Moseley Instameet – IgersBirminghamUK

by Damien Walmsley 01/08/2021 02/08/2021

Sign in Black and White for Moseley markets

Instameets are a great way of meeting fellow Igers photographers. In the virtual world it is difficult to discover the person behind the handle. There is nothing better than an Instameet to bring people together and share photographic stories. There have been few opportunities to venture out on photography meetings during the lockdown period. Now the restrictions are eased, it is possible to hold such popular get togethers again. Igersbirmingham has been running for many years and the latest team put together the successful IgersbirminghamUK group. The UK tag is so that we are not confused with our sister city in the USA 🙂

#igbuk_meet_moseley with #igersBirminghamUK — Participants in the #igersbirminghamUK #Instameet

The meeting was held when the Moseley Farmer’s market opened up for the first time since the easing of Lockdown. The meeting also gave everyone the chance to visit the park and pool which opens up at the time of the market. The start and finish were at the Cuban Embassy pub on Wake Green Road. Two of the IgersbirminghamUK team, @nickywarwickshire and @james_never_Jim greeted us on the pavement outside the Embassy. James set out the plans for the morning and the team had prepared a pamphlet for the Moseley Instameet. There was a brief history of the market, Moseley Park and Pool together with a map. The all-important hashtags were printed out for sharing our pictures. After all the introductions and a catch up with old and new friends, it was time to explore the market.

Moseley village is said to be one of the most popular places to live in the country and it has lots of energy. The market was bustling, with people queuing up for bread, cakes and other many foodie goodies. In the triangle next to the junction of the crossing most of the stalls were food orientated. Taking place at the same time is the Moseley Arts Market which is on the opposite side lining up along the Alcester Road. There were several craft stalls, which included jewellery, paintings, photography, books etc. The coffee shops were doing well as people chatted and watched the world go by.

Then we walked into Moseley Park. Last week, I remarked that I had not been up the Malvern Hills and this week I find myself visiting a new area of Birmingham. Having driven along Salisbury Road to work, I have passed this place countless times before, so I was very surprised to find this hidden oasis. There are several outbuildings including tennis courts, artwork from Lucy McLauchlin and a 200-year-old Icehouse. It did rain but luckily there was some tree cover, and the passing shower did not spoil the walk around the pool. A very quiet and peaceful place to visit.

It was a good contrast for the photography meeting. On one hand there was the hustle and bustle of the Farmers market with the Art market providing an alternative experience on the High Street. Then there was the quiet period of reflection around the pool and the park. I did not have my telephoto lens with me as there was a heron who was looking for fish. There were several other good opportunities for wildlife photography.

Two hours sped by, and it was time to say goodbye and head home. However the lure of the market pulled me back in and I came away with some nice writing books for the grandchildren, a range of Pip’s sauces for the Sandy to use at the next BBQ and two gingerbread men. My present was an evening editing and putting together the Instameet story. I have missed the IgersbirminghamUK meetings taking place in and around the City. Now the COVID19 restrictions are removed, I look forward to many more. A big thank you to the IgersbirminghamUK team for organising the meeting and good to see so many people taking part. Please follow the @IgersbirminghamUK team on Instagram and keep a look out not only for their Instameets but also the next Moseley Farmer’s and Art’s markets that take place.

Hashtags for the Instameet were #igbuk_meet_moseley and #igersBirminghamUK
Please look them up on Instagram for some more amazing pictures.

Photography approach

I took my Fujifilm x100v to the meeting and this allowed me to me ready for chatting with fellow photographers but also able to catch candid shots. Being with other photographers allows you to relax more as you take the photographs. Even then I was still a bit apprehensive with my shots! I also like to see what other people see and then photograph. Even on the reviewing of the pictures under #igbuk_meet_moseley meeting tag, I see some “knockout” photos and think if only I had taken that one! That is the fun of the Instameet, seeing how others take a picture. My editing was to go Black and White for the Farmer’s market and then colour for the Park and the Pool. I noticed that the logo for the Art’s market had blues and reds in the logo. It opened up the opportunity for some selective colouring included a bit of yellow. Did I have the right camera with me? Yes I did! Should I have brought other cameras with me? Yes I could have done but the truth is I am happy with the pictures that are published here.

