365 photos - a test of my perseverence

Day 31 - Another Fractal

2009-04-20T21:24:00.002+01:00

It's no good, I'm hooked on these fractals! I've never been able to draw, paint or sketch so the camera has been my creative outlet until now but this fractal program is brilliant. I can twist and tweak to my hearts content and produce stuff that is blowing me away - I'm loving the vibrant colours and all the fine details that show up when I zoom in and some are actually selling on Shutterstock - woo hoo!!

Day 30 - Has Spring Sprung?

2009-04-19T20:23:00.000+01:00

Had a wander down by the river in the sunshine today - love the glassy water in this one and the peaceful feeling.

Day 29 - Smile

2009-04-18T20:48:00.000+01:00

A few weeks after Barcelona, I had a smaller but similar event in London. I met a lovely bunch of fellow iStockers and we had a blast! It was my first time using a flkash gun indoors but I enjoyed myself and learnt quite a bit. This is probably my favourite from that day and Christine the model, was lovely too.

Day 28 - Thoughtful

2009-04-17T20:19:00.001+01:00

One more shot from the Barcelona trip. This one is heavily photoshopped although I can't find the original for now. To start with, it was a head and shoulders portrait, vertical orientation with her face framed by her very black hair against a bright green hedge . I cropped in very close to get rid of the greenery behind her and then extended the black to make it a landscape format. I love this one but the camera club judge felt the wrinkles on her forehead were somewhat distracting. I can see it now and will be aware of that in any future shots like this but it doesn't take away the magic for me - I am very proud of this one :)

Day 27 - Blue Boy

2009-04-16T22:36:00.003+01:00

Another portrait shot, this time in Barcelona with about 40 other photographers, 30 models, pro lighting equipment, pro makeup artists and some really cool locations. This young man was actually posing for some other photographers so I snuck in with my 300mm zoom and didn't interupt their shoot at all :) Result! Photoshopped into a blue tone and slightly cropped.

Day 26 - Just Peachy

2009-04-15T22:33:00.000+01:00

This young lady was studying Drama at high school and was quite bashfully pleased when I asked her to model for me and 2 friends from camera club. It was my first experience of proper studio lights although we rented a church hall so not quite a 'proper' studio shot!

Day 25 - Not strictly a photo!

2009-04-14T20:30:00.000+01:00

I've been playing with fractals - this one is my first one done from scratch although I was following a tutorial!

Day 24 - RHS Hyde Hall

2009-04-13T20:26:00.000+01:00

A wonderful place to visit even just to enjoy the gardens. I especially love it for the flower photo opportunities of course.

Day 23 - Castle Park, Colchester

2009-04-12T22:11:00.003+01:00

Oops - nearly forgot to upload a piccy today! Anyway, ducks and gulls at the duck pond in Lower Castle Park, Colchester. Typical grey winter day but probably great in the summer :)

Day 22 - Boats at Maldon - two versions

2009-04-11T20:21:00.001+01:00

Ever heard of Maldon sea salt? Well, it comes from Maldon about 5 miles from my home - lots of mud flats, salt marshes and boats in this area for many, many years so I thought I'd have a go at aging my shot - think I prefer the 'old' one!

Day 21 - Lonely Tree

2009-04-10T20:31:00.000+01:00

Miles of flat countryside but I think this is reclaimed land so only to be expected! It's a nature reserve on one side of the towpath down at Tollesbury - the other side is the salt marshes which have their own wild beauty.

Day 20 - Mudflat Sunset

2009-04-09T20:37:00.000+01:00

exactly what it says!

Day 19 - Heybridge - Lifeboat

2009-04-08T21:42:00.002+01:00

Thought I'd show you some of the countryside near my home. A regular favourite walk is along the path between the lakes and the River Blackwater down at Heybridge. There was a Thames Sailing Barge race and the lifeboat was either part of the display or on duty but I caught them on my camera.

Essex has a reputation of being the flattest county in the UK - I think this shot illustrates that perfectly! LOL

Day 18 - Looking For Holidays

2009-04-07T22:55:00.003+01:00

Well it's that time of year again - hubby is hunting the internet for cheap holiday deals so here is a shot taken last year to get those memories flowing :)

Day 17 - Barn Owl

2009-04-06T20:36:00.000+01:00

One of my fairly early bird shots but definitely one of my favourites and one of my best I think.

