Frosty Morning

London Trip Part Two Winter Wonderland

London Trip Part One

Winter Blues

Winter is a tough time for me , dark mornings with early evenings means little sunlight . Lymes Disease flares up with the cold . Heating the flat is not cheap so wrapping up warm with layers of clothing help . Keeping motivated becomes harder and harder , taking all my energy to get out of bed . Lack of appetite doesn't help . Keeping my mind occupied is key to staying positive . Family help as much as they can . Depression creeps up on you quickly so remaining strong keeps this at bay. Setting yourself tasks to do each day gives you a reason to get out of bed . I have a trip to London coming up so keep an eye out for additions to my YouTube .

Old Friends

Oxford Trip

Oxford Trip started with James alarm not going off so he missed the bus. I decided to go unsure how I would do on my own. I surprised myself with not getting lost. I even went up an 1000 year old Saxon Tower. To see Oxford from above. There is plenty to see you can choose one of the many tours available they cost about  £10. Or like me you venture on your own. I visited the Natural History Museum and the Pitt-Rivers Museum which has the most fascinating collection I've ever seen. The Bodlean Libraries have an enormous collection of literature, definitely worth a visit. Overall a very interesting place and an amazing history. Check out my videos on YouTube to see the trip.

https://youtu.be/wx1DQE0mn8Y

Life on the Canal

Street Photography

If like me you enjoy Street Photography I'd like to tell you some of my thought processes in my method behind my images. I like to keep it natural and not staged . Many of my shots are from the hip. You can experiment with different ways from various points of view. This i feel adds interest . Remember to take a step back and compose your shots. Adding depth using people in the foreground middle ground and background makes for an interesting image. Light and shadow during golden hour helps to make mundane objects interesting.

Wet weather

Winter months brings us more wet day's. This can be difficult to photograph in but not impossible. With these simple items you can go and shoot.
1. A plastic bag large enough to fit over your camera body and lens.
2. Elastic band used to secure the bag around your lens cover.
3. A micro fibre cloth to wipe the lens if it gets rain on it .
Using these items will enable you to go out in any weather and not cost the earth in expensive camera covers found on our favourite websites.
I hope this is useful if you have any other useful ideas please leave a message or comment.

Staying Positive

As winter draws in , life gets that little bit harder . Waking up in the dark and the early evenings means your body struggles to keep active . It is a time when your mind wanders the edge of depression , you are continually pulling yourself out of the darkness . Staying active is the key to keeping your sanity over the winter period . We have to tell ourselves that there is always someone worse off than ourselves . Putting our situation into perspective is a very difficult thing to do . Many times you just want to roll up into a ball and not let anyone in . Try to keep your mind working on something creative . Life is for living , time is unforgiving .

Chilling with James itskibbleYT

Monday Morning

Street Life

Day Tripping

Living and breathing

Had a productive walk into town. Captured some candid moments on the way. Time-lapse really gives you the sense of the never ending pulse of life. Whether it is people or traffic movement excites the senses. Seeing the world flash by in a few seconds. I have really embraced the addition of the camcorder,it's made me more creative and selective of subjects to capture. We can become blinkered when looking through the lens on our DSLR missing moments around us as we are too busy to notice them . I hope you enjoy my videos and continue to follow my journey.

