Blog posts

Today, our fourth day on the Alpine Pass Route, was our first wet day. It was raining as we left the Hotel Bahnhof in Linthal and it was still raining as we arrived at the Hotel Alpina in Unterschächen. The […]

Yesterday was a big day for us and jolly tiring so we decided to shorten today’s walk by 4 miles by using the bus. The weather was due to close in later so this also gave us the best chance […]

Yesterday we travelled from Grindelwald to Zurich where we had a couple of hours for taking photos around the city. I took photos along the river, across the lake and around the Old Town. After 2.5h I had the shots […]

We left Trier after a good morning taking photos around the town, and the elephants! There was an exhibition of ceramic elephants across the town. Jan took a photo of me taking a photo of the only black and white […]

We drove down to Folkestone yesterday, Friday,  and caught an early shuttle across the channel. Then 6 hours from Calais we arrived in Trier, our first time here. Overcast and rain showers so I didn’t rush to take photos. My […]

We are half way through the ICHF Chilterns Craft and Design Show at Stonor Park near Henley on Thames. I was unable to do a post sooner as my bad back is really painful right now and has been since […]

I have used Sekonic light meters for a long time to work out what exposure settings to use on my Mamiya film cameras. Somehow Sekonic found my work on the web and have now done a blog post about me […]

After a hearty breakfast at Lisvane bed and breakfast in Grosmont we were on the move by 8.45am. No sausage scares for Al so all was well with the world! All uphill for a couple of miles then across heather […]

After a hearty breakfast at the Lion Inn at Blakey we left at 9am heading for Grosmont. It was dry all day, with lots of sunshine, until we went to the pub at the end of the day when it […]

We had to be up early today as Andrea, our landlady at Newlands House in Great Broughton, had to go to a funeral in Middlesborough. Breakfast was at 7.30am, followed by a lift to the pass where we finished the […]

Today Big Al and I walked from Ingleby to Great Broughton, continuing the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk that we started 2 years ago.  This shot was taken from the last craggy section today,  near Clay Bank Top, taken on my […]

After 3 days in the Yorkshire Dales we moved on to North Yorkshire to resume our 3 year trip along the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk. I’m doing it with good friend Al, from Gloucester. Al tells me I have […]

Today was a short walk of just 9.5 miles from Austwick to Clapham and back. We started an hour or so earlier than our friends so that we could take photos of the nearby Norber Erratics. These are large boulders […]

We’re in the Yorkshire Dales with friends walking the hills, taking some photos. It’s also a bit of last minute training for the last leg of the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk that I started with good friend Al 2 […]

Had a good day on Pen-y-Gent in the Yorkshire Dales. It was my fifth time on the peak and the first in good weather,blue sky and white fluffy clouds. Took just over 2 rolls of Ilford FP4 with my Mamiya […]

There are some new images of London on my web site. I tried to add locations that were missing, as well as a few more of the old favourites. There are 15 new ones in total.Here’s the link to the […]

I’m just adding to the images of the North York Moors area on my web site. Here are some of the ones loaded so far with the permanent links to Yorkshire: Landscapes and Cities Whitby Whale Bones and St Mary’s Church […]

There are quite a few new images of the Orkneys on my web site. Mainly Orkney Mainland but a few other islands too. Here’s the permanent link to the Orkneys photographs. Stones of Stenness Sunset Ring of Brodgar Fisherman’s Huts at […]

I added several new images of Northumberland to my web site a few a weeks ago. They included several castles as well as Berwick. Here’s a sample. The rest are on the web split between Landscapes and Cities (with a […]

The Great Dome Art Fair is in full swing in Buxton this weekend, 10am to 4.30pm Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st. It’s also the last weekend of the Buxton Opera Festival and Fringe, so lots of other things going on. […]

Last Day in Berlin. Best weather of our 3 days today, sunny with a few clouds. Still a few locations to photograph but I have lots already. I have taken over 25 rolls of 120 Ilford FP4, at 10 shots […]

We arrived over 3 hours late at our hotel last night. Delays from the plane fire at Heathrow the day before and a diversion to a different airport at Berlin. We finally checked in at 2.45am! Fortunately it was a […]

We drove down to Heathrow Airport today for a flight to Berlin. It was 32ºC in the car,  not used to that! Now waiting in air-conditioned Cafe Nero at Heathrow. Hoping for some sunshine in Berlin and dry weather, a […]

We are exhibiting at the Artist and Designer’s Fair in Buxton Pavilion Gardens. Nearly 50 top quality exhibitors, and it’s a lovely warm, sunny day. The show ends at 4.30pm today, Sunday 30th June, so still plenty of time to […]

It was the first day of the Craft and Design Show at Henley on Thames. Still 2 days to go if you are thinking about coming, our stand is B21. www.craftexperience.co.uk I remembered to photograph the stand this morning on […]

