Using Fuji X100V for Nature Images 2.

On today's visit to Royston Heath, I spent more time with the X100V looking at its potential for environmental nature shots. I am pleased with the results on the Chalkhill Blues and Wasp Spider. These are taken at F8 with auto firing of the flash just adding a bit of 'sparkle' to the images. Used at closest focus point, the backgrounds are quite diffuse but pulling back gives a pleasing amount of separation but still detail of the habitat.  

 

Sharpenhoe Early Morning

We made a short early morning visit to Sharpenhoe and enjoyed an hour or so as the insects warmed up. Mostly the Chalkhill blues were feeding but we found one pair already coupled. Lots of Burnet moths emerging from pupae and expanding their wings, a fine yellow spider enjoying a Chalkhill breakfast and a Small White basking on a leaf.

Holly's Allotment

Holly's allotment in Cambridge was looking wonderful last week despite the very dry conditions. It is a mixture of colourful flowers and vegetables all with a structured yet not too formal layout. 

Sharpenhoe Butterflies and Burnet Moths

Weather is never what you want! - last year our RPS Nature Group outing to Sharpenhoe was a literal wash out with 24 hours torrential rain before the day. This year we chose Friday, which turned out to be the hottest day of the year (and third recorded hottest ever in UK). This brought the butterflies out in great numbers but meant we couldn't survive on the chalk slopes much beyond lunch. There was a strong breeze which helped cool us but further complicated the photography. Enough excuses - here are a few captures from the day - mostly Chalkhill blues of which there were 1000s  but also Burnet moth, Speckled Wood, Tortoiseshell and Brimstone. Mixture of straight shots and focus stacks, which unfortunately show defects if focus where the subjects were moving too much in the wind. A following post will show somewhat  better images from Saturday morning.

 

 

 

Progress Report 4 on Wildlife Garden

Wildflower gardens are at their best in May - June and, by beginning of July, are beginning to go to seed. I still have ragwort, purple loosestrife, sneezewort, cornflowers, wild parsnips, marigolds, oxeye daisies,  cornflowers, corn marigolds, yarrow, white and yellow bedstraw, nettle and corncockle are still flowering.