Playing about.

It's not too often these days that I get the chance to play around and experiment with photography.
Today I had a rare day...a chance to get out with my wife, as she went to a couple of business meetings. While she laboured inside the ridiculously outdated 1970's office building - which looked like it had been designed by short-sighted chimpanzees with learning difficulties - I enjoyed the last few rays of our mini heatwave here in the UK, before the clouds came over with the threat of subsequent thunder storms.

Ok, so the office was an eyesore, and on the other side of it was about 5 square miles of building site...but, squashed in between the two eyesores there was by a pretty canal, and although I couldn't move too far up and down the bank I was able to wander away a few feet to sit by some reeds and take in the wildlife around me. I need a telephoto lens - badly! I have always adored the way that water reflections look as if they have been painted in with wonderfully, rough brush strokes...creating a surreal fantasy landscape of their own. I love most forms of artwork, but I'm always interested in Victorian paintings. Something about the clean brushstrokes and strong images maybe, but I did enjoy spending a few minutes trying to create a 'Victorianised' version of a photo I took.

When you only have about 20 feet of riverbank to play with and too much time on your hands, it's always good to see visitors. Word had obviously spread among the local Duck community concerning the arrival of the latest fashion in sockwear - namely purple and black stripes. Here, Quentin Quackfast, chief fashion editor for the 'Daily Ducky' checks out the hot gossip.

After a childhood which had frequent bouts of laying on grass and cloud-watching, I still enjoy seeing shapes in nature and putting 'stories' to them. Here, we clearly see a giant bunny tree on the right. The other trees to the left of the picture are most likely parents. The small one in front of them, gingerly reaching out to stroke the rabbit...well, it has to be the infantry...doesn't it? Shouldn't it? Ahhh...c'mon...