Sue Thomas

"Slip it in" is another of the first things I learnt when I joined the Campus. The tutorial is an older one, but can be found in the creative scrap. I use this technique often.

Almost, the white tailed hare turns white for the winter, to blend in with its habitat. You can see the last of its summer coat on the snow. Their tails are white all year round. Hence their name.

Beautifully done! As always it was a pleasure. What started out as a dare from Michele, turned out to me creating a 3D text candle, with instructions on how to do it. I hasten to add, once I understood what Michele was asking me to create. I have since created several to be used as cards.

I very much appreciate your kind words, as I do anyone elses. I will use this photo in next year's cards, as I have a policy of always using last year's photos in next year's calendars, and cards.

I have completed all 52 weeks, posting week 52 a few days early. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in this challenge. It has given me the opportunity to post many of my favourite chosen weekly photos, without having to create detailed showcasing pages. When a photographer, even an amature like myself, takes the time and effort of aiming to capture the best image one can, is rewarding. Well done to everyone who has participated, giving us a glimpse into your lives, through your photography, whilst showing of your photography skills. All the photos I have posted have been my own, without any post enditing.

I've been pre occupied with other fun stuff. Time to get back to PSPing now.

We have had more snow in December than we have had in the previous 4 years. Of late I have been pre occupied with photography, and other outdoor stuff.

Thank you Julie.

Here is week 52. I took this shot today. Hairy Woodpecker.

Week 51

Week 50 Mountain ash berries and frost.

Week 49. White tailed hare.

Weeks 48. Female Snowy Owl

The Snowberry bush, is a low growing native bush. The flowers are quite insignificantly tiny, yet produce an abundance of food for pollinators. The berries start out black, then turn to white, to sustain small creatures throughout the winter months. The Snowberry Sphynx moth caterpillars feed on the leaves. Photo taken on Wednesday.

The simplicity of your calendar is undoubtedly ineffable. The vibrancy of the flowers captivates the viewers eye. Which in my view how it should be. May I make an observation? Check the quote. I believe the line 'are one it', should read 'are one of '.

Yes, you always measure at the highest point of the withers. Almost all equestrian discipline classes, especially showing, whether leading rein or ridden are categorized by height. Such as section A,B,C or D. Particularly in Wales and UK. Section A Welsh pony maximum height 12h. Section B Welsh pony maximum 13.2h. Then you have the Welsh cob Section. Regardless of the breed, anywhere in the world, a pony is under 14.2h, and a horse is over 14.2h

With all due respect, were you 5ft tall or the pony/horse? As horses are measured in hands. 4 inches is a hand. A pony is under 14.2h, anything over 14.2h is a horse.

I had missed it. Not an issue, I found it. Cheers!

I had missed it, anyway, I appreciate you taking the time to translate these documents. Jack is absolutely chuffed to bits to finally know what the documents say. As you rightly say, he wasn't Dutch, but Norwegian.

It is. I choose not to use a photo stacker, as it is a tedious process. Where you have to take a series of shots at different focal lengths using a tripod. Which also takes accuracy. That doesn't work so well when shooting moving insects. There isn't anything which is completely flat to obtain perfect depth of focus of a subject, hence I opt for trying to keep the camera absolutely flush with whatever I'm shooting, whilst more often than not positioning myself to achieve it. Which works for me. There are lots of photo stacking programs out there, many of them are free to download. When shooting macro, one has to understand the difference between depth of field and depth of focus. Mind you not choosing to use a photo stacker over the technique I opt for is my own personal choice. So I may have part of a subject slightly out of focus, like an antena of an insect, due to it being slightly angled away, so be it.

In order for me to take macro photos, whether they are insects, frost, leaves, lichen, or anything else I use what is called a conversion lens. It's a small round lens which I attach to the camera. It is the Raynox 1.50 or 2.50 macro lens. Not all cameras support a conversion lens. Mine being a Panasinic FZ300 bridge camera does. As for the camera settings I use AFS/AFF mode. Setting is aperture. F4, which is the sweet spot for my camera. ISO 100. 2 second timer on stills. Aspect ratio 4.3. I can increase each image 4 fold, without loosing quality. When taking macro photos I concerntrate on the depth of focus. Making sure that that camera isn't in the slightest bit tilted. As I don't use a photo stacker program.

Neither do we in the UK. I will have to wait for the temps to really drop, before taking frost and snowflake shots.

Lovely depth of field achieved in this shot.

Seeing as I didn't take the frost photo one day this week, here is a shot I took last night. First quarter, waxing crescent moon.

Week forty five. Well it's that time of year again, winter is moving in. We are already getting frosty nights, giving way to bright sunny relevantly warm days. Shooting hoar frost at this time of year doesn't give the best results, so this photo was taken last January when the temps plummet to 30 below and colder.