Day 16 - Just some clouds

2009-04-05T22:08:00.003+01:00

Popped over to Cambridge yesterday for the Handmade craft fair - got some lovely shots of my fellow Etsians and their wares but spent so much time chatting, I didn't get out and about in the town itself so here's a shot from the car on the way home :)

Day 15 - Cherries

2009-04-04T20:44:00.000+01:00

Just some cherries but on black for a change from white! I also had a little play with vignetting - not sure if I like it or not - maybe I just need to get used to it.

Day 14 - Bubbles?

2009-04-03T20:15:00.002+01:00

I actually got my 'big' camera out today - had some inspiration for some stock shots and a different way of lighting them. That was all working well when I stopped for some lunch. This shot isn't actually bubbles although I think it does look like them - it's the condensation on the cling film over my tuna pasta bake just as it came out of the fridge!

Day 13 - Lioness

2009-04-02T20:19:00.000+01:00

One of my lion photos from the zoo - it's difficult to get good images these days at zoos - most of them seem to have replaced wire mesh enclosures with glass so not only do you get bad reflections, you also get the kiddies dirty hand marks on the outside and the animals snorting on the inside.

Day 12 - Try April Fooling this Guy!

2009-04-01T20:22:00.000+01:00

We have an annual Puppet Festival in our town and this guy is probably the most popular of them all. He's probably about 8 feet tall, fully articulated and sings classics by Frank Sinatra. Kids follow him very closely then shriek and run away when he turns around but they all creep back very quickly. His name is Titan and you can see more images here if you're interested. I would definitely recommend this act if you are organising any large event - he is fab!

Day 11 - White Dahlia

2009-03-31T20:25:00.000+01:00

I read an article about high key images about the same time that my neighbours dahlias came into full bloom - popped round, snipped this head off and here it is - my 1st deliberate attempt at high key :)

PS I did ask before taking the flower - my neighbours are lovely and quite used to me 'pinching' thier flowers LOL

Day 10 - More Elephants

2009-03-30T20:37:00.000+01:00

Just a couple of elephants - in the wild and for real this time :)

Day 9 - Elephant Topiary

2009-03-29T20:45:00.000+01:00

One of my more unusual captures :) I didn't have to sneak up on these nellies - they were peacefully grazing the lawns of one of the Royal Palaces in Thailand.

Day 8 - Frangipani

2009-03-28T20:32:00.000Z

Another one that surprised me - until I cropped it square and close in, this was just another flower floating on a pond. I have cloned out a few spots from the water surface but other than a levels adjustment and a crop, I haven't done much else to it.

Day 7 - Monochrome Gerbera

2009-03-27T20:35:00.000Z

Sometimes, I like to convert flower images to mono - just to see what happens. It doesn't work for all of them but sometimes I'm really surprised by what appears. This one was a last minute attempt to find something for a camera club competition - I love it!

Day 6 - Pair of White Lillies

2009-03-26T20:44:00.000Z

Another even older shot. I started with flowers and they are still one of my favouite subjects. I tend to use my macro lens more these days so get much closer in. It's nice to look back and see how my approach has changed but also to see the whole (almost) flower occasionally. I must remember that for future shoots!

Day 5 - a very early shot

2009-03-25T20:39:00.000Z

This is dated July 2004 in the EXIF data so must be one of the very 1st shots off my then new Canon G3. It's been a personal favourite for years, I even toned it and made a t-shirt transfer out of it and I used it for my very first business cards. It's been retired for a long while but I thought it would be nice to resurrect it for a brief time :)

Day 4, Gri Gri Lagoon, Dom Rep

2009-03-24T20:07:00.000Z

The lovely Gri Gri lagoon - entrance to a mangrove swamp and all the pesky biting insects that see/hear/smell me coming from miles away. I had 40+ bites in one night and they all blistered. Still, it was nice to catch up with our Best Man who had been working out there for 6 months.

Day 3 - Euphorbia (I think)

2009-03-23T20:52:00.000Z

I just love the colour and lighting on this one - not the prettiest or friendliest of plants (the sap can be an irritant) but tucked away in the corner of a friends garden, the close up brings out details not seen before.

