My image this week is part of a Hawthorn tree. It was growing near the top of a hill and the rising sun was back lighting the young leaves. It makes a good colour image but my thoughts were the tones it would show in B&W. I’ll leave you to judge the image for yourself.
Nikon D7200 with a Sigma C 150-600 mm lens.
Shot at f5 using the 150mm setting on the lens and ISO 800.
Feedback always welcome.
Stay safe.
George
Welcome to B & W Wednesday where I post a B&W photograph taken some time in the last month. This weeks image was picked because I loved the texture of the hair and the light reflecting in the eye.
It is the face of a cow, we came face to face at the top of a hill. Well not this close, She started to approach me and I shot a few images. This was edited in Lightroom and finished in Nik Silver Efex Pro, my favorite for black and white finishing.
Camera Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 150-600 lens. Shot at f5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO400 at 185mm focal length.
Feel free to comment, like or dislike.
Thank you for visiting. Stay safe.
George.
My how life has changed for most of us, restrictions, work closures and social distancing to name a few. So for the last six weeks I’ve been at home, fuel prices are down the weather is great but I can’t go anywhere. Travel restrictions are in force so traveling to the coast is not going to happen. I have been walking in my local area and get out for sunrise most morning. I walk in a local wood for a few hours and explore trails that take me away from the beaten path. I don’t carry my camera every morning but will use my mobile/cell to photograph sunrise’s and landscapes in the woods. I post to Instagram most days, link at the bottom of the page. So any photos on this blog are taken with my Nikon DSLR. The following where taken over a period of time.
This shot is across County Down with the Mourne mountains in the back ground.
The remains of a small hill farm for days long gone.
Been trying to find out more about this Cross on a distance hill. (most of this photos are shot with a telephoto lens which creates a compressed perspective). I have been told it was a site of a Mass rock. Link: Mass rock
Will be finding out more about this cross and I have to find if there is public access to it.
A cool frosty morning in this shot with frost lying on the fields in the foreground and the hills on the other side of Belfast in the background. A view around 25 miles away. The next shot is to the west and is of Scrabo Tower above the town of Newtownards in County Down. Again this would be around 25 mile away. Link: Scrabo
Given the warm weather we have been having and the cold nights we get the valley’s full with mist early morning and late evening.
Where I grew up in Ireland these mists were known has ghost mists due to the distortion effect on objects around you. If you saw somebody walk into the mist you would understand why….
Going to finish the landscape side with another old hill farm shot, this you can just see through a gap in the trees.
Next a few of the wild life I have managed to photograph on my walks.
A one legged Mistle Thrush. Link : Mistle Thrush
Dunnock: Dunnock
Chaffinch: Link Chaffinch
A young buck and doe deer.
These photographs are of Roe deer. I was lucky to get these shots has the first sight or smell of humans and they disappear . I still had my camera in hand has I make my out of the woods, just rounding a bend I spotted them feeding. I slowly pushed into the foliage beside me and stood still. Having a 150 – 600mm lens on the camera helped me get these shots.
I have a list of the birds and animals still to photograph, so my early morning walks will continue while work is suspended.
Thank you for joining me on my walk.
Stay safe and well.
George.
It was high tide on the County Down coast and I knew then would be little happening concerning wildlife. But also knowing high tide brings the seals to Cloghy rocks. It was a high tide has it covered the rock but the seals were there.
Heads and tails has they lay on the rocks below.
Next a couple of gull shots.
Blackheaded gull still in winter plumage.
Herring gulls.
The old windmill overlooking Portaferry.
And the final image a monochrome shot of a Mute swan taken on the Qouile River, Downpatrick.
Thank you for visiting and wherever you are stay safe.
George.
Here we are in March 2020 and I’m writing the first blog post of the year. It’s been a busy couple of years here in my world. Had and have some plans for the site for the start of the year but I’m a little behind, now we have the Coronavirus ( COIID-19) spreading across the world. With every aspect of life effected some of my projects might have to be sidelined for awhile depending on travel restrictions.
