Header Challenge 16th February 2011 � `Tracks`

The theme for this weeks challenge has been kindly set by Tom -  fishing guy and is `Tracks`.

Now many of you would think, knowing that I worked on the railway for a number of years, that railway tracks would be my chosen photo subject in relation to this theme, but, no! you�d be wrong.

I�ve decided to stay well clear of the railway tracks on this occasion, and so, camera in hand I went out to see what other tracks I could find.

Well one of the first tracks I came across was from my car tyres. Here they are leaving tracks in the mud�

As you can see, Its been a bit on the wet side recently and as we live on a country lane tyre tracks in the mud are a common occurrence.

The roads near where we live are themselves just tracks really�

Welcome to the Lincolnshire countryside!

Coming back into the house, and the warmth, after the cold damp trip around the country lanes, I decided to put on some music and realised that here was even more tracks; the tracks on a music CD�

Here you go I've taken some close-up macro shots of the cd tracks for you.

The CD I chose even has `Tracks` in it�s title�

For my header though this week I have gone for one of the many farm tracks around my house, one our girls frequently use to walk our dog.

I wonder what track my fellow headbangers have travelled down for their headers this week?

Its great to see the number visiting my blog growing each week. Why don�t you say hello and introduce yourselves. Tell me what you like and why you dropped by. Maybe there is something  new you would like to see on my blog?  Or something I�ve done in the past revisited.  Whatever the reason for the visit remember to say hi and come back soon.

Thanks for dropping by.

Header Challenge 9th February 2011� `How you see Yourself`

How I see myself has been chosen for the header theme by imac this week.

Now I�m sure my fellow headbangers imac, Lanny, fishing guy and Gailsman will agree we all see ourselves in

different ways.

I see myself as being Scottish�

I also see myself as a proud family man�

This was taken whilst visiting Pompeii in Italy whilst on a family holiday. Thanks for getting me around and over all those cobbles.

What you will find is that I also see myself as a photographer. Not an exceptional one but one who is constantly experimenting new techniques and visiting new places always with camera in hand.

 

As my friends will know I�m also a bit of a techy so you will also find me surrounded by gadgets whether they be cameras, computers, phones or anything remotely technological�

So as you can see, I see myself as a Scottish family man with a penchant for photography and all things technological who loves to explore and record my journeys through my photographs and blog.

But then as you can see from my header this week this is one photographer who enjoys warping that reality too.

Let me know what you think via the comments section and then drop in on the other headbangers to see what they think of themselves, just follow the links at the top of the right hand menu bar.

Header Challenge 29th December 2010 � Betwixed or Between.

 

This weeks header challenge is the last one for this year 2010. imac had the choice for this weeks topic and he has gone with betwixed or between as it is the week between 2 great celebrations that of Christmas and New year.

There are lots of things that are between but choosing the right one for my header is never an easy choice.

I could have gone with a photo of the magical time between day and night as the sun sets producing stunning colours in the evening sky.

Or back to the beauty of summer looking down the river as it travels between it�s banks.

Keeping on the same line of thought how about the bridges that span between the sides of a river, in this case the Samuel Beckett bridge which allows Dubliners to travel between one side of the Liffey and the other.

In the end I�ve chosen photo taken at the Waddington Airshow. It shows the Lancaster bomber between its fighter escorts. This bond between these historic and illustrious aircraft is now known the world over.

Well 2010 is soon coming to a close (I can�t believe the next header challenge will be in 2011). I hope you have enjoyed sharing my journeys and photography with me this year. Don�t worry there will be plenty more to see in the new year.

Don�t forget to leave your comments, good or bad on everything you see, good healthy criticism is the best way to grow as a photographer, and I value all your comments and suggestions.

It just leaves me to say, remember to check in on my other header challenge friends, Tom-fishing guy, imac, Lanny and Gailsman and I wish all my readers the very best for 2011, and may the New Year bring joy and happiness (and lots of photo opportunities) to you all.

Header Challenge 15th December 2010 � Anticipation

 

As most of you know each Wednesday I join some friends, Tom-fishing Guy, imac, Gailsman and Lanny to create a header based on a theme chosen by a member of the group.

This weeks challenge has been set by Lanny. She has chosen anticipation for her header theme this week.

With three kids I thought getting a picture of anticipation would be easy, but, most of the family have gone down with the flu bug over the last couple of weeks. So unless you count anticipation of getting rid of the snuffles, I don�t think they were in the mood for photographs.

So I thought I would look through my back catalogue of photos to see if I had any that would fit the theme of anticipation.

How about anticipation at the start of a relay race�

Anticipation of a lovely new day�

Anticipation of childhood new discoveries�

But I felt that at this time of year the biggest anticipation is the celebration of the coming of Christ at Christmas. So this week I have chosen to take a photo of our nativity scene to show my families and hopefully thousands of others� anticipation of the Christmas message.

Luke 2:11 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Anticipate and Celebrate the real reason for Christmas this year.

 

Header Challenge 8th December 2010 � Snow.

 

This weeks challenge is that winter favourite Snow.

