New light through old windows

The weather has been so dull over the weekend, that I have been going through old photographs on the computer. I was actually looking for some Lake District photos to put into this year's calendar (April? Don't ask...) and came across a few old files that I had dismissed before.

It is surprising what you pass over as being "not worth it" when you look back after a couple of years.

The first one was taken on a walk up St Sunday Crag about four years ago. We'd been up there one weekend in February 2008 and sat on top of Catseye Cam overlooking Helvellyn and Red Tarn. The weather was glorious, especially for February and when it got to Tuesday of the following week and it hadn't broken, on a whim I took the Wednesday off and for the only time ever, went up a mountain on my own.

I walked from Glenridding car park, over St Sunday Crag and back - a decent walk - but must have seen no more than a dozen people all day. If I'd fallen and broken an ankle, I'd have been in big trouble, but I didn't, so I wasn't. The weather was fantastic, as you can see from this panorama of Patterdale and Ullswater, taken on the way up.

This shot was printed to a canvas soon after I took it and is currently hanging on the wall.

However, it was the following shot that I'd passed over at the time and it's taken me over 4 years to spot some potential. I really like the way that the distant mountains recede in the mist and the lone figure, walking towards me. I have no idea why I didn't see this one before.

Still, I am glad I did. Now I will need to print that one too...

The second shot that passed me by, but more recently, is this one. 

Again, not sure why I didn't bother with it before, but I like it in a simple, pastoral sort of way. I tried this one in black and white too, but much preferred the colour version - I think it almost has a slide-like quality to the colours, I can't quite put my finger on it.

This one will make it to the calendar.