36

We had light rain all day today so when it eventually stopped I went out into the garden to take some photos of the water droplets left behind. Our front garden is covered in dandelions at the moment because we never seem to get round to mowing the lawn. The first one I looked at in my search for water droplets had this tiny fly on it. Really I could do with a small tripod for this kind of thing. The incredibly shallow depth of field means that with even a few millimetres swaying forwards and backwards, the entire frame goes in and out of focus. It actually makes me feel a bit sea sick!

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Aperture: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 1600

35

I couldn't think what to take a picture of today. So here's a straw mouse in a washing machine. Enjoy!

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/2 second
ISO: 800
Notes: +2 EV

34

This is a page from Sandra's 'teach yourself anatomy by colouring in' book. It seems to have done the trick as she passed her RCS exam with pretty minimal revision, mainly from this book. In fact I've barely ever seen her reading any other medical textbook.

Camera: Nikon D40
Lens: Nikon 50mm f1.8
Aperture: f1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/1250
ISO: 200
Notes: ND8 filter

33

This is the F55 camera that I received the other day. I still haven't actually used it since I don't have any film at the moment but I'll try and get a 365 photo from it soon. In the meantime it came in handy to try out the off camera flash chord that also arrived the other day for some experimentation with the lighting. I also played around a little in photoshop but you can probably tell that...

Camera: Nikon D40
Lens: Nikon 50mm f1.8
Aperture: f1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 200
Notes: SB900 and TTL Off Camera Flash Chord

32

Today was the NPS mountainbiking race in Ae Forest, a couple of miles from here. I don't know much about mountainbiking but as suggested to me by another photographer, it can make some great pictures so I decided to go along for a look. I knew it was supposed to be a big event, but I was still quite suprised at just how many people were there. Almost half the crowd seemed to be photographers with ridiculously expensive lenses, especially compared to the cheap kit lens I'd brought along to try out.

I've never tried photographing action like this before so it was a new experience for me. I tried out the panning technique I keep reading about in order to blur the background whilst keeping the rider still, and I'm pleased to say it seems to have worked.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 28-80mm f3.3-5.6 @31mm
Aperture: f9
Shutter Speed: 1/125
ISO: 200

31

Today brought the arrival of more new camera toys, this time at a rather bargain price. I was looking around for a cheap telephoto lens and came across an auction on ebay selling a Nikon F55 SLR with 28-80mm kit lens and a 70-300mm all for roughly the same price as the telephoto on it's own. I don't need the other kit lens so i'll probably sell that to make a little back and was going to do the same with the F55 before I got it. It's so light and easy to use, especially compared to the D90 with a heavy lens on the front.

Anyway, this photo was taken with the new 70-300mm lens. Being keen to try out the new range, yet with little room in the house and a return of the rain outside I opted for this tight shot of Sandra's eye surrounded in bubble bath.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 70-300mm f3.5-5.6 @300mm
Aperture: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 200
Notes: SB900

30

Yesterday was a long day. I had a wedding booked, plus coincedentally, a meeting and pre-shoot about another wedding in the same town. This was one of the last photos I took in the day when I decided to take the fisheye out of the bag to have a little fun.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye
Aperture: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 200
Notes: SB900 diffused and bounced off ceiling

29

This is one of the strawberry shortcake biscuits that Sandra made for a friend's birthday today. I was charged with looking after the cake stand while we drove over to drop them off, and ended up covered in cream when Sandra accelerated a bit too quickly. At least it didn't affect the taste though as they still went down a treat. I like how the strawberry looks like a tongue.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/25
ISO: 800

28

Four weeks down! I feel like i've almost achieved something now. Still a long long way to go though.

This is the Porco Rosso keychain that Hannah kindly brought me back from the Ghibli museum last year. She went without me damn her, but was at least considerate enough to buy me things while she was there. If anyone reading this hasn't seen Porco Rosso, I urge you to hunt a copy down immediately. It's a fantastic film, like pretty much all the Studio Ghibli films really.

