Brenda’s Photo Challenge–Repeating Patterns

Well Brenda seems to be seeing repeating patterns everywhere so much so that she wants to see even more so this challenge has been set as photographing repeating patterns.

Well I can certainly see a few patterns repeating in this silver ball sculpture, can you?

As the weather has been nice recently (although the last couple of days has been cooler) many people would have been down the beach and seen the repeating pattern of these beach huts.

When you look at lots of buildings they are festooned with repeating patterns much like this one with all its columns and arches.

Churches are also a great place to find repeating patterns from the beautiful ornate rose window to the repeating pattern of the brick work.

One of the best place to find repeating patterns though is nature herself. Have a look closely in a flower like the one below and you will see what I mean.

Did you find all the repeating patterns in the photos I haven't counted them maybe some bright spark out there will be able to find them all. When you have drop in on the others completing the Brenda challenge to see what repeating patterns they have come up with.

On a slightly different note those in the UK and many of you around the world can’t have missed that today has been a very special day for two people, Kate Middleton & Prince William.

They married this morning 29th April 2011 in Westminster Abbey London.

Millions of people celebrated the royal wedding across Britain and the world.

Congratulations William & Kate (now formally to be know as their Royal highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge). May you enjoy your life together.

If you like what you’ve seen you might want to start your own repeating pattern and come back regularly for more photo updates you never know what you might find.

Thanks for stopping by.

Header Challenge 27th April 2011–Speed.

This week we have the need for “Speed” as our header theme well speed anyway. I thought I could continue bringing you some animals from Woburn thinking at least some of them must be showing some speed in one or two of my photos.

Unfortunately, they were all having a slow lazy day due to the heat, it was one of the hottest days of the year so far when we visited.

The wolves were just lying around…

Now I’m sure you all know they can be fast when they want to be, when they are running in packs to hunt.

These ones though just wanted to lie around or stroll slooowwly around their area of parkland.

They even stopped to have the odd dip in a pool by the side of the road. This wolf had just got out…

So I’m afraid not much in the way of speed there so to finish I’ve included a photo of one of their mad distant cousins who does enjoy running fast (mostly anyway, sometimes he’s lazy too).

However for my header I’ve decided to go down a different track completely. As it’s been so sunny and warm here recently, the washing has been out on the spin airier in the garden. So with the back drop of the bright yellow rapeseed growing in the field next to our house, I used a tripod and a longish exposure to capture the movement of the washing spinning at speed on the line.

I hope you think it’s worked.

Remember to speed over to view the other headbangers posts and headers after letting me know what you think of this weeks take on speed.

Woburn Savannah

As promised following my Rhino post the other day here are some of the other animals that share the savannah plains at Woburn.

We have the Zebra or Equus burchellii. They can live up to 35 years and weigh in at about 300-320kg.

A group as in the above photograph is called a “dazzle”. The closest relative to the zebra is unsurprisingly the horse but, surprisingly the next closest relative is the Rhino, they have the same dentitional formula, and a similar bone structure.

The Ostrich is the worlds largest bird, although flightless it can still run at speeds of up to 43 mph (70kph).

Did you know?

The ostrich has the largest eye of any land animal. Its eye measures almost 2 in (5 cm) across.

They can grow to a height of  7 to 9 ft. (2.1 to 2.7 m) and weigh an impressive 220 to 350 lbs. (100 to 160 kg) that’s one big bird.

The park is full of various types of antelope too. I really like this photo [above] because the bird has been caught in mid flight giving a dramatic feel a life to the setting. Unfortunately I can’t claim credit for this on as it was taken by my wife Mel (they were on her side of the car) well done Mel for getting such a good shot. Some of the other photos here were also taken by Mel.

Woburn is home to the African Ungulate Conservation Centre simply known as the “Antelope House”. It’s focus is to house and help endangered African antelope and other hoofed mammals(ungulates) and is the focus for many breeding and conservation programmes.

