Back in the Lake District

[Troy]

Loving that bluebell shot Paul, so bright and colourful! Did you take any macro shots with the 180mm macro?

In fact I posted one or two with this lens a few days ago

I just noticed myself actually. Do you find the extra length to be a good thing for macros?

[singingsnapper]

Loving that bluebell shot Paul, so bright and colourful! Did you take any macro shots with the 180mm macro?

In fact I posted one or two with this lens a few days ago

I just noticed myself actually. Do you find the extra length to be a good thing for macros?

It's good for insects as you don't need to as close to them...

[singingsnapper]

Heading home as it's our wedding anniversary tomorrow (Thursday) and I was happy I had my camera in my hand when this steam train pulled into Oxenholme station:

Canon 5D mk III Sigma EX DG 85mm f/1.4 at f/4 1/250 ISO 50


steam-train-at-oxenholme by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[Troy]

Ooh that's being in the right place at the right time for ya! Oh and happy anniversary!

[singingsnapper]

Back in the Lake District where the weather has been so poor that they have cancelled the Great North Swim on Lake Windermere - because of too much water! Could only happen in the UK!

The Olympic flame came through Ambleside a day or two ago. Here is one of the torch bearers:

Canon 5D mk III EF 28 - 300L at 300mm and f/8 1/320 and ISO 1600 (very dark and damp afternoon -the bearers on the following day would have had a very unpleasant time of it)


Ambleside-torch-bearer by singingsnapper, on Flickr

This little steamboat is one of the on water convoy for the torch, as the torch would be taken on to a boat down to Bowness:

Canon 5D mk III Carl Zeiss 35 f/2 at f/8 1/80 ISO 200


The-Shamrock by singingsnapper, on Flickr

in black and white:


The-sharock-in-black-and-white by singingsnapper, on Flickr

A very wet day yesterday and looking down a pier at Waterhead:

Canon 5D mk III CZ 35 f/2 at f/8 1/125 ISO 125


wet-day-at-waterhead by singingsnapper, on Flickr

A swan stood in the rain on the beach at Waterhead:

Canon 5D mk III CZ 35 f/2 at f/8 1/80 ISO 200


Waterhead-swan-in-the-rain by singingsnapper, on Flickr

A barn in Galava Field between Waterhead and Ambleside:

Canon 5D mk III CZ 35 f/2 at f/8 1/40 ISO 125


Ambleside-Barn-on-a-wet-day by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

The Great North Swim finally got underway today on Windermere after being rained off for two days. I grabbed my 5D mk III and my 7D plus a couple of long lenses: 28 - 300L and Tamron 200 - 500. I haven't gone through the 7D shots yet, but here are some from the 5D:

Canon 5D mk III Tamron 200 - 500 at 500mm f/8 ISO 400 1/800


Great-North-swim1 by singingsnapper, on Flickr

Same lens and camera f/8 1/1600 ISO 400


Great-North-Swim-2 by singingsnapper, on Flickr

Same lens and camera f/8 1/2000 ISO 800


hreat-north-swim-3 by singingsnapper, on Flickr

1/3200 ISO 800


Great-North-Swim-4 by singingsnapper, on Flickr

The media are here in force, BBC2 covering the elite parts of the race and someone is being interviwed on a boat while the elite women swim in water that's below 14 degrees (55F)


Great-North-Swim-5 by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

A Raven keeps watch for his partner in crime while she picks up some leftover bread at a waterside cafe in Ambleside

Canon 5D mk III EF 28 - 300L at f/8 and 300mm 1/125 ISO 800


Waterhead-jackdaws by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

Today has been more or less a washout and tomorrow is looking like being very wet again. Here are some shots from yesterday and one or two from the day before.

Canon 5D mk III Carl Zeiss 35 f/2 at f/16 and 1/100 ISO 200


moody-viwq-of-Great-Langdale-from-Windermere by singingsnapper, on Flickr


Looking right to the end of the Langdale Valley from the very beginning

Canon 7D Tamron 200 - 500 at 500mm f/8 1/1000 ISO 400


Langdale-Head-from-Windermere by singingsnapper, on Flickr

Brathay Farm

Canon 5D mk III CZ 35 f/2 at f/8 1/100 ISO 100


Brathay-farm-and-the-Langdale-Pikes by singingsnapper, on Flickr

The Maple tree in Elterwater village with The Britannia Inn behind it:

Same camera/lens f/8 1/80 ISO 160

Evening light over the Brathay towards Wetherlam

Same camera/lens @ f/11 1/50 and ISO 250


View-over-the-brathay by singingsnapper, on Flickr

looking down the Great Langdale Valley as the sun starts to dip behind the pikes

Same camera/lens at f/8 1/40 ISO 100


Evening-view-over-the-Brathay by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

There are lots of great places for good honest ale in the Lake District. On a fine day there are fewer nice places. The Britannia Inn always has good beer and good food, and the maple tree just gets so big it blocks the view of the pub.

