jeangenie's Growing Project for 2010: Wk 25 Foxglove Fever

Thanks Jenny. When I took the Hydranga shot I'd intended to show old and new on the one stem - with new buds are just starting to swell - but I didn't get the focus sharp enough on them to give then sufficient impact - hence the last minute grab shot of the Robinia. :D

It's surprising when you start to take random plant photos how many potential shots never get taken because you notice imperfections in the plants that would spoil the photo. These leaves were the only ones at a height I could reach which didn't have bits of damage on them. :)

I still have no idea where this project is going, though, and seem to be marking time. I must sow some seeds of inspiration along with all the other stuff going into the greenhouse at the moment. :bang:

Jean
 
I always leave the dead heads on Hydrangas through the winter and most of them are now little more than tiny, intricate petal skeletons
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I'll tell you what else... They make excellent photographic subjects. What a stunning photograph.
 
I'm beginning to think it will never stop raining, so this morning (only a few days late) I set out to see what was possible in a downpour - with my nice shiny new 24-70. :lol: I got very wet and very cold (because I was protecting my camera with my coat) and the dogs were less than grateful for a walk in the rain, but that lens is a joy to use. :love: :lol:

With dismal light, I was looking for something to lighten the gloom and noticed this lichen growing on (I think a hawthorne) hedge. The tiny leaf buds are starting to appear, and the branches almost glowed with the pale lichen.

1 Lichen:




2: Gorse:

Gorse (called Furzey around here) seems to flower through most of the year, but there are times when it's dark green needle-like leaves contrasting with cheery yellow flowers are very welcome. They're also welcome to Forest animals, including ponies and donkeys, as a tasty snack, so rather than choose a perfect bush or sprig of flowering gorse, I chose a pony's left-over lunch. :D



3: Rain:

Ok, I know there's rain in the other two pictures as well, but this was so dismal, I thought I'd share it. :D The grass and bracken are still dead and brown from winter and the trees are still bare. There's standing water from all the rain of the last few days, and plenty of mud!



Jean
 
Those skeletons are amazing Jean... the little lacework... excellent image, and well pp'ed too...

The colours are superb in the second one... The lack of DOF works, but I think, for me, that the slightly oof leaves on the left are a bit of a distraction... The large one behind doesn't bother me though.
 
Just had a most enjoyable look through your photographs Jean - I don't know how I have missed them before. From your earlier selection I particularly like the heather, hydrangea and tulip experiments.
Looking at your latest shots I think the first one is my favourite I particulalrly like the colours and the dof in that one :clap:
 
Glad to hear about your new lens, Jean. Just a pity that you had to take it out in the rain. You have done very well considering.

I like the lichen shot, but it is not particularly sharp in the middle. I love the colours in this one. I have found that lichen is remarkably difficult to photograph.

The gorse is a nice cheerful shot, but pity about the dead bit at the top.

My favourite is the landscape shot which looks remarkably bright considering the weather.

When is it going to stop raining :(

Jenny
 
jgs001 said:
Those skeletons are amazing Jean... the little lacework... excellent image, and well pp'ed too...

The colours are superb in the second one... The lack of DOF works, but I think, for me, that the slightly oof leaves on the left are a bit of a distraction... The large one behind doesn't bother me though.
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Thank you kindly, John. Sometimes it's the 'last minute' shots that work! Part of what keeps me taking photos, I suppose! ;)

lizbeth said:
Just had a most enjoyable look through your photographs Jean - I don't know how I have missed them before. From your earlier selection I particularly like the heather, hydrangea and tulip experiments.
Looking at your latest shots I think the first one is my favourite I particulalrly like the colours and the dof in that one :clap:
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Thank you very much, Lizbeth - you're very kind. This project gives me more scope to take the subjects I enjoy, but I sometimes think it's not puching the boundaries as much as the themed one. :)

jennyb said:
Glad to hear about your new lens, Jean. Just a pity that you had to take it out in the rain. You have done very well considering.

