Wednesday 21 December 2011

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Friday 9 December 2011

Save the Amazon rainforest

Dear Friend,

We have little time, but there is much at stake. Only the signature of President Dilma Rousseff can prevent one of the largest global environmental disasters.

Please support WWF’s call to stop huge amounts of Amazon rainforest from being cleared for agriculture and cattle pasture.

Right now, the Brazilian government is voting on changes to its forest law that could destroy an area of forest three times the size of the UK. And the consequences will be felt all over the world as a massive amount of CO2 could be released.

Now the fate of the forests rests with President Dilma Rousseff, who could still choose to veto some or all of the proposed changes. In Brazil, over 1.5 million people have already signed a petition urging Dilma to act.

Please add your voice to theirs and send an email to the President.

Emergency Call Brazil

Best regards, Your Team WWF

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Competition night ...

... at Bolton Digital Photography club - theme "club days out". I entered 3 images, one of which, a swan image entitled "Odette's Curse" (Swan Lake), got through to the second round and then into the top 6. Can't believe I got 5th place! (woohoo) Obviously feeling dead chuffed, even more so as the judge was Tillman Kleinhans - someone I admire greatly. 
Odette's Curse
 Check out his website:  TILLMAN KLEINHANS
"Photography is a means of communication, if the image 'speaks' to you then the photograph works.  The image is everything, how it was produced is of no consequence to how successful the image is.  In the words of the artist David Stanley '....no image is complete until it reacts with the viewer'.  It is this reaction that decides how an image is perceived by an observer."

Tuesday 29 November 2011

IFAW: Buried alive; help give this crippled dog a second chance


Our Mdzananda clinic in South Africa has just rescued a dog from a shocking instance of cruelty.

The veterinarian at our clinic received a frantic call that two school caretaker were burying a dog alive. Our vet and a caregiver rushed to the scene and demanded that the janitors unearth the dog.

After digging down three feet, they uncovered the dog. Amazingly she was still alive, but barely breathing (the photograph below shows her moments after she was unearthed) ...


Can you imagine how frightened this poor pup must have felt?

Our team rushed the injured dog to the clinic and began treating her immediately.

They named her “Warrior” because of the spirit she showed in fighting to stay alive. I’m thrilled to report that she did indeed survive, but her recovery will be long and difficult. Her rear legs are partially paralyzed and she needs specialised treatment and a fitted harness to get around.



Please donate here:  IFAW: HELP FOR WARRIOR

Saturday 26 November 2011

Woody's rescue ...











This is Woody, he was found in the woods - hungry, hurt, damaged and alone. Luckily he was found, his fur was so matted it had to be shaved off, his injuries were stitched, he was given a warm bed and is now receiving lots of love. He is neurologically damaged and has cataracts yet he still knows how to purr. The lady who found him will take him home once he has recovered as far as he is able. This is why we need the RSPCA and other animal shelters. Please consider donating to rescue cats (and other animals) who need our help ...

Tuesday 22 November 2011

BAN THE TIGER TRADE


It’s now one full year since the International Tiger Forum in St Petersburg. At that event, many countries came together and committed to doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022. China was one of those countries
 
We now understand that China is allowing the trade in skins from ‘farmed’ tigers

This trade is the perfect ‘smokescreen’ for the poachers who kill wild tigers. The poachers can now go about their business knowing that, if apprehended with skins and other products, they can hide behind the potential confusion of whether it is a ‘farmed’ skin. Allowing this trade is totally at odds with the commitments made by Wen Jiabao (Chinese Premier) at the Tiger Forum in 2010.

Please sign the petition here:  TIGER TIME

Troy Quarry, Valley of Stone, Haslingden Grane ....

Sunday 20 November 2011

Bury Photographic Society

My submissions for the November DPI (digital projected image) contest:

End of the Road - 18/20



Mawddach Panorama - 17/20
Anlaf's Hill Pasture - 12/20

Unfortunately the judge didn't "understand" the last image - I guess textures are a no-no!  The photo was taken on Anglezarke Moor, which the title refers to.  See more info here:  Anglezarke

Thursday 17 November 2011

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Write up - Dunham Massey Park, Cheshire - Bolton DPS mini day out

Early-ish on Sunday morning (6 November) three club members - Eadaoin Flynn, Sue 
Berry and Stephen Dutch - gathered outside Stephen's flat in Bolton for the 
drive to Dunham Massey, which is a National Trust property near Altrincham. As 
it was a sunny Sunday - probably one of the last this year - the car park was 
already filling up by the time we got there - and Stephen's car had developed an 
interesting rattling noise.

Entry to the house and gardens is pricey - around £10 - but admission to the 
general grounds and deer park can be had for just the price of car parking, 
which was £5.

We started by investigating the sounds of what seemed like a minor riot by the 
moat. It turned out to be some geese, swans and seagulls getting way too excited 
by the arrival of lots of small children (also way too excited) with vast 
amounts of stale bread. The ensuing activity provided lots of opportunities to 
capture shots of the birds flying, hissing and jumping in and out of the water.
 


