Wicken Fen

Despite the rain, we decided to go on our planned outing to Wicken Fen. There weren't many birds around - this rather sad-looking collered dove in the rain was about the best bird photo of the day but the sun came out later with great opportunities for abstracts, backlit reeds and a dramatic sunset.

Catkin time

The Hazel catkins are in full 'bloom' with the small red female flowers still visible. The Alder female flowers are miniature versions of the old dry cones.
The Hazel bush by the brook in Toft is covered in catkins every year and glows golden. I tried a slow shutterspeed as the catkins blew in the wind.

Near Collision

Five frames showing a close shave as two surfers nearly collided. I like the last one best in many ways but the hand is over the face.

Bournemouth on a Windy Day

The wind was force 7 or 8 today - much to the delight of the surfers.
It also resulted in two North American birds turning up in Poole Harbour- a Ring-billed Gull and a Long-billed Dowitcher

More from Tattersalls

Two more auctioneers fromTattersalls. They moved so quickly that it was difficult to catch just the right moment with the hands and expression.
Of th evening shots, I particularly like the one looking into the arena with the people's shadows.

Visit to Tattersalls

Today we spent the afternoon at Tattersalls Horse Sales in Newmarket. Thank you Anthony for arranging this visit. Great fun though I tended to get carried away with watching the bidding rather than taking photos. First image of the beautiful sales room is 15mm fish-eye view, second 16 mm corrected lens. Then a couple of the auctioneers and a bidder.
More to follow tomorrow.

Texture Time

I was leaving a house today after doing a framing job in Cambridge and noticed these wonderful suckers from a Virginia Creeper that had been stripped off the wall. I then took a couple more textures - first a small fungus growing through a hoarding on East Road and a brick wall alongside the road that has been eaten into by traffic pollution.

Saturday Night Comfort

Many thanks to Dave and Sue for excellent hospitality - certainly a beautiful bedroom with splendid four-poster bed and view from the window.

Against the Light

The sun eventually came out yesterday morning and produced some great backlighting. Original file and monochrome and colour versions of the punting - not sure which I prefer. The shadows looked like a row of masked figures with large noses. The bright light and low angle made interesting shadow patterns at Madingly American Cemetery.

Water Drops

The life of a drop hitting the surface of water (well actually five different drops!). Taken at 0.4 sec f20 with flash. Processing of RAW included adding blue gradient from bottom right and vignette.

Printing Notes

A further couple of weeks have passed since I last described the stages in producing a screen print from my Winslow Edge image. I am posting a few notes to help me remember so I can repeat the stages later.

Place the film with emulsion side against the backing sheet of the film in a vacuum frame. The positive is between light source and film so exposure is through backing sheet of film.
The mid tone and black were exposed for 1.75 min and the backgroung 3.5 mins 1000 watt UV lamp.

The Film was developed in tray of 1.5% hydrogen peroxide (1 to 11 of St B stock) for 1 min (or 90 secs) shiny side down.
Wash out unwanted emulsion with hand hot water (?41-43C) (shiny side down)
Placed washed film down with matt side onto the screen. Dry and press flat with newsprint and roller.

Dry and use blue masking fluid to cover area around the emulsion. When dry remove backing from film. Attach the screen to the press, put on registration markers for the paper and cover all rest of vacuum bed with newsprint. Ready to spread the ink and start printing.