Lens Workout at Pensthorpe Natural Park

No better place than the Wader Aviary at Pensthorpe to practise bird photography with the Fuji 100-400mm. The lighting was rather variable but generally pleased with the results. For Paul and Dinah, in particular, this is on manual focus with AE-L set to single or continuous focus (jury still out on this one) and highlight peaking on. So I use the AE-L button to focus and then, if time, touch the focus ring which enlarges the image with highlight peaking on to adjust point of focus. With the Bearded Tits relied just on the AE-L focusing and was pretty successful though the mirrorless system makes picking up moving bird difficult (?impossible?). The Ruffs are in full breeding plumage as are the Black-tailed Godwits. The Bearded Tits are always a challenge and great to photograph two endangered species Corncrake and Turtle Dove. Avocets as always a delight.

High-Contrast Flowers; Homage to Georgia O'Keeffe

With the very bright sunny conditions yesterday morning, I decided to go for high-contrast images (the Classic Chrome profile in the Raw converter for the Fuji XT cameras is ideal for this). I have always liked the flower studies of Georgia O'Keeffe as well as some of her quotes “Nobody sees a flower - really - it is so small it takes time - we haven't time - and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.”

Through a Glasshouse Window

The plan for the morning at Cambridge Botanic Gardens was to practise macro shots in preparation for the spring and summer blooms and insects but I got diverted by the glasshouse windows and ended up with a set of images that asked to be collaged into a panel. Have added a few of the individual images to show the intriguing abstracts created by condensation, leaves and algae.

Bee Identification

I knew that identifying Britain's bees was not going to be easy but it is certainly proving quite a puzzle as many species are very similar and  there is much variation within each species. There are 24 species of bumblebees, around 225 species of solitary bee and just a single honeybee species in Britain. Just to confuse things further the last image is a bee-mimicking Hoverfly!!

Cambridge Camera Club Exhibition

It is that time of year again - the CCC Exhibition is on until Saturday (10 - 5pm) at St Andrews Baptist Church. Free Entry. There is the adjacent Stoneyard Cafe for coffee, tea or lunches so do come and visit if you are free. Images from last night's Opening.

Pasque Flowers 5: Bluebells 10

Barry joined me on my annual pilgrimage to Therfield Heath for the Pasque flowers and Gamlingay Woods for the Bluebells and other Spring flowers. There is a reasonable display of Pasque flowers this year with some already over and some still to come out - the snails are munching their way through quite a lot of them. The Bluebells and Oxlips are at their best at the moment and a very good year.