UK

Cloud Cover

A blooming hedge with white flowers under a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. — Devil’s Dyke, South Downs

I liked the way the clouds appeared to follow the line of the Spring blossoms.

Into the Valley

A scenic view of rolling green hills and valleys under a blue sky, with a small cluster of trees and a distant house nestled in the valley. — Devil’s Dyke, South Downs

Eventually we came round to a point where we could see around and down into the valley itself. If you look closely, you cans see some people walking down there, which will give some idea of scale.

A scenic view of rolling green hills and lush valleys, featuring a mix of trees and open grassland under a clear blue sky.

Walking Around

A scenic view of rolling green hills with trees along the slope, under a partly cloudy sky. — Devil’s Dyke, South Downs

From the bus stop and visitors’ centre, we walked around the shoulder of the valley, aiming for a view down into the valley.

Devil’s Dyke

A scenic view of rolling green hills under a partly cloudy sky, with a single person walking along a path in the distance. — Devil’s Dyke, South Downs

A couple of weeks ago we took the bus up to the Devil’s Dyke and walked home from there.

Devil’s Dyke, just five miles north of Brighton, offers stunning panoramas, a record breaking valley, a curious history and England’s most colourful habitat.
At nearly a mile long, the Dyke valley is the longest, deepest and widest ‘dry valley’ in the UK. Legend has it that the Devil dug this chasm to drown the parishioners of the Weald. On the other hand, scientists believe it was formed naturally just over 10,000 years ago in the last ice age.
With a little exploring the Dyke’s story starts to reveal itself: The ramparts or walls of the Iron Age hill fort can be seen when you walk around the hill and the remains of the curious Victorian funfair can be found just a few minutes from the car park. Venture into the valley and you will discover a living carpet of flowers and a myriad of colourful insects.
When John Constable described the panorama from Devil’s Dyke as ‘the grandest view in the world’, he wasn’t wrong, but there is so much more to discover here than just a beautiful view.

Over the next few days I’ll be posting images from that walk.

Dead Flowers

An arrangement of artificial flowers on a concrete surface, featuring a blue flower with green foliage and two gray roses with light pink accents. — Eaton Gardens, Hove

With apologies to The Stones.

Sunlight

A close-up view of a transparent plastic garment bag resting on a textured beige carpet, with soft shadows cast on the surface. — Eaton Gardens, Hove

Smile Warning

A warning sign on a wall that says 'WARNING SMILE YOU ARE ON CAMERA' with a smiley face, alongside colorful graffiti. — Orange Row, Brighton

Chair

Alarming Warning

A warning sign on scaffolding that reads 'WARNING! THIS SCAFFOLD IS ALARMED' with a yellow background and a symbol indicating caution. — Tisbury Road, Hove

Seen Street Scene

Left side shows a close-up of a bicycle wheel with a red frame against a wooden background. Right side features a colorful mural of a café scene with people dining outside and flowers adorning the building. — Church Road, Hove

Feet

Still More Shadow Play

Shadow of a person with frizzy hair against a light background. — Eaton Gardens, Hove

A blurred shadow of a round table against a soft, light background.

More Shadow Play

A close-up of a wooden door with light and shadow creating abstract patterns on its surface. — Eaton Gardens, Hove

Abandonment

A serene beach scene featuring pebbles, gentle waves, and a cloudy sky, with a distant pier structure visible on the horizon. — Hove Beach

Seascape Drama

A coastal scene featuring a rocky beach, with waves gently rolling in under a cloudy sky and a seagull flying in the distance. — Hove Beach

Portrait in a Bottle

A close-up of a glass container with condensation, revealing a blurred reflection of a person's face inside. — Hove, UK

Reflection Reflection

A middle-aged man with curly white hair and a serious expression, wearing a blue long-sleeve shirt, sitting in a room with neutral-colored walls and a transparent chair. — Eaton Gardens, Hove

Last week I watched a film created for Lucian Freud’s Self Portrait show at the Royal Academy a few years ago and was inspired to shoot a few self-portraits, just for the hell of it, still using the 60mm macro lens.

A middle-aged man with curly gray hair, wearing a blue long-sleeve shirt, sitting in a bright room with light-colored walls and a closet in the background.

Foggy Car Park

A foggy parking lot with several cars partially obscured by mist, featuring a white arch structure in the foreground. — Tesco Car Park, Hove

Foggy Vertex

A foggy street scene with buildings partially obscured in mist and power lines overhead. — Stirling Pace, Hove

Foggy Day

A foggy scene featuring a flowering magnolia tree with pink buds in the foreground, while blurred silhouettes of bare trees are visible in the background.

A misty street lined with bare trees, enveloped in thick fog, creating a serene and mysterious atmosphere.

A foggy street scene featuring a bare tree on the left and indistinct white houses disappearing into the mist.

A silhouetted tree with bare branches stands against a foggy background, surrounded by shrubs.

A thickly foggy day in Hove, shot with a 60mm macro lens.