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.

Fox Part Two

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

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.

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.

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.

For Fishermen

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

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.

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.

Weston-Super Mare is Being Rebuilt

Would you want a room even for £15 in the hotel above left.

The Pier View Parlour is closed along with the Grand Pier but there is plenty of rebuilding activoity going on in WSM at the moment.

Here is one for my collection of dogs and owners with matching hair colour.

Macro Images from Botanic Gardens

First Migrant Bird arrives

Chiffchaff singing in Toft Wood this morning

- the first migrant that I have heard.

Trials on White Balance

Two images taken inside Great Wilbraham Barn with automatic white balance

Images below are similar views also taken with AWB and then the white balance corrected in Lightroom

The last image is taken with custom white balance by photographing a white card and setting the camera's custom white balance before shooting the scene. Colour rendition looks better but would need further trials. Anyone got comments on theoretical value of the two approaches?

Favourite primrose image

The flowers are just coming out in the west Cambridgeshire woods. These primroses were taken last year with 16mm lens. I am looking forward to repeating with the 15mm fish-eye to compare the image. It involved lying almost in a stream to get below the flowers.

Frog Spawn Appeared overnight

Very complacent frog sitting among newly laid frog spawn.

Primrose and celandine

A couple more spring flowers at their best at the moment

Spring is here

Beautiful sunny day today, so all the coltsfoot are in full bloom on the banks. Strange plant in that it has flowers before the leaves appear.

Millie and Ruby's relatives at Crufts

Red (on left) is Ruby's nephew once removed - definitely a family likeness.

Not know name of the setter on the right but was from Millie's breeder and very like her when she was younger.

Closeup into a thistle rosette

Motion in the Ring

Took a lot of these at Crufts. I like the flow of this one but I guess there should be something sharp. Unfortunately everything is moving in different directions, including the ears, in an Irish Setter

American Cocker Spaniels at Crufts

I want to illustrate the enormous bond that exists in so many cases between owner and dog, even to the matching of hair colour.

Images from Flyball at Crufts

Need a soundtrack to go with these images as the dogs bark continually while waiting their turn over the jumps.

Paddling pool 2

There is a loneliness about paddling pools in winter. No happy splashing and laughter, just discarded rubbish and silence

The Drummer

Taken with rear curtain flash to attempt movement of the drumstick - more or less worked.

1/60th sec f4.0. Manual focusing. Flash set ETTL and rear curtain.

Lincoln Cathedral

Generally the light was not good as very cloudy but a couple of sunny intervals gave interesting light through the windows

Paddling Pool in Winter

Seals

Common (left) and Grey (below) Seal Pups at Natureland Seal Sanctuary in Skegness

Orchids at Kew

Image taken with 15mm lens in the Victoria Greenhouse.