On a Third Photography

@onathird.bsky.social

65 Followers 104 Following

I’m Ian, a Cornwall-based UK photographer with 20+ years behind the camera. Outdoors focused, shooting across genres. Sharing #photography from Cornwall & beyond, #photoediting tips, gear thoughts & industry insight. From capture to final image.

A Common Blue butterfly rests side-on on the tip of a dried ribwort plantain seed head, its closed wings showing a pale grey underside decorated with neat rows of orange, black and white spots. Two additional dried seed heads stand below, while a softly blurred background of warm green and golden tones creates a peaceful meadow setting and draws attention to the butterfly
Three motocross riders launch over consecutive jumps at Landrake Moto Parc under dramatic grey skies. The leading rider on a bright green bike is airborne in the foreground while two riders on red and orange bikes follow closely behind, with dirt and debris flying through the air. Trees line the left side of the track and race banners mark the course in the background
The red Welsh dragon sculpture outside ICC Wales seen through a glass window with the ICC Wales logo in focus, while the outdoor seating area and sculpture are softly blurred in the background.
A Great Crested Grebe floats calmly on still water, its chestnut head, black crest and white neck reflected on the smooth surface. The background is uncluttered, drawing attention to the bird.
Black-and-white photograph of a church partially obscured by thick mist, surrounded by a graveyard with scattered gravestones. Tall grasses fill the foreground, while the soft, diffused light and low visibility create a quiet, atmospheric, and slightly eerie scene
A dark duck swims directly toward the camera on calm water, with bright yellow eyes, a glossy black bill, and droplets of water beading across its head and neck. A soft green background and a faint reflection of the bird in the water create a clean, uncluttered composition
A dark duck swims directly toward the camera on calm water, with bright yellow eyes, a glossy black bill, and droplets of water beading across its head and neck. A soft green background and a faint reflection of the bird in the water create a clean, uncluttered composition
Close-up photograph of a polished chrome wing mirror on a vintage car, used as a reflective frame. In the curved mirror, a photographer is crouched on grass holding a camera to their face, with a classic car show scene behind them including parked vintage vehicles and a few people. The reflection creates slight distortion around the edges, while the foreground car body and mirror mount are softly blurred. Above, bright blue sky and large white clouds fill the reflection.
Close-up macro photograph of a small orange-brown skipper butterfly resting near the top of a dried seed head, with a hoverfly clinging lower down the stem. The insects are sharply detailed against a smooth golden blurred background, with warm evening light highlighting the butterfly’s furry body, folded wings and the textures of the seed head.
Wide landscape view across a Cornish mining valley covered in purple heather and green moorland. In the distance, the ruins of Wheal Coates mine sit along the ridgeline, with its chimney stack standing below the engine houses. Winding footpaths cut across the sunlit and shadowed hills beneath large white clouds in a bright blue sky
Close-up macro photograph of a small butterfly perched side-on on a dried flower head, against a smooth yellow background with shallow depth of field
A creative double exposure photograph of an Amaryllis flower. A sharply detailed red-and-white bloom is layered over a softer close-up of another Amaryllis in the background, creating a dreamy, semi-transparent floral effect with visible petals, stamens and warm red tones.
Black-and-white photograph taken beneath the pier at Weston-super-Mare at low tide. Weathered steel columns and diagonal cross-bracing dominate the foreground, creating a layered geometric frame that draws the eye towards the open beach and sea beyond. On the right, the pier pavilion stands elevated above the sand, with a small island visible in the distance beneath a flat, overcast sky. The monochrome treatment emphasises texture, contrast and the industrial character of the pier structure against the calm coastal setting
Outdoor seating area at ICC Wales beneath a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. White event tents line the left side while a large red Welsh dragon sculpture dominates the scene. Silver café tables and chairs fill the foreground, with the dragon reflected in a glass tabletop and a few visitors gathered nearby.
Low-angle photograph looking straight through a covered pedestrian footbridge enclosed with metal mesh fencing. The composition is strongly symmetrical, with converging lines drawing the eye toward the bright opening at the far end. A shallow puddle in the foreground creates a mirror-like reflection of the bridge structure and sky, doubling the repeating grid pattern and adding visual balance. Patches of green staining and faint graffiti are visible along the inner walls, contrasting with the clean geometric lines and pale blue sky.
Low-angle photograph looking straight through a covered pedestrian footbridge enclosed with metal mesh fencing. The composition is strongly symmetrical, with converging lines drawing the eye toward the bright opening at the far end. A shallow puddle in the foreground creates a mirror-like reflection of the bridge structure and sky, doubling the repeating grid pattern and adding visual balance. Patches of green staining and faint graffiti are visible along the inner walls, contrasting with the clean geometric lines and pale blue sky
Close-up macro photograph of a small blue butterfly resting side-on on the dried seed head of a grass stem. The butterfly’s pale grey-blue wings show fine black and white spots with bright orange markings along the upper edge. Fine hairs and striped antennae are visible in sharp detail. The background is a smooth golden-yellow and green blur, creating strong subject separation and a calm, minimalist composition.
