Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

At DTD on Friday I had the pleasure of meeting Dai Llewellyn. (If you hadn't guessed, he's Welsh).

When he introduced himself, it sounded like he was singing a song with lyrics that went: "I'll dial you well in".

What a brilliant raconteur he turned out to be. He told me some fantastic stories, but forbade me to repeat them.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

I also met leatherman. He looks like a cross between Yul Brynner and the villain from Thunderbirds. He too was witty and articulate.


It's a bit disconcerting to find that everyone I meet is demonstrably brighter than me.

[tikay]

At DTD on Friday I had the pleasure of meeting Dai Llewellyn. (If you hadn't guessed, he's Welsh).

When he introduced himself, it sounded like he was singing a song with lyrics that went: "I'll dial you well in".

What a brilliant raconteur he turned out to be. He told me some fantastic stories, but forbade me to repeat them.

Click to see full-size image.

He's a great lad, & a quality import from next door, one of quite a few, in fact.

He's Welsh, & quite plump, too.  (He is "Daiboot" next door).

[RED-DOG]

Right! Off to DTD to play my 5bb in the 100k GTD.

Lol @ whoever draws me in Alex's sweepstake.

[Kev B]

Can we now assume that you will be adding olives to your culinary conglomerations then?

Go on. It would give the photoshop boys so much more scope.

You can, & should, assume NO SUCH THING.

I'd neither add olives, or those lamb tangerine things which I saw mentioned on here yesterday by some culinary philistine.

Olives are devils food. And before you or Ronnie's Dad get all clever on me, NO, I have never tried them, & never will.

Pineapple, on the other hand.......

Talking of olives, I was in Borough Market recently, & people were queueing up to BUY olives. Go figure, the world is full of culinary pervs. These people disgust me. So I snap went to the next stall, & purchased two steak & kidney puddings. Proper food, I think you'll agree.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

 

Culinary philistine here. 

I went to the Borough Market for the first time last year, what a great place it is. A mix of old style market and multi cultural products especially the food. Inian, Thai, medditeranian all being freshly cooked along side traditional English fayre.  I hope to go again this year but when the weather is warmer.

[Kev B]

Right! Off to DTD to play my 5bb in the 100k GTD.

Lol @ whoever draws me in Alex's sweepstake.

GL I'll be glued to the updates.

[tikay]

Borough Market, as mentioned by Kev B.

"Highly recommended" (The market, not Kev B), for ANYONE who enjoys fresh, & original, food, it's an absolutely wonderful place to spend a few hours.

Very little in the way of pineapples, though.

[Claw75]

Borough Market, as mentioned by Kev B.

"Highly recommended" (The market, not Kev B), for ANYONE who enjoys fresh, & original, food, it's an absolutely wonderful place to spend a few hours.

Very little in the way of pineapples, though.

fresh pineapple is the nuts, but that stuff you have on your dinner looks suspiciously like it's come out of a tin.

[tikay]

Borough Market, as mentioned by Kev B.

"Highly recommended" (The market, not Kev B), for ANYONE who enjoys fresh, & original, food, it's an absolutely wonderful place to spend a few hours.

Very little in the way of pineapples, though.

fresh pineapple is the nuts, but that stuff you have on your dinner looks suspiciously like it's come out of a tin.

A DISGRACEFUL slur, if I may make so bold, young lady.

I am a food geek now, ALL my pineapple is fresh - proper fresh, REAL pineapple. From "M & S Simply Food", if you don't mind.

Today, I shall mainly be eating fresh trout with my pineapple.

[RED-DOG]

After four attempts to make my morning cuppa, I still haven't managed it.

Attempt one: Stagger out of bed, have a wee (In that order) wash hands, boil kettle and pour water on to tea bag in mug. Fire up lappy while waiting for tea to brew. Get interested in £100,000 GTD update, forget about tea until it has gone cold.

Attempt two: Re-boil kettle and pour water on to tea bag in mug, watch birds on feeder while waiting for tea to brew. Notice that suet ball & sunflower seed feeders are empty, decide to pop out and re fill them. While outside, I see that one of my gas cylinders needs changing. By the time I finish, my tea has gone cold.

Attempt three: Wash hands, re-boil kettle and pour water on to tea bag in mug. Stand and stare at mug so no chance of forgetting. Dog asks to be let out. Dog is walking funny. Examine dog, find badly torn dew-claw. Find nail clippers, remove offending claw, reassure dog that I'm not really trying to murder her, remember tea. Tea has been left brewing slightly too long but should still be OK. Remove tea bag and realise I've used two tea bags by mistake. Tea looks and tastes like Cuprinol.

