Mishmash of Subject Matter

Dripping Taps to a plumber represent a potential for earning, however for myself they represented an opportunity to check out the alignment of a lens and camera, and once I started trying to capture it, it became a fascination in what is actually happening. I know it all has to do with surface tension and a battle between those forces and gravity, but to see it in action is endlessly intriguing; what to our eyes is an intermittent stream is often fast moving globules of water, that as they start their downward journey stretch the surface envelope to breaking point.

Where was I whilst watching all this unfold? Well, it was a 300mm lens on a Canon 7D which meant the first major issue was getting far enough away from my subject, and yet be at the closest focussing distance of that combination, and the tap was in the downstairs shower room basin and in order to be low enough and distant enough I was seated on the closed loo, pressed firmly against the wall behind me and handholding the camera. Hardly ideal from the point of view of my study, but at least I was able to check whether what I was viewing was represented in the image file, and it was!

The rest of the shots in this small gallery represent a trip, possibly my last to my sister-in-law at their pile near Cliveden, as it has been sold, and is scheduled for demolition – it will then truly become a pile; this time, of  rubble. Sad, as the house has seen some happy times over the years of Richard and Glory’s ownership. Daughter, Virginia was over from India and we all sat around the kitchen table chatting in low warm light in the late afternoon, and Joshua who is fascinated by my cameras and in fact anything mechanical or technological was hell bent on taking some pictures so I positioned the camera on the table to so he might be able to look through the viewfinder and once he found the shutter release went at it as if it were a machine gun – the scatter approach managed to capture one shot of Gloria and Virginia as they patiently awaited the release of the shutter, that was both correctly focussed and steady, and the patience in the subjects’ expressions is fairly obvious and rather nice!

Big Al who was against the large window was less easy to capture but is an  interesting study of concentrated disinterest. Taking any shots of Joshua under such circumstances was impossible short of flooding the area with light and trying to keep him far enough away to be able to be able to focus on anything more than a pointed sticky finger or a snot-laden nose!

It was a short but enjoyable visit along with Lizzy who is wishing the arrival of my next grandchild will hurry up and arrive!

Stockwood Exclusive Viewing

Today the weather was decidedly inclement; drizzly and grey, and I was meeting a friend introduced by Priti, wife of another local photographer. I arrived early for the appointment, in order to see what I could find of interest in the new season’s plantings. I knew it was challenging with such a paucity of light, but an advantage sometimes with very flat lighting, is that it can be ideal to bring out the beauty in flowers. Having droplets of rain can also add a certain je ne sais quoi.

I strolled through to the very far end by a circuitous route, taking stock of the possibilities before opening the camera bag to bring out a camera, and drew up outside the long greenhouse housing the succulents and vines, but on the locked door was an explanatory sign as to why it was closed. Nearby there was a plant that took my interest and also there was a bench where I could rest the bag, so I took out my 100mm Macro on the EOS5D body, set it up for an aperture of f/9 at 640 ISO and as I chose the shot I wanted, I was distracted by a small group of visitors, and then, heard a hail from beyond – it was Sue; of bird-feeding fame, one of the leading gardeners, who greeted me warmly and asked was I interested in her opening up for me. I thanked her, welcoming the opportunity, and soon was inside, much warmer, and out of the drizzle! How could I possibly refuse?

We chatted as she inspected some of the exhibits for insect nasties and doing a bit of dead-heading also pointing out possible subjects as we chatted, and I explained my choice of venue, and that I was meeting someone. When my phone alarm sounded, I told her I had better hurry up with the last few shots and make my way to the restaurant. I bade her farewell to lock up and continue her rounds, and once back in the dry of the restaurant, I spent the last few minutes before the allotted time, looking through the shots – ‘chimping’! Helen soon arrived and we chatted for some time over her Americano and my tea, and in that time she met no fewer than three separate groups of people she knew. Just before we left, Sue knocked on the window, and it turned out – they knew each other! The last couple we met as we all headed for the entrance, turned out to be an Alan and Pauline, Alan is in the Building Trade, which was indeed fortuitous, as I am likely to need help in that direction as make the house more saleable – handy indeed. Altogether, a very productive afternoon undampened by the gloomy weather!