Wednesday, 30th June 2010 - Photo #181

Struggled with this one tonight, this unusual fly was on the kitchen window for ages and I quickly grabbed my camera. Unfortunately, I couldn't get him in focus and tried for ages to get a sharp shot. This is about the best although he has actually just taken off which is why his wings and tail are abit fuzzy. I like the shape of his legs and the colour of the background which is a total fluke as it was the house over the road but has turned out a mysterious grey colour.

Hope next door didn't think I was stalking them as I was standing at the kitchen window pointing the camera at their house. Obviously, they don't know this fellow was the reason, if they call the police I'll let you know!

Tuesday, 29th June 2010 - Photo #180

Kirsten was presented with a certificate and medal tonight at Pride Park from the Children's University and here she is at the main entrance. She wasn't too keen posing for this one and quickly ran and stuck her arms out then ran back! (Some model eh?)

Well done Kirsten.

Monday, 28th June 2010 - Photo #179

"Look who I found!"

Anyone that knows me knows that this is as close as I could ever come to a frog (luckily it's a pot one). He sits guarding my (few) flowers. I have been trying out my 18-105mm lens on the flowers and am really pleased with how clear they are coming out. I usually use my 55-200mm for close ups with a close up filter but the 18-105mm has impressed me. I've taken loads of the flowers but rather than use them I liked this one with a hint of the colours behind him. The grass at the front is a little bit distracting but I like to call it 3D!

Sunday, 27th June 2010 - Photo #178

"Waving Flags"

As we bow out of the World Cup I thought I would take one last snap of the flags decorating the patio. Carl will, no doubt, take them down asap.

I tried using a slower shutter speed to get the flags actually waving but I like this sharper shot as you can actually see the St George crosses.

Saturday, 26th June 2010 - Photo #177

I saw this bus on my way back to the car park today in town and loved it's colours. Colour popped the bus to make it stand out. Unfortunately, I was in a rush and forgot to change my white balance from flash, from using my lights last night so I think that is why the sky is quite burnt out. Mind you it was sunny too. There was a display in the market square of Army/Navy Cadets and it was packed.

Friday, 25th June 2010 - Photo #176

"Voices in my Head"

Got the lights out tonight as I wanted to try just using one light instead of two. It worked really well although I have got a bit of a shadow on the right hand side of the picture. I collaged these three pictures together just for fun but had to really lighten the background to stop the join showing. It was good practise.

I've just thought if I had of got Kirsten to do the right actions it could have been called "The Three Wise Monkeys"!!

Thursday, 24th June 2010 - Photo #175

I had a bit of time tonight after dropping the girls off at Guides and not finding what I wanted in town, so decided to take some pictures to blog. I'd parked opposite the site of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and decided to have a trip down memory lane by walking down to Trinity Street to the old Nightingale Maternity Home. My Mum was born there and we laugh when we pass it as she tells us this fact every time!! It is now The Nightingale Nursing Home but I think due to the DRI closing the home has closed too and is all boarded up looking very sad. However, I did take some of the front steps and the statue of Florence.

This statue, however, is the one on London Road and is at the old entrance to the hospital. It has been repaired because as a kid I always looked for her missing hand, she now has hand and lamp complete and you can see the join where her head has been fixed back on. I googled the statue and there was a couple of news stories including beer cans being stuck on her lamp by yobs and discussing renaming the site in her memory. I think she has a beautiful look on her face and I really hope that when they redevelop the site they do something fitting for this lovely statue.

Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 - Photo #174

Carl found the bubble sword that Kirsten bought at the Bearded Theory Festival in May and decided to try and fill it up with a mixture of fairy liquid and water. It took him ages to get the right quantities and Zac was beside himself by the time Carl was getting huge bubbles that he could chase.

Here is one that went downwards and I managed to catch, note to self don't wear your daughters crocs when your reflection is going to be in a photograph!!

Couldn't resist this one too, Zac just caught it and then got a mouthful of fairy liquid - tried not to laugh honestly.

Tuesday, 22nd June 2010 - Photo #173

Thought the inside of the pepper was very interesting with all the seeds and the patterns. Used my close up filter for this shot and a low aperture to focus just on the seeds themselves.

Monday, 21st June 2010 - Photo #172

Took Zac for a late walk tonight and there was an amazing sunset, spoilt by pylons and telephone lines! I couldn't get a shot without them in - arrggh, so frustrating.

I've letter boxed this one and it's quite close to the top to avoid the telephone line, I know I could have cloned it out but it would have been really tricky as it was right across the brightest orange part near the sun. Why are sunsets so beautiful but so difficult to photograph?

Sunday, 20th June 2010 - Photo #171

Found this door in the walled gardens at Elvaston Castle today and have given it an old fashioned look which I think makes it look a bit spooky. It struck me that there is an iron fence AND a wooden door marked Private, what could be behind this door?

Saturday, 19th June 2010 - Photo #170

Another portrait I'm afraid, but I have been busy today with my studio lights taking pictures of some friends and their children. Really enjoyed it and the lights didn't let me down. This one of Hope was a total fluke I took it trying to see if my flashgun was firing at the same time as my lights and just pointed this towards her to trigger the lights. I have rotated it as she was lying down, I like the effect of her hair flying outwards. Took some in front of the England flag too which doubled up as a great backdrop.

Friday, 18th June 2010 - Photo #169

Here is Kirsten in a pensive mood by the window. I was trying to get a nice effect from the natural light shining through. Unfortunately, the garage that you can see out of the window was a bit distracting so I have made it black and white. Note to self don't try and take photos at the top of stairs, you run out of room!

