Recent content by benley

Thanks chaps. I agree about the contrast Les, now you point it out I can see it. :) I shall continue practicing my processing. Thanks for the advice.

All comments welcome, Common blue by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Common blue by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Common blue by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Thanks for looking. :)

We nipped out Thursday to look for adonis blue butterflies, got a few shots and all was well in the world. Until I went to show SWMBO the images and everything was black... Nearly all my shots were massively underexposed, histograms so far over to the left that you couldn't see them. I was not...

Nine views. It's a chore being so in-demand :D Common blue by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr

Rochester Dickens festival is the 3rd-5th of June this year, and there's a Christmas Dickens usually the first weekend in December. If you fancy Medway there is Medieval Merriment in September in the grounds of Rochester castle, and don't overlook Upnor castle just down the road. (I work for...

IMO the old way is still the best way - get a good field guide (to British birds only if possible so you're not distracted by loads of 'impossible possibles'), watch birds as often as you can (that is, all the time ;)) and take copious notes to write up and use for ID in your field guide. There...

I'm glad you like it, but do you think it would work better with slightly more depth of field so the front of the thorax was in focus? I just think the head looks a little detached.

Taken at f.8 to just get the face in focus, I liked this when I took it but now I'm not so sure. Does it work for you? All criticism appreciated, I'm a big boy and can take it. :D Flesh fly by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr

Personally I wouldn't like to use flash with snakes - as they have no external eyelids is there a danger that it could damage them? I don't know, and would be interested in hearing what people think. Until I'm convinced it's harmless though I wouldn't risk the snakes eyesight. I have always...

Thanks everyone, I'm glad you like them. Will a ring flash allow me to up the shutter speed noticeably, maybe enough to show the wings on the first beefly picture? What sort of range do they have? I'm a bit lairy of flash as it all seems a bit complicated. Although the Marumi unit looks cheap...

No flash, although I'm debating on getting a ringflash. I did use a tripod for everything though as I can't handhold the lens. It's a big bugger! :lol:

Some more, 7. Bee fly by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr And not exactly macro, but with the tammy, 8. Blue tit by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr 9. Long-tailed tit by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr

I recently picked up a Tamron 180mm for my D90. I'm getting to grips with it now. :D 1. Beefly feeding by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr 2. 7-spot ladybird by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr 3. Gorse shield bug by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr 4. Hoverfly by yellowhammer_01, on...

Looks like Heliophanus cupreus, but it's hard to be sure from a photo as it is quite a variable species.

I got a macro lens this week and today was the first chance I've had to play with it. Alas, its wet(ish) and windy here today so my garden shield bug hunt wasn't going very well. I did get these though, which came as a bit of a surprise; Long-tailed tit by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr...