Last night I gave a demonstration of beginners Photoshop to my camera club. Putting it together this week took me back to my early days as a photographer and the times I attended club nights totally baffled and in utter awe of the members who could produce fantastic pictures. I knew I’d never be that good 😉 If anyone had told me a decade ago that I would possess photographic distinctions, have been exhibited in 22 countries and become a master of print I would have thought they’d been necking the cooking sherry! It’s been the best journey of my life and I’m so thankful to be able to give back and help other beginners just starting out.

The weather has been glorious this week and I’ve been out in my garden. The first butterflies appeared last weekend and yesterday I was kept company by the swooping call of Lapwings, the melodic song of a Blackbird and early bees desperately hunting for food. I come alive when I’m out in nature and there is nowhere on earth I’d rather be. Today is looking like the first lawn cut of the year and I’ve prepared one of the small flower borders in my pond area – there is such a huge amount of work to do, though, it’s all a bit daunting.

As I was making lunch the Sparrow Hawk appeared and I managed a few quick shots through the patio doors. He perches on a fence post by the bird feeder, waiting for unsuspecting prey. He’s so far been unsuccessful but as breeding season approaches my heart will be in my boots when the fledgelings are around. I know he has to eat too, but I just wish he were vegetarian!

As part of my Photoshop talk I demonstrated how to add a texture to a picture. As with everything if you enter competitions, the texture must be a photograph taken by you not something downloaded off the internet or part of software like Topaz or ON1. If I’d wanted to enter the textured image in a nature competition the rules would exclude adding or subtracting anything from the original photo, but I could enter it in the open section. When we’re telling a nature story it’s vital to use the original image, but for a simple portrait shot I like this more painterly effect which took just 10 minutes to produce.

My fruit bushes and the plum tree are all in bud, though I gave my apple tree a drastic haircut at the back end of last year and I’m not sure how much blossom it will have. The hedgerows are full of nodding yellow Daffodils and the hopeful energy of Spring abounds as birds build nests and ducks lay eggs. I keep inspecting my lawn for signs of Hedgehog poo which signals the end of their winter hibernation but so far they’re still sleeping. Mornings have been stunning this week and I’ve eaten my breakfast to the sound of Curlews which, although I haven’t seen one yet, must only be in the next field over. I woke just after 5am today and it was already starting to get light.

I’ve been working on a new creative image which I’d hoped to have finished by now, but life has been busy and when the weather is nice I can’t bear to be indoors, even if it is to do photography. I’ve also been doing quite a lot of work on my writing project and there are only so many hours in a day. Next week is looking quiet for a change and it’s due to turn rainy, so maybe I’ll get more done then (famous last words!).

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