I like the lichen shot, but it is not particularly sharp in the middle. I love the colours in this one. I have found that lichen is remarkably difficult to photograph.

The gorse is a nice cheerful shot, but pity about the dead bit at the top.

My favourite is the landscape shot which looks remarkably bright considering the weather.

When is it going to stop raining :(

Jenny
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Thanks Jenny. ;) The lens is fantastic - I went out in sunshine for the first time yesterday and it was a joy to use. :D

I kep the dead bit on top of the gorse, just because I knew it had been browsed by an animal. Don't know why I did that really. :bonk:

I plan to get some repeat landscape shots at different times of the year and this is on the morning dog walking route, so it may well appear again! :)

Hopefull, it won't rain today - we're having a major allotment-digging day, and at this very moment it's sunny! :eek: Keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

Jean
 
Lichen for me!

We went for a mushroom forage a couple of weeks ago and a lichen expert came along. They're a funny bunch! Science and latin names aside though it was interesting, and I think that's a really good shot considering it's not a macro lens. Nice and close and nice and sharp. Could do with a touch more colour for me though to bring out the greens a bit more.

It's a funny part of the year. We went for a walk by the river earlier in the week, and it almost still looks like winter with all the dead stuff still there. Even the daffs are having a hard time looking Springy.

Ian.
 
Harlequin565 said:
Lichen for me!

We went for a mushroom forage a couple of weeks ago and a lichen expert came along. They're a funny bunch! Science and latin names aside though it was interesting, and I think that's a really good shot considering it's not a macro lens. Nice and close and nice and sharp. Could do with a touch more colour for me though to bring out the greens a bit more.

It's a funny part of the year. We went for a walk by the river earlier in the week, and it almost still looks like winter with all the dead stuff still there. Even the daffs are having a hard time looking Springy.

Ian.
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Thanks Ian. Lichen is fascinating stuff, and seems to grow in all sorts of strange places. The mushroom forage sounds good - I never dare pick them in the forest because ... you never know!

It still looks more like winter than spring here, too, but daffs are my subject for Week 12! ;)

Jean
 
I promised myself I wouldn't do Daffs on this project, but they are so late this year, I was beginning to think I'd offended them! :lol: A couple of clumps finally opened their buds to a bit of sunshine, so here is my Daffodil Parade:

#1 A Host of Golden Daffodils - Wordsworth was right about 'fluttering and dancing in the breeze' - they never stopped! :bang:




#2 Just the One - A lonely Daffodil:




#3 A different Daff - Well they all looked much the same! :nuts:




#4 Not a Daffodil



I'm not particularly happy with this bunch of flowers. My mojo's gone missing, but c&c is very much appreciated. Thanks for looking. :)

Jean
 
Hi Jean, I like the first two best. What's wrong with taking daffs? They are an integral part of the growing season. They really give the feeling that spring is here.

I have also been trying to take groups of daffs but no success yet. It is really quite difficult if there is any wind at all. I am also struggling with DOF.

Jenny
 
jennyb said:
Hi Jean, I like the first two best. What's wrong with taking daffs? Nothing, but everybody else on TP has done daffs - and better than me! :bang:They are an integral part of the growing season. They really give the feeling that spring is here. As of today, Spring's gone again - cold rain - and my car thinks there's a 'danger of ice' Grrr....

I have also been trying to take groups of daffs but no success yet. It is really quite difficult if there is any wind at all. I am also struggling with DOF.

Jenny
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Thanks for your comments. Jenny. Even the slightest whisper of a breeze throws the focus out. I've tried using high shutter speeds, and what I did with #1 here was to focus on getting the centre daff still and letting the others take their chance, thinking it might look like a shallow dof. I was desperate. :bang: :lol:

Jean
 
With yet another week's photos and gardening scuppered by rain, this is just a place marker. The sun is shining this morning, but I probably won't have time to get a 'proper' photo up today. I took this on Friday after yet another soaking - a large puddle in the Forest!



