View of Thames from Woolwich at dawn

January 27th 2008... the alarm went off at 6am. This was fairly horrific as I have been very tired, but I was keen to head back out to Woolwich to take some more shots of the Thames Barrier, this time at dawn. The weather was not so windy, so I was hopeful that the shots would not be so out of focus. I arrived at my little spot shortly before 7am and took a series of photos until the cold triumphed at about 7.40am. I think that this particular spot on the Thames is simply spectacular, I loved seeing the colour changing in the sky... and even though I was disappointed not to have the lovely pink sky that I have been fortunate to see in the past few weeks I loved the hour. I hope you like the pictures, I hope I have done the morning justice. I have not enhanced them, or changed the colour at all.. this is exactly what I saw.......

and that was that, cold and shivering I bundled back into the car, only pausing between Greenwich and my still warm bed to take a quick photo of the O2 Arena (see remembered this time!) in the early morning light.

Richmond Park 26 January 2008

This afternoon was gloriously sunny, so I decided to go for a walk. When I set off I did not anticipate the walk being particularly long. However most of SW London had also decided to go for a walk in Richmond Park and the car parks were full. By the time I got to where I wanted to be and back I have worked out that I walked between 5 and 6 miles!!!!!! Very sore now!

I was surprised that the grasses were all so brown, the Park looked positively autumnal.

I had not realised that Richmond Park is so high, but as I rounded a corner, this was my view. Familiar eh?? There are two types of deer in Richmond Park, red deer and fallow deer. Unfortunately all the pictures I took of the red deer are ****. What is new I hear you all cry?.. well don't be so rude. These are my pictures of the fallow deer, and the reason for all that walking

I think the Deer Rut does not really begin until October but maybe these two young stags were having a bit of a practise. I Like the way all the other deer are just lying there as if to say ' *sigh* not again'

RSPB - National audit

Today the RSPB has asked us to count the birds in our garden and enter then results into their national database. I sat in the garden for the allotted hour and spotted precisely one woodpigeon and one robin. Pathetic! I decided to cheat and visit the London Wetlands.... They had one or two more birds!
I am not sure that the whistling ducks can really be entered into the survey, but they look very sweet in this picture

The parakeets were back with avengeance, but this time I was armed with my tripod, so the reults are a little sharper

and some rather impressive geese gave us a fly past!

and then the light was fading... but I couldn't be sorry as it meant this wonderful sunset!

A day in the life of a Cameraholic 25.1.08

Oh dear, my name is Anya Rowson, I am 40 years old and I am a cameraholic. Is it really healthy that every day when I swim my 40 lengths I spend a good 20 lengths planning where I can next take some photographs? This morning I was leaving the huse, when I saw the colour of the sky. It was fading rapidly so I stopped at the junction of Leckford Rd and Openview for this shot. the only reason there aren't two is because the cars behind started hooting! This evening, my plans went askew. the boys were due to go to their dad... and I was going out with camera... however a last minute cancellation scuppered this. However I felt restless and cheated.. OK easy solution.. I took them with me. This is a concrete mixer on teh South Bank... well obviously .....

It was quite windy on Hungerford Bridge, and the boys were cold.. and they complained. A lot. Still this is one of the best Night time shots of the City that I have taken... so who cares?

although this is not entirely in focus I love the colour in this shot.

I haven't tried this for a while, but as Aunty Jen has been showing off, and Tom bates has reinspired me, I seized the moment (so to speak)

Hmmm, this one is interesting.. I bribed the boys to stand still for 15 seconds, and took the photo on long exposure to capture the traffic behind. What I didn' t reckon on were the 50 people who walked in between the camera and the boys... hoever unbelievably they don't exist on the photo... spooky!

the point of the evening was to take the boys on the London Eye at night, which they have not sone before, but the security guard would not let me take my tripod on withme, and the camera is too heavy.. so all the shots are blurred. These are the best and they are very poor!

The view from the top. . .

and home to bed (well for the boys.. I will be on here editing a while... and working out where to go tomorrow)

Night

Anyax

London Wetlands 20.01.2008

Long have I neglected the London Wetlands, but as the boys wanted to see their dad, I popped in for a speedy hour. The ducks were all busy washing. . . The Wetlands had no winter flowers at all, but plenty of grasses. . .

This beautiful dabbling duck was also bathing today....

and yes he is a real beauty... even the reflection is attractive

The magpie goose was desperate to get his beak on the last bit of picnic... however he couldn't work out how to disentangle himself afterwards!

Just as I was leaving found this almost grown up cygnet having a wash... it is one of last years babies, but won't be too long before he gets his lovely white feathers

I really need to practise my birds in flight....

You wouldn't believe this, but these parakeets are wild birds, and absolutely taking over SW London. There are hundreds in Richmond Park. This is the first time I have ever seen one to photograph, as they are adept at hiding in the trees. They were busy scaring away the tits and robins from the bird feeders. Please excuse the blur. .

London, Dome, Thames Barrier and Docklands

I thought it was time for regular viewers of this blog to have a small treat.. I considered getting you all some therapy, for coming back to this site so frequently... but as a special treat I decoded to travel further afield in London to get you a new view... so this evening found me in Woolwich, down a very dodgy back road, in a housing estate where nobody appeared to e living... or maybe they were all out ???? I was delighted to find the Thames Barrier half concealing the Milennium Dome (not allowed to call it that any more.. it's the O2 Arena now.. doesn't have quite the smae ring though?) which in turn was half concealing the Docklands buildings

a more wide angle shot. . . .

One of the Towers of the Thames Barrier and the Dome lit up behind

Stopped in Greenwich, and after several false starts managed to find not only a viewing spot, but also a parking bay!! I have wanted to take pictures of the Dome at night for a while.. but now I have managed this, actually I think I want a picture of the dome at dawn... oh dear I think that is going to require a very early start

I love the roof of the Dome, always have, since it opened in 2000. I think I may just be the only person in London who likes the Dome as a building. Inside it used to be pants, although when we visited for the King Tut exhibition just before Christmas it was much better. Still love the architecture though.....

These two are supposed to show the boats 'speeding' past the Dome, the first works better as the boat was going faster.. mind you it was a Police Boat....

and then the final two: are these really 'mistakes' or did I really want this crazy effect?? I love the fact that the dome is still quintessentially the Dome ( I will never get used to this O2 Arena business)