keep still

About 15 months ago while I was lying in a hospital bed not knowing what the future would bring (and even if there would be a future during some dark moments) I did what any sensible man in that situation would do.  Pen a love letter?  Pledge undying love to my family and friends?  Feel sorry for myself?

No.

I gave my sister my debit card and asked her to spend £400 on a new lens for my camera of course.

Unfortunately, the lens then lay around doing nothing until this week.  While sitting enjoying my garden I thought it would be a good idea to get my by now not so new lens out and give macro photography a whirl.  I’d never tried it before and after uttering those oft repeated words “how hard can it be” the lens was attached to my camera and off I went.

I soon discovered that macro photography is very, very hard.  Taking pictures of flowers was OK – they don’t move around so all I was practicing was landscape photography on a smaller scale.

Then came the bees.

We’ve planted flowers to attract wildlife into the garden so there were plenty to have a go at.  But they don’t keep still.  I’m afraid that patience is not one of my virtues but I persevered and got some O.K. snaps.  I can’t say that they come anywhere near decent macro studies of insects – my technique and knowledge is not good enough yet – but it’s a start.

Anyway, I’m now hooked on macro photography.  After all, what’s not to like?  Sitting in my garden in lovely weather taking photo’s without having to move (much).

Now, all I need is a little patience…