While in England, Liz, Tori, and I took a side trip to Dover. Initially we simply wanted to catch a glimpse of the iconic chalky-white seaside cliffs, but once we arrived it became apparent that the area held a bit more opportunity for adventure than we had originally thought. The cliffs themselves (and the grassy area on the top of them) are part of what England calls, "The National Trust." This protected status, from what I gathered, is basically a combination of the U.S. version of a National Park, coupled with a public land trust. Being like a National Park, all destructive types of activities (i.e. dirt bike riding, etc.) are prohibited, but being like a land trust, there was no entrance fee or restricted access points (a fact that was greatly appreciated in a country where it often costs 30p just to use a public toilet). There is a network of trails that wander along the fields, some of which run up right next to the cliff's edge. No railings, no ranger to tell you not to go too close...just your own sense of vertigo guiding your judgment of when too close was close enough. Having traveled here in the off season, and because of the overcast weather conditions, we had the entire 3 mile stretch of cliffs, basically to ourselves.
Liz wore her "God Save the Queen" socks, which made for a neat "British" photo right at the edge of the 100m tall cliffs.
While wandering along the cliff band, we noticed a pathway that has been carved into the side of a section of cliff that wasn't dead-on vertical like its neighboring faces. My 11-16mm wide angle lens let me capture this really neat perspective shot of one of the switchbacks on the trail leading down to the ocean.
When we got to the trail's bottom, we discovered a series of passageways tunneled into the soft chalk. We ventured inside, and found what used to be an old WWII-era defensive gun emplacement, but all it seemed to be now was a place for hooligans to pen up some graffiti. The British Army had set up these defensive positions in an effort to repel potential Nazi naval ships and to fire anti-aircraft shells at the Luftwaffe bombers heading for London. The lighting was just right for a neat silhouette shot of the girls peering out one of the gun battery openings.
Here, Liz explores another passageway in the eerie 70 year old tunnel system.
Just on the outside of the old gun battery was a ladder that led down to the shoreline proper, where we found the rusty skeleton of an old steam ship that had been sunk off the coastline in the early 1900's.
Liz and a brick. The shoreline was made up exclusively of gray and white stones, which were, over the centuries, perfectly ground into smooth orbs by the relentless surf. I noticed a red object in the distance and walked over to it. What I found was an old brick, left over from the construction of the gun emplacements. This 70 year old object had also been worn down by the tide and waves, but its contrast with the surrounding landscape also made for a neat photo opportunity.
In this (likely) final edition of British photos, I focus on some black and white shots that were taken in the cities of London and Windsor. Like many people, I have always loved black and white photos. Their simplicity is appealing to the eye...darks seem darker, and basic shapes can become complex entities. For example, the granite amphitheater (below), as a color photograph, might appear too boring, but in a monochrome, the simple black shadows allow the structure to take on a more organic shape which draws the viewer's eye around the curve and places it finally on the two girls who are hanging out on the stage. 
Amphitheater, London
Other times, black and white can serve as the perfect medium for portraits. There is no color to get in the way of the emotion that the photographer might be trying to convey. Portraits done in this manner serve as a nice throwback to photography's early days where color was not an option. Here, Liz enjoys some street side fish and chips in Windsor. 
Birds in St James's Park, London. In this image, the stark whiteness of the two parallel-walking birds cut a nice outline against the darker grass background. 
11mm wide-angle shot of Liz on the apogee of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. 
Here, a royal guard paces while standing guard at Windsor Palace. I love how the black and white photo lets the eye to be drawn along the pathway that the guard has walked, allowing the viewer to notice the way that the wet pavement has been dried by his repetitious steps. This might not be as visible if the photograph were in color. Additionally, being that it was winter, the guard's overcoat was gray (as opposed to the classic red tunic of the summer uniform) and a color version of this image might not have been as appealing because the castle walls are also made of light gray stone. Perfect placement of his outstretched white-gloved hand against the darkest shadow in the frame also makes for a wonderfully crisp addition. 
Liz beneath the London Eye. 
Poseidon on a dock, London.
