Green Hairstreaks

Until this year I have only seen photos of green hairstreak butterflies (Callophrys rubi) I'd never actually seen one in real life and was determined to do something about that this spring! Over winter I did my research as to where they were seen last year and also time of day and behaviour and picked two locations, one just down the road and the other about 30 minutes away and kept an eye out for the first sightings whilst going over some ideas for composition and potential lighting.

My first trip out was April 26th, it was a little windy but an otherwise perfect day, knowing that in this area they are most likely to be found in and around gorse that's where I headed (with a little help from some fellow photographer friends). These are my first ever photos of a green hairstreak, this one is a male and they can be very territorial chasing and fighting other males that enter their patch. One thing that you don't often see with them is the dusky pink colouration on the fore-wing, the first few photos I took I just couldn't get this to show so I have developed a few little techniques to help bring this out, I'm not letting on what they are just yet as I'm still perfecting them but will be writing an article about them at the end of the summer.

I am also working on being more artistic and creative rather than taking standard ID shots of the butterflies and you will certainly see this as we journey through this post, starting with this image using the gorse flowers in the foreground as a soft blur drawing the eye to the butterfly sitting in amongst the flowers.

Well, this was it, I was in love with these surprisingly small but stunning butterflies and dedicated much of the ext month or so to photographing them, most of the time on the gorse! Spending so much time with them really enabled me to get into their little lives, notice tiny things and come up with different ways of capturing them and showing them in their little world. 

When you spend time with them you start to notice not just how beautiful they can be surprisingly friendly and curious as well, over the weeks I have spent with them I've been able to get an insight into their world and see how much they depend on the gorse.  

Over time I started to notice how different colours compliment each other with the green in the background matching the green of the butterfly in this photo. 

But, there's always a but. For the majority of the time I could only find males on the gorse and as striking the contrast is between the yellow of the flowers and green of the butterfly, I wanted to see if I could find some females that spend their time closer to the ground, perseverance definitely paid off. I found them between the wild thyme and the buttercups. The first image is in amongst the wild thyme, both her and me.  

The next few images are of a female (not the same one) feeding on buttercups and daises, it really gives you an idea of just how small they really are. 

After a couple of weeks I started to see less and less of these wonderful little butterflies in their normal location but did start to find them in other areas of the same sight including hawthorn bushes and these last few images are of them in amongst the green leaves. On the first two photos you can even see the green scales around the face.

This male wouldn't stay still for long as he would keep chasing anything that came near his patch, butterflies, bees it didn't matter, but when he did it's like everything came together and I was able to try some different compositions with the very last one being my favourite, a very unusual photo but eye catching and it reminds me a little of an ice cream cone.

Well, that's it for this post, I hope you've enjoyed my green hairstreak moment, I'm missing these little butterflies already and really looking forward to their return next year, but other species are emerging everyday now and the orchids are looking amazing so there is plenty to keep me busy.

My next post will be from a trip to Gozo and Malta before it's back to the butterflies, orchids and anything else that I have been working on. For now, look after yourselves and enjoy the great weather we're having here in the South West right now.

Bye for now.

Grasshoppers, Nothing But Lovely Grasshoppers

Hello! Hope you are all well and have been enjoying summer (although today is most certainly an office day!), well I have been out and about a fair amount lately continuing with both my Somerset, Chapmanslade and invertebrate projects which are all coming together nicely, but as the title of this post may suggest there is nothing but grasshoppers here! 

People often ask me why grasshoppers, and indeed just the other day a lovely chap who was out walking his dog asked what I was photographing, was it butterflies? When I reply no he asked if it was dragonflies, again I said no and when I said grasshoppers he seemed very surprised replying "you don't often hear of people photographing grasshoppers people normally come here for the butterflies and dragonflies, why grasshoppers?" Well here is why: Last year I took what still remains one of my favourite images of a grasshopper and it was completely by chance as I had planned that day specifically to photograph orchids, before I go any further here is that photo:

I was actually photographing bee orchids when I noticed this grasshopper watching me, so my focus turned to trying to capture the expression on its face, and it was at this point that I fell in love with grasshoppers and wanted to really showcase how cute they are! And really that's it, I wasn't able to do much last year due to other work commitments but this year I have been out looking for them in numerous locations looking for different ways to capture their lives and comical facial expressions, during this time I have also been fascinated by the variety of colours and markings that they come in, including would you believe pink, orange and white! So here are the pink grasshopper (more about these later in the post including an explanation), the tango'd grasshopper and the ghost grasshopper (names I have given them). 

Away from the colours, there are so many creative photographic opportunities to be had. The next two images show two very different angles, the first (which is a Rufous Grasshopper Gomphocerippus rufus) peering over the top of a dead plant head. This was a difficult image to capture in focus as the head is not the biggest area to focus on plus on that day it was particularly windy! 