Now for a change we have had some snow already in South Lincolnshire. Nowhere near as much as many other parts of the UK but even the little we have had seems to have caused chaos. Schools have been closed though much to my daughters disgust not theirs. Even my university the Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln closed its campus for about a week due to the snow.

It may cause problems for many but it certainly is beautiful to look at.

though I don�t think our chickens agreed.

So what should I use as this weeks header?

I thought a first to go with footprints in the snow�

but couldn't get it to fit the full width of the header bar and I wanted something a little better.

How about�

our dog Corky in the snow but again wrong shape for the header bar.

I even looked at a photo I took of the snow as it melted from our garden table forming some very strange shapes�

but it was in the wrong format for the header bar so I chose a photograph taken from an upstairs window looking out across the fields of South Lincolnshire whilst the snow continued to fall.

Hope you like it and are enjoying the picture opportunities snow whilst it lasts.

Don�t forget to leave your comments on my blog and then check out the other snow pictures of the headbangers, just follow the links in the right hand menu bar.

Header Challenge 1st November 2010 � Wheels.

Well this weeks exciting header challenge has been chosen by Gailsman and for his choice he has gone with �Wheels�.

Now the first thing you may think with wheels is cars or bikes but lots of other things have wheels too.

In our house the biggest use of a wheel seems to be for the playing of Mario Karts on the Nintendo Wii�

I�m sure many of you have also used a wheel in your house (or in Pizza Hut) when you have been cutting up your pizza�s�

Some of you will even use a wheel to adjust your heating thermostats�

and if you haven�t used any of those, how about Apples pride and joy the iPod with its revolutionary wheel interface.

If you still haven't found a wheel you have used in the above selection, what about looking on your desk at that mouse you are holding I�m sure that may have a wheel on it�

you may even be sat on a chair at that desk that has these�

castor wheels.

Many objects these days have wheels but one of my favourite wheels are just for watching and that is why I have chosen for my header this week a pair of Catherine Wheels (pinwheel) taken at a firework display at a friends house.

I hope you have enjoyed exploring wheels with me this week. I wonder how many wheels you can find around your homes?

Don�t forget to leave a comment then drop in on the other headbangers to see what they have come up with for the �Wheels� header challenge.

For those of you who also noticed it was Wheels by ACDC playing on my iPod here�s  your chance to listen to a great rock track.

Header Challenge 24th November 2010 � Collage

Now this weeks header challenge theme has been set by by my good friend imac. He has decided he wants us to have a go at creating a collage.

Having checked, a collage is described as being, derived from the French word for "gluing". It originally referred to the physical process of gluing a number of pictures, photos or drawings onto a flat piece of paper, in order to create an artistic composition.

Well I�m sure I can do that with the help of Photoshop. As for the glue well the computer has a cut and paste option  for placing your photos so there is the glue.

My first thought was a group of images, in this case flowers�

Then I thought why not be a bit more adventurous�

by turning one photo into numerous Polaroid's and then sticking them back together again.

I tried a few different ones�

some with backgrounds and some without.

I eventually decided on a photo with all my daughters in. I then laid them out and stuck them onto a virtual desk, I hope you like it.

If you want to know how I did it, leave me a request, via my comments section and I will endeavour to write a detailed explanation on it in a future blog.

Don�t forget to check out the other members of the headbangers, imac, Tom-fishing guy, Lanny and Gailsman to see what collages they have come up with for this weeks challenge.

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Header Challenge 17th November 2010 � Childhood Antics.

Welcome to this weeks header challenge. This weeks theme was chosen by yours truly. Therefore for this weeks theme I chose `Childhood Antics`. Now I thought that would be a wide enough subject matter to produce lots of interesting headers and posts from my friends in the headbanger team, Tom-fishing guy, imac, Lanny and Gailsman.

Now being a parent I have lots of photos that could be used for this topic as you may have guessed. So for something different I haven't taken any new shots for this weeks header but dug some out of my collection,  and no I'm not just being lazy these were harder to choose than taking new ones.

We have `look at me I cute`.

 

`fun in a tunnel`

`Shall I jump?`

`Who needs toys when you have the box!`

I�m the king [queen] of the world!`

and the old time classic `swing time!`

I hope you enjoyed my children's antics and yes there are three different girls in the photos they just all look very similar, we call them clones. Poor kids.

I wonder what the girls will think when they see this post ?

Let me know what you think via the comments button and then have a look at what the other headbangers have come up with this week.

Header Challenge 27th October 2010 � Sound Creations

 

Hi this weeks header challenge is Sound Creations selected by Gailsman.

The creation of sound is something close to my heart. I like to think I create music whilst others may just call it noise. I do play the percussion after all.

My header photos though have been taken from our summer flower festival held every year in Spalding Lincolnshire.

There are always numerous marching bands of different genres dotted throughout the parade showing of their musical talents and helping the parade go with a swing.

Why not check out my other headbanger entrants just follow the links to their blogs at the top of my right hand menu bar.

Sorry fore the late posting this week but our internet went down again and I didn�t think I was going to be able to post at all so better late than never I hope you agree?

