Lyveden

Lyveden is a National Trust property just outside Oundle.  It was intended as a summer house or 'secret house' for Sir Thomas Tresham, but, following his death in 1605, it was never completed.  The building was left with no roof, windows and or floors. Considering that it has never been weather-tight, the walls are in remarkably good condition.  Tresham was a fervent Roman Catholic, and the building contains much religious symbolism. 

I visited on a breezy cloudy day.  10-stop weather.  So that is what I spent most of my time doing.  It's also a handy way to get rid of the other visitors.  As the light picked up, and the other people left, I did eventually take a couple of shots without the big stopper.

 

May Bumps

I recently made it to another CCC 'Wednesday Workshop' meet.  This time is was out and about for the first day of the May Bumps.  From previous experience, I had a strategy of being near the start for the early, lower division races, moving down river as the standard improved.  This meant that I saw quite a few bumps.  I shot over a thousand frames but have deleted 90% of them.  There were lots of very unsuccessful panning shots.

The first image in this set was probably my best shot of the day.  As the sun started to drop behind the hedge next to the tow-path, gaps in the hedge cast patches of light and shade on the river.  I was lucky enough to capture a bump with the conceding cox beautifully lit by one of the sunny spots.  It made what otherwise might have been a rather confused picture.  However,for their sheer joy, I also like the last two shots.  In the W1 division, Caius bumped to take 'head of the river'.  It was their Stroke's first ever bump, and to say she was happy about it is an understatement.  Much to the amusement of the rest of her crew.

 

Orchids

Common Spotted and Pyramidal Orchids, shot the weekend before last, on a rather breezy day, completely unsuitable for this kind of thing.

 

Strawberry Fair

Last Saturday, I spent an enjoyable sunny afternoon at Strawberry Fair in Cambridge.  There were some great characters on display, both on stage and off.

 

 

 

 

As an experiment, I tried some double exposure shots of the crowd throwing shapes in the club tent.  The results are somewhat jumbled, but give a better idea of the mood and atmosphere, than straight shots ever could.