Galleries

Sleeping Beauty Curtain Calls : Photos of the curtain calls at the end of the afternoon performance of "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Royal Opera House in which Hikaru Kobayashi and Sergei Polunin made their debuts in the roles of Aurora and the Prince. In fact , kobayashi had danced the role of Aurora before with another company in the USA. This was her debut with the Royal Ballet at the ROH. For Sergei, still aged 19, this was the very first time he had danced the role.

Sleeping Beauty Curtain Calls

Photos of the curtain calls at the end of the afternoon performance of ...

Updated: Nov 16, 2009 6:53am PST

Dancers of the Royal Ballet. : Informal photos of present (and past) dancers of Britain's Royal Ballet "off duty".

Dancers of the Royal Ballet.

Informal photos of present (and past) dancers of Britain's Royal Balle ...

Updated: Oct 15, 2009 5:00pm PST

Vézelay : The little town of Vézelay in the Yonne departement of France is well known for its 12th century basilica of St Mary Magdalene, one of the most notable romanesque and early gothic churches in France, which crowns the hill around which the town is built. For centuries, Vézelay has been a focus of pilgrimage and prayer: in the mid-9th Century a convent of nuns was established in the valley of the Cure a few kilometres from the present site, but after its destruction by the Normans an abbey of Benedictine monks was settled on top of the hill in 878. When the Saracens invaded Provence it is said that a monk from Vézelay called Badillon was sent to the abbey of St Maximin to bring back the relics of St Mary Magdalen which were venerated there. Little was heard about these until 1037 when, after they had been displayed, miracles were said to have occurred and the news drew an increasing number of pilgrims to the abbey and its comparatively small church. A new and larger church was buit and dedicated in 1104 but after a fire in 1120 which destryed the new church and reportedly cost the lives of 1200 people rebuilding began again and lasted until 1140 resulting in the nave of the present church. In the following 20 years the narthex (or galilee) was built in front of the facade of the new church in order to accommodate the pilgrims, and from about 1185 to the beginning of the 13th Century the romanesque choir and transepts were demolished and replaced in the early gothic style. After that time no further major alterations were made, but the abbey underwent many vicissitudes in the following centuries ending with the total destruction of the monastic buildings at the time of the Revolution. Fortunately the basilica remained, although much decayed and defaced. Around 1840 the inspector of historical monuments, Prosper Merimée (perhaps better known as the author of the novella "Carmen" from which Bizet's opera is derived) alerted the authorities to the precarious state of the building which, he declared, might have to be pulled down to avoid accidents. Work was put in hand and entrusted to a young architect, Viollet-le-Duc, who subsequently became involved in the restoration of many other historic French churches and other monuments such as the walls of Carcassonne. So, the basilica survives, and although much visited purely for its interest as an ancient monument, it is still a focal point for various religious activities.

Vézelay

On the Zambezi : The Zambezi river rises at Kalene Hill in the extreme northwest of Zambia close to the Congo and Angola borders. After a short distance in Zambia it crosses the Angola border flowing in a southerly direction for some 120 miles before re- entering Zambia north of the town of Zambezi and still flowing south. It then continues its course for another 300 miles or so across a vast floodplain before turning east at the town of Sesheke where it marks the border between Zambia and Botswana, and subsequently Zimbabwe as it heads for the Victoria Falls. On its course across the floodplain the Zambezi is fed by several large tributaries that have their origin in Angola as well as others which rise in Zambia. During the height of the rainy season from December to March the waters rise and spread across the plain, Isolating many of the villages which are built on mounds just above the flood level. Cattle are moved to higher ground and the only means of communication and transport is by boat or dug-out canoe, with fishing being the main ocupation at that time. Even when the floodwaters retreat during the dry season the Zambezi and its main tributaries remain the principal routes for the transport of people and goods over the floodplain area. In the second half of May 2009 I went on a 5 day safari to the Liuwa Plain National Park west of the Zambezi and lying between two tributary rivers , the Luanginga and the Luambimba. To get there we flew from the Zambian capital Lusaka to the small town of Kalabo on the Luanginga river and then crossed the river and drove onto the plain. On the way back we returned to Kalabo but instead of taking a plane from there we went by boat down the Luanginga and into the Zambezi as far as Mongu, the administrative centre of Zambia's Western Province. On the way we had the opportunity of visiting a breeding colony of Openbill Storks (see my separate gallery for photos of this spectacular sight) and we got a good idea of the river traffic and the people who live by the banks of the rivers in the Zambezi river system.

