ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Wednesday, 10 July 2013

I’LL TAKE THEM. (10/07/13)

I’m feeling good today, we were out early for a run on the beach. We watched the Red Throated divers for a while. I did, the dogs annoyed a couple of juvenile Oyster Catchers and ate horrible things like Jelly fish. _MG_0884 Alf ran so fast this morning he ran out of beach.

We came back had breakfast, went to the shop for a paper…they weren’t in yet and it was the back of ten. It’s a miracle they come at all we are a long way from the printer.

I then took two macro lenses out. One for 1:1 and the other that goes up to 5x. I used it at 2x and still got blurry images.

_V0G7099 White Clover at 1:1 with detail shot at 2:1…………. Thanks Trevor I like this system of yours.

_V0G7105 Purple Clover.

_V0G7103  I thought this was Dwarf Milkwort. I now have serious doubts. I recognise the pound coin bit though. I also wondered what the tiny white flower was.

_V0G7106  This is the very rare…… the No Idea Plant. There is plenty of it about round here.

On the way back I cuddled with Jack and we opened a bottle of Cider*. No not really…..I found this………

_V0G7107   The Common Blue butterfly. It wouldn’t stop still so we settled down and back it came.

_V0G7114   Now I didn’t know what to think? I assumed it had changed it’s frock. I said very nice too dear and snapped it. It doesn’t say they do that in Collins. We sat a while longer and back it came again. Butterflies and Dragonflies are good like that and I’ve deterred the dogs from snapping at them.

_V0G7108 Now which one this is I can’t say…..whichever….it is better looking with it’s wings folded than it is with them open.

I’ll take them if you can tell me what they are. They will enlarge with a click. To save you looking they are male and female Common Blue Butterflies. I was only confused for a moment.

Have fun.

* Day Trip To Bangor ( Bangor Wales)…Fiddlers Dram.

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77 comments:

  1. JoLynne Lyon10 July 2013 at 15:31

    Nice macros--I especially like the butterflies!

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 17:07

      JoLynne, now surely you don't eat Butterflies. It's really bad form my dear.

      Delete
  2. FOREST SNAPPER10 July 2013 at 16:04

    Thats some great photos of the common blue Adrian.


    peter

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 17:06

      Funny it's up this far north. Damn cool for a butterfly. Gorgeous they are though.

      Delete
  3. Mark10 July 2013 at 16:48

    And now my comments seem to be disappearing. It really isn't my day.

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 16:56

      Mark has left a new comment on your post "I’LL TAKE THEM. (10/07/13)":

      I think all three butterflies are common blues; the first is male and the second and third are female. At least they are according to my pocket guide!

      Delete
    2. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 17:03

      They are Mark all common Blues. I only ever see the common of anything
      I also got a discount holiday deal in Dubai. It didn't say dogs were allowed though. Thanks all the same.
      Google are becoming a pain at the moment. They want folk to join Goggelyplussy.
      Blogger is blogger I don't want to interact with folk on Facebook or Google+ or, god forbid tweet. I have e-mail and it works fine.

      Delete
    3. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 19:13

      No they are not Mark....I had a doubt or a bit of insecurity....It's an Irish one. Just snuck into my shoot without a bye or you leave.....Little tinker!

      Delete
  4. The Herald10 July 2013 at 17:52

    Adrian, I hope those Jellyfish didn't give the dogs a wobbly tummy!!!

    I love that first image of Alf.

    That's a great system of displaying the flowers you've got there, those 2:1 detail shots work well.

    Now for the ID's... Your Purple Clover is Red Clover (trifolium pratense)
    the next one is, I think, Selfheal (prunella vulgaris) and the little white flower, again I think!, is Mossy Saxifrage (saxifraga hypnoides) and the multi headed yellow flower? I agree with you...it's a No Idea Plant!..It looks like some sort of thistle but difficult to name until the flowers are out further!
    I just had a thought..how come when I photograph wild flowers I never find any money under them?...[;o)

    And the Common Blue Butterflies?...the first one is a male (polyommatus icarus) and the second one is Irish!!...It's a female of the Irish sub species (marsicolore) which is only found in Ireland and North and West Scotland!

