When I started out on my photographic journey local landscapes were a significant part of my emerging portfolio. Later after I retired from my underwhelming sporting activities I began taking regular trips to the Cumbrian Lake District, combining walks on the fells with more landscape photography. Nowadays however, I rarely take any ‘scapes despite loving…
Below are my personal five favourite images from 2018. I had a fairly quiet year photographically but still managed a bit of variation in what I produced so better get planning for a more active 2019.
I received an African Flower Mantis for Christmas and thought I’d better take a few shots to introduce her to you all. She is an adult now but is as yet unnamed. The shots were taken in my small home studio with a 100mm macro lens plus 1 Speedlight fitted with a Softbox.
My daughter asked to make some mono images of granddaughter Izzy with a Santa hat on and showed me the type of image that she liked. It was colour popped ! So we set up an impromptu studio with a single Speedlight plus brolly and off we went. As with most baby and toddler shot…
Leyland Photographic Society hold an annual print exhibition which is open to eight central Lancashire clubs only. This is great little exhibition which I look out for each year and often I receive Commended or Highly Commended awards which are always very welcome. The exhibition of prints and the award ceremony are held in a…
This is my Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) which is now approximately 4 months old and growing quite nicely. She originates from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and is one of several species known as ‘flower mantises‘ from their resemblance and behaviour. She is currently fairly white in colour but will start to adopt shades…
I’ve recently gained a couple of Mantids, one of which is the Spiny Flower Mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii). This is only a 3rd instar nymph at the moment so has some growing to do. It measures approximately 10-12mm in body length and will probably grow to 35-40mm when mature. Today was its’ first photo shoot and…
Another Place is the name given to the Gormley sculptures on Crosby Beach, Merseyside. There is a collection of 100 identical statues all facing the sea at different distances from the shoreline. Now, I’ve had a really nice carbon fibre tripod for a few years and it’s had little use, I’ve also got a Hoya…
October 2018 saw the annual inter club print championship, again held in Blackburn which made attendance easy for me. To qualify for this event the clubs must finish in the top two of their respective federations or have made the final in the previous year’s competition. My club, Chorley PS qualified by finishing 4th in…
A short day trip to Liverpool gave an opportunity to photograph the are area around the ‘Three Graces’ on the Mersey shoreline. The day was overcast with dark dense clouds and some occasional soft rays of autumnal sunlight so anything could have happened. I spent time looking for a vantage point to shoot the Graces…
Recently I was asked to give a presentation to the attendees at the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union’s ‘Big Day’ as part of a series of talks based on the PAGB’s ‘Awards for Photographic Merit’. There were talks on CPAGB, DPAGB and MPAGB showing how people had progressed through their successful journeys to their personal…
I was asked to give a talk on ‘My Photographic Journey’ at Maghull PS this week which is a new presentation that I have put together. It was close to a 100 mile round trip but was a most enjoyable evening. I was made to feel very welcome by this small but very friendly society…
