Happy Christmas

Although the recent snowfalls have melted the excitement on children's faces have not with Christmas just around the corner. It was a real privilege to help Father Christmas himself for the day in his magical grotto. Lots of happy children were delighted to meet him which really came across in the photos that I captured.

© Shared Earth Photography

So far we have not had the heavy snow as seen in the past two winters but it's still been cold enough to make you think twice about venturing outdoors. Instead it is a relaxing time to reflect on the past year which has been a busy one for Shared Earth Photography. I look forward to seeing what 2012 brings and would like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and New Year.

© Shared Earth Photography

Wedding photography

Shared Earth Photography is pleased to announce that we have now added wedding photography to our list of services. Starting at just £500, we offer both an affordable and professional service which can be refined to meet your exact requirements. More details can be found in the new wedding section on the main website.

Some feedback from previous weddings that Shared Earth Photography has covered:

"We love the photos Mike! Thank you so much! It's going to be so hard picking between them all! x"

Mike & Claire

"Thank you so much for the amazing wedding photographs. You worked so hard and this shows in the images you captured. We will be able to look back on these in years to come and smile at all the magical moments you managed to capture."

Neil & Val

 © Shared Earth Photography

Alderley Edge article

I am pleased to announce the publication of one of my articles in the November issue of The Countryman magazine.

The article is about the myths and legends which surround the village of Alderley Edge in Cheshire. Nowadays the area is best known for its celebrity residents but there are still many relics to its mysterious past. My article explores legends about wizards, bands of knights lying in enchanted sleep, and the various antiquities which can be found in the area.

The magazine is on sale now.

 

Romiley Young Farmers Show

Last weekend Shared Earth Photography assisted Oaktree Photography and Stockport Photographic Society in providing photographic coverage of the Romiley Young Farmers Show. The day included lots of attractions and competitions including horse trials, flyball and stunt bikes. Fortunately the weather held and a great time was had by everyone involved.

© Shared Earth Photography

© Shared Earth Photography 

© Shared Earth Photography

New Mills Pet Show

Shared Earth Photography worked together with Oaktree Photography last Sunday to cover the New Mills Pet Show. The day was a great success and stayed dry with both pets and owners having lots of fun.

Photographs from the show can be viewed on Oaktree Photography's website as well as our own.

© Shared Earth Photography

 © Shared Earth Photography

 © Shared Earth Photography

Formula 1 comes to Manchester

Jenson Button drove a McLaren MP4-23 around the streets of Manchester last Monday as part of the Vodafone VIP Live event. Tens of thousands of people lined the streets as Jenson drove down Deansgate and into Albert Square. Rev limited to 19,000 RPM, the noise was deafening as it bounced off the surrounding buildings along the temporary course.

Jenson Button driving along Deansgate

© Shared Earth Photography

The MP4-23 was driven to championship glory by Lewis Hamilton in 2008, securing 6 wins, 8 pole positions, and 3 fastest laps.

Jenson Button in the cockpit of the MP4-23

© Shared Earth Photography

The golden hour

Over the past 12 months I've found myself going out more often at dawn and dusk when the light is at its best. It is amazing how different a place can look depending on the time of day you visit. The low-angled sunlight at dawn and dusk brings the place to life by highlighting all the shapes and textures. The summer months demonstrate perfectly the pronounced difference that the light creates. During the middle of the day landscapes appear flat and featureless simply because the sun is directly overhead. So while it can be tempting to grab the camera on a glorious sunny day and rush out I will now often wait until the evening comes and with it the magical golden hour.

 Pine forest catching the late evening sunlight

© Shared Earth Photography

 

Walker enjoying the golden hour 

© Shared Earth Photography

Signs of spring

Last winter was one of the most severe recorded but spring is finally here and in full swing. The warm weather of the last few weeks has acted as a catalyst for new growth and now signs of spring are all around us. A lot of events have occurred earlier this year due to the unusually warm and dry weather throughout April. Woodlands have been covered by rich carpets of bluebells, birds are raising their young, and I've even seen damselflies and dragonflies enjoying the warm weather.

I've been busy photographing as much of this busy season as possible and many of my galleries have been updated. For the moment I've had to restrict my macro photography due to the windy weather. The slightest movement of your subject when working at such close quarters will create significant blurring and ruin the image. I hope to add to the images of flowers and insects over the coming weeks. I would also like to photograph adders after a close encounter with one last month. Once again I'll have to wait for the wind to drop because adders are reclusive during these conditions as they rely on vibrations to hunt and avoid danger.

In the meantime I hope you continue to enjoy the season and all that comes with it.

