by Steve Tanham
Just down from the extensive Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and passing under the busy A6 road from the south, there begins one of the most attractive sections of the old Lancaster Canal, as it leaves behind the gentle countryside of north Lancashire and enters the old industrial landscape of the former ‘county town’ from which the county name derives. The House of Lancaster features … Read More Lancaster’s canal – a local photo tour
+ #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Collie dogs, Consciousness, English Lake District, Mindfulness, Mystery Schools, Photographic techniques, Photography, Places and Prose
by Steve Tanham
We have just needed the Silent Eye’s ‘Water-Circle+Cross’ weekend, which took place a forty minute journey away, on the shores of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. The weekend had gone well; better than expected, in fact, and I will be writing up each of the days over the next couple of weeks. Our friend, Dean, had been staying with us and was due to … Read More From Windermere to Sedgwick
by Steve Tanham
Why would I be out in the garden at midnight? Good question. It’s the collie, you see. A good night’s sleep is greatly assisted by a dog who’s gone wee wees just before we all retire. It often falls to me, as I’m a bit of a night-owl. So out we go. And I have to walk around with Tess, because she’s clever enough … Read More Light in the Midnight Garden
+ #Phoetry, #Silenti, landscapes, Life and Death, Photographic techniques, Photography, Places and Prose, Poetry
by Steve Tanham
Voice of war from a wizened tower Orchestrating irony, avoiding boulders An iron stave of howling notes Issues forth. And throws its force of straightening iron, Slick by rocks that tear and sands that grind To arm the ninety, ready soldiers of the right Angled mage-like, she guides her seeing out to sea And does not deign to turn and watch the curves Of … Read More Led by Bent Metal #Phoetry
+ #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Consciousness, Lake District, Photographic techniques, Photography, Places and Prose, Seasons of the year
by Steve Tanham
As dwellers on the southern edge of the English Lake District, we are very conscious of the seasons. The dawning of what I call ‘the real Spring’ is a feeling rather than an exact date. It is triggered by the sight of a certain shade of green in the local forest’s foliage. I couldn’t define that green; simply state that it has a ‘voice’ … Read More A Rite of Spring Green
+ #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Castles, Consciousness, English Lake District, Lake District, landscapes, Photographic techniques, Photography, Places and Prose
by Steve Tanham
James Dawson had an eye for a view. In 1840, he stood on the spot from which the photo below was taken. and decided to buy it. His advisors explained that he couldn’t buy all of that, but could have the land down to Lake Windermere, on which he could more or less do what he wanted… planning control were not expected along for … Read More A most unlikely castle…
+ #Silenti, Collie dogs, Consciousness, English Lake District, esoteric psychology, landscapes, Photographic techniques, Photography, Silent Eye School, Travel and Photography
by Steve Tanham
“Lead them in,” said the man who taught me much about composition in photography. “You’ve got to ferry those looking at your images into the core of the shot…” The steps, alone, were a perfect ‘lead’ down to the beach. Add in the storm wall and the high level of the promenade’s main body and you have a harmonic set of ‘pointers’. The third … Read More No strangers on the shore
+ #Silent Eye, #Silenti, Ancient Landscapes, Ancient Sacred Sites, Consciousness, Lake District, Photographic techniques, Photography, Places and Prose
by Steve Tanham
Just had to take this shot. Didn’t even know it was there until I stepped into the cafe next to the boarding pier for a quick cup of tea during one of our dog walks around Bowness-upon-Windermere. It was a grey Tuesday with poor light, and I hadn’t expected to find much to photograph, I collected my tea from the counter and turned to … Read More The Swift and Windermere
by Steve Tanham
The New Zealand white slipped down easily as he typed furiously on the iPad. Hours seemed to pass, industriously. Ideas flowed and the plot thickened… By one inch from the bottom of the bottle, he had it nailed. The robbery, the savage death in the pool of the sadistic villain, the near drowning of the woman – the kidnap victim who had given up … Read More A lushness of patio: #wantonwhimsy
by Steve Tanham
As we approach the spring, it can be instructive to consider examples of how cherished things struggle to maintain vitality – and which ones succeed. The inevitable cycles of growth, maturity and decay are ever-present. But they are not all-powerful. Business fortunes as well as personal fate obeys certain laws of success and decline. As a young computer salesman with a (now long defunct) … Read More Decline, Fall … and Renewal
by Steve Tanham
I never used to like strong sun. The temperate summer of verdant and lush England always suited me fine. The rain was the price of the incomparable greens of the Spring. Everything was balanced… And then I became more involved with creative photography… and my trusty iPhone Pro has never been far from my questing fingers and eyes, since. But then I noticed, while … Read More Lines against the Sun
by Steve Tanham
Arnside on one of the dullest days of the year. In the viewfinder, there was nothing of interest. Half-heartedly, I pressed the shutter button and put the phone camera back in my pocket, content that I had a record of my visit. But when I looked at it over a coffee, back home, this appeared. Blurred and practically monochrome. But it was moody and … Read More Less is more
Sun in Gemini 