I recently took a days workshop at the Nikon training school in central London to learn how to take my DSLR off automatic mode.  I didn’t do too bad and my final photograph where we had to put composition, white balance, shutter speed, depth of field and ISO all into one and only one snapshot taken in the street won a mini competition and was voted best photo of the day!

Since then I have had my camera firmly switched over to manual mode and have been trying to remember everything we were taught, not as easy as it sounds.  So as the weather was absolutely glorious today hubby and I decided to have a nice relaxing walk around Hyde Park, with camera.  Some are just snaps, although in manual mode, some the composition is thought about, some I really am trying to capture a moment with a fast shutter speed and some I am trying to capture the light.   Don’t judge me too harshly, its harder than it looks.

Entering Hyde Park, such a beautiful day.

There was no wind, it felt quite warm.

The roller skaters were having a great time.

Wonderful energy.

Wildfowl on the Serpentine.

Children enjoying riding lessons.

Skateboarding, they go really fast!

A pack of Poodles, cheerfully adorned in their winter coats.

More riding lessons on pretty ponies.

Seagulls perched in a line on the ridge of the roof of the boat house. But why?

So they can have a nice little sunbathe, that’s why.

Spring flowers starting to blossom.

I have no idea what either of these flowers is called.

The Serpentine from the bridge that spans the lake in the middle of Hyde Park.

And the view the other way, we will travel further on another day.

We continue our walk around the Serpentine and catch a glimpse of Diana, Princess of Wales,  Memorial Fountain.

And two balloons tied to a post, perhaps in memory, flutter in the wind.

A beautiful sculpture of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of nature, to capture your imagination.

The Serpentine Lido, open in the summer or to members of the Serpentine Swimming Club everyday between 6 a.m. and 9.30 a.m.  Brrrrr, rather them than I.  They also swim on Christmas Day which often makes for comical photographs in the media.

Pedal boats ready for the onslaught of children.

And a very lucky bird being hand fed.

Starting to lose light, it feels very peaceful and serene.

A willow lit up by the rays of the fading sun.

A lovely clump of snowdrops.  But I’m starting to lose concentration.  The ISO is too low for the light, the depth of field too shallow and the shutter speed too long, but hey, at least I got the exposure right !

Something I didn’t know.

So peaceful, so pretty.

And a final glimpse before we head home.