Highclere Castle

One from the archives today. I'm a little concerned that one day I'm going to post one of these 'classic' shots that has already been posted but hopefully that won't happen. I did just have to check I hadn't posted this one before as I have posted pictures of Highclere Castle already (from my Downton Abbey weekend) but this was my first and most successful picture of the building. I think it is still my second most popular picture on Flickr and this is perhaps a lot to do with Downton Abbey. I think it is a good picture in it's own right though, without all the attention from the Downton Abbey bloggers and I remember being pleased with this as a landscape shot at the time.

I have spoken before about re-processing a picture many months after originally processing it and though I think it can be beneficial, it's not something I will be doing any more of. Unless there are serious flaws with the original or there are techniques you really did not know of at the time, it is unlikely you will improve a picture. I say this because I recently decided I was going to reprocess one of my civil war battle pictures but after spending quite a while on it, realised that it is far away from my original picture and not nearly as good. I trust my original intentions of a picture when I first process it and intend to stick with that original vision now. Today's picture for instance, if I was to change anything, it would be the rather unsubtle vignetting but I accept that for whatever reason, that was how I intended the picture to look at time and what I thought was best then and therefore I'm happy to stick with how I saw it.

It looks like the weather might be turning for the better in England (just in time for the Olympics!) and so I will probably be out and about with my camera more. All that's left to say is I have a major announcement coming soon as well!

Rock N Roll Tree

Ok, so yes this is perhaps the strangest picture you will ever see on this website. I processed it many, many months ago and was never sure if I would actually display it on any of my websites but finally I've thought what the heck! I took this as I was walking to the Battle Proms event at Highclere Castle last July. I decided not to drive to the event, which meant I had to walk along a road that leads through some wooded area leading up to the castle grounds. It was during this walk that I noticed this tree on the right hand side that had carved into it 'SHADOWS, CLIFF, BEATLES'. I am still puzzled to this day why on earth someone felt the need to carve these names into the tree, unless it was some pot-smoking 60 year old trying to reclaim his youth (on a tree!). I can't possibly believe it has been on there since the 60's but I guess I'll never know! Oh well, as I said I know it's bizarre and I just thought I'd share it with you.

If I'm honest, it's appeared on this blog partly down to my lack of new photos, which I have finally decided to do something about. I have been lacking a bit of inspiration recently but no excuses, I'll be out and about somewhere this weekend, just haven't figured out where yet. I may post another 'classic' this Sunday, as there so many more I want to post on here. Other than that though, should have some new pictures up from Tuesday onwards. Have a great weekend!