On the Zambezi

The Zambezi river rises at Kalene Hill in the extreme northwest of Zam ...

Updated: Sep 06, 2009 2:39pm PST

African Bird Portfolio : A collection of photos of African birds taken at various times by myself in the wild in Zambia and Kenya. Birds in Kenya were photographed in the Maasai Mara reserve. The locations in Zambia were the Luangwa Valley (South Luangwa National Park), the Lunga and Busanga areas of the Kafue National Park and the Bangweulu swamps and floodplain. The latter is a designated RAMSA site, but has not yet been accorded fully protected status. The birds have now been arranged in the traditional taxonomic sequence and I have added their scientific Latin names based on those given in "Birds of Africa south of the Sahara" by Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan, first published by Struik Publishers in 2003.

African Bird Portfolio

A collection of photos of African birds taken at various times by myse ...

Updated: Aug 04, 2009 3:02pm PST

Openbill Stork Breeding Colony. : In the second half of May this year (2009) I was lucky enough to join a safari to the Liuwa Plain National Park which is situated in the far West of Zambia not far from the Angola border. This region has never been easy of access since much of it is subject to seasonal flooding from the Zambezi river and its tributaries, and even in the dry season the sandy nature of the soil and tracks makes for slow progress by vehicles. To reach the park we had to make a 2 3/4 hour flight from the Zambian capital Lusaka to the small town of Kalabo on the Luanginga river which is one of several fair-sized rivers that flow across this region of Zambia from Angola into the Zambezi, then a two hour drive on rough sandy tracks to reach the Liuwa plain. This plain is the site of Africa's second largest - but little known - Wildebeest migration when some 30,000 animals arrive on the plain from Angola and the surrounding areas of Zambia at the beginning of the rains in November, and move away when the plain dries out from June to October, although there is always a small population present all the year round. On the way back, instead of flying directly from Kalabo to Lusaka, we went by boat down the Luanginga river into the Zambezi and travelled as far as Mongu, the administrative centre of Zambia's Western Province from where we flew back to Lusaka. This boat trip gave us the opportunity of visiting a large breeding colony of Openbill Storks (Anastomus lamelligerus) which make their nests in the extensive Phragmites reed-beds on the edge of the Zambezi and its flood plain north of Mongu and is only approachable by boat through a side channel of the Zambezi. Even before we arrived we could see large flocks of Openbills circling above the colony, some carrying nesting materials in their beaks, and when we arrived in the middle of it the sheer number of birds was amazing. This particular area of Zambia , the Barotse Floodplain, is a favourable habitat for Openbills which feed largely on freshwater snails and mussels and they are always present here in large numbers, but never more so than in their breeding season after the rains have ended but the river water remains fairly high

Openbill Stork Breeding Colony.

In the second half of May this year (2009) I was lucky enough to join ...

Updated: Jun 27, 2009 4:53pm PST

La Bayadère. Curtain Calls. : A record of the curtain calls after the performance by the Royal Ballet of La Bayadère at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 27 January 2009 in which Yuhui Choe, Sergei Polunin (aged 19), Hikaru Kobayashi and Eric Underwood made their respective débuts as Nikiya, Solor, Gamzatti and the High Brahmin.

La Bayadère. Curtain Calls.

A record of the curtain calls after the performance by the Royal Balle ...

Updated: Apr 24, 2009 8:52am PST

London Orchid Show 2009 : Taken at the Royal Horticultural Society's Hall in London on 22 March 2009.

London Orchid Show 2009

Taken at the Royal Horticultural Society's Hall in London on 22 March ...

