Nicky's shot of the week 2010

52/52 The Festive Season draws to a close

2010-12-31T23:11:00.003Z

Another year over - whooooosh...!!! Where does the time go? We will be taking the tree down over the weekend, every year it looks different; we have a choice of colour schemes and Jodie chose this year. We have a system, and I am a control freak - but I am so much better than I used to be! I imagine in most families it's the Dad who does the tree lights, but in our house it's me. The strings of beads are one of my favourite decorations. The bauble featured is one of my favourites too.
All back in the boxes until next year...

Come take a look at my new blog (yeh - another one !!) which starts tomorrow :0)

51/52 The Miller's Son

2010-12-28T00:49:00.002Z

We went to see a production of Puss in Boots at the Guildhall Theatre in Derby. Here is the miller's son played by Samuel Martin. It was very well done with only a narrator who also played various instruments and sang, and two actors playing two or three parts each! Costume changes were a challenge, put they pulled it off. Not wanting to be conspicuous I took the Canon Powershot A560 point and shoot, so capturing a decent image was also a great challenge. Maybe next Christmas Santa might bring me a G12...

50/52 Star lights

2010-12-17T22:58:00.004Z

These new star-shaped Christmas lights reminded me of a phrase from a children's story, No Matter What by Debbie Gliori, that we had read out at our stillborn daughter's funeral in 2001: Love, like starlight, never dies. A mother fox explains to her little focub how she'll always love him no matter how grumpy he is, even after she's died, and points out the stars in the night sky, that they died a long time ago, but the starlight still shines.

Love, like starlight, never dies.

Its one of a small number of Oliver's childhood books, since read with and enjoyed by Jodie, that I'll probably never part with.

49/52 Capturing the Light

2010-12-12T01:04:00.003Z

This was captured at an event called Capturing the Light, held at Westonbirt Arboretum. There was some snow/ice on the trail as we walked around in the dark, gingerly stepping from one installation to the next with over a grand's worth of kit in hands! I didn't fall, slipped a couple of times, and came home unscathed. It was an unusual event, the talk by David Clapp was of great interest - he shoots in moonlight! Wow! Something tells me I won't be trying it, middle of the night and all that... zzzzzzzzzzzzz

48/52 Snow Cat

2010-12-06T00:25:00.003Z

Our recent new arrival is curious enough to follow us outside into the snowy garden, even though he rushes straight in as soon as we do! Here he sits in one of my footprints, the snow comes half way up his body, so he must get a cold tummy. Me, I love the paw shaking ;0)

47/52 Petals

2010-12-03T23:18:00.004Z

This is a rose that was in a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I was given the flowers and Mark was given a bottle of single malt whiskey at a special dinner for he and a large group of his colleagues to celebrate their 25 years of service. Neither of us drink whiskey :0}

46/52 1-2-3-Whoosh!

2010-12-03T20:06:00.015Z

We have this thing, when I have my studio lights up for a session, Jodie comes and has a load of pictures taken, we mess around and have some fun. Here she's throwing her head to spread out her hair after a 1-2-3 count. She's been growing it for almost 2 years. It had been plaited whilst damp the night before so had lovely texture to it. I love this shot.
Collage necessary ;0)

Jodie doesn't need glasses - she wants to wear some though, and a friend gave her these frames, so we popped the lenses out. The eyes are cropped from the shot top right and show my silhouette in the catch-light from the Rotalux Octabox, such detail - and such beautiful eyes...
I've been learning a lot of new skills - Scott Kelby is teaching me how to do more creative things in Lr and he's a great teacher. Its not perfect, but for a first go, with much book reading (The Adobe Lightroom3 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby) I'm pleased with it. (Well hey he's a big Ps and Lr cheese, having his books is almost like having him right here showing me what to do!)

45/52 Leaf Cul-de-sacs

2010-12-03T19:43:00.007Z

Late on a Saturday afternoon Jodie and I went for a walk in Allestree Park. We collected some leaves and looked at the pond and the animal enclosure, but we'd missed the best of the afternoon, it was dropping cold so we didn't stay long. I was struck by the detail in this leaf, between the veins look like a housing estate on google maps.

44/52 Playtime

2010-11-14T22:31:00.004Z

A new cat recently joined our family. He's a live wire ;0)

43/52 Balancing act

2010-11-14T21:49:00.004Z

We came across miniature stonehenge type constructions on a walk. After somebody has taken time to build them, its refreshing to see them undisturbed.

