What’s The Story? | 20th April 2015

Hello everyone, welcome to What’s The Story for w/c 20th April. Thank you to those of you that joined in last week.

The past few days have been all change at the Doves. I finished working in London so I have a couple of days free this week to take a breath and hopefully cut-through a whopper of a to do list! My #whatsthestory post this week focuses on the primary school challenges we’re currently facing – who knew it was such a minefield!

How to join in

What’s The Story? enables you to share the stories behind your favourite photographs. To join in all you have to do is share a photograph and the story behind it. You can write as little or much as you like and your photo/s can be from any time. The Linky is open every Monday until the following Sunday.

Feel free to use the What’s The Story? badge or include a link to PODcast in your post and do share some comment love too. There’s a community on Google Plus so do pop over if you haven’t already. We’re at Charly Dove or PODcast.

Grab the badge!

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The B&W Photography Project | Week #41

Hello everyone, welcome to week #41 of the Black and White Photography Project. Thank you so much to those of you that joined in last time.

Thought we’d take a little amble around Covent Garden this week. These photographs were taken one evening after working in London en route to Waterloo.

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How to join in 

To join in with the Black & White Photography Project, just link up a short post featuring a black and white photograph or black and white photographs. The photograph/s can be from any time – both old and new are welcome. You’ll find a post on how to create better black and white photographs here.

Don’t forget to share on Instagram using #bwphotoproject. You can also share your posts and photos in the B&W Photography Project Facebook Group.

Grab the badge! 

Feel free to grab the #bwphotoproject badge (you’ll find a monochrome one here).

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Pinterest loveliness

PODcast now has nearly 2,600 followers on Pinterest. If you’re looking for monochrome inspiration, do check out the Black and White Photography board. It features some incredible photographs from artists all over the World.

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: B&W Photography Project on Pinterest.



Orchids in the jungle

Having a day off when you’ve had a few months with little time to yourself is very exciting! Although I should have had a cheeky doze and caught up on some much needed sleep, the orchids were calling.

We were RHS Wisley as a family recently to see the butterflies but it’s been a while since I’ve ventured there on a week day. And I love orchids!

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If you’ve not been to RHS Wisley before, the Glasshouse is huge and has three temperate zones. My favourite is the tropical zone. Not just because it’s c.30 degrees inside but because it’s always brilliant. On this occasion a jungle setting with orchids hanging from above. Did I say I adore orchids?!

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It was almost as if you were wandering through an enchanted garden and everything around you was perfect. I’ve really missed seeing the colourful blooms while I’ve been in London – it was like heaven. For once I didn’t even mind waiting for my camera to acclimatise.

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Although I really wanted the place to myself, I was happy just wandering around in a daze taking it all in.

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There was so much variation in colour and the types of orchids on display.

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Plus the environment was something else, just beautiful.

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As were these Ladies Slippers – the detail is incredible.

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What a fabulous location to take time out and gain a little head space. And just because I took too many photographs, I will leave you with some more bloom loveliness.

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Linking up with Mammasaurus for How Does Your Garden Grow?

The Alphabet Project | N is for nature

Hello everyone and welcome to letter N of the Alphabet Photography Project. Thank you to those of you that joined in with letter M last week.

Monday saw me take a day off for the first time in quite a while so I thought I’d share this colourful beauty. There’s something special about getting up close and capturing the detail in the every day. Nature at its very best!

How to join in #alphabetphoto 

To join in with the Alphabet Photography Project, all you need to do is link up a post with a photograph that represents the letter N. It’s your call on how you interpret the theme – it might be an object, an adjective or a representation of that letter.

Your photograph can be from any time too so don’t feel you have to take a fresh one each week! You can join in every week or once in a while too, it’s entirely up to you.

If you need any hints, head over to the Alphabet Photography Project page.

You can also join the #alphabetphoto project on Instagram (PODcast is here). Feel free to link up your Instagram photo here too. You can also share your post in the Pinterest and Facebook groups or in the Google+ community.

The Alphabet Photography Project runs weekly with a new letter every Wednesday. You can link up your post anytime from that day to the following Tuesday.

Grab the #alphabetphoto badge! 

Inspiration on Pinterest 

PODcast now has almost 2,500 followers on Pinterest. There are some awesome photos on the #alphabetphoto Pinterest board.

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: B&W Photography Project on Pinterest.



Photographs from the Southbank

The London Eye is always an immense sight but on this particular day it was spectacular. What a brilliant way to welcome in the working day – blue skies, sunshine and a Costa coffee.

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Although it’s been a while since setting foot inside a pod, the walk from Waterloo to Farringdon has seen me stand beneath this enormous structure many times.

It’s impossible to walk past without photographing it. All too often I find myself leaning backwards to capture a different perspective – it almost makes you giddy!

