Golden Days

Quite a sunny day today, except when I was getting ready to leave work and cycle home, when the heavens opened, and the rain came teeming down.

Fortunately it wasn't around for very long and so I could start my journey home. There was a small rainbow in the sky, but nothing really worth taking a photo of.

By the time I had reached Highfields, the grey clouds had disappeared and there was a great sunset to enjoy, as my photo of the lake and the university shows.

Sundowner

Well I'm back after a few weeks' absence. Has anyone missed me at all?

Due to various things, I've taken a break from blogging. I haven't really missed doing it either, as sometimes it has got to be a bit of a chore.

But anyway, I'm back, and today's photo is of the sun setting behind a dandelion, taken in Highfields.

I had to take quite a few photos to try and get the dandelion in the right place, so that it covers the sun.

It certainly has been lovely and sunny recently. Almost like a proper summer. Although I must admit that I have found it a little too hot sometimes, especially at night, when I've tried to sleep.

If there are any photography geeks reading this, the shutter speed was 1/5000, f2.8 and ISO 100.

Art For Arts Sake

Just a bit of an artistic experiment today, as I haven't taken that many photos, as things have been a bit quiet in town and through Highfields.

A simple shot of some daisy like flowers that are growing in Highfields. Probably classed as a weed in most people's garden.

So to give the photo a little more interest, I've added a textured layer, so it looks like an old photograph, rather than one that is brand new. Maybe the top of a box of chocolates or a cigarette card. Something like that.

A Bird's Eye View

I'm sorry that I haven't blogged in nearly a week. It's just that I have been busy editing a load of photos that I've taken recently for a couple of people, who asked me to do some photography for them.

But normal service is being resumed.

So today I took my daily commute through Highfields as usual, when I noticed a bird standing on a bench and looking out towards the lake.

Now there's an interesting shot I thought. So I got off my bike, and gently crept towards the seat, so not as to frighten the bird, which I think is a young Canada goose.

I took a few shots, as I thought he might fly away at any time. But no, he just stood there, watching the other birds on the lake. So I inched a bit closer, then a bit closer still, until I was crouched down at the side of the bench, and took a few more shots.

I had my Pentacom vintage lens on my Olympus camera, so some of them didn't come out too well, but I like this one, as you can see him studying the action on the lake.

And before anyone quizzes me, no the bird didn't have one leg. He was just doing a Long John Silver impression. He had raised his other leg. Maybe resting it.

A Prickly Customer

Following on from yesterday's rose photo, here's another plant that has thorns; the thistle.

This one isn't in Scotland, but growing in Highfields Park, and it has just about done with its flowing for the year.

I took this with another vintage lens that I have, and it's produced some quite nice bokeh.

Painting The Sky With Clouds

A terrific blue sky and whispy clouds over the Trent Building at the University of Nottingham.

I'm In His Sights

Most times that I cycle home through Highfields, I see this swan all on their lonesome. There are other swans on the lake, but he never seems to want to play with them in the water. Preferring to be alone, or just sitting with the odd duck or moorhen.

I don't know why he prefers his own company, and recently I have started to feel sorry for him, as I know what it is like to be alone.  So I have been buying some bags of wild bird seed for his tea.

He seems to enjoy it, and soon gobbles up the pile that I pour out of the bag. I know not to feed him bread, as it isn't very good for them, so I have been popping to the pound shop, and buying the largest bag that I could find, which usually lasts for two or three visits.

I think he has got used to my visits now, as tonight he started to waddle up to me as I was getting off my bike. He also gets quite eager to sample the goodies that I bring, as sometimes he tries to peck at the open bag as I'm pouring the contents out.

I took this photo with a vintage lens. A Hanimex 35mm f2.8, which I bought from a charity shop at the weekend. As it was sunny today, I thought I would give it a go. I wanted to get a different angle, so tried one pointing upwards. I had to guess whether I had the shot fully in focus, as I couldn't use the viewfinder. Instead I had to make do with the EM-1's back screen.

Not a bad effort, if I say so myself. There's also some interesting shaped bokeh, which makes for something different.

A Change Of Plan

Cycling through Highfields, as is my want these sunny afternoons, I came across some singers being filmed, while they stood near the large stone lions from China.

Stopping to watch, I wondered whether it was something that some university students were doing. Maybe from Trent, rather than Nottingham, as Trent runs the more arty courses. Nottingham is more academic.