Snapshots of Poynton

I was recently browsing the blog of professional wildlife and landscape photographer Niall Benvie and was inspired by his concept of 'deconstructed landscapes'. The idea is to take a selection of photographs of the various elements of a location which focus on the details of this place. When these images are viewed together they represent all of the visual elements of a scene and tell a story about the place.

After speaking with Niall he kindly gave me his blessing to embark on my own project based on the deconstructed landscape concept. Instead of photographing rural locations and focusing on the natural world it is my intention to photograph villages. By photographing the various aspects in this way I hope to reveal the history, traditions and culture of each village.

After careful consideration I decided upon Poynton as my first village for the project. Located in Cheshire, Poynton has a rich history for such a small area having once been a thriving coal mining community with important industrial transport links. The centre of Poynton is being renovated which provides further scope for my photography and makes it a perfect candidate for my project. You can see my first panel of photographs below.

You can follow Niall Benvie's work on the Images From The Edge blog.

Wildlife article

I was very flattered when I was recently approached by Oaktree Photography and asked to write an article about wildlife photography on their website. The article is the first in a series of guest articles that will be featured on the Oaktree Photography website which is run by Diane Seddon.

You can read the article here.

Male bullfinch © Shared Earth Photography

Shared Visions

I am pleased to announce the publication of my book, Shared Visions: The portfolio of Shared Earth Photography, which brings together a selection of my very best images. Throughout the pages you will find images which represent all of the subjects in Shared Earth Photography's portfolio from abstracts to wildlife. The book can be purchased through Blurb's website here.

Shared Visions by Mike Batty | Make Your Own Book

Dove

I am pleased to announce the publication of Dove, a love story by Rain McAlistair, which features one of Shared Earth Photography's images as its cover. The synopsis of Dove is as follows:

"Hillary lives in a small village on the West Coast of Ireland with her husband, Dermot. Hillary is introverted and shy. She lacks confidence, which has been systematically stripped from her by Dermot. Dermot is a bully and a drunk and Hillary is full of disappointment with her life. She fears him and knows that he controls her. Their marriage is loveless and childless and she knows something is missing from her life – she craves love and affection, but not from Dermot. The only affection in her life she gets is from Timber, her beloved dog. She lives an almost reclusive lifestyle, finding comfort only in her garden. But it is not until a trip to the cinema just after her thirty-fifth birthday that her life changes forever."

Dove can be purchased at Amazon here.

Three Shires Head

I recently visited Three Shires Head, a picturesque spot where the counties of Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire meet. The River Dane flows underneath a pack horse bridge and down a series of waterfalls at this point. By standing in the centre of the spot you can hear a background sound similar to that of a jet engine as the various waterfalls echo around the rocks.

Three Shires Head © Shared Earth Photography

Despite the promise of a good weather forecast it was a very misty morning and so the majority of my photos were close ups of the various waterfalls. I was therefore able to keep the flat and uninspiring sky out of most of my shots.

Close up of the River Dane 

© Shared Earth Photography

Winter migrants

At this time of year many species of bird will migrate to Britain from Scandinavia, Greenland, Iceland, and eastern Europe to avoid the harsh winters of these territories. Winter migrants are attracted to Britain by our mild winters which bring more opportunities to find food. Although our last two winters have been particularly severe it still pays to make the journey because the weather from where they have travelled will be even worse.

 Male goldeneye © Shared Earth Photography

There are many species of wildfowl which are winter migrants and so a trip to your local lake at this time of year can reward you with sights of more unusual birds. I spent yesterday afternoon doing just that and arrived to find the majority of the lake was frozen. These conditions had forced all the wildfowl towards the busy end of the lake where people feed the ducks and I was rewarded with some close views of winter migrants. Amongst the mallards and other regulars were goldeneye and a wigeon, a species of duck which I've never seen at this lake before. There were also more unusual species of seagull which had been drawn inland such as a lesser black backed gull that dwarfed the resident black headed gulls.

 Female goldeneye © Shared Earth Photography

So the next time you visit your local lake or pond to feed the ducks keep an eye out for any unfamiliar birds because the chances are that they are a migrant.

Happy New Year

Sun obscured by storm clouds © Shared Earth Photography

 

Shared Earth Photography would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I would like to thank all the people who have done business with us and I look forward to working with new clients in 2011 and beyond.

 

Throughout the past 12 months I have enjoyed the challenge of expanding into new areas of photography such as social events and portraiture. It's always a pleasure to see the reaction of a happy client when they see a photograph of themselves and are pleased with how I've portrayed them.

Wildlife photography continues to give me thrills when I manage to capture an image of the subject which I've been striving for. The last 12 months have enabled me to take photographs of many species which are new to me and I look forward to the opportunities which 2011 has in store.

I'd like to end this post by thanking everyone who follows and supports Shared Earth Photography. All the best for 2011!

Mike Batty