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 18:40

      Trevor, the dogs always have wind, it's the beauty of staying here, the gales save me from the worst of it.
      They are middling difficult are Alfs. I just followed some smart arse on a Youtube tutorial. I used to buy magazines but they tend to repeat themselves. I'm better than beginner now so have to find my own way.
      It's your system so bound to be perfeck! Thanks again. I think if a bit of stalk was popped in one corner and a bit of leaf in another....absolutely perfeck!
      Ta for the ID's The I don't know. It grows like Groundsel but it isn't a bit like it close up. A Budgie will know. Selfheal has only four petals. I could be wrong. These are all tiny plants. Beautiful whatever they are.
      I give them money cos these are real macro flowers. I have to lay down on my tummy, take a deep breath and breath out slow. Then blitz the little buggers like you birders do. I only have to be shown once. I did sixty seven shots this morning. That's nearly three rolls of film in old money.
      Excuse my language Trevor. Fuck Me! I've found an uncommon one of something....A First as you birders say. It did look pretty though. Are you sure it's Irish...the Irish tend towards a fatter head. That's happen just the people.....Brilliant and ta!

      Delete
  5. Nonnie10 July 2013 at 18:06

    your macro shots are bang on! the blue butterfly should not have 'common' as part of its name because it caused me to gasp when I saw it!

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 18:49

      Norma, just look at macro on Fliker. I've a long way to go. Thanks for your comment. The butterflies are pretty standard for noon shots.
      Common, like I am, can be interesting if not beautiful.

      Delete
  6. Maria10 July 2013 at 18:09

    My biggest problem while photographing flowers outdoors is the wind. If there's good light it helps; but even so they can get blurry. I also like the keep the ISO at 100. The butterflies are perfect! Glad you're feeling better! What's that Photoshop you did with Alf? Is he on a "sandy mat"?

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 18:58

      Maria, flash sorts that but I was flashed out today. It's hard to use. I have now sussed that the flash is the shutter. ISO 800 is no problem except in the shadows. No Alf is on the beach.
      Look here
      Pure an unadulterated Photoshop is Alf. I took the picture to start with though and selected him against a difficult background. I'm just trying....very trying.

      Delete
    2. Maria10 July 2013 at 20:24

      That's what I meant. He looks like he's on a sandy "flying mat". Very cute!
      So you're saying that flash can be set to shoot at high speed synch with flowers? I have done that but the only way it can go into high speed synch mode is with very bright sunlight. I have to review the 580EX manual to see if there's a way to set it at high speed synch; or what you are talking about is setting the flash's intensity to last *longer* manually so it freezes the flower? (like how they freeze hummingbird wings)

      Delete
    3. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 21:08

      Maria, It can sync at high speed but it's hit and miss. For a peasant like me, too complicated. I suspect Speedlights are not that good for experts even. The new 600 RT whatever sounds the business but the 580 series have been a fly a kite in the wind job for ages for Canon. It's what the company do. Give loads away to folk and expect others to pick up the tab for development. The 430EX II is the one most folk use over here, I just set it to manual, set the camera to 1/200 or less seconds and run a shot. If it's dark I crank up the strobe...I usually start at a 1/4. If it's too bright I shift the strobe back. The zoom on the flash is good on manual I set it to wide and shoot through a diffuser. If you want to compete with sunlight then shoot in the shade or set the zoom to 200mm or the longest you can get. If you close the flash right up it does tend to zoom a bit linear. I hang my jacket over flowers then light them but then I breath on lenses for a foggy day effect.
      Your flowers are better than mine though. But you cheat your flowers are bigger.

      Delete
    4. Maria10 July 2013 at 23:58

      Adrian: I finally figured it out!!! It's not in ANY Canon Speedlite manual: knowing how to vary the flash's power out put. Flashes vary power output by changing the length of time the flash is on. Knowing the duration of the flash is very useful for estimating what duration is needed for stopping the action when the velocity of the object to be frozen is known.

