As I write this on the 39th January! It must be the Winter blues that makes January seem so long. This dark and dismal weather doesn't help either.

I started the year like I always do with a couple of Classic car shows, both at my favourite venues. Brooklands museum in Surrey and Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire. There was a great selection of cars at both events which kept me busy filling memory cards on both cameras. I use two set ups at car shows. A mid zoom lens of 70-200mm which is great for distant shots (saves walking!) and a 24-120mm lens for close-up wide angle shots. 

1940 Ford1940 Ford
Brooklands New Years Day Classic Gathering 2020. 1940's Ford at Brooklands museum taken with the 70-200mm mid zoom lens.

Mini ClubmanMini Clubman
January Scramble 2020, Bicester Heritage, Oxon. Mini Clubman at Bicester heritage. Lens used was the 24-120mm wide angle. Getting low down with this lens makes the car fill the frame.

Wildlife photography is my main topic of interest and it can get frustrating when the weather is lowsy. But in mid January we had a few bright chilly mornings which I made the most of. Richmond Park in London is a great place for photography even more so when the temperatures drop below zero.

You can get great shots of the deer with steam coming off them as they warm up and thaw the ice on their backs. I did manage to catch the red deer taking an early morning dip in -2°C temperatures. Very hardy animals. 

Steaming Red deer in Richmond Park.

Red deer (Cervus elaphus)Red deer (Cervus elaphus)
Richmond Park, London. Early morning tustle for these young stags.

I managed a trip to the British wildlife centre in Surrey for the sole purpose of seeing the young otter kits. I managed to see one and nearly filled one of my memory cards photographing these stunning animals! There is always something else to photograph here. The red squirrels are quite active in Winter which are always entertaining.

Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
British wildlife centre, Surrey.

Red squirrel.

Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra)Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra)
British wildlife centre, Surrey. Mum and one of her 2 month old kits. British wildlife centre.

The last weekend of the month I called in at Bushy Park to find a Nosy Old Deer peering through somebodies window. I've seen some sights in 40+ years in photography but nothing like this! Very amusing. The stag was there for around 10 minutes but wasn't too happy when he turned round and walked away.

Red deer (Cervus elaphus)Red deer (Cervus elaphus)
Bushy park, London.

Not a happy stag! Bushy Park.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my latest photographic exploits.

As for next month I'm playing it by ear, relying on the good old British weather. Hopefully a few more chilly starts. I may go an see the Ragged Victorians at the end of February. They are on the SS Great Britain in Bristol if you are out that way. 

Please continue to upload your photographs to my Photo's Page. There are some great photographs being posted.

Many more of my images can be viewed on my flickr page and Instagram.

Thanks

Steve