YouTube thumbnail showing a person in a bright home office holding a small folded photo zine toward the camera. The zine cover features a butterfly perched on grass seed heads with the title “May Blues.” Large black text on the right side reads: “MAKE A PHOTO ZINE.” The background is softly blurred to emphasise the zine in the foreground.
A dense patch of bright red poppies blooms in a wildflower meadow, surrounded by tall green grasses and seed heads. Soft, diffused light and a gentle vignette create a dreamy, painterly atmosphere, with the vivid flowers standing out against the muted green background.
Black-and-white portrait of a mute swan standing on a dark, textured surface. The swan’s long neck curves gracefully around its body, creating a striking circular shape. Its bright white plumage contrasts strongly against the almost black background, while the dark beak markings and webbed feet add definition. The high-contrast composition gives the image a dramatic and elegant feel.
Black-and-white photograph of Clevedon Pier stretching out into the Bristol Channel under a bright sky. In the foreground, ornate metal railings cast striking, interwoven shadows across the sunlit promenade, creating an abstract pattern that dominates the lower half of the image. Beyond the railings, sunlight glitters on the calm water, while dramatic sun rays break through scattered clouds above the iconic Victorian pier. The high-contrast monochrome treatment emphasises the geometric shadows, reflections, and atmospheric light.
Black-and-white street photograph taken from a narrow alleyway covered in graffiti and street art. Dominating the right side is a large mural featuring a sign that reads, “I WOULD BE DIFFERENT BUT I AM JUST THE SAME!” A lone person walks past the bright opening at the end of the passage, silhouetted against the light from the shopping arcade beyond. The strong contrast between the dark alley and illuminated exit creates a moody, contemplative atmosphere.
A pale blue Common Blue butterfly rests on the seed head of a dried grass stem. The butterfly is shown with its wings fully open, revealing delicate blue colouring with fine dark veins and pale fringes around the edges. The background is softly blurred in shades of green and yellow, isolating the butterfly and creating a calm, natural scene.
A low-angle coastal landscape at low tide, photographed through a clear tidal pool. Brown seaweed rests beneath the water in the foreground, surrounded by bright green algae and textured rock formations. The shallow water reveals pebbles and submerged details, while the rocky shoreline stretches into the distance under a calm blue sea and a lightly clouded sky. Sunlight illuminates the scene, highlighting the colours and patterns in the rocks and marine vegetation
Low-angle photograph of the clock tower and harbour building at Porthleven in Cornwall, reflected in a still rock pool between dark textured shoreline rocks. Warm golden sunlight illuminates the stone building beneath a dramatic blue sky filled with scattered white clouds.
Soft, impressionistic seascape at Porthleven showing a long harbour pier stretching into rough water beneath a dark blue sky. Intentional camera movement creates a dreamlike blur across the waves and lighthouse structure, with cool blue tones dominating the scene and a faint warm glow near the horizon.
Black and white night photograph of a single wall-mounted light illuminating dark horizontal wooden cladding in Falmouth. The light creates a bright triangular glow across the textured wall and spills onto wet paving stones below, producing a moody, minimalist atmosphere with strong contrast and deep shadows.
Black-and-white photograph of a busy marina filled with sailboats and tall masts beneath a dark, stormy sky. Sunlight breaks through to illuminate the boats and shimmering reflections on the calm water, while a pilot boat sits moored on the right side of the frame.
Thumbnail showing a man sitting at a desk holding an external SSD adapter while looking towards the camera. Large bold text reads “No Computer? No Problem!”. Computer monitors and photography-related items are visible in the background.
Long-exposure photograph of Dollar Cove in Cornwall at sunset, showing dark rocks emerging from smooth wet sand as shallow tidal streams curve around them toward the sea. The calm water and blurred clouds create a soft, moody atmosphere, with fading light reflecting across the beach and rugged cliffs in the background.
#BlackAndWhitePhotography #CornwallPhotography #CarnMarth #MoodyLandscape #CountryLane
Wide landscape view of a pond at Carn Marth under dramatic clouds and blue sky. Bright yellow gorse flowers fill the foreground beside granite rocks, with calm water reflecting the sky and low scrub-covered mounds surrounding the pool. A small bush rises from the water near the centre of the scene.
Red post box and cottage in background with tree framing cottage from left hand side. Image is portrait orientation
A close-up macro image of a hoverfly perched on a bright pink wildflower. The insect is shown in sharp detail, with orange and brown markings, large reddish eyes, and translucent wings resting along its back. The flower’s petals are vivid pink with fine texture, and the background is a smooth, dark green blur that isolates the subject.
