It's all about the rain (Days 11 - 20)

Day 11 - It's all about the rain

For the last 10 days it seems to have been non stop rain - not a very conducive state for inspirational photography.  I recently read an article that said the majority of photographers don't bother when its raining - mainly for reasons of keeping their kit dry and it sounds a reasonable excuse.

Day 12 - The Clansman is still with us

Mastering the art of holding a brollie whilst taking a shot is fine until the wind goes above a couple of knots, especially when it's a golfing brollie! There are lots of waterproof covers available but a plastic carrier bag seems to work well enough in a lot of situations!

Day 13 - Caution man at work (between showers)!

But I thank my lucky stars that I'm not down south and actually underwater, neither have I resorted to staying indoors but this may have more to do with owning a couple of mad spaniels. I have, however, packed my bridge camera more often as it will fit into my pocket.

Day 14 - Day trip to Dunoon, first building (hotel) from the ferry

The last 10 days have actually been quite busy, unusual for this time of year.  Most of it has been planning events for the summer and meetings with regular clients and in some instances these have provided opportunities for a quick photo.

Day 15 - Derelict house on the dog walk

Another opportunity arose when I took a day trip to Dunoon on the Cowel Peninsular.  A lovely little town and to get there and back in a day (remembering that requires 2 ferries, Brodick to Ardrossan and then Gourock to Dunoon) was actually quite easy. And the drive down the coast was scenic.  Not that it stopped raining!

Day 16 - It's still raining

On day 17 I actually sat in the car for 10 minutes while a torrential shower passed, not wanting to walk the 20 yards to my door.  So this could be classed as an interior image - one of 2 in the last 10 days (not bad considering the rain - did I mention the rain again).

Day 17 - View from the car in torrential rain

Mondays are particularly busy days for me (fully booked every Monday till June) and again I ended up looking for a subject once I'd donned my pj's.  This time the tulips that were going in the bin filled the gap and I have to admit there is something about how the dying petals curl and twist.  For  a change I added a softer filter despite my passion for harder grainy snaps.

Day 18 - Soft focus tulips

More rain followed and I had to find something on the regular dog walks.  It's amazing how I'm starting to look at things from a different view point, knowing some of the landscapes just will not work, and seeking out texture and contrast.  I found a fabulous patch of slime fungi - flourenscent yellow/orange, but alas not one for this project!

Day 19 - Rusty padlock

Only another 345 to go!

Day 20 - Sodden leaves on the path

Day 4 - 10 of 365 Monochrome 2014

Well the project goes on (unlike a lot of New Year resolutions), and even in these early few days I have found out it really is a challenge.  Now it's not difficult to take a picture every day, but trying to find something interesting is; especially when it is lashing down with rain and I'm a bit fussy.  I also want to provide a bit of variety, even in the very limited world of monochrome.

Day 4 - Misty

Day 4, the 13th January, proved lucky for Misty as she had wandered from her home and I picked her up on the String Road before anyone hit her.  She had a lovely day, playing with my dogs, walking on the beach and gaining her moment of fame through facebook and twitter before being reunited with her owner.

Drainage pipes

Day 5 provided me with a lot of laughs as I had set off on a dog walk and came across some large drainage pipes.  The texture of these were ideal for the project and I set about getting a shot when the light shower turned to torrential rain.

Watson takes refuge

Watson had the right idea and he took refuge inside, providing another shot, and he thought it was a great game running through all the pipes!

The following couple of days, gave me little time to think about photo's, so shots were taken on drives to and from different jobs, with a pair of curlews taken from my car window on day 6 and showing a lovely stone wall on day 7. 

Day 6 - 15th Jan. A pair of Curlews from my car window.

Day 7 - 16th Jan. Stone wall and rotten post. Machrie.

The sun shone, albeit briefly, on the 17th and I had a 1:1 workshop with one of the islands residents and although I usually don't take my own camera with me for these, I slipped a bridge camera into my pocket, just in case!  This was rewarded with some beautiful shots of sunlight streaming through the trees (colour versions have been tweeted and are on my facebook site) on the path to Goatfell.

Day 8 - Sunlight streams through trees on the path to Goatfell

After another soggy walk on Day 9, I finally decided that I should retire a pair of my boots.  These have seen some mileage and are totally worn out.  Maybe I'll put a plant in them in my garden come spring? I perhaps should say that it was about 10pm when I realised I had not done the obligatory photo and I was searching (in my PJ's) for a subject.

Knackered boots!

Another dog walk provided an opportunity to watch the local shepherd work his dog with a small flock of sheep. His calm stance while the dogs and sheep raced around cleared said everything was under control!

Shepherd at work.

So with a start made I only have to come up with another 355 ideas!

365 MONOCHROME 2014 - aka 'Plan B'

Introducing the Project - Day 1 - 10th January

Now with 'Plan B' being in the title you may think that 'Plan A' has been ditched but it hasn't, I'm still developing it, but it's not ready to put in front of the public just yet and it could be a while!  So meanwhile I needed something that I could do over a period of time and that would provide all those things a project is supposed to, motivation, inspiration, challenge etc., etc.

Dying Rose

In searching for ideas, the commonest one seems to be the 365.  It sounds simple, take a picture everyday (yes everyday) of anything.  What to do with them varies between, posting on social media sites, blogging or creating calendars. I wanted something with a little more focus (no pun intended) and this brought to mind last October when I ended up rooting around in one of my old boxes (you know the stuff that languishes in the attic) and came across some of my original black and white images from my photography training.

