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Went over to Mickleover Meadows, on Wednesday 30th March 2011, to capture the Fritillary's. Common Name: Snake's head fritillary, Genus: Fritillaria, Species: meleagris and the Pussy Willow. I have used Topaz Simplify on the images.

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Polar Panoramics
These are by way of experiments in preparation for the 19th April 2011 Techniques Tuesday meeting at Derby City Photographic Club. A member has indicated that these would be of interest.

They are prepared from a series of hand held photographs taken by rotating one's body through 360°. The total number of photographs taken will depend on the focal length of the lens used and whether the photographs are taken in portrait or landscape mode.

Taken on a very foggy morning. Grange Farm - Weston on Trent, Derbyshire, UK

Weston on Trent, Derbyshire, UK

Weston on Trent - The Green - Weston on Trent, Derbyshire, UK (The Plough Inn has been demolished since the photographs were taken.

Aston on Trent, Derbyshire, UK

Fellbrigg Hall - Nr Norwich, Norfolk, UK

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Just trying my hand at enhancing these foggy morning photographs at la Irene Froy. I attended one of her workshops on Sunday 27th March 2011. I have included the before shots too.

Blog 130

Three out of the several types of Heinz cream of tomato soup, the missing one is the organic variety.

This is my favourite soup of all time. I just love the first spoonful and the tangy bite that it has on my tongue.

Long time visitors to my blog may realise that the first image that I posted, see here, was of a single can of this soup with an invitation to visitors to stay a while and share my photographs.

The first image has been squirted through Nik Software Silver Efex Pro, Antique Plate 1.

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These flowers are Anemone Blanda a very beautiful small flower that seems to come up every year as a single flowering plant, however this year there are two plants, great joy. The size of the flower head is approximately 4cm. When the weather is overcast the flowers stay tightly closed as shown in the second photograph.

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A few spring flowers seen in a local churchyard. The ladybug wasn't very cooperative. Also the magnolia buds are begining to open.

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Light Trails
My eldest grandson explained to me how he had recently been out one evening with his group of Explorer Scouts and had stood and watched the traffic on the M1 motorway and because it was slightly foggy he marvelled at how the motorway lights had looked in those conditions.

He asked if we could revisit the observation spot, at Stoney Clouds, Sandiacre, which we did on Sunday 20th March 2011, unfortunately there was not fog or mist to add to the photography. Here are a few of my photographs. It is interesting to see the strobing effect of the motorway lights on the vehicles, look carefully at the logos on the sides of the lorries and it is possible to detect this strobing effect, it appears as multiple changes in light intensity.

Lots of changes in exposure and ISO, from 200 up to 6400, to achieve the results.

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On 19th March 2011 the moon was in Perigee this is the closest point to the earth and it is in this stage that the moon appears larger. Looking at the moon in the sky without anything to compare it to, you wouldn't notice any size difference. But the difference in size can in fact be quite significant.

This is my two pennyworth, in the second shot the small bright spot to the lower left of the moon is a navigation light on an aircraft. Shot hand held at ISO 2000, 1/1250 @ f5.6.

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Taken because it is there, Derby Cathedral a five shot vertical panorama.

I saw this paving shimmering in the sunlight outside of the Old Silk Mill in Derby. Used Topaz Adjust to add something to the image.


Original shot below

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Those lovely people at Paper Spectrum have offered to create a paper profile for the Pinnacle Glossy paper, that I purchased from them a little while ago, for my Canon i9950 printer.

Just off the printer are the two sets of printed patches to be posted to Chris at Paper Spectrum for him to create the ICM paper profile.

OK guys this service is free of charge. Thank you Chris. Their website here, they sell quite a good range of papers and all manner of items for printers.

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These are a few faces that I photographed at the recent Focus on Imaging show held at the NEC in Birmingham.

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This was my entry for the Present a Panel competition help at Derby City Photographic Club on Monday 7th march 2011, the panel was held back by judge David Grounds LRPS from Sutton Coldfield and scored a useful 17 points out of 20.

The panel title: I See You.