The plane is a Meccano one that my mum bought me for Christmas. It was suprisingly tricky to put together, mainly I think because it's made for smaller hands than mine.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @75mm
Aperture: f3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/25
ISO: 800

27

Sandra's consultant was on holiday today so she didn't have to go into work. Instead we took advantage of another sunny day and took a trip to the Ayrshire coast. This is the seafront in Largs. A place worth visiting if only for its wonderfully viking name. While there we visited the 'Vikingar' museum and went on a tour. Depsite being the only two people on the tour, the dark haired, short viking guide went through her performance with commendable enthusiasm. It was quite good fun really. I even got to wear a viking helmet.

At the end of the tour was a twenty minute film which described how the vikings settled down as farmers and averted bloodshed by giving the Norwegian king a brooch. Not quite the bloodthirsty tale of fighting, drinking and pillaging I was expecting...

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @60mm
Aperture: f3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 200
Notes: Polarizing filter

26

Our cottage back onto a huge field and sometimes contains cows, sheep, horses, or sometimes a mixture of the three. After an afternoon in which Sandra did the garden (remember those plants we bought way back in post number 4?) and I chased various cats, bees, spiders and snails around with the camera, we walked up the hill/field so I could get a photo of the horses. Sandra noticed all the sheep were staring at me so I quickly took this photo and it turned out to be my favourite. I like the half shorn one on the right.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 55-200mm f4.0-5.6 VR @200mm
Aperture: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/200
ISO: 200

25

I went out to Loch Ettrick for today's photo. It's the second time i've been there to take photos and the second time the sky has been completely featureless. The polarizing filter I brought along helped a little with that though and the still water made for some great reflections. This upsidedown chair seemed particularly out of place which made it the perfect subject.

I saw a deer in the forest of Ae after I left and optimistically stopped the car to try and get a photo, but it had long gone by then. I'll get one eventually mark my words!

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 18-105mm 3.5-5.6 VR @18mm
Aperture: f11
Shutter Speed: 1/30
ISO: 1600
Notes: Polarizing filter

24

Here's another photo from the woods behind our cottage. I know it seems easy to just go out there and photograph some trees but it's really hard going in some places. You try stepping over a fallen tree only for it to disintergrate beneath your foot because it's so old. Everything is covered in moss and other vegetation so you're just not sure what's underneath. It make the whole place greener than anywhere else i've ever seen though. Here's a photo of just how green it is.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 18-105mm 3.5-5.6 VR @18mm
Aperture: f11
Shutter Speed: 1/125
ISO: 800
Notes: -2/3 EV

23

I couldn't think what to take a photo of today so was pottering around in the back garden taking photos of anything that happened to be in front of the camera lens when Charlie decided to go exploring on the roof. After an cautious climb to the top, he walked along the apex posing for photographs before realising he didn't know how to get back down. Charlie isn't the most sure footed of cats. In her old house Sandra was once summoned to the door by a neighbour yelling "Sandra! Yer cat's just fell out the winda!" Luckily he wasn't hurt and just sat there yowling indignantly.

He nearly came to disaster again today in his attempt to come back down, sliding most of the way backwards. I was all prepared to jump over the wall into the neighbours garden to catch him but fortunately he slid to a halt before the edge. In the end I had to lift him down.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @52mm
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/320
ISO: 200
Notes: -1/3 EV

22

Another sunny day led to another walk in the countryside surrounding our cottage. We walked down a long and suprisingly straight road in the hope of finding a nice landscape to capture but found nothing but featureless undulations, much like Greendale. We did see a hare which Sandra was especially excited about, but unfortunately it moved too quickly to photograph. Instead I opted for this hawthorn bush which was a little slower.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 VR @105mm
Aperture: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/1250
ISO: 200
Notes: -1 EV

21

Tonight I made Sandra pose for me on an uncomfortable window ledge for far longer than she would have liked while I struggled with lighting. I think I'm going to invest in a snoot for a bit more directional control, but also because I like the word. Snoot.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @44mm
Aperture: f4.0
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 200
Notes: Yellow Filter, SB900

20

Since I'll be going through a fair few batteries with my new flashgun, I picked up a couple of boxes while in Tesco the other day. I thought i'd also make extra use of them by making the subject of today's photo. After a bit of experimenting with filters I came up with this image.

