VWGolf

"Mum! MUM!"

I had a go at doing a 'night time' portrait in afternoon sun in my garden. With flash! Copied the method of the photographer Glyn Dewis. Line up subject, then chose small aperture so that you can see nothing, only darkness. Flash in small soft box to right of subject. Shoot. The small aperture/fast speed cuts out ambient light so that subject is lit only by the flash. I was quite impressed that it worked.

No - not that sort! Rescue cat with naughty kitten.

Yes, these are mute swans - according to my sister, who has become an 'expert'. The first picture is Dad and the last one is Mum - she is a Polish mute swan, apparently, as she has pink feet and something else - I forget what - to distinguish her Found another one - not sure if this is Mum or Dad. I like to get down to their level, though it meant sitting on the boat ramp and getting my feet wet!

A very belated thank you.

It may amaze and surprise you to learn that I do occasionally take pictures of creatures that aren't cats! My sister and her partner regularly feed swans on a local reservoir and they have become quite tame. So a good opportunity to take some photos. If only there weren't quite so many of them squabbling over the food.

She's got a lot of meezer (Siamese) blood in her, so no doubt will lead you a right merry dance! Then she'll look at you with the big blue eyes and you'll just melt and let her get away with everything and anything. Welcome to the world of cats!

What an absolute beauty she is, Fuji. I am so pleased for you, having another cat, and so pleased for her - after all she's been through, she deserves a really good home and a great big softie like you to spoil her to bits! But a Bengal! They reckon they're even naughtier than Siamese and a real challenge - she'll knock years off your age as you chase round after her, rescuing her from one incident after another! That's a very fancy cat tree you've got her - very handy for leaping up to the top of the curtains.

Very good looking young men. And super lighting

ha ha ha ha - true! Whoever would have thought Wagner would feature on TIPF?

Perfectly put, Clicker

I rarely enter competitions nowadays, as all the judges seem to have qualified about half a century ago and have never seemed to change their style or knowledge since. However, as my camera club manages with Zoom nowadays, I thought I ought to support it, so entered this in the competition, then wished I hadn't bothered! My other camera club has lost over half of its members due to lockdown and not coping with Zoom and is now down to fewer than 20 members. Sadly, they seem to be doing the same as the judges, being stuck in the 1970s and not embracing change Thank you, everyone, for your kind words - your taste if obviously a lot better than NEMPH judges! lol

Wow! That front goose is a dead ringer, isn't it? Didn't know your talents extended to water colours, too - I'm very envious of anyone who can paint as well as that I was going to spend the morning catching up on here, but then I decided to paint the hall, as I have a viewer coming tomorrow, so want the place to look half decent. It made me extremely nervous that whilst I was up the stepladder, Baz came and sat on the book case right next to the paint tray and I threatened him not to touch it! Then someone came to the garden door to pick up a photograph order. I was only gone a minute ..... He insisted he'd not gone anywhere near the paint tray and that I must have splashed paint from up the ladder. He now has a pale Wedgwood blue nose to match the hall. <sigh> Would anyone like to offer him. ; an extended holiday whilst I finish decorating the apartment?

Thanks for your kind words, Fogey And I agree - it's difficult watching where you're going when you have a camera to your eye. I've had a few near misses, but this was the first time I broke anything! lol

Beautiful - and very well photographed

Great locomotive picture and love the B&W conversion

Love the steam locomotive

Great set of pictures - looks like a good place for a visit

Thanks, Fuji - I entered it into my local camera club competition and the judge didn't like it because I'd chopped off the egg box half way through! Can't win them all

I've resorted to photographing birds in a local park and a few minutes after I took this, I managed to put my foot down a hole and break my ankle! However, I managed to not break my camera or 300mm lens, as I was using a neck strap instead of my usual wrist strap! Five weeks on, my cast is off and I'm now hobbling around (carefully!) again. Perhaps I'll stick to cats and cakes from now on!

Amazing pictures! :)