Project 52 - Weekly Photos from Geoff F - Part 2

[Cantab]

With the second image, there is an open gate out of sight on the left side so cattle can wander between two fields. I was looking for a suitable angle but I was rather nervous because after changing lenses my macro lens was left on the tripod. This, along with my backpack on the ground, was proving to be of interest to other cattle which had started licking the lens and trying to open the backpack !

As I was reading this passage I thought you were going to say you were worried that someone would steal the lens and backpack -- not that inquisitive cattle would start inspecting your equipment!

[Geoff F]

Week 21 - Part of the tidal road at Aveton Gifford. And yes, I did manage to step back into the mud !



7D with Canon 24-105 lens. 1/400 F11 Iso 250.

A rather questionable method of crossing the creek.



1/160 F11 Iso 250

Another of those impossible scenes, but I had a go anyway.



1/80 F9 Iso 400. Merge of three bracketed exposures

[Cantab]

An interesting group of photos, all with an underlying motif: ways of crossing barriers.

The last photo was intriguing partly because of the need to figure out what the different shapes, etc., in the photo add up to. It's a photo I enjoyed looking at.

[Geoff F]

Thanks Bruce. It was a scene of deep shadows and mottled sunlight. I wanted to get an angle which would show the path continuing beyond the style but I was limited because on my right side there was a steep drop into a muddy stream and I had already filled one shoe with muddy water !

[Geoff F]

Week 22 - Bantham. I was there chiefly searching for insects but didn't find a lot of interest, except for a couple of robberflies. So I also had a go at the landscape.

Looking up the River Avon.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens. 1/250 F11 Iso 250. Merge of two bracketed exposures.

Cockleridge Point from Bantham



1,000 F11 Iso 400. I then reduced my Iso setting but preferred this composition. Merge of two bracketed exposures

The Bantham Ferry



1/800 F11 Iso 400. Merge of two bracketed exposures

Bantham Quay



1/250 F11 Iso 250. Merge of three bracketed exposures.

[Geoff F]

And something which I did find. Spot the spider. I only saw it amongst the sand dunes because it moved.



1/320 F14 Iso 400. Arctosa perita I think.

[Cantab]

Geoff, the spider photo is wonderful on several fronts; the image is sharp and the spider in intriguing. What size was it? I'm not sur whether I'm looking at typical small grain sand highly magnified or something coarser.

The ferry is intriguing. Do the passengers disembark by stepping into water?

[billtils]

This is good enough to be used in a tourist guide! Full marks for the effective exposure bracketing.

[billtils]

Well spotted, well photographed, and well done!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

It is nice small grain rather smooth sand, although difficult to walk on because when going up over the sand dunes you keep slipping back.

The spider body was about 8 mm.

The bow part of the ferry has a shallow draft so they get the boat sufficiently close and at a right angle to the shore for people to step off onto dry land. Or at the village side there is also a small quay area.

[Geoff F]

Week 23 - A day of sunshine & clouds. Woodleigh Wood where I was recording insects today. A constantly changing light and fresh wind made things difficult.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/640 F11 Iso 400. Merge of two edits from a single Raw file. On reflection, are the greens a bit too yellow? But the whites look OK and it was a difficult light.

And something scary from the wood.





180 macro lens 1/200 F7.1 Iso 400 flash

It is called Horned Treehopper.

[Geoff F]

And one particularly for Les. A Panorpa communis Scorpion Fly.



The red capsule on the tail, held above the abdomen, has two thin dark lines in the centre area. They form an oval shape which means this is P. communis. The other common Scorpion Fly (Panorpa germanica) has two short thick lines with expanded tips.

The other UK Scorpion Fly (Panorpa cognata) has similar lines to communis but they are divergent and never touch at the tips.

ps I couldn't get an angle to give me what I needed to see in one shot so this is a merge of two focus points.

[Geoff F]

Week 24 - Moths. We have had a warm and mostly sunny spring this year but our weather has recently turned very variable and uncertain. I had a go with my moth trap for a couple of hours but it was a bit on the breezy side and I had to pack up early before more rain arrived.

Cream-spot Tiger. A large but rather localised south coast species.



Elephant Hawkmoth. Another large and brightly marked moth which is fairly common during the summer period.



And how about this for camouflage ? Knot Grass Moth

[billtils]

Now *THAT'S* camouflage for you! Very well spotted indeed Geoff.

[Geoff F]

Week 25 - After the moths - a caterpillar. But which came first! This one has a different approach to camouflage. Bright but rather scary looking.

Lackey Moth



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F10 Iso 400 flash used. Merge of two shots.

Skipper Butterfly. They kept flitting around and only settling in difficult angles. Eventually I had to abandon my tripod and go handheld after them; so most shots were total failures.



1/200 F14 Iso 400

[Geoff F]

And the location.



Tamron 1/800 F9 Iso 320

Over the cattle grid down the road and turn right into a narrow lane



1/640 F11 Iso 320