The batteries came in a box offering a competition to win toys, but unfortunately a visit to the website to enter my codes let me know I wasn't the winner. Maybe next time...

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/250
ISO: 1600
Notes: Yellow filter

19

This is the profile of the Queen in Henry Moore's "King and Queen" sculpture. For some inexplicable reason, there are a number of sculptures by modern masters including Moore and Rodin completely unsignposted in the middle of nowhere by Glenkiln Reservoir. Dumfriesshire and Galloway has all sorts of things hidden away that it doesn't seem to publicise.

We went to find them after venturing out earlier in the afternoon to a charity duck race that we'd seen advertised a few days ealier on our way to Gatehouse of Fleet. We were slightly disappointed because we both thought they would be real ducks, and it turned out to be just plastic bath ducks. Pretty rubbish ones at that as they all floated upsidedown, which made it a little difficult to get a good photo. Fortunatley there were plenty of other things to take photos of, such as the pair of Red Kites which circled overhead, and the previously mentioned sculptures.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Aperture: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/250
ISO: 200
Notes: -2/3EV

18

Another beautiful day in the sun. Sandra, I and the pussycats decided to sit outside in the garden and watch for birds. It took a while but eventually some greenfinches turned up, followed by some goldfinches (I only know this from just checking the RSPB website). Before Charlie's stalking managed to scare them all off, there was a brief battle for a place on the bird feeder. The greenfinches won, but I managed to take this photo of the goldfinches in the tree behind.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 55-200mm f4.0-5.6 VR @145mm with 2x teleconverter
Aperture: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/800
ISO: 800

17

Today was beautifully warm so we headed out towards Gatehouse of Fleet and the coast. One of the weddings I am booked to shoot is in a little chapel just off the beach in Cardoness, and this was taken a little further down the beach.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 55-200mm f4-5.6 VR @200mm
Aperture: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 200

16

We went to Thomas Tosh's in Thornhill for lunch today. It's a fairly bizarre mix of a cafe/shop/art gallery that also serves alcohol. I was going to put a picture of a tray of hot crossed buns on here today seeing as it's Good Friday, but I kinda rushed the shot.

After lunch we met up with Chris Frear, a photographer we met through Flickr who kindly showed us some great spots for landscapes. Click on the link to his website to see his excellent work.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @52mm
Aperture: f5.0
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 1600

15

This is the lucky Japanese cat (ねこ) that I gave to Sandra on her birthday last year, and mentioned a couple of weeks ago. I got it in the Japanese Shop in York. It's a great shop if you're after some pocky, or anything else Japanese.

When we went to the garden centre (also mentioned in a previous post) Sandra bought this cherry tree, and suggested that it might go well as a background when I took a photo of the cat. It made an easier subject than the real cats who followed me into the garden as usual, but steadfastly refused to look at the camera.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Aperture: f3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/250
ISO: 400

14

Well it's two weeks in already. Only fifty more to go.

Sandra had the car again today, so I wandered down to the woods again to take today's photo. On the way, I pass an old run down cottage, abandoned except for this chap guarding the doorway. He seems pretty unhappy to have been abandoned there. I don't know what he is exactly. Further down he has "10p" painted on him so maybe he used to stand by the entrance to a carnival ride or something. I'd taken a couple of photos and moved on, but the sun came peeking out briefly so I quickly went back and took this one.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @28mm
Aperture: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/500
ISO: 200
Notes: -1 EV

13

As Sandra had the car today I had to find something closer to home to photograph. Charlie tried to be helpful by bringing in a still life subject in the form of a bird but I felt this was better off being put in the bin.

