As the title says, Autumn is just around the corner. I do like walking through woods when autumn is arriving, seeing all the leaves changing colours. I think this year will be great for the colours of autumn. Off on holiday in a couple of weeks time, and hopefully all the colours will be shining.
This was taken with the Sigma 150-500mm Lens. It is a good versatile lens, the light was not that bright in the woods, but pump up the ISO level on the 40D and it manages to produce a good shot.
I have a couple of excellent plugins for CS4, one being Define 2.0 from Nik Software, very good at detecting noise on a shot and smoothing it out. The other plugin is Nik software sharpener. That is a serious good plug in.
There were thousands of Swan at Abberton yesterday. I am thinking this was a male swan, he came swimming in with his wings all puffed out.
This was taken from inside one of the bird hides. I wasn't sure if there was any etiquette in a bird hide, and if the shutter noise would disturb the bird watchers. Well no one complained, so I guess it is ok :-)
Really liking my new Sigma lens. Today we went to Abberton reserve (Essex Wildlife Trust) This is actually captured through the visitors centre window. The light was pretty much perfect today.
Mode 2 of the OS on the sigma 150-500mm lens. This is used for panning shots. This is really is the first half decent shot I have done with this lens.
Hopefully I will be visiting a couple of wildlife centre tomorrow, and I will be able to practice some more.
Look out for some new shots soon.
Some fine detail captured from the Sigma 150-500mm lens. The light was pretty fantastic today, and the canon 40d and Sigma worked a treat to capture some very good details.
If anyone is thinking of purchasing this lens then GO FOR IT!
A blackheaded gull showing its winter plumage - yes I know it's only September.
This was taken with my new Sigma 150-500mm DG OS lens. Quite staggered in the details. The optical stabilization is amazing to see working. Totally worth the money and glad after much research buying the lens.
Today we went to Finginghoe Wick nature reserve. There were not that many birds over there today, but plenty of dragonflies.
Managed to capture this one.
Whilst having a cup of tea in the garden, this little critter comes and pays a visit. QUICK, grab the camera I shout!!
Normally this would send any wildlife running/flying for cover, but today this little butterfly just stayed put, thankfully.
Managed to get some good shots off.
I have been ill for a couple of days, typical that it's the bank holiday weekend too. I feel better today, so grabbed my camera and headed out to the garden.
No idea what this little fellow is, but the eyes are quite amazing really. I know my macro photography is not the best in the world, and there are more expensive equipment out there, but all the same I think this is a fairly good shot.
I will be getting a new laptop on Wednesday, and hopefully will be able to breeze through processing more photographs in Photoshop soon.
I used Photoshop to desaturate the background to emphasis the butterfly and thistle. Ideally I would've liked to get lower down to take the shot, but as you know butterflies I easily spooked.
I have really enjoying the British summer at the moment, there seems to be an abundant supply of insects and flowers to take pictures of.
Although the forecast for the next couple of weeks seem to be rain showers, but then again I think we should take that with a pinch of salt, as the met office said that we should paint our houses white to deflect the intense heat.
Hmmm.................;-)
Another shot from our walk at Chest Woods. Still amazed of the amount of butterflies there that day.
I thought that scientists said that there was a big decline in butterflies this year, well I think they need to visit some other area's rather than their labs. OK, I might be being flippant and they are probably suggesting other species of butterfly.
This is another shot of the smoke session, expect to see some more. I think I will upload some with the black BG.
Would just like to mention that I was inspired by this:
http://gavtrain.blogspot.com/2009/07/smoke-photography-made-simple-week-62_23.html
I have been trying my hand at some Smoke Photography. Equipment used:
1 x Incense Stick
1 x Black Background
1 x Canon 40D with Sigma 28-70mm Lens
1 x Canon Speedlite 430II flash with an Elastic band and 2 pieces of Cardboard.
