More Autumn Clean-up Jobs

In a follow-up to the previous posting, we have photos of the intrepid gardeners who trundled down to the Parade Square after finishing their work at the Cove Garden. Enthusiasm was not quite a match for the cold wind, however, and the work party broke up shortly after the initial start.

The morning finished on a cheerful note when Sylvia arrived, pushing before her a wheelbarrow loaded with hot tea and goodies to be shared among all the chilled volunteers.

The same evening brought out a contingent of more than 15 members to hear Grant Dixon, a former president of the Bridgewater Photographic Society, who gave an interesting presentation on Photographing Your Garden.

Mr. Dixon discussed a variety of principles of composition and passed on such tips as changing alignment, considering abstraction, rethinking balance and light, and even "breaking the rules". One tip that might prove useful to many photographers in the great outdoors was the concept of using a simple piece of cord to create an improvised tripod when a steady hand is required.

After attaching a 1/4 inch 20-bolt screw to the small hole under the camera that is intended for an actual tripod, you pass a cord through the ring of the screw, allowing the cord to dangle to the ground. If you then step on the lower end of the cord, you can create a tension that will in fact hold the camera steady. This improvised "tripod" could be very useful for any photographer who has forgotten to bring along the necessary equipment, when taking nature photos in the future.