All posts filed under: England

The Tale of Jasmine in the Lake District

Published by

A little girl, with little curls, came to see the hills. She read about a naughty rabbit, and went in search of thrills. She walked up Orrest Head, and looked down at the lake. But now that she was seven, it was just a piece of cake. She hiked up Wandsfell Pike, and the view was just the best. Mum took another photo, while Dad had a little rest. The Red Arrows roared above, a mountain victory! Then holding hands, they wandered home, for buttered scones and tea.

The Lake District, England

Published by

Another highlight from 2024 was a couple of days in the Lake District. As a kid, I spent many weeks on family trips and school camps in Grasmere and Borrowdale. Back then I’d be scrambling along Helvellyn’s Striding Edge or climbing a pitch on Shepherds Crag, but this time it was gentle strolls with the extended family. I saw a red squirrel for the first time in decades, and had a lovely birthday lunch at the fabulous Zeffirellis in Ambleside, Even mid-August, it was cool and a little drizzly, but that is almost to be expected in this green and pleasant land.

Buxton, High Peak, England

Published by

One of the highlights of 2024 was visiting the UK with the family. We were based in Manchester, but spent several days exploring the beautiful nearby countryside including the Peak District, Lake District, and Cheshire plains. Buxton is a market town in the High Peak an hour from Manchester. It is famous for its mineral water spa baths which, similar to Bath in the south of England, attracted visitors from across the country. Although we didn’t stay there, it was impressive to see the completely restored Buxton Crescent Hotel a stunning Georgian building. From the centre of town it was a short walk up to Solomon’s Temple,  a Victorian folly on the summit of Grin Low hill. Lovely area to spend a couple of days relaxing with the family.

2018 Highlights

Published by

The biggest event of 2018 was on February 12th when Jasmine Victoria Willson was born. Over the last 10 months she’s grown to be a delightful little toddler who is excited by all her adventures. Life now revolves around bananas, Igglepiggle, and bath time. I’ve been shooting a wide range of imagery, along with producing some videos for SKYLUM software. The Karate Masters Portrait Project continued, and expanded to start a new video documentary series about the amazing martial arts sensei on Okinawa. 2019 will begin with some exciting news about the series. At the start of the year I was out photographing the humpback whales while creating a video for SKYLUM, then at the end of the year I was recording the TEDxOIST lecture series with a team of videographers. One of the speakers was my good friend Nozomi Kobayashi who talked about her job monitoring the migrating whales. In the spring I updated the Okinawa and Kyushu chapters for the next edition of Fodor’s Japan. Jasmine had her first trip down to Miyako …

Green and Pleasant Land

Published by

A month back in the UK reconnecting with family and taking some pics. I am now a tourist in my homeland.  We spent most of our time in Manchester, but managed to have a few days in the Lake District, a week in North Wales, and a weekend with my sister’s family in Chester. Manchester had changed dramatically over the last 20 years. The city center is much smarter, and skyscrapers now grace the skyline. A trip to Quarry Bank Mill was a reminder of how Manchester made its money from cotton (quite a bleak story in many ways).  We walked past Old Trafford football stadium while on the way to The Imperial War Museum North. Maybe, one day I’ll get tickets and watch Manchester United play. The highlights for Yuki were the various National Trust gardens. She has returned to Okinawa with dreams of orchards, and flowering borders. Jasmine meanwhile spent the month learning to sit up, plank, crawl, and stand up while holding onto things. Life continues to be full of surprises.

2016 Highlights

Published by

2016 has been an great year with a mix of photography and putting in the groundwork for future projects. Cherry Blossom The year began with cherry blossom in Okinawa, and a few months later I was whizzing around mainland Japan shooting cherry blossom in Himeji, Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo. 2017 should be another epic year for cherry blossom pics as I run a Kyoto Workshop  in April while the trees are in full bloom. Karate The Karate Masters Portrait Project continues although at a slower pace. In 2016, I shot images for James’ new clothing brand Okinawa Dojo of Life. The Guinness World Record for the most people performing a kata was broken, and Sensei Higa took on the minotaur of Zakimi. Marine Life Didn’t spend much time shooting underwater this year, but have made new contacts with the Churaumi Research Center so it’s been great to document some of their work monitoring the migration of humpback whales. In 2017 I hope to get pictures of other monitoring programs including coconut crabs and turtles. Life on …

London

Published by

“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” — Samuel Johnson Following in the paw prints of a notable Peruvian, we arrived in London at Paddington Station. We took the subway  metro  underground across the city to Trafalgar Square. At the top of his column, Horatio Nelson looks out over the city he saved from the Franco-Spanish fleet. On the banks of the Thames is the memorial to the Battle of Britain with the words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” There’s a fascinating blend of old and new. The Morgan Motor Company still embraces traditional styling. But London’s double decker buses have evolved with time. The city’s skyline has transformed with the arrival of the Shard,  the “Walkie Talkie,” the “Gherkin,” and the London Eye. The money …

The Lake District

Published by

As a child, I spent many weeks in the Lake District on family trips or school camps. As a teenager, I returned with my friends to hike or rock climb risking life and limb on Borrowdale’s Brown Slabs or Troutdale Pinnacle. I return for a couple of days to merely wander and take a few pics for travel articles. The home of Beatrix Potter, Wordsworth’s Grave, a leisurely boat ride, followed by an amble. The sight of climbers out on the crags brought back a flood of memories. But we had more important things to do. Tea and cake.