Tuesday, 30th November 2010 - Photo #334

I love this climbing frame at our local park, I know it is well worn and unloved but the colours are lovely. After looking at this picture to put on my blog I didn't like the window frames of the houses behind the park, the white frames were too distracting. So good old photoshop popped the climbing frame as it was the only way I could think of to bring out the colours.

Carrying the camera really makes me notice things like this, I love photographing snowy scenes but why do they have to be so COLD?!!!!

Monday, 29th November 2010 - Photo #333

On my way to fetch Hope from her friend's house tonight I passed some lovely big leaves that were covered in frost and are underneath a street light, they were shining beautifully and made me want to run (skid) back home and grab my camera. Unfortunately, I chickened out because the leaves are in someone's front garden and I didn't want to stand with a camera outside their window. Instead I looked for sparkly leaves in my garden, unfortunately, there was none to be found only the snow glistening under the patio light and the grumpy gargoyle but I gave them a go and have applied a neat little action in photoshop (love it!).

Sunday, 28th November 2010 - Photo #332

On our way back from my Sister and Brother in Law's I noticed the sunset over fields just outside of Twycross Village, Carl stopped the car in a handy lay-by and I snapped away. I did think about the poor animals in the Zoo freezing in this weather. More snow on the way?..........

Saturday, 27th November 2010 - Photo #331

I liked these leaves as the sun was shining on them but they still had snow on them. We had a good old covering during the night and woke up to everything white, it's freezing again now though so tomorrow will be treacherous - careful all.

Friday, 26th November 2010 - Photo #330

Went out for my first Christmas meal of the season last night, Christmas dinner is my favourite meal ever, I love it. But I pushed the boundaries last night by having apple and raspberry crumble instead of Christmas pudding! However, when my crumble arrived there was a massive gap between it and the jug of custard. Because we are a group of reserved young ladies this sign seemed to fill the gap nicely and guess what - WE WON THE QUIZ TOO!!!! (OK when we won we were anything but reserved but we were excited and it is nearly Christmas......)

Thursday, 25th November 2010 - Photo #329

I found this beautiful shaped bottle of water at University tonight and couldn't believe it, students have obviously got a lot better taste than I expected. I thought they lived on Pot Noodles - oh no, this is the poshest bottle of water I have ever seen. Just had to buy it and blog it much to the amusement of my 'study buddies' Sue and Chantell. I think I'll put it in the fridge just to look posh!

Wednesday, 24th November 2010 - Photo #328

Been playing around with my Galileo thermometer that Pam and Ron bought me from France. I love the colours of the dye in the little bulbs but have really struggled with reflections on the glass from the flash. I tried not using flash and the colours just didn't look as vibrant so in the end I used my flashgun and pointed the beam of light away from the glass, nearly blinded myself but got a picture so hey ho!!

Tuesday, 23rd November 2010 - Photo #237

Went for a walk with Zac this afternoon and these few trees caught my eye, I like the colours of the leaves and how the sky mirrors the shape of the grass in the foreground. I've added a vignette just to emphasize the circle shape and it almost looks like I took this with a fish eye lens.

Monday, 22nd November 2010 - Photo #326

Thought I would try something different tonight, the next theme of the competition at Camera Club is 'Interiors' - can you guess what this is taken inside of?? The washing machine! I had to use flash as it is dark inside but it hasn't reflected quite as bad as I thought it would. I like the fact that playing around with depth of field meant that some of the holes are in focus and some blurry. Looks a bit like a cheese grater, I think a nice building interior would work much better for the comp though!

Sunday, 21st November 2010 - Photo #325

The thing with Christmas Cards is that you have to get into the festive spirit early and it can be difficult. Had another go tonight (which had to fit it in between showers and X Factor - I'm sure professional photographers don't have this problem!) Once the moaning had stopped and Christmas hats decided on we gave it a go. I'm not sure yet whether this one will be the one (it is a lot more festive in colour) but I love their expressions and it is natural, which is tricky when Zac wants to chew Kirsten's antlers!

Saturday, 20th November 2010 - Photo #324

Here is Hope watching X Factor, but look who has beat her to the couch! Been playing with my flashgun again and if you look closely you'll notice Zac is still wearing his Christmas hat (trying to get a sneaky Christmas card but as you can see it hasn't worked). PHOTOSHOP IS CALLING!!

Friday, 19th November 2010 - Photo #323

Here is Kirsten at her laptop, I liked the small light source on her so took this from my sick bed/settee! As it was quite dark in the room I upped the ISO and slowed down the shutter speed without flash. I've sharpened this too, not sure whether I like it better with or without sharpening though. Still feel a bit sick, hopefully back up to speed tomorrow, right I'm off to cry at Children in Need.

Thursday, 18th November 2010 - Photo #322

Haven't had much opportunity to take a picture today as I have spent most of it in bed! Had a stomach bug last night and it's left me feeling pretty grotty, however, I had to go to Uni to drop in my first completed module for marking hooray. Dragged myself there and took this of a funny sculpture/installation/thingy that is at the front of the University site. Apparently, it is a willow sculpture called 'Linking Forms' and it was made by two students to celebrate graduates success. It was quite dark when I got there so I've upped the ISO a bit but I still needed a long shutter speed, I even managed some tail lights of a passing car. I've added some fill light on Picasa just to get some details into the willow.