Day 2 - Zante

2009-03-22T20:39:00.000Z

Another fave pic today and coincidentally, one of my best sellers on the microstocks.

A Slight Change of Plan

2009-03-21T11:41:00.010Z

Well, I have this blog sitting here, waiting for me to get motivated on the Flickr 365 photos project again but as it's looking unlikely for the foreseeable future, I may as well put something here.

I'm going to attempt to post a photo everyday , some new, some old favourites, some I've dug up from my forgotten archives and maybe a few experimental ones too.

It's the 1st day of Spring & several family birthdays today so I'm going to post one of my all time fav piccies - not necessarily the best shot but the associated memories are strong, peaceful and part of the dream that keeps me moving forward. Enjoy

Still Not Sorted Out!

2009-03-11T20:59:00.004Z

Nope, things haven't settled down at all - in fact, I think I'm probably worse now than I was pre-Christmas but hopefully with the longer days and nicer weather, I should begin to feel alive again and hopefully my va-va-voom and mojo will come back too. Meanwhile, here's a tranquil river scene to brighten my 365 blog :)

Oh Well!

2008-12-08T08:57:00.005Z

I knew I'd missed a few days but I didn't realise just how many until I checked in this morning. I've been poorly, frantic about my 1st craft fair then started a new job and did my 2nd craft fair - all in the last 3 weeks. I'm also fairly strung out in general so having missed so much of my 365 project, I think I'll give myself a break and restart early in the new year when things have settled down again.

Here's a trial set up for my craft fair stall, if you're interested.

I apologise to anyone who has been following my progress and I hope you'll check in occasionally to see if I've started again. Thanks for your comments and well wishes, they have been greatly appreciated.

Day 65 - Easel

2008-11-14T23:35:00.000Z

I've managed to borrow an easel for part of my craft fair table display :) Looks good with one of my framed prints on it. Please ignore the 70's tiled coffee table - it's usually covered with junk so I never notice it! LOL

Day 64 - Dunnock a.k.a small brown birdie

2008-11-13T21:30:00.000Z

I've been seeing this little brown bird at the end of my garden for a couple of weeks now and just assumed it was a wren. Finally caught it on camera and am reliably informed by hubby that it is a dunnock - also called a hedge sparrow. Not a great picture - long lens through glass but the only one anywhere near to being in focus - I'm obviously too shaky for a long lens at 7.30am!

Day 63 - Bags Galore!

2008-11-12T21:26:00.000Z

Not sure if I've mentioned that I'm doing my first craft fair soon - well, I am and I realised I would need some bags. Hubby said 'I know a guy' and as his prices were very reasonable, I went for them. Unfortunately, I didn't quite think it through properly - 3 sizes, OK, minimum order 1000 bags! not so OK but still cheaper than buying smaller quantities elsewhere. End result - 2500 bags in my living room! LOL

Day 62 - Autumn Gold

2008-11-11T21:13:00.001Z

Early-ish morning sun shining through the few remaining leaves.

Day 61 - Weird, Pretty Thing

2008-11-10T21:37:00.000Z

This one didn't come out of the box but my Sis-in-law was going to throw it away so I grabbed it in case it would work well as a macro. Not sure it's a great photo but I like the colours :)

Day 60 - Wasp Nest

2008-11-09T21:07:00.000Z

Having been out for lunch today, it was a bit of a last minute rush to shoot something so I headed for my box. What box is that? Well, it was supposed to be a prop box but it's rapidly turning into the 'weird things to photograph one day' box! So here is todays' weird thing - a fairly mucky old bit of wasp nest. Great patterns and so regular too - isn't nature amazing?

Day 59 - Fireworks

2008-11-08T23:23:00.000Z

Having been ill all week, we didn't make it to a proper firework display this year so hubs bought a few bits and we did our own little bit of noise making! These are the only 2 shots I got 'cos 102 pops/bangs/whizzes in about 20 seconds doesn't make for much practise time! LOL

Day 58 - Next Project

2008-11-07T20:24:00.001Z

Next project is to try some of those smoke pictures - not this weekend though - I don't think burning incense is a good idea with both of us recovering from a nasty cough!

day 57 - Collared Dove

2008-11-06T21:21:00.000Z

Caught this little fella stuffing his face so grabbed my camera, swapped lenses and crept back into the kitchen to shoot him before he flew away. I needn't have rushed, he was either very, very hungry or making sure none of the other birds were going to have any of his seeds because he stayed until he had almost cleared the bird table!