      So I set the Speedlite on manual mode at 1/16 power = 1/15,000 second. At this lowest power setting I'm actually able to freeze the blades of my ceiling fan blades, at only 1/40 sec and f/11. I set my camera mode to Manual for this to control de ISO. The idea is not to increase shutter speed but reduce the power output of the light. This is what freezes the hummingbird wings. Look here: http://www.photosbykev.com/wordpress/2008/07/12/canon-580ex-flash-duration/
      (I don't know if this link will be active; if not copy and paste. How do you make your links active with bloogspot?)

      Delete
    5. Maria11 July 2013 at 00:08

      I have my mind set that if I spend the money, I'll be getting the 600EX.

      Delete
    6. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:18

      Maria, the easy bit first. Yes flash intensity is always the same it's the time it is on for that varies. That's one of the reasons people use multiple strobes and second curtain flash. STROBIST is where I go for education and inspiration.
      You have to add a bit of code to your blog template. Mark of model railway and singing and dancing computers fame sorted it for me. Have a look here and don't be frightened. Just pop a copy of your current template code onto your desktop first. Just in case!
      EMBEDDED COMMENTS.

      Delete
    7. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:20

      Maria, let us know how you get on when the 600EX comes. I can get another two 430EX for the same money.

      Delete
    8. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:40

      Maria, the Strobist link half works the embed one doesn't I'll try again. EMBEDDED

      Delete
    9. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:42

      LAST G0

      Delete
    10. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:44

      There you go click on LAST GO.

      Delete
    11. Maria11 July 2013 at 14:29

      But then I have to code something, otherwise it will not create a link.

      Delete
    12. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 14:46

      Maria, It looks funny before you post the comment because it's HTML code as soon as you post it will look like my links do if you follow Marks instructions.
      You can ask him for help he's an approachable hacker.
      If you like I'll do you a tutorial with screen grabs but not this week unless I wake in the night. I tried it on several browsers but it doesn't work on Safari as far as I know. I can't help if you are a Mac user.
      You should end up with a little tool bar above comments;
      B / Link stands for Bold, Italic, Link. Just highlight the text and having copied the URL click on Link and enter the Url in the pop up box. For box in bold the code is //box.
      Ignore the two forward slashes they just stop blogger reading the code.....I hope!

      Delete
    13. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 14:54

      Also ignore the last line I've forgotten how to write code without the damn browser reading it. Mark knows and he's a very helpful chap.

      Delete
    14. Maria11 July 2013 at 15:18

      Thanks Adrian, I will read the article. But what's worst is that I use Safari; and I'll have to see how I code Blogger with Safari. About the 600EX, my line of thought is that it's just more flash to experiment with and more area coverage; but if the 430ex can still be used manually I suppose,

      Delete
    15. Maria12 July 2013 at 03:08

      Adrian, do not worry: I found it in this website.

      Delete
    16. Maria12 July 2013 at 03:12

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    17. Maria12 July 2013 at 03:15

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    18. Maria12 July 2013 at 03:17

      Thanks for leading me towards this solution.

      Delete
    19. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 04:34

      If you want I can ask a Mac user I know which version of Greasemonkey/tampermonkey/..... works in Safari. It saves writing the HTML code every time.

      Delete
    20. Mark12 July 2013 at 11:04

      Maria, if you use safari on a Mac then you need to install GreaseKit rather than GreaseMonkey or TamperMonkey in order yo use my little script. I know people have got it working this way on a Mac although I'm not sure how straightforward installing everything was.

      Delete
    21. Graham Edwards12 July 2013 at 12:23

      I wish I'd known that earlier Mark. I'll have to try it. I use your scripts on all the other browsers but I use Safari for Eagleton Notes. I'll try it when I get home later today.

      Delete
    22. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 13:31

      Mark sent this Maria.

      Hi Adrian,

      The problem is the angle brackets. Substitute < with < and > with > and everything should display properly. So for example

      <a href="http://test.com>A Test Link</a>

      becomes

      <a href="http://test.com>A Test Link</a>

      oh and if you happen to want the & symbol itself then you need to use &

      manually escaping HTML code is a right royal pain!
      I bet it reads it.

      Delete
    23. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 13:36

      Maria no it didn't I told you he is a real Star Bar.
      We should happen have a blog of our own. Never have i had so many comments through threads. Threads are one thing Google did right.

      Delete
    24. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 13:37

      The last line of Marks copied bit should read &amp. I bet blogger reads it as &.

