Herb Riddle's photos

A blast from the past here. One of my January 1989 slide shots taken on skis, at sunset from Kleine Scheidegg, Wengen, Switzerland. I was reminded of this scene whilst photo-site travelling today. Some viewers here might remember this being in my Panoramio account too. A favourite spot for me, especially after reading the famous 'White Spider' (North face climb attempts) by Heinrich Harrer.

It’s said that once in every one hundred years; four extra hills can be seen looking down to the reservoir below to the right. These are of course ‘magic hills’ covered in deep white snow that are sometimes there for only minutes and you know, you could swear that they are moving! Before you cry,” but these are only misty clouds you fool”, I ask you to look carefully, are you really sure about that? Enjoy full size on black. HFF, have a great weekend.

A very popular photographic viewpoint on this Ring of Kerry Road. We see here 'Muckross Lake' in the far distance at Killarney itself with the 'Upper Lake' just below us. "Ladies View is about 12 miles from Killarney on the N71 road as you go towards Kenmare. The view here is probably the best known of Killarney and is a major attraction for visitors. Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting visited here during the royal visit in 1861. They were so taken with the view that it was named after them." www.killarneynationalpark.ie/visit-us/ladies-view Enjoy full size

Another look at this wonderful Yorkshire Dale. Looking backwards here in the Kettlewell direction. I was just about to put the camera back into my bag when the sun came out through the high clouds and painted these small area's a bright green.

A night view from my local Hartshead Pike looking west towards my hometown of Oldham with the city of Manchester on the left too, including some of the brighter stars. I have left this at a very big 4000px wide so that you too can bathe in all its glory. This is a four photo stitch, 11mm, 800iso, 2.5s @ f5.6 Enjoy large, in black & F11 pip

Over here we can get some snow with blue skies now and again. Here is such a scene taken on one of my higher reservoir walks a year or so back, called Chew Reservoir near my favourite Dovestones reservoir in Greenfield. 2018 was a bleak time for this high area –it being devastated by moorland fires in the drought. That will take many years to recover but snow like this hides most things. Enjoy As usual, best viewed full screen on black. I wish you all, A Wonderful New Year and HFF, Herb

Winging it at 100 knots towards the dam wall of the reservoir. No I did not crash, but there were a lot of complaints to the CAA re my low flying in this. Note, the hills in front and to my right are the Saddleworth Moors which were alight this year. These same hills are overflown quite low by civil aircraft airliners on there approach to Manchester International Airport and so a plane such as this Piper would not be allowed to fly like this here. This scenery uses a clever combination of photo realism for the distances - so the sides of these hills are almost exactly as I would photograph them with the small ravines and colours but the 3d ground detail is added afterwards, sometimes one at a time by hand, making it less real but giving us fliers a chance to fly around solid objects to examine the other sides. Another feature for me is the incredibly realistic lighting as seen on the side of the hill and shadows. From high - it is as good as the real thing from a jet-liner passenger window. ( See adjacent photo an 4x pips too. )

Sometimes people inquire into my other hobby of 'Flight Simulation' and ask 'how realistic is that?' Well my friends on here will be aware that my favourite local photographic location is near my home: Dovestones Reservoir, Greenfield. So here I am flying one of my favourite virtual aircraft, the Piper PA28R Arrow, at just over 100 knots and 1090ft asl over Dovestones reservoir itself and looking up to the next reservoir: Yeoman Hey. The PiP shows the same aircraft being flown by me, over Greenfield and approaching the front of the Dovestones green earth dam wall just before I got to this position. One can see how the graphics have improved to almost life-like here. These are of-course-screen shots but I can tell you, that it is pretty life-like in many respects. Program= XPlane 11, Graphics by Orbx- Real-Earth-Britain Central, Aircraft by JustFlight. See the adjacent page to complete the story. 6x Pips, outside this plane, New York, Switzerland and Manchester in B77 at night & A10. Enjoy.

Taken on the Ring of Kerry road near Beenarourke, 20km west of Sneem. As the main road runs quite high here on the coast of Kerry, we are looking SW towards across the wild Atlantic to these small Islands. Scariff Island, is the bigger one (Irish: An Scairbh, meaning "Rugged") and Deenish in front, at 122 acres. Both are un-populated now. In the fields below, many sheep are grazing on the late summer grass kept very green by the frequent rains here from the Atlantic. Enjoy full size.

Don't imagine that no sounds came from their playing -it was both very appropriate and loud along with much movement of limbs and instruments. In fact, the chap who made all this happen played along with either his fiddle or Bodhrán (bow-rawn) but was taking a little break as I snapped this. Seen on the seafront at Waterville on the Ring of Kerry road. ps The chap at the back is the accordion player. Similar music link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC9mVaRTV3k Enjoy into the New Year. Herb pips

Travelling along the N70, Ring of Kerry road, just beyond the town of Kenmare and towards Killarney, we get into the mountains proper. A whole range of peaks presented themselves here so this could be any. To me, the light played just as an important part as the mountain itself. Enjoy

Another look at the bays and beaches of County Kerry. This near Brackaharagh and just south of Waterville on the Ring of Kerry route. Enjoy

Walking on the upper edge of the Upper Wharfdale Valley view from Kettlewell and Starbottom gives us many fences. As well as those we have stiles, gates and many dry stoned walls. Always a pleasure to wander around here but in this Autumn light a real bonus. HFF, have a great weekend and New Year.

A big village that is a favorite stopping point on this 'Ring of Kerry' round. Showing the typical coloured frontages of houses here and also the typical weather.

From Yeoman Hey reservoir in Winter. A golden misty morning at my favorite walking and photographic spot reveals another fine scene. This is the second reservoir of three in a row. It a gorgeous view when the water is still, but today I have some very rare mesmerizing low mist too. Enjoy full screen Wishing you all a Very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Ireland is a musical country. It is everywhere and lots of it is folk music. Here on a Ring of Kerry scenic lay-by is this local chap playing a great reel to the few people who was interested. Enjoy large. Appropriate music link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lisFXzPYR4E - Try viewing full screen whilst music is playing an another page.

Here looking down to the River Wharfe is a very curvy fence indeed. Brand new –put there no doubt for photographers like me. Just a few yards further is Bolton Abbey. I wish you all, a great weekend, Herb

Like a scene from the apocalypse, a lone figure walks through the mist. His mission is a mystery, mine.... to capture all this. As usual, best viewed full screen on black. I wish you all, a great weekend, Herb