Looking 'wild' at Lytham

A quick shot of impending poor weather (what's new) on the way home from my Dentist!

Rawstorne Singers choir photo

A Black & White conversion of a photograph of the choir, having just performed a concert of Christmas music for the 'Friends of the Harris' Museum and Art Gallery, in Preston, 8 December 2011.

First attempt at HDR

I thought I might as well jump on the HDR band-wagon and 'have a go' - this was taken under one of the bridges at the Miller and Avenham Parks, in Preston, using three individual exposures.

Preston at night

In the city centre, from the steps of the Minster Church of St. John...

And down at the Marina (Preston Docks)...

A 'dark' day

Only in the weather stakes!  The heavens were just about to open well and truely!

Why I do photography!

Over the summer and autumn of this year I attended a creative workshop for budding artists and poets.  I have steered clear of most things 'arty' having been advised, in a school art class (a LONG time ago), 'not to give up science'; and pretty much the same from my English teacher.  Photography was a much simpler bet.

Anyway, the time came in these workshops where I could not get out of picking up a stick of charcoal and 'having a go'!  My pathetic attempts (in negative form to match the blog background) are shown below....

'A Night Drive'

With DSLR securely strapped to the dashboard with duct tape, intervalometer set to take a six second shot every 30 seconds, at f11 and 17-85mm zoom set at around 20mm, the camera was prefocused and the LCD back display covered with a black scarf (to avoid the temptation to 'take a peek' whilst driving) and I set off for a 10 minute drive round the block.

This was one of the better shots.

Ink Drop experiment

Confined to the kitchen, due to extended bad weather, and looking for things to photograph, I set up this shot using a vase of water and a range of inks and food colouring and off-camera flash.

Around the Harris Museum & Art Gallery 3

A bit of trick photography - well, not really - using a strobing flash to freeze sequential positions of Foucault's Pendulum - only really had one chance to take the shot!

Around the Harris Museum & Art Gallery 2

Another artwork...this time a bronze from the second floor.........

Around the Harris Museum & Art Gallery 1

Just a few shots taken over the last year on visits to the museum and art galley...'a spooky night at the museum'.

A bust of 'Clite', displayed on the stairway......

Milo - "Superdog"

Just could not resist Paint Shopping the 'S' cape onto this animal.  The Jack Russell was captured whilst exercising with a greyhound and, I might add, was keeping pace rather well!

Coming in fast and low . . . . .

Again, in Haslam Park.

Kestrel in the hover

Seen over Haslam Park in Preston - looks like lunch is almost ready!

My new friend!

A natural model ........

Cuerden Valley Park

I decided to brave the heat today and head off to Cuerden park.  Unfortunately, it was over-run by untethered dogs, being allowed to run free, in and out of the stream and surrounding banks, making it virtually impossible to find a 'virgin' patch of undisturbed wildlife.

That said, I did manage to find a Banded Demoiselle (Damselfly), which I ended up stalking with my 55-250mm lens at full zoom, and got a few shots (unfortunately never from the desired angle).

Whilst taking a break, resting on a bench seat, I spotted an orange speck on some foliage about 3 metres away.  On closer inspection I found it to be a Ladybird (7 spot variety).  It was fairly motionless (probably baked in the sun) which gave me ample time to switch lenses to a 100mm Macro f/2.8 and get in fairly close, with the result below.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oPk4Qexp0xY/S_sPvaqCeUI/AAAAAAAACA8/wO6FhCOxgYk/s1600/Banded-Demoiselle.jpg

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Longton Brickcroft

A very short trip to the Brickcroft before the weather turned rather ominous and all wildlife was scared away by a number of dogs and there walkers 'bounding' round the site (the dogs, that is!).  One day I will buy a book to help identify some of the plants, but until then I shall just have to grab the odd photograph, and guess that this is a Common burdock.

A Day at the Musicals

Attended a University of Central Lancashire production of 'The Witches of Eastwick', staged by third year Performing Arts students - and it was BRILLIANT!  The young lady, introducing the show, clearly stated that 'Flash Photography was NOT allowed'!  Fair-game then for non-Flash Photography, I thought, and so rattled off a few (50 or so) frames during the performance - flash OFF; silly 'electronic shutter sounds' OFF, monopod at the ready.

After the show, I did mention that I had taken some photographs, in full view of the cast (they were only 2 metres away at times), and I was 'advised' NOT to publish them - hopefully by creating a low resolution mosaic of a few of them (and additionally blurring faces, à la Google Street View), they are sufficiently indistinct not to cause offence, whilst still giving some taste of the occasion.

Lytham in the snow

Two weeks after a tooth crown falling out, I manage to pick some of the worst weather to drive the 12 miles to Lytham (to have my root canal filled and the crown reset).  A drive that would normally have taken half an hour, took nearer an hour and a half, but at least on the way home I managed to get this wintery shot of Lytham Windmill (before the anaesthetic wore off!!!).  It is actually in colour!

Unseasonal - but too good to waste!

Just found this on an SD card in the bottom of my camera bag and, whilst not exactly seasonal for the end of November, I thought it was just too pretty not to share - it might even cheer some of us up after the weather we have been having lately.