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The Malvern Hills and my camera

by Damien Walmsley 29/07/2021 02/08/2021

The Malvern Hills are on our doorstep but surprisingly I have never walked over them. As our family holiday will be based in Loch Lomond, Scotland for a week in August, it was time to get some practice hiking done. In preparation for the walk, I purchased some new hiking boots and I wanted to break them in for a few climbs in Scotland. My daughter, Sian suggested the Malvern Hills and so together with Jim her husband we picked a Saturday morning in July. The spell of hot weather had broken but the forecast for the chosen weekend was rain and thunderstorms which was a worry. Fortunately such weather conditions never materialised bar a few occasional drops of rain.

Our plan was to get up early and head for British Camp which is in the southern stretch of the Malvern Hill chain. The car park was empty when we arrived and even the Malvern hills Hotel over the road was very quiet. I was advised to start with this area of the Malvern Hill as some consider it to be the most interesting hill because of the large iron age hill Fort carved into the area. It is a quick hill to climb and once on the summit you have a commanding view of the surrounding geography. Looking North you see the hills in the following order, Black Hill, Pinnacle Hill, Jubilee Hill and Perseverance Hill. In the distance you can make out the highest of all the hills which is the Worcestershire Beacon. British Camp provides a super view, and my camera captured the scene well.

My camera for this adventure was the Fujifilm x100v. It is weather proofed, and ideal for the conditions on the hills over the weekend with the occasional drops of rain. The camera as you will have discovered is very versatile and produces excellent pictures as you will see from this blog. I had looked through many pictures of the hills and I had seen many postcard views. Also I knew that I would have difficulty matching any of the drone fly throughs or pictures that have been published. As always, I use my pictures to tell a story. The main story was the hiking over the hills and therefore some classic “here we are” people pictures are used in the story telling.

With the Malvern Hills having been photographed many times before, I was interested in seeking out different views i.e. low down or interesting close ups. Any landscape pictures taken including points of interest in both the foreground and the background. The camera was set on Aperture priority and swapped between f/4 for closeups to f/11 for the landscape views. The sky was a touch gloomy but there was the occasional sun that broke through. Furthermore once you are up on the hills then you can see for miles and miles. The Fujifilm camera is ideal for this story telling as it allows quick pictures of the scene to be taken. It is not ideally suited for landscape photography but you can see if used within its strengths then you can get a good view.

Back to the walk, leaving British Camp we hiked up Black Hill with its steep incline and then onto the other peaks. The Malvern hills offer wonderful vistas of the surrounding countryside and on this walk, the air was clear, and you could see well into the distance. It was good hiking over the hills, but I was not fully fit for this type of activity. By the time we got to Perseverance Hill we were very tired, and we could see the Worcestershire beacon in front of us. We made the decision to turn back and the beacon would have to wait for another weekend. Coming back I took several pictures of the wild flowers and the views over the different counties on either side of us.

Back at the car it was a relief to sit down pull the boots off and get ready for the journey home. The Malvern hills are a must as they have everything you need for a good hike. Luckily the weather was just right and we did not get too hot walking over them. We will be back not only to scale the Worcestershire Beacon but to visit the pretty town of Malvern on the side of the hill. Enjoy the pictures and would love to hear about your experiences of hiking over the Malvern Hills

If you are interested in the shoes that I had brought then I recommend the new Inov8 Roclite 345 Gore-Tex Walking Boots which I got at a great price from sportsshoes.com. I like these shoes as they are light and have great grip.
For up-to-date details of the Malvern Hills are covered by several good websites but I found this one to be the best.

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Before the lifting of restrictions

by Damien Walmsley 12/07/2021 13/07/2021

Footprints advising where to stand on the escalator

The restrictions will be lifted on the 19^th July but we are not coming to the end of the pandemic. We are entering a new age of living with the virus. The discussion about mask wearing continues, the sun is shining and society needs to open up. Is this a good time? Vaccinations are high and therefore the government is confident (if this is the right word) that the restrictions can be lifted. For my photography journey. I wanted to catch life during the final days of the restrictions. I was in Solihull to collect my glasses in Touchwood. I was armed only with my iPhone. The following black and white pictures give a brief insight into the mask wearing and restrictions that will soon be a thing of the past. Let’s just hope so!

Mask wearing in Touchwood — An elderly couple wearing masks in Touchwood

sharing a kiss - no masks — Just outside Touchwood a younger couple share a kiss – no masks

Social distancing — Keep apart but the writing is starting to fade

Covid19 shop — The most popular shop in town is the Covid one

Solihull and Covid19 — Have we done our part, have we done the right thing?

