Blossom and Bluebells

Hello! Sorry it's been a while, I'm not entirely sure where the last couple of months have gone, can't believe it's mid-June already! Time to play a little bit of catch up with my blog posts from the last couple of months, first up is blossom and bluebells.

Things have been busy and I've been out making the most of the good weather when we've had it trying out lots of new ideas and techniques for photographing nature. I've been challenging my self to come up with something new and different from the normal images you see of blossom and bluebells so here goes! I'm going to start with blackthorn blossom before I let you into what I've been trying out.

I always like to spend time with one subject and this really pays off whether it's a day, week, month or longer (as is the case with my green hairstreak butterflies coming in the next instalment). If you challenge yourself to work with just one subject you start to see more possibilities and photographs. I've stopped using flash in my work and instead have been looking at using other ways to increase light to specific areas of my images and for both the blossom above and the bluebells to follow I have been having a play with using a reflector in different ways to create a soft light and also harsh light. I'm still working with these and trying them in different ways and situations.

Ok, so I have let you into one of my little secrets, time to show you some bluebell photos.

That last photo is actually a multiple exposure (using two images) taken and combined in camera, something I will be playing with a lot more over the next few months. If you are interesting in learning some of my tips and tricks first hand or just want a little bit of help being more creative with your photography I have now confirmed more dates for my creative nature workshops with the option of Somerset or South Gloucestershire (in conjunction with Clifton Cameras in Dursley). For more information and to book here is the link you need:

Creative Nature Workshops

You may also notice my website has had a bit of a re-vamp! It took a few days but got there in the end, and don't forget you can also follow me on instagram: Instagram

Right, time to get back to some image processing and other work! Have a great week, next instalment will be dedicated to the stunning little green hairstreak butterfly.

Bye for now x

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

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 

Orchids & Insects

Well hello, I am now writing this post from Transylvania where it is currently raining but it is very much needed here as I'm sure it is at home. I have been here nearly a week now and I can say it has been interesting, the water has been intermittent at best but there's always a way to cope and always fun finding those ways! Field trips have been frequent and we now have camera traps in the field collecting vital night time data for us, but to read more about that you will need to head over to my National Geographic Journal where I will post an entry very soon. For now though, this post is dedicated to orchids (something until now I have never photographed in the UK) and a few insects I found whilst looking for the orchids, so here goes......

First up is the beautiful bee orchid, the only one left in flower by the time I was able to get to photograph them, but what a beautiful orchid it is and I really went to town on this one, using a star burst filter and also monochrome for a more artistic image. 

Next up we have a variety of marsh orchids on all shapes, sizes and colours! 

And finally, to close the post a few of the wonderful buggies I found whilst photographing the orchids

And one of my favourite bugs of the moment, although they are a challenge to photograph especially on hot days, the humble grasshopper! 

So that's all from me for this post, time to edit some videos for my Explorers Journal and start preparing another entry, but don't forget there are still plenty more images to come including fawns, hedgehogs and froggies! 

Just before I leave you, here is a sneak preview of the new packs cards that will be available real soon from craft markets and through my website. Each pack contains 6 cards and envelopes, either one of each design (Borneo Wildlife, British Wildlife, British Flower) or two of each design (Poppies, Orang-utans). 

and the 2014 calendar which is available now to pre-order through my website, this year the calendar is all about Borneo and is available to pre-order only, it will not be available to buy through craft markets, but you have until 31st October to place your order! To order your calendar click here: Order 2014 Calendar

Ok, until next time, happy snapping and keep safe! 

Poppies

Hello! I have to say I am loving this great weather we're having here in the South West at the moment I've been out most days with my camera exploring new areas and new subjects reigniting my creative side and popped down to visit my friends at Secret World. I certainly have a lot of images to go through now ready to share with you, so I've decided on several short, image rich posts dedicated to the different subjects and outings I've so far managed to get in. Now I know it might seem a little early to be thinking of Christmas especially given the weather, but that it what we have been doing. Mum and I are busy getting stock ordered and made ready for the Autumn and Christmas run of craft markets which include some brand new small gift sets, a new range of cards and a Borneo 2014 calendar (will be pre-order only details to follow shortly).

First up are poppies, something that I have been wanting to photograph for a long time but always seem to miss the flowering but with everything being a little bit later this year has worked in my favour. I jumped in my car and headed just over the border into Wiltshire to a small field of poppies in lovely afternoon light armed with just a couple of lenses and a bottle of water. Up until now I have never photographed poppies so didn't really know where to start so jumped in and took a few general images to begin with.

From there I went for some more artistic images of a single poppy flowers and unopened flower heads and even used back lighting to highlight the tiny hairs on the stems. So here are some of my favourites from my afternoon with these iconic British flowers, I hope you like them, they have all been taken with a Canon 7D with a Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens by far my favourite combination. If you are interested in more technical details just drop me a message and I'd be happy to share. 

 

I have to admit flowers have not been a major subject of mine until now but having the chance to go to town on just one subject at the time I am really enjoying the challenge and will definitely be visiting this location again next year and for the first time ever these will be offered as a pack of 6 cards including envelopes with 2 of each of the following 3 images priced at £5 per pack from craft markets (list is now available on my website) or through the shop on my website priced at £8 or £10 depending on where you would like them posted, will be available in about a months time:

This is not the only new card selection available, there will also be British wildlife, British flowers, Borneo and orang-utans more details to follow in a future post, currently busy processing the images ready to send off to the printers for proofing. 

So this is it for poppies, still to come are orchids, insects, deer fawns and hedgehogs and full details of all the new card packs available and the 2014 calendar. It is also time for me to head back out to Transylvania for another 2 weeks in the field, don't forget to follow my stories from the field on my National Geographic Explorers journal, just posted a new article about a visit to a bear sanctuary. 

Stories from the Field

That's it for now, next post in a few days, time to start packing!