Typecast

I caught an article recently which showcased a style of photography that has been dubbed " Planescape " - taking a picture of the scenery from the window of an aeroplane * be still my geeky heart *.   This is something that I've already attempted and whilst they are not the clearest of photographs (taken on either a mobile phone or a cheap digital camera) they represent a glimpse of our world that not many people have the chance to see. Here are my favourite four: Portugal - taken in March 2009 Spain - taken in July 2010 The French (top right) and English (bottom left) coastlines - taken in July 2011 London - taken in July 2011 Tunisia - taken in July 2014 Sardinia - July 2014 Corsica - July 2014 England - August 2014 (flying over Folkstone looking over the  Dungeness National Nature Reserve) You can see a few more (original) pictures in my Facebook album .

When I was 11 my parents took me on my first holiday abroad.  We went on a caravan holiday to France. It was a catalogue of disasters including dad forgetting to disconnect the fridge from the car battery during the ferry crossing, a completely bizarre trip to see the Baueux Tapestry and some entertainment from drunk parents.   We stayed in Granville, Normandy for two weeks, in the grounds of a beaut iful chateau  We attempted to immerse ourselves into a French holiday experience from the get-go; trying local cuisine in traditional settings which included purchasing fresh croissants and baguettes from the on-site bakery first thing in the morning and dining at a local restaurant where we retained the same plate all evening, cleaning it with a small piece of bread in between courses.  I'm also sure  that my parents sampled plenty of the local plonk too. Nowadays, we're not a caravan family (although we tried it when the children were younger) but if we...

Anyone who is remotely interested in the arts should take a voyage of exploration across France . The Impressionist movement fell in love with the crisp clear colours of Provence , and photographers like Brassai were smitten by the atmosphere on the streets of Paris . Head out to Versailles and see the marvels of the court of Louis XIVth, or just pop in to any of this country’s amazing cathedrals and look at the stunning stained glass and carved woodwork - wherever you travel in France , you will find the roots of many artistic movements that eventually spread across the world. Paris Louvre, Paris.  Image Credit : Moyan Benn, Flickr So many artists have made Paris their home that it can be difficult to suggest a starting point for this journey of discovery. The photographer Brassai, in common with the painter Toulouse Lautrec, was fascinated by the louche back streets around Montmartre , and it doesn’t take too much imagination to half close your eyes and tak...