42/52 The Elopement

2010-11-14T21:22:00.004Z

My good friend E was married this week, to her other half C, after a flurry of organising once they'd finally decided to do the deed, and not wait until the spring. With not even two pennies to rub together, a low-key ceremony was the order of the day with E's two daughters and two witnesses - myself and another - present, and afterwards back to their place after for a cuppa and a slice of cake. I was wedding chauffeur with ribbons on my car too, and the flowers were a gift from me. I loved it - a dress down wedding with almost no trimmings, but bags of love and committment, not a dry eye in the Register Office ;0)

41/52 He's taller than me!

2010-10-10T22:46:00.003+01:00

At Croots Farm on a beautiful sunny autumn afternoon, with not a cloud in the endless blue sky, I captured our shadows, Mark's and mine. We had just watched Jodie walk further down the track to see the foals and I was struck by our long shadows. A current phrase in our household mainly from Oliver is "I'm taller than you!" because he recently grew taller than me and is obviously very pleased about the fact! So I showed Mark the image on the lcd screen, and he said "I'm taller than you!"

40/52 Sunset over Vicarswood

2010-10-10T22:30:00.003+01:00

There was a stunning sky this evening and I was pleased with the watercolour-like shading of the trees and such on the horizon.

39/52 Workshop with a difference

2010-10-02T21:56:00.003+01:00

This week I attended a different kind of photography workshop. Apart from photographers, there were midwives, bereaved parents, medical illustrators, and NICU/SCBU nurses. The workshop was delivered by Todd Hochberg who had travelled from the US to share his way of working with us. We learnt about how to take photographs for parents who lose a baby and therefore lose the lifetime of memories that won't be captured by family snaps.

Todd tried to explain depth of field to non-photographers (hence hand being held out to demonstrate - focus on your hand, then switch to what is beyond your hand - pretty good device I thought) and how to use even a basic camera to lock focus on a detail such as a baby's hand or feet, then recompose the image. Using role play, we took turns to pose as parents/caregivers and so were able to photograph likely scenarios. See Todd's work here, and click to view slideshow, but be advised, the images there are real and powerful, but can be so beneficial for the parents in the months and years following their loss. And that's why I feel a need to help provide such images, having been there myself. (See 96/365.)
Note: If you wish to help fund this work in my area, click here to contact Derby Sands.

38/52 Cobbled Street

2010-10-02T21:15:00.003+01:00

The main street at Crich.

The event was a Classic Ford day.

37/52 Erasmus Darwin House

2010-10-02T20:44:00.004+01:00

The sun shone and the rain rained, but we captured all we needed, dodging the showers. This was the venue for a wedding on 11th September. This shot taken in the herb garden shows a view right from the back gate through the house to the open front door. Miss West arrived through the front door and left as Mrs Stagg by the back door after a short ceremony with family and friends. Find out more about Erasmus Darwin House here.

Its all in the details...left click for larger.

36/52 Toad Lily

2010-10-02T18:44:00.002+01:00

My Toad Lily plant has survived the winter and the slugs to bloom beautifully for me again. I love these flowers. And I love this lens too - Sigma 105mm 2.8 EX macro.

35/52 The Piper's Lament

2010-10-02T17:35:00.003+01:00

After a minute's silence for all the fallen, a lone piper plays. Re-enactors and living history enthusiasts stand in the arena, the crowd stand looking on at the close of the first day of a multi-period event at Sheffield's Norfolk Park. Can't wait for next year.

34/52 One sheep

2010-10-02T16:58:00.003+01:00

We were lucky with the weather, it remained dry. I'm not much of a landscape photographer yet due to lack of time to devote to visit landscapes, but with the Derbyshire Peak District almost on my doorstep, I should make more time. This is near one Edge or another, Curbar or Stanage. The sky had started off blue with wisps and big fluffy clouds, but the cloud cover thickened as the day progressed.

33/52 A day at the races

2010-10-02T13:30:00.005+01:00

We visited York Races and it was a real eye-opener.

Photographically, rich pickings.

Collage necessary.
Can you see her winnings stash?

32/52 Left out in the rain

2010-08-27T00:21:00.004+01:00

Several things were left out in the rain this particular day. Summer seems to have disappeared and rain is the order of the day most days at the moment. Summers didn't used to be this wet when I was growing up!

