Thursday, 30th September 2010 - Photo #273

I am really late blogging tonight as today has been one long rush! Here is part of the reason, my course at University. I have taken this picture to remind me of starting the course and what few books/papers I have at the moment then I will compare them to the stack I have acquired at the end of the next three years (am I mad? - Don't answer that). I'm very sad too that Tony Curtis has died, Some Like it Hot will always be one of my favourite films.

Wednesday, 29th September 2010 - Photo #272

It was abit late before I got round to taking a photo today so I walked past the church and tried to take some in low light. The church is quite well lit but I still had to slow down the shutter speed and up the ISO quite alot. I like this one best of the gravestones under the orangey light. I love low light photos but they are really difficult to take as you really need a tripod and to be out at night with the camera, not really the thing to be doing on my own.

Tuesday, 28th September 2010 - Photo #271

"What a strange place for a home!"

On Zac's walk this afternoon, I noticed this rolled up barb wire on the top of a fence which I liked the shape of. I struggled to get a good shot of it as some was always out of focus due to taking it front ways on. However, when I was looking back at the pictures I noticed that a spider has made a web right in the centre of the circle. Just thought it was cool and I made it black and white to show the web up more.

Monday, 27th September 2010 - Photo #270

Another trip down memory lane today, when I was little I loved Smurfs (how sad?). I remember being dead jealous of my friend whose Dad got his petrol from the station that sold them, mine didn't! I managed to get a few and I still have them, here is Smurfette a la Roller Girl. I like the shadow but used a note book with a nice blue cover as the background and no matter how I crop it I can't get rid of the logo hey ho!

Sunday, 26th September 2010 - Photo #269

'He told the children'

That might sound like a strange title for a photo but there is a reason, honestly. Yesterday I signed up to take part in the 'shoot derby' project that is part of Derby Feste and was given the title which I had to capture in a photograph. The idea is that a story will be told (by Gwen Taylor, who used to be in Duty Free, remember that?) using all the images that people have taken over the past two days.

Obviously, it had to be something connected to Derby and we came up with the idea of standing by the new statue at Pride Park and Carl telling the children about Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. The models were up for it till we got there and there were a few other people taking pictures, once there all three got the giggles and became very camera shy (how unprofessional). Any way we liked this one best and put this one into the Quad for the story, which is being shown and narrated (by Gwen) tonight in the Market Place at 8.30pm. The girls are I are going to go to watch it but Carl is feeling cold and not up for it (I think he doesn't want to see himself on the big screen). They are going to publish the finished story online towards the end of next week and I'll put the website address on here when they do.

Saturday, 25th September 2010 - Photo #268

'The Aliens have Landed'

This weekend is Derby Feste, and the theme this year is colour and light and on Cathedral Green a Luminarium has been erected. Here it is from the other side of the bridge actually looking at the back of it. I took this view as there was a massive queue on the front side. It is an 'inflatable labyrinthine of tunnels and cavernous domes with various lights and reflections inside it'. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go in the luminarium but I have signed up to do something, more details of that on tomorrows blog. (If it goes wrong it will be a flower!!)

Friday, 24th September 2010 - Photo #267

I bought this gargoyle/imp keyring from Whitby Abbey when we went for my Dad's 70th birthday, told you I like funny faces! I put him on a slate placemat and turned him on his side to get the light and dark background. Used my close up filter as usual as I am too tight to buy a Macro lens at the moment! My birthday money is burning a hole though.

Thursday, 23rd September 2010 - Photo #266

"After the Rain"

Came across this field on Zac's walk this afternoon and I like the fact the sun is just starting to shine yet the fence still has drips on it. This field looks amazing when you pass it and it is full of rape seed flowers or some crops but unfortunately, they have harvested (obviously) and it is looking a bit bare. Typical.

Wednesday, 22nd September 2010 - Photo #265

"Frisbee Fun"

Still trying to get a picture for the movement competition at Camera Club, this is the best I have come up with and I took it this afternoon. Carl stated the obvious that it is blurred but isn't that the movement? Tried to get his face sharp and have air brushed the slobber, now do I dare send the title to the Competitions Secretary?????

Tuesday, 21st September 2010 - Photo #264

Here is a close up of one of the seed heads that have appeared on our ivy. They are a great shape. I got in close with a shallow depth of field to make the background nice and blurred to make them stand out. There was a bit of a breeze so I shot in multiple shot mode to try and get a nice sharp one. Still not found a decent "movement" shot for the competition arrrgggghhhh!

Monday, 20th September 2010 - Photo #263

Bit of an experiment tonight, I found an autumnal coloured leaf on my walk with Zac and I thought it would be perfect to show autumn is on it's way. However, the stalk of the leaf was so short that I had to hold the leaf to get it in front of a nice plain background. Not a good idea when you want to get a sharp shot. I got a nice colour on the grass in the background but couldn't hold the leaf still enough. I even resorted to taping the leaf to some cardboard. You know me I love abit of back lighting so I'll go with this one. The speaker at tonight's Camera Club said the way to learn is to take loads of photos, well that is definitely what I'm doing.

Sunday, 19th September 2010 - Photo #262

Hope and Kirsten have got back from a Guides sleepover at Alton Towers tonight and have had a great time. They were both desperate to go on the new ride there called '13', they did and both said it was great (and scary!) Kirsten brought back a medal to prove that she had done it. I couldn't resist blogging it and tried to get a surreal feel to it by using a mirror to catch the reflection. Mirrors are great but obviously reflect everything so getting a clear background was a bit of a challenge and my legs ache now from crouching down to avoid light fittings and myself!

