The Moth That Nearly Got Away!

I mentioned in a previous post about using image processing software and why and how I think it to be an essential part of the Digital Photographers Tool Kit.

Let me explain, in visual form, what I mean.

I took this image of a Six Spotted Burnet Moth a few days ago early in the morning (about 8am). As is my wont I always prowl the garden in the morning looking for new visitors, spiders and such like that are out and about or seeing what flowers are blooming. (The early morning light is very conducive for photographing flowers I find).

I didn’t have an extension tube fitted to my Canon 350D only an 18-55mm lens. Not even my ring flash, so when I saw this moth I could only snap a couple of shots before it flew away.
This is the best of the bunch:

The other images are darker and not in sharp focus. This is one reason why I take lots of images as one will turn out near perfect or usable at the very least. As you can see, this is too small and too dark in the picture to be worth keeping as a record in my digital insect catalogue. So I decided to do a bit of digital enhancement.
This is the result:

My process is roughly this:
1. Crop image incrementally until the desired ‘zooming in’ is reached. Not forgetting that the closer one crops the less definition there will be. There is a trade off point in this process and you just know when you have gone a step too far. Cropping is the time to position the main subject of the image to make a pleasing composition. Do not forget the rule of thirds – split the image into three horizontally and vertically and place main object of the photo into or near one of these ‘thirds’.
2. Re-size image to the required finished size, rename and save it and then re-open the re-sized image – you can then go back to the original if need be. It is easier and less time and memory consuming to work on the smaller image (believe me I have sat for ages waiting for the computer to render a large file size image – and then decide that I don’t like the result only to start the process again!)
3. Using the various tools, i.e. lighting, sharpening (I always sharpen my images a fraction – most images need a bit of this), saturation, contrast. Trial and error really. One step at a time. My brother recommends using layers but I haven’t got into this yet.
I have used all of the above to arrive at this ‘recovered’ image.

It took a while but I am pleased to have ‘captured’ another insect for my collection.

The Six Spotted Burnet Moth is one of the most common day-flying Burnet moths in Britain and is found from June to August in meadows, woodland clearings and sea-cliffs. What was it doing in my back garden?

Who knows when I would have got the opportunity to see or photograph it again!

Having said all this it is, of course, better to have taken a ‘good’ image in the first place. But when you haven’t why not use the ‘tools’ that the Digital Processing Software provides.

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Henry’s Beetle and Daddy Long Legs

Janet has written a post telling how, on her return from USA (a long ‘girls weekend’ with her Mum and Sharon), Henry had left a beetle on the kitchen table as a home-coming present.
Henry asked me to take some close-up shots of it and put in my blog.

So Henry, as promised – your beetle in ‘close-up’.

I have been keeping a watch on what insects and bugs are visiting our garden and spotted this Daddy Long Legs:

I moved in closer and got this shot:

I then used my photo-editing software to get in even closer:

I am really pleased with my new ‘gadgets’ to aid my photography (my latest is an Angle Finder – maybe I will show it in a future post) and using a photo editing software programme to help improve the images (whatever the ‘purists’ may say, most photographs can be improved by a little digital tweaking be that cropping or adjusting colour etc) is easy in this digital photographic age. I have rescued many a poor image (especially from a family gathering when everyone was in a tent and it caused my camera to under-expose) using my software.

If you have a digital camera and a software editing suite that probably came with it then get it loaded and start editing.
You will be surprised what you can do and how your friends and family will be impressed with your photographic expertise.
I think mine are!

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Photographic Expedition to Canterbury

On Saturday we went to Canterbury. Mae on a shopping trip and me on a photographic expedition.
Canterbury High Street was packed.

The Great Stour River runs through the City and a stream off the River runs under the High Street and from The Friars looking roughly North the river is peaceful and it is hard to believe that a thriving City is just yards away.

One thing I wanted to see was the demolition of the Marlowe Theatre before it is replaced by a new building (which will take until 2011 – follow this link to see an artist impression of the new Theatre)
It is just a shell but I was surprised by how huge the inside was.

