Autumn Colours

Hello again, I hope you enjoyed my hedgehog post, there will be a fox post coming soon along similar lines, but for now some beautiful autumn colours. I have been so busy with one thing and another that I have not been able to get out and about to capture the beautiful colours this autumn, but finally got half and hour early on Sunday morning. We had a pretty hard frost here in Somerset Saturday night and wonderful bright clear morning, well at least it started that way, which would mean only one thing getting out with my camera and new toy. I purchased a 6-point starburst filter sometime ago for using in a new project next year but hadn't actually even taken it out of the box since it arrived, so armed with camera and filter I headed out......into my parents garden! I took lots of different images, the artistic flare definitely making a welcomed returned to my photography and here are the results, so sit back and enjoy, everything has been done in camera, apart from a a slight bit of cropping on one image there has been no post-processing, who needs Photoshop!!! As always comments and thoughts are very welcomed and if you wish to purchase any of these images as prints head over to my website. 

And because I just love a good black and white, here are a couple of the sunrise in black and white, again all in camera!

Just thought I would share this beautiful morning with everyone and hopefully brighten your day. That's it for now, don't forget to register for my webinar as part of the Manfrotto School of Xcellance this Thursday (15th November) 4-5pm UK time where I will take you through some of my more unique images and how I've captured them, just follow this link: 

Webinar

Until next time, when I will have a post dedicated to foxes...........

The Last Month or So & some very cute Dormice!

Apologies for being a bit quiet over the last month or so not sure where the time has gone, November already! Things have been busy though with a couple of photo shoots and a whole lot of computer work in preparation for a webinar that I am giving for the Manfrotto School of Xcellence called "From Spiders to Sifakas: How to Capture Unique Wildlife Images". It has been quite challenging picking different images that show different techniques and the use of both colour and black and white, but I'm there and just finishing off the text to go with it which includes some tips and tricks to help capture different images and over coming practical obstacles of working in the field. If you want to register for the webinar that is on Thursday 15th November at 4pm UK time, here is the link:

Victoria Hillman presents From Spiders to Sifakas: How to Capture Unique Wildlife Images

The webinar and wedding planning have taken up a lot of my time, but have managed a couple of trips out in between the rain and have started work on Project X, trying out different techniques and settings, the main bulk of this project will actually take place next year after winter but here is a small taster of what I have been working on.

I have been lucky enough to be asked to take some photos for Secret World Wildlife Rescue of foxes, hedgehogs and dormice and had a very enjoyable day and even had a little help from the foxes! Some of these photos are now available to purchase through my website in the Majestic Mammals with 10% of sales being donated to Secret World to help feed and care for all the animals at the centre. Below is my favourite foxy moment from the day taken from very low down to get at the same eye level. 

So, onto the dormice. Earlier in the year some baby dormice were taken to the centre after being found, three of them survived thanks to the wonderful love and care they have been shown are doing well but will stay at Secret World until after Christmas, so we did a Christmas themed shoot using decorations and a teapot, I've now uploaded these to my website. If you are looking for unique and cute Christmas cards to send whilst helping to care for rescued wildlife you can purchase the following images as Christmas cards in packs of six or just as single cards, I have left them blank inside so you can add your own special message Just follow the link below the image for more details. 

Dormice At Christmas

I have also been working very hard with my mum to create lots of wonderful very unique handmade gift ideas for Christmas which will be available from all the following craft markets where we will have our Christmas and animal themed stand. 

Christmas Craft Markets

Saturday 17th November 

Craft Market at St. Aldhelm’s Church, Doulting 10am - 4pm 

Saturday 24th November 

Crafts at the Cheese & Grain, Frome, Somerset 10am - 3pm

Sunday 25th November

Warminster Christmas Market, Civic Centre, Warminster 10am - 4pm

Friday 7th December

Nunney Christmas Market, Village Hall, Nunney, 5pm - 10pm

Saturday 8th December

Christmas Bath Craft and Gift Fair, Guildhall, Bath 10am - 4pm

Saturday 22nd December

Crafts at the Cheese & Grain, Frome, Somerset 10am - 3pm

Creative use of a well place flash gun, tungsten white balance and
good helping of morning dew on this beautiful wild primrose