There's not much I can say about it, except that if I'm going to try and do water droplet shots, I've a long way to go. :lol:

Thanks for looking - and I'll post something else when I can. :)

Jean
 
Sorry Jean - I am a bit behind with this thread. You have some more lovely shots since I last visited. The once of the hydrangeas is fantastic - would look good on the wall as a large fine art print. :clap::clap:

I like all the overlapping ripples in 'Rain' - good for you for venturing out in such conditions.
 
jennyb said:
LOL :lol: I guess that summarises the week, Jean. I share your frustration.

I think you have made a good job of this one...considering. I don't even take my camera out in the rain - prefer to shoot through the window.

Jenny
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Tracer said:
Sorry Jean - I am a bit behind with this thread. You have some more lovely shots since I last visited. The once of the hydrangeas is fantastic - would look good on the wall as a large fine art print. :clap::clap:

I like all the overlapping ripples in 'Rain' - good for you for venturing out in such conditions.
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Thank you both very much. The frustrations continue, yesterday was dark and miserable, today is gorgeous - but I'mm too busy to get out with the camera! :bang::bang::bang:

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Saturday! :)

Jean
 
Well, at last, I saw some blue sky. :woot::woot:


Not an earth-stopping shot, but after so many miserable weeks, it was great to see the sun. This is one of my favourtie dog-walking areas -

1 Yew Tree Bottom:




And it was great to see ponies and cattle sheltering under a tree - from the sun. :D

2 Taking Shelter:




My eye was caught by some common plants bleached silver during the winter and catching the sunlight.

3 Thistle




4 Heather



5 Gorse




Thanks for looking - c&c most welcome. :)

Jean
 
Hi Jean, finally some sun! I like the first 2 and the last, best.

Love the fluffy clouds on the first one. Very typical New Forest landscape. Very nice.

The second, on first look, reminded me of a Constable painting. Very peaceful scene. Very nice but would have preferred the ponies facing towards the camera.

3 and 4, I feel that the subjects don't stand out quite enough from the backgrounds. Not sure why, because the DOF is good.

I like number 5 - very simple and nice treatment.

Well done :clap::clap:

The weather is looking promising for this week too :)

Jenny
 
If the ponies in shot 2 were facing the other way i'd be SOO sold on this image. Even still, it's my favourite of the set. Has a wild west feel for me, really cool image. Great work :clap:
 
Thanks for the comments, Janny and Rich. I did ask the ponies and cattle to turn round - but they're not good on obedience. :lol:

Sorry I haven't replied sooner - my computer is broken - yet again. Grrrr.... I'll get this week's shot(s) done - while the weather's good, and post them later if necessary.

Jean
 
How have I missed so many weeks of this (again)????
So sorry Jean, for some reason this thread seems to keep slipping under my radar . . . I'll try to do better. But at least I've picked a sunny week to drop in :)

I think the latest gorse shot is absolutely beautiful. The B&W gives it a really elegant feeling and it's fantastically sharp.
But your cattle and ponies are coming a very close second. I can only echo what Jenny said about the Constable painting feel.

And I actually rather like your rainy puddle from the week before. In fact I've been working on the garden today and after the last couple of weeks we could do with a bit of that rain now.

I also really like your lichen on a branch shot with your new lens. Glad that you're having fun with it - I'm still struggling along with the Canon kit lens so really must look at investing in some new glass.

Finally, the other real highlight for me is that old Hydrangea head.
I cut all of mine back a couple of weeks ago - why didn't I think of shooting them first ???? :bang:
There really is something beautiful about those skeletal flowers.
 
