The last two weeks’ Lens Artist Challenge had us focussing on all the eye could see in a single glance: seeking the symmetrical and the asymmetrical. This week we’re homing in on detail for Anne of Slow Shutter Speed.
In my last post I stayed pretty rural, and I’m doing that again, though beginning at the seaside. I think that Arctic tern in the featured photo is homing in on something: maybe something that’s bothering his newly-hatched youngsters.
Let’s go to a farm. Here are two sheep.


Did you think that a-sheep-is-a-sheep-is-a-sheep? Not at all. I’ve focussed on just six sheepy fleeces, filling the frame with six different styles of wool – I could have picked dozens more.

We’ll pop down to the duckpond. I’ve filled the frame with a female mallard. But let’s home in more closely:


We’ll get a touch exotic, and feature a peacock: yes, there are one or two farms round here that have peacocks on parade.


Sunflowers were exotic once in the UK. No longer. They’ve started to become a regular crop for some. And the bees are very pleased to have them.


Farmyards aren’t just about pretty things. There are gates and barns to be locked, and tractors to use and maintain – maybe not well enough, in this case..


So there we have it: getting up close to our findings down on the farm. I’m on my travels this week, and may not respond very promptly to comments. But I will get back to you – eventually.
In case you’re interested, reading from left to right from the top the wools represented are: Wensleydale; Cheviot; Leicester Longwool; Shetland; also Shetland; and … er … don’t know.
Such striking images – I can almost feel those fleeces. Enjoy your travels!
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Those fleeces are quite something. And thanks, I am enjoying being in Spain with the Spanish branch of the family.
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Wow, those images are filling the frame indeed, Margaret! I loved the six types of wool – what a difference. Brilliant!
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I wasn’t trying, showing you only 6. There are dozens and dozens.
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You must be using your sleepless hours to post, Margaret. That’s a great image of the tern, and I love the sunflowers too. I was wandering through some of your older posts yesterday, reminiscing about your life in France. Hope Spain is providing equal enjoyment.
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This post was scheduled before I came to Spain. Can’t do that kind of malarkey on my phone which is all I have with me. Yes, loving it – tired though. Thanks for visiting me in France.
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🤗🩷
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Fantastic images! All great, but the second sheep somehow got my attention. And the peacock too. But the simple things like the lock and tractor are charming.
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Ah thanks. I had fun choosing.
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Lovely set of pictures.
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You’ve provided an absolute feast of full frames for us. There is something oddly reassuring for me about tractor tyres. Takes me right back to my childhood!
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Love these textural frame-filling shots. Hope you’re enjoying your trip 😊
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I am. Shattered though. Two year olds these days have way more exciting diaries than I do!
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This is really my preferred way of showing pics, frame fully filled – but I also battle with myself for not being to do that because I want to show it all! Thank you for this glorious collection, highly appreciated. Where are you travelling if I may ask?
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I’m in Spain with the Spanish branch of the family. Having fun of course, but it’s also hard work. Two year olds …..
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I love the textures in those wool photos, and the duck feathers too, while the peacock detail and sunflowers are full of bright colours!
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Considering I threw it together before coming to Spain, I was