The Mail guardian

I had to snap this little, well maybe not little but cuddly cat on my walk with the dog this morning!

Dried flowers

Reeds

A lesson on DOF (from Dad!)

Aren't Dads just fab? He spends all of two minutes (ok maybe tad more) with the camera and a cuppa and look what he gets! which when you compare with my earlier attempt on the blog, it's pretty different. Ok, so he has 20 yrs + on his side when it comes to slr use so you would expect it! Just have to glean the info out of him without the technical details of balance this apeture with that shuuter speed and near bamboozaling me to death with the associated figures. Now I know to all you hardcore photographers out there it comes naturally now, but for me, for now, I need it explained in 'what thingymejig do I need to press to makethe background go fuzzy' kind of language. I can hear you screaming it's called depth of feild you simpleton! as I type this. Although I bet anyone who is thinking that looks back enough into their amatuer days they will know just where I am coming from. So as soon as he left this is what I tried out, I hope I get an A!

"The only thing more boring than watching paint dry is painting itself" - Moi

This sums up my afternoon labouriously spent with a paintbrush in hand. It is while I paint that I wonder why it is that we all, and I am sure I am not alone here, live in our houses without doing all those finishing touches and as soon as you decide to sell, well! - I have to paint everything in sight and tidy up like a maniac. It hasn't bothered me all this time but suddenly now that some suited chap with a clipboard is going to stamp a sum on our humble abode I find myself preparing like is a royal visit! People are funny, or just me!

"But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold." Oliver Holmes

I am conscious that with a blog mentioning sunshine, these photos are particularly dark. However roses are one of my favourite flowers especially white or pink so hence the photo. It is just roses from an indoor plant (which Itend to kill off pretty darn quickly) so thought I would capture it's beauty in a longer lasting fashion.

“When two friends understand each other totally, the words are soft and strong like an orchid's perfume”

I thought these words were apt for this post as this orchid plant was given to me by a very thoughtful friend following the loss of my dear Mum in January. I would love to do more shots like this but how do I make it better? Do I need a different lens as this is shot on a 18-55mm.