Tricks of the light

Lighting the subject makes a world of difference to a photographer, but you don't always need a load of expensive kit to achieve some interesting results. I recently photographed some fungi that help make the point.

I spotted these growing in a hedgerow and noticed how the fast moving clouds and occasional bright sunlight gave them a complete makeover.

Quite an amazing difference isn't it? But nothing compared to the diffence a conveniently placed neon sign can make.

Before:

And after:

I loved the surreal appearance the bright neon reflection gave these fungi. Completely artificial of course and probably something I'll never be able to recreate, but still interesting I think.

End of the road

This sort of thing always saddens me. It's not just that someone's pride and joy has been destroyed, it's the damage done to the environment.

The vehicle has obviously been stolen and driven deep into Wentwood Forest on one of the service tracks until it has become stuck in the mud before being torched. An act of complete stupidity and environmental vandalism in my view.

Spot the birdie!

Victorian photographers often used the expression "Watch the birdie" when taking portraits of children. The idea was to attract the child's attention to a stuffed bird held either above or to the right of the camera, thus getting the subject to inadvertently look into the camera's lense.

History lesson over. Here are a couple of images I grabbed with my Canon G9 X pocket camera this morning from inside my dining room.

This is a long tailed tit hanging upside down in one of the acers beside my pond. Can you spot him?

Long Tailed Tit

I have no idea what the little guy had found to pick at, but he was definitely busy grabbing some kind of bug from the tree.

I've always enjoyed watching our garden birds and am pleased to say the family of long tailed tits have become recent regular visitors. They have joined our resident blue tits and great tits and I'm hoping they will also become residents.

So has Bavaria moved then?

Went shopping in Cardiff today... and I hate shopping in Cardiff... but it was almost worth it when I spotted a bunch of Bavarian's selling interesting things to us Welsh Christmas shoppers!

I couldn't resist a Krakauer from the sausage seller

I was driving so I did resist getting a beer from the Bierkeller

I also resisted the Hot Mulled Wine

The cakes and doughnuts looked good though and the hot chocolate was creamy

And the pancakes smelled wonderful, even if they were French!

Just for a few moments I was transported to a much nicer place.... 😄

Frosty mornings and icy patterns

The early morning was truly beautiful here today, clear, crisp, truly Autumnal. A tad cold, but then it is November after all.

Frosty Car

As you can see we had a nice frost... well I say nice, some of the neighbours weren't too happy at having to scrape the ice off their cars! I like the frost though, it's so beautiful and creates some wonderful patterns for us to enjoy. Can you see the ice-tree on my bonnet?

Ice-Tree

I've rotated the image and enhanced it a little to make the ice-tree easier to see... beautiful isn't it? Nature is often hugely spectacular, but sometimes it's the small things that please me most.

More woodland dog walks

Took Tilly to one of the UK's ancient woodlands today, Wentwood Forest. It's not a new experience for us, but we don't walk there that often. Wentwood is an excellent place for dogs to go ramble though.

There are footpaths, bridleways and off-road trails to wander along and of course lots of things to sniff! Didn't see any deer today, but Tilly did chase off after a fox so the walk certainly wasn't wasted!

Woodland Walks

Autumn is a wonderful time for woodland walks if, like me, you enjoy the browns, golds and reds of this time of year.

I never tire of walking between the trees on carpets of leaves...

Especially when there are so many wonderful colours to enjoy.

Of course Tilly is always happy to visit our local wood because there is always something new to explore.

Left to her own devices she'll lead you this way and that sniffing for signs of rodents and foxes.

Just occasionally a bird call will stop her in her tracks...

Autumn is also the peak time for collecting fungi. Always be sure you know what you're picking though.

These wood blewits are safe to eat even if they have gone a little past their best.