The morning that just keeps giving

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Rachael

I am still going through my files from Friday’s epic dawn shoot. I have enough to keep me going for quite a while. I hope this top one conveys something of the post-dawn tranquility I experienced on the banks of the Wey Navigation between Newark and Ripley.

This second image was actually taken much later in the same day, nearer to sunset. The frost was mostly gone but there was a subtle hint of mist in the distance. I was attracted to the way the grass was catching the light; the crow on the fence was the icing on the cake. I just had time for one exposure before it flew away.

By complete contrast, my 365/26 is from this day in 2009. I had gone into Guildford with a friend, to do some shopping. My camera was an encumbrance I could have done without but the demands of 365 made me bring it, albeit reluctantly. I snapped these tulips, and it really is a snap. But, when I shared it on Flickr, it caught Getty’s eye and became one of the first images in my stock portfolio.

365/26

As I promised only to post images never before shared, or to re-edit old ones, I have added a light vignette to this and some extra clarity. Cheating? Maybe, but it’s the only file I could find!

Deer in frost

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Rachael

Another picture from Friday’s fantastic, frosty day out. As I was taking a landscape shot, two deer took flight across the meadow. Of course, my wide lens hadn’t a hope of catching them, but I quickly changed to my 70-200mm lens and hoped I’d find more. Luckily, I did.

Yesterday, I shared the colour version of this shot, also from Friday but I rather like this tinted black and white edit too. And it is a handy segue from frost to black and white to my 365/25, from this day in 2009:

365/25

Perfect morning

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Rachael

Yesterday morning, I had a chance to capture dawn over Newark Priory. It’s a shot I’d had in my mind for about 5 years and the conditions were perfect. For more about Newark Priory, see here.

Afterwards, I pottered about on the Wey Navigation towpath and collected some wintery shots. I am writing a book about the Navigation and these shots should fit nicely. Altogether, a successful morning’s shooting.

365/23

My 365/23 is from last year. Three modes of transport, four if feet count (there’s a pedestrian on the footbridge). Taken at the junction of the Wey Navigation and the Basingstoke Canal. For a fuller post about this shoot and the history of this location, click here.

365/24

365/24 is from 2010, a brief moment of good light at the end of what had been a grey, uninspiring day. This is the Millennium Glasshouse at RHS Wisley.

Garlic, twice

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Rachael

365/22

By 22nd January 2009, I was resorting to food for my 365. Two garlic bulbs, edited and shared twice, in 2009 and now.

My photography is mainly outdoors, where I am happiest. But, although I don’t tend to make still life images (perhaps you can tell!), I very much admire the work of others in this genre. It seems to me, the best still life photographers have not only a superb technical knowledge of photography and lighting, but also a designer’s eye. Respect.

Painshill revisited

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Rachael

f/11, 2.5″, 16mm, ISO 50

This day last year, I was at Painshill Park, in Cobham, Surrey, a restored eighteenth century landscape garden.

f/5, 1/40, 35mm, ISO 400

One of Painshill’s famous follies, the Gothic Temple, is seen above, reflected in one of the arches of the bridge. Below, another folly, the Ruined Abbey is situated picturesquely on the bank of the lake.

f/10, 1/250, 33mm, ISO 200

The image below is the only one I shared at the time. Another folly appears with the Gothic Temple, the Chinese Bridge.

f/11, 2.5″, 16mm, ISO 50

Painshill’s working vineyard produces a nice sparkling white.

f/11, 0.3″, 16mm, ISO 50

Seen below, the Turkish Tent is another of Painshill’s follies.

For the techies, I used a .6 ND hard grad for these shots, and a circular polariser, of course. I have written several other posts about this favourite location of mine. Just click on the tags, Painshill or Painshill Park to find them.

f/11, 2.5″, 28mm, ISO 50

Eclectic entry

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Rachael

365/20

My 365/20 entries are both from last year, taken on Desborough Island, an island in the River Thames near Weybridge. I liked the way the tangled plants framed the gap in the fence. The second shot seemed moodier in black and white.

365/20

My 365/19, also from last year, is a bit of fun, imagining what it would be like if we could actually see the stars above the junction of the A3 and the M25!

365/19

Newark Priory

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Rachael

365/18

I spent this afternoon teaching a student on the Wey Navigation towpath near Newark Priory. Imagine my surprise when I got home and started to look for today’s 365 redux image to find that on 18th January 2009 I was at exactly the same place! The Priory was founded in the 12th century by Augustinian Canons, also known as ‘Black Canons’ because of their black cloaks and cassocks. At one point, the prosperous Priory housed a community of 200. Henry VIII had it sacked during the Dissolution of the Monasteries; according to one story, a cannon was placed on the hill above it to bombard the buildings. It was subsequently plundered for its building materials and fell into ruin; all that is left now is part of the church. A Grade I Ancient Monument, the Priory was placed on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk register in 2007. I can’t offer an image of it from today as I do not make my own pictures when I am out with students. The original of this image (before the fancy editing) was featured as the cover of six local interest magazines in 2010.

Witch Hazel

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Rachael

365/17

Taken on this day last year, a close up of witch hazel blossom. Hamamelis is a super shrub/small tree that flowers in January – March, depending on the variety. I love the waxy petals, like orange peel. They make hamamelis a very useful plant for adding winter colour to the garden. But the best thing of all is their spicy scent.

More fisheye adventures

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Rachael

f/5.6, 1/10, 8mm, ISO 400

Two more shots from my adventures with my Samyang 8mm fisheye last Saturday. A trip on London’s public transport just got a lot more fun.

f/5.6, 1/70, 8mm, ISO 400

For my 365 redux, I have had to resort to 2009 once again, the year of my original 365. I am looking forward to getting past winter so I have more images from which to choose. Anyway, the reality of 365’s demands was just settling in back in 2009 and, on the upside, it was beginning to force me to look hard for images everywhere I went, including the top of the local supermarket’s carpark, and the lights on the ceiling of my kitchen.

365/16

365/15

Remembering the floods

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Rachael

365/13

For my 365/13 and 14, I have turned back the clock by just a year. This time last year Surrey was suffering the second of three bouts of severe flooding. I was very busy, documenting my changed local landscape. It was an absorbing project, although always tinged with sadness for those more directly affected. In January, we did not know that the worst was yet to come.

I didn’t share these two pictures at the time, preferring to concentrate on images that showed the severity of the floods to everyone, not just those who know this area. So it is nice to go back and give these others an airing now.

365/14

For those who like to know, the top shot has a shutter speed of 246 seconds, at f/11, using my 10-stop ND filter (aka the Big Stopper).

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