Thank you, Sarah, for such detailed feedback. It's nigh on impossible to keep up with everybody - and you do much better than me. :D The hydranga was a very quick last minute snap - there've been a good few in this thread, and in fact the working title for Week 15 was 'Last Minute' - ie all shot today. I'm just going to post them up now ....

back in a minute, and thanks again for looking in. :)

Jean
 
I've been guitly of total complacency about this thread this week. The weather has been fine and settled, there are lots of things growing, shooting, flowering round and about and so I left it until today. Not the best way to do it, is it!

So it's a bit of a mixed bag. We were visiting friends in Dorset and went for a lovely walk on Eggerdon Hill, which is an Iron Age Hill Fort. The breathtaking views were slightly spoilt by a very hazy sky which looks even worse in the photos!

#1 On the way up




#2 The view from the top



#3 Skimmia in the garden

One of the victims of this winter was a female skimmia - so despite the flowers on this (the male) there will be no berries this year! :(



4 Acer coming into leaf

Two days ago, there were just buds and now this Acer is covered in fuzzy, unfurling leaves.



5 Feeding the family

This cheeky little blackbird is very bold - flying down whenever we go into the garden and even trotting along side us to see if we're putting food out for him. He stuffs his beak to bursting point and then flies off to feed the family. This is a massive crop, so I'll try and getter a sharper pic next week. :)



Thanks for looking and, as always, I welcome you c&c - good or bad! :)

Jean
 
Sorry Jean... been lacks here... a great set of shots... although I'm not sure on Mr Blackbird there... I think it looks a little soft around the eye, although it's darn tricky to get it spot on...
 
This isn't strictly within the terms of my 'Growing' 52, except that the calf concerned did survive the drama. Don't worry - it's not a gory story! However, it was a scene I'd never witnessed before in the New Forest.

I had been looking for cattle all week to take piccies for Week 16 Stare on the themed 52. I finally tracked a herd of mostly highland cattle down by the allotments on Saturday morning. They're placid gentle giants usually, and live and graze alongside ponies, donkeys and other breeds of cattle very peacefully. So I was wandering in and around the herd with the dogs (who are totally used to large animals!) and trying to get a good 'Stare' shot.

Suddenly:

Enter stage right - a calf at the gallop:




Closely pursued by two very irate ponies: :eek:



After a few rather scary minutes, big daddy stepped in:



the ponies backed off, and peace was restored! :)

And I was able to resume taking my 'Stare' shots! For a time, though, I did wonder whether standing in the middle of two herds of angry animals was wise - or just plain stupid. :lol:

I know they're not great photos - they really were taken in a great hurry! - but C&C is very welcome. :)

I'll post my 'proper' growing shots tomorrow.

Jean
 
Jean, you've got some really interesting pictures here. I love the calf in mid-air!

Very interesting to see cows being chased by ponies.

I just love the face off in the last shot.

I would not have been happy in that vicinity taking photos. My son is terrified by cows (ridiculous really - he will sit in an open vehicle on safari surrounded by lions and cheetahs and not turn a hair. However you would not have got him near these cows).

These highland cattle are real beauties, best viewed from a distance!

I love animal behaviour shots. Difficult to get because you cannot plan them, but really interesting because we are all creatures and we all share the same planet.

Jenny
 
jennyb said:
Jean, you've got some really interesting pictures here. I love the calf in mid-air!

Very interesting to see cows being chased by ponies.

I just love the face off in the last shot.

I would not have been happy in that vicinity taking photos. My son is terrified by cows (ridiculous really - he will sit in an open vehicle on safari surrounded by lions and cheetahs and not turn a hair. However you would not have got him near these cows).

These highland cattle are real beauties, best viewed from a distance!

I love animal behaviour shots. Difficult to get because you cannot plan them, but really interesting because we are all creatures and we all share the same planet.

Jenny
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Many thanks, Jenny. :) I think I feel much braver around cattle and horses than lions and cheetahs! :eek: Generally they're all very placid, which is why this little skirmish took me by surprise. The dogs, bless them, did their best to hide behind me! :lol: They clearly had no plans to defend me if the need arose. :D

You're right - you definitely can't plan animal shots, but I find hanging round waithing for the 'moment' is a great way of observing their behaviours. :)

Jean
 
Well done Jean... not easy to capture animals like this, especially when they are miffed and haring about...
 