31/52 Eye of the Equine

2010-08-09T00:23:00.002+01:00

I captured my shadow reflected in the eye of a magnificent shire horse at Croot's Farm. Jodie likes to make a fuss of the horses, I like to photgraph them, and we both enjoy a treat in the cafe. Win, win, win. ;0) I was glad of the long lens (Sigma EX 70-200mm, f2.8) because this horse was curious and craned his head over the fence to investigate me. His ears swivelled as he listened to the shutter mechanism.

30/52 A new life

2010-08-08T23:32:00.003+01:00

How wondrous is the creation of a new life? A friend of mine recently became an Aunty and asked if I'd come round with my lights - I can't resist any invitation to photograph a new baby, especially a baby girl - my only complaint was that I didn't get enough of a cuddle, though it was long enough to make my arm ache, lol! I want to thank C & D for welcoming me into their home to photograph their beautiful new daughter :0)

29/52 Celebratin'

2010-07-18T22:34:00.001+01:00

We celebrated reaching a milestone in the renovation and decoration of our modest 1930s home this week, the bubbly flowed after the kitchen flooring was finally laid :0) The original red quarry tiles were beyond recall and have been sealed forever beneath a special damp-proof coating, followed by a screed, and finally the fabulous soft warm vinyl. Home straight now... pass that paintbrush!

28/52 I like to ride my bicycle...

2010-07-18T20:48:00.003+01:00

Jodie has learnt to ride her bike without stabilisers this week! Her balance is excellent and she's learnt how to set off on her own, now she needs to practice riding in a large circle - been doing straight lines to start with. This time last year it was Oliver learning and now Jodie's got the knack too :0)

27/52 The Lookout

2010-07-10T23:37:00.002+01:00

Couldn't resist capturing this in the ladies washroom at a service station on the way back from Bath last week. And no I didn't have permission to shoot! :0r

26/52 Dappled light falling

2010-07-10T23:13:00.004+01:00

Dappled light falling on large leaves in a Derbyshire garden. It was a hot day - we're having a summer folks!

25/52 Jodie (Octabox trial)

2010-07-10T21:02:00.004+01:00

This is my angel Jodie, lit by my latest aquisition on the lighting front, a huge octabox. We had a play to see what it could do :0)

24/52 Hi-key Adventure

2010-06-20T22:15:00.002+01:00

We had some fun playing with some sheer fabric and a Lastolite Hilite background this week. I borrowed some kit from a fellow photographer, set up for hi-key images, and finally succeeded in mastering how to collapse a pop-up! You get what you pay for - don't be tempted by cheap imitations!

23/52 I'll have a red one please

2010-06-11T19:50:00.004+01:00

Today I had the chance to take a closer look at a fabulous red Fiat 500. Perhaps when my ship comes in and I don't need a sensible family car any more, I might get one ;0) It's on my wish list! But only if I can have a red one!

22/52 Croots Farm Cup Cake Treat

2010-06-11T19:32:00.012+01:00

Jodie and I visited Croots Farm to take alook at the new Shire horse foals and have a treat. We also sampled some of the delights in the farm shop and we shall be making it a regular thing - delicious.

21/52 Sunny spells, scattered showers

2010-06-11T19:16:00.002+01:00

The clematis montana that grows through our tamarisk tree is once again in full bloom, each flower stretching up and opening out towards the sun.

20/52 Daisy Chain

2010-05-20T23:51:00.002+01:00

Jodie picked daisies on the way home from school, so I said pick them with the stems long and I'll make a daisy chain when we get home.

19/52 Make a wish!

2010-05-13T20:48:00.002+01:00

My boy is now 12. Where'd the time go??

18/52 Don't Pick the Bluebells!

2010-05-13T20:28:00.005+01:00

Bluebells at Calke, they always remind me of a Giles cartoon, a cover on one of the annuals: the extended family have a day out to the country, arriving at a wood full of bluebells, and a sign that says don't pick them, and the back cover shows their bus heading off up the lane with a blue haze at all the windows, the wood bereft of bluebells! Classic.

17/52 Tea Room & Garden, Lacock

2010-05-13T20:19:00.002+01:00

Lacock is an idyllic village, National Trust owned, not a satellite dish or TV aerial in sight. Period dramas have been filmed here - Candleford for example. Beautiful.