 

Technorati Tags: Header,Challenge,October,Sound,Gailsman,creation,music,percussion,festival,Lincolnshire,Creations,photos,bands

 

Header Challenge 20th October 2010 � Sepia.

This weeks header challenge has been chosen by imac. His choice this week is �Sepia�.

Sepia is the name given to the photographic development process used to enhance its archival properties and to give the photograph a warmer hue. The process got its name from the adding of a pigment to the chemical development of the photograph, derived from the Sepia officinalis cuttlefish found in the English channel.

With modern digital developments and printing processes the sepia pigment is no longer required to assist the photographs protection against the elements. Now sepia toning is mainly seen in either very old photographs or new photos digitally enhanced to look old.

Most photo editing software can now change a colour image into a sepia toned image giving the illusion that the photograph is old or just to add a warming effect to enhance the image.

The effect can be subtle as in the above photograph. just to add warmth to an image.

It can also be used to give an illusion of age to a photograph�

 

helped in this picture by the addition of period costume.

Pictures of historical societies can also be enhanced by the technique�

as in this group riding their period bicycles through Spalding in Lincolnshire.

 

Changing the tone to sepia has helped to give the illusion of age to the scene, even though it was actually taken this year.

The technique can be used to Add warmth to an image instilling not necessarily age to the picture but atmosphere.

Sepia has a wide range of applications now other than its original meaning.

Let me apologise for the scarcity of my posts over the last 2 weeks but this has been due to a telephone line fault resulting in the loss of internet access other than via my mobile phone. Hopefully the fault will soon be fixed, we have internet now, but, it is very slow as the fault has only partly been resolved.

Tell me your thoughts on sepia, do you think it is still a viable option to enhance photographs?Let me know your thoughts via the comments section regarding anything about my blog, good or bad.

Why don�t you drop in on the other headbangers and see what they have devised as a header and post for Sepia. Just follow the links at the top of the right hand column.

Technorati Tags: Header,Challenge,October,Sepia,pigment,English,photo,image,Pictures,technique,Lincolnshire,comments,photos,bicycles

Header challenge 13th October 2010

It's headbanger time again. This weeks theme has been chosen by me and as I understand it the headbangers have been posting new headers every week for a year today being the first anniversary. So with that thought I chose for this weeks theme, celebration. Little did I know that I would have no home internet due to a fault with or telephone line. Please fix it talk talk and bt.

So todays post is once again coming courtesy of my android phone. I've even managed, (I hope) to get my banner changed, I hope you like it.

Why not let me know what you think and then head over to look at my fellow headbangers posts.

Throwing light on the web

The web in question belongs to a tiny spider who thought it nice to build his web under my desk lamp.

I apologise for my post today, I only have internet on my phone as we have a fault with our home telephone line. I hope to be back to normal posting soon.

Lincolnshire Project 1st October 2010

Well today is Lincolnshire day so I thought it was a very apt day to update my Lincolnshire project. My Lincolnshire project is to take a photograph in the same spot of Southern Lincolnshire every two weeks for a year. The hope is to catch the changing seasons and weather in a digital and visual record of the scenery of Lincolnshire.

October 1st marks the fifth official 'Lincolnshire Day' and historically, the date commemorates the Pilgrimage of Grace, which began in 1536 - the widespread revolt against the rule of Henry VIII. For more information visit the official Lincolnshire Day website.

Today's photo across Lincolnshire is unfortunately shrouded in rain as it has been very wet all day here.

The hedgerow in the left of the frame has been recently trimmed opening up a bit more of the horizon to be viewed. The field of sugar beet is yet to be harvested and the tree in the dyke on the right of the frame has completely died.

Happy Lincolnshire Day everybody.

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Header Challenge 29th September 2010.

This weeks header challenge has been chosen by Tom-fishing guy. He chose as the topic of our headers: �Water Reflection - Inanimate Object�.

Now I�ve shown lots of animate and inanimate objects and their reflections in yesterdays post on our river cruise in France. Today though is meant to be just inanimate objects as the subject matter of the photographs.

So continuing on from yesterdays river cruise post I bring you inanimate water reflections.

The obvious choice for inanimate objects reflecting in water is of course boats.

Buildings too give great reflections in water especially when it is as still as in the above photo.

Another building we saw as we enjoyed the river trip seemed to be all roof. Its roof line extended right down to the water, giving a shelter under its eaves to moor a boat.

Speaking of moorings for boats this simple post mooring was beautifully mirrored in the river.

What I found great about the river cruise was the blending of animate and inanimate objects along the river bank, proving that man can work with nature and not always against it.

The sometimes vibrant colour schemes of the homes along the river helped to add a bit of fun to the banks of the waterways.

Whether animate or inanimate objects as the subject of the view, I�m sure you�ll agree the river bank is certainly a nice place to be.

Why don�t you let me know via the comments what your favourite scene is from yesterdays and today's photos. Animate or inanimate?

You can also check out my fellow headbangers interpretations of this weeks theme. Just follow the links at the top of the right hand column.

Technorati Tags: Header,Challenge,Water,Reflection,Inanimate,river,nature,theme,reflections,boats