I almost always have to work on my birthday but today I had the luxury of a completely free day, albeit with an evening rehearsal in Folkestone. I decided to make good use of the day and take a leisurely tour of the Sussex and Kent coast on my way there. I started off by heading for Bexhill to visit the De La Warr Pavilion. This wonderful modernist pavilion was built in 1935 and has been completely renovated over the last couple of years. After a spot of lunch I set about trying to capture its dramatic architecture. The sky was very grey and overcast but I knew the pavilion’s strong lines would be perfect for a black and white conversion, regardless of the weather.

I then set off for Rye where I took a leisurely stroll around the town, indulging in a cream tea while I was there. I came to the conclusion that you could stop for a cuppa in a different teashop every hour, on the hour in Rye and still not run out of places to eat over the course of a day – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a town so well supplied with eateries! Rye is a perfect, chocolate box English town and every house has an unique character. I was particularly taken with the variety of different front doors (and I noticed a local photographer had already created a montage of them which was for sale in one of the town’s many art/craft shops) and spent some time shooting them and their door furniture. My favourite was this door knocker, which I thought had bags of character.

Happy B-Day! Beautiful Knocker capture and love the shooting through the Heart Structure! mwbergeron01 · 2012-03-10: 20:45

happy birthday this is a wonderful set!! i love the texture and lighting in #1 jennyLit · 2012-03-11: 13:56

Love all the captures and Happy Birthday mystic1 · 2012-03-12: 00:35

happy B day. May God's blessings and love surround you slowpete · 2012-03-12: 02:28

Oh Happy Belated BDay, Helen. I love the perspective of #2 and of course the patina on the door knocker is my cup of tea!!! Love greenish patina. danrav · 2012-03-12: 20:10

Tagged: birthday bexhill rye knocker pavilion delawarr modernism architecture