My favourite shots of Vilamoura

I didn't take my camera on holiday this time as we had weight restrictions due to only having hand luggage.  So all of these were taken using my iPhone 6.

Just a few shots which will make me remember my holiday in Vilamoura, Portugal fondly.  (forgetting the rain  ; )

Some more camera shots, with colour selector

Last week I shared a few photos with you, after playing with my new camera.  You can find the post HERE if you want to look back.

This week I played with a fabulous little effect called "Colour Selector", and here are a few shots for you to look at   :)

The camera picks out the colour you set it to pick out, and leaves the rest black & white.   Quite effective don't you think?

The next two shots are the same rosehip bush but selecting a different colour.  One picking out the rosehips and the next picking out the leaves.

And here is one I took in a restaurant, I like the atmosphere it hints at, moody with a hint of red passion  :)

Then there is this one.  The red selection has picked out the colour in the wine, the chilli in the naan and the tomatoes on top of the Biryani  :)

Such fun.  (little things please little minds, as they say.)

My new camera & some B&W shots

A few days ago, when I was visiting my parents, Daddy L mentioned that he had treated himself to a new camera, and wondered if I might like his old one  :)

Well, how could I refuse such an offer.  The camera that I have at the moment, and love, was also one of his old ones and I do like to have a play with it, shooting all sorts of rubbish and things that look interesting - well to me anyway.

Daddy L has a photography Facebook page, click HERE to go and visit if you like, and see what he does.

My new toy is a Nikon Coolpix P510 Bridge Camera with a 43x wide optical zoom lens, which is rather nice  :)

I was a little bit in awe of all the fabulous features it has.  One being black & white shooting. Now, I know, you can easily edit photos to end up being black & white with a computer program, but it's really nice to see them as you shoot.

Another feature it has is 'colour selection' where you can choose one single colour that the camera picks out with the rest of the image being black & white - I feel I might have some fun with that one!

In the meantime, here are some black and white shots that I took on my walk round the park the day after getting it   :)

If you would like to see a few more that I took at the same time, you can find them on my photography Facebook page  :)

Weston-Super-Mare - in photographs.

If you like you can see more photos HERE.

Cheddar Gorge

I've always wanted to visit Cheddar Gorge, so as we were, kinda, passing on the way home from Cornwall to Cumbria, we thought we should pop in.

Not sure what I expected, but not quite what it was.  I thought it was just caves to be honest, but the gorge itself was breathtakingly beautiful.

And inside the caves was just as exciting.  I was trying out loads of different flash settings, but many of my pictures turned out pants - lesson learnt there then!

I totally love the colours and formations in some of the rock faces.

In one part there was these little Goblin things, that were only shown up now and again with lighting, otherwise they couldn't be seen.  My darling Hubster had spotted them before me and sneaked up behind me and did a Golum impression ("Filthy little Bobbitses") in my ear.  I jumped a mile, swore loudly and profusely, then sulked with him for ages.

We visited the two caves, I have to say though I REALLY wanted to see more Stalactites and Stalagmites than was there, and I REALLY wanted my photos to pick out all the wonderful colours in the caves.  But both disappointed.

Then it was time for the Jacobs Ladder walk - a 274 step (YES, STEPS) up the side of the gorge.

My thoughts were, I'm gonna have a heart attack, I'm gonna pant and puff like the fat bird that I am, I'm gonna kick any children that try to run past me, I'm gonna cry!

Deep breath.... and GO !

The view from 28 steps.

The view from 79 steps.

The view from 137 steps.

The view forward at 200 steps.

The view from 274 steps - only another 46 to go!

The view from the top of the tower, towards Cheddar Reservoir.

See, I did it!  My knees shook all the way back down and for an hour afterwards  :)  AND, to add insult to injury, I blooming well nettled myself.  I have not been nettled for about 30 years and boy, it stung.

For more of my Cheddar Gorge & Cave photos please click HERE.

Portishead - in photographs

We stayed at Portishead as a stop off on the journey home from Cornwall to Cumbria.

The plan was to visit Cheddar Gorge and the Travelodge at Portishead was the cheapest in the area  :)

I'll share our visit in photos....

A walk down Portishead Docks.

Admiring the sculptures along the dock side.

Looking at the bridge that leads into Wales.

Buying bread in a nearby Supermarket to feed the swans.

Going out for dinner to a restaurant we found on Trip Advisor.

Taking a local's recommendation and travelling a few miles to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

It cost us 50p each way to travel over the bridge.

Wondering how two of us were going to fit into a Travelodge double bed!