We have been out today but nothing to show for it unless you want to look at clouds. I’ve shot loads of sky. Any pictures I get with boring skies and in they will go.
Last night they lit up my side of the castle…..Don’t know why but it did look rather wonderful so I rugged up, collected my sturdy tripod, a cable release and stepped out into weather that would have had Nanook of the North running for cover. Got a few quick exposures……..almost got exposure myself…..as in hyperthermia….not, as in flashing. Upon downloading the images it turned out that my sturdy tripod isn’t that sturdy. I shall have a word with it’s purveyors, they have a choice of tripods ranging in price from forty to four hundred pounds…….none of which do they describe as flimsy useless lumps of aluminium.
The upshot is that despite going out again and hanging onto the tripod the results were cr………..sorry… disappointing so I blended my blurry illuminated castle into an image taken of the same scene in daylight. Sounds like someone describing their holiday pictures …….’And just off to the left was this amazing broaching Whale.’…’Why didn’t you point the camera at it then?’
Whilst out this morning we saw, flocks of Field Fare and a flock of something I couldn’t identify, also four Roe Deer, these are becoming a nuisance, beautiful as they are. I’m loathe to suggest the obvious solution. I’ll settle for the reintroduction of wolves and sabre toothed tigers.
On my return I placed seed on the fence opposite the truck to feed the the Field Fare and hopefully get some pictures. I did……………….
Not to worry. The best was yet to come my first lambs of the season.
We are forecast to get some thunder storms later, should they materialise I’ll go and try for some real lightning.
Have a good week.
Winter, yes!
ReplyDeleteHere, in Romania is snowing everywhere, only here, in Bucharest (like an island of autumn )is only fog and 8 degrees.
I like your images...special the sheep! ha ha
They came from the castle I think....ha ha...
Have a great Sunday EVENING!
Regards!
In that castle are some ghost haunting? :)
ReplyDeleteGot to admire those Jackdaws, taking advantage like that.
ReplyDeleteNever seen lambs this time of year before; but they look well equipped for the weather, with their boots.
It looks rather snowy out there, the Castle will put up with it, like it has many times before.
ReplyDeleteI like your crows nest shot ... picture and caption.
ReplyDeleteTripods are difficult. I've got a one from when I used to be a bit more serious about photography in the good old days but it is too bulky for what I do now. I have a portable one that I bought from an outdoor shop that lives in my walking rucksack. It is angled in such a way it fits snug against a corner of a fence post with its velcro strap. Now all I need is the fence posts to be sturdy ! Keep warm, J
I like the jackdaw and the lambs. If you get a thunderstorm on top of that snow it would make for some freakish pictures.
ReplyDeleteOh, those poor lambs! They look sprightly enough but surely it is madness to plan for their birth at this time of year? Someone must be working on the survival of the fittest theory.
ReplyDeleteI don't care how you did it, I think that castle shot is terrific, it looks quite magnificent, ready to take on anything nature can throw at it.
Wind, thank you, we will soon be back to fog and rain I suspect but it has been good.
ReplyDeleteRichard, I hope there are ghosts. The place has been fortified for a few thousand years and must have produced it's fair share of lost souls.
Keith, little devils are all the crows, yes you have got to take your hat off to them. What is amazing is that when I put the seed out there were none about and five minutes later there were twenty or more.
Bob, we will all put up with it. I rather like fresh snow.
Jay,I usually use the giant corkscrew for anchoring the dogs and lash the tripod to it when it's windy. I was just being idle. I'll have a look for your walking version. The other solution is to whack the ISO way up. It was just too cold for me to think straight.
Jolynne, Jackdaws are imps. Thelambs are always good to see. No lightning last night.
Pauline, Poll Dorsets, come from Australia and come into season three time in two years. The lambs are fine in the cold as long as they are feeding. It's rain that kills them. This is only a small farm so they live in at night. The ewes seem to live with ones that are lambing at the same time. They are very friendly sheep and all look in excellent condition. They breed continuously throughout the year.
The castle did look grand dressed in lights.
Well you've certainly shared some spectacular shots in an amazing film setting...with a nearby photogenic castle, snowy scenes, animals, and birds... of course your witty dialogue has me in stitches through most of it, which tends to make my eyes blur over ;)
ReplyDeleteThe castle looks magnificent with its global warming illumination. I have several tripods but only one, made by the Kennett Engineering Co., is what I would call sturdy. I found it at a place which sells gov and local authority surplus. Unfortunately it feels like it weighs a ton and has a minimum length of about 30in so I only use it locally.
ReplyDeleteThose sheep are trying to work out what you are doing in their yard.
By all the snow on one side of things I guess it has been a tad breezy where you are.
Glo, it is a wonderful place for light. I have to keep laughing.
ReplyDeleteJohn I was thinking of a theodolite tripod. They must be pretty rigid. Surveyors always seem to have a man and van to lug them around. If you want a weather toy try Ugrib it is marine and purely a computer generated forecast. It is surprisingly accurate. It's free, a small file, and once you have worked it out provides a wind isobar and rain animation.
Aye the castle can cope with anything nature has thrown at it for many centuries and what the warring factions have thrown too.
ReplyDeleteMore good belly laughs Adrian. I assume that you were popular at gatherings (from two to two hundred and two) with your wit and wisdom.
I don't much care for this winter weather, Adrian, not yet at least. I shifted a foot of snow off my drive again this morning, and it's snowed again since! Hope you surviving ok.
ReplyDeleteGB,the castle can now, it was rebuilt in it's present form sometime in the 1800's. It is an impressive edifice. Just as well, there is next to nothing else about; excepting superb weather. Skies to die for.
ReplyDeleteI've never been popular anywhere, I only meet people if I see them first. If the situation is reversed then I suspect they hide down toilet bowls or in litter bins.
Emma, We are fine, hard going under foot today as the snow is melting. I must look like someone out of a silent movie. Going along.......big step, little step..........slither and slide.......sink down, sink up.... Exhausting it is! My solution; in your situation would be to re-situate.... get a longer drive, impossible to clear so a worry less.
PS. What is Cottonshopeburnfoot like? I know it's long. I'm thinking of going there for a few days in January.