I then walked to the Westgate:

The Westgate Gardens are always worth a visit:

This Oriental Plane Tree (Platanus Orientals) is 200 year old and 25 foot wide, and is said to contain a circular iron seat which used to stand around it.

My last image is a view of Westgate Towers from the Gardens.

The morning finished with a Vegetable Quiche and Salad (with chunk chips – got to have the chips!) and a very welcome glass of Shepherd Neame Master Brew.
Mae’s shopping was successful.
My photographic expedition was enjoyable.
A good day then!

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More Photographs from Mercedes Benz World

I promised the grandchildren that I would publish some of the photographs I took of them sitting in luxury Mercedes-Benz Cars at Mercedes-Benz World when we visited there last weekend.
It has taken a while to sort out the photos and make them suitable for viewing.
So, Callum, Joseph and Henry here are the photographs

I was not the only one taking photographs that day. Tony took some of his favourite cars.

This was probably one of the most expensive cars on view. They were in a separate room with subdued lighting and roped off so there was no chance to sit in one. This is the best I could manage and I have tried to negate the coloured lighting in my photo processing programe.

While I was adjusting these photos I thought I would play with one I have shown in my previous post.

A bit of distortion filter and vignetting achieves what I hope is an image that enhances the impression of power that this car holds.

So, Callum, Joseph and Henry I hope you like these photos.

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A Day Out at Mercedes-Benz World

On Saturday I went with Tony and the Grandchildren, Callum, Joseph and Henry, to Mercedes-Benz World.

What a fabulous place.
Lots of Cars and more cars. I loved it!

I have never been so close to an F1 racing car before and I could have lingered longer but the boys were anxious to move on.

From the moment you walk through the doors you know you are in a museum like no other you’ve been in before. Opulence, probably the most expensive vehicles money can buy and to cap it all – you get to sit in some of them.

Mind you, us grown-ups were not far behind them. It was easy to tell the serious prospective buyer from the ‘only looking’ visitors. The SPB’s would be studying the car, looking in the boot and discussing the pros and cons and taking it all very seriously, whereas we were jumping in and out of as many as we could and thoroughly enjoying just sitting in them.

I had great fun taking as many photographs as I could. This (apart from the F1 car) was one of the ‘car of my dreams’ but, having said that, most of them would be in that category anyway!

On F1 Race weekends a large screen shows the race.

We had lunch while watching the beginning of the race and was well pleased to have seen Button overtake Vettel due to the latter’s mistake.
Unfortunately, although it was a wide screen they could only show half the width. A little bit annoying but at least I did manage to see a few laps of the race. I listened to the last 15 laps sitting in Tony’s car while the boys played on the apparatus in a nearby park. So the day out was complete.

I have lots more photographs to show but I will do so another day as the boys want me to put a photograph of them sitting in the cars in my blog for them to see and read.

Watch this space boys as, once I have sorted the best and most suitable photos, they will be here for you to see.

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Hidden Danger in a Foxglove

The Fox Gloves in our garden are putting on a grand display:

Their interiors are cavernous, colourful and inviting.

They certainly attract pollen and nectar gathering insects.

The Bumble Bee likes to get right inside to collect the delights it has to offer:

These insects have to be careful though.
Danger lurks within!

This spider would quickly overpower an insect, even one the size of a Bumble Bee, who would have difficulty escaping from it’s clutches.

Makes you think doesn’t it – a flower like the Foxglove is not all sweetness and beauty!

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The Sun-Bathing Blackbird

This is the first time this year that I have seen a young blackbird. It was enjoying the sun and preening itself. I think the parents were close by (they are permanent occupants in our garden) but it kept a wary eye and every now and then would let out a little ‘cheep-cheep’.

Our garden has a non-stop chattering of birds but they are rarely seen. The Dunnock is the most active bird first thing in the morning and was bold enough to land on the grass near me (close-up lens on camera so no photograph!) and take some seeds. The House Sparrows are busy feeding their chicks and hopefully they will be ‘taking the sun’ soon. The Blue Tits are also early morning visitors with their chicks nearby. The Robin is seen occasionally but is more cautious than he was earlier this year when he took food from my hand.