My two 52s have worked together this week. I'd planned to use still water and reflections for 'Peace' in the themed 52, but I was lucky enough to find a much more interesting topic (imho, anyway!) So I've taken the opportunity to use some of my riverside shots and played about with a few sliders in PS. This is the point where I lose all sensible judgment, and act like a kid in a candy shop sampling everything in sight, so I'd be very grateful for any good or bad comments on any of these 3 shots. :)

#1 Impressionist Reflections:



I haven't done too much to this - Curves, cropping and a bit of a play with highlights/shadows. The Impressionist effect was just the ripples on the water.


#2 Mono



I really don't know if this is any good or not - my critical judgment has gone AWOL, so please do your worst and tell me if someone should stand over me and slap my hands off the sliders! :)


#3 Spring colours



This looks oversaturated to me, which may be due to 'vivid' picture control on the camera, but the newly emerging leaves are very, very bright and there was even a bit of sunshine.

Thanks for looking and criticism of any kind is most welcome. :)

Jean
 
Hi Jean,

I was sure that I commented on your week 15. I definitely looked and I'm sure that I typed something . . . but it's disappeared :thinking: :shake:

Anyway - As much as I like the landscapes, the Skimmia was the shot of the week for me.
Absolutely beautiful and such a shame that you won't get berries this year - we lost quite a few established plants this winter too. I just wasn't prepared for how cold it would go.

I hope you keep persevering with Mr Blackbird - looks like he's a right little poser!

Week 16 : :clap: More Dougals!!!!!
Technically they're not as good as the ones you posted for stare, but I really like being able to watch the story unfold through these.
And you're a braver lady than me. I would have been out of there with no thought for taking the photographs :lol:

Week 17 : :clap: I absolutely love the reflections shot.
Very different but very effective - it just appeals to me.
I'd quite like to see it rotated so that the trees were the right way up (I know it's a reflection and is supposed to be upside down, but since the tree casting the reflection isn't in shot I think it might work better)

Number 2 is beautiful and serene - a very close second to your peace shot this week.
I don't know why, but I find B&W landscapes to have a real calming quality that you seem to lose in colour.
For my personal tastes I'd like to see just a touch more contrast in there, but I think that's me rather than anything wrong with the shot.

Number 3 is another perfectly good woodland shot - I think it's just seeing it next to number 2 that spoils it a bit for me. Somehow it's just lacking a bit of the oomph of the other one :shrug:
 
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SarahLee said:
Hi Jean,

I was sure that I commented on your week 15. I definitely looked and I'm sure that I typed something . . . but it's disappeared :thinking: :shake: That's happened to me too! :)

Anyway - As much as I like the landscapes, the Skimmia was the shot of the week for me.
Absolutely beautiful and such a shame that you won't get berries this year - we lost quite a few established plants this winter too. I just wasn't prepared for how cold it would go. Thanks, Sarah. The extreme cold took us by surprise, too and the skimmia weren't the only victims.

I hope you keep persevering with Mr Blackbird - looks like he's a right little poser! He is - and he's now been joined by his wife and they both come asking for titbits. Mr Bb nearly landed on one of the dog's heads yesterday. :lol:

Week 16 : :clap: More Dougals!!!!!
Technically they're not as good as the ones you posted for stare, but I really like being able to watch the story unfold through these.
And you're a braver lady than me. I would have been out of there with no thought for taking the photographs :lol: Thanks, tbh, I wasn't thinking too much about the technicalities either - I was plotting my escape route!

Week 17 : :clap: I absolutely love the reflections shot.
Very different but very effective - it just appeals to me.
I'd quite like to see it rotated so that the trees were the right way up (I know it's a reflection and is supposed to be upside down, but since the tree casting the reflection isn't in shot I think it might work better) I hadn't thought of that! I'll give it a go.

