April Meeting

[Ian-Raymant]

Hi All,

Hopefully nobody is suffering from the lockdown blues and everyone is making the best of this glorious weather.
Gardens, garages and sheds all tidied and cars cleaned !!

Also hoping that you and your families are well and keeping virus free.

Clearly this Wednesday's meeting cannot take place as planned but maybe we could share any images on the theme Trees or looking down from a height, does that sound ok ?.
Aware it will probably mean sifting through back catalogues as folk won't have had an opportunity to make dedicated photography trips outside of home territory.

The situation prevented an early spring trip to Shingle Street so we'll have postpone it until the Autumn when hopefully all restrictions will have been lifted.

Let us hope we can resume our meetings soon and catch up on the missed photoshoots.

Very best wishes to you all, stay well and keep safe.

Ian

[Trevor]

That’s a sound idea Ian, will look through some old images and see what I’ve got for trees and looking down. Should be interesting

[PerrinM]

Will do the same, appear to have alot of tree shots at the moment whilst walking the dog over highwoods.
Hope everyone is keeping well & safe. Strange what life throws our way but we will get through this. For me personally I never had so much time off work (although working remotely from home) however my garden now looks emaculate after 7 days of hard grafting, might be able to get some photos done now with a plus with the weather.

[Ed Jeffries]

Nice idea, Ian. Hopefully I can find some images to share. I'm also sure member's gardens are looking pristine now (as if they weren't already).

[Ian-Raymant]

Hi All,

Cooler this morning!! - Have scanned through my photo library and found three images to share.

The reflections image was taken in one of my favourite places, Boxted Walnut Orchard. The solitary tree is also in Boxted, along one my regular walks and the line of trees was taken in Castle Park.

Best wishes.

Ian

[Ed Jeffries]

The images of the trees are wonderful, Ian. Especially the last one with the reflection in the water. Love the colours in all the images. Keep them coming!

[Ed Jeffries]

On the theme of trees, here are a few of my images -

[Jim Spurgeon]

Great shots Ian and Ed.
Ian, I love the lone tree...great job getting it all in the frame so well.
Ed, your second shot is fantastic...love the sky.
For my shots it's not surprising I revisited (virtually) my favourite place...the Lake District. Should have been heading up there this Saturday but looking at photos and remembering will suffice for now.
The first shot is a little creative crop of my favourite shot of Buttermere, we've never had reflections like this again but I thought it fits the trees theme.
The second shot is for looking down from height. It's taken from Wansfell Pike looking down at Ambleside, I thought that although not one of the highest peaks it gives a great perspective.
The final shot it again looking down from height. It's looking over the bridge at Aira Force. The camera was on my tripod which was bravely/foolishly (you decide) held out over the side of the bridge. I have included a fourth shot of Aira Force from below just so you can see where the other shot came from.

Keep well all and see you soon

[PhilBrew]

Photos coming thick and fast - isn't it great it see them all! Well done everyone who has posted recently. I look forward to seeing more and from more of our members.

I'll sort out some tree shots to post - good initiative Ian - and meanwhile here are a few comments on recent posts:

Lisa - like Trev I love rust shots. Your ring - no.16 - has great texture and colour and the additional points in sharp focus make for a satisfying composition. Small details - great shots!

Ed - the black metal gate (is it?) with the out of focus bright green background makes a striking graphic with the intersecting diagonals and the symmetry. I like the collared dove shot too. The bird looks comfortably at home in the tree which provides a nice frame. Perhaps the bird itself is a little overexposed which does not do full justice to its beautiful delicate colours. The pyracantha berries look great and the photinia red robin shot 2695 has strong graphics. Love your moon shot and the macro of the ladybird on the flower bud with its lattice work structure.

Jim - Nice bird bath shots - especially the female house sparrow looking very smart and the hen blackbird shot 2912 - sharper and a more alert pose than the other one. Good Lakes shots too - I like the Buttermere reflections especially.

