I thought I might share another shot from our recent trip to Venice. This was taken from nearly the same spot, on the same day, as my earlier post, but in very different light. This one was taken at dawn, the other was taken at dusk.
Moss spore capsules
Last month I celebrated a brief sunny interlude by exploring the abundant crop of moss growing where my lawn used to be. Well, we have had some more sun this week so here are some more mossy explorations.
A bug’s eye view
I was particularly taken with these colourful spore capsules. I was used to seeing the spiky sort before but this was the first time I had noticed these alien-looking alternatives.
All about colour
I used my macro lens with Raynox DCR-250 attached to get very close indeed to these tiny plants. Here, the colourful background is my out of focus recycled garden trug.
Can you spot the explorer?
The above shot isn’t very special but I included it because there is a tiny explorer getting in on the act. Apparently, recent studies have shown that springtails play an important part in moss fertilisation by carrying scent from plant to plant. Who knew?
Misty moss
The difficulty with using such extreme magnifications is that depth of field is wafer thin. I decided to make the most of the difficulty in this last image, for a more minimal, suggestive take.
If you missed my earlier moss extravaganza, see here.
I am honoured to have this photograph featured as image of the day at Photobotos, where I explain a little more about it.
We have just returned from a wonderful weekend in my favourite city in the whole world, Venice. Apart from Friday, the weather was kind to us and it was a great opportunity for me to get to grips with my new travel camera, the Fuji X-E1. I have more than a few files to process and a review of this camera in the pipeline, to follow up on my review of the Sony NEX-7 in January. But I must concentrate on my studies for the next few days so they will have to wait. Suffice it to say that the camera is all I hoped and more. I am looking forward to May when I can get back to serious blogging and catching up on the blogs I follow.
When will this winter end? Clearly no-one has remembered to tell these snowflakes, on the windscreen of my car, that it is supposed to be Spring.
Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with it tail – Proverb
“The English winter — ending in July, To recommence in August.”
– George Gordon Byron
Thank you to those who have enquired about my recent absence from Focused Moments. I am fine, just flat out with college work and having to be very strict with myself about all things photographic as otherwise they might easily take over. ‘Normal service’ will hopefully resume next month, after we return from a brief visit to one of my very favourite European cities where I will be putting my new travel camera through its paces!
This weekend is the last for the Albion exhibition in which six of my images are included. If you are up in town, why not pop by for lots of interesting photographs exploring Britain and “Britishness” and some lovely, affordable original paintings and sculpture (we bought a beautiful painting for our living room). I will be dropping by on Sunday with my daughter, the only family member yet to see it. Maybe we will see you there!
Albion is open from 11am to 6pm at the Cock ‘n’ Bull Gallery under The Tramshed restaurant, Rivington Street, Shoreditch.
Hello there!
This tiny spider has been hanging out in my olive tree for weeks now, happily oblivious to freezing temperatures and snow. It is a colourful and rather acrobatic addition to my garden.
And, for my next trick…
“Imperio!”
Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.
Everyone was laughing — everyone except Moody.
“Think it’s funny, do you?” he growled. “You’d like it, would you, if I did it to you?”
The laughter died away almost instantly.
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Today we had sun! I celebrated by photographing backlit moss with my Raynox DCR250 macro conversion lens attached to my 100mm macro lens to get really close.
Moss really is surprisingly beautiful and interesting when you get close to it.
Like a forest of tiny trees casting long shadows in the afternoon sun.
A single strand of gossamer was caught in the moss.
And I found the tiniest of baby snails on one of the stems. The only way to see it was on the screen at native resolution.
I haven’t been blogging much recently. I need to concentrate on my degree for the next few months and there just doesn’t seem to be enough time to blog and keep up with everyone else’s blogs, and take images, process them, study, be a mum and wife, keep house, etc etc. So I am going to blog once a week for a little while now and hopefully do better at reading the blogs I follow.
‘A rolling stone gathers no moss, but it gains a certain polish.’ Oliver Herford
Thursday was the private viewing of Albion, The Shed Photography’s exhibition at the Cock n Bull Gallery in Shoreditch. It was super to see my images on the wall, especially my London City shot, blown up huge and attracting attention, handily placed as it was next to the champagne.
If you are in town any time between now and 4th March, do consider popping by. You can always treat yourself to some beautifully authentic English cuisine in The Tramshed afterwards. Perhaps we could meet for a coffee?
My other exhibited images:
Medicine for the Soul
See here for a walk through of the complete exhibition.
A waking fly greets the new day.
“A day is a miniature eternity.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Believe every day that has dawned is your last.” – Horace
Focused Moments 