Close-up Photography Hardwick Wood

I was a bit late to capture the beautiful frost this morning which rapidly melted in the sunshine but the latter allowed some detailed and colourful close-ups of mosses, lichens and fungi in Hardwick Woods. The birds obviously thought spring might be on the way with Mistle Thrush, Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, and Tits all singing and even a Tawny Owl decided to add to the woodland sound track.

 

Post-Christmas Break, Beckton

 For the past few years we have been going away at or just after Christmas with Jonathan and Sue most recent years to East London. This year they are cat sitting in North London so we are meeting them in London some days but staying on our own in Beckton (North Woolwich). We arrived mid afternoon and walked down to the Albert Dock now occupied by East London University. No sunset but the lights and lit buildings gave good colours to play with.

'Christmas in Cambridge'

There are the usual attractions on Parkers Piece in Cambridge this year though it no longer has the allure of going to the 'North Pole'. I was joined by some of our photography group on Saturday at the Fair and enjoyed trying to capture the lights and excitement (though not the sounds or the smell of the various food outlets)

Fun with Fungi at Paxton

We had to abandon the Conservation Work Party at Paxton Pits early when the heavy rain arrived  but, after a revitalising drink,  four of the younger members of the group joined me in a fungi hunt in Rory's Wood. We got soaked through but the woods looked and smelt wonderful and we even found a few loose twigs with interesting fungi to take back to photograph at the visitor centre in the outside shelter. Tom had some small light cubes that took colour filters - I went for a blue one and then discovered that the visitor centre itself made an interesting back drop. It is unusual to see a hexagonal full moon but otherwise quite convincing - even got some surface detail one shot!!

Madingley American War Cemetery

By the time we got out for a walk today the cloud was beginning to build up. This set of images was taken with my low resolution phone camera but I am pleased with the set I have produced with a bit of Color Efex processing. I was aiming at symmetries, reduced colour palette and grain to hide the low detail.