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Grantchester Meadows at Dawn

For the third time in one week, I found myself heading to the meadows at sunrise to get some photos. This dawn was much damper than the previous week’s, so the damselflies weren’t quite as forthcoming, but I did find one particularly friendly model who posed very patiently for lots of photos and macro video.

Mist rising at dawn in the meadows
Dew rising from the meadows at dawn

Swan and ripples
I love the striking patterns of the ripples

Swan reflection

Dew rising from the meadows at sunrise
Dew rising from the meadows at sunrise

Snail at sunrise

Spirder's Web at sunrise
Spider’s web at sunrise

Inquisitive cow

These last three photos were taken with my Sanyo Xacti CG65 compact video recorder, which allows macro photography (and video) as close as 1cm.

Macro close up of damselfly

Macro ultra-close-up of damselfly eye
The damselfly’s eye is about 2-3mm wide.

Macro close-up of damselfly's head

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Sunrise over King's Chapel

For the third time in one week, I found myself heading to the meadows at sunrise to get some photos. On the way to Grantchester, this was how the famous view of King’s College chapel appeared.

Sunrise over King's Chapel, Cambridge

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Damselflies at Dawn (II)

Maybe it was getting up at 4:30am two days ago to take photos of damselflies in Grantchester Meadows, but my body clock’s a bit messed up.

Went to bed at 2, still awake at 3, playing piano didn’t help, so at 4 I cycled to Fen Ditton meadows in search of more damselflies to photograph. I didn’t find as many this time, but got some artier photos of the beautiful bugs I did find :)

I must be crazy…

Damselfly
It was still dark enough to require flash, which really shows off the iridescent colours

Sunrise over the River Cam

Damselfly
This crafty critter was surprisingly awake – he’d always move so he was on the far side of the plant stem from me. You can run, but you can’t hide…

Damselfly

Sunrise over the River Cam
Sunrise over the River Cam

Weevil
Weevil on a nettle leaf

Damselfly

Damselfly

Damselfly

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Damselflies at Dawn

4:30am, stirring after 2hrs sleep. Greg calls – “Want to come photograph damselflies?” Sure. Cycling to Grantchester meadows 5 mins later at sunrise. Wading through the nettles on the riverbank, start spotting lots of black wing-tips. Snap snap snap. As it warms up 3 hours later, dozens of damselflies fly around you as you stir the nettles.

Sunrise over the River Cam in Grantchester
Sunrise over the River Cam, Grantchester

Small Snail

Mayfly
Mayfly at sunrise

Male damselfly
Close-up of male demoiselle damselfly

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Damselfly covered in dew drops
Male demoiselle damselfly, covered in dew drops

Damselfly eating
Female demoiselle damselfly feeding

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Exhibition at CB2 Restaurant

I used to dine at CB2 restaurant regularly with friends when I was a graduate student, and had often said that I should try to get my photography exhibited at the restaurant. Well, I finally got round to asking earlier in the year, and got an instant acceptance. However, confused bookings meant I’d have to wait a few months before a slot was available for me. This afforded me time to choose which photos to exhibit, and to get them processed, printed and framed.

Here are a few of the framed photos – the full set of framed photos can be viewed on my main photography website, and are available for purchase.

Misty Magic Hour
Misty Magic Hour
Cambridge

Blyde River Canyon
Blyde River Canyon
South Africa

Muizenberg Beach Huts
Muizenberg Beach Huts
South Africa

Impressions (II)
Impressions (II)
Cambridge

Sleeping Swans
Sleeping Swans
Cambridge

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5am on a Misty Morning

I left a party at 5am, to find that it was VERY misty and cold outside. Unlike any sane person who would have headed straight to bed, I was feeling inspired about my photography thanks to a new friend, so I went down to the King’s backs to try to get some atmospheric photos. These were taken with my new Canon 50D – the better ones had the camera resting on a bean-bag, but some were hand-held at 6400 or 12800 ISO (very handy, if rather noisy).
I lasted about 20 minutes until I could no longer feel my fingers, and, content with my haul, crawled into bed at 5:30am.

Kings Gate at Night
King’s Back Gate

The Backs at Night, in the Mist
The Backs at night, in the mist

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Sweden

I travelled to Sweden again this year for more Acrobatic Rock’n’Roll training with other members of the Cambridge University Rock’n’Roll Team. This team, we spent a day in Stockholm at the beginning, and a day in Vasteras at the end. Unusually for me, I didn’t take that many scenic/touristic photos, perhaps because I was with a group of friends. Or possibly because it was quite grey and I wasn’t overly impressed until we wandered around the park on Djurgarden and the sun came out…


Statue by Stockholm City Hall


Stockholm, Old Town


Panorama of Stockholm


View from Djurgarden


Wooden window shutters in Vasteras old town

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London Red Bull Air Race

A friend hosted a party the night before the Red Bull Air Race, and his apartment in London’s Docklands had a fantastic view over the race course the next morning. You wouldn’t have seen images of aeroplanes flying low and fast over central London a few years ago…