16/52 Magnolia Stellata

2010-05-13T20:13:00.005+01:00

Caught this Magnolia bloom in Allestree Park. There used to be a pale pink magnolia in the front garden of the house opposite ours, but a few years ago they removed the whole garden and had the frontage completely covered with tarmac. I really miss their magnolia, it was in bloom when Kim was born, and reminded me of her every year after. So now our own drive has been landscaped - bucking the trend here, we have re-instated garden! - we'll be planinting a Magnolia Stellata, Stellata meaning star, and that's very appropriate as we said to Oliver at the time, Kim's gone to be a star (he was only 3).

15/52 Static Jodie

2010-04-16T22:47:00.002+01:00

Jodie's first appearance in the 52, but not her last ;0)
Her hair gets full of static when she bounces on the trampoline!

14/52 Pollen cafe

2010-04-16T22:44:00.002+01:00

Am I blogging too many flowers? Tough - its finally SPRING!

13/52 Waiting

2010-04-16T22:30:00.002+01:00

I had some waiting to do ... to catch the waiting figure with no-one else in shot - busy shopping mall.

12/52 Cleared to land

2010-04-16T22:23:00.002+01:00

I was having a field day on these amazing crocus blooms near Ashbourne - I do love spring - but when I reviewed my images later I was thrilled to have captured a bee homing in on these pollen-rich beauties. Cool :0)

11/52 Yellow

2010-04-16T22:16:00.002+01:00

So now I'm thinking... I should have taken a photograph of the label so I could tell you what this beautiful spring-flowering plant is called. Memo to self...

10/52 Crystal Ball

2010-03-23T21:18:00.003Z

Reflections were an issue, so why didn't I pop up the light tent?? Tch!

9/52 What a gem

2010-03-23T20:45:00.002Z

I captured this little gem in the garden this morning, first chance in a long time worth taking cam out there to see what was coming up.

8/52 Snowdrops

2010-03-03T21:42:00.002Z

The snowdrops at Hopton Hall were amazing, and to capture them well, I had to be on their level - this meant lying on my front on some plastic in the snow - OMG it was soooo cold! I suffered for my art! Was it worth it? Yes :0)

7/52 Bay leaves

2010-02-25T00:10:00.002Z

I decided my new kitchen would benefit from some new jars for herbs and spices, and here is the bay leaves jar. A bespoke spice rack is on the To Do list. Luckily its on M's list and not mine, so we stand half a chance of getting it :0)

6/52 Light Snooze

2010-02-24T23:53:00.002Z

I bought a new alarm clock. I need a snooze button. But I need a snooze button that can be pressed more than once. So this one is no good - one snooze is never enough!

5/52 Tulip

2010-02-23T20:24:00.002Z

This week was a bumper week for flowers in my house. I love being given flowers and photographing them too :0) and this week was spoilt for choice.

4/52 Finding inner peace

2010-01-29T23:49:00.002Z

I have a Kliban cat calendar, I love Kliban's cats. Find out more about the artist here and here.

This image was taken with my new (well, used, but new to me!) iPhone and manipulated using an app called TiltShiftGen. Some iPhone users have iPhone 365s running... tempting, but no, I have other things I must do!

3/52 Tea and cake

2010-01-29T19:04:00.002Z

Just what you need after a stroll in the park, and playing on the swings, a generous slice of chocolate cake and a cuppa. Perfect. Cold though, sitting on the terrace... but then again, it is January!

2/52 My door is always open

2010-01-14T22:30:00.003Z

Despite continuing wintry conditions, I travel to St Oswald's Hosital, Ashbourne, a couple of times a week to visit my friend Shelley. She's recovering from a stoke and making great progress - coming on in leaps and bounds even. We have been exploring the hospital building and taking pictures. This is the door to the Staff Nurse/Ward Sister's office on Shell's ward.

1/52 Snow bough

2010-01-07T22:28:00.002Z

We have had quite a lot of snow. We're not accustomed to it, its an unusual event for most of England, so we are not geared up to cope with it - roads are closed, grit supplies run low, schools close, public transport is affected, flights are cancelled. Last year my son had a fabulous time sledging and having snowball fights on his first snow day when the school closed. I was thrilled for him in case it was his only chance to make those childhood memories - we seemed to have snow like this every year when I was growing up. And here we are again, though his school has not closed and he is not so thrilled!

2009-12-31T22:56:00.000Z

Welcome! This is where I'll be posting images during 2010, after completing a 365 during 2009. This is a 52, not a 365, as I have so much I need to accomplish over the next 12 months.

Pull up a chair, I'll put the kettle on, stay a while.