Suburban sundown - Stop messing about! - # 09/12

What are you doing?!

Well, it's raining hard outside.

I know that!! Now answer the question!

Well it's something for Jilly, http://menton-daily-photo.blogspot.com/2009/01/ride-on-big-wheel-matchstick-men.html Richard, http://zurich.dailyphoto.forthmedia.com/index.cfm
Peter, http://peter-pho2.blogspot.com/2009/01/rue-du-faubourg-saint-antoine.html
a chap called Blognote in Arona http://aronaeveryday.blogspot.com/2009/01/another-sunrise.html
and a lady in Birmingham http://birminghamalabamadailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Birmingham, for heaven's sake?? !!!!!!

Yes, in Alabama.

Birmingham, Alabama! That's even worse than our own Birmingham!

Yes, but..................well, not only those. Also some other blogger friends.

Hmmmm. But, answer the question! And......what's all that beeping?

It's the camera.

Why? What are you doing, exactly?

The rest you can imagine...................the above is a photo of an excellent Stilton Cheese from an artisan workshop "Cropwell Bishop". The cheese is unique and, in the right context, delicious.

Camera: Olympus E3. Lens set at 400mm equiv., telephoto. Minimum focus range about 1.2 meters. Settings all Manual at F8. Available light. Tripod.

In Suburbia, when it's wet, things get really nerdy.

Three red chairs (and one for the host) - # 09/01

So, who will pass through Richmond and sit with me by the river on the terrace of Tide Tables cafe this year?

Various comments on previous postings indicate that you all like the texture and colour of the gravel. The chairs and tables are nice, too; and the several images of this terrace over the past two years of postings have never failed to win applause. It's clear - the place speaks for itself.

Thanks to all of you who regularly drop into the blog; regardless of whether or not you leave a comment.

A Happy New Year to all.

Red, white, black and a touch of steel - # 08/213

Another attempt to amuse myself on a wet, grey day.

The red salt pot stands out nicely and livens things up. The polished black granite provides a pleasing reflection and the white ceramic sugar bowl contrasts dramatically with the black.

The tiny dots are reflections and little flecks of salt or sugar that twinkle like stars in the black vastness of Outer Space.

The stainless steel spoon shows pleasing pin-points of light and I notice a strange cascade of stardust that seems to be flowing out from the bowl of the spoon.

The light comes from a very large handheld torch. The camera is tripod-mounted and the white balance set for "tungsten".

The Olympus C7070 wz was manually spot-focused on the word "table" using close range macro, and the Aperture was set manually at f8.0 to give a longer depth of field. The ISO was manually fixed at ISO 100; the shutter was released remotely to avoid shake and fired at 1/6th of a second.

It's not a work of art, but I am pleased by the richness, clarity and depth, which are the qualities I wanted to capture.

Vase leaf and teapot - # 08/212

The weather is awful. Not only is it raining heavily day after day, but the sky is totally grey, covered for weeks on end with thick cloud that obscures the sun. Tomatoes are not ripening, but bushes and weeds are growing strongly provoking visions of severe hard labour in the garden.

I turned to indoor "still life" photos to distract myself.

The lovely red hue on the tea pot and its shape caught my eye and then next to it the vase and leaf, lit by a brief, but welcome, moment of brightness shining into the room.

Responding to pressure from the People - # 112

Last week a number of readers expressed serious interest in, and great appreciation of my household arrangements. Therefore I felt it only fair to reveal the details of MY OTHER MUG!!!!!

Celebrating 100 Posts - # 100

100 days of posting a comment and a photo is something to celebrate. I've discovered how hard it is and how enjoyable. I hope my "lookers and lurkers" have also enjoyed it.

Without doubt, Eric in Paris must be thanked for launching his concept. I discovered it via a strange blue mutant humanoid who inhabits the cellars of Dubai International airport (DXB). Bluey's excellent work lead me to see Eric's fine Paris shots, and Curly's fine seascapes around Tyneside - I was hooked.

Thereafter I needed technical help from Ham in London, and Denton in Ohio, and Gerald in Hyde. Isabella in Naples, Florida goaded me and supported my efforts (as she so generously does with new-comers), and dear Jing in Shanghai brought her special brand of encouragement, and also Mandi in Tel Aviv who lurks and demands to see deer.

Thereafter, came Edwin, KL (a master of his craft), and the fine team of Dsole in Madrid, and ......here I have to stop, saying THANK YOU to all my visitors and inspirers. Please have a cup of tea and a cake with me.