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My camera takes pictures: S1 Ep1 – Fujifilm

by Damien Walmsley 05/07/2021 15/07/2021

Welcome to my series on cameras, lenses, advice and taking those all-important pictures. So which camera do you use? This is a common question that I am asked when someone sees one of my pictures. It is if the camera took the picture not the photographer! There may be an element of truth in this, although there are a lot of factors that go into taking a picture and the camera is only one of them.

To kickstart this series, I am going to talk about my ‘go-to camera’ which is the Fujifilm x100v. The story is that I wanted to buy myself a new camera to replace my Sony RX100 V. My requirements were many. Simple to use but requiring the level of complexity below the surface when needed. Weather resistance was a desirable feature. I have had several compact zoom cameras over the years, and they have worked well. Often the zoom mechanism has not been robust despite the camera quality with grit getting into the zoom mechanism. Therefore, a fixed lens appealed to me. As I grew up on 35 mmm cameras, like many reading this blog, I love the idea of owning a Leica, but the cost is prohibitive. More realistically, I looked at alternatives and in early 2020, the release of the Fujifilm x100v came with positive reviews. I did my homework and researched it. My decision was made after I looked at pictures people had posted and read reviews on the camera in the photographic magazines.

The Fujifilm x100v was waiting for me on Christmas day morning. I unboxed it and started taking pictures. With a new camera, I oscillate between starting to take pictures and reading the camera manual. There are a few internet articles and YouTube videos that got me started. One of the first differences was the position of the buttons compared to my Canon and Sony. The tactile feel of the buttons gave me more control of my picture taking. The buttons are traditional analogue designs and not digital. Gradually I got the hang of the camera and then starting to use it in serious mode. I read the manual more and more discovering even more buttons!

I tried out the different colour settings and settled on the weak chrome colour. Using the camera in aperture priority, I worked through the options. My first pictures were a little hit and miss but the jpg quality began to impress me. My confidence grew and it started to come most places with me. In the morning whilst walking the dog, it proved to be a useful camera to record details on the high street especially during lockdown. It is not a replacement to the big camera (Canon D5-mkIV) but it certainly does its job of delivering remarkable pictures.

What I like
In no particular order, here are my favourite things about this compact camera.

The flash settings are easy to use and understand. It gives good portrait pictures with the flash on. This is quite something considering it is a camera mounted flash. I use a manual setting of 1/64 sec often for a fill in. The flash does not create many red eyes either.
The exposure compensation button is easy to understand and is set up next to your thumb. I found this very useful and quick to select.
Some may consider it a gimmick, but the selective colour is so easy to set up and use. If there was one fun element to the camera then this is it.
The double exposure is straightforward and offers three settings depending on which picture you choose to be the main feature of the setting.
The jpgs are stand alone, high quality and need little adjustment.
The back controls are easy to use and the tilted screen allows for flexibility in the framing of the pictures you take. This includes being able to get down low.

Customisation
The camera is also cool to customise. I added a thumb rest and changed the strap. I did add a shoot button but then found it much better for my shooting technique when the button was clear. The pictures also show a half case for the lower half of the camera body.

What I do not like

Connectivity is poor over the wireless and the app design is poor. So one is reaching for the iPhone if you wish to quickly upload pictures to BBC weather watchers or want to get that picture sent to family and friends as soon as possible.
It required an extra £100 to add the weather proofing and then I could not use the Fujifilm lens cover that came with the camera. So ended up having a black plastic cover! I wish I had brought the NiSi weather proofing as then I could have used the original silver camera cap that came with the camera.
It took time to work out the focussing and the switching between the settings. This is maybe the learning curve that I have got to get through including using the manual more.

Best Pictures

My first picture that I published with the camera. It is a canal bridge in Acocks Green, Birmingham. Catching the two people under the arch added interest.

Hatton locks – All the lines caused by railings around the lock made for an interesting pattern in black and white. I did have the traditional picture of a boat going through a lock, but this was more intriguing.

Takeaways are doing well in the Pandemic and here is one customer on their way home. I was able to get down low for the reflections (the picture was published in the Amateur Photographer letters’ page)

The night train to Birmingham taken on a very cold night on the Dorridge footbridge. There is much to see and discuss and the colours and light add to the atmosphere. All picked up by the camera. The picture reminded me of the following song.
Down on the night train,
feel the starlight steal away,
Use up a lifetime looking for the break of day
Night Train – Steve Winwood 1980

The Support bubble of daughter and grandson and the camera produces some good details on portrait pictures

I was going to take a landscape photograph and came away with this dandelion clock. This is cropped from a much larger picture and then edited in Black and White. The effect is quite nice but the detail that remains after heavy cropping is amazing.