Canon 5D mk III Carl Zeiss 35 f/2 at f/8 1/80 ISO 160


Maple-Tree-at-Britannia-Inn,-Elterwater-Village by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

This swan allowed me to get within 3/4 feet of him/her: I know this cause manual focus lens and thats what I set the focus to while using 10 x digital on live view while focussing.

Canon 5D mk III Carl Zeiss 35 f/2 at f/8 1/250 ISO 400 converted to black and white in silver efex


waterhead-swan-bw by singingsnapper, on Flickr

in colour


waterhead-swan by singingsnapper, on Flickr

This is one from last year with my 5D mk II: Chapel Stile from the lane that runs behind the school and village - fond memories of good weather that was also good photographic weather

Canon 5D mk II EF 70 - 200 f/2.8 IS L (mark I) at 70mm f/20 1/200 ISO 400



I have become friends with the owners of Waterhead coffee shop and this is the owner's son who is home from Sheffield Uni. The overcast conditions yesterday morning actually helped to diffuse the light as I have made few modifications to this shot

Canon 5D mk III Carl Zeiss 35 f?2 at f/6.3 1/80 ISO 200


Tom-'hard'-at-work by singingsnapper, on Flickr

This is his dad. I got my Pentax back from Tokyo yesterday morning (at 7.30 am!) and put it through its paces. My excellent 45 - 85 lens needs investigation as it is wobbling a little bit and showing signs of not being as sharp as before it got dropped while on the camera. The repair bill was originally £1685 but came down to £800 as I insisted they didn't change anything for cosmetic reasons -they were charging £800+ for the front and top cover which is scratched from being on a shoulder harness. this doesn't bother me at all as my cameras won't be sold and apart from my 7D all my cameras are well used and look so.

Pentax 645D FA 120 macro f/4 at f/6.7 and 1/200 ISO 320


rich by singingsnapper, on Flickr

Another shop sat closer in ( I have an annoying tendency to flash my cameras up for candids - not easy with the size of the 645D with a 120mm macro lens on it!

Pentax 645D FA 120mm macro f/6.7 1/125 ISO 320


rich1 by singingsnapper, on Flickr
Chapel Stile village and church by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

Back in the Lakes again in very unsettled weather.

Didn't get out much today but grabbed my little Sony NEX C3 when futon a short wander this evening.

Looking over the top end of Windermere not long before sunset:

Sony NEX C3 18 - 55 at 27mm f/8 1/40 ISO 800


Evening-sky-over-windermere-at-waterhead by singingsnapper, on Flickr

looking back to the local pub from it's moorings at Waterhead

Sony NEX C3 18 - 55 at f/6.3 and 27mm 1/30 ISO 800 converted in Silver efex


Wateredge-Inn by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

On one of my regular routes yesterday and I often pass these cottages at Skelwith Fold:

Pentax 645D FA 45 - 85 at f/16 1/125 ISO 100


The-cottages-at-Skelwith-Fold by singingsnapper, on Flickr

and some limonata at Chesters

Pentax 645D FA 120 f/4 macro at f/8 1/160 ISO 400


limonata by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

Another from the lakes, this one well after sun set. A 5 shot multiple exposure:

Pentax 645D FA 45 - 85 at f/16 and 45mm


_A-Loughrigg-evening by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

And another around the same time of the Fairfield Horse shoe looking 90 degree eastward

Pentax 645D FA 45 - 85 at f/11 and 45mm ISO 200 7 shots fused in photomatix


The-Fairfield-horseshoe-at-evening by singingsnapper, on Flickr

[singingsnapper]

Recuperating from contracting cellulitis from a flying ant bite while taking the photographs of Swansea Bay, I've returned to the Lake District before I make another trip to Asia. Took a gentle stroll down Great Langdale with my Pentax around my neck.

Here are some from Chapel Stile

Pentax 645D FA 35 f/3.5 at f/8 1/60 ISO 100


chapel-stile by singingsnapper, on Flickr

Pentax 645D FA 45 - 85 at f/11 1/100 ISO 400


Here's-another-Chapel-Stile by singingsnapper, on Flickr

Pentax 645D FA 120 at f/13 1/125 ISO 320


Here's-Chapel-Stile-Church by singingsnapper, on Flickr

and a British Racing Green MG convertible in elterwater village on my way back:

Pentax 645D FA 35 at f/8 1/50 ISO 320


British-racing-green by singingsnapper, on Flickr