Mural, Shoreditch, East London

The murals, and to a lesser extent graffiti, of East London are something to be seen. If you’re visiting the capital spend a day around Shoreditch, Hoxton, Hackney, Dalston and other nearby locations. You won’t be disappointed, and as with all murals, their life is limited. Its never too long before someone else decides to leave their mark on top of another person’s creation.

Devils Marbles, Northern Territory, Australia

Take a look at this. On the Stuart Highway, North of Alice Springs lie the amazing rock formations that are the Devil’s Marbles. Yet another location that flies in the face of those outback knockers who claim there’s nothing to see there. These are just two of the many giant rocks which were turned to orange by the early morning light.

Monk, Rural Burma

So there we were in rural Burma, me and my guide. The early morning rays were shining through the trees but there was something missing. The guide thought it would be good for my shot if there was a monk in the scene, so he stopped a passer by on his motor bike, who went to the local village and returned with this little chap on the passenger seat. An example of why I love travelling to and photographing these remote locations. And about Burma / Myanmar. There are those who think it wrong to visit the country because of the regime out there. The counter argument to this just has to be that the leader of the opposition positively encourages foreigners to visit the country. And for a wonderful experience I just cannot speak highly enough about the country.

Stonehenge, Wiltshire

I paid my first visit to Stonehenge on a drab day last week. I wandered around the monument along with several other tourists and left to return on another day. But just as I was about to head off the weather changed and a break in the clouds allowed the sun to shine through onto the ruins, and bingo! It only takes a minute for the light to change and for a subject to be transformed, and here’s the evidence.

Blue skies over St Pauls Cathedral

The great thing about photography in London is that you never know what you’ll find. I’ve seen St Pauls Cathedral from the Tate Modern end of the Millennium Bridge literally hundreds of times. Yet the magical skies behind this London icon tonight were a first. After watching the sun go down I made another stop opposite the Bank of England for some night photography. Watch this space.

A great night out in London. Try this. A modern production of La Boheme performed by a really enthusiastic young company at the Soho Theatre on Dean Street. I was lucky enough to go last night and can’t recommend it highly enough. Absoloutely brilliant!

Vineyard, Marlborough, New Zealand

A few days in Marlborough on New Zealand’s South Island. One visiting the mussel farms, another on the hiking trails and a third tasting the best Sauvignons in the world. And did I mention the sunset cruise through the Marlborough Sound? If it gets any better than this, than tell me where because I need to go.

Ash cloud over Battersea London

The Battersea skyline is decorated by blue, purple and yellow skies in the Spring of 2010. An unusual appearance on the day the Icelandic ash cloud was first seen over London, adding a touch of beauty to this urban landscape. Available as a print from Mr Smith’s London collection.

Ston, Croatia

Have just returned from a few days in Croatia. Came across the wonderful town of Ston, an hour North of Dubrovnik. Ston has three attractions – the longest wall in the world after the great wall of China; the mussel and oyster farms where lunch or dinner stops are a must, and the salt pans alongside the salt factory. Give it a try the next time you close by.

The Beatles in New York City, Greenwich Village

No visit to New York City is complete without a visit to Greenwich Village. I am too young to have known it in its heyday but the quirky shops, great restaurants and music bars are a major draw today. A lot in common with my earlier blog featuring London’s Camden Town. Whenever I visit I’m always drawn to the mural depicting the history of music. This section featuring the Beatles and the Rolling Stones amongst others is a throwback to the great days of the past.