1 x Table light - to light the smoke for the auto focus on the camera
Ok I will describe the cardboard first. With the flash you do not want any spill over of the flash, so you strap to pieces of cardboard on the side of the flash head, so that you direct the flash towards the smoke.
Setting for the camera, F/9.0 Speed 1/160th. Flash was set to 1/2 power.
After shots were taken, I processed in PS CS4, inverting image and then adding another layer and blending in some colour.
This is the results.
Not sure what kind of Damselfly this is, but it was a remarkable blue colour. I am sure it was playing with me too, as I got close it would fly away.
While we were at Chest Wood we saw hundreds of butterflies all over the place, it was quiet an extrondanary site to see. Well here are a couple of shots.
Well after a hiatus of taking photographs, I went mad at the weekend with a few projects.
This is a shot of my Cactus flower, it only last between 24 and 36 hours. I read on the internet how to get it to flower and thought I would try.
When do you stop messing about with the colour in a photograph?
This is a shot of the Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District. It shows the sinkhole for when the water levels are high. I think this is the lowest level I have seen the water at.
I haven't updated the website for a while. I think I was just going through a lazy phase.
Found this flower underneath a tree in the garden. I think it is from a packet of wildflower seeds that we spread there.
Another shot of a Cosmos Daisy in the garden, they are excellent subjects for a flower photographer.
I think I was lucky with this little fellow, no matter how close I got he just didn't want to move. Good for me.
Managed to get a good close up of a bee today. He was cleaning the pollen off his eyes, hence the leg.
We have some lovely Cosmos Daisies flowering at the moment, this one is from the Greenhouse, so pretty much under controlled conditions.
Another shot from the garden today. This little critter was on the Pear Tree, and I was wondering if to sqaush it or not. Apparently they do not harm the plants......... Well hopefully. 
A shot from my garden, this is a white Geranium (not a pelagonium), commonly know as a Cranesbill.
This was a quick grab shot at Fingringhoe Wick. The Pheasant was in a little wildlife enclosure and I guess was looking for some food.
This is a shot of a common blue Damselfly, taken at Fingringhoe Wick wildlife centre. There we so many flying around it was hard to focus on them. This one was on his own for a little while.
I have been playing around with a piece of software called CombineZP. Essentially this software stacks several images together to create a sharp image.
A shot of another Comma Butterfly. It appears that these butterflies don't seem to worry about people getting to close to them, or it's that I am getting good at getting closer.
Took a lovely walk last night, down to the sea wall. The weather was pretty much perfect last night, not too warm, but very still.
Went for a great walk today over a place call Chest Wood, which is a village called Layer de la Haye in Essex. There was hardly anyone around, and there was plenty of wildlife around. 
Some gorgeous pear blossom form my garden, hopefully these will be pollenated by all the insects in the garden. The pear tree has hundreds of blooms all over it.
Well over the weekend it looked like Spring finally arrived to Essex. We went to Finginghoe Nature reserve and could see all kinds of life springing up.
Taken on Sunday 15th. It was a glorious spring day, then sun was shining and the wind was calm. I took this shot just down the road from where I live on Mersea Island. This was taken with my Sigma 24-70mm lens (which I really like). I wanted to show the nets off, so used a shallow DOF, but also wanted to allow the viewer to see the boats for a context in the shot.
Not that I am getting predictable or anything, but here is another Crocus shot. Well they are a nice little flower to practice with my macro setup.
So I have now had a little time to practice with my macro setup. I will hopefully get a little more time this weekend.
Ok, I have now got my full macro rig for my camera. I bought a Kirk Macro bracket with the addition of a Giotto Ball head. These two pieces of kit combined with my Speedlite 430EX II & TTL Off shoe cord work a treat. 
Not really inspired to go outside today, as it is raining. Waiting for spring to turn up, and at least I will be able to do some flower shots.
Well I have been playing around with my 430EX II flash gun today. Used it on an off shoe cord (purchased from Ebay), bounced the light on a gold reflector to give a bit more warmth to the shot.
