depth of field

orchid



Six-Spot Burnet Moth

On Saturday I had the opportunity to participate in a wildlife photography course for beginners. It was arranged by the suffolk wildlife trust and held at their Carlton Marshes site. We were gently guided through the day by Kevin who encouraged us to be brave and not use the automatic settings on our cameras but to experiment with different appertures and shutter speeds.

 

As you adjust the apperture and shutter speed you change the depth of field, the amount that will be in focus is changed. This was particularly noticeble with the background when I was taking macro photos - how "blurry" it was.

 

It led me to think about how we as humans respond to situations. Do we have a tendancy to switch on to automatic settings and respond in a way we "know" works, our safety blanket if you like? Are we brave enough to adjust our apperture and shutter speed, to take account of everthing else that is happening? Perhaps if we did this more often we would be surprised at some of the results.

longhorn beetle



drinker moth caterpillar

Trinity Sunday

Today was Trinity Sunday. I often wish that the Trinity was easy to understand and to explain.

I came across this quote from C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity “If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. How could we? We are dealing with fact. Of course, anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about.”



The Commissioning of the Disciples

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Matthew 28.16-20

Pentecost

On Sunday we celebrated Pentecost in church.

 

 

Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Holy One is here
Come bow before Him now
With reverence and fear
In Him no sin is found
We stand on holy ground
Be still for the presence of the Lord
The Holy One is here

Be still for the glory of the Lord
Is shining all around
He burns with holy fire
With splendor He is crowned
How awesome is the sight
Our radiant King of light
Be still for the glory of the Lord
Is shining all around

Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place
He comes to cleanse and heal
To minister His grace
No work too hard for Him
In faith receive from Him
Be still for the power of the Lord
Is moving in this place

Copyright © 1986 Thankyou Music

The Shepherd

The Gospel reading this morning reminded me of these photos I took last year in Nazareth.





'Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.' Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who come before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10.1-10

sunlight

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.

Joseph Addison (1672 - 1719)

Friday was a day for celebrating Wedddings. We held a Wedding in St Michael's in the morning, a happy occassion with lots of family and friends present to witness Jayne and David's marriage. It may not have made the national press but did get a mention in the Romford Recorder and everyone in church could see the whole service!

Richard and I were invited to a street party in the afternoon.



A toast to William and Kate.





The party in progress







There were plenty of Union Flags to be seen



Some reflections.









Lots of chat, games and quizzes and a certain amount of temptation.

For someone who doesn't photograph people I managed rather a lot of pictures.

Holy Saturday

A day of watching
of waiting
A day of darkness
The light seems far away
An opportunity for reflection
to ponder on what was
and what might have been
A day of uncertainty
Letting go of the past
Being released
into an unknown future
Time stretching into eternity

Good Friday

Washing One's Hands

 

Washing one's hands of the conflict

between the powerful and the powerless

means to side with the powerful,

not to be neutral.

 

Paulo Freire

 

 

The Crucifixion

 

You were one with the Father.

Then the Father turned his back on you.

You felt forsaken,

hanging there between heaven's thunder

and the dank spittle of earth.

 

For that moment you belonged nowhere.

You were love, cut off from love;

truth nailed down by lies.

You must have wanted to explode, to disintegrate,

to disappear into a void.

But that was forbidden.

And that was the test.

 

Your blood burst through your skin

and ran down like sweat.

Your sweat ran cold

and drained into your heart.

The universe caught hold of your pain.

The sun went blind with grief.

The earth shivered in shock.

History was torn in two.

 

I stood at a distance,

my collar turned up,

like a murderer witnessing

a wrongful arrest.

 

Steve Turner

Maundy Thursday

a foretaste of things to come.



A day of story telling;

the Passover

the Last Supper

Foot washing

The Garden of Gethsemane



When Jesus Shared

When Jesus shared his bread and wine
and faced his final day -
Did we not promise, we will stay?

When Jesus in Gethsemane
asked us to watch and pray -
Did we not sleep the night away?

When Judas kissed him on the cheek
and soldiers took our Lord to slay -
Did we not also run away?

When Jesus was reviled and mocked
and we were asked to own his name -
Did we not also love betray?

When Jesus walked towards his cross
and stumbled on the way -
Were we not hidden far away?

Colin Ferguson

Palm Sunday

Cross-marked beast
bearing cross-burdened Christ,
what is you message today
as you travel the palm-strewn way?
Stumbling on a stony track,
people's coats on your back,
you were chosen for faithfulness.
This is a calling we share,
as the cross-marked hill
comes closer still.
Your job is to carry him today,
yesterday's weight forgotten;
tomorrow's burden still uncertain.
May we, his cross-marked people
bear him just as faithfully.
Janet Lees

Classic London

There are some classic London icons



Red London Buses



Telephone Box

Oranges and Lemons - a twist

Reflections by Waterloo Bridge

There were some mirrors on the wall by the side of Waterloo bridge where the refurbishments were taking place. They gave an interesting perspective of the Thames.

London Bridges

An alternative view of Waterloo Bridge