      Delete
    25. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 13:38

      No it didn't I'm learning.

      Delete
    26. Mark12 July 2013 at 16:19

      GB, I thought you'd got it working in Safari using GreaseKit -- it was a comment to you on my blog where I found that link. Sorry I didn't point that out earlier.

      Maria, getting the HTML stuff to appear in comments is a pain. As you can see in my explanation to Adrian it didn't come out properly. Hopefully this will work better; you need to replace < with &lt; and > with &gt; and if you actually want to use the & symbol then you need to do &amp;

      Delete
    27. Graham Edwards12 July 2013 at 16:51

      OK Mark I've got GreaseKit on Safari. I can't for the life of me recall what I need to do next to get your HTML on board. Help please.

      Delete
    28. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 17:17

      Top man...read his original postich, I'm helping by writing in the Gallic. I'll let Mark contradict me but he made it really easy open Safari leave it open and paste this script in. Once you have your browser ready you can simply click this link to install my script. If you are using Tampermonkey then, when asked, click OK to install into Tampermonkey rather than Cancel to install natively in Chrome.
      If you want Marks links the press HERE

      Delete
    29. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 17:28

      It must be the same for Greasekit. I get confused.

      Delete
    30. Graham Edwards12 July 2013 at 18:37

      Thanks Adrian. It all came back in a flash. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work with Safari.

      Delete
  7. Douglas Mcfarlane10 July 2013 at 18:40

    Yum Yum, jellyfish, main meal and pudding all rolled into one, lovely:) What I like about "Trevor system" is that you can dislplay more of the flower and habitat and then a nice close up/deatiled image...brilliant.

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 19:10

      Douglas it does need expanding further. I think a wider view and then close ups stuck on an A4 canvas would do the job a treat. What would it cost in time to do it though. I was out for four hours for these. Well two if one ignores the butterfly. It is two butterfly apparently so an hour a piece for them. Not so bad but you have to wait for the weather......That can be days and weeks up here.

      Delete
  8. The Herald10 July 2013 at 21:10

    Update!...Update!...You've got a lot to answer for Adrian!...I've spent the last couple of hours thumbing through books, trawling the internet and pulling out my hair (well I would have if I'd got any!!) and have finally got some revised ID's.
    I'm now confident that the purple flower is..Wild Thyme (thymus polytrichus) I took quite a few photographs of it only a few days ago!...DOH!!...and the small white flower is..Fairy Flax (linum catharticum) and the yellow one?..I still don't know!!! it does fit the description for Groundsel (senecio vulgaris) but I'm still not sure!

    I've noticed a problem with 'the system'...and it's the scale.. there needs to be a way of showing the size of the subject, I think a MK2 version is called for. I'll leave that one to you!!

    Yeh, you've got a 'lifer' there...lol...[;o)

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    1. ADRIAN10 July 2013 at 21:38

      Trevor, I'll give the Wild Thyme a sniff tomorrow. It is not a wee Milkwort. These flowers all grow on a sandy limestone based soil. The rock is lava, quartzite and that stuff Fingals Cave is made of, aye , just came to me, Basalt but the sands are carboniferous. It's like southern France for plants. They call it Marquis or something like that.
      Yes we or I it seems will have to shoot to scale. Now how would one do that? I've sussed it, with the pound coin I'll purchase a ruler and stick it in the shot.
      That funny Groundsel stuff is about nine inches tall on average. Remember it's cold and windy here and Bedstraw struggles to make nine inches (don't I just know how it feels)
      That wee flutterby I just knew it was an odd one. It wasn't in bad nick either. Not all tattered and torn. Just perfek!

      Delete
  9. Magic Moments10 July 2013 at 22:34

    awesome butterfly...I've never seen a blue butterfly before....great shots Adrian.

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  10. Bob Bushell10 July 2013 at 23:13

    Nice, and the butterflies, they are priceless, brilliant.

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  11. Friko10 July 2013 at 23:13

    I know what they are, the plants and the butterflies: their Latin name is ‘Amnesia’.

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    1. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:25

      Friko, I know what you mean, it's a very confusing business.