Ian - Yes I agree with Jim that single tree shot captures the magnificence of this specimen well. Do you know what species it is? Lime? Elm? Can Alison help with an ID? Also like the reflection shot with juxtaposed autumn colours and green foliage. Well done.

Phil

[Ed Jeffries]

Thank you very much for your feedback which will indeed be used to improve my photographic and composition techniques. Here are two 'looking down' images from Essex University.

[Colin]

Hi, a few tree images from Coventry but taken around the land, The E like image was a possibility for the Forum heading but discarded in the end, the others are a mixture of looking up rather than down and a guy felling a fir tree. I like the fact that a bit is still in mid air. Regards to all, Colin

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[Ed Jeffries]

I like your images, Colin. They're all dramatic and your timing was spot on to capture the falling branch in mid air.

[PhilBrew]

Like your uni shots Ed - especially the second one - an original viewpoint and good recession. Well seen. Phil

[Trevor]

Hi all some great tree and from above shots. Ian I really rate the lone tree image, I also like the avenue of trees. Nice composition. Phil love the camera over the edge shot best, (very brave) for me that’s a great idea. Love the buttermere shot and the crop. Ed good images, like the first one best, I like the shapes of the awnings and makes you wonder who or what is going on under there.
Colin, love the tree E and the tree fella. I would caption that as oops I wanted that bit . Excellent images from everyone. Trev

[Trevor]

Here are a few shots of mine.
First couple from Marks Hall. The other from on high when in New York.

[PhilBrew]

Nice Marks Hall shots Trev, especially the second one. Perhaps a square crop would work better?
BTW thanks for crediting me with the Lake District shots but, credit where credit is due, they were by Jim!
Here are some tree shots - perhaps too many, hope you'll forgive, but trees are a special interest of mine. If and when we are again allowed out, do follow the Castle Park Tree Trail - leaflet from Tourist Info Centre in Holly Trees House, and be amazed at the huge number of different species to be found there - including no fewer than 9 different oaks.

[Ed Jeffries]

Trevor, love how serene the images of the reflections look and the colours are really beautiful. Love your image of NYC - looks great from that height.
Phil, your images of the different plants and leaves are stunning in colour and detail. Am really looking forward to getting out and about again. The warmer weather will be bringing more and more of the natural world into bloom.

[Trevor]

Hi Phil, good set of images, oops re the buttermere image, I’ve seen so many i get confused which ones are which

Lovely set of images I like leaf shots 3,4 and 10 a different slant on the theme of trees.

Jim love the Buttermere shot, very creative.

Keep the images coming

[Lisa]

Here are my images:

Place For Plants

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Note the fairy door!

Place For Plants

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Looking down from the Sky Garden

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Looking down from the ArcelorMittal Orbit tower at Stratford

[Lisa]

Hi Ian,is the single tree the one on Harwich Lines? I always thought that was an oak but not sure now.

[robertofbaycot]

Some really excellent pictures being posted - thanks everyone.

Phil, your photos of leaves are exquisite!

Here are some pictures from me. I know there are others that I have, but can I find them?!

All the best to everyone

Robert

[Ian-Raymant]

Hi Lisa,

You are correct, Harwich Lines and it is a lime tree.

Best wishes

Ian

[PhilBrew]

Trees trees trees - an inexhaustible source of great photos!

Well done Robert for yours - it's the bullrushes what lift it! Also like the shiny brown birch trunks and the bracket fungi. The shaft of sunlight is great but could you please add a unicorn or some such to justify the spotlight?

Lisa - more great shots - magnificent magnolia and silver birch. That redwood is impressive, but fairy door? Do you mean the thing that looks like an abandoned loo seat? The looking down shots are great too - nice and sharp and well exposed. Especially like the Stratford colours - well done.

Here are a few more trees, this time taken with an infra red converted camera I recently dug out...

[PhilBrew]

One more IR I meant to add

[Ed Jeffries]

I have to say - what wonderful images of trees and leaves. They really show nature at it's best and the expertise of the photographers. I especially like the IR images. Very inspiring!