Day 56 - More Illness

2008-11-05T20:29:00.000Z

Back is much better today but woke up with a nasty cough and cold :( Not my week really!

Day 55 - Autumn Leaf

2008-11-04T20:16:00.000Z

Not feeling very inspired at the moment - put my back out so can't spend too long either standing or sitting - just have to keep moving

day 54 - Painkillers Rule!

2008-11-03T21:36:00.002Z

I pulled my back again yesterday evening - I'm just about mobile but still stiff and sore now. Been guzzling these today just to be able to keep moving and not to 'set'!

day 53 - More Roses

2008-11-02T21:33:00.001Z

Couldn't resist these little blighters again - this is almost the shot I wanted from the last lot - not quite but almost :) Used the light tent again but with a coloured background for a change.

Day 52 - Weird Rainbow Cloud!

2008-11-01T21:32:00.000Z

Just a weird cloud/rainbow effect as the sun came out from behind some rain clouds for about 10 minutes!

Day 51 - Swan

2008-10-31T11:28:00.000Z

Mum joined me at the sea wall today - after hearing about the seal and all the other wildlife I've been seeing all month - and guess what - not a bit of wildlife anywhere except this swan who came scooting over rapidly to check us out. He then settled down for a good ol' preen right in front of us whilst we chatted. We think he must have been a bit lonesome!

Day 50 - Kingfisher

2008-10-30T21:25:00.000Z

I finally managed to catch a glimpse of this little fella with my camera - motion blur and all :) Still - you can see his lovely colours and it's enough for me - knowing that I finally managed it! Next task - find his regular perch and try to catch him there!

day 49 - Watching Me, Watching Him

2008-10-29T21:00:00.003Z

That little blob by the arrow - it's a seal :) I watched him for most of my lunchtime today - it was so nice in the sunshine, I almost considered taking my coat off! Not bad considering it was 0 degrees Celsius this morning and a massive hail storm last night. I considered taking my SLR in to work today but didn't fancy leaving it in the car in such low temperatures all day - I'm definitely taking it tomorrow though - just in case this little chap is still around :) Either that or I have to work out how to zoom a bit on my phone!

Day 48 - Just some Daisies

2008-10-28T23:02:00.003Z

Testing Mum's P&S with a view to borrowing it for workdays :) It fits in my handbag!

Day 47 - Maldon - Again!

2008-10-27T22:59:00.000Z

I'm obviously a creature of habit (or bored at lunchtime!) I have to get out of the office for a while every lunchtime so as this bit of seawall is only 5 minutes away, it seems a logical place to wander to. And of course, I'm still hoping to spot the kingfishers perch!

Day 46 - Laminator

2008-10-26T22:57:00.000Z

I've been wanting one of these for a while and with possibly 3 craft fairs between now and Christmas, I couldn't put it off much longer. It was a bargain price though :)

Day 45 - Fabric

2008-10-25T22:56:00.000+01:00

New bag I think - when I get around to it!

Day 44 - Who pinched my seat?

2008-10-24T23:51:00.000+01:00

Having a bit of a 'blergh' sort of week this week - another phone photo today 'cos I wasn't feelin' it this morning when I left for work and then the sun came out just in time for lunch and I didn't have my camera :(

When I got down to the seawall - someone (or maybe the tide) had pinched my seat! There was a big block of polystyrene just here where I could hunker down out of the wind but also, being slightly disadvantaged in the height department - I was using it as a step to get back up. So now I can get down to the sea but can't get back so this shot is me, contemplating whether to risk dropping down there! I know it doesn't look much from this shot but it's about 18 inches/45cms and although I can scramble back up in my jeans, I can't do it in my normal office wear LOL

Day 43 - Shipyard

2008-10-23T22:57:00.000+01:00

Amother phone photo because the weather wasn't so good today - I went exploring across the other side of the river instead. I think that tall old building is part of a flour mill but I'm not certain.

Day 42 - Thru the Arch

2008-10-22T22:01:00.003+01:00

Yet another clear but cold day - grabbed this shot on the phone camera again - blue sky, green trees (full of magpies & pigeons) and white arch for a frame.

