Welcome

Large skipper butterfly, Ochlodes faunus.  Canon 400D, Tamron 90mm macro.

For nearly two years I've posted illustrated gardening, garden wildlife and related articles at my other blog, John & Maria's Garden Pages, a continuation of a website I first started in 1997.  What there hasn't been room for on that site are postings that are about the photographic techniques, equipment and the processes used to produce the end results that have featured on my other blog and elsewhere on the net.  So the obvious thing to do was set up another blog to cover these areas.

Two things are important to understand my photography and how this blog will be oriented.  Firstly, I use Canon DSLR equipment.  Secondly, I'm a relatively poor photographer.  By that I mean I don't have a lot of money to spend.  Equipment costing over £500 ($700 / €600) is beyond my reach.  Anything much over £100 is a major purchase that requires careful consideration.  Which brings me back to the first point.  I use Canon DSLR based gear purely because my first digital SLR was the 300D, bought back in December 2004 to supplement - and then rapidly replace - my Olympus OM film cameras and lenses.  At the time it was the only affordable DSLR - and subsequent purchases have locked me into the Canon system.  Put simply, I don't have the money to change to or experiment with Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax or other DSLR based systems.  I'm not complaining, just stating a fact.

Which means that what you'll get here is the musings of a budget limited, Canon DSLR equipment based, garden, plant, insect, macro, landscape and wildlife photographer.  I hope I'll provide material of interest.