Close-up macro of a young bracken fern frond, its curled fiddleheads forming a delicate, symmetrical shape on either side of a central stem. Fine hairs and textured details are sharply visible, set against a smooth, blurred yellow-green background.
A small robin with a bright orange-red breast perches on a moss-covered branch against a soft, blurred background. The bird is facing left, showing fine feather detail and natural colours. Photographed at RSPB Ham Wall.
Close-up of white calla lilies with bright yellow spadices, surrounded by glossy green leaves. Sunlight highlights the smooth petals, while a softly rippling body of water forms the blurred background.
A winding dirt path curves through grassy foreground toward the ruins of a stone engine house with a tall chimney at Wheal Peevor. The building stands slightly left of centre, surrounded by low shrubs and leafless trees, under a textured sky with scattered clouds and patches of blue.
A long stone pier extends from the right into a calm sea, with a small group of people standing along the railing. Gentle waves roll in, one cresting in the mid-ground, while a pale, hazy sky meets the horizon. A tall metal beacon or light post stands near the end of the pier.
Close-up macro of a small green grasshopper nymph resting on a bright yellow flower. The insect’s translucent body shows segmented detail, with long antennae extending forward and fine texture visible on its legs. The background is softly blurred green, isolating the subject against the vivid petals.
Black-and-white landscape of the Wheal Peevor engine house in Cornwall, with a tall chimney and stone building centred in the frame. A winding path curves through grassy foreground towards the structure, while leafless trees flank both sides. Overhead, long-exposure clouds streak dramatically across the sky, creating a moody, atmospheric scene.
Black-and-white landscape of rolling coastal heathland near Porthtowan, Cornwall, with a winding rocky path leading from the foreground into the distance under a dramatic sky filled with scattered, textured clouds.
Close-up of green leaves coated in frost, with icy white edges outlining each leaf and a small cluster of new growth at the centre; cool tones emphasise the cold, wintry feel.
3 dandelion seed heads arranged in portrait format against a black to white radial graduate background. Each dandelion has 2 seeds poking out. 1 dandelion is lower and central with the other 2 framing the central one
Wide-angle view of Falmouth harbour at sunrise, with a wooden walkway and railing leading into the scene on the left, boats moored on calm water to the right, and a full rainbow arching across a partly cloudy sky above the town.
A fishing boat travels left to right across calm harbour water at sunrise in Newlyn, Cornwall, silhouetted against a warm orange sky. The sun sits low near the horizon behind the boat’s rigging, while a red-and-white lighthouse stands on a pier to the right. Gentle ripples reflect the golden light, and a seabird flies across the sky.
Portrait image that is predominantly beach. In the foreground are shapes around some small rocks left in the sand. Towards the top of the images is a small area of plain sky with headland coming into the image from the left. The image is in black and white
Black-and-white long exposure photograph of Newlyn harbour, showing a pile of lobster pots stacked beside a shipping container marked “SRC Marine,” with calm water and softly blurred boats and masts in the background.
Black and white photograph of the NEC in Birmingham, showing a section of the roofline beneath a single cloud drifting overhead. The composition is minimal, with strong contrast between the dark structure and the lighter sky, creating a simple, graphic feel
A blue fishing boat in Hayle harbour, Cornwall, with clusters of red and orange buoys hanging along its side, reflected clearly in the still water below. The boat’s marking “SS324” is visible on the hull
Abstract black-and-white image featuring horizontal bands of light and shadow, with soft, blurred edges creating a layered, striped pattern across the frame. The tones shift from deep black to pale grey, giving a sense of motion or reflection, possibly resembling light streaks on water or through blinds.
A calm riverside scene with still water reflecting a row of colourful houses and a stone church with a tall tower, set under soft evening light.
A YouTube-style thumbnail with the text “Weekly Edit” and “Photoshop Focus Stacking,” featuring a blurred background image of a stream scene, a small inset photo of moss and grass by water, a Photoshop logo, and a focus stacking dialog box overlay.
Rocky granite outcrops of Carn Brea rise above the Cornish landscape, with the hilltop monument silhouetted against a soft sky, surrounded by moorland and distant rolling countryside
Three cormorants perched on wooden posts in calm water, with one bird standing alone to the left and two on a horizontal beam, wings partially spread against a soft, misty background
Long exposure photograph of a calm harbour at Newlyn at sunrise, featuring a red-and-white lighthouse on a stone pier. The water appears smooth and misty, reflecting soft pastel tones in the sky. In the foreground, a curved harbour wall covered in yellow lichen leads the eye toward the lighthouse, adding depth and texture to the scene.
Black and white portrait of a woman in a strapless dress, posing with one hand near her chest against a bold checkered background