Then the sun came out...

So after a few days of dark horrible weather and too much food (some would argue that there's no change there!), the sun decided to come out and play for a day. After being stuck in a car or stuck indoors over the festive season, we grabbed at the chance to get outside for a couple of hours and headed into Bedgebury Forest (along with everyone else I think)with my camera on my back.

The forest was not looking its best after the recent battering that it had received and there wasn't a lot of wildlife around - nothing but cyclists and a couple of distant squirrels - so I spent my time gazing at the trees hoping to catch a glimpse of something better than average. I think this one came out OK, it looks as cold as it felt but that sun just made everything feel a little warmer. 

St Andrews Folkigham

OK, so Christmas has finally done its thing and I find myself in Folkingham at the in-laws - so on Christmas Day itself, I trundled into their local church (my in-laws are the key holders lucky enough!) and grabbed a couple of pics of the empty church...

 

The next day, boxing day afternoon, the sun made a rare appearance so I felt that I had to go and try the church again in better light

  

 

...if the sun decides to grace us with its presence in the morning I shall try and grab a shot or two of the morning sun over the alter - how very festive!

Randy & The Rockets Christmas Party

Well it's been a bit longer than I anticipated since my last post, I had in good faith lugged my camera into Tunbridge Wells with the intention of taking a long exposure shot of Victoria Place - unfortunately, within moments of pulling my camera out of its bag, I was pounced on by the mall security guards - who finally had something to do - and told to stop photographing! - jobsworths! - I will be back, I'll just wait for the Christmas lights to be taken down.

...So onto my next shot, I haven't really done a lot of band photography - I tend to be in the band! - but I planned a couple of shots and scoped-out the best vantage points the night before (Double6 were supporting on both nights so I had plenty of time).

My first couple of shots were with the 50mm and they were OK but once I took the 70-200 to the back of the hall, things started to come together. I had a remotely triggered flash on the stage to give the drummer a bit of light and also to give a little rim lighting to the guitarist - I thinks that was the element which worked best and I think that next time I try something like this I will try a flash on both sides of the stage (and hopefully by then I'll some on camera lighting control - let's see what Santa brings!)

...so I'm starting a photo blog then

The George Hotel and the White Horse in Cranbrook on a rather chilly pre-christmas evening

OK, so I have decided that instead of a 365 project, this year, I am going to start a blog - mainly based around photography and attempting to actually GO OUT and SET UP as many shots as I can, rather than just click away wherever I happen to be.
...so to get things started I braved the cold of Cranbrook and set out to do a little festive evening photography. Although Cranbrook is festooned in its usual array of Christmas trees (courtesy of my neighbours), it proved to be a little awkward to get any kind of 'wide' shot that showed-off the lights. As always, Cranbrook's two rather diverse pubs - the older peoples' George Hotel and the White 'Fight' Horse proved to be the best lit and most interesting area to shoot. Now don't get me wrong, I use and play in both pubs to further my 'musical career' but if I want an uneventful beer and a sit down, it's the George every time (even though you do have to shout to be heard when it gets even slightly busy - or does alcohol just make me deaf) but having said that, the White Horse IS getting better - just slowly.
Anyway, I digress, here it is, my first post in my photo journal/blog type thing known as frazpics!
Let's see what pics the future brings.