Saturday, 18th September 2010 - Photo #261

Arrggh, the next competition theme at Camera Club is 'movement' and I'm really struggling to get a shot that I am happy with. Tried today to take Zac whilst he is running. Started at first trying to 'pan' the camera as he ran past but this is really difficult (must get some tips off Andy when I next see him as he photographs motorbikes alot). Well it just looked really blurred, then I thought I'd try holding the camera steady so the background is clear and Zac is blurred to imply how fast he is going. Still no good, got one shot that is not too bad but he has a great big blob of slobber hanging from his mouth! This one is with a fast shutter speed to freeze him running, it's clearer and his body is mirroring the line of the pitch but doesn't really shout movement. Next time can we have a theme called 'Standing Still' please.

Friday, 17th September 2010 - Photo #260

Started to take a photo of the flowers on the patio when Zac came along to have a sniff and see what was going on. How could I resist showing what a softie he is!

Thursday, 16th September 2010 - Photo #259

Went up to the A50 today to try some more 'movement' shots, can't get anything moving much faster than the traffic but I was more taken by these horses keeping out of the sun on the way back.

I've 'warmed' it rather than changed it to sepia as this gave a better contrast. You can see just how bright it was this afternoon as the landscape in the background is almost burnt out.

Wednesday, 15th September 2010 - Photo #258

I'm a bit late blogging tonight as I was trying to get a 'movement' shot of the flowers on the patio, unfortunately the rain started just as I had set the tripod up and the ones I managed to get look rubbish to be quite honest!

As I am now on a bit of a health kick I decided to give Zac a late walk and got to a decent spot to try and take a photo of the moon. As I got to the spot the clouds that were drifting nicely past the moon all disappeared so I just got the plain old moon. This one is the only one anywhere near sharp as really I needed to use my tripod for the longish shutter speed AND I had Zac with me so keeping steady was a challenge. I must admit that it is a bit nerve racking taking the camera out late at night especially for a woman on her own (even with a big hairy German Shepherd!)

Tuesday, 14th September 2010 - Photo #257

Been over to Birmingham again tonight to visit our niece Eva who is in the Children's Hospital there. Whilst there we went for a bite to eat at a Chinese restaurant and I liked this wooden statue of Koi Carp. I noticed that each of the fish had a coin in it's mouth and I asked the waitress why this was. She told me that it was for good luck and wealth and depending on which direction the statue is facing it would bring different types of luck. If a fish with a coin in it's mouth is placed facing the East then it will bring well being to the family. This seems really appropriate at the moment so hopefully this little chap is facing East.

Love you Eva XXXXX

Monday, 13th September 2010 - Photo #256

Had a play around with reflections and perspectives with my 'love' mirror that I got for Christmas. Used a black background to add more contrast. Just need Carl to put it on the wall now!

Sunday, 12th September 2010 - Photo #255

Here is the Britannia Pier in Great Yarmouth. As Sunday was a nice day we decided to have a walk along the sea front.

I love the blue sky of this picture.

It's a day we'll never forget as my Mum fell over and hurt her already poorly leg in front of a Lawn Bowls tournament to the amusement of the players and spectators! A friendly paramedic and a cup of tea soon sorted her out luckily.

Saturday, 11th September 2010 - Photo #254

Told you it was bad, here is the pool!!!

To be fair it is no longer in use and is fenced off, I had to risk life and limb climbing onto an old bench to take this picture.

I can just imagine how it would of looked in it's heyday though. Now where are those goggles.....................

Friday, 10th September 2010 - Photo #253

Sorry there hasn't been any photos for the past few days I have been away to my 'Elvis holiday'. It is something I have done since being a kid along with my mum who is a massive Elvis fan and may sound crazy but is very special to us. This year, along with my friend Wendy, we stayed at a new venue as the Pontins site we normally stay at has closed down (no it's nothing to do with us going there before you ask). Oh dear, look at the state of the sheds...I mean chalets!

Turned this picture sepia just to make it look even more 1950's, I could imagine Su Pollard cleaning these chalets and the xylophone pinging 'Hi-De-Hi' every morning. (If you think this is bad wait til tomorrows photo!)

Thursday, 9th September 2010 - Photo #252

Meet our new friend who sits watching us on the wall, told you I like funny faces! Took him in the evening with some lovely light behind him but I think even the prettiest light would have a hard time making him beautiful! I like him because no matter how fed up I feel no one could ever be as cheesed off as this poor old gargoyle.

Wednesday, 8th September 2010 - Photo #251

Spotted this in Birmingham City Centre tonight as we have been over to visit our niece Eva who is in the Children's Hospital there. The quote on the bottom says "Never had a man less reason to be humble about his talent". I always think about the doctors sketch when he said "a pint, that's nearly an armful!".

Love you Eva XXXX

Tuesday, 7th September 2010 - Photo #250

Happy birthday Carl, I love you. XXX

Monday, 6th September 2010 - Photo #249

"Hearts for Eva"

These hearts are for our little niece Eva, she loves sparkly and girly things so they are perfect for her. We love you lots sweetheart and are thinking about you. XXX

Sunday, 5th September 2010 - Photo #248

Went into Derby this afternoon and played about with shutter speeds to photograph the running water of the fountain/waterfall. I like the verdigris colour of the curve that the water falls over so have upped the saturation just a tad to bring it out. As it was a longer shutter speed to make the water look smooth I found that the bush in the foreground moved slightly in the breeze so had to keep waiting for a still moment.