Robin With Snow & Ivy, Rickmansworth

Robin With Snow & Ivy, Rickmansworth, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

A shot of opportunity from a day out battling the snow yesterday. I was trying to do daytime light painting using a 9 stop ND filter, with the camera cloaked from the snow under a half kilo of elastic bands and plastic bags. Not the happiest human being due to the constant harassment of snow and with the experiment failing, I looked up to see this chap watching from just 2-3m off.

I probably looked pretty comic attempting to extract the camera from its bags, off the tripod, remove the 9 stop ND filter, get out of bulb mode, etc. without frightening him off. Still, he was a bold beast and remained through the whole wretched juggling act. This one is a close crop against ivy. There are some nice snow ones to come too.

Hope everyone's preparations for the coming week are going well, or, if you aren't celebrating Christmas, that you are surviving the media/Flickr blitz of attention it gets!

The feathers look nice in large!

See Robin With Snow & Ivy, Rickmansworth on Flickr.

Christmas Poinsettia, Staplehurst

Christmas Poinsettia, Staplehurst, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

Just something quick, seasonal and colourful from a few days away from Flickr. Poinsettia (aka "Euphorbia Pulcherrima" or "Noche Buena") with bright natural backlighting through greenhouse windows. Catching up now. Hope everyone is very well.

See Christmas Poinsettia, Staplehurst on Flickr.

Forever Ever? (Cartier Diamonds), Vienna

Forever Ever? (Cartier Diamonds), Vienna, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

Night shot taken with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 from a bench top. Only a quick one with company, so quite a bit left to be desired, but I liked the scene with this couple and, between them, the warm glow of the Cartier window display and a stranger, balanced by the clock and the shifting crowds beneath Vienna's wealth of Christmas decorations.

As we were on the way to dinner I didn't have time to wait for the crowd by the store's door to move, and asking them might have alerted the couple, so I dusted off my cloning stamp and have done my best to remove them. I've not killed myself over it, if I'm honest, but have posted the original SOOC below for anyone interested in seeing the scope of the job.

Wish there was a little more room in the frame, but the 50mm is a prime and the bench was set in concrete, so one takes what one gets sometimes.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the week. I'm delighted with the Front Page showing of www.flickr.com/photos/flatworldsedge/5233410987/ - thank you all for your kind comments and other such prodding of the Magic Donkey's critical eye. I'm off for a couple of days, but will make sure that I have the time to read all your thoughts and repay your kindness as soon as I'm back. Can't wait to see all your images.

See Forever Ever? (Cartier Diamonds), Vienna on Flickr.

Original Forever Ever