Richmond Park - Deer

These images were taken at the start of the month, before the increase in Covid restrictions for London.  I was in the park for dawn, along with a couple of dozen other photographers.  Maybe it was becasue it was a Sunday, but there did seem to be many more 'togs than on my last visit a couple of years ago.  The morning started quite cloudy, but eventually the sun broke through and, for a while, there was some lovely light.  I saw one proper fight between a dominat male and a callenger (my first one after many such mornings), but it was too far away for decent shots.  I had to make do with some practice fencing between younger males, a huge amount of bellowing and, another first for me, one stag getting the reward for his hard work. 

Autumn by iPhone

A quick post (whilst I continue to sort through a large number of red deer photos taken at the start of the month).  The images below were all taken with my iPhone, using the Hipstamatic app, whilst walking around St Neots on a rather grey day.  They were all taken using one of my favourite 'lens' and 'film' combos.  For anyone interested, the 'lens' is Salvador 84, which gives the distorted double exposure look, and the 'film' is Kodot XGrizzled, which gives the slightly distressed look.

 

Botanic Gardens Infrared

I was keen for one last use of the IR camera before the green leaves began to turn.  So I took it to the botanic gardens on a sunny afternoon.

Bedford Infrared

 An occasional reader of this occasional blog complains that I never take any pictures in Bedford.  It's a fair comment, I don't.  So, on a sunny afternoon, I took the IR camera to Bedford for a walk beside the river.

Cambridge Street Photography

Last Saturday Ann organised a photohunt for CCC members in Cambridge.  Twelve cryptic photo clues led to 12 locations.  The idea was that you found the thing in the photo and either took your own photo of it or the area around it.  I decided to concentrate on street photography at each of the locations.  Some locations gave more opportunities that others.  I have posted a gallery featuring one shot from each location on the CCC website.  Here, I will just show a selection of my favourite shots of the day.

Note for posterity:  Under changes to the Covid19 regulations, this was the first weekend that it was mandatory to wear a face mask in shops.

It had been cloudy all day, and around 4pm the heavens opened.  But, as the old hill-walkers saying goes, 'there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing'.  Luckily, I had the right clothing with me, and once I was suitably Goretex wrapped I managed to get my favourite shots of the day.

Butterflies At Waresley Wood

I recently took a trip to Waresley wood in search of butterflies.  I found good numbers, but not a great variety of species. My best find was a group of Peacock butterfly caterpillars munching on a patch of nettles.  They were tricky to photograph, but I love the back-lighting on this first shot.

Orchids

The other weekend I went out looking for orchids.  Here what I found.

 Bee orchid

 Pyramidal Orchid


















 



Common Spotted Orchid

Man Orchid (a little past its best)