Day 41 - Windy High Tide

2008-10-21T21:49:00.000+01:00

Another sunny day but strong cold winds. Didn't bring my proper camera with me today so just grabbed something with my phone camera.

Day 40 - Autumn Acer Leaf

2008-10-20T21:32:00.000+01:00

Nature doing her thing at this time of year has resulted in Mum's Acer turning this beautiful vivid shade of red.

Day 39 - Cyclamen

2008-10-19T20:48:00.001+01:00

Mum bought me a little pressie back from her 2nd trip last week and I finally got around to shooting it tonight. I do like this one :)

Day 38 - Cheesecake, Mmmmmm

2008-10-18T21:45:00.000+01:00

Got a phone call from Mum this morning - 'when I come over for coffee, bring my camera' so I did and this is what I grabbed :) Mum had bought it for our dessert this evening but thought it would make a nice piccie for me.

Day 37 - Same Rose, Different Day

2008-10-17T20:41:00.000+01:00

Just a few days after the other shot and not only have most of the roses died off really quickly but they've changed colour a bit too. I'm always in a bit of a rush on Friday as I get in from work, grab a bite to eat then dash back out again so I grabbed this quickly in the morning just before I put the rubbish (trash) out. It's now on it's way to the great compost heap in the sky :)

Day 36 - Moon and Clouds

2008-10-16T21:39:00.000+01:00

Perhaps I should call this Night 36! Just popped over to drop some bits at Mums' house and spotted the moon rising above the garage rooftops. One mad dash indoors to grab the camera, change lenses and get the tripod set up and I'd missed the few shredded clouds across the moon. Five minutes later and a huge cloud covered it completely so I had to make do with a clear shot of the moon with just a reflection on the cloud bank. I like it though :)

Day 35 - Missiles

2008-10-15T21:35:00.000+01:00

Just around the corner from my office is the Combined Forces Military Museum with this missile in the front car park. It's a fair size and this shot is taken from about halfway from the seawall!

Day 34 - Just a Rose

2008-10-13T20:36:00.000+01:00

Bought a bunch of roses because I could see the photograph in my head and couldn't resist. Got them home and could I get that picture - could I hell! So I resorted to my trusty macro lens and light tent for now until I work out how to get the photo I wanted.

Day 33 - Oops!

2008-10-12T20:13:00.003+01:00

Either this is badly parked or very abandoned!! LOL I dragged hubby down to the sea wall today in the hope of spotting the kingfisher again. Well, we did see it but gosh, those little birds are fast movers - by the time I'd spotted it and got the camera to my eye - it was gone :( So one or two derelict boats/debris shots later, I chose this one for today's piccy. I like the contrast between the derelict boat, the vast expanse of mud and the brand new houses and bright colours in the background.

Day 32 - Succulent

2008-10-11T21:19:00.000+01:00

Not very exciting today - I popped over to check on Mum's plants and hoping to photograph her Acer which is in full red autumn colour but the sun hadn't come round quite far enough (and the pot is too heavy for me to move!) so I just got this one instead.

Day 31 - Elves of Hyperspace

2008-10-10T22:58:00.001+01:00

Says it all really - some random graffitti under a by-pass bridge

Day 30 - Another beautiful day on the seawall

2008-10-09T20:32:00.002+01:00

The sun came out again today and stayed out for most of the day but there is a definite nip in the air. I changed angle today and also popped a circular polariser on - you can just see the effect in the top right corner - I obviously didn't get it quite right on this one! Once I've walked across the waste ground to get to my spot on the seawall, this is the view if I turn my back on the sea. The white sails in the centre are at a quay at the bottom of one of the steepest hills in the county. Quite a terrifying hill when you are a learner driver and your instructor wants you to do a hill start! Even now, driving an automatic car, I still hate to stop on that hill so I usually go the long way round.

The weather forecast is good for tomorrow as well so I'll take a wander along to the quay again and see what I can find over there. It's a bit industrialised so I'm not sure how much access I can get but there is a bit of a towpath the other side (heading inland) so I'll have a wander over there too.