Saturday Living and Breathing

Enjoying my Sunday

https://1drv.ms/a/s!AlHaxJumyaBuksAaoRHjYFtLwcxsxQ

Chilling at the Weir

Wandering Sunday

Sunday Stroll with Jas

My Watches

https://1drv.ms/a/s!AlHaxJumyaBukr1CCNadMIgS0pHkgA

Bradgate Park Sunset

Ork Boyz causing havoc

https://1drv.ms/a/s!AlHaxJumyaBukrwYi9_RlhMNe4mEdQ

Castle Garden Walk

My new watch additions

https://1drv.ms/a/s!AlHaxJumyaBukrtpFMv5Mj-h1bufmw

Film Making

It's been a little while now since I started to include film into my blogs . Please let me know how I am doing . Any constructive criticism is welcome. It takes a long time to edit the footage  into  a workable film .  I try to match the music to the mood of the film captured . It is much harder than I anticipated but is enjoyable also. I hope you are enjoying my journey . I feel film has added a new dimension to my photography , having to setup the camera for timelapse . I bought a Stabiliser to help steady my video camera when walking , its a challenge to setup but I have marked off on the stabiliser where to put the camera to achieve a balance . If you have any ideas for me to film please leave a comment or email me at nigelkibble@hotmail.com.

Nikon 7000 , Nikon 35 mm , F5.6 , 1/125 , ISO 200 

Rainy on the Weir

Curious Goose

Groby Pool Sunset Special

Groby Pool SunSet

Castle Gardens

Golden Hour At The Weir

Testing new AFUNTA Stabiliser

Stunning Skies

On a recent long walk to Bradgate Park with my son , we were returning home when we noticed the brilliant red/orange sky as the sun was setting . Walking along the houses I picked a spot where I could get a silhouette of the house , tree and the sun shining through . I took various angles to try to get the best shot . Let me know which one you like best

Kit setup Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300 mm , F8 , ISO 100, 1/1000,70 mm

Bradgate Ramble

WOW 100 Blogs !!!

I can't believe we have reached 100 Blogs , my journey is only just beginning . Thank you to everyone for your support . It has been a tough process of adding content that you like to see . I am encouraged by the increase of each Blog views . I hope you are enjoying the journey . If you have any ideas on what I can put into the Blog please feel free to leave a message or comment . I have tried to show as much of what I do and provide you with a small insight into the way I think and work .

Natures Resilience

Nature has an amazing ability to survive against all the odds. You see time and again animals with one , one leg, one arm , live a long and healthy life . It's shows that whatever difficulty we are suffering there is always someone else worse off. It strengthens your resolve , to manage your illness or disability . Just taking medication is not enough you have to have strength of mind also . When feeling rough and unable to go out , find something to occupy your day , try not to stay in bed , just getting up and about can help you feel stronger . Today's image shows nature's resilience to survive  , a small Pied Wagtail with only one leg , has the ability to catch bee's for it's young . I hope you enjoy .

Set up Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300 mm , F8, ISO 400 , 1/1250 , 300 mm

Flight To Harlaxton Manor 1

Ork Boyz Painting

Warhammer 40k has always fascinated me , I have played the games and really like the characters .
Recently I have bought a few models to build and paint . I find it therapeutic , relaxing and fun .
Life is full of so much hate and persecution , it's good to escape from reality once in awhile.
My painting is nothing special I am no expert , I just enjoy the end result . Everyone should find their own escape and spend moments of each day in there just to put things into perspective . Life is too short and is for living , so enjoy it.

I use Acrylic paint since it's water based if you make a mistake you can wash it off and start again.

 

Watch Photography

My interest in watches goes back many years , I have built up a small collection of pieces that include Citizen , Seiko, Orient, Timex, DomWatch, Casio, Swatch. It's a humble collection , not worth a great deal monetarily , but sentimentally they mean a lot. Bought at different periods of my life , they have travelled with me far and wide . You can take standard pics of the full face of the watch , or as I like to do , use a Macro lens to get into the detail of the watch . A manual or Automatic watch has some 150 parts making up the movement , depending on the complication. A Quartz movement has far less . My Swatch is different as its an Automatic made entirely by machine , with only 51 parts , a manufacturing marvel .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br8bkTIt1_8

Setup Nikon D7000, Tamron 90mm Macro,F2.5, ISO 100 ,1/100 

Time

Peregrine Delight

Living in a city we rarely see birds of prey . It was a real surprize for me when walking past the Leicester Cathedral , I saw a gathering of photographers . Being curious I walked over to see what was going on , I asked one of the people with a scope , who told me a Peregrine Juvenile was on a platform next to the bell tower . Carrying my trusty camera I zoomed in and behold there it was , with down still on it it couldn't be more than a few weeks old what a thrill.I came back the following day with my tripod and set myself up , though on this day the adult turned up and shoved the young one into the air where it stayed for 10 minutes or so , settling way up on the spire .
Too high for my 300 mm , I decided to take some shots of the adult . Hope you enjoy .

