Weekly photo - creative

Here we are Sunday again already and what a busy week.  We are finally settled with all exam results now.  Bernadette is off to Bristol uni to study law and Amanda did well in her GCSE's with a mixture of B's, C's and one A - so she is off to Truro college to do her A levels now.  So all in all we are very proud parents :).

This week's photo theme was to be creative - I didn't get as many photos taken as I had hoped but they will save for another day.   Kathi joined in this week by getting creative with Picasa, Louise's images can be found here.  Here are my offerings.

 A side view of the petals on a Dahlia in the garden. Settings, SS 1/1000, F2.8, ISO 100, WB shade, 90mm focal length.

The dried Poppy heads after harvesting my poppy seeds for next year. Settings, F2.8, SS 1/2000, ISO 100, WB shade, 90mm focal length.

Next week's theme is 'Bokeh' below are some links you may find useful, a tutorial and images
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPcdWxhLwoA 
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bokehcity/pool/
http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=bokeh&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&oi=image_result_group&sa=X
open to anyone, post by Sunday of next week and  just let me know so we can link up to your photos.

Sometimes..

..something stops me in my tracks and makes me realise just how lucky I am and how grateful I am for what I have in my life and today is one of those days.

As those of you who know me I have been a bit restless this last 6 months or so and have felt the need for some changes in my life.  Thankfully I have a wonderful husband, family and friends who put up with support me in what I wish to do.  Today was my last day as manager at the local Pre-School and Playgroup and although part of me is sad to leave the children a large part of me is full of excitment at the thought of the new job I shall be starting on Tuesday - this time in adult care.  It is an area I have worked in before and I am really looking forward to going back to it, plus it is part time - which will give me more time to do others things.  Thank you everyone for your support and encouragment - I do appreciate it.

Mick and I have had some lovely walks this last few days so I thought I would share a couple of photos with you that I took - this is one of the things I am so thankful for - being able to walk out of my door down the road and see this.....

Our world really is a truly beautiful place.

Last two of Amanda being herself - well almost!

That's our girlie xx

Holiday entertainment for teenagers....

...what do you do with bored teenagers in the middle of the school holidays???  Give them some props and sit them in front of the camera and DON'T say "smile" .....

The first - not too impressed!!

 The handle came off - literally!

 Strong stuff in that drink!

Getting serious now!

We had great fun and it gave me a chance to really have a play with my lights.  We are now planning our next 'session' - hopefully moving outdoors this time.

Weekly theme time....indoors.

Indoor photography ... hmm and arred about this one for ages and really couldn't get overly inspired - maybe because nothing much has been happening indoors this week to take photos of or what I don't know, so I have found myself struggling and in the end came up with these two...

 First up is the face of our clock, taken at 3pm using a shutter speed of 1/40, f2.8, ISO 250, shade WB and 90mm focal length.

This selection of yummy cupcakes were made and decorated for a 'Marie Curie blooming great tea party' fund raising event that Humfreys farm shop held on Wed, it was in a marque, so partially indoors!!  Taken at 2pm, using a  shutter speed of 1/25, f14, ISO 320, WB shade and exp. comp. +2/3.  We raised approx £320 in just under 2hrs.  Thank you to all who attended and supported the event, a very enjoyable afternoon.

Here is Sam's and Louise's take on this weeks theme.  Next week's theme is 'creative' so anything goes, let those creative juices start flowing.  Just upload by Sunday the 28th and let me know so we can link up.

Funchal celebrations

Having gone up in the cable car in Funchal we had a stroll and upon turning a corner we were greeted by this amazing display of colour overhanging our heads.  They look like pieces of paper concertinaed and then tied in the middle, then attached to the wires over head.  There were various colours adorning the streets, alleyways and  up the steps that led to the church.  Such an amazing sight.

This one was taken at the top of the stairs looking down onto Funchal.

Last one of them just to show the steps up, with the girlie's of course.

Leaving Dover

I'm not going to bore you with all my holiday snaps but did think I would share a few, just to prove that I have been away "lol"

 White cliffs of Dover - maybe not the best image I could have shown but I really like it.

This was taken whilst in the cable car going up to the top of Funchal in Maderia.  The cruise liner in the top right hand corner is our boat.  At the time of taking this I had completely forgotten that the town hit the news last year with the flooding they had. We had planned on walking back down - that is until we got to the top!!  We hopped on the bus instead - and that was an experience in itself.

Weekly photo catch up

Wildlife

Taken in Funchal, Madeira.  Lizards everywhere, this one was peeking his head out of  the stones in a wall. I love these little guys they remind me of my childhood - playing with newts in the garden pond!!  There is a connection honest!

Low light

These were taken as we left Santa Cruz, Tenerife. I'm fairly pleased with these considering I was on a moving boat - albeit a big boat.

Urban

The next two images were also taken in Sant Cruz, Tenerife.  I was blown away by the graffiti that decorated the town and it was decoration - in my eyes.  No foul language (not that I could read anyway!) just incredible art work.

I have several more graffiti images, but I'll post them another day.  So that is me up to date with the weekly photos.  Thanks for looking and reading and hope you enjoy.

I'm back!

I am back after my "delicious cruise" (as Kathi calls it :) ) two weeks on the Braemar sailing around the Med is very good for the soul and I can fully recommend it.  Thankfully the dull and damp weather that has greeted us upon our return is NOT dampening my spirit - lots going on but will tell you all that later.  First I need to catch up big time on my monthly and weekly images.  First with the monthly image from July.  Will post the Australian image when I get it.

As you can see not a very exciting sky, this one was taken from a different angle to previous ones and the sun is just going down behind the trees, hence the colour of the thistles in the field.

I have three weeks worth of weekly photos to upload as well they are wildlife, low light and urban.  It may not come as a suprprise but I shall be using some holiday snaps for those weeks.

This week's theme is indoor photography using natural light or low light participants own interpretation.