When we'd finished watching the birds, Stephen was ready to head off away from 
the crowds in search of some deer, but Eadaoin and Sue, remembering that an army 
marches best on a full stomach, decided to check out the restaurant before 
heading any further. The food was good, but pricey and the restaurant was very 
crowded. Once refreshed, more photos were taken, mainly of foliage, fungi and 
the odd swan, the deer proving somewhat elusive. We also had a bit of a chat 
with a Ray Mears lookalike park ranger, who sadly did not invite us back to his 
handmade shelter for a tasty meal of fungi and worms..... 
 


Once our powers of concentration returned we did manage to get some shots of a 
stag with one antler, despite him deciding to sit down in the long grass at a 
crucial moment. We later we got some shots of more deer with a fully-antlered 
stag, although these were further in the undergrowth of the deer sanctuary (from 
which visitors are currently banned, it being the rutting season). Stephen 
didn't mention meeting any Ray Mears lookalikes (or their female equivalents) 
but he was luckier in encountering the deer and got some excellent close-up 
shots.
 


When we'd exhausted the photo opportunities, and ourselves (the park is large, 
but thankfully it is also fairly flat) we met up at the gate for the trip home. 
Interestingly cars were continuing to flow steadily into the car park even 
though the park was only open for another half an hour or so. Dunham Massey is 
clearly not the place for a quiet weekend stroll if you're the solitary type.
 


Despite some further rattling noises from Stephen's car we made it back to 
Bolton safely before dark ready for a long night of photo editing.
 
Write up by Eadaoin Flynn
More photos on FLICKR 

Wednesday 2 November 2011

Monday 31 October 2011

Friday 28 October 2011

Moorland Monochrome

Last weekend I took a workshop by Jason Smalley on Anglezarke Moor, somewhere I haven't explored very much even though it's only 20 minutes from home.  Luckily we chose a fine day and not particularly cold - although I'd probably over-dressed in my ski gear!  I hadn't expected it being so difficult underfoot - the moors look so flat and even but they're full of tussocks and deep channels and of course I managed to fall over but saved my camera.  We saw tumble down walls, photogenic trees, a small waterfall, two derelict farms, the Pikestones (the remains of a neolithic burial monument), a burnt out forest and three dead sheep in various stages of decay!  It was a great day out - I learnt some new camera techniques and how to visualise the landscape in monotone.  We had a good laugh too!





More photos can be seen on Flickr

Friday 21 October 2011

A slumber did my spirit seal ...


A slumber did my spirit seal;
I had no human fears:
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.
 
No motion has she now, no force;
She neither hears nor sees;
Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,
With rocks, and stones, and trees.
 
William Wordsworth (1798)

Sunday 9 October 2011

Art Auction ...

Calling all artists! Bernie Berlin needs your help in fundraising for her animal shelter. Please send artwork that can be auctioned to: A Place To Bark, P.O. Box 649 Portland, TN 37148 USA. 
Do it or Zuki will come get you!!!
  A PLACE TO BARK

Saturday 8 October 2011

Photo challenge

The topic on the Our Daily Challenge and Our Daily Topic groups was "bread" ...





Anyone for bagels?

Darwen - a few more pics

Into the light

One Two Three

Heading back

Textures by Brenda Starr

Friday 7 October 2011

EBAY - CHRISTMAS RUBBER STAMPS & much, much MORE!!!

Only 24 hours left to grab a bargain - lots & LOTS of Christmas rubber stamps and other goodies on ebay!  Love Teesha Moore?  I have 4 of her journal mini books for sale!  Plus lots of other stamps by Stampington, Acey Deucy, Hero Arts, Tim Holtz etc etc etc ...

There are also lots of non Christmas stamps by Stampington, Acey Deucy, Tim Holtz, Inca, Hero Arts, Judikins ...

... AND craft embellishments, set of 4 mini journals by TEESHA MOORE (Zettiology), mini licence plates (NEW MEXICO, OREGON, WYOMING).

Grab a bargain - only 24 hours to go!

EBAY LINK:   FIVERDOG







Wednesday 5 October 2011

Joy ...

... a soft paw and a comfy cushion!


Our Daily topic group (Flickr)

Walk to Jubilee Tower ... well almost!

We went for a drive on Sunday - no specific destination in mind, just aimlessly wandering around Belmont.  We turned off at a sign for Tockholes which took us through to Darwen and as I'd never climbed up to Jubilee Tower we parked the car and set off up the path.  Of course it then started to rain but we kept on going until we reached the climb to the tower - the rocks were so slippery it was just too dangerous to keep going so we sheltered under some trees.  Obviously an opportunity to take some pics!

Back to layers ...


"It Will Be"

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Taking the challenge ...

Found a couple of challenge groups on Flickr and decided it was just what I needed.  Sometimes you get so wrapped up in a certain type of photography that you don't see the possibilities around you. 

"Glass" - Our Daily Challenge group

"Kitchen related item/idea" - Our Daily Challenge group

"Glass" - Our Daily Topic group

"Kitchen related item/idea" - Our Daily Topic group

Thursday 29 September 2011

A Great Spotted Woodpecker ...

... merrily woodpecking away at the back of my house.  First time I've ever seen one.  Not a great pic but he was about 40ft away hiding in the branches ...

Sunday 25 September 2011

Balance ...


Entry for the "Begins with B" Flickr challenge (Our Daily Challenge - Group 3)