Friday 9 September 2011

Friday in the garden

I decided to take my camera in the garden. I am using my 50mm 1:1.8 D lens which is brilliant in low light as it has been very dull here today.
Here are a selection of shots - I took lots - over 40, wouldn't have done that with a reel of film.  I would have had to have been a lot more thoughtful before I pressed the shutter. If you click on a photo it should enlarge for you.

I chose some herbs that have gone to seed.

There are a lot of six spot ladybirds around.  This one was enjoying the fennel flowers.


Another ladybird clambering in the fennel.


This is the parsley. If you look carefully there is a strand of web between the seed heads.


Another shot of the parsley
  


This is a close up of coriander flowers which are rather delicate.


 We have plenty of froglets hopping round the pond, but this one was larger - about dessert spoon size I'd say.  It is good to see them as we had a good size dollop of frogspawn which I photographed in the spring.
However I am missing the blue tits, great tits and coal tits which seemed to have totally disappeared since our neighbour cut down their leylandii hedge about three weeks ago.  We are grateful for the light as it seriously shaded our vegetables, but the birds loved it.  Hopefully they have gone on a country holiday to make the most of the natural food available and will be back when the weather turns.  Meanwhile we are enjoying the large flock of house-sparrows that are emptying the feeders as fast as I can fill them.  We saw very few of those for many years, but we counted at least 20 at one point.  Sorry no photos of the bird life.

However I am continuing to enjoy the Creative Sketchbook course.  Here are another couple of pages.



Do have a great weekend - I'm looking forward to doing some more drawing myself.
Jill

9 comments:

She Who Doodles said...

your photos are beautiful. esp the first with the ladybug.

Marigold Jam said...

Lovely pics Jill and your sketches too. Hope your blue tits et al return but must admit we haven't seen any lately either maybe there is some sort of tit conference on somwhere that they have all gone to! I have fennel in the garden and it's looking rather untitdy and lanky but I love the shapes of those umbrels so I leave it be.

LAC EMP 2020 said...

Oh Jill, I wish I could take photos like these! I've been on that course today and my head is spinning with apertures, ISO's and Raw files. I am confused and bewildered. I think I should have stuck to keeping the camera on automatic!! Have to go through it all again tomorrow and I just hope the penny drops at some point. Love the sketchbook pages too. Glad to see it's going well. Lesley x

Su said...

I love the ladybirds on the fennel. I haven't seen or heard any blue tits for a few weeks either, I expect they're all off together somewhere!

Clare Wassermann said...

wonderful pictures - and sketches - I've only had time to do one so far... you've inspired me - I MUST find time for number two this weekend!

menopausalmusing said...

Those figures and numbers at the beginning of the post make me realise how little I know about photography! Beautiful photos and I love your sketchbook pages. (Especially the spoons made from envelope insides!!!)

Lizzie said...

I took a photography module at art college. The concepts of aperture, depth of field etc made perfect sense, but I never got to grips with all the numbers/figures etc.

I think these are such lovely photos - it's nice when someone gets in close and produces great shots like this. Love the fennel flowers and the froggie!

Gina said...

Amazing photographs Jill. Your sketchbook is looking good too. I've not touched mine all week and fear I'm already falling behind.

Amelia said...

ooooh the creative sketchbook course looks fab - where is it? And your photos are magical . . . :)

Thanks for stopping by at mine the other day - I finally have the give-away up at last. your comment was so lovey btw . .

Amelia.x