The second image, again a very tricky one to capture in focus (there were many failed attempts due to the wind) but also there were a couple of different compositions that I tried out and this one sticks out for me above the others. As you may be starting to notice by now I like to have a lot of space around my subjects when composing my creative shots but for me this helps to give a sense of place more than the close up images. 

My work with grasshoppers is very much ongoing and will continue through autumn and then start again next year when they start to reappear. For some reason not many people take the time to concentrate on grasshoppers as a photographic subject, which is fine by me as I'm happy to have them all to myself, but next time you're out and you see one just take a closer look. The more time I spend with these wonderful critters the more I start to notice, the other week whilst working with one particular individual, I noticed that as I moved my head to get a different angle it would mimic me and when I moved my head back it would do the same, this game went on for around five minutes!

Now, as promised earlier in the post some more details about the pink grasshoppers. So why are they pink?
Well, it is actually a little understood genetic mutation caused by a recessive gene similar to that which affects albino animals and is called erythrism. The mutation results in one of two things happening or a combination of the two: you get a reduction or even absence of the normal pigment and/or the excessive production of other pigments, in this case red which results in pink or sometimes purple morphs. Although the condition was first discovered in 1887 in a katydid species, it is still rare and not often seen. although there are more reports of them coming in but this could be that people are now actually looking for them!

So here are a couple more images of the pink grasshoppers I found in one particular location, I will be back next year to see if I can find some more!

I promise these haven't been altered in any way, they really are that colour! 

Right time for me to go and get on with writing an article about a bag, coming soon will be some beautiful butterflies like you have never seen them before! Bye for now and have a wonderful evening. 

Victoria 

Orchids

Hello again, I hope you enjoyed my post on adders I will be continuing to work with these over the coming years, there is still the grasshoppers to come (including some pink and oranges ones!) but this post is all about orchids. Unfortunately I have been a bit strapped for time to get out to photograph orchids this year due to other work commitments and their short flower period but I have managed a couple of trips that have been wonderfully successful to both old favourite spots and brand new ones.

I have found orchids in woodlands, fields and grassland and really looked at things differently this year as part of my Somerset Project. Instead of just taking beautiful pictures, I have both taken a step back and shown them in their habitat and got up close and personal to show their textures, so here are some of my favourite images.

Bee orchid - Ophrys apifera

Green-winged orchid - Anacamptis morio, both the normal purple variation and the much paler pink variation, both were in abundance at this new site.

Early Purple Orchid - Orchis mascula

Greater Butterfly Orchid - Plantanthera chlorantha

Common Spotted Orchid - Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Unknown orchid - I found this close to greater butterfly orchids but it doesn't look anything like them and can't find anything that looks similar so if anyone can help with an identification that would be lovely.

Well, that's it for orchids for now at least! These for part of my on-going project capturing the smaller things in Somerset and I'm hoping to produce a wonderful book to accompany the project which will be full of photos and the stories behind them but I have a way to go before that stage!

Next up will be grasshoppers and my work with them and then a new project based just down the road in Wiltshire which I have just started but very excited about. I'm heading away for 10 days but there will be plenty more when I get back and lots of new images from a different part of the UK.

For now, thank you for reading, please share with friends and family and take care.

Victoria x

Continued Work With Adders

Hello, seems I'm a little behind with my blog posts so time to play a bit of catch up with posts all about orchids, grasshoppers and an update on adders all to come in quick succession! First up is adders.

Way back in April, I mentioned about adders and a few locations I have been checking out for these wonderful creatures. Well, I have been back several times and seen adders every time which is encouraging and these sites are now firmly on my regular visit list, although I will not give out these locations for the safety and welfare of the snakes I will keep you updated as to what is going on. This has been a brand new experience for me and I have learned a lot about this species and in the coming months I will putting together an article on how you can enjoy seeing and experiencing these snakes in the wild without causing any harm to them and keeping yourself safe at the same time. First up are a couple of photos taken of an adder in amongst the gorse bushes, these were not the easiest of images to take and resulted in many prickles in places you really don't want to get prickled but I wanted to show the snake in it's habitat.

As you will know by now, the welfare of my subject always (no excuses) comes first and if this means missing a shot then far better than causing distress or harm to the animal. The following photos took nearly two hours to take and I just sat there watching the individual, she knew I was there but at no time showed any signs of distress or threat and as you can see that patient has really paid off.

 These truly are fascinating creatures and I will continue to work with them in the coming years, observing and recording their lives in these specific locations. And maybe just maybe convince at least a few people that they are really not some terrible beast to be scared off, they are just another animal going about their daily lives just as we do.