Desaturated Rose

That was in the pre digital era, back in the day of hand rolling film and wet processing.  I trained using a huge twin lens Mamiya and Pentax K1000.  Decisions were made well before any photograph was ever taken as to the type of film to load, which ultimately had an effect on the final image. There is something about a good quality black and white print, where colour plays no part, and I tended to gravitate towards the grainy harsh films and papers.

Day 2 - Kildonan. Isle of Arran - 11th January

With no decision or start made on a project, the catalyst came when I was throwing out a bunch of flowers that had lasted since before Christmas.  Some of the roses hadn't opened but had dried on the stalk and I decided the time was right to get off the fence and actually do something! So 10th January 2014 is day one of 365.

Day 3 - Harder to recognise without his red breast - 12th January

In deference to the digital era I've decided to go monochrome and not just black & white. But all images in the project will be of a single hue, and I hope to blog every couple of weeks with some of the results.

Monochrome Rose

Dark Rose

A red squirrel's tail

Here's a tale about a red squirrels tail.

Introducing Stumpy the red squirrel

I am very lucky to have red squirrels visit my garden on a regular basis along with many wild birds, voles, mice and some other less desirable wildlife.  I spend many an hour watching out of my window and have placed feeders in strategic places, where I can see them but the wildlife feels safe to visit - and is also safe from predators such as cats and more exotic hunters such as the sparrow hawk.

Stumpy's tail

Mr Blacks tail

Like a lot of people I give some of my visitors nick names.  I cannot understand why this is frowned upon, arguments being that 'we' are projecting human personalities and traits upon wild creatures or become too involved and attached.  Well I disagree and find it a really useful tool to help me identify different members of the same group and also invest into their welfare.

Stumpy in the box

A full sized tail 

So let me introduce Stumpy.  Now you may notice that it is not a flattering name albeit apt, and that tends to be the nature of how I name my wildlife.  Well that's apart from Scary Fred, the 8 legged beast that occasionally visits my living room, and I know is likely to be female (because of her size) but I digress.

Lack of a tail does not seem to affect Stumpy balance

So Stumpy is one of a group of 4 red squirrels that visit daily, especially at this time of year.  Stumpy is at least 3 years old as this is the 3rd winter of visiting my feeder and he is very easy to identify due to his stumpy tail.  The first time I spotted him I did not have a feeder in place and as he never stayed still or in full sight I was not sure about his tail, but the last couple of years he has sat happily on the table giving me ample opportunity to compare his tail with that of Mr Black, and Red - two of my other regulars. The fourth squirrel, Flash, named for the very bright white flash on his front and the speed he moves is a less frequent visitor and rarely sits on the feeder.
 

Stumpy defends the feeding box

Stumpy's tail does not seem to impair his ability to survive or move in the trees.  Tails are primarily used for balance but they are also used to keep warm in winter by wrapping them around the body when sleeping and also in summer to keep cool, as the squirrel pumps more blood into the tail to help dissipate heat.  Neither does it make him subservient to the other squirrels and he defends the table should another visit at the same time.

Meet some of my other 'named' visitors....

Fat Controller

Mr White

The love birds

All photo's copyrite of Arran in Focus

Chipperfields Circus comes to Arran

Aerial Silks high in the big top

It's not everyday that a circus comes to town, and for Lamlash on the Isle of Arran I think this was a first. Organised by the Glenisle Hotel as part of the fabulous 4th Santa's Sparkle event the Chipperfields Circus was the highlight of Sunday.

Aerial hoop

The circus dates back to around 1650, when it was the norm to have performing animals - often of a rare and exotic nature.  Nowadays all the acts are human, even if they seem to be able to perform inhuman feats of contortion and defeat gravity.

Balancing on some rather shaky rods

The first, and for me, most impressive act was that of aerial silks.  Climbing high into the big top the artist performed, climbs, drops and poses, all without a safety rope or net.

Hoola hoop Charleston style

This was followed by a duo performing some amazing balancing whilst raised off the ground, a hoola hoop act, juggling and aerial hoop display.

The clown and his tame tiger!

And of course not forgetting the clown who had his own special animal act.

Plate spinning in the circus skills workshop

At the end all of the children (and some adults) had a go at various circus skills in a mini workshop.

The Chipperfield circus still tours internationally and is probably the most famous in the world.

Photographs copyright Arran in Focus

Firework Photography

My local bonfire night was originally planned for Saturday 2nd, however high winds and lashing rain resulted in it being postponed to Monday 4th - a day with a good weather forecast.  And so it proved to be. Clear skies, little wind and no rain.  The locals gathered as the fire brigade lit the bonfire and I fumbled with the head torch setting up my camera.

Nightime photography usually means I travel quite light. Minimal kit (its too easy to lose in the dark), a camera with pre determined lens fixed, tripod and remote shutter release: All usually attached in the comfort of my own home or car.  No brollies or rain covers required as it wasn't raining but with the essential head torch dangling from my neck.

The first firework was lit and up it went enabling me to get a fix on what was to come.  Timings can be difficult as can focusing are best done manually for this type of photography.  Once the fireworks start there is little time to start experimenting, so a good understanding of the cameras functions is needed beforehand.

With practice (and there are often several bonfires over different nights - along with Christmas displays) some good results can be achieved.

All photographys remain copywrite of Arran in Focus