Hampshire (UK) Hogs group & groupies ensemble

[cogs v]

I like the triple Becky
Well done Richard (great shot)
Great shots Andy
Here are a couple of new ones I got today back of portsdown hill(I have shots of these to before but these are better )

A willow tit
And a treecreeper (nest building)

[Madweasel]

Some great recent shots everyone. I'm now home and have so far gone through 615 of the 818 shots I took while I was away. I'll post some of the best of the lot as soon as I've thinned them out.

[Lester Wareham]

Great shots there Colin.

[Madweasel]

At last I've made a first pass through the pictures I took on my two-week work trip around the world. That was sufficient to choose a selection of 8 to share here.

First a wide view of the spot I had at the Melbourne Grand Prix on Sunday 18th March. I was on turn 9 and although, as everywhere at this circuit, you're looking through the mesh, there's a good view to be had and it was a decent stretch too.



As part of the build-up, the sponsor Qantas flew a specially-illustrated 747 low over the circuit.



I tried loads of shots panning the cars, focusing manually so the camera didn't try to focus on the mesh. Here's one of my best, of Lewis Hamilton.



Once I got to Canberra, I went for a walk in the park around the lake, trying to get shots of the cockatoos.



While searching the trees I was surprised to find a roost of fruit bats. Here is a pair of them having a squabble.



In the evening I went to watch the sun go down and used some obliging black swans for foreground.



I then had the longest possible Saturday the 24th, having watched the sun rise in Canberra, I flew the short hop to Sydney, followed by the very long flight to Los Angeles, USA, arriving there in time to see the sun come up on the 24th again, because I'd crossed the International Dateline. I actually arrived at an earlier time on the same date that I took off 13 hours earlier! Then one more change to fly the remaining 5 hours to get to Washington. Here's the baggage label listing the destination for all three flights, all showing 24 March.



I only had a single afternoon that I could do any sightseeing in Washington, so didn't get many good shots. Here's a close up of part of the famous Capitol Building.



I'm just doing a couple of days' work this week to catch up on things, then taking a very welcome three weeks off! That should be good for my photography too.

[alex.hondsmerk]

Great shots! Looks like you had a nice trip

[Lowner]

Have not really recovered, but have been having a quick look at the almost 300 images I've taken in the past couple of days at about a dozen locations.

Here are two. The first is just one of the Corfe Castle shots, converted to mono as that early in the morning (I was out of my door at 0450 both mornings) there was little colour to speak of anyway. The second was the other end of the day and is of Pulpit rock at Portland bill.

[artyman]

Some nice shots guys, like pulpit rock, my wife's father was from Portland. A couple of mine from a trip to Slimbridge last week when it was nice and warm

[Lowner]

Just been playing with another shot from Corfe. Left it in colour this time.

[artyman]

Looks like theres still a bit of frost on that grass, you must be an insomniac to be there that early

[Lowner]

Ken,

I'm not the insomniac, left to my own devices I'm a nightowl not an early bird! But I was worked from dawn to dusk by Julian on both days.

One of the reasons I paid for the "one-to-one" was to re-enthuse me. I've not seriously picked up my camera in 13 months and feel well enough again but still have not done anything of my own volition. I also felt that my composition skills could do with some work, but that side has been less successful as Julians idea of a wonderful landscape is not mine.

[Lester Wareham]

Great shots of Corfe Castle, one of my favourite places since I was a kid.

[docholiday]

Madweasel some great shots from your trip, love the 747 and the flag shot, good work.

[Lowner]

Heres a couple of shots from this mornings outing to Caen Hill Locks (Devises).

[docholiday]

Well folks had a bad run with health, had a leg in plaster, developed a DVT and a pulmonary embolus, thought my number was up, but after 6 days in the Cardiac High Dependency Unit, and a couple of days on the wards I am back home alive and recovering. have missed the photography and all your work so its good to be back, albeit just taking shots in the garden from the kitchen, off work for the next two months so the forum will help pass the time,
It may only be a House sparrow but its a big step for me. hope to get some more shots and get out into the forrest again in the near future.
ps still havnt been able to drive the new Land Rover yet, will report as soon as I do
David

[Lowner]

David,

So sorry to hear about your run of bad luck. Its all those ill people you associate with at work!

Sounds like we both need to get out with the camera.