Spring is sprung...

Well it's really starting to feel like the weather is changing for the better here now which means I can get outside more often and take some photos! Just got back from a trip 'up North' where I went to a town with possibly the best name ever.... Ashby de la Zouch. As such I've got a couple from the castle there and one to illustrate the new found nice weather of the British Isles ;)

I don't know if it's a British obsession but I find something really pleasing about wandering round partially destroyed castles. I always find it incredible that people managed to build these huge structures by hand with none of the machinery we use today. ISO 200, 24 mm, f/7.1, 1/250 sec

Destroyed royalist castle

This is maybe not the most intersting image in the world but I really like the way the light falls across the stone. I think you get a real sense of the texture of the wall and how old it is. ISO 200, 26 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec

Small window within castle

It's a real cliché but I guess that's for a reason, there are few plants that more illustrate the move from the depth of winter to the first warm days of spring than the old Narcissus (still remember some of my degree!).  ISO 200, 50 mm, f/2, 1/4000 sec

Daffodil!

New Super-Wide Lens!

I've been out the last couple of days trying out my new Sigma 10-20 mm f3.5/4 which I just bought second-hand on eBay. I've been noticing that I often take photos at the widest end of my lenses so I though I'd pick up an ultra wide and this Sigma certainly is that. It's amazing how much you can get into a shot and it does take a bit of getting used to when composing because of that. It is a lovely lens though and one of the nicest I own in my modest collection (certainly the most expensive) although the first thing I noticed about it was how heavy it was; it does feel a bit unbalanced on my little D40 (hopefully this wont be an issue once I get my new body :) ).

Oh and I seem to have some sort of brain malfunction at the moment where I can't look at what my ISO is before I start shooting so I have another load at 800 :-(

I decided my fat arse needed some exercise to I had a walk up to the highest peak in South Wales, I lost 3 sherpas but I think it was worth it... I think this one shows off just how much of your surroundings you can get in an image and this isn't even at 10 mm (I was trying out a polarising filter that came with the lens but you could see it in the corners at anything wider than 12 mm). ISO 800, 12 mm, f/4.5, 1/1000 sec.

River at Pont ar Daf

This is testament to me actually making it to the top! It wasn't really the best weather/time of day for taking photos and I hadn't really dressed for the occasion. Note to self: a hoodie and a t-shirt are not that windproof. Anyway ISO 800, 10 mm, f/16, 1/320 sec.

Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du

Finally I put a quick panorama together, I didn't really put that much thought into this when I was shooting so there's a little too much sky for me. The three shots were all taken with the same settings ISO 800, 10 mm, f/16, 1/320 sec.

Panorama of Beacons

Wow it's been sunny!

Ok, managed to get out in some nice weather today and take some snaps for the blog. I've also been keeping an eye out for local landscape photo ops for a small competition that is running. It's basically just a little thing comp to find photos to put in a calendar but it would be pretty cool if I can find something worthy of sending in. Unfortunately I was expecting a delivery which hasn't turned up yet to help me take some shots for it :(. I've ordered a set of Cokin pro neutral density graduated filters (what a mouthful!.........that's what she said (sorry)) which I can't wait to have a go with. Anyway here's what I managed:

I just love this old, rusted sign up in the mountains. I realised once I'd got back that I had left my ISO at 800 all day.... Still there doesn't seem to be too much noise, just have to make sure I check what settings I'm shooting with next time! ISO 800, 18 mm, f/20, 1/320 sec.

Keep out

Shot a small reservoir with incredibly blue water, I did a bit of adjusting in lightroom but nothing to the colour of the water. The reservoir itself seems to be fairly abandoned being surrounded by derelict buildings and extensive warning signs (there were about 15 reasons on one sign not to go near the water!). ISO 800(....), 18 mm, f.20, 1/500 sec.

Blue Lagoon

Ok, this one was actually taken at a party the other night, I actually took loads of pictures of the fire. There's something about it that I just find fascinating. This was my favourite of the bunch though with a fast shutter speed that really froze the fire along with the sparks above it. ISO 200, 18 mm, f/3.5, 1/500 sec.

Burn baby burn