2008 – My Year In Pictures

Title: Summer Fête Reflections
Location: Ingatestone
Camera: Canon EOS 30D / 100-400mm EF f/4-5.6 L IS USM
Notes: It was Ingatestone’s Summer Fête today, and the Camera Club always has an exhibition of members’ work in one of the tents. It’s one of our biggest recruiting events, as the local population is out in force, often with a camera in hand. This year, as well as the usual side shows, bouncy castle, fire engine, balloon-bending and candyfloss stalls, we were able to see sheepdogs herding geese in the main arena. And The Royal British Legion Youth Band Brentwood performed various tunes whilst showing off their marching skills. The band members must have been very hot in their bright red uniforms in the full sun. I particularly liked this shot as the instrument has been polished to within an inch of it’s life, and shows some great reflections of the other band members in the bell.

Title: Spick & Span
Location: Margaretting Church, Essex
Camera: Canon EOS 30D / 24-105mm EF f/4 L IS USM
Notes: I was intending to take a walk centred around Mountnessing Church this morning, but got distracted on the way by St. Margaret’s at Margaretting. It’s not often open, and I happened to notice the Church Wardens and a few other parishioners were in there giving it a Spring clean before Easter. There were half a dozen of them (the youngest about 4, wearing a Batman costume and brandishing a feather duster!) polishing brass, plumping up kneelers and hoovering the aisles. This picture presented itself to me as I wandered around near the Font; the brass ends of the ropes were looking very shiny in the sun, and contrasted with the lovely polished pew end.