Detail of the Low Lighthouse at Burnham on Sea — The red stripe of the Low Lighthouse at Burnham on Sea. Love the colours and the details.

This picture is of the boats in Gas Street Basin and processed to bring out the colour. It is not designed to be a landscape camera but it manages such a scene very well.

Where did I buy it from WexPhotoVideo and their service is good. I am not receiving anything for saying this either!

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Thank you – The Open Arms

by Damien Walmsley 28/06/2021 30/06/2021

I read the email twice. The Open Arms at Warwick Castle were offering a free table due to the weather being a bit miserable during our last visit. My daughter, Natasha, was very excited as she was unable to go to the last one and without a moment’s hesitation the family said yes. Let’s go again.

When we arrived, the tables were set out along the castle moat looking up to the walls. My grandson was as excited as his mother and posed for pictures. The food outlets were different to before and my wife Sandy missed the Steak and Chips outlet. She did chose a simple chicken and chips from Yardbirds. Natasha and I went for the Brisket from the Grub shed. Initially disappointed as some of their items were unavailable our disappointment turned to happiness at the quality of the food and its presentation. My grandson was very pleased with a bucket of chips from the Burgers stall. All the outlet food looked scrumptious, and it is a pity that you must make one choice from so many choices!

Following the main course, I was brave and went for a strawberry topped waffle. My grandson so enjoyed watching it be made, with the cream and chopped strawberries. The beer was Purity of course so no complaints there!

Thank you to Harry Jenkins, Head of Marketing of the Digbeth Dining Club for allowing us the opportunity to visit so soon after the first time. The weather was fine and there was some sunshine as well. The castle walls add to the atmosphere, and I would thoroughly recommend the experience but then I am a big fan can’t you tell!

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An evening in Weston super Mare

by Damien Walmsley 27/06/2021 28/06/2021

I had this desire to take a sunset photograph at the seaside. With the pandemic, it has been a long time since I have seen the sea. Natasha and Rob were married in Kos, Greece last year and I saw the sea every day for a week. I had my fill of beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Therefore, the plan was to visit Weston super Mare and experience the seaside and hopefully a sunset would happen as well. The visit to Weston was with my photographic companion John Bray and our first port of call was the town of Burnham on Sea to visit the low lighthouse

Weston super Mere — Knightstone Island at high tide

Just opening the car door on arrival in Weston and breathing in the sea air was exhilarating. Hold on! The next sensation was sand being blown into my face and mouth. Yes! this was Weston super Mare and in the middle of flaming June, it was blowing a gale! It did not spoil the fun of being at the seaside. We parked on Marine Parade and then set off to take photographs of Weston. Within 30 minutes it became obvious that the weather was closing on us, and a sea mist was descending on the town. Photographs of the Grand Pier, Marine lake and Knightstone Island followed as we made our way around Anchor Head and finally ending up at the abandoned Birnbeck pier. This looked very sad and in a poor state of repair. It seems there is an ongoing saga of what is going to happen with the pier.

The sea was being whipped up to a frenzy by the wind and the waves crashed onto the promenade. There was one person protesting at the strange times we are living in, and he was yelling at the high tide and blowing a horn. All the walking and photographing had given us an appetite and we fancied fish and chips. What else would you choose on your overdue visit to the seaside. It appears that Weston super Mare shuts down at around 7pm and nothing was open except for a few pubs and restaurants. The amusement arcades were empty, and they too were shutting down for the night. Fortunately, we found two community police officers who gave us directions to a traditional fish and chip shop. Hallelujah, at last we found one. The premises were very traditional and looked new and vibrant against the quietly dilapidated charity shop rich streets of Weston. Leaving the empty roads to the people wandering around, we returned to Marine parade and sat down to have our fish and chips. What a racket the seagulls made. They were getting ready to dive bomb us and they hung in the wind waiting for the opportunity to grab a stray piece of fish or even a chip.

We then looked for the sunset. Alas that was not going to happen, although there were some occasional flashes of light and the retreating tide left beautiful reflections. But no sunset! So we decided to call it a day and head back to Birmingham. It was an enjoyable trip down but we left with mixed thoughts. Weston has a wonderful promenade but the town is so quiet at night with not a great deal taking place in the town. Maybe the poor weather was keeping people in their hotels. Maybe we should return when the people return.

Whilst in Weston, I did enjoy finding some interesting street art dotted around the parade and the town. The street artist Jamie Scanlon known as JPS is one of the artists that features heavily in the town. There are others and here is a selection of the pictures that I found.

