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! 

Snowdrops my way!

Hello and welcome to a post completely dedicated to that lovely first flower of the year the humble snowdrop, Galanthus, from the Greek meaning milk flower. The following images are of the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, also known as the flower of hope and are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Redlist, are included in CITES Appendix II and in some areas are under threat from collection and habitat destruction.

The following photographs are of a small patch of snowdrops in Somerset taken over a few days in varying light conditions but with everything being done in camera with no post processing, I have even used a 6-point starburst filter for some of the images which are both colour and black and white. If you look really closely at one of them you will even see a tiny money spider (Linyphiidae). 

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...........