So out popped my camera for a few shots. A little while later a guy came over and said that it was ok for me to take photos, as long as they didn't appear on social media. I asked what it was about, and he explained that they were filming for the new series of The Choir, and these were some of the competitors.
I've not see the show before, but apparently a choir is made up of gifted amateurs, and the well known conductor Gareth Malone turns them into a professional singing group.

So instead,  here's a very fine bonnet emblem for a Ford V8 Pilot car that I took on Sunday at Wollaton Park.

Still Waters

The cascade in Highfields has been off limits for some time now. But I was pleased to see that the gates are open again, and you can once again walk across the stepping stones to see the lovely waterfall. T's a real attraction to the park.

So I've done exactly that, and setting a slow shutter speed, I've captured the water tumbling down the rocks, as though it's frozen in time.

Dino Saw Us

It seems that dinosaurs are alive and well and living in Highfields.

But country to their ancestors, the modern version is a lot smaller. Mother Nature has helped them adapt to the changing environment, and human development.

Apparently they have also become quite shy and timid. It's the reason that you don't really see them in urban areas.

I just happen to spot this one. And fortunately I managed to get a quick shot. I had been shooting in black & white earlier, and so didn't really have the opportunity of changing it back into colour. But I was very lucky to get it, before it ran off into the bushes.

Bird's Eye View

Whilst cycling on the way home through Highfields, I saw this shape wading through the stream. I couldn't make out what it was at first. So I got off my bike, and slowly and very quietly crept up to a nearby tree and waited to see what would appear.

I waited a few minutes and could see that it was a heron. A bird that I had not seen in the park before. As it started to walk away, I very quietly followed it, whilst getting my camera ready to try and take a photo or two of it before it flew away.

There are quite a few trees along there, so I managed to move to one closer without disturbing him.  I managed to take a photo or two, before it spread it's large wings and flew off in the direction of the Lakeside Arts Centre.

Daisy, Daisy

A simple shot today of a daisy growing in the spring sunshine, during my cycle ride on my way home through Highfields.

Hello Ducky

Here's one of the Highfields' ducks enjoying a bit of sunbathing in the late afternoon sunshine.

Water Works

I was pleased to see that the waterfall in Highfields is working again. It seems to have been out of action for ages. Maybe a year or so.

I had to make do with a side shot, as the people that look after the park have locked the gates to the stepping stones. Apparently some improvement works are going to take place, and they have shut them in preperation.

Tried a slow shutter speed, so I could get that milky look of the water.

Peek-a-Boo

It was a lovely sunny cycle ride home today. Spring has definitely arrived.

Being so warm that I stopped and had an ice cream, whilst I watched the joggers, rowers and more students doing selfies by the blossom.

I stopped off in various places along my route to take the odd photo. I crouched and watched this hunting along the bank for food. I followed it for a little while. It was slowly making it's way to a part that had been made into a sort of landing stage area. So I lowered my camera and shot this while he popped his head up, as if to say "Have you got any bread for me or not?".

Sadly I didn't, and so he flounced off in a bit of a huff, looking out for the next possible supplier of food.

Flash!

Some late afternoon sun reflected on the water of Highfields' lake.

A great afternoon to cycle though one of my favourite parks.

Artistic Interpretation

One of the delightful aspects of the Olympus EM-1, is the variety of art filters that are built in to use.

There are some good filters that I use all the time, like the sepia one, and others that I have hardly ever used.

This photo of the Lakeside Arts Centre has been taken using the 'watercolour' filter. And as the name implies, the photo is meant to look like it was painted.

I'm not sure whether it works or not. But it's something different for a late sunny afternoon.

Deutscher Girls

As it was sunny this evening I decided to take a ride through Highfields again.

There was of course several students taking photos and selfies with the cherry blossom.

I noticed these two girls standing on a concrete plinth taking selfies of themselves.  So grabbing my camera, I took a couple of candid shots.

They then noticed me and started to laugh. They hopped down from the plinth and I asked them if they fancied having their photo taken. They agreed, and we did a mini photoshoot under the blossom.

They were German students and asked if I could send them some. Of course I promised. Which I have duly done.

On Golden Pond

Well it's been lovely and sunny today. The sun even remained shining when I left work for home at 6pm, so I thought that I would cycle through Highfields in daylight, which I haven't done since last October.

The sun was just starting to set when I reached the park, and had cast a rather nice golden glow on the boating lake. This Canada goose thought so too, as it was just standing there admiring the scene. I thought so as well, as I took this shot.

Foggy Bottom

Here's another shot from yesterday's foggy cycle ride through Highfields.

Not a lot to say about this almost silhouette of a tree by the lake, other than it looks a bit mysterious and haunting.