My submissions to the Guardian Witness website on the theme of voyage. The Guardian uploaded my two videos to YouTube at a lower resolution than the originals but they’re fine if you don’t go fullscreen.

The videos.

When three voyages intercept … which one wins?

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/57c0204ee4b0fe30498a4f57/5002156

The thrilling race to the dock!

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/57c0204ee4b0fe30498a4f57/5002159

The photos.
All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.
Just click on an image to open it full size.

A night voyage past the Oxo Tower on the south bank of the River Thames in London

The building was originally built in the late 19th century as a power station to supply electricity to the Royal Mail post office. It was largely rebuilt to an Art Deco design by architect Albert Moore in 1928 and 1929. Although most of the original power station was demolished, the river facing façade was preserved. For a long period of time preceding the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the building was derelict. Eventually the tower was refurbished, in the 1990’s, to a design by Lifschutz Davidson which included housing and commercial premises. It is now run by Redwood Housing Co-op which leases seventy eight flats at Oxo Tower Wharf comprising of twenty eight one bedroom flats, forty five two bedroom flats and five three bedroom flats.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/57c0204ee4b0fe30498a4f57/5002157
I inadvertently omitted the words in red when I submitted the photo to Guardian Witness.

You want a cab ride or a taxi voyage?

Venice where taxis are fun.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/57c0204ee4b0fe30498a4f57/5002158

Most of us have probably signed up to a website and then been unable to access it because we’ve forgotten the password.

I signed up to the Guardian Witness website on 18th October 2006. Back then, those of us who signed up were given an ID number. Mine is ID114202. Anyone signing up now can use a name but The Guardian hasn’t provided any means by which those of us who were assigned a number can update our membership to show a name instead.

Back in 2009, for some forgotten reason, I tried to access my Guardian account but I couldn’t remember my password and there was no system in place to recover it. I tried to sign up again and was met with an automated response to the effect that the email address I was providing belonged to another account.

Consequently I opened a new account, on 9th September 2009, using a different email address, and was assigned the ID number, ID3777763.

Before I started uploading photos, I’d never bothered to sign in because I didn’t need to just to read articles. I came across the photography assignments page in about November/ December 2014 and needed to log in so that I could submit my photos. Without thinking, I logged in with my old account information, including my once forgotten password. I recorded my ‘forgotten’ password and made my photography submissions ensuring that I stayed logged in.

About four months ago, I was having a few problems with my browser so I used a different one. I opened The Guardian Witness website and made my submissions which appeared on The Guardian Witness website. I didn’t notice that the different browser was logged in to my later ID.

The photos below appear on my alternative 2009 Guardian Witness website. It’s a one-off because I’ve gone back to the 2006 website because I have eleven pages of photos there.

So, the standard beginning:

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.
Just click on an image to open it full size.

Fifteen minutes in La Grande-Motte – 1

Walking along Quai Georges Pompidou, 34280 La Grande-Motte, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, I took this photo at 320 Quai Georges Pompidou.
La Grande Motte is a resort town built mainly between 1960 and 1975 on undeveloped beachfront land. Jean Balladur, the project architect, was inspired by modernist architecture in Brazil, especially the work of architect Oscar Niemeyer and by pre-Columbian pyramids like those of Teotihuacan, Mexico. Pierre Pillet, the landscaper, was involved in selecting plants that would thrive in the marine climate.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966945

Fifteen minutes in La Grande-Motte – 2

One minute later, the next building displays stunning architecture at 320 Quai Georges Pompidou, 34280 La Grande-Motte, France.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966946

Fifteen minutes in La Grande-Motte – 3

Another minute later, a different view of the same building at 320 Quai Georges Pompidou, 34280 La Grande-Motte, France.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966947

Fifteen minutes in La Grande-Motte – 4

Some twelve minutes later, I took this photograph from the Marina Esplanade Maurice Justin, 34280, La Grande Motte which has either 1,452 or 1,538 moorings depending on which official website one reads. The development includes the Palais de Congrès (conference centre) and the church of St. Augustine and is a favourite resort in France with over two million visitors a year.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966949

A walk south on the Lido di Venezia – 1

The Lion’s Bar, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi 31, Lido di Venezia 30126 Venezia.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966950

A walk south on the Lido di Venezia – 2

The Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi 41, Lido di Venezia 30126. This Moorish style hotel was built in 1908.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966951

A walk south on the Lido di Venezia – 3

The entrance to the Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi 41, Lido di Venezia 30126.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966952

A walk south on the Lido di Venezia – 4

I walked in and sat down in the architecturally fascinating lounge of the Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi 41, Lido di Venezia 30126.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966953

A walk south on the Lido di Venezia – 5

I took a walk around the grounds and the garden of the Excelsior Hotel, Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi 41, Lido di Venezia 30126 to see the architectural design of the back of the building. The garden steps lead straight onto the beach.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d6c766e4b023cfa49ebb8c/1966954

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.
Just click on an image to open it full size.

