….and it was all Yellow

Actually it has been a very wet rainy day here in Shropshire and so to brighten the day, I am choosing some of my most recent “Yellow” photographs. Besides, this one should be bright and cheery, it is my 100th blog post! I always think that colours seem to change throughout the year and often become predominantly one whether this is due to nature or man-made. The daffodils have all but finished now but, these Narcissus have been brightening up my days this week from a neighbour’s garden.

Whilst in our own garden, the birds have been the most active on out feeder that I have seen for ages. They all look very smart in Spring I think. No doubt they will look a little more ruffled at the end of the breeding season.

Meanwhile, a little further afield and the first primroses are blooming in the woods and on the grass verges.

For miles around we can see bright yellow fields of rapeseed for oil.

The first Yellow Wagtails are arriving and looking around the hedgerows and you can spot the Yellow Hammers dive to the ground as you drive past.

Finally, for the house I bought some Yellow Chrysanthemums, it cheers it up whilst it is raining!

Have a great weekend!

Advertisement

Skywatch Friday ~ River Severn

Well continuing the Autumn theme, on a very still day down in Severn Valley…….

I enjoyed the first Autumnal reflections.

Skiathos Macro

Once again in Skiathos I took full opportunity of the light for some macro photography. These are a few of my favourite shots:

Wales in the Sunshine

North Wales is incredibly pretty and as the weekend was forecast beautiful weather, we went on a trip to take in a few sites. We did manage quite a few and here are some images from the day.

For those that have never been Wales is full of charming bridges, clear running water and beautiful waterfalls.

As a result of so much water, the greens are very green and the lambs are a little smaller there than those in our immediate area. Although this one has got quite chubby!

The mountains looked beautiful with clear skies behind them and it is hard to portray the sheer scale. Birds of prey were soaring ahead and in the streams and falling water Dippers could be seen flitting across the banks.

Having talked about misty water in a previous blog post, I couldn’t resist having a go, all those white water falls are the perfect opportunity. However, I was struggling to get to grips with a fairly new wide-angle lens and I still have a bit to learn about framing my subject!

Of course there is forest too and up by Blaenau Ffestiniog slate is abound. So much so that many in the area have slate fences!

We headed up to Swallow falls through Betws-Y_Coed which was beautiful but, sadly this is a place where your really need to go in a morning for good images. The sun was directly above the falls as we got there and there were too many shadows for me to make anything of it. Especially as landscape photography is not really my forte. But, on the way home, we just about caught the last steam train along the railway

Photography ~ Rustic or Pretty?

A recent conversation on Facebook made me evaluate the difference between styles of photography. There is no doubt that many people appreciate a pretty landscape, a beautiful flower or a colourful sunrise.

However, there also a great many photographers who produce wonderful photography of not so pretty scenes. One of the most powerful photographs that I have viewed lately was a blind man who was begging in a market! It has stayed with me since because it was an excellent piece on many levels although I am not sure that I would want it on my wall. For me, it would be far too disturbing to see it every day.
I can also appreciate the trend towards rustic, sepia and monochrome. It takes a good photographer to portray a piece of barbed wire as interesting but I have seen it done and it worked for me as a viewer.

I think that just like art, there are some subjects that look better in certain circumstances. For example, the picturesque tends to look best in our somewhat traditional home but on the walls of ultra modern public buildings, something a little more futuristic makes more of an impact.
Over time, I am recognising that just like art the man (or woman) with the camera also develops a style. Both Andy and I enjoy our cameras and frequently visit the same places. You would think that we would also take similar images but, in fact it is a rare occasion that we end up with the same thing. Even the way we deal with the same subjects results in some quite marked differences!
There is also the issue of fashions that come and go. For instance, there is popular thinking at the moment for water to be misty, using a slow shutter speed to portray running water and the sea slowing the water down to create the effect. Personally, I sometimes find this a bit unreal and can say that I delight in a faster shot showing water droplets in crystal clarity.

This also leads me on to another recent advancement in the use of HDR? Many people dislike this effect as it can look very surreal. There are some that decry its overuse and the strong ensuing image and yet, in contrast to my traditional viewpoint on water, I find myself quite enjoying some of these simply because they are so striking.

Please feel free to express your views….:)