October, 2009:

So then, to the 25th annual Festival International du Film Ornithologique in Menigouté. Run over six days the festival is geared around a film competition which draws a remarkable range of entries from wildlife cinematogrophers from around the world.  The entire town was packed out – the streets approaching the village were heaving with parked cars and in towards the stadium and exhibition grounds it was wall to wall. An excellent range of diverse activities on offer,  multiple syposium discussions in the town hall, art exhibitions, a nature forum, off-site nature expeditions etc. etc. Checking online and I could see that many of the events were sold out. Cars in the car parks from all over Europe.

This year, for the first time there was an amateur photographic competition that was geared towards capturing images in some specific locations around Poitou-Charentes. Aimed at representing the varied landscapes and biodiversity of the region. I’ve never submitted a photo for a juried competition quite like this before and had a go. Some very worthy prizes on offer as well as a little incentive. So… not at all like me but I’d left it a little late… so late infact that I only realistically had one day to get a snap, get it printed and in the post before the competition deadline. We set out for the Lac du Cebron, one of the sites on the permitted list and just driving around scouting out sites and likely photos and there was plenty to see. Unbagged my camera bag only to discover that I’d left my camera at home, well played. Just had the point and shoot camera with me which I have as a backup (good policy that!) so we left it at that and off we went. The brief was very strict and I thought I had a good idea what the judges might be looking for. Took a handful of snaps, did nothing about them until early on the Saturday morning and couldn’t believe my luck. In one of the photos I’d taken had something remarkable in it – I was shooting some driftwood on the dried up shore of the lake only to find after the fact – it had a chrysalid in it. When I’d taken it to be printed the print looked superb… and that was another first… a 12MP print on A4 looked mindblowing – I was very very impressed and certain I was a shoe-in.

My effort didn’t win, didn’t even place but I did get a letter in the post with an invite to one of the film screenings for the film competition – a nice consolation.

First time I’ve been to a cinema in six years. Funny how as former avid cinema goers we’ve completely stopped going. The cinema was packed out. Some nice introductions by a couple of the filmmakers and then a screening.

We watched a couple of films, the standout one being from the BBC on the impact of salmon migrating back to their spawning grounds. Standing in a half frozen river watching grizzlies chow down on fish deserves more prizes than stumbling across a lump of driftwood!

Bear enjoying a fishy snack.

All told, excellent festival, good exhibitions, full of impressive art and artists work and I broke my duck at entering competitions. Now all I need to do is win one.

A long long hot summer punished the trees in the garden. We lost a few prized specimens despite a valiant effort to sustain them. A Tulipifera and a Liquidamber were notable casualties. A Lilac that I was sure was gone appears to have pulled through. A splendid Magnolia Grandiflora long gone along with two mulberry trees. A harsh toll.

We’ve lavished care and attention on the newly planted beech hedge. Spent a small fortune on watering it and even when a couple of the plants looked like they’ve snuffed it they seem to have pulled through. Everything has taken on it’s autumn robe right now and this year the colours are looking spectacular. And where there are colours there are… photographs! It’s momiji gari time.

That’s just a couple from our garden – it’s a similar story all around so I’ll get out and about and try and capture some more over the next few days and update this at the weekend.

Update… set now on flickr.

…you must first invent the universe.

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Joan’s folks were visiting in early October so on a reasonably sunny afternoon we took an autumnal stroll along the river Thouet.

John and Sue approach the viaduct

Starting at the Base de Loisirs at the back of Parthenay town, it’s possible to walk along the banks of the Thouet right through the old parts of the town, the Quartier St. Paul, the Citadel and old medieval Quartier St.Jacques and through to Chatillion Sur Thouet.

Plenty to see and photograph, from tranquil ancient  riverside houses, the medieval town centre and victorian era mega engineering. So, 19  varied (and I hope interesting!) photos in this set, please do have a look at the snaps and as ever I appreciate comments here or on flickr

A few early mornings photographic tomfoolery trying to get some meteor snaps of the Orionids and whilst they’ve been good it wasn’t quite the same as doing it in August for the Leonids. (more…)

Confession time.

I don’t understand this.

I can’t even come close to comprehending it.

It doesn’t make any sense.

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