So I have been out a few times with the camera around the coast here in Northern Ireland, so below are some for the birds wintering here.
Ringed plover.
Black headed Gull
Barred tailed Godwits
Little Egret
Brent Geese
These were all taken at Strangford lough. Here
Thank you for visiting and hope you enjoyed my images, please comment on this post.
George
Hello my friends, well the rain stopped and the sun make a weak showing. So nipped down to the County down coast which is a half hour drive from home. The tide was out and there where plenty on bird life around. but it was to far out on the mudflats for photography. Would have waited for the incoming tide to push them back to the shore but the light drops here around 3.30pm (2.45pm when I got there) and will be dark an hour later.
There were just a few Redshank’s close to the shore, feeding on whatever lives under this liquid mud. So without boring you I’ll post a few photos of these small waders.
Grabbed a few shots of Rooks flying from the tree behind me.
The next shots were me just playing around with a redshank photo in B&W.
I hope you enjoyed this quick trip to the coast with me.
Before I go I want to wish you all Season’s Greeting, and THANK YOU all for your support over the year.
May all your wishes be granted in 2020.
Happy new year.
George..
While photographing birds around the coast I noticed birds washing in the incoming tide. So here are some images taken around the County Down coast.
All photograph’s taken with a Nikon D7200 plus a Sigma 150 – 600 lens with a Sigma 1.4 converter and edited in Lightroom.
Time to dry out.
Next up is a Hooded Crow or a Grey Backs has they are locally known.
Deep dive.
Next two photographs of a Common Crow.
He looked like he was enjoying that..
Next the gull that thought he could stop the waves.
First a warm up.
Command the wave to stop.
STOP.
More practice required.
Hope you all enjoyed bath time.
Thank you all for stopping, feel free to comment you likes or dislikes.
George
Some reading this might ask Who is Harry Ferguson. He was born Henry George (Harry) Ferguson in 1884 near the town of Dromore, County Down , Northern Ireland. I pass his family home every day on my way to and from work. There is a Harry Ferguson Sculpture in the Harry Ferguson Memorial Garden across from the family home. Some of the things we can accredit to this man are the modern agricultural tractor, the worlds first 4 wheel drive F1 racing car (known as the Ferguson P99 racing car), the first Irish man to fly and also build his own plane. Anyone that knows the name the ‘Massey Ferguson Company’ will now know where the Ferguson name comes from.
Harry Ferguson Sculpture, Harry Ferguson Memorial Garden in Country Down.
Thank you for visiting
George
This week’s photo was taken last summer on a beach on the County Down coast. It is a Grey Wagtail sitting on a litchen covered rock.
Enjoy your day and thank you for visiting.
So I’ve been a little quiet on the blog, I’ve been busy moving to my new place to live. So for the first in a month I had a few hours to spare and it being a beautiful autumn day here I took a drive to the County Down coast. A few gentle walks and just parking up in other spots, it was an easy day. Chatted to a couple of other photographers and those just out for a stroll. So a few photos from today, Think the title might give a clue…
Grey Heron ( Ardea cinerea )
A Curlew ( Scolopacidae ) I spooked from its resting place.
Black headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage.
In full song a Robin ( Erithacus rubecula )
A couple of Cormorants ( Phalacrocoracidae )
Not a 100 percent but I think this is called a Skiff. So if any person knows what they are could you let me know. Check this link
The Grey Seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) and they are not all grey in colour.
Heading back towards Strangford.
Next a few shots of the Little Egret ( Egretta garzetta )
these birds flying in the photo’s are Lapwings ( Vanellinae )
Peace at last..
Unless he know’s different..
Don’t like the look of him..
So like my flying friend it’s time to go, hope you enjoyed the day out and you will join me another time. Thank you and take care.
George.
George McNeill Photography 
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