Instead, I noticed the light in the living room creating some interesting shadow on the ceiling, and after much experimenting took this photo.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 50mm f1.8
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/320
ISO: 800
Notes: +2 EV

12

I was contacted the other day by a masseuse who is just starting her own business, and who wanted photos for her website. Feeling some camaraderie for another newly self-employed person I agreed to take the photos in return for a free massage for Sandra. See how lucky she is? I could have taken the free massage for myself!

This was the first time i've practically used my new flashgun so it was nice to see that everything worked the way it should.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro
Aperture: f5
Shutter Speed: 1/60
ISO: 200
Notes: SB900 diffused and bounced off ceiling

11

This is Torthorwald Castle in Dumfriesshire. We're a bit spoiled for castles and ruins around here, so handy for a photographer looking for a 365 Project subject. We've passed the sign to Torthorwald countless times and I've always been impressed with its Viking name. Sandra thinks it means "thunder hammer wood" but I can't confirm her Viking language credentials.

This was the first time we've been through it in the daylight so the first time we noticed the castle. I'm still enjoying experimenting with my fisheye lens and thought the castle lent itself well to such a composition.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye
Aperture: f8
Shutter Speed: 1/800
ISO: 200
Notes: -1/3 EV

10

Sandra had to go to Newcastle today to check in on her tenants and house. I tagged along for a change of scenery and to take some photos in the city centre. This couple dancing in the street to a jive band were an obvious photo opportunity. While we watched for a couple of songs they handed out fliers. Strangley they had chosen the medium of jive to put across an anti-drug/pro-Scientology message. Fun though the music and dancing was, we weren't convinced. Far fewer people's lives have been ruined by drugs than Scientology!

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @28mm
Aperture: f14
Shutter Speed: 1/200
ISO: 500

9

So far my 365 project has been lacking in portraits so today I thought I better rectify that. I wasn't in town long before i'd taken what I thought would be the shot for the day: a busking violinist. Happy with that, I headed back to the car, only to pass this chap heading in the other direction.

I don't usually like to do much post-processing but I recently got photoshop so thought i'd try adding a little film grain for once.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 @38mm
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/200
ISO: 200

8

Yesterday both my Nikon fisheye and fast Tamron zoom arrived so I spent the day trying them out (mostly the fisheye because it's more fun). I went for a drive, not really knowing where I was going and stopped in a small parking bay in the middle of nowhere. Luckily I had stumbled upon a wonderful little spot by the river with some rickety steps leading down to the bank. I took quite a few shots of the river but for once it was a glorious day and the bright sun caused quite an enormous amount of flare, which apparently can be quite a problem with fisheye lenses.

While I was there I also noticed that it could be a good spot to try out some light trail shots of traffic, and went back out later to try it. Typically, all the big trucks with fancy lighting rigs that typically use the road were absent until I had packed up when immediately four went by in the space of a minute. I did however manage to catch this bus, though only just. I was in the process of packing kit away and had to scramble to set up again before it went by, only just taking the lens cap off in time.

As Sandra was out enjoying a free meal as part of a course she is on and we had no food in the house, I decided to treat myself to fish and chips on the way home. Typically of Dumfries and Galloway, it was closed for no apparent reason.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 10 Seconds
ISO: 800

7

I tried various things to get a shot for today. First, I put the bird feeder out (see post 4) and sat in the garden waiting for birds to appear. They didn't. Then I resorted to chasing a spider around with a macro lens but all the photos seemed to be of his back as he ran away.

It was a beautiful evening though, so after Sandra came home from work we went for a walk in the woods behind our cottage. We discovered a path we hadn't noticed before which split in umpteen different directions inside the wood, each leading to a wonderful photo opportunity. No doubt you shall see some of them as this blog goes on.

In other news, my SB900 speedlight arrived today, though I shall have to practice with it before any photos using it make it on to here.

Camera: Nikon D90
Lens: Nikon 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 VR @18mm
Aperture: f14
Shutter Speed: 1/30
ISO: 1600