Set up Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300 mm , F8, ISO 400 , 1/1000 , 280 mm

Abbey Park Monday

Peregrine Sunday

Saturday with Muggins

Ramble with James

Photo Montage 2

Photo Montage

Video is now part of my Journey

Recently you may have noticed I have been adding video to my blog . I have a HD Camcorder and loving the additional flexibilty it gives me as a photographer . I am interested in Timelapse and movie settings , which I hope to incorporate into my work flow . Video is an extension of my surroundings , enabling me to get a different view point . I hope you will enjoy my video moments as you walk with me on my journey of photographic discovery.

https://www.youtube.com/c/nigelkibble/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0

Nikon D7000 , Nikon 55-200 mm , F 8.0 , 1/320 , 145 mm I used Lightroom CC Black and White setting to make this image 

Tuesday Musings

"Unboxing" and First Impressions || Alpha Submariner

Patience

Nature photography can be sometimes a frustrating venture . You get set up in your usual spot and wait for the right shot , sometimes it comes to you ,sometimes you have to go and find it . Nature doesn't care that you have sat for hours waiting for the right moment , it goes about it's life in it's own way . When the bird arrives in front of you , you watch expectantly for something to happen , when it decides to have a snooze , before lunch . With patience you will get the shot you wanted , whether it's the bird fishing , preening , or as in this case staring up into the sky  . I liked the composition of this shot . My setup Nikon D7000 , Nikon 55-200 mm ,  F5.6 , 1/800 , 195 mm .

Afternoon Stroll to the Weir

It's A Weir Life

It's An Ants Life

Weir Timelapse

Stormboyz

My Completed Ork Stormboyz

https://goo.gl/photos/MtSAudAGvdh6d6pK9

Slice of Life

Bokeh

Bokeh, also known as “Boke” is one of the most popular subjects in photography. The reason why it is so popular, is because Bokeh makes photographs visually appealing, forcing us to focus our attention on a particular area of the image. The word comes from Japanese language, which literally translates as “blur”.https://photographylife.com/what-is-bokeh
To achieve the blurred background effect , I find setting the camera between F5.6 -F8 gives best results . Trial and error of these settings will give you the effect you want . Picking the right background is important  , foliage , grass , fairy lights are all good . Check the area infront and behind where you are taking the image . Remember to focus on your subject , single focus point is best , so the camera understands what you are wanting to capture , without it trying to get everything in focus Set up Nikon D7000, Tamron 70-300 mm , F8 , 1/320 , 300 mm

Graveyard Atmosphere

Welford Road Cemetery is one of the biggest in Leicester.
Many famous people are buried there , such as Thomas Cook . A graveyard in the daytime can be just as creepy as in the dark.. Walking through the trees , an oppressive  darkness hangs over us . Out the corner of your eye you see movement . The hairs on your body stand up and you shiver as though someone has walked over you .
Setup Nikon D7000 , Nikon 35 mm , F7.1 ,

ISO 200 , 1/100 , 35 mm

Busy Bees

Curious Swan

Sitting at the Weir with my daughter in the sun . A beautiful summers day , so much to see and take in . Listening to the rushing water over the Weir , there's nothing more relaxing . Swans were patrolling along the top of the Weir , when I noticed a swan popping its head up and down as though it was playing peek-a-boo . It was comical watching . As it moved along the edge of the platform we were sitting on , up pops it's head . I waited for the right moment to catch it , just when it peeked over the edge . Setup Nikon D7000 , Nikon 55-200 mm , F8 , 1/100 , ISO 200 , 165 mm .

