grabbed the camera bag and headed out into the Vale of Belvoir for a couple of hours of photography. Phragmites (Common Reed) - Fujifilm X100 The low sun was producing some strong shadows and I decided to use this to my advantage and concentrate on subjects that would suit strong back lighting. First stop was the Phragmites, or Common Reed, that were growing by the side of the Grantham Canal and with the strong sun through the stalks they provided good subject matter. Phragmites (Common Reed) - Nikon D700 / 80-200 f2.8 Phragmites (Common Reed) - Nikon D700 / Sigma 50-500 Phragmites (Common Reed) - Nikon D700 / 80-200 f2.8 Phragmites (Common Reed) - Nikon D700 / 60mm f2.8 micro