I really wanted to take some pictures of the birds in our garden. Unfortunately even with my longest lens the examples were pathetic. I decided to put a bird feeded very close to the window to make thing easier. I can now fill the frame with the smallest birds and use off camera flash to light the images.

A couple of recent pictures. The first taken at StMargarets Bay the second in Dover. Sadly the latter reflects Dover as it is today.

Lighting Again

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Originally uploaded by apl666

More playing with off camera lighting. This time the flah is outside on a stand pointing in through the widow diffused by the vertical blinds. Considering there was almost no natural light this image has a very summery feel.

Trampoline

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Originally uploaded by apl666

I have been experimenting with using my flah guns off camera. It all started after reading the excellent Strobist blog. This is one of my first attempts. The sun was quite high in the sky camera left front - but diffused by a tree. I had two flashes camera left and right one triggered by poverty wizard the other by optical slave.

I am delighted with the almost 3D qualities of the image.

Dover

Kestrel - No, it's a Sparrowhawk

We have been trying to encourage the wild birds into our garden particularly now the cats are too slow and old to bother them. I was suprised this morning to see a rare visitor however not so pleased when I realised he was eating one of the pigeons. According to the RSPB website it looks like it is a Sparrowhawk. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/sparrowhawk/index.asp#

Dover High Tide

  There was supposed to have been a really high tide today and combined with the high winds I was selfishly hoping for some spectacular waves. As it happens the sea only just made it over the promenade.

Welcome to Whitfield

 

Baritone HDR

The band I play in have kindly bought me a new baritone horn. I have attempted to take a photograph but it is a difficult subject as it is bright silver plate. The above images are HDR the first just converted to BW in photoshop.

Ivy

 

 

More traffic

Saturday 18 August 2007 We set off in good time but it wasn’t long before the snarl ups started, a spate of minor accidents caused major queues. Overall it took us about eight and a half hours to travel 400 miles to Dion. In the future I will do whatever I can to avoid traveling on Saturdays. We intend to leave early in the morning hoping to catch the 16:00 ferry from Calais. Another 350 mile drive – let’s just hope the traffic is better.

Packing up

Friday 17 August 2007 It’s that time in the holiday we all dread. You know you should be making the most of your last hours in the sun but there are those annoying things to do. We spent the best part of the day around the pool but then had to return the hired bikes. Thomas and I volunteered for this task. On arrival back at the chalet we realized that we had left the key at the pool. Some of the windows were partially open but locked on a latch. About two minutes later with the aid of a couple of sticks the kitchen window was open. We had even managed to gather a small crowd of nosey onlookers. Next we had to get Hannah’s bike into the boot of the car – not a problem except I then managed to lock the car keys in the boot. Fortunately we had a spare key……. After rescuing the key we drove into Canet where we double parked in traditional French style and returned the bike with no further hitches. The fact that we could of bought a bike for what I paid in rental is no problem at all, doesn’t annoy me at all… The kids want me to get a bike rack to bring their own bikes next year, maybe we should go the whole hog and buy a bloody caravan… not likely. We plan to leave at around 10:00 in the morning and drive to Dijon – hopefully this will be an uneventful trip. Just hope we don’t get stuck behind any caravans with bike racks!!

Solar Furnace

Thursday 16 August The weather forecast was not brilliant so we got up early and headed into the Pyrenees. Destination, the ancient fortified town of Mount-Louis an early French attempt to keep the Spanish out. The main reason for the trip was to visit the ‘solar furnace’. I won’t go into the technicalities but this consists of a load of mirrors which track the sun and focus the suns power enough to burn holes in lumps of metal. Bizarrely this energy is used to power a kiln in which they fire clay pots made on site. Anyway it is all very impressive, it just felt like it was in someone’s back garden. The 45 minute guided tour was also very interesting especially as every word of it was French. It was of particular interest when our charming tour guide asked Mrs L a question – she shrugged her shoulders and we all sneaked out through the back door at the next opportunity. The drive to Mont-Louis was truly spectacular – winding roads snaking through the Pyrenees.

Busy doing nothing…

Wednesday 15 August Well not even busy really. We went to the pool with the intention of going to the beach later. It’s funny how doing nothing really tires you out as we didn’t have the energy for the five minute trek to the beach. The natives have been celebrating here today. They had a big procession around the site with African drums, dancing girls and loads of kids holding red and yellow balloons. There was also the threat of a big party this evening but fortunately we managed to avoid it!! It’s strange how you pick up new tricks when you are away. I can now ride the bike one handed with French bagauettes under my arm. To really blend in I need to perfect it with a small dog under the other arm and a Gaulloise in my mouth.

Fireworks and Sand Castles

Tuesday 14 August 2007 A quiet day on the beach today – the highlight was probably building a monster in the sand with the kids. It certainly kept them occupied for a few hours. In the evening we again went into Canet on the little ferry but it was much busier than the previous evening. It turned out that there was some sort of local celebration but I am not sure what. I do know that the 15th is a public holiday. In the harbour they had set up a temporary stage and there was some French crooner wailing to backing tracks – not my cup of tea! As we left a firework display started and we watched some of it. What amazed me again was the way the French take their dogs with them to watch. We have always been told to lock up the animals on firework night. The poor creatures must have been traumatized.

Market traders

Monday 13 August 2007 We had our first day at the pool today. It is really nice but gets very busy it is also a bit of a sun trap. As you enter the pool area there are signs with lists of rules. The difference here is the rules are enforced any slight misdemeanor and you are escorted out of the pool area. As a parent this enforcement is quite reassuring although it must be tedious for some of the youngsters. We witnessed a group of lads messing around at the pool side; one of the lifeguards went over and said something to them. They then picked him up and threw him in – needless to say they were all shown the exit!! In the evening we ventured into Canet Town, catching the little ferry across the harbour. Along the seafront they have a nightly market – similar to tourist markets the world over. Loads of dodgy dealers, selling cheap crap rubbish to tourists with holiday money burning holes in their pockets. We of course did not get sucked in at all, we purchased only quality items from the more reputable, ‘arty’ stalls!!

It’s a dogs life….

Sunday 12 August 2007 Last night’s entertainment was pretty much as expected. It was a Reggae band or should have been but appeared to have been through the Euro filter – resulting in Euro Reggae. Not to be recommended, amazing how they take a good tune a good beat and turn it into utter dirge. A nice morning again so we headed off to the beach. The French fascination with their dogs amazes me. Today we witnessed a family carefully put their little pet into a rubber dinghy so the kids could take it for a little cruise. They then dropped the poor little mutt, still attached to its lead, into the sea for a little swim. On arrival back at the shore ‘Papa’ carried it to shore passing it to ‘Mama’ who was waiting with a towel to dry and cuddle the poor thing! If the salt water left it feeling dirty – no problem we have an onsite Dog Shower!