Lakeside

I stopped off in Lakeside Shopping Centre before my talk to Thurrock Camera Club to have something to eat and couldn't resist a few shots including the above moon and pylon. I was using the G12 compact so quite impressed with the quality of this photo. It also meant that there was no objection from the Security staff to a few shots of the interior. The yellow fluorescent light and blue evening sky in the first two worked well but the later shots I have corrected the white balance.

Focus on Feet

I visited Focus on Imaging show at the NEC yesterday. I managed to only purchase one battery (apart from a new toy for Phil). As usual it was a lovely sunny day outside but at least this gave some interesting light inside. I spent a lot of the time looking at feet it seems.

Rye Meads

I visited Rye Meads RSPB REserve today. After early rain, the sun broke through and gave lovely lighting on the Tufted Ducks, Teal, Green Sandpiper and Little Grebes.


The Tufted Ducks demonstrated how synchromised diving should be done. The action shots of Grebe displaying, Shoveller taking off and Coot aggression didn't quite work but enjoyed trying the shots.

Polarising Sheet Photography

Another technique that we will try at Freshers tonight needed a bit of practise - a polarising sheet on a lightbox both without a polarising filter - light background and with - dark background. These taken with G12 - should get better quality with tripod and SLR .

Insects Awake

Today was warm (57degrees) and sunny after the early fog and this Honey Bee and pair of Ladybirds certainly thought spring has come.

Oil on Water

Thursday is the Freshers practical evening at CCC so I have been trying out oil on water photography and discovered that it is not as easy as I thought and also very messy. I tried olive and sunflower oil but the droplets tend to coalesce quickly. Adding a bit of detergent slowed this down and produced a dish full of aliens.

Sadie in the sunshine

I have been on child-minding duty this weekend so a couple of images of Sadie on a sunny Sunday in the garden. Being the daughter and grandaughter of photographers, she is very relaxed and will pose when asked. Don't suppose this will last.

Wildfowl Trust Competition

I entered the following three images in the Wildfowl and Wetlands winter competition. There is a popular choice winner so if you feel like voting for my images that would be great. I have provided a link to the relevant page Welney in Winter in LandscapesWinter Wonderland in People and wildlife
Whoopers landing on Ice in Wildlife section

Derelict Farm Cottage

It is amazing how quickly trees and bushes reclaim a property once it is no longer lived in. This derelict cottage was on our walk on Saturday.

The Railway People

We spent yesterday on the Keighley Worth Valley railway in the company of Alastair, Bev and Rowan - great to meet up. The first trains of the day are diesel so we travelled to Haworth on a Waggon Und Maschinenbau single coach railbus unit M79964, built in Germany in 1958. Rowan is busy watching the approaching steam train at the Damems Loop where the single track becomes double to allow passing. We then had a muddy walk to Oxenhope - well all except Phil who travelled on the train. This is his train, the British Railways Ivatt Tank No. 41241. It was built at Crewe in 1949 and ended service at Skipton in 1965. The locomotive hauled the train at the reopening of the branch line in 1968 and has been working ever since. We all travelled back on the 41241

Swaledale

We travelled from Richmond to Keighley yesterday via Muker - thanks for the suggested route Ian. The weather deteriorated during the morning but we had time for a few images of Swaledale, including the barns and stone walls.