One thing concentrating on a few species and talking to people has helped me realise is that often species are either mis-understood or not understood at all which can lead to fear or dislike. Yes, with some animals, such as the adders, you do have to be extra careful but being allowed to spend so long in the company of one individual was amazing. Over the coming months and years I will be sharing my experiences with wildlife and nature as I document them in my own way, sharing tips on how you to can enjoy them and at the same time learn more about them and their place in their ecosystem. I will be following my subjects throughout the year rather than just one visit and move onto the next subject, in the hope that I can build up relationships and document changes over time. My main target species will be those that most people don't like, over look for the larger more charismatic ones or just really don't care about, so there will be bucket loads of artistic, funny and different images coming your way! That doesn't mean to say that if anything cute crosses my path or an opportunity arises I will pass it up :)

But for now, I have wedding photos to process and another two blog posts to prepare!

Take care and up next is orchids so stay tuned!

Spring is here

Hello everyone,

Spring must be here, saw my first swallow today! Hope everyone has been enjoying the lovely weather we've been having here in Somerset over the last few weeks, I have certainly used it to get out and about with my camera to work on a new project which is all about Somerset. The last 6 weeks or so have been very busy here's a bit of an update of what I've been up to.

The Photography Show - Great success, really enjoyed talking to people about my work on the Manfrotto Stand as a Manfrotto Ambassador and also chatting to people about the products and why I use the items that I do. Met some fantastic photographers and had a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones. For anyone that was able to catch my talk thank you, if you didn't manage to catch it I have some talks coming up this year which will follow a similar theme.

Adders - For many years I have wanted to see and maybe photograph adders in the wild here in Somerset, I know of some good sites elsewhere in the country but the challenge was to find them at home. So I started doing some research and found a couple of potential sites to start looking, I have been to these locations a couple of times now and every time seen adders which is a promising sign, but they have also been great for other wildlife so I will definitely be looking at making them a regular stop during the next few months. But enough of that here are some pictures form those first few visits. 

My Coffee Stop in Shepton Mallet - I've very happy to say that I have been invited to exhibit some photos at My Coffee Stop in Shepton Mallet, they now have seven (6 from Somerset & 1 from Romania) mounted and framed images up on their walls and they are all for sale. A huge thank you to them for asking me to exhibit. 

Finding My Creativity - I have found myself a bit up and down the last few weeks with my creativity, but it seems to be flooding back now and I have been trying some new ideas and techniques. So far I have only been able to test these out on an oil beetle and some common whitlow grass but I am looking forward to exploring and pushing the boundaries even more this year both with plants, insects and other species that I may come across. So here are a few images taken in the last few weeks, hope you like them. 

New Badger Collection - In June we will be launching a brand new badger collection, we are still working on the items but here's a sneaky peek at the smaller items that will be included. 

A few dates for your diaries:

Burnham-On-Sea Camera Club Talk

Flowers & Plants through the Year
Tuesday 6th May, 7pm - 9pm
Bay Centre, Cassis Close, Burnham-On-Sea, Somerset, TA8 1NN

Spring Creative Nature Workshops

Do you fancy learning to be more creative with your photography or just have the confidence to do it?
Well this workshop is for you, I'll share some of my top tips, tricks and ideas to create very different images of common subjects. It is a workshop so most of the day will be spent outside trying out these ideas and discussing the results.
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May 10am - 4pm (both days exactly the same)
Shepton Mallet, Somerset
£60 per person (includes tea, coffee, cakes and lunch) max of 6 people per day.
To book follow this link: Spring Workshop

Pop-up Shop

Black Swan Arts, Frome
16th June - 28th June
We will be open every day, times to be confirmed
Sunday 22nd June we have booked the Tower room for talks and drop in sessions, details of which will be confirmed shortly

Autumn Creative Nature Workshops

Do you fancy learning to be more creative with your photography or just have the confidence to do it?
Well this workshop is for you, I'll share some of my top tips, tricks and ideas to create very different images of common subjects. It is a workshop so most of the day will be spent outside trying out these ideas and discussing the results.
Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th September 10am - 4pm (both days exactly the same)
Shepton Mallet, Somerset
£60 per person (includes tea, coffee, cakes and lunch) max of 6 people per day.
To book follow this link: Autumn Workshop

Mid Somerset Camera Club Talk

Creative Nature
Tuesday 30th September, 8pm
Tor Leisure, Street Road, Glastonbury, BA6 9EF

Castle Cary Gardening Club Talk

Natural World Through My Lens Talk
Thursday 2nd October, 7:30om
Methodist Schoolroom, Caslte Cary

When I get home I will be working re-designing my blog to fit in better with my website which I have been adding more photos to over the last week and also redesigning mum's website so that everything fits in together ready for some exciting news in June. 

Right I best go pack so that is all from me now for a few weeks as Chris and I take off to South Africa on Tuesday until early May to go see some penguins and other smaller critters! I will be trying out the SIGMA 120-300mm f2.8 DG OS HSM lens during this trip and I'm really looking forward to testing it out and seeing what it can do. I will let you know how it performs along with some images on my return. 

Bye for now

Victoria