Birds of Prey Workshop

Thursday July 17th, saw me heading to The Hawk Conservancy, Andover on another Guy Edwardes workshop (http://www.guyedwardes.com/workshops.php) - this time with Pam Sherren.  We'd booked this on impulse in March (http://www.hawk-conservancy.org) - and found our mutual friend Sheila Haycox had also booked onto it!  Guy's workshops are always excellent value for money.  I learn something every time I go on one - if only that my equipment is sadly lacking!  It was no exception this time, exacerbated by the fact I had Tennis Elbow, which made holding the 100-400 lens aloft extremely painful.  Well - that's my excuse for loads of oof images!

The big drawback to doing these photographic workshops is that you, by default, end up with very similar images to your peers!  I guess the answer is to go out on your own and practice the technique you have supposedly learned!  One day - maybe!!

Here are a few of the birds "shot" that day!

 Tawny Owl

 Secretary Bird.  Don't be fooled by the "bad hair-day" look.  One kick from these birds can put you in hospital!

 Great Grey Owl.  My favourite!

 Long Eared Owl.  Very nervous and still being trained.

 Vulture.  An impressive bird looking like a big bundle of feathers!

 Bald Eagle.  Sheer power.

 Even in flight - the power of these birds is stunning.

Everyone's favourite - the charming little Barn Owl!

A great day out, and as usual, some great shots.  None can be used in Natural History competitions as all the birds were captive - and some of them were "fiddled with" to get rid of jesses.  However, I learned I must save up harder for a better camera and a gimballed head!!  Don't suppose I will ever be able to give up work!!

Cardiff

On 8th June, Pam Sherren and I travelled up to Cardiff for the PAGB Print and DPI inter-club competition.  We both had work accepted for this and were interested to see what would happen, and how our work would compare with the rest of the country's club submissions.

More importantly, we went up a day early and took the opportunity to have a look around the Cardiff waterfront - now developed and quite photogenic.  We were not disappointed!

The iconic War Memorial.  Had to dodge showers and wait for a half decent sky!

View across from the Assembly Rooms towards the Cardiff skyline.

The popular water feature.  We were lucky to catch this working - but it shut off within an hour.

Little girl puzzling out how her reflection got there!

That all-important phone call!  How did we manage without mobiles ten years ago?

I deliberately haven't uploaded any images of the Welsh Assembly Rooms; a) because they were closed, and b) because those images are well documented.  Instead, I became fascinated by different designs created with Welsh slate, used on the floor.  I took the opportunity to snap a few examples during a heavy rain shower.

A fellow shelterer from the rain - using his . . .  guess what!

The Millennium Building.  Last shot before heading off for something to ear!

Pembroke with Exeter Camera Club

For a week from the end of June, Exeter Camera Club organised a trip to Pembroke.  We stayed in a barn complex, and each day, we tripped off to a new venue, and found our own photos!  Once we understand the routine, we were fine!  I was with Maggie Martin and Anne Whitley.

Maggie (L) Me and Ann (R) enjoy a picnic lunch.

First evening saw us going Castlemartin.  Usually, the Army uses this land for its training - but weekends are time off for them - and time for us to go mad with cameras!

The Green Bridge.  

The same evening, we went along to Freshwater for a hoped-for sunset.  Didn't really happen - but we got some pleasing pix nonetheless.

The Seaweed Hut.  Now restored, but once huts like this peppered the cliffs.  Women used them to dry seaweed in.  This was then sent to Cardiff, Swansea and other large cities, where it was pounded and used in the making of Lava Bread.

The next day we went to Pendine Sands for the Hot Rod Racing.  Only a couple of images from that day here for you to see - but more can be seen at my Flickr site - https://www.flickr.com/photos/snaphappyann/

A couple of boy racers, driving their car to the collecting ring.

Some of the spectators!  More interesting than the racing itself, I found!

 Creating a kind of crop circle in the sand on Bosherton Beach!

 Featured on Grand Designs - the restored old Lifeboat House at Tenby.

 Playing soldiers!  On manoeuvres at Castlemartin where we were allowed to snap them!

Wonderful sky over the lilly ponds at Bosherton.

 St Govern's Chapel, tucked between the cliffs near Castlemartin.

 A different view of the Chevron Oil Refinery near Pembroke.  Everyone else took it at night!  I like to be different!

A beautiful day spent on Skomer Island.

My ambition is to get a puffin in flight!   Methinks I will need to upgrade my kit a bit before that happy day!

 Tenby Beach - looking towards small island.

The Bandstand, overlooking the sea at Tenby

General Store, at St Fagan's Living History Museum, near Cardiff.

Finally, after a week of the most glorious weather imaginable, we had to go home!  However, a detour of a few hours at the St Fagan's Living History Museum near Cardiff proved well worthwhile.  We didn't even scratch the surface of this wonderful museum after four hours!  Well worth a visit - and a very reasonable day out.  Only paid £3.50 to park the car - and there is food, drink and ice creams available - all at reasonable prices.  Well worth a visit.  Click on the link to find out more.  https://www.museumwales.ac.uk/stfagans/

Seville - last stop.

Seville was quite different to Cordoba.  Very grand with large, sweeping parks.  The cathedral was particularly wonderful and the horse-drawn carriages were everywhere.

We walked our feet off exploring the city - but it was fabulous, and there was always somewhere to sit and have a quiet drink and watch the world go by!

The Cathedral at night.

Carriages surround the Cathedral day and night plying their trade.

Crowds made it so difficult to get around - or to take photos without thousands in it!

But sometimes - they were so cute, and made a good snap!

The quite beautiful Plaze de Espana.  Rained when we were there - but still make good photos!

Another wedding we tripped over!  She just beat a heavy rain shower!

Taken while we sheltered from the rain!

Several bridges span the Guadalquivir river.

Here's another one.  Very modern.

Mike checks his video during one of our many pit-stops!

Bikes for hire!  Nice and flat and plenty of dedicated cycle paths.

Busker and her dog by the Cathedral.

Sitting on the Cathedral steps.

Pavement cafes abounded.  Nice and cool under the trees.

The amazing, hugely photogenic Nuvion Centre.  Spent a happy couple of hours here!

Roof detail #1

Roof detail #2

Shadows on the floor made interesting pictures - if you could isolate the pedestrians!

Only a very small sample of the photos taken during our visit.  One day, we may bore you with the video and photo books - when I get around to producing them!

Finally, we journeyed down to Malaga for the flight home.