A quiet rest guaranteed

How much did you say chair hire is?!! The golden beach at Saint George South (Ágios Geórgios), Corfu.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d82085e4b0fd1a8c7d06ce/1960009

We wanted a rest away from the crowds

… but this is just scary. A walk along the coast between Petriti beach and Messonghi, Corfu.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d82085e4b0fd1a8c7d06ce/1960007

A loving rest almost in the shadows

By Chartres Cathedral, 16 Cloître Notre Dame, 28000 Chartres, France.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d82085e4b0fd1a8c7d06ce/1960005

Luxurious rest

“We’re so grateful that you came so far just for us. We’ve got your room ready. Please have a good rest and if you need anything just ring room service.” A bedroom in the abandoned 13th century mansion just 100m from Petriti beach, Corfu, once owned by Lady Palatianou-Adams, wife of the British High Commissioner and Governor of Corfu, Lord Frederick Adams.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56d82085e4b0fd1a8c7d06ce/1960001

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.
Right click on each image to open full size in a new tab.

Darkness, light and astrophysics 1

The mystery tour with all concept of distance lost. https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c5f3a4e4b001aafcf8d642/1951296

Darkness, light and astrophysics 2

The mystery tour with all concept of time lost. https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c5f3a4e4b001aafcf8d642/1951299

Darkness, light and astrophysics 3

The mystery tour – almost there. https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c5f3a4e4b001aafcf8d642/1951302

Origins – Unpublished

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.
Just click on an image to open it full size.

Staircase in the Musée national du Moyen Âge, formerly the Musée de Cluny, 6 place Paul Painlevé – 75005 Paris. (Quartier Latin – 5e Arrondissement)
This is the only surviving mediaeval palace in Paris. The original building was the town house or hôtel of the Abbotts of Cluny from 1334. It was rebuilt by the temporarily incumbent abbot, Jacques d’Amboise, between 1485 – 1510, combining both Gothic and Renaissance features.
Henry VIII’s sister, Mary Tudor, lived there in 1515 after the death of Louis XII, her husband.
The hôtel was confiscated by the state in 1789. It was purchased from the state by Alexandre du Sommerard in 1833 to house his collection of medieval and Renaissance art objects. His collection was bought by the state in 1842 on his death and the building was opened as a museum the following year, 1843.
The present gardens opened in 1971.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c46421e4b0fc61b98c2f31/1948125

The stairway to the Panoramic View overlooking Corfu Airport, Kerkira 491008, Greece
“Don’t you mean the stairway to Heaven? Home-made food, coffee, ice cream and soft drinks!” The white building in the background is the 12th century Vlacherna monastery dedicated to Our Lady of Vlacherna.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c46421e4b0fc61b98c2f31/1948129

An unusual staircase in Mandelieu La Napoule, France
“Just put your pyjamas on and get upstairs at once!”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c46421e4b0fc61b98c2f31/1948131

Make sure you hold on to the banister. Oh dear, no banister!
The fashionable and elegantly designed stairs leading up from the golden beach at Saint George South (Ágios Geórgios), Corfu to the Barbayiannis Bar in the village of Argyrádes, Corfu.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56c46421e4b0fc61b98c2f31/1948141

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.

The Devil is in the detail.

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56af2f4ee4b0c42dd192fbae/1946847

February sky in Wiltshire.

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56af2f4ee4b0c42dd192fbae/1946849

“We have to get the van back in an hour. Where did you park it?”

https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56af2f4ee4b0c42dd192fbae/1946852

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.

“Do the windmill blades actually turn?”
“I’ve no idea but it’s your turn to pay this time!”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56ab5303e4b0d21fd0c715e7/1906092

“Why are we swimming round in circles?”
“I don’t know but I’m going to have to fly soon.”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56ab5303e4b0d21fd0c715e7/1906088

“I know you’re there. What are you up to?”
“We’re just here to inspect the metal rings. They seem to be turning rusty.”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56ab5303e4b0d21fd0c715e7/1906096

Cornering at speed in Corfu Town
One good turn deserves another.
Not selected for publication.

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.

A bird in the hand .. I mean a bird in the bush … forget it!
Mr. Hitchcock? MR. HITCHCOCK?
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/569f6954e4b0831355864905/1905648

As unpalatable as an accusation may be ….
Gluttony in Gascony.
“Someone’s eaten all the food and we’re trying to identify who it was.”
“Don’t look at me. I’m more in the dark than you are.”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/569f6954e4b0831355864905/1905637

Exploring, with friends, in the Sinai Desert
The silhouette at f/4 1/400 sec. ISO-64 and then with flashgun at f/2.8 1/30 sec. ISO-125.
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/569f6954e4b0831355864905/1905644

All images © James Sapsard.
Images may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.

Missing the point
“Look! Can’t you see it? It’s completely overgrown!”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56a0c71fe4b0b77990be069c/1898911

Moving up the property market
“Look, I like it but I’m sorry. Pink just doesn’t do it for me.”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56a0c71fe4b0b77990be069c/1898913

Waiting for the bride
“Look, here she comes.”
https://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/56a0c71fe4b0b77990be069c/1898916