Teddington Lock - Autumn sunshine - # 94/10

Who can resist capturing the intense golden light as the sun sets on Teddington Lock?

Boat in the window - # 09/97

Snapped in one of the old cottages beside Teddington Lock: I just liked the look of it.

Hard and Soft - Angles and Curves - # 09/69

Cloudscape at Teddington Lock, Richmond upon Thames.

This year the May weather is offering some dramatic and rapidly changing scenes.

The Lock Keeper's House - # 09/68

Teddington Lock, Richmond upon Thames: built 1810, rebuilt 1857 and a few times thereafter.

We are standing in the porch of the delightful Arts and Crafts style Lock Keeper's house, looking across at what was once a busy boat building yard, and is now (like everywhere else) a development of new apartments.

Stating the obvious - # 09/14

Isn't it funny how local Councils are always looking for more and more innovative ways to spend our local tax money?

I snapped this "innovative idea" at Teddington Lock.

Those who know the place will agree that between them the Local Council, The Port of London Authority, The Department of the Environment, The Health and Safety Executive, Transport for London etc etc have been vying with each other over who can put up the most signs trying to tell us what we must and must not do, and how terribly dangerous this place might be if we even dream of going near it! The result is a complete mess of "signage", the curse of our civilised urban society.

By the way: Suburban sundown hasn't finished, but you will have noticed I'm resting (no postings for this past week). The weather and the sunlight must be right - and at the moment they are not. Also the mode and the inspiration must be right. At the moment they are not.

Wavelets on Water, Teddington Lock - # 08/269

Recently I've enjoyed trying to capture different patterns on water. There's nothing dramatic......this is soft Richmond upon Thames, after all. Nevertheless, I took a little bit of time in choosing this. I find it interesting because if you study it you realise that you can see the green of the trees on the river bank and even a fleck or two of the brilliant blue sky. This is what gives the water that rather scratchy look.

In other words there is actually more in the image than you think: but don't spend as much time looking as I did preparing this post!! ;-)

The weir at Teddington Lock - # 08/258

Straight, curved. Vertical, horizontal. Solid, fluid. Hard, soft. Static, moving. Fast, slow. Agitated, calm. Natural, man-made. Wild, tame. Dangerous, safe. Uncontrolled, controlled. Ordered, chaotic. Animal.

Spectacular Nature - # 08/249

The slow flowing waters around Teddington Lock reflect the blue sky and the green of the bushes and trees on the river bank. Take a stunningly clear sky, brilliant late October sunshine, add in a couple of floating leaves and a tiny touch of cloud in the blue sky and you get a magical photo.

Reflection of marker-post in the water at Teddington lock - # 08/232

The 26th September brought us the last moments of hot and brilliant sunshine before the strong winds of Autumn fell upon us.

1-2-3 - # 256

Just my little joke, and for once I think, my horizon is level. (snapped at Teddington Lock - a nice place to relax by the river).

Hunters gathering - # 255

I enjoyed watching these two for several minutes. They were engrossed, having a great time, and totally focused on something they were convinced was there and catchable.

This is just a snap of two lads enjoying the river and the sunshine, a whole cosmos away from the "surreal and fantastic illusions" phase of the recent set of photos.

Teddington weir- # 254

About 25 miles upstream from the mouth of the Thames is Teddington Lock. This is the limit of the tidal run of the river.

Just out of shot on the right bank are Teddington film and TV studios.

De-industrialisation - # 132

Still on the theme of boats, the river, and life styles: the luxury housing "ant-hill" seen beyond Teddington Lock is on the site of the old Turk's Boatyard that was once a by-word around the area. As the economy has transformed the land has become more valuable as a site for expensive housing. My aim in the photo is to highlight the change in the industrial scene, but also bring out the lines of the housing and the angles and lines of the railings, the steps and concrete work of the lock. There's also the steely, molten metal texture of the grey river water.

Teddington Lock is the first lock on the Thames. Up until Teddington the river is tidal.

The weather at the moment is very grey. The skies are flat grey and come out white. You may not like the photo. The detail in the sky was brought out using the "post-processing" techniques on Picasa. I had fun doing it.

Medals will be worn - # 125

This is a rare sight. I was lucky to catch this vessel moored at Teddington Lock. Built in 1927 she became a "hero" in 1940 when she helped to rescue our soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk. She wears her "medal" proudly as you can see in the next picture.
Quisisana wears her Dunkirk 1940 Plate.

On the office wall at Teddington Lock there is a plate explaining the role of the nearby Tough's Boatyard in the Dunkirk operation. Those who wish to know more can look at http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/4/newsid_3500000/3500865.stm

The Dunkirk operation took place during this week 67 years ago. This "Little Ship" was there.

"Hundreds of small vessels were co-opted after an order was issued on BBC Radio to "all owners of self-propelled pleasure craft between 30' and l00' in length to send all particulars to the Admiralty". "