Essential Turns Only

Stonehenge sunset

Stonehenge sunset,
Posted from Flickr.

Despite living less than 10 miles from Stonehenge for the last 5 years, I had never visited. Sneaked a peek lots of times when driving down the A303, but that's not really the same thing.

Here's a shot stolen over the fence at sunset. One day i'll get organized and book to go one one of the after-hours tours where you can actually get access to the stones (these days it's all fenced off and you can only get within 10 metres or so on plastic walkways).

My most "interesting" photos

Scouting: 72/100,
Posted from Flickr.

"Interestingness" according to some complex algorithm employed by the excellent Flickr, based on views, favourites, comments and the height of the tide in Lowestoft.

Link: the interactive version (fd's flickr scout app)

Frosty morning

Beautiful frost,
Posted from Flickr.

The Matterhorn

Matterhorn,
Posted from Flickr.

Possibly the best photo i've ever taken

Lightning storm

Eze lightning storm,
Posted from Flickr.

Photographing lightning is a bit of a bugger.
Some handy hints:

1. Avoid getting struck by lightning.
2. Try to keep camera & equipment out of rain, wind, hail and other accompanying "weather".
3. Set the camera somewhere still, preferably a tripod (but see rule 1!)
4. If it's at night it's easy - long exposure (30") wait for a few lightning strikes and you're done (f11-16, focussed near infinity).
5. In daytime, you've got to take lots (hundreds) of photos (preferably with a timer/remote control) exposed for the available light - here 2-5 secs exposures and hope you have enough memory, battery power and patience - and that lightning doesn't strike when the camera is in-between shots.

Canvas prints

Balloons Canvas,
Posted from Flickr.

Got any great highres digital photos? Need to fill a (big) space? These stretched canvas prints from uk-based bagsoflove.co.uk are fantastic. Not cheap, but great. There's a surprising amount of detail reproduced - even in a 90cmx60cm (36"x24") frame. And they're very light, so easy to mount on the wall.

Elephant Canvas

• PhotographyBlog.com review

Castle Combe

Manor House,
Posted from Flickr.

Back for a bit of reminiscing on our 2 year wedding anniversary.

Twickenham: Eng v SA

Twickenham: Eng v SA,
Posted from Flickr.

Photos from the Investec challenge rugby - England vs South Africa at Twickenham. The final score a 32-16 win for England.
Link: BBC match report

Oxford Street Christmas Harry Potter lights

Oxford Street Christmas lights,
Posted from Flickr.

Rather strange Christmas Harry Potter lights on Oxford Street. Not very seasonal at all, being more reminiscent of the wartime blitz. Once more the capital has sold out to commerce, this time with tatty posters of Harry Potter dotted blithely on the bland, black lighting gantries.

Apparently the lights are Harry Potter themed, but apart from the aforementioned posters, and Hermione Granger at the switching on ceremony, you wouldn't know it. (Jono [of Heart FM breakfast show fame] rather worryingly called her sexy at the ceremony - as i'm pretty sure she's nowhere near 16 yet (bbc news says she's 14), that's a rather odd comment coming from a fat, ageing DJ...)

Nice to see Mayor Ken not getting an altogether warm welcome at the "lighting-up ceremony" - he got a good dose of rather unceremonius booing.

Link: Slideshow

Aerial Photos on Multimap

The aerial photo functionality on multimap is awesome, now overlaying a semi-opaque OS-style map on top of the aerial photo. Great for referencing places that are difficult to make out on the photo.

Coverage over most of the UK is pretty good as long as you don't live in the Scottish Highlands.

Link: Aerial Photo | Multimap.com.