The way the road winds through the park land enables you to appreciate these animals intermingling together as they would in the wild, well as much as is possible to do anyway. If you haven’t already visited Woburn Safari Park or something similar near you then I strongly suggest a visit I’m sure you will enjoy it and don’t forget your camera.

I’ll bring you more shots from the different areas of parkland in future posts thanks for visiting and come back soon.

White Rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum.

On Tuesday, to celebrate our Wedding anniversary (21 years), we took a family day out to Woburn Safari Park. One of the first animals we came across was also one of the largest, the White Rhino Ceratotherium simum. They average a staggering 3.7 - 4 m (12 - 13 ft.) in length, weigh up to 2.3 tonnes (2.25 tons) and have a life expectancy of  40 - 50 Years.

The rhino’s roam freely through the sweeping grassland and trees of the park to simulate how they would do in the wild. This meant that they were constantly crossing back and forth in front of the cars. This meant there was plenty of opportunities to take photos from the window of our car. Obviously we stayed safely inside the car as they are quite formidable beasts.

Last time we went one of the rhino’s decided to rest it’s head on the bonnet of our car and had to be be nudged out of the way by the rangers Landrover. This time we were a bit more fortunate and they stayed a little distance from the car.

There are various “Crashes” (the collective noun for a herd of rhinos) as you drive through the first section of the park, interspersed with other animals of the savannah. Will show you more of these in later posts.

So there we have it, The White Rhino with it’s magnificent and majestic horns, a wonderful animal to behold but not one to get in the way of.

Header Challenge 20th April 2011– Fountain

This weeks theme is a watery one chosen by imac and is entitled “Fountain”.

Now not living in a city we don’t have much in the way of fountains so I thought I’d take a couple of trips out and get a shot or two to post. Well the other week I went to Belton House in Lincolnshire with imac and they have a nice fountain there. Unfortunately it was still switched off.

Yesterday for our Wedding anniversary we went for a family day trip to Woburn Safari park (photos to follow soon) and I thought there must be at least one fountain somewhere in the parkland there, but, no, not one. So I’m afraid I’ve had to resolve to look through my back catalogues of pictures.

I came across this one taken of Buckingham Palace and the fountains in front of it… or is it?

Leave a comment if you can you tell me what is wrong with the above photo?

I also found this one of a very high jet fountain taken in a park in the south of England…

I even found a photo of a fountain of water given off on a water flume ride…

very soggy people under that fountain of water.

But for my header I have decided to go back to one of my original ideas albeit a photo taken there last summer, I knew there was a reason for taking so many photos.

Header Challenge 13th April 2011–Fire.

This weeks challenge has been set by our newest headbanger Sandy. The theme chosen is “Fire”.

Watching flames can be very therapeutic…

Or warming on a cold night…

Or to wish Happy Birthday…

Or even the fire of a sunrise…

I have chosen however to exhibit the power of fire when used in pyrotechnics, as in my header. I hope you enjoy my take on fire. Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Remember to have a look at my fellow headbangers take on Fire.

Header Challenge 6th April 2011– Flight

It’s my choice this week and typically I forget to post on time. I’m up to my eyeballs in university assignments at the moment and I’ve got so caught up in doing that that I forgot to post please forgive me.

I chose this weeks header theme as flight.

So here are a couple of shots taken of the birds at my new garden feeder I told you about last week.

Yes the bird on the right is in flight I’ve just managed to capture the photo at the exact moment his wings are folded in.

While I was out in the garden taking these photos I even managed to get one of a flying dog…

The header I’ve used this week is of a heron just taking off from the top lake at Belton House. I took this whilst visiting Belton with my good friend and blogging buddy, Stewart (imac). It was a great visit and look forward to going again soon.

Hope you like the photos, don’t forget (like me) to drop in on the other headbangers to see what flights they have come up with.

And now back to the assignment…