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.

Brightlingsea

Abandoned pail and spade in just the right colours!

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

Botanic gardens Cambridge

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.