Time on The Weir

Ork Boyz

It's been awhile since writing on my Blog struggling to find things to write about. I have a new model interest , Warhammer 40k . Reminding me of my childhood , spending many hours playing said game. The casting of these new plastic models is simply amazing . Building and painting said models is very therapeutic  . Taken on my Samsung S5 SM-G900F
f/2.21/8424.8 mmISO40

Fog in the morning

There is something quite primeval about fog on water . An eerie atmosphere of not being quite sure what will come out of it. Getting up early is not an issue for as I don't sleep well . Walking along the canal path listening to the sounds of life waking up is reassuring. Selecting a particular spot is exciting for me , a place where it captures the feeling of the fog settling on the water , covering some parts and exposing others . My setup was Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300 mm , F11 , 1/640 , ISO 400 , 70 mm .

Bird Take off

At the Weir I see many different birds , one of my favourite is the Grey Heron . https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/g/greyheron/
It's such a beautiful bird , I can spend hours watching it fish . I am fascinated by the way it gently moves its feet in the water to disturb the fish below , with it's eye's focused on the area , before it strikes the water with lightning speed , to catch it's prize. My picture today was taken just as it launched itself into the air. Setup Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300 mm , F 5 , 1/320 , ISO 100 , 260 mm.

Portrait

Definition A likeness of a person, especially of the face, as a painting, drawing, or photograph . 
Faces can express and give away our feelings . Look into someone's eyes and you can see into their soul . Humans from the very first breath recognise faces , a bond is immediately formed when you see your mother or father for the first time . It is programmed into us to feel safe with that person and know they will protect us . 
My recent picture of my daughter hopefully captures the feelings she had at that moment. Setup Nikon D7000 , Nikon 35 mm , F5.6 , 1/40  , ISO 100 .

Flash Capture

As a rule I rarely use the Flash . Not sure why I don't possibly because I capture nature , a flash will probably distress them . On this occasion the Swan was under the bridge and the light was pretty poor
 So I used the Flash and was pleasantly surprised with the result . The Flash was set to fire at the end of the exposure or Rear Flash I believe its called in the settings of my camera . REAR (bolt and REAR icon)

Normally the flash goes off the instant the shutter opens. With long exposures and blurred ghost images you ordinarily get the ghost streaming out in front of the subject. Think about it: if a car is driving, the flash goers off and freezes it, then the car moves forward. You'll have a ghost image ahead of the car, which usually looks stupid.

Select REAR mode to have the flash go off instead when the shutter closes. Now you'll have motion blurring behind the frozen flash image.

REAR doesn't do anything noticeably different with short exposures

I used this mode to cause the Swan as little stress as possible. The effect of the light on the bird is quite striking .Setup Nikon D7000 , Nikon 55-200 mm , F5 , 1/80 , 130 mm , ISO 500 .

Nature's Disguise

If you have ever seen a Chameleon change colour to match it's surroundings , it fascinates me how and why they do it. Special disguises are also seen in the insect world . For instance the Peacock Butterfly has two large rings on its wings which from the air , a predator would think a large animal was looking at them as they mimic eye's . It's such a clever way of deception  . Nature is full of such amazing things if you take the time to look and absorb what is around you . Set up Nikon D7000
Nikon 55-200 mm , F8 , 1/100 , ISO 100, 200 mm .

The Weir

My local walk takes me to the Grand Union Canal in Leicester . It runs through the city winding its way to join other major Canals in the country . At the Weir you can see so many different birds and along the banks many types of insects live . Many boats use the lock at the Weir , it's fascinating watching the waters rise and fall as the boat either comes up the canal or down the canal , Across the canal runs the railway used mainly by goods trains . Bats can been at night flying through the arches of the bridge . Badgers forage in the meadows and small deer have been seen in the meadows too .
Setup Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300 , 1/25 , F16 , ISO 400 , 78 mm .