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Burnham on Sea Lighthouse

by Damien Walmsley 27/06/2021 27/06/2021

The low lighthouse at Burnham on Sea stands alone on the beach just north of the town. It is an imposing structure and commands the horizon and your attention. It has 9 legs, a ladder to the door of house and is painted mainly white. There are squares of black with a bright red vertical stripe at the front of the building. The legs are metal sitting in the sand and the structure itself is wood.
We visited it late afternoon and the storm clouds were moving in and out with occasional flashes of blue sky. The single structure is iconic and reminded me of Chesterton Windmill which commands your attention against a changing skyline. Here are my photographs of the low lighthouse. I have taken several pictures around it and then a deconstructed view of all the parts to it.

The funny story about the lighthouse is that I spent a great deal of time taking pictures of the back of it looking out to see. I only discovered the red stripe when my photographic buddy pointed out that I needed to look at the front of the lighthouse. I think there is a photographic tip somewhere in the story!

If you are interested in reading more about the lighthouse then there are several articles on it.
Lighthouses in Burnham on Sea

Please read about my photographic afternoon in Weston super Mare just up the coast

If you wish to see photographs of Chesterton Windmill then I have done several blogs about it
Chesterton Windmill Revisited
Chesterton Windmill

Cameras used with these pictures
Canon D5 with lenses 16-35 and 70-200mm
FujiFilm x100v

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The Purple Lavender

by Damien Walmsley 20/06/2021 22/06/2021

This summer, all the flowers, plants and trees are 2 to 3 weeks late. After the late appearance of the poppies, it was noticeable that the purple lavender was also not as rich in colour as last year. This did not stop us making a visit to the Cotswolds lavender fields. This year we had all three grandchildren with us and there are so many photographic opportunities. However, whilst the location is superb, trying to get three young children who love nothing more than running up and down the lines of the lavender fields to stay still for photos is more difficult. Whilst the lavender are in the early stages of growing, the wild flower fields were up and running. Yet again great for the children to be running around.

Cotswold Lavender Fields — Pictures of the family

After a picnic, we moved onto Broadway Tower which is nearby. Compared to last year when the pandemic had made such visits more worrying, this year it looked like a normal English summer around the Tower. The only tale tail sign were people wearing masks when in the local shop and restaurant. The views were good and the tower looked as always so interesting. Looking to get a different picture, I wandered around and shot upwards to avoid the crowds. I was happy with my picture but then again, the traditional view when you first see the tower is always an inspiring one.

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The Open Arms

by Damien Walmsley 20/06/2021 23/06/2021

The pandemic has started a trend for outdoor eating with many different venues coming up with novel ways to make the experience more enjoyable. Last year, I saw the pictures of the Open Arms at Warwick Castle. What an iconic place to enjoy a drink and something to eat. Further reading revealed that the Digbeth Dining Company were involved and then I knew the quality of the food would be good. Add in that the beer is supplied by local brewery Purity then my mind was made up. I did my homework and found out that it was just under £20 to book a table for 6 people.

The food is brought at the DDC outlets and there is table service for the drinks. What could stop me? The inclement English weather for one thing, and I thought an evening in June should be OK as I booked the table online for family and friends evening. Nervously checking the weather forecast the heat broke and there was rain. Fortunately, it cleared up and the venue gave the green light. The Open Arms are very good as they will let you know if there are problems and although it can’t be helped any rebooking is a disappointment. However, it is something you have to expect with open dining not everything in this world is predictable.

Parking is in the Castle grounds for a nominal fee and then there is a security check to go through. We were in the Castle Courtyard and having ordered drinks we checked out the food outlets. The quality of the food is excellent and there is a range catering from vegans to meat lovers. Our party enjoyed a range of food from steak and chips to the Asian food offering. No one was disappointed and the food presentation and quality was good. The price of the meals ranged from £10 to 15. Deserts were from the cheesecake outlet and I treated myself to a Guardians of the Galaxy chocolate fantasia followed by Coffee. Drinks were served promptly and Longhorn IPA, Bunny Hop and Lawless larger which are part of the Purity family were available. There were red and white house wines available plus non-alcoholic drinks.

What made the evening so enjoyable was eating in the Warwick castle courtyard. What would the past inhabitants make of all the common peasants eating in their backyard. Quite a thought. There was a special patrol through the tables by the local head peacock who made sure everyone was enjoying themselves. As it gets darker, the castle walls are lit up in different colours. Then it is time to go as our carriages wait for us. The evening was even better than I expected with good food and ale and company of family and friends. This experience is being repeated at various venues across the West Midlands. Just think before Covid19, would we have even given such an idea a second thought. Now we realise that it is such a fun experience why did we not think of it before. Looking at the DDC site, there are other iconic venues including the site of Coventry Cathedral to visit. Let’s just hope we have a sunny evening!