      Delete
  12. Yorkshire Pudding10 July 2013 at 23:22

    More lovely pictures - your passion for nature is infectious. Perhaps you could make a video film montage with a David Attenborough-type commentary in hushed tones..."And the common blue has settled on a blade of grass. It flutters its wings and flies off to another blade of grass..."

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    1. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:29

      Y.P. I can imitate the voice and shoot video but I hate editing it. The Common Blue is a beauty and I'll not tolerate folk taking the mickey, it is predictable so a bit boring to philistines.

      Delete
    2. Yorkshire Pudding11 July 2013 at 21:32

      Don't be so touchy Adrian or I'll swipe you with my handbag!

      Delete
    3. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 04:36

      Y.P. I'm okay....I like your take on life.

      Delete
  13. Red11 July 2013 at 02:06

    Now flowers pose very nicely for us. it doesn't take much patience. Now butterflies are not cooperative at all. I don't have nearly enough patience to wait for butterflies. Nice post.

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    1. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:32

      Red, flowers are the very devil in a breeze. Some butterflies and dragonflies are very territorial so it's only a matter of waiting for them to come back. It helps to find them in a pub garden.

      Delete
  14. Pauline11 July 2013 at 05:33

    I like your new fancy pants way of detailing the flowers, very impressive.
    What they are is totally unimportant to me, unless we have them here, which doesn't happen all that often.

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    1. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:34

      Pauline, it is Trevor's system, I just took a shine to it.

      Delete
  15. Scriptor Senex11 July 2013 at 06:08

    I can confirm it is Wild Thyme (which is very variable in size). And I would go for Groundsel which, like its relatives the Ragworts, is also very variable and can reach 15 inches.

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    1. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 07:36

      John, I was hoping you would pop by...you usually manage to clarify our musings. Many thanks.

      Delete
  16. grammie g11 July 2013 at 15:36

    Hi Adrian...I started to leave a comment on here yesterday , and got of looking for a name for the "No Idea Plant" :) and never got back here which is not unusual for me!! Gorgeous plant shot's !!
    Nothing common white those blue butterflies, they are just stunning in color!!
    Love you running out of beach shot ,,,real clever!!
    Grace

    ReplyDelete
  17. ADRIAN11 July 2013 at 16:20

    Cheers Grace. Idle hands find work. The Now Idea is Groundsel. Budgerigars love it but this is the first I've seen looking like this.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Graham Edwards11 July 2013 at 19:07

    I am so envious of those butterfly photos. I'm pretty sure I've never captured Common Blues that beautifully.

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    1. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 04:40

      The Canon 100mm Macro is a wonderful lens for the job and easy to use. These are cropped but just cropped square. I'm pleased with them. I spent ages trying for unobstructed views but it wasn't to be. I tried again the following day but they were far too busy to co-operate.

      Delete
  19. Laura. M11 July 2013 at 20:19

    Precious. I like collages you've done!
    And butterflies, more :))
    Home again, the holidays are over :))
    A hug.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 04:41

      Laura, welcome back. I see you had a great holiday.

      Delete
  20. David Oliver12 July 2013 at 07:45

    I am happy I found your site. Your pictures are great! If I say something about color just ignore it. I have never passed a color blindness test although to me I can see color perfectly well. I suppose there are insane people who think they are perfectly sane too.

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    1. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 08:52

      David, I'm Happy you found me. I recently changed the laptop so the colour looks a little strange to me. I usually brighten up my pictures. It's just how I am....In this country one gets a certificate confirming you are sane but you have to be mad to get one.

      Delete
  21. Midmarsh John12 July 2013 at 07:54

    Even HRH got in on the act.

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    Replies
    1. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 08:54

      John, have I missed something? Which HRH is that there are dozens of them.

      Delete
    2. Midmarsh John12 July 2013 at 09:06

      The Queen's shilling - well pound actually.

      Delete
    3. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 10:13

      Ta John, I was a bit slow this morning.

      Delete
  22. Frances12 July 2013 at 09:10

    Yellow plant....ragwort? ( Supposed to be poisonous to horses)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ADRIAN12 July 2013 at 10:14

      Thank you Francis....it is poisonous to horses and cattle. It used to be reportable and an offence to let it grow.
      It is that family definitely.

      Delete

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