Day 29 - Sun Warmed Blackberries

2008-10-08T21:57:00.005+01:00

You'll just have to believe me when I say sunwarmed and very tasty they were too :) The bit of wasteground near my office is absolutely covered in blackberry bushes - I'm hoping for a bit of sun on the weekend then I'm dragging hubby down there to do some picking! I had a good session today - in fact I found it difficult to choose just one shot for today so if you want to see the rejects (!) pop over to my main blog and maybe enter my giveaway whilst you're there?

Day 28 - On My Way To Bed ...

2008-10-07T22:54:00.003+01:00

I realised I hadn't taken a shot today so grabbed this one, fired up the PC again and this is it!

Day 27 - Getting ready to Hibernate

2008-10-06T21:52:00.005+01:00

At first, I thought the existing chrysalis/cocoon had opened but it hadn't so it looks like this second butterfly will cocoon here too. Obviously a nice piece of butterfly real estate! LOL

Day 26 - It's Still Raining!

2008-10-05T17:41:00.002+01:00

Carrying on from yesterday's experiment - this time, catching the drops as they hit my full water butt. Again, camera on repeat mode and shoot like crazy in the hope of getting a good splash. I like this one in particular because of the colours as well as the slight blur on the splash.

Day 25 - It's Raining

2008-10-04T17:39:00.000+01:00

Rain in the afternoon - lots of shots to get 1 or 2 good ones

Day 24 - Under the Arches

2008-10-03T23:09:00.004+01:00

I'm working in a building that used to be a railway station - ornate iron girders/beams in the office and everything :) These arches are at the front - taken on my mobile phone again! I've converted it to mono and added a texture layer with a linear burn blending mode. I quite like this effect - bit darker and moodier than my usual stuff, that's for sure.

Day 23 - Lunchtime View

2008-10-02T20:50:00.002+01:00

Just a few minutes walk away from my new office job. I thought I knew the area fairly well but this little corner of the estuary has escaped my notice until now. I mentioned a kingfisher the other day - well I saw him down here again today so I reckon he is definitely a local. If the weather forecast is OK for tomorrow, I'm lugging the whole kit with me - I've got my car back so that makes things easier :)

This also faces due East and the sun is rising just over the derelict boats on the far right so I reckon 2 more weeks and it should be just about on the horizon as I arrive for work - I foresee more camera lugging ahead LOL

Day 22 - Clouds, Birds and Texture

2008-10-01T20:30:00.003+01:00

Lovely white fluffy clouds, lots of starlings swirling around and a texture overlaid - I'm never quite sure about my photoshop experiments but I do quite like this one :)

Day 21 - Weird Clouds

2008-09-30T20:28:00.000+01:00

Bit of a Sky theme this week - the weather is very changeable this time of year and I love watching how the clouds move and change. I've never seen such weird patterns before - have you?

Day 20 - Sunset

2008-09-29T20:28:00.000+01:00

Beautiful sunset after a grey and rainy day

Day 19 - Autumn Crocus

2008-09-28T20:22:00.000+01:00

Just a dashing through the garden type macro shot - I'm finding it quite difficult to choose what to shoot and then suddenly, it's late in the day :( But I quite like this one - probably not one of my best macros but it's a reminder of Spring so a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Day 18 - Hanging Crystals?

2008-09-27T09:10:00.003+01:00

Early morning post today - I'm off out and about for most of the day and couldn't sleep this morning so got my shot in early! Dew on a spider web - macro with neighbours cat helping unsteady the tripod!

Day 17 - Blue Star

2008-09-26T19:08:00.000+01:00

One of Mum's morning glories in glorious blue - macro lens and light tent

Day 16 - Mud

2008-09-25T21:58:00.000+01:00

Maldon is on an estuary so lots and lots of mud - this is my view from the sea wall whilst I nibble on my sarnies

Day 15 - Crane

2008-09-24T20:56:00.000+01:00

Down by the river, near my new job

Day 14 - Sunflower Again!

2008-09-23T22:29:00.002+01:00

I really liked some of the stock shots that came from this dried sunflower head so I decided to try it again from some different angles - who knew sunflowers were so prickly!