Thursday, 17th June 2010 - Photo #168

Been out tonight to a couple of fields with loads of wild poppies in them with Jamie. We went about 9pm to get the sunset too, unfortunately, the sun went down quite quickly. We got some good practise in though but I think I have been bitten by the midges. I tried shooting into the sun which is a technique I really like. This one was taken towards the end of the bright sun but I like the spider and her web.

Wednesday, 16th June 2010 - Photo #167

This gerbera was in a bouquet of flowers that Alison bought me and it's so beautiful I had to photograph it. Tried some on the patio table which is glass to show the reflection of the flower but it looked very similar to some that we took at my college course not long ago. Just before I put the camera away I held it up to the patio window with the blinds closed and tried to get the flower and it's shadow. Thanks Nicky for the tip of underexposing slightly and I even looked at my histogram!

Tuesday, 15th June 2010 - Photo #166

Got the idea tonight of trying to match my subject to the background, it was after reading an article in a magazine about how a chap with a grey cat had turned the image a greyish black and white which really complimented the cat's fur and made a great photo. Andy from my camera club gave me some tie dye effect backgrounds and I though the brown one might work with Zac's colouring. Unfortunately, I think Zac blended in too much and the photos just didn't work for me. In the end I used really low light, my flashgun and a black background which did make him stand out.

I know, I know it's Zac again but really it is the effect I am going for and hey, if I get a picture of him that I am pleased with then so be it. Still got to keep trying though I think. Can you tell he was fed up with me in this picture?

Monday, 14th June 2010 - Photo #165

The ceanothus (googled it) and santolina (thanks Mum!) are flowering at the moment so I thought I would try and get a picture of them. To be honest straight pictures of these flowers were abit boring so I have cropped to an unusual shape and tried making them look more like wall art. I went back and changed my original collage too as I noticed there was a close up of the blue ceanothus but not a close one of the yellow santolina. Cropped again as best as I could in Picasa, but feel it's good not to just think "that'll do" and really try to get what I originally imagined it to look like.

Sunday, 13th June 2010 - Photo #164

"Can we share it?"

Been over to see our friends Jeff, Collette and Jordan today and their dog Floyd. Last time we saw Floyd he was tiny, he has grown really fast. Zac was trying to be the big dog and tried to put Floyd in his place a few times. Floyd didn't bother at all and just kept going back for more. They had a chewy bone each which Zac only wanted when Floyd was nice and quietly enjoying his! Here they are just before Floyd barked at Zac, which made Zac jump, which made Floyd jump, which made Kirsten jump, which made me nearly drop the camera!

Saturday, 12th June 2010 - Photo #163

Beers are in the fridge, burgers on the barbeque, bunting is up and faces painted. C'MON ENGLAND!!!

Friday, 11th June 2010 - Photo #162

Found it really frustrating tonight doing my blog as I came back from Donington along the A50 and there was a gorgeous sunset. Problem is why do we see these sights when we are in the car and there's no where to park? Then to make matters worse there is a really tall tree at the end of our road that I thought would make a nice picture with the sunset behind it. Snap, aarggh, who put those rotten telegraph poles in the way? I bet my neighbours think I'm mad as I even stood in the middle of the road to get them out of shot but to no avail. So in the end I sulked and took my reflection in the car wing mirror!

Thursday, 10th June 2010 - Photo #161

"Happy 15th!"

It's mine and Carl's 15th Wedding Anniversary today so we celebrated by going to the Water Margin restaurant on Burton Road. It was lovely. The girls enjoyed trying new dishes and being ducks with the napkins!

How fair is this I got a new engagement ring and Carl got two t-shirts! Hey I'm practical.

Wednesday, 9th June 2010 - Photo #160

Been a bit of a rush tonight to get my blog done, even though it is half past ten! But as it happens I have learnt from my mistakes. I saw a picture of a man with a ring of light around him, it was done by someone moving a candle all the way around him quick enough that the camera didn't pick him up just the light. A long shutter speed is needed, two willing helpers, a candle and tripod. I only had one willing helper as Kirsten has hurt her leg and wasn't in the mood to have a hot candle whooshed around her head! (Health and Safety anyone?) But I noticed that the camera exposed for the candle so Kirsten was too dark. Then we tried exposing without the candle in the frame and once I had pressed the shutter then moving the candle around. It worked to a certain extent but needs some more practise on a day when Kirsten is feeling a bit more helpful. Here is a picture of Hope which was the first one I took tonight (typical) which I have turned black and white to avoid seeing the two different blacks of her jumper and the background material.

Tuesday, 8th June 2010 - Photo #159

Well this is a turn up! Not even 8am and I am blogging (what's happening to me). Let Zac out this morning and waiting for me was this fellow sitting on top of the garage. It had just stopped raining (again) so out came the camera and breakfasts, packed lunches etc had to wait! I like the composition of this picture although the pigeon isn't the sharpest I'll admit. What is it with me and pigeons?

Monday, 7th June 2010 - Photo #158

I'm always reading in magazines and on web sites to take pictures at different angles, well this one is taken hanging over the patio wall looking down onto a lupin. It had just stopped raining, so I nipped out and took some pictures. If you look closely you can see a cobweb complete with spider too.

Sunday, 6th June 2010 - Photo #157

I was wondering what to blog today as it's raining and we've been catching up with homework, ironing (yawn, yawn). Passed Hope's disco ball in her room and the idea struck me. Found my black fleece material to use as the background, plugged in the ball and hey presto. I played about with shutter speeds to try and show the different colours wizzing round. I noticed that the longer the shutter speed the lighter the image (obviously more light is able to get into the sensor). This shot is about 1 second which was long enough to get the colours mingling into each other but not too long to burn out the bulb or show up the background.

Saturday, 5th June 2010 - Photo #156

What sunny days are for.......

With the lovely weather today we decided to have a barbecue and here are the essentials! Yum.

My blog is starting to look like I'm obsessed with food! Now where's that coleslaw?