Wednesday, 17th November 2010 - Photo #321

Had a bit more time tonight and saw this effect done in a recent photography magazine so decided to give it a go. Picked up some leaves on the way home from school and stuck two in water and popped them in the freezer, hey presto. I've taken loads of the block of ice and even noticed some bubbles inside the ice which I tried to get. Used my tripod and decided to use this one as I like the texture of the red leaf. I struggled with reflections from the lights even though I haven't used flash. Tricky.

Tuesday, 1i6th November 2010 - Photo #320

Walked to work this morning with my camera, as usual too late to get a shot on the way but I hoped that the frost and fog would still be around when I finished at dinner time to enable me to get a picture of something sparkly or misty. Got a great spider's web on our drive at half past one (can't believe it was still foggy then), the sun had just come out and I managed to get some nice light on it. Had to work quick as the sun was drying the dew drops and it was really tricky as the web is hanging on a buddleja which kept swaying in the breeze.

Monday, 15th November 2010 - Photo #319

I know, I know it's too early for Christmas stuff (will someone tell the shops) but I love berries so much that I'm going to make an exception for this one. There is a Holly bush over the road from us and on Zac's walk I tried a macro shot of these berries.

Promise no more till December!

Sunday, 14th November 2010 - Photo #318

I know Halloween has gone but Hope's model of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride caught my eye earlier and I thought I would try taking a portrait of her! Used my flashgun to enable me to get lots of detail but had to play about with the direction of the light as if it pointed straight at her and gave too much light it didn't look atmospheric enough. I'll never forget years ago Hope announcing this is what costume she wanted for a halloween party, what was wrong with a black cat or witch dress from Asda!

Saturday, 13th November 2010 - Photo #317

How could I not photograph this beautiful sunset? Had a really busy day today so it was a case of taking my camera on the run and as luck would have it this sight greeted me. Finding the right spot to take a sunset on foot is a real challenge as they last such a short time. I managed to get quite high to try and get rid of some of the rooftops but couldn't get the skyline completely clear as that would of meant falling down the hill!

Friday, 12th November 2010 - Photo #316

I have a thing about fossils, no rude cracks about Carl or Philip Glenister please! Here is one of Hope's taken on the bathroom floor tiles to complement the colours. Struggled a bit with flash as the surface of the fossil is very shiny and I ended up with quite bad reflections. Got there in the end, I messed about with black and white and even sepia for a trendy look but I like the terracotta colours best.

Thursday, 11th November 2010 - Photo #315

It is our friend Jude's 8th birthday today, here he is with 11 new friends. They are figures of all of the Dr Who's and very life like they are too. I remember being little and being frightened of the monsters that Tom Baker encountered, I think it was the only ever time I volunteered to go to bed early. Used my flashgun to capture the details on the figures.

Happy Birthday Jude XX

Wednesday, 10th November 2010 - Photo #314

How could I resist this face? Whilst sorting out some of Kirsten's teddies look who had to be in the middle of it! Used my old camera with my flashgun so it was good practice as I haven't used them together before - always learning folks!!

Tuesday, 9th November 2010 - Photo #313

Nipped out for some milk at tea time and took my camera to try and get a picture of the church with a nice sunset behind it. Unfortunately, I was just a little bit too late and I have had to up the ISO and lighten this picture to get the detail. I tried to get some trail lights of the traffic passing but really I needed my tripod. Didn't notice until I lighten this one that there are a crowd of kids just inside the gate of the church.

Monday, 8th November 2010 - Photo #312

Took Hope and two of her friends to see Paramore tonight, along with Jamie and Sarah. It was brilliant and the girls loved it. Here is the support act B.O.B. who is a rapper, not normally my favourite type of music but he was F.A.B. I took this photo to show the amount of people standing and the coloured lights on them. Our ears are ringing but it has been well worth it.

Sunday, 7th November 2010 - Photo #311

Took this at Markeaton Park this afternoon, well before the fireworks display started. The swans, geese and ducks must have been really hungry as they came close to anybody who stood at the side of the pool (even with Zac they were still curious if we had any bread). I love the colour of swans beaks.

Saturday, 6th November 2010 - Photo #310

On a walk up to the park near us with Zac I noticed the colours of the climbing frame/slide were fading just the same as those of the trees and the leaves. It was dusk when I took this so had to up the ISO and hold the camera as steady as possible because I needed a slightly longer shutter speed. I've added a tiny vignette to the edges of the picture and cropped an unsightly carrier bag out of the picture! Managed to get home before the fireworks started as Zac doesn't think much to them.

Friday, 5th November 2010 - Photo #309

Hope has had this teddy nearly all her life, it is a ty beanie baby which were all the rage a few years ago. Obviously this one is special because of it's name. I have tried to get the tag in focus but with my close up lens struggled to get the whole of the teddy in the picture. This one shows that the teddy is praying and I think is quite poignant.

Thursday, 4th November 2010 - Photo #308

Something I have been keen to try for a while is using a torch to light a picture. Here is my black (funny how it looks brown though) Pharaoh head (thanks Jeff and Collette) which I have lit from the side with a little torch. Had to rest the camera as it needed a long exposure because of the dark image. Having the torch in this position was far more flattering that straight on or above as both were really glarey(!) Ok that's not strictly a word but you know what I mean and it's late!