Buoy on the Beach

 I know this is a pretty mundane object and most of the time I would just walk past without a second glance however on this particular day it caught my eye and I took a couple of experimental shots. 

I think the lighting and reflection combine to create an interesting image. The bold yellow against the layers of blue work really well together.

Tranquil

I have visited this spot at Glenridding on Ullswater a few times. Last year I visited early morning when it was -6 C there was a thick fog and the edge of the lake was frozen. These boats were barely visible.

On my most recent visit there was a light breeze and the surface of the lake was  covered with small, even ripples. The light was not very good because of the low cloud but I had came here with a particular image in mind. I wanted to get  a nice even image with a degree of symmetry and I knew that I needed a good reflection. I used a 2 second exposure and I layered two ND filters to flatten out the ripples and create a smooth surface for the reflection and then in Lightroom I have adjusted the contrast to bring out the detail in the sky.

Overall I am really happy with this image and it is pretty close to what I had set out to achieve when I set out at the start of the day. I also got to try out a technique for long exposure that I hadn't really tried before so I would say it was a successful day out.

You've gotta let me fly!

This is perhaps one of the most easily recognisable butterflies with its distinctive pattern of spots that resemble closely the pattern of a Peacocks' feathered tail. The pattern has the effect of startling and confusing predators as well as being stunningly beautiful.

I was able to capture this shot as the butterfly paused very briefly on a dried stem and opened its wings to absorb some afternoon sun.

Red Admiral

Photographing butterflies can be quite tricky and you definitely need to be quick off the mark to get a good shot. 

Today's shot while not the sharpest is still a good image showing off the beauty of this fantastic butterfly the Red Admiral.

Bugs Life

I love macro photography because it means you can get in close and see detail that you would otherwise miss. Flowers are great with delicate petals, stamen and pollen for example and of course they are magnets for insects like this beautiful hoverfly.

Bugs can be quite tricky to photograph because they rarely stay still for very long and if they are in flight you need good light and a very fast shutter speed as well as a degree of luck to get the perfect shot.

Of course when they do settle on a flower for a little while you have to be ready to capture the shot. When I took this picture the light was fairly poor so I used a small hand held torch to illuminate the subject meaning I could highlight the shiny body and the glass like wings.

I guess the hoverfly uses its colour scheme to deter predators by tricking them into thinking it is a wasp or bee packing a powerful sting but they don't. They can go about their business pollinating flowers undetered.

Swallowtail plus One

Here are two more beautiful butterflies from the butterfly house at Williamson Park. The first is a variety of Swallow Tail Butterfly, it is easy to see why they are called that.

The plus one is less colourful but it has a beautiful pattern nonetheless.