Jan drove us down to set up our stand at the Craft and Design Show at the Henley Showground near Henley on Thames (just north of Henley on the road to Marlow). Our stand is B21. Jolly nice clear span […]

I just published my June e-newsletter with details of events for June and July, courses and new images. Click the link below to take you to the iContact web site to view it. http://www.icontact-archive.com/jl0iCWueQ8pT8Wjjl2OqJBv9n816RA5y?w=3 Dave Butcher www.davebutcher.co.uk www.darkroomdave.com

Thursday I had to visit the dentist in Knutsford to have a broken filling replaced. It needed a jab, so no pain at all. Called in at Booth’s supermarket before coming home, they have an amazing selection of bottled beers […]

We are exhibiting at the Craft and Design Experience near Henley on Thames from 21st to 23rd June, 10am to 5pm each day, stand B21. Both Jan and I will be there, unlike Wisley and Crowthorne later in the year […]

We had a 9 hour power cut today. The local electricity company had some planned maintenance to do in the area. After 3 hours of doing odd jobs and having no power for computers or enlargers I decided to go […]

Much busier day today at the Ideal Home Show Scotland at the Glasgow SECC. Sold lots of photos, Glasgow, Edinburgh and New York as the best sellers, and a few books. Last day tomorrow. Visit us on stand S230, between […]

Interesting day at Ideal Home Show Scotland at the Glasgow SECC.My new Glasgow and Edinburgh photographs sold well. The best seller for the day was taken in a blizzard at night in March in Edinburgh! It shows the view from […]

Jan drove us up to Glasgow today to setup for the Ideal Home Show at the SECC. It’s our first time at this show but it’s much easier than at the NEC where they give you just an hour to […]

We are doing the Living Crafts show at Hatfield House. The first day was today and it runs until 5pm Sunday 12th May. We are in marquee G with lots of photos, books and courses. Show offers too. Here are […]

I’m at Grand Designs Live and didn’t know it! I have just discovered that International Graphics Walmsley, who publish my photographs as large prints, have one of my images on their stand at Grand Designs Live at the London Excel […]

We are in the Lake District running a 2 day landscape photo course. This time we are based at the Bower House Inn in Eskdale Green as the Woolpack had too few rooms available. Good to have our old friend […]

I am running the Gallery in the Gardens with Paul Tavernor in Buxton Pavilion Gardens. www.galleryinthegardens.co.uk. Open until 5pm. There’s a Saturday Bazaar on here too so lots to see. It’s a beautiful day in the Peak District too. I […]

It’s the last day of the Easter Fair in Buxton Pavilion Gardens.Jan will be running our stand on her own while I continue signing books in the Tourist Information Centre area, near the Gallery in the Gardens. The show opens […]

I was so busy book signing yesterday that I have decided to do 2 more days, today and tomorrow. If you’re in Buxton come to the Pavilion Gardens Tourist Information Centre. You can’t miss me, I’m right by the TIC/till […]

I’m in Buxton Pavilion Gardens Tourist Information Centre all day today doing a book signing. City Light available in Buxton for first time since publication earlier this month. I have all 4 books here. City Light is £15, the other […]

I just managed to fit in doing a newsletter before the end of March. Here is a link to it on the iContact web site, this is the company I use to send my bulk emails. News of the next […]

After 2 days of snow and strong winds we ventured out into the local Peak District hills for a walk from our home in Tunstead Milton. The snow had stopped but the wind was still gusting up to 30mph. We […]

After a good day for photos yesterday the forecast was for heavy snow for the Dumfries area where we were staying as well as the Peak District. We decided to leave early to try and escape before the worst arrived. […]

Yesterday we walked in Glen Trool in Galloway. It was mainly a grey day but I managed a few waterfall photos. More importantly no rain! I took a shot on my phone of Merrick, the highest peak in the area, […]

We had bad weather for pretty much the whole time that we were in Edinburgh. Rain and sleet to start with then snow, well blizzards actually. Not many photos as difficult to keep the rain and snow off the lens […]

It was sunny as we arrived. It’s raining now so decided on early break for sustenance in Wetherspoons Alexander Graham Bell. Night shots later. Dave Butcher www.davebutcher.co.uk www.darkroomdave.com

Forecast was for rain but we had sunny spells. Good for photos. Started with Durham then checked out and drove to the Angel of the North. The shot below was taken on my phone. Proper photos were taken on my […]

Yesterday was a grey day so we started late and headed to the coast south of Sunderland. No photos so made for Tynemouth. Some sunshine here. Photos of castle, pier and Victorian station. Then on to Whitley Bay and St […]

We are in Durham for a couple of days, staying in our usual corporate hotel – Travelodge! Night photographs of the castle and cathedral before checking out curry night at the Bishop’s Mill Wetherspoons. It’s quiet here, not many people […]

I have changed my display of framed photographs in the Gallery in the Gardens in Buxton Pavilion Gardens. There is a strong bias to cities to tie in with my City Light book launch.Locations now include Rome, London, Oxford and […]