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The prospect of photographing buildings and boats didn’t appeal when I was working in London initially. But over recent months, capturing the architectural delights of our City has proved pretty special. The fondness is no doubt understandable having lived in the big smoke for nearly 20 years before moving to Surrey.

Early morning along the Southbank is so peaceful. You can hear the seagulls, you can smell the sea and you gain some much needed head space.

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It’s almost as if you’re an onlooker to London waking up. The roads on the other side of the Thames gradually get busier as does the volume of people heading over the nearby bridges.

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There was so much to look at and with the sky so blue, it was impossible not to stop every now and again to take it all in.

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Even the skate park got a look in, there was no-one there. Like the change to the rest of the Southbank, evenings see it full of wannabes showing each other impressive jumping skills.

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It may seem hard to believe but there’s even a little beach. Yes it’s not Greece but it’s a stones throw away from the City and great to stroll along when the tide’s out. Frequented by all manner of birds, it’s that final piece of calm before reaching the hustle and bustle of EC2.

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On the days the tide is in, there are still plenty of opportunities to take in the surroundings.

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Before picking up the pace, heading over Blackfriars Bridge and along Farringdon Road.

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Linking up with #whatsthestory here on PODcast.


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What’s The Story? | 13th April 2015

Hello everyone, welcome to What’s The Story for w/c 13th April. Thank you to those of you that joined in last week.

So the daily commute to London came to an end on Friday. Thankfully it’s not goodbye to the wonderful folk I’ve been working with as I’ll continue to work with them part-time from home. It seemed only right I share a few recent faves from the Southbank.

How to join in

What’s The Story? enables you to share the stories behind your favourite photographs. To join in all you have to do is share a photograph and the story behind it. You can write as little or much as you like and your photo/s can be from any time. The Linky is open every Monday until the following Sunday.

Feel free to use the What’s The Story? badge or include a link to PODcast in your post and do share some comment love too. There’s a community on Google Plus so do pop over if you haven’t already. We’re at Charly Dove or PODcast.

Grab the badge!

photo 4d06e438-4e6a-4f3b-88b2-0c1093350397_zps361ad0e9.jpg



The B&W Photography Project | Week #40

Hello everyone, welcome to week #40 of the Black and White Photography Project. Thank you so much to those of you that joined in last time.

This is a photograph of POD (who had dressed herself) on the hunt for potion ingredients. In this instance, they came in the form of magnolia petals. Also stirred into this wonderful concoction were were leaves and colouring. Once finished the potion was given to the fairies that live in the garden. Obviously!

How to join in 

To join in with the Black & White Photography Project, just link up a short post featuring a black and white photograph or black and white photographs. The photograph/s can be from any time – both old and new are welcome. You’ll find a post on how to create better black and white photographs here.

Don’t forget to share on Instagram using #bwphotoproject. You can also share your posts and photos in the B&W Photography Project Facebook Group.

Grab the badge! 

Feel free to grab the #bwphotoproject badge (you’ll find a monochrome one here).

photo 4d06e438-4e6a-4f3b-88b2-0c1093350397_zps361ad0e9.jpg

Pinterest loveliness

PODcast now has nearly 2,600 followers on Pinterest. If you’re looking for monochrome inspiration, do check out the Black and White Photography board. It features some incredible photographs from artists all over the World.

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: B&W Photography Project on Pinterest.



The Alphabet Project | M is for miracle

Hello everyone and welcome to letter M of the Alphabet Photography Project. Thank you to those of you that joined in with letter L last week.

This week something amazing happened – POD looked at camera without making a silly face! She never normally looks in my direction and when I do capture her, its because she’s been caught unawares some distance away. It’s for that reason, letter M just had to be for miracle!

How to join in #alphabetphoto 

To join in with the Alphabet Photography Project, all you need to do is link up a post with a photograph that represents the letter M. It’s your call on how you interpret the theme – it might be an object, an adjective or a representation of that letter.

Your photograph can be from any time too so don’t feel you have to take a fresh one each week! You can join in every week or once in a while too, it’s entirely up to you.

If you need any hints, head over to the Alphabet Photography Project page.

You can also join the #alphabetphoto project on Instagram (PODcast is here). Feel free to link up your Instagram photo here too. You can also share your post in the Pinterest and Facebook groups or in the Google+ community.

The Alphabet Photography Project runs weekly with a new letter every Wednesday. You can link up your post anytime from that day to the following Tuesday.

Grab the #alphabetphoto badge! 

Inspiration on Pinterest 

PODcast now has almost 2,500 followers on Pinterest. There are some awesome photos on the #alphabetphoto Pinterest board.

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: The Alphabet Photography Project on Pinterest.