Day 13 - Lava and Peridot

2008-09-22T20:59:00.002+01:00

In case you were wondering what peridot looks like or where it comes from :)

Day 12 Sand Rose

2008-09-21T22:35:00.002+01:00

The kids were over yesterday and they just can't resist picking things up and asking about them - gives me heart palpitations sometimes 'cos neither of them are particularly gentle and my nick-nack shelf is not kid proof (mind you, nor is the rest of the house!). Anyway, they were both curious about this one and it reminded me of a lovely holiday we had in Tunisia one year so I thought I would immortalise it in pixel form :)It's called a Sand Rose but I'm not sure how it's formed but it's sand based and crystalline so I guess that's why it's found in desert regions.

Day 11 - Streptocarpus and Fake TTV

2008-09-20T21:09:00.003+01:00

Playing with the fake TTV (thru' the viewfinder) technique in Photoshop. Not sure I've quite got the hang of it yet though and not sure I even like this one :( I'm plant sitting this streptocarpus for a couple of weeks so no doubt, there will be more shots of it.

Day 10 - Old Roses

2008-09-19T17:22:00.007+01:00

Old, dried roses - a pressie from hubby last Valentines day.

Day 9 - Red Post Box

2008-09-19T17:22:00.004+01:00

Spotted this on my way home from School House Arts the other day but couldn't stop so I went back yesterday to get it - these post boxes are disappearing fast and you certainly don't see many of them in hedges like this!

Day 8 - Apple Cake by Mum :)

2008-09-17T20:48:00.001+01:00

See my main blog for the recipe :)

Day 7 - Lucky Black Cat

2008-09-16T17:18:00.003+01:00

I'm not normally superstitious but for the last few days, Harry has been either sitting on my car or on my porch. I've hardly seen him for months so this is new behaviour but today, after nearly 3 weeks, I heard that I've got a new job so maybe he is a lucky black cat after all :) Thank You Harry xx

Day 6 - Dried Sunflower

2008-09-15T20:30:00.002+01:00

I've been working on some stock shots today - this flowerhead is from last year and I'm only just getting round to shooting it! I love the patterns the seeds make but not the bits that dropped off all over my nice clean white light tent!

Day 5 - Golden Hop

2008-09-14T21:27:00.003+01:00

I think these are the flowers of the Golden Hop my mum bought for us last year - we needed something to pretty up the fence and it's taken over the whole lot! Late afternoon sunshine really makes them almost glow and the bees seem to like them too.

Day 4 - Iceplant - Variations

2008-09-13T16:11:00.003+01:00

Two to show you today! I went out with the intention of taking this one which I must admit, I really like. It's an iceplant also known as a sedum spectabile and it's particularly lush this year after being cut back very hard in the early Spring.

But whilst I was shooting, I noticed these little honey bees busily gathering nectar and pollen so to add a bit of interest, I tried to shoot them on the flat flowerheads. Manouvering a stubby tripod around fast enough to catch these little guys at work must have looked very funny to my neighbours! I fell backwards at one point as I was scrooched down so low and lost my balance! Luckily I kept a tight grip on my camera so no harm done - except to my dignity. :)

Day 3 - Blue Morning Glory

2008-09-12T22:10:00.003+01:00

Blue on blue today - a stripey blue morning glory with its face to the sky.

Day 2 - Gladioli

2008-09-11T20:03:00.004+01:00

So today, I decided to get all the gear out - give it a clean and take some shots for stock. It helped to know that I wanted to produce something for this project too and I also managed to get some stuff photographed for someone else. This was the first one out of the camera today so has the honour of being the Project shot :)

Day 1 - Self Portrait

2008-09-10T20:04:00.000+01:00

I hate having my photo taken so I thought I'd get the self portrait out of the way and sort of say "hello" at the same time. Make the most of it - there definitely won't be many of these unless I have cosmetic surgery sometime in the next 364 days!

Oh Shit, What have I done!

2008-09-10T17:28:00.001+01:00

I've been looking at the various Flickr 365 projects and decided I want to play too! I've chosen today because it would have been my Mum-in-Law's birthday and I just needed a special date to start. No way am I doing the self portraits one so I've plumped for the more general Project 365. I'm definitely not going to write a whole lot of blurb everyday, I may not even post a photo everyday (hey, I'm not that addicted to the net, you know!) but each one will be taken on a different day even if I post them late.

I haven't even done one today yet so thinking cap on, batteries a-charging and almost ready to rock'n'roll.