Thursday, April 30, 2009

Dandelion heads



Taken on my morning walk with my Lumix digital camera and processed from raw using just Lightroom. Very pleased with the result as the Panasonic is great to carry in a pocket but I hadn't previously tested the macro mode. The image on the left is the unadjusted file.


Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Spring Colours




The fields are looking wonderfully colourful at the moment with the vibrant greens of the new wheat shoots and the trumpetting yellow of the oil-seed rape.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Pasque Flower

This was the best of my images taken on our recent trip to Therfield Heath. I used the 15mm lens on manual focus and tried to estimate where the focus point would be when the lens was at smallest aperture (f22) - needed to use a Hyperfocal distance table to get it right but this isn't far off.

Bluebell Woods


It is that time again when I attempt to photograph bluebell woods. They seem pale this year - perhaps because of the warm dry weather. This photograph was taken at a fairly slow shutter speed so there is movement in the flowers. Today's rain is welcome as it will help prolong their lives.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Our Swallows are Back

Pleased to see 'our' pair of swallows this afternoon on the washing lines - the first ones I've seen anywhere. It will be interesting to see if they build their nest earlier than previous years.

Sunny Southend


In yesterday's sunshine Southend looked very attractive. My photos give the appearance that there weren't any people about but, in fact, the resort was bustling, which is good for the local economy.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Brightlingsea


Abandoned pail and spade in just the right colours!

Perfect weather conditions with sunshine and no wind to spoil the reflections.


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Botanic gardens Cambridge


The Botanic Gardens are at their greenest at the moment with all the new leaves.




Monday, April 20, 2009

If you can't beat 'em.............


Decided that as it appears that everyone at weddings now has a camera, I would make a feature of one in a wedding image

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Wedding flowers


Been a bit quiet on the Blog front as I have had two weddings to do and process images for within a week - not to be recommended. The weather for the wedding on Friday was good - the morning rain cleared and the afternoon was bright with some sunshine. The flowers in Girton church were outstanding - so much so that most of my shots are in colour in the church rather than the usual monochrome. Here are three images taken during the ceremony that feature the flowers.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Flash Evening in Cambridge



We spent an enjoyable couple of hours in Cambridge yesterday evening trying to get to grip with flash techniques, especially second curtain flash. We were very surprised that no one objected to a bank of 9 photographers firing flash guns at passing cars and bicycle on King's Parade. These are the best of my set. I especially like the strobe effect of the rear cycle lamp.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Pictures from a wet wedding

I photographed a wedding on Easter Saturday - the weather was very dull (and sometimes raining) so I am very pleased that I decided to invest in a more powerful flash gun - the fill-in flash gave life to the photographs.
I must also add a large white umbrella to my wedding accessories as this one proved great for photographs.
I set camera and flash gun to 2nd curtain sync during the 'first dance' but I think they must have been going sideways at the point I fired the shutter.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Splash of colour on a dull weekend


Some tulip images from my recent trip to the Eden Centre to cheer up a very dismal Easter
Sunday here in Cambridgeshire

Friday, April 10, 2009

Wet walk in Waresley Wood




The woods are at their best for primroses and oxlips but, unfortunately, the rain started just as we arrived in the wood. Managed a few photos of the primroses and this colour-coordinated snail on an Equisetum.

Duxford Air Museum


I hadn't visited the Duxford Air Museum for many years; there have been a lot of changes, most impressive of which is the American Air Museum.
Despite the rather dull light I was pleased with this photograph - made me think of the long hours spent in airport lounges - must be the chairs.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Fox Part Two

Fox came back for a long visit today and here is the evidence of what it is eating!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Visitor to our Garden

Looked out of bedroom window while dressing this morning and came face to face with this fox (we live in a bungalow!). It was eating some apples that I had thrown onto the lawn the day before and seemed quite unafraid though obviously aware of the camera being pointed at it.

Possibly a female with cubs still feeding from her and therefore very hungry but I am still surprised that she was eating apples.



Sunday, April 5, 2009

Pasque Flowers at Royston

The pasque flowers are just about out on the heath - very short stemmed and lots of buds so should be OK until end of the month.


Saturday, April 4, 2009

Matching Colours


Another image from my West Country trip. Image is cropped but otherwise straight from camera - loved the way the clothing matched the beach hut doors.

Friday, April 3, 2009

For Fishermen


For Ian to welcome him to Blogspot - over a door at the Cobb Lyme Regis


Thursday, April 2, 2009

Spring in Devon


Daffodils on a bank in warm spring sunshine

A Fly and Me


Didn't notice that I was reflected in the thorax of this irridescent fly that was visiting a clump of celandine that I photographed at Eden.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Eden Project Flower Close-ups

Managed to avoid tripping anyone up with my tripod or to set off the alarms and get some close-ups of some of the flowers.



The white flower below is African Hemp Sparrmannia africanna. It has an amazingly large number of stamens.







Dartington Hall


Taken by holding camera with 15 mm lens above the flower and seeing what I got. Pleased with result. Would be good in a breeze with petals falling down. Thanks to Meg (in background) and Malcolm for their hospitality.

Ann Miles Photography - My Favourite Images of the Past10 years or so