In the Meadows at Wicken Fen

Some of the species seen and photographed at Wicken Fen yesterday - Ruddy Darter, Emerald Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Essex skipper and Large Skipper etc.

Marvel of Metamorphosis

I always enjoy this time of year when a visit to our pond early in the morning will usually be rewarded with views of emerging dragonflies - here a Southern Hawker. Difficult to photograph as early on flash is required or I use focus stacking as in image 2 (25 shots on Fuji X-T2 at f2.8) but this is very hit and miss with the dragonfly often moving. Later F8 and then F13 can be used but the lighting is much harsher (small amount of fill-in flash)

Infrared at Stowe Gardens NT

Yesterday, Jonathan ran an RPS outing to Stowe Gardens with infrared photography as one of the topics. I have two infrared digital cameras - an ancient EOS 1D mark II which is heavy to carry but produces beautiful sharp gentle images. My travel infrared is a Sony RX100 which I am still exploring to produce the most reliable results. I loaned it out for some of the time. Here a variety of effects that these cameras can produce. The first four images are from the Sony - I take both RAW and jpeg, the latter having creative style Autumn leaves which gives an interesting hue to the image as in the first image, the second is a monochrome conversion from RAW, the third, the water lilies, is a JPEG from the Sony with a bit of colour enhancement, and the fourth Channel Swopped to give blue sky etc . The other six images are from the Canon Raw (I have not included any monochrome conversions here). The first three images show the results of different profiles created to convert the Raw to a suitable spectrum for adjustment. My favourite is the daisies image - I always like the soft blue images obtained in shade or dull conditions. The last three are Channel swopped etc!

Final views from Northumberland

Back a week now and here are images from the final two days - a visit to Lindisfarne and a walk along the golf course at Embleton and back along the beach. Ending, as is traditional, with a fine sunset from just near our holiday house at Seahouses.

 

 

Classic Views at Bamburgh Beach

Not the best lighting for our visit to bamburgh Beach. Here a few views using slow shutterspeeds and/or foreground interest to try and make the most of the 'classic' views.

Seasonal Check on Toft Wildlife

It is interesting to see how species vary from year to year in their appearance and abundance. The Marbled Whites in 2012 and 2013 weren't  recorded in our local meadow until mid July but since then, every year it has been around the 28th June and this year similar (June27/28th). There are fewer this year at the moment in the evening roost but they have spread further including one in our garden. Other species doing well are the Small Heath and Large Skippers. Other records for the garden to compare - Dragonflies - less abundant than last year - around 20 Chasers emerged (focus-stacked example here) and so far 4 Southern Hawkers- hopefully more to come. Empis flies have been particularly abundant as this pair here - a strange mating procedure where male brings female a tasty morsel to suck on while he is busy at the other end.

Cragside Northumberland

Rain threatened all morning last Wednesday but fortunately we managed a whole dry morning to explore Cragside, a wonderfully eccentric National Trust property. I didn't get further than the grounds which are spectacular. The house and gardens are the work of William Armstrong - Victorian inventor  and landscape genius. It was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. The gardens are incredible with one of the largest rock gardens in Europe leading down to the Iron Bridge and an arboretum with the tallest Scots pine in England.