Spring = death

Just ask daffodils:

I've just been out with my new lens. No time to edit them and post more than this illustration. More soon.

Bokeh Bouquet

I got a new lens for my camera yesterday - a Nikon 50mm f/1.8. It's essentially a fixed focus wide aperture lens so that I can take sharp pictures in poor light - particularly in fencing competitions where the lights are poor and flash is banned. The disadvantage is that as there's no zoom, you have to physically move around to get well-composed, sharply focused shot: not a huge problem but it will take some practice.

The quality is utterly superb: no moving glass means totally sharp subjects surrounded with a beautifully hazy background (bokeh), so it will be great for portraits. I haven't tried it with moving subjects and decent light yet, but I had a go with some flowers last night.

Some samples, and a few more here. Click on these ones to enlarge.

Crocheted by Christine

Neon artwork on the university's art building. Not by one of our professional art teachers…

See the bokeh?

I've also ordered a reversing ring: it lets you turn your lens round for ultimate close-ups. Should be cool.

Spring has sprung

It's March 21st: spring equinox. The sun's shining and I'm ignoring the strike, the massive pile of work, the government and all the other misery.

I arrived at work to find this beautiful, hand-made daffodil waiting for me: thanks to C, who seems to spend an awful lot of her time cheering everybody up everybody else. If you live in Bridgnorth, you may find them scattered around the town, much as crocheted snowflakes were hung from the trees at Christmas.