Arty birds

Okay, as usual lets get the excuses out of the way to start with! I've had a bad foot for about two weeks, crutches, painkillers, sleepless nights and all that, so not done much running around with the camera. Bit of a shame as I quite fancied blatting up to Scotland to see the Northern lights this week!

ISO320, 400mm, 1/500s, f/5.6

Starlings surveying their surroundings from a TV aerial, with a textured and coloured background. I liked the shot with the oil-slick rainbow colours of the birds, poses and composition, but felt it was a much better image with some toning and texture to give it a bit of an artistic, contemporary feel.

Review of 2011

Well 2011 certainly slipped by in a hurry, with the main event for me being the big tour in september and october, it almost felt like eight months of saving and waiting, followed by six weeks of craziness, followed by two months of "where did summer go? - blimey its Christmas already!".

Between the budgeting and lack of spare holiday I'm not sure that my photography didn't suffer a little overall, especially as when the tour did arrive I un-expectedly felt the desire to bask in the adventure of it all, rather than let my photography have much influence on events (which it usually does). I'm pleased with the photos I brought back, but I know they were not the product of any concerted effort.

I guess the same can be said of my to-do list that I set myself, failing on almost all counts! I definitely got closer to some half decent Kingfisher photos, but the chase continues for another year. So with a self administered, "must try harder", slap on the wrist, most have made their way onto the 2012 to-do list.

The one area I have been really pleased with is the four weddings we've photographed in 2011. I've learnt a lot, had lots of fun and got some great feedback from the couples brave enough to let us be their photographers. With some luck and a concerted effort I hope to build on the experience we've gained and drive this on to be the start of something we can get going properly in 2012.

And with all that waffle out of the way, time for some more tour photos...

Berbers take photos too! - Merzouga

Hands of carpet weaver women in Fez - worked hard for little money

One of the many Mosque doors in Fez medina - almost all exquisitely carved

Cats in the blue alleyways of Chefchaouen - deemed clean animals by Islam they roam most of Morocco

Crescent moon setting behind the Koutoubia Mosque, Jemaa El Fna - Marrakesh

Priests preparing for a large televised service in Santander cathedral, Spain

Board-walk Sunset on the south coast of Portugal

Only donkeys and handcarts are allowed to make deliveries in the Medina - Tetouan, Morocco

Walls made of leg bones and skulls at the Chapel of Bones, Faro, Portugal

Sunset in the Algarve, Portugal

The heavily photographed tannery district of Fez

Wedding #6

A selection of images from the wedding we photographed just before Christmas.

Despite the venue's dimly lit, mood-lighting, which proved to be double edged, the very handsome and beautiful couple were fantastic and we had another fun day.

M and P Photography

Lisbon

Some photos from a stop off in Lisbon, Portugal on the way back up from Morocco..

One of the many colourful trams, looking colour-popped amongst the grey buildings and cobblestones

A stack of flats adorned with the trappings of everyday Portuguese life in the setting Sun.

Grand architecture and moody lighting, always a bonus.

A Sunset Moonrise

(Selective levels & colour balance in PS)

Morocco

A few of my favourite shots from the Morocco tour..

Sunrise over the Sahara

Lantern stall, Moroccan style

Berber preparing camels pre-dawn

"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Khansas anymore!"

Medina alleyway filled with colour

A student meditates in an Islamic university

Hunter - Hunted

Two snapshots from a walk at the weekend taken within a few meters of each other, hunter (possibly a Harrier of some kind?) and it's prey, a European Brown Hare which ran right up to us (downwind on a windy day). Luckily for the Hare it ran the opposite direction to the bird when it finally spotted me and demonstrated its 40mph speed across a field.

Useless fact of the day: Hares are the only mammal to have kinetic skulls, where the bones of the skull move relative to each other.

Merry New Year!

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and here's to a great 2012, I wish you all the best for a brilliant year.

Been a bit quiet on here, but photographed another successful wedding just before Christmas which kept me busy. A great day, beautiful bride and handsome groom, some challenging venue mood lighting, but we had fun again, got some great fun & festive shots and hopefully all will be happy with the results when they come back from honeymoon.

ISO 100, 105mm, 0.6s, f/10, -1ev, composite

First effort of the new year - flower ball - a set piece photoshop effort with a subtle twist.

I always enjoy doing these once I've finally drummed up the motivation to put the effort in.

Hint: There are no flowers inside the ball!