Losing my mind!

Having forgotten my tripod whilst in Nottingham on a shoot for Model Rail last week, today I went back via Melton Mowbray to retrieve it. As my mother lives in Melton I called in to see her and while I was there I went into the  garden shed briefly. Anyway having got home I went to unlock the garage and pulled out my keys only to find that they weren't my keys, they were my mothers keys for her shed, garage and gate. So now I have to go back to Melton shortly to return her keys. This could go on and on!

Natasha Baker

I did a shoot for 'Your Horse' yesterday with Natasha Baker the Para-Dressage rider and I have to say what a lovely person she is, I've seldom worked with someone for whom nothing was too much trouble, I'd love to put a picture or two up on the blog but as they won't be out in 'Your Horse' for a few weeks yet I'd probably better not! So for now here is a link to Natasha's website, from where there is a link to her blog which, it has to be said is even more out of date than mine, probably gets a lot more views though! Anyway, best of luck Natasha getting into the Paralympic team for the games this summer.

www.natasha-baker.com

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!