If you want to make a weekend of it, why not visit Warwick and my blog provides links to the Streets of Warwick and Lord Leycester’s Hospital which are well worth a visit.

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Poppy Fields in Leamington Spa

by Damien Walmsley 15/06/2021 16/06/2021

Poppy field season is upon us and after a very damp May, it is noticeable that many plants and flowers are delayed in making their appearance by around 2 to 3 weeks. The recent bout of sunshine has had a dramatic effect on everything, stimulating the countryside into life. It is lovely to see all the flowers in full bloom. But back to poppies, each year one finds it increasingly difficult to find these elusive flowers. Farmers appear reluctant to let their fields turn into a sea of red for fear of the unwelcome attraction it brings. For photographers such red carpets are a heavenly delight designed by the supreme being to bring joy to anybody who loves taking a picture. Keeping to the sides of the field and not trampling the delicate flowers into the ground is part of our photographic code. We too are horrified by the poor regard some members of the public have for poppy fields which in turn make it difficult for others. Therefore if visiting such places then respect the countryside.

I got the call (via Facebook) from my Photo Buddy, John Bray, informing me that a Poppy Field had been sighted just north of Leamington Spa. It had already been announced on the local Facebook pages. The field is not that accessible being surrounded on two sides by a country road that is better described as speed test track for the locals. The partially hidden gate leads into the field which has a gentle westerly elevation. Taking care not to trample more vegetation than is absolutely necessary, we slowly navigate ourselves to the top of the field taking pictures along the way. We arrived at the field at 7.30pm and then by 8.45pm we had filled up our photocards with red poppies. There will be some serious editing of the numbers of pictures taken when I get back home.

When you are in a poppy field there is the intense red of the flower petals and then there is the gentle swaying of the stems in the breeze. It is most restful and soothing to gaze over the red rippling petals of the flowers.

Taking pictures of poppies is one of personal taste. I like the distant telephoto shots where the flowers are compressed, and you are able to convey the carpet of red. For many of the pictures. I placed my polariser filter on the lens so as to pick out the reds. Also concentration is needed so that the horizon does not go wonky or there are any unnecessary distractions inadvertently included in the picture.

There was strong sunlight, so I was able to use it to my advantage to back light the stems of the poppies. This makes for an attractive look and highlights the spikey hairs on the stems.

There is also the “kitchen sink factor” where I wish I had brought all my lenses including my wide angled lens. I should also have brought my graduated filters. What I did bring that still surprises me with its quality, is my Fujifilm x100v and of course I did have my iPhone. But the workhorse of the evening was my Canon 5D mark IV with both 24-105mm and the 70-200mm lens. And the all-important tripod.

I also brought my lens ball. I never know when it is going to be a good picture when I use it. I was happy with the result of this picture with the poppies even though it was hand held.

Decision time! Where is the best picture for that sunset view? There is a hint that we may get a colourful sunset, so we had to find the ideal place. This is where you get an adrenaline rush and we pushed to the back of the field. There was dense overgrowth but luckily there was a path on the perimeter that allowed us to get a view of the sunset radiating over the field. We were happy with the position of our cameras on for the photographs. Taking pictures of the sunset can be tricky and without my graduated filter (mental note must remember to bring this in future trips), I took several bracketed shots with the intention of building up a HDR picture later. As the light dropped it was possible to compensate for the exposure.

Then the sunset came into its own and the sky turned a pinky red. Remember earlier that I said that there is someone up there who enjoys seeing a good photograph. Well he or she decided to turn on the light show, and it was very much appreciated. I just retreated into a happy world of taking pictures. Surfacing around 10 o’clock it was dark, and we had filled our cameras with enough poppy pictures for the evening.

Walking back to the car I turned back for one last look and there was the crescent moon in the sky with the embers of the sunset still illuminating the red poppies. I reflected positively on the evening and John said it had been “A perfect antidote to a crazy life”.

Thank you, Poppies.

If you enjoyed reading about this poppy field then you may wish to read my previous blog on Poppy Fields and my other entries on the Cotswolds Lavender fields

Canary Wharf Poster

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Set of pin buttons

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Aurora Borealis – Poster

£18.50 – £20.00

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