Updated: Apr 15, 2009 9:58am PST

A day on the Côte d'Or. : The Côte d'Or is a limestone escarpment on the West of the valley of the Saone river in France, running approximately from Dijon in the North to Chagny in the South. The middle and lower slopes of the escarpment are extensively planted with vines from which some of the finest wines of Burgundy are made. There are also vineyards on the higher slopes, known as the Hautes-Côtes, but the wines from these are of lesser quality although often representing good value for money. That part of the Côte d'Or from Marsannay just South of Dijon through to Comblanchien, a small village to the South of the little town of Nuits-St-Georges, is known as the Côte de Nuits, while the remaining area to the South is known as the Côte de Beaune, from the historic town of Beaune which, after Dijon, provides the most important commercial focus for the wines of the Côte. These photos were taken in Beaune and the surrounding areas in April 2008 and show something of the countryside, vineyards, and the town of Beaune itself. Photos of the mediæval Hôtel-Dieu, or Hospices de Beaune, are in a separate gallery.

A day on the Côte d'Or.

The Côte d'Or is a limestone escarpment on the West of the valley of ...

Updated: Mar 21, 2009 7:13am PST

Wonderful Copenhagen. : These photos were taken during a nine day stay in Copenhagen in early June 2005 for the third Bournonville Festival, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Danish ballet-master and choreographer, August Bournonville. Bournonville was a pupil in Paris of Vestris, and when he came to Copenhagen as principal dancer and choreographer brought with him many of his master's technical accompishments and ideas concerning the art of dance. Bournonville composed numerous ballets of which eight, plus various fragments have survived and continue to be performed by the Royal Danish Ballet in an unbroken tradition. It is from these works - which are some of the oldest surviving in any company's repertoire - that we can still have some idea of the performance standards and style of the early 19th century romantic ballet. While the evenings of my stay were taken up with attending performances in the Royal Theatre, there was plenty of time for sightseeing and photography around Copenhagen during the daytime.

Wonderful Copenhagen.

These photos were taken during a nine day stay in Copenhagen in early ...

Updated: Jul 22, 2008 1:33pm PST

Delinquent Squirrel. : While making my way home one Friday when the the rubbish and recycling bags are put out for collection on Saturday morning. I came across this cheeky squirrel, quite unperturbed by any human proximity, raiding the bags outside a neighbour's house at the end of my street. I rushed home and fetched my camera ( Nikon D300 with 70-300 VR lens) and managed to catch the squirrel "flagrante delicto". The light was poor and I set the ISO to 1600 and also used the camera's buit in flash for some shots. The squirrel had bitten into the recycling bag which apparently contained some flaked almonds which shouldn't have been there, but in the refuse sack. Every now and then it jumped up onto the garden fence to enjoy its latest haul.

Delinquent Squirrel.

While making my way home one Friday when the the rubbish and recycling ...

Updated: Jul 21, 2008 2:51pm PST

Luangwa Valley, Zambia. May 2008. : This is a gallery of photos taken in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park (SLNP) between 3rd and 12th May 2008. At this time of year the rains are over, having tailed offf in March/April. Skies are generally blue with decreasing amounts of cloud, temperatures both by night and day are beginning to drop with the coming of the southern winter, and the water levels both in the Luangwa river and its surrounding lagoons are starting to fall. Although some areas of grassland are beginning to go brown, much of the vegetation is still lush and green and continues to provide good grazing for the herbivores which are looking sleek and well fed after several months of abundant plant growth. Because the grass remains long in many areas, animals are not so easily seen as they will be later on in the season when the cover has dried up and collapsed or been grazed down. While most of the migrants from Europe and other parts of Africa have departed, there is still plenty of birdlife, especially around the lagoons and marshy zones. Of the intra-African migrants some young birds do not move on but stay in the valley until the next season. Many of the resident birds start to build their nests and breed at this time.

Luangwa Valley, Zambia. May 2008.

This is a gallery of photos taken in Zambia's South Luangwa National P ...

Updated: Jul 18, 2008 11:12am PST

Leopards : Solitary, secretive and predominantly, though not exclusively, nocturnal, the leopard, although not uncommon is the most elusive and graceful of the big cats. Leopards tend to spend their days unnoticed lying on tree branches or among rocks or bushes and emerge at dusk or during the night to hunt. They are efficient hunters, using the cover of night or the lie of the land to stalk their prey, usually the smaller antelope, although they may sometimes tackle larger prey such as wildebeest or zebra, or go for smaller targets like birds, mongooses, or even mice. When near human habitation they may take poultry or domestic dogs and cats. Being a solitary hunter the leopard has a problem in defending its kill from larger or more numerous predators such as lions and hyenas, and often has to abandon it so as not to get injured and be unable to hunt in the future. This is why leopards like to haul their kill up a tree at the earliest possible opportunity so as to keep it safe from theft and themselves from harrassment. Male and female leopards each have their separate territories, and only get together for a short period to mate. Afterwards the male leaves the female to bear and rear the cubs by herself. Leopard cubs are vulnerable to attack by lions and hyenas, and although there can be up to six cubs in a litter, more than one or two seldom survive. Cubs remain with their mother for up to two years, after which they go their separate ways. The photos in this gallery were taken in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, and in the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya.

