March 5th 2026

As I headed towards the River Wear, around the St. Peter’s area in Sunderland, I thought I may struggle to photograph anything as there was a layer of mist sticking to the coastline and continuing up the river. That’s not really unusual at this time of year. Our weather unleashes its mystical ‘random’ level and meteorologists predict every possible weather outcome conceivable to cover their backs. But before I even made it to the riverside, I found my first image of the day.

It isn’t a common occurrence to see a microwave waiting patiently at a bus stop - not even in Sunderland. I have no idea where it was going. Maybe it works in a nearby cafe. Today was going to be interesting…

The river was initially bathed in mist but it was starting to move, albeit slowly, as soon as I arrived. I wandered up and down looking for something a little different to capture. I’ve visited the area a few times before so it is always fun to try and find something new. Occasionally, there will be something interesting moored up at Port of Sunderland. Sadly, not today. I investigated some different shooting angles of the public art along the riverside, along with picking out details of the National Glass Centre. I was also sticking to my 40mm prime lens so I really worked for my rewards. There was a lot of zooming with my feet along with sprawling on the ground, looking like a crumpled pile of discarded clothing.

I’m not against zoom lenses. I use them myself. However, there is something different about shooting with a prime lens. It forces you to work a little harder to get a shot. It certainly increases your step count! Whilst I didn’t get anything amazing, I do like this image of the Glass Centre. It reminds me of a section of a space station from a cheesy 70s sci-fi show.

The chances of anything coming from Mars….

I ventured along the riverside and headed towards Roker Marina. I’d never fully explored the marina before, so it was interesting to see what I’d been missing. There was still a little mist lurking but the sun was starting to emerge. Oh the warm(ish) sun… such a pleasure after a largely dull winter. This was certainly going to help me stay out for longer. The marina isn’t huge but it contained enough novelty to keep me there for half an hour or so. Although I have almost no knowledge of sailing, I do enjoy seeing vessels of various shapes and sizes moored up. I wonder who owns them and what they are used for. I’m always fascinated by the names given to the various crafts too. I am still waiting to see one called ‘Keith’. I am sure it will happen.

I continued on towards Roker Beach where I had planned on stopping for a coffee. My ND brain had other ideas. I became distracted by a few different shots, and then realised that Roker Pier was open. I’d never walked along the pier before despite having the best intentions to do so. It was closed for around two years after being damaged during Storm Babet, reopening late last year. Before you could say Americano with milk, I was off on a new adventure. Another ‘first’ during this photo walk. Oh, the joys of shiny things!

I didn’t realise just how long the pier was - 609m apparently. It was only when I looked back towards the beach I realised just how far away I was from civilisation. It was lovely. The replacement of the hum of people and traffic with waves lapping the pier was joyous and peaceful. I suddenly became aware of how cold my hands had become. It may only be 609m away from land but being surrounded by nothing but the North Sea certainly lead to a drop in temperature. Seeing a familiar stretch of coastline from a new angle was wonderful and gave me a new appreciation of its beauty. It is easy to overlook the beauty in the familiar.

Leisure pursuits on the pier with a 70s retro feel

To warm myself up, I headed back towards dry land with the plan to have a quick wander around Roker Park. It was heading towards the entrance of the park I stumbled across what may be my favourite image of the day. I’m not really a street photographer but I do try and grab the odd image of people going about their day. My neurodivergent brain really isn’t keen on confrontation and isn’t at its best when engaging in chit-chat should someone come over to ask what I’m doing. I know that it is not common for people to go full on radgie (local dialect for someone losing their temper and being aggressive) as most people are too busy just getting on with their lives. Even so, it is not my forte. However, it was someone sitting reading their newspaper that gave me my favourite image of the day.

I spotted a guy sitting in the sunshine, reading his paper with his bike parked up at his side. I liked the composition and took a quick shot. It wasn’t until I got home and started editing my photos I realised his trousers were around his ankles. It now looked as if he was sitting on the toilet! On closer inspection, he is clearly wearing shorts, so that was a relief. He was simply getting some air to his legs. Even though I thought I was being observant, it still sneaked past me. You can never look hard enough it seems. This image makes you look a few of times and makes you smile, at least I think so. I’ll take that.

I spent the day shooting in RAW and Jpeg as I was playing with a new film emulation setting which was meant to be similar to Fuji Velvia. I had no idea how it would look but I wanted a back up on this walk, unlike my visit to South Shields seafront a few weeks ago. This was also because I wanted a bit of time editing and playing about with different looks in Lightroom. Losing yourself for a couple of hours in a bucket full of RAW files can be an excellent way to quiet your mind. This is even more so if you have a beer to keep you hydrated! Sadly, I made do with coffee this time (and a Malteser Bunny for sustenance). Speaking of all things raw, I finished the day with a big blister on my heel. I don’t think it is life threatening, so don’t worry. I’ll soldier on…

Here is a selection of my photos from my walk. They are a mix of SOOC Jpegs and edited RAW files. Enjoy :)