Sparkle Photoblog

When the river runs dry...

2008-12-21T15:57:16+00:00

When the river runs dry/You will return to the scene of the crime - Hunters and Collectors. So the saying goes, which is happening right now, after the closures we are only now sorting through the mess. And with this shot, I will now take a long break from photoblogging. I'm not sure when I'll return, but I guess when my "river" stops running dry, then I'll start posting again. Abandonded airline catering depot on the outskirts of Heathrow, London that is about to be demolished.

It's a photographic journey

2008-11-04T23:13:12+00:00

I've decided to take a look back at some of the photos that haven't really had much activity but which I think are good and put them in another montage. So here's another collection of photos which did not get the attention they really deserved since doing the one for the 500 shots. Looking at these shots makes me think of how hard it is to do photoblogging now with so many other sites with fresher and better content than mine. Nevertheless, this hasn't deterred me in taking photos when I get the opportunity (especially now it is autumn in the UK), but it makes me spend more time about what I should post to my site and is probably why I haven't really been posting recently. Hopefully I can find the motivation again...

Stuck on the Thistle

2008-10-05T17:06:54+00:00

I found a sharper version of the earlier post, although I'm not sure about the angle in this one. Just back from holidays in Crete so will try to post when I get the chance....

Thistle Attraction

2008-09-20T18:05:02+00:00

Haven't had any time to post anything since I was training for the Palace to Palace where I had to cycle from London to Windsor, let alone the lack of motivation in posting shots since the last posting. So the postings have taken a back seat. And now I have to go on a holiday somewhere in Greece, which funnily enough, don't feel that enthusiastic about. So I don't know when I will post again. Anyway, I took this picture of a butterfly feeding on a thistle in the Surrey Downs around June. Not sure what the butterfly is called though.

I Alone

2008-08-07T22:47:32+00:00

Haven't had time updating my photoblog again which is quite bad I admit as I still have lots of photos to get through. Anyway, I found this small beetle resting on my knee while relaxing in Box Hill, Surrey Downs. It took some time for the insect to realise it was being photographed. Not surprisingly, the beetle flew away!

Struggle to the top

2008-07-31T23:01:19+00:00

Seem to be fighting fires every day. One of them has to updating this photoblog. Bug on poppy in the Chilterns, also trying hard to get to the top

Trapped

2008-07-24T23:45:02+00:00

Found this tiny spider crawling around the rear lights of my sister's car. Thinking this would make a good photo, I tagged the spider till I got a good picture of it on the light, before letting it run away. The spider was only the size of my fingernail so it was quite hard to take it.

Withering Away...

2008-07-18T20:27:37+00:00

Spring has passed by so quickly, making me miss so many opportunities in taking photos. Dying weed in rapeseed field at College Lake, Buckinghamshire.

Bluebells where the heart is

2008-07-13T17:23:25+00:00

Been busy lately so had not time to post till now. This was taken a few months ago in Dockey Wood near Hemel Hempstead, Buckinghamshire. That's not the exact location, but everyone I talk to is familiar with where Hemel Hempstead than Tring. Anyway, this place was heaving with people as it's one of the closest bluebell woods outside of London that does not charge an entrance fee. I was lucky enough to get this shot when everyone walked out of the frame.

Yellow one out

2008-07-06T22:11:24+00:00

These flowers growing on the ground were less than a fingernail wide, so it took some time finding and taking pictures of these flowers as I really had to max out the macro lens. I liked this one because it was the only blue/yellow one I could find since the rest were either pink or white. But I'm not sure what flowers these are. Taken in one of the commons in the Chilterns.

Petal Blueness

2008-07-04T22:18:13+00:00

These petals are from a type of thistle which I found while walking around College Lake in Buckinghamshire. Unfortunately it was breezy so I could not get the focus right on the flower And the top of the flower is rather dull anyway, so I decided to try something different. Yes, the troubles of working with macro...

Nectar Dome

2008-06-28T22:59:31+00:00

Was going to post a HDR-type image of a ocean lookout today but changed my mind in the last minute. So I'm posting this macro of a hoverfly that was recently shot near San Gimignano in Italy. Hopefully my second edit of the lookout might be better. And although I'm trying to do more urban shots, I still have a large collection of nature macros I'd like to post

Who Goes There?

2008-06-26T22:14:42+00:00

Thought I'd do something simple while I get my other shots organised by posting a cat guarding a scooter in simple B/W in Colle di Val d'Elsa, Tuscany. Currently I'm inundated with photos right now, trying to sort out what can be spiced up and what should be dumped. And many thanks for the comments, for I don't know how I could get the time to comment on other people's photoblogs!

When Fame Comes To Town...

2008-06-22T23:29:22+00:00

Just realised I borrowed a line from U2. When I saw this tram in Hong Kong, I just had to take it. Maybe because we all want to be famous... I had to do more alterations in Photoshop by putting the tram on the same background with nothing in it because the tram shot was taken in a rush so the composition was not good. On another note, from now on, I won't do my post chronologically, but instead pick the best shot I think I have taken up to the most recent point in time.

Panic in the valley

2008-06-17T22:49:31+00:00

At first I thought this was either fog or mist descending on this valley. But once the wind picked up and the temperature dropped, I quickly realised that I was going to be in one hell of a blizzard! Incoming blizzard at Derwent Fells, taken from Cat Bells in the Lakes District, Cumbria, England