Number 2 is beautiful and serene - a very close second to your peace shot this week.
I don't know why, but I find B&W landscapes to have a real calming quality that you seem to lose in colour.
For my personal tastes I'd like to see just a touch more contrast in there, but I think that's me rather than anything wrong with the shot. No, I don't think it's you - it was too dark and very, very contrasty and I've done some adjustments in shadows/highlights which were all about trial and (mostly!) error. I think I went a bit too far.

Number 3 is another perfectly good woodland shot - I think it's just seeing it next to number 2 that spoils it a bit for me. Somehow it's just lacking a bit of the oomph of the other one :shrug:
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and there isn't really a strong focal point. I always find that difficult in the forest. :)

Thanks for the very detailed comment, Sarah - much appreciated. :)

Jean
 
Hi Jean, for some strange reason I seem to have missed your week 15 shots. Sorry about that. I really like all of them. The scenic views are really stunning and the people in the first shot really make the photo.

Week 17 - I like the colours in the first one and strangely, like Sarah, I would also like to see it rotated to see it the other way up.

I also really like the second, but I rarely do B&W and don't feel qualified to critique it. I find your square crops interesting - another thing I never do. Maybe I should try more interesting crops, but I hate to waste pixels! I know it sounds stupid, but the more that is cropped, the lower the print resolution you will end up with. I always try to minimise the cropping. However, I don't print many of my photos, so cropping does not really matter. I'm stupid really.

I also like the third. I feel more comfortable with colour! No, I don't think it is over saturated. At this time of year the leaves are really vibrant green. It is a nicely balanced photo, but I think I would prefer the tree on the left and the one in the foreground more in focus.

Jenny
 
jennyb said:
I also really like the second, but I rarely do B&W and don't feel qualified to critique it. I find your square crops interesting - another thing I never do. Maybe I should try more interesting crops, but I hate to waste pixels! I know it sounds stupid, but the more that is cropped, the lower the print resolution you will end up with. I always try to minimise the cropping. However, I don't print many of my photos, so cropping does not really matter. I'm stupid really.


Jenny
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Thanks Jenny - No worries about missing a week - there are so many 52 around I never get round to everybody!

I shall have to stand on my hed to get the reflection the right way up! :lol::lol::lol: Seriously, when I get a minute I'll try it upside down! I did try to get more of the tree in the shot but couldn't get far enough away without losing the reflection. :bang:

If I want to print a cropped picture (I often crop very hard) I make sure the print resolution is compatible with the mini-lab printer (most are 300 dpi) and provided the photo's sharp there doesn't seem to be any loss. I never use a home printer, so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Cropping gives you so many different takes on the same shot, I'd be lost without it. :) I seem to have phases where my photos are just crying out to be square and I can't 'see' them any other way, but it's not often I do square landscapes. :D

Thanks as always for the comments. :)

Jean
 
Sometimes I find it hard to do something different in the Project, and perhaps I need to expand the theme - even though it is fairly loose already!

Anyway, this week I've noticed how the trees have changed from having a slight green 'blush' to being quite hazy with bright green leaves. Both shots were taken on a morning dog walk in the Forest. The light hasn't been very good all week, so these are the best I got. :)

1 Tall trees



2 A glimmer of sunlight



Errrr - I seem to have lost the border from #1. Grrr.... I've tried uploading it again, but it's still got no border. :bang::bang::bang: I'm too tired now to try and sort it - I try again tomorrow. (Edit: it seems to have reappeared! lol)
Thanks for looking - your comments (good and bad) are most welcome. :)

Jean
 
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Jean I can't believe how many of yours I have missed! I absolutely love the Taking Shelter shot.....I love Belted Galloways and ponies too :D

The Highland cattle/pony set is lovely too....

Out of your last two I think the 2nd is my favourite....I love the dof and how the eye is drawn down the path....beautiful!
 
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