Shapely Hands

I'm thinking of doing a series on shapes or hands - haven't made my mind up yet. Hands are apparently one of the hardest things to draw realistically, I think they can be quite tricky to compose well in a picture as well - It's  hard to get an accurate sense of shape.
Alternatively shape is quite a loose definition for a series, everything has shape. though I have a fair Idea of what I mean when I say shape- the series would probably be an ongoing definition of 'shape according to Ben'
Then again I could perhaps combine the two - or even run them side by side. I guess you and I will both just have to wait and see.

Anyway here is the self-made inspiration for the idea of doing something with shape/hands

I'm still not sure which of these I prefer ...

Love Oxford

I love Oxford. The weather only threatens to be bad but never follows through, the architecture is antiquated and full of character, the scenery is stunning, everything is 20 minuets walk away from everything. Some of the greatest philosophers, artists writers and creative thinkers of the last century have launched from there and it currently houses some of the loveliest people I know.

I was In Oxford again this weekend for the annual Love Oxford meeting during which all of the churches in Oxford meet together. It was also the first time I had seen my brand new sister in law in the UK which was a lot of fun. For most of the day I was too busy to be taking photos and for the rest it was quick snap shots - I had no time for visual excellence this weekend but fear not - this weekend did also mark the returning of my camera so I will be making up for the lack of activity as best I can before I shoot off to Canada this coming Friday! Busy, busy, busy!

Sleepy Oxford

Largely sleepy because my brother (the reason for whom I was in Oxford) was asleep at the time that he was meant to meet us. Anyway, Oxford is becoming a more and more familiar place to me now - to the extent that I successfully managed to lead the way from the car park to the river for a walk along its lazy banks as we waited for my brother to rouse from his slumber. Every time I visit Oxford I notice just how much more attractive it is than my home town of Bristol with its old school architecture (every other building seems to be owned by the university)  and the meandering river running through it and where there is beauty to be captured there is a camera to do just that...

 When taking this picture I thought - This would look slammin' with a wide angle lens.

My brother did eventually wake up and then we headed out for a late lunch and all was well with the world - mainly because lunch was super tasty.
All in all a lovely day.

my view on the way home - light hitting the occasional raindrop on the car window...

Also seeing as I'm making a post - here are some pictures from the day previous when a bunch of busy bees decided to grace my mothers garden.

O.K This has been a very bitty long winded sort of post so I think Ill just let it wind to an appropriately elongated sort of rolling end (and I just reminded my self of this blog) So on the off chance that anyone is actually bothering to read this tediously slow ending hope you enjoyed the post - come again soon!

Hidcote

Hidcote is a house and gardens owned by the National Trust, and is apparently where the National Trust 'learned to garden' weather this is true I do not know but it does have stunning gardens. Fortunately my mother is a member of the National Trust and so when she went I tagged along for the ride. I distinctly remember visiting Hidcote about 2 years ago and frantically running around trying to take pictures of all the amazing flowers though at the time I did not own a camera of my own and so used my mums - this time of course my 550D came along for the trip. I was like a kid in a candy store ...