I look forward to joining the black bird, not on the shed roof you understand, but doing a bit of sun-bathing once this chill wind we have had for the past week drops!

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If it’s Wednesday it must be . . . .(Part 2)

I stand admonished!

A week or so ago I posted an item about every Wednesday being my Croquet Day. I made it appear that that was all I did on a Wednesday.

Of course, that is not correct.

Simon, the Conductor of Pfizer Wind Orchestra, pointed out that as the Orchestra also rehearses on a Wednesday then surely that is what the title ‘If it’s Wednesday it must be . . .’ should refer to (all about priorities you see).

So, I set the record straight!
If it’s Wednesday it must be (in order of doing not priority) . . . .croquet in the morning during the ‘open season’ (May to September) and in the evening it is Pfizer Wind Orchestra Rehearsal (all year except Summer Holiday and Christmas).

And while I am writing about the Orchestra it might be a good opportunity to give advance notice of our summer concert:

This an outdoor concert at Pfizer Sports club (weather permitting – in door otherwise) and is surely becoming a fixture on the Wind Band circuit.

I am practicing and practicing my tricky little piccolo parts (honest Simon I am) as I don’t want to risk Simon’s beady eye looking at me over the music stand!

I will give more information as to the purchase of tickets etc. nearer the time.

I should be in the good books this evening at rehearsal, shouldn’t I!

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My New Ring Flash

My latest acquired ‘gadget’ for my camera is a Ring Flash:

I know it is going to make a difference in my macro photography. No more unwanted shadows or flat dull images.
This a flower taken without the ringflash:

This is the same flower but using a ringflash:

As you can see, the second image is bright, no unwanted shadows.

This is the first insect I took with the Ringflash:

I also took this Large White Butterfly:

You have to be careful though, as this image shows:

I am well pleased with these couple of images and look forward to getting lots more in future. I am hoping that this Ringflash will also transform my portraits. No more red-eye or ghastly shadows.
Now, who can I get to sit for me?
I know – the grandchildren!
I am seeing them over the weekend so it will be an ideal opportunity to try it out.
So, smarten up boys – you’re going to get your photo taken!

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The Eyes Have It!

I have been having a great time with my camera extension tubes and am learning how to get closer to get that real macro image.
The main difficulty with photographing insects (or anything that moves for that matter) is that they will not stay still for long!
Blow flies are not too bad – catch them in the evening with the sun on them and they will stay still long enough to get some images. I have been trying to get a good close-up of their compound eyes. I finally got this image over the weekend:

I also found this Hover Fly prepared to stay still long enough till the camera got too close and away he went.

Both images have undergone a bit of cropping.

The Hedgehog

It was great to see ‘our’ hedgehog yesterday evening about 9pm. He was eating some bread left out. He saw me and ran into the shrubbery. He re-appeared (after a fox had made a lightening visit) and when he saw me walking towards him he ran to the back of the garden and hid by our garden bench. He didn’t curl up so I got this photo:

My concern now at having seen him while it was still daylight (well, dusk really) is that he might not be too well. If you see a hedgehog during daylight hours it usually means that it is unwell. Either that or it is a she looking for sustenance for her babies. I will be keeping a watch during the early evening and if the hedgehog is regularly out at that time then I will have to put out some food.
Hedgehogs will visit a bowl of food that is put out every night for them. They will come late at night, when all the house lights are off, but gradually they will become bolder.

But what to feed them?

You can buy commercial tins of hedgehog food, (a popular one is called ‘Spikes Dinner’). This is a very good way, as you can be certain the hedgehogs will like it and that it is safe. Bread and milk is an alternative, but the milk may give hedgehogs ‘upset tummies’. Dog food, I understand, is also an alternative.
We have plenty of slugs and snails for it to eat anyway. I am not one to take steps to rid the garden of them.
Always put out a shallow dish of water out if you are feeding hedgehogs.

I will keep you informed.

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