A brief return

The autumn is returning. The super-hot temperatures are cooling and it is clear that birds are moving although I haven't seen much around the garden yet. So I have been continuing to practice with the rangefinder and have developed a keen interest in black and white imaging. I have spent some time with a pro, Craig Norris, who has given me some Photoshop tuition and is critiquing my work occasionally. I am learning to improve my composition, to make sure I have a focal point to the picture and to vary my height and angle of shooting.

All this has become something of a minor obsession and I spend a lot of time looking at the Leica Forum. It never ceases to amaze me what people post expecting (presumably) positive comments. On the other hand others doubtless think the same about my efforts and indeed Craig and I have already disagreed on images. Quite healthy too. But there are some amazingly talented people who post but I stay clear of the techno-nerds.

Moths have been few recently. They don't seem to fly much in the very hot weather but this little chap did appear recently.



This goes under the name of "anticrates sp." and is as yet undescribed to science.

Yesterday about 350 Great egrets flew past, possibly heading for the Philippines. This was a chance evening sighting but after the passage of Chinese Goshawks earlier in the year perhaps I am on a migration route! I also found a crested serpent eagle in the garden a while back.



This species calls regularly here and is seen occasionally very high in the sky but on this occasion perched just across from the house.

As we go into the best time of the year the constant interruption and harassment that is work begins to get to me. I need a physical and emotional spring clean and jumping on another plane (as I will do later tonight) is not what I need. Striving for better photos is also very draining but in a different way. I once did some psychometric tests to determine whether I was a Type A or B. On the scale of 1-100 I was around 98% towards the A end of the spectrum so I commit totally to a project and push myself hard to improve each time. I love the challenge of the rangefinder and playing with a piece of software called Silver Efex Pro that I use for converting from colour to black & white.

I am sure this is Off Topic but here are a couple of my efforts:




Of course if you are a Facebook Friend or Flickr follower of mine then all this stuff is repetitive nonsense, for which I apologize.

I still have a hankering to write too but until I hang up my banking boots that isn't going to happen. I have wonderful ideas for this blog but either never get round to writing or my mind goes blank when I sit down to type. In reality I just want to be out there taking pictures, whether it is natural history with the DSLR or arty-farty stuff with the rangefinder. So whatever your interest, if you are still out there, here is my last offering for the time being.

Thanks.