Attempt four. Wash hands, pour water on to tea bag  in mug and watch mug intently, refusing to be distracted or risk forgetting. Remove bag after prescribed time, add milk & sugar. Tea is cold. Forgot to boil kettle.


Orange juice anyone?

[Kev B]

Lol back to bed it is then Tom.

[millidonk]

The feeder has gone down a storm, have had to fill it 3 times already. There are 2 pigeons which seem to bully everyone out of it and munch all the grub themselves. I am trying to scare them off when I see them but they are pretty fearless tbh. There have been some bluetits and i think goldfinches but they fly away as soon as i twitch. Would have some great snaps if we had a close up of flowers or sheep thread..

But here are my attempts so far.

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Do you have any tips for getting them whilst in flight?? I tried this one during take off, but as you can see it just blurs out. I think i remember you mentioning changing the shutter speed but I am not quite there yet.

Click to see full-size image.

[RED-DOG]

You will have to arrange your feeders so that the pigeons can't use them or else they will eat everything and bully the smaller birds.


To photograph birds in flight you have to use a shutter speed that is fast enough to freeze the movement. (Say 1/1000 of a second or faster, but it's not just a case of selecting a fast shutter speed and snapping away, there are other things to consider.

Digital cameras work by opening an aperture for a specific amount of time, this is to allow light to fall on a sensor. If the light shines on the sensor for too long, the resulting photograph will be over 'exposed'. too short, and it will be under exposed.

So, we can't go playing around with the shutter speed without paying regard to other factors.

One factor is the amount of available light. If the scene is very brightly lit, you will be able to use a fast shutter speed.

Using your big zoom will reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor, so use it sparingly.

Opening the aperture (Making it wider - lower f stop setting) will increase the amount of light that reaches the sensor while the shutter is open.

Increasing the ISO (Making the sensor more sensitive to light) will allow you to use a faster shutter, but will result in a 'Noisier' (Poorer quality) picture.


The 'Sports' setting on your camera will bias it toward a faster shutter speed, but usually, it won't be fast enough.


Try to find some photography for beginners stuff online (There's loads).

Nice sparrow pic btw.

[millidonk]

You will have to arrange your feeders so that the pigeons can't use them or else they will eat everything and bully the smaller birds.


To photograph birds in flight you have to use a shutter speed that is fast enough to freeze the movement. (Say 1/1000 of a second or faster, but it's not just a case of selecting a fast shutter speed and snapping away, there are other things to consider.

Digital cameras work by opening an aperture for a specific amount of time, this is to allow light to fall on a sensor. If the light shines on the sensor for too long, the resulting photograph will be over 'exposed'. too short, and it will be under exposed.

So, we can't go playing around with the shutter speed without paying regard to other factors.

One factor is the amount of available light. If the scene is very brightly lit, you will be able to use a fast shutter speed.

Using your big zoom will reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor, so use it sparingly.

Opening the aperture (Making it wider - lower f stop setting) will increase the amount of light that reaches the sensor while the shutter is open.

Increasing the ISO (Making the sensor more sensitive to light) will allow you to use a faster shutter, but will result in a 'Noisier' (Poorer quality) picture.


The 'Sports' setting on your camera will bias it toward a faster shutter speed, but usually, it won't be fast enough.


Try to find some photography for beginners stuff online (There's loads).

Nice sparrow pic btw.

thanks for the reply Tom. Muchos appreciatos.

Nice and detailed just what i needed. Obv i am a massive noob with stuff like this, I hadn't even considered changing the aperture tbh. (not that I knew what the aperture affected..) I saw the Fsetting and noticed sometimes it changed itself when using the autofocus, but didn't know what it was doing.

I read that i can create a sort of profile on my camera, where i can manually change and save various settings, this will be perfect for trying to get the birdies in action.

That is the main drawback with this camera, any ISO over 200 seems to have a fair bit of noise, which is quite noticable when you are looking at pictures on a big screen.

Looks like i have got a lot of learning to do! Youtube here i come (inbetween punting on the nags ofc, it is bank holiday monday after all)

Thanks again.

[RED-DOG]

Our robins have been fighting again. (Breeding season).

I think this one lost.

Click to see full-size image.

Also, the bird with his back to us. He looks like a greenfinch but without enough green. Is he a youngster do you think?

Click to see full-size image.