Nature - learning to use Macro

As a keen gardner I love the challenge of growing plants from seed.  I nuture and encourage them like children and am such a proud 

The Washlands - Taking the time to look..........

I have lived in the area for almost 20 years and have often walked or cycled round the Washlands but I have never actually taken photographs so I decided that I would spend an afternoon wandering round and instead of just rushing along - actually taking the time to look at what the area has.  I got my camera, extra batteries, and off I went............

This is taken from the 'new' road bridge.  I like how the straight lines of the bridge contrast with the shapes and colour of the trees and water.

I used the pillars and trees as a frame to draw your eye to the middle of the photo.  

The pond weed covers the water making the swan and signets look like they are floating on pea green soup!  

Again I used the trees around the swan as a frame for this shot.

This basket feature is actually on a slope and I wanted to try and show that so I took this at an angle but still kept the flowers as the focal point.

St Peters Church screened by trees.  The straight lines of the tower sets off the shapes and patterns of the trees and your eye is drawn from the centre of the picture upwards.

Lots of colour, patterns and shapes in this shot.

A sculpture of St Modwen.  I used the trees as a background to accentuate the features of the sculpture

Shades of green - I like how this shot is all green but with the different forms, shapes, patterns, textures and tonal ranges it works!

I took this photo to try and show scale - using the swans against the steps and the steps against the lamp post and the lamp post against the trees.

Winter Hues - Bradgate Park

Last Sunday (13th November 2011) I went over to Bradgate Park which is part of Charnwood Forest.  It covers 850 acres and the park lies between the villages of  Newtown Linford,  Ansty,  Cropston, Woodhouse Eaves and Swithland. It was a partly sunny, partly misty day which reflects in the images produced.

I went specifically to the Park to photograph the colours, shapes and forms of the trees and countryside - just before winter set in.  I took these with my Fuji Finepix S500 and am quite pleased with how they have turned out. 

This is just after the entrance (From Newtown Linford).  I wanted to capture the size and form of the trees and have used the people that are walking along as a guide to the height of the trees.

This picture just made me laugh - The bird appeared to be on guard and a 'bombing raid' party were on stand by for offenders!

This picture I love - It is clumps of moss growing on the roof  at the entrance gate to the church.  I like the shapes and the simplicity of the shot.

This is All Saints Church in Newtown Linford - at the start of the entrance to Bradgate Park.  I used the almost bare branches of the tree as a curtain - so that you appear to be peering through it to see the church behind.  It added more interest to the form and composition of the photo.

I saw these berries on a tree and they were quite away up.  I like the colours and shapes of them against the lines of the tree.

This was taken mid afternoon when the sun was partially hidden behind cloud - I particulary like the texture made with the water in the foreground.

This is a picture taken by Heather Angel. Below is my interpretation of her shot.

The shapes of the trees here along with the colours and the formation of the rock make this one of my favorite pictures of the day.

Bambi - Bradgate Park is a deer reserve.  This young fawn was blissfully eating his dinner. 

I was walking back to my car and saw this house - I liked the shapes and colours and the texture of the wall. 

A Red Squirrel hanging from the branches - Taken by Heather Angel.  I couldn't find a squirrel but I did find a Jackdaw and tried to emulate her picture.

I like the way this picture is in to halves with the orange of the wall and and the blue sky in the background/  There was a Blackbird (Jackdaw?) sitting in the tree, blending it with the shapes of the branches.

Another picture that I took deliberatly to use the sky and the ground to split the picture in half.  The focal point of the main part of the tree against the blue sky draws the eye into the picture then you see how the roots of the tree have formed round the rocks and blended into the landscape.

This was a point and shoot shot!  The stag came out of some bushes quite unexpectedly and I just point my camera in his direction and hoped for the best as I know that the shutter speed on my camera is not capable of capturing fast movement - So I was pleased that at least I got this :-) 

Nic Cocker - New Zealand photographer

I met Nic quite by chance earlier this year at Cromford Mill.  He was on a visit back to the UK visiting family.   I was climbing over a fence that had a big sign on saying 'No Access' at the time and he came over and was laughing at me!  He said he had been watching me and could see that I was a fellow photographer as I was ignoring all the rules just so that I could get the best shot!
From there we stood talking for over an hour with me giving him my camera to show me some of the settings that I had never used and discussing how we viewed things that interested us enough to try and capture the image.

While we were chatting he told me about 'Red Bubble' which is a site set up for people to post their photographs on and is accesable worldwide.

When I had time, I made a point of looking at the site and at Nics work and I really liked what I found.

Nic Cocker
Born in London, and lucky enough to be brought up in two of Englands most picturesque & dramatic Counties (Yorkshire & Derbyshire). Got my love of the great outdoors from my Dad a great walker who was always keen on taking his large family (i have 6 brothers) out onto the moors & peaks whenever he was able. He is into his 80’s now, still active & exploring the local countryside.
I trained as a chef at High Peak College in Buxton where I met my longtime friend & fellow Bubbler Russ Styles, who got me into photography, I’ve been hooked ever since.
My cooking eventually brought me to New Zealand which I now call home. This is an awesome country with very diverse & spectacular landscapes, which I endeavour to explore whenever I can, on foot & by mountain bike my other passion.

Nic uses
Fuji Finepix S9500
Olympus E-620

Market Life by Nic Cocker

Old lady at the early morning market in Hoi-An, Central Vietnam, April 2010.

The Guardian by Nic Cocker

A photograph of his favorite Wellington waterfront artwork “Solace in the Wind” by Max Patte, overlooking the Wellington marina at sunrise

Mouse Grass by Nic Cocker

Nic was taken with this small clump of furry grasses clinging to the cliffside on a walk around Pukerua bay just north of Wellington.

Raw Material by Nic Cocker

Ever asked yourself where does my jersey come from, well this could be the answer.The inside of an old woolstore in Oamaru’s old quarter. Otago, South Island, New Zealand.

Put the boats away by Nic Cocker

Plimmerton sailing club at sunset, I liked the soft evening light through the clubhouse windows adding a touch of colour and interest to the clubhouse building. I was also drawn to the simplicity of the scene.

As night fades away by Nic Cocker

Wellington harbour at dawn. Nic loved the contrast of the skys pastel shades brighting as the sun rose over the Orongrongas with the still dark hills that surround Wellington & the differing colours the lights around the city.
He was up at the crack of sparrow fart (5.00am) for this image, stumbling around the house trying not to wake anyone, succeding in tripping over the cat before getting out of the door for the 3km hike up to the summit of Mt Kaukau.
  

Big Sky 2 by Nic Cocker

Sunset over Wellingtons wild south coast, taken from Moa Point, looking out over Lyall Bay & beyond.

Moa Point Sunset by Nic Cocker

Once again Wellington’s wild south coast turns on another awesome light display. I decided to take a drive further around the coast and was rewarded with a great display from nature. Taken from just past Moa point looking out over cook strait.

Island to Island by Nic Cocker

Sunset over the South Island taken from Owhiro Bay, Wellington, North Island.

Island to Island by Nic Cocker

Sunset over the South Island taken from Owhiro Bay, Wellington, North Island.

Moa Point Sunset by Nic Cocker

Island to Island by Nic Cocker

Sunset over the South Island taken from Owhiro Bay, Wellington, North Island.

Silent Sentinels by Nic Cocker

A stand of stunted macrocapa trees at the summit of Mt Kaukau greet the sunrise over the Orongaronga range.