Ducks crossing

While I was out on classic car shoot the other day we had to stop proceedings to guide a duck and her chicks off the road as she kept going backwards and forwards, seemingly transfixed by the traffic and was in serious danger of being run over. With a little guidance however the family were directed back through the hedge and we were able to resume our shoot (Triumph TR5, Classic Car Buyer, issue 123, page 22).

Mischief and Comet

We went over to Wisbech over easter to see a pony to consider getting for Sophie. I know we must be mad (everybody tells us so) but some friends of ours have offered Sophie the use of a stable and paddock at their farm about half a mile away from us, so she's never going to have a better and hopefully more cost effective opportunity than this. Mischief the pony with her foal, Comet is pictured right, Comet was born on Christmas day and when he has been fully weaned off his mother we should be able to take Mischief on trial, at about the end of May, so watch this space.

Spitfire shoot

On Monday I was fortunate enough to do a shoot at the Imperial War Museum Duxford with a pair of spitfires. A Triumph Spitfire sportscar and a Supermarine Spitfire fighter plane (well alright it was a trainer version which had been in service with the Irish Air Force until 1965 apparently). This was for feature's in three of the client's classic motoring magazines to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the car, being named as it was after the plane.

The client had paid a lot of money to have the use of the aircraft for a relatively short time and so my main concern was to get everything we needed shot by 1pm at which time the plane was to be put away. Having barely finished the shoot by then you can imagine my delight at being given the opportunity to have a sit in the plane before it was towed back into the hanger. Actually looking at the photograph of me you don't really have to imagine as it's written all over my face.

Worth the effort

After a tricky drive on the icy fen roads and trudging through the snow to the hide I was rewarded by a good turn out of birds, the highlight of which was this Great Spotted Woodpecker.

The snow duly arrived.

As the light was so good I decided to go to my local nature reserve to shoot the wildlife. Probably shouldn't have gone across the fens though; snow over ice with dykes on both sides!

Snow stops play

Although I have jobs waiting to be done, the snow and sub zero temperatures have so far stopped me from arranging them. I've convinced myself that it would be a hardy owner who will hang about in this cold while I shoot his classic vehicle, even assuming he'd be prepared to take it out on the salty, gritted roads. I'm shooting pictures now for spring issues of magazines which means avoiding having snow in the shots and with more snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow it could be some time yet before those shoots get done.

Rain stops play

I should be out on a shoot today for Classic & Vintage Commercials (old lorries), but the weather isn't playing ball so postponing the shoot for a few days seems to be the sensible option. Invariably when I do this I arrive on the new date to be told that I should have come on the original date as the rain stopped and the sun came out or alternatively the new date turns out to be just as bad, if not worse than the original!