Colour

Days of choosing the right colour film for the occasion is long passed . Today's cameras  have the most amazing Metering systems which can produce awesome pictures in most lighting situations . I like to use natural light rather than flash . A subject backlit pops out the picture to my eyes . Colour is dependant on the type of sensor you have , you can find out in your camera specs . With the ability to shoot a RAW image over a jpeg , you are able to increase the amount of information available in the picture , without loss due to compression . In this photo I tried to show the wonderful colours and movement as she twisted in the breeze . Setup Nikon D7000 , Tamron 35-70 mm , F3.5 , 1/100
ISO 100 .

Keeping Things Simple

With my photography I try to keeps things simple. I use Manual mode as much as possible which gives me the freedom to adjust settings on the fly .My subject matter is mainly wildlife , this has meant many hours waiting for action to happen . When it finally does I get great satisfaction from knowing that my patience has paid off . Knowing your location makes life a little easier as you have a pretty good idea of the types of wildlife you are going to see. Obviously you have days that throw an odd ball , on such days you chalk it up as just getting out of  the 4 walls. Setup Nikon D7000
Nikon 55-200 mm , 1/1000 , F4.8 , 200 mm, ISO 100

Dull Days

In any given week in the UK we have dull days . They are overcast , grey and not particularly inspiring . That being said you can capture flowers in all their glory , insects , butterflies all pop on such days . What I am trying to say is get out even when the day looks sad and boring . You will always capture a surprize . A bright lens can be an advantage but not necessary . Visit your garden centre or local park and capture nature in all its splendour . Setup Nikon D7000 , Tamron 70-300
(FLOWER)F5.6 , 1/400 , 105mm , ISO 100 . (BUTTERFLY)F5.6 , 1/1000 , 300mm , ISO 100

The Elusive One

Since taking up photography and choosing to capture nature in all it's forms , I have one particular bird I would love to capture . The Kingfisher is an iconic little bird , fishing in our canals and rivers . Everyday I walk the same path with people passing telling me the Kingfisher is just around the corner The flash pass of blue lets me know it's here , they very rarely stop . On this day he did stop , for a few tantalising moments he sat on a tiny branch . Typically I had the wrong lens on and I was having trouble focusing , I snapped away hoping that I might capture it . Looking at the picture it was in a dark patch under trees , the day was dull and overcast so wasn't holding out of seeing anything .I cropped the picture and saw a grainy Kingfisher the best I've been able to capture . To me it's pretty bad but at least I know now I can capture him . So each day I walk my trusted path along the canal and maybe one day i'll get a better picture. Setup Nikon D7000, Nikon 55-200 , F5.6 , 1/320,
ISO 100 , 200mm .

Focus

With the introduction of auto focus on our digital cameras , it is sometimes difficult to select the right amount of focus points on a subject . The Nikon D7000 has 39 Focus points , you can select from 1 point to various settings in between up to 39  . With the press of the focus select button you can cycle through the options . It is important to take a breath and look at what you are shooting , a flying bird may need tracking focus selected using all 39 points while a standing subject may only need 1 focus point . The books tell us to focus on a subjects eye whether it be an insect or a human , this rule applies , try it out and you'll be amazed by the results . The picture of the horse focused on the eye .
Set up Nikon D200 , F5.3 , Tamron 70-300 , 1/60 , ISO 200 .

Blog Suggestions

I've been doing this Blog for some time now and I would like to ask you for suggestions as to content you would like me to cover in this Blog . I am open to ideas which will help you understand where I am coming from . It would be great to hear from you as you read my Blog every day .