Leopards

Solitary, secretive and predominantly, though not exclusively, nocturn ...

Updated: Jun 18, 2008 3:59am PST

Crocodiles : Photos of crocs resting and fishing in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

Crocodiles

Photos of crocs resting and fishing in the South Luangwa National Park ...

Updated: Jun 13, 2008 3:39pm PST

Night Safari Pics : These photos were taken by night on a safari to Zambia in May 2008. The animals and birds were first picked up in a spotlight and then photographed using flash. Only nocturnal creatures are spotlighted on these night drives; diurnal creatures are avoided because of possible harm to their eyes.

Night Safari Pics

These photos were taken by night on a safari to Zambia in May 2008. Th ...

Updated: May 27, 2008 9:45am PST

Hospices de Beaune : Built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, the Hospices were intended as a hospital for the poor and needy of the town of Beaune who had suffered much during the 100 years war. Well endowed with charitable gifts of money and vineyards the Hospices has continued its medical work ever since, although during the last century its functions were transferred to a modern hospital and the medieval building with much of its furniture and works of art - the most notable of which is the polyptych of The Last Judgement by Rogier van der Weyden - survives as a remarkably complete example of purpose-built gothic architecture. The Hospices own some 61 Hectares of vines in prime locations, and the produce of these is sold at an annual auction every November which is attended by buyers from all over the world. Photography is allowed inside the Hospices but neither tripods, monopods nor flash may be used. Since lighting levels in some of the rooms, especially that in which the Polyptych is housed, are very low indeed, getting presentable shots can be quite a challenge.

Hospices de Beaune

Built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, Chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy, Ph ...

Updated: Apr 21, 2008 3:53am PST

Cheetah Cubs on the Mara. : These shots of a mother Cheetah with 6 cubs were taken on the Mara in Oct 2006. The group seemed remarkably relaxed despite being followed at times by no fewer than 14 vehicles. Later reports were that the family had moved out of the reserve and that ultimately none of the cubs survived.

Cheetah Cubs on the Mara.

These shots of a mother Cheetah with 6 cubs were taken on the Mara in ...

Updated: Apr 05, 2008 6:20am PST

Cheetahs in the Mara. : Photos taken in the Maasai Mara in October 2006

Cheetahs in the Mara.

Photos taken in the Maasai Mara in October 2006

Updated: Apr 04, 2008 5:29pm PST

Tales of Beatrix Potter - Curtain Calls. :

Tales of Beatrix Potter - Curtain Calls.

Updated: Mar 30, 2008 4:54pm PST

Carmine Bee Eaters near Mfuwe : These photos were taken in November 2007 at two different breeding colonies on the banks of the Luangwa river in the Mfuwe area of the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

Carmine Bee Eaters near Mfuwe

These photos were taken in November 2007 at two different breeding col ...

Updated: Mar 29, 2008 9:18am PST

Carmine Bee Eaters. Kaingo Nesting Site : These photos,except for the first two, were taken from a hide on a boat on the Luangwa river in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

Carmine Bee Eaters. Kaingo Nesting Site

These photos,except for the first two, were taken from a hide on a boa ...

Updated: Mar 29, 2008 6:58am PST

Les Patineurs - Curtain Calls. :

Les Patineurs - Curtain Calls.

Updated: Mar 28, 2008 1:51pm PST

London Orchid Show. March 2008 : Taken at the Orchid Show in one of the Royal Horticultural Society's halls in London. 16 March 2008.

London Orchid Show. March 2008

Taken at the Orchid Show in one of the Royal Horticultural Society's h ...

Updated: Mar 28, 2008 10:54am PST