A look back at the past twelve months

 

2013 has been a year of variety, which took me from the battlefields of France to the highlands of Scotland, shooting wildlife landscapes and people. Here's a selection of my images from the year...

 

 

Sunset over the fields of Aubers, Northern France.

 

The Cloth Hall Ieper, Belgium

 

 Nesting Gannets, Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire

 Eilean Donan Caslte, Scotland

 

 

  Leeds Skyline at Night (Updated Version)

 



 Steam Train on Ribblehead Viaduct, Yorkshire

'Cara'

 

 

 Embsay Yacht Club, North Yorkshire

 Portrait of a Country Gent

Bridgewater Place, Leeds

 

 

If you enjoyed these photos, please check out my website at www.yorkshireartphotography.co.uk

 

Many of my images are available commercially and as prints.

Street Photography - Leeds

I was out in Leeds yesterday and grabbed a few shots ...

 

Pavement Scene

 

 

 Tattooist (1)

 

 Tatooist (2)

 

 

The Giant

 

Prisoner

 

 

 

Thanks for looking 

 

Ian Wray

www.yorkshireartphotography.co.uk

 

Otley Cycle Races

Last Wednesday saw the opening round of the British Cycling, Elite Circuit Race Series in Otley, a small market town just a few miles from Leeds and on the edge of the Yorkshire dales.
The whole character of the town changes though as the roads are closed for the evening and country's cycling elite descend on its narrow streets for some wheel to wheel hard fought racing.
A real spectacle and a great opportunity for some action photography...

Under 16 Girls Ascending Burras Lane

 

 
Under 16 Boys on the Station Road Bend

 

 
Men's Elite Descending the East Chevin Road

 

'Cycling? I'd rather scratch my ear!'

 

Birdcage walk into East Chevin Road 

 

 

 

 

 
Gay Lane into Bondgate

 

I hope you enjoyed the images and if you would like to see more, please visit my website at www.yorkshireartphotography.co.uk

Leeds Half Marathon in Monochrome

This morning, as I was totally surrounded by the Leeds Half  Marathon course and could not get my car out anyway, I decided to head down to Kirkstall Road to watch the lead runners come through. I also used the opportunity to try out a lens which I have just acquired.

The lens was fine and here are some of the images. There will be plenty of colour photojournalistic images published elseware, so I decided to produce mine in monochrome. I also make no appologies for trying to pick out some of the more quirky aspects of the event.

 

The eventual winner Ben Marriott, hot on the heels of the 'man with no number?' who was leading up to this point.

 

One of West Yorkshire's finest, sweeping the route.

 

Stephen Broadbent who took second place. Running in fine style, but he needs to lance that boil!

 

Head down and determined was Andy May, who maintained his fourth place on Kirkstall Road, through to the finish line.

 

John Convery, seen here pushing Josh Ridley. John subsequently passed Josh and they took fifth and sixth places respectively.

 

Aiveen Fox was the first lady to pass on Kirkstall Road and she subsequently finished second.

 

Mark Smith steaming towards a ninth place finish, maintaining his lead on the cycle commuter, who was apparently oblivious to the road closures. (Or is he Mark's coach!)

 

Another member of the public, apparently non-plussed by the days events.

 

Christof Knoeri leading Stephen Savage, who appears to have detected something unpleasant in the air.

 

Sorry 5802, couldn't find you on the list, but you were obviously enjoying yourself!

 

David Smithers, a fine performance in the run and possibly the award for best 'gurn'.

 

Ndiga Kodokod on the other hand was just rolling along effortlessly, without seeming to break a sweat

 

And my final image, Michael Vargas 'strutting his stuff' towards a top 100 finish.

 

 

Well done on a great achievement to all of the competitors! If you feature in one of these images free to email me for a copy.

 

 

If you enjoyed these images you can see more of my work at www.yorkshireartphotography.co.uk

You can also follow me on

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yorkshire-Art-Photography/227526600646266

and

Twitter @yorksartphoto

The ‘Red Bus Cafe’ York Road, Leeds

Although much of my work is based around photographing landscapes and architecture, I also really enjoy shooting people (with a camera obviously) and documenting my loacal area. A recent example of this is the following sequence of  photos, taken last autumn.

 

The Red Bus Cafe is situated in a lay by on York Road just outside Leeds. I have been driving past it for as long as I can remember, and although had never been in I always thought it had bags of character and would make a great documentary subject. One day last November, I called in and over a delicious bacon and egg sandwich, got talking to Vicky the owner. She kindly agreed to let me to take these photographs.

 

The cafe has been here in one form or another since the 1980’s (although the bus wasn’t always red) and Vicky has owned it for the past four years after buying it from a family friend.




It is a true family business and Vicky runs it with the help of her sister and brother Jay (pictured here)




The bus’s polished aluminium interior not only makes for easy cleaning, but from a photographic point of view makes a great light reflector and helps create the beautiful soft tones in the photographs.




As we chatted i realised that Vicky’s age, looks and easy going nature, belie a shrewd business savvy which has allowed her to make the cafe a thriving success.




Freshly cooked food and prime location makes for a busy time with both  locals…






…and passing trade on the busy A64 Leeds-York road.







For me the 'Red Bus Cafe' is one of  Leeds' great landmarks and I hope it will be around for many years to come.

The foods great too!

Thanks again to Vicky and Jay for letting me take these photos.

The Red Bus Cafe is on York Road, just outside Leeds. If you are not familiar with it, head towards York on the A64 from the Leeds ring road at Seacroft. You will find the cafe in a lay by on the left after about 3 miles.

If you enjoyed the photos and would like to see more of my work please visit my website at http://www.yorkshireartphotography.co.uk/

You can also follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yorkshire-Art-Photography/227526600646266 and on Twitter @yorksartphoto