Setting for Effect

When looking at a scene , I try to capture the feeling of that moment , highlighting the subject . I very rarely use a flash as I feel it will disturb the wildlife . I use natural light as much as possible. When taking birds on the water I get as low as I can can so you feel your actually on the water with the bird . Using an F Stop to block out the background can be effective . In the following shot I wanted to show the Swans in their natural environment , where the mother is protecting its young and give the viewer an opportunity to see the birds  as a close group . Setup Nikon D7000, Tamron 70-300 , F5.3 , Aperture Priority , 1/800 , 280 mm , ISO 100

Bird Aggression

Birds protecting their young will openly sacrifice themselves . Small birds will take on much larger ones , it was on such an occasion that I witnessed a Coot try to move off a Grey Heron . It came charging at the Heron with all it's might feet first as do when fighting each other . In utter surprise the Heron leapt into the air , in a flurry of feathers . I snapped away as the episode played out in front of me. The image shows the moment the 2 birds are staring at each other , the Coot laying on it's back feet outstretched while the Heron stares down at it .Setup Nikon D7000 ,  .Tamron 70-300 , F5.6 , 1/500 , 300 mm , ISO 100

My Collection

Outside of photography I collect watches , I am amazed by the different complications of a watch . They can be very simple with the face just showing the time to chronographs that measure time in racing . Watch collecting can be done by all ages and budgets . You can spend a few pounds to thousands . Each watch collected means something to me , in it's history , it's use and it's complication . My favourite watch is a Seiko Orange Monster Dive watch . Made in the 1990's  it really stands out , the lume at night is some of the best . It's an Automatic movement so never needs a battery , it is wound by movement of your arm as you go about your day .
Setup Samsung S5 , F2.2 , 4.8 mm

Day Trip

It was Guy Fawkes night and we wanted to do something different , so off we went to Lincoln an old city http://www.visitlincoln.com/ . It was a simple train journey then a taxi to the centre . Lincoln is an ancient city with lots of old historical buildings , including  Lincoln Cathedral .
 https://lincolncathedral.com/  . On this particular day there was a Camera show , it was full of our dream equipment , Stalls of manufacturers showing off their latest and greatest . Out side the hall where it was being held sat a sculpture on the wall of a face . I couldn't resist taking a picture .
Setup Nikon D200 Nikon 18-55 kit lens , F5.6 ,1/320 , 50 mm , ISO 200

Taking in your surroundings

In our nature reserve http://www.leicester.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/our-parks/aylestone-meadows . Walking through the reserve you can see many types of wildlife , from the insects to small deer have been recently seen . There are many birds from Buntings to Kestrels, to Red Kites . The reserve has many Bats that skim across the Grand Union Canal collecting the insects at night . Whatever the weather it's great to get out there and see the wildlife in action . My picture of the humble Honey Bee collecting pollen is just one example of the many diverse creatures to be found . Setup Nikon D7000 , F8 , 1/250 , 130 mm , ISO 125  .

Be Individual

Digital Photography

Noun

1.

digital photography - a photographic method that stores the image digitally for later reproduction photography - the process of producing images of objects on photosensitive surfaces  http://www.thefreedictionary.com/digital+photography

I believe Photography is an extension of how you see the world , it enables you to record moments that otherwise would fade away into history .  Photography is as individual as we are are .When you look at a subject to capture try to walk around it taking pictures at different angles and settings . When back home you will be amazed at what you see . This bug was just sitting on a sign , I moved to different positions and moved closer with the lens , this is the result , straight out the camera no Photoshop manipulation.

Set up Nikon D7000 , Tamron 90mm Macro , F2.5 , 1/80,ISO 100 , 

Exotic Visitors

At the Weir we have many birds that migrate to the UK from Africa , the Little Egret is one such bird http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/l/littleegret/index.aspx . They feed on the copious amounts of fish found at the Weir . We have had up to 7 birds fishing at one time , which is an amazing site . Their beautiful plumage in pure white strikes contrast to the green foliage surrounding the Weir. On this occasion we had 4 visit but only 2 came close enough to photograph . Set up was  Nikon 7000 , Tamron 70-300 mm , F5.6 , Shutter 1/500 ,
ISO 100 .

Moon Shots

Taking pictures of the Moon can be tricky , I find a great source of tutorials on Google . You have to remember that the Earth is moving incredibly fast but the Moon is moving relatively slowly , so a fast shutter speed isn't needed . The included tutorial is a good place to start https://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-moon . With a Bridge camera or a telephoto lens and a Tripod you can get some spectacular images . My set up is as follows Nikon D7000 ,Tamron Adaptall 300 mm lens http://www.adaptall-2.com/index.html

Settings F5.6 , 1/125 , ISO 1250 , 300 mm

Butterflies

This time of year sees the emergence of the Butterflies , we have many varieties that live around us , in our gardens, parks . Taking their picture can be difficult finding the right spot to capture them . I usually find a spot and just sit and wait . You can use a tripod or a monopod to aid in supporting your camera . A Macro lens can be useful but any close focusing lens will do . My set up is Nikon D7000
Tamron 70 -300 mm , F5.6 , Shutter 1/1600 , 185 mm , ISO 320

Motion

Birds in motion are one of my favourite things to photograph . It's not the easiest thing to master but I try my best . I am no expert . Being in the right place at the right time is mostly down to luck, I try to increase my opportunities by going to places I know birds will be . My favourite place is the Canal Weir behind the King Power Stadium in Leicester . It's a 40 min walk from where I live . You can see Herons , Little Egrets , Kingfishers , Coots , Mallards , Moorhens, Swans ,Canada Geese and many more . I spend my time walking up and down the Lock hoping to capture something . It was on one of these occasions that I caught a Canada Goose fly by . Settings Nikon 200 , Tamron 90 mm Macro Lens (I was taking pictures of butterflies just moments before) , F8 , Shutter 1/250 , ISO 100 .

City Festival

Last year Leicester became the resting place of King Richard III ( officially) since he was found in a car park in Leicester  . It has brought us many new visitors to the City . To celebrate this occasion the City held a festival with many shows and re-enactments . One such person was dressed as a Joker or Jester , he was very funny and a bit wacky . Settings Nikon 7000, Nikon 35 mm  , F 3.5 , Shutter 1/1250 , Aperture Priority , ISO 100 .

Curiosity Of Nature

Every time I go to the Weir on my local canal , I see many different animals . Life flies by as you stare down the lens . Each experience enriches my knowledge of how things react and behave to each other and to us.
Taking time to observe will always pay off , being patient really helps . This picture was taken as I sat on the edge of the Weir a Swan came up to me , watching what I was doing and looking into the camera as if to  say "Hey why don't you take my picture , I'm just as interesting as the Heron or the Coot "Settings Nikon D7000 ,Aperture priority , Tamron 70-300 , F5.6 , Shutter 1/1250 , ISO 100 , 70 mm .

Celebration

The story of Leicester City football club winning the Premiership is an amazing one . Coming from the bottom they have had a fantastic run , really unheard of in recent times . To celebrate they held a Victory Parade http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/LIVE-Leicester-City-s-Premier-League-victory/story-29278070-detail/story.html 
I got to the start of the Parade early to get a good spot , as tens of thousands were expected in the city
The atmosphere was electric with anticipation for the arrival of the open top buses . As the noise began to rise  I knew they were coming . With my trusty Nikon 7000 in hand , settings as followed .
Tamron 70-300 mm , F5.6 , Shutter 1/1000 , ISO 100 , Aperture Priority .

Black and White

Images in Black and White give me great pleasure . The range of grays amazes me when I put the image into Lightroom and open the shadows . Details seem to pop right out the picture . It's a format I would recommend anyone trying . Street images come to life in Black and White . In Leicester we had a large wheel set up for people to view the city in a different way . It was very popular , one evening I decided to visit and take some images . Settings were Nikon 7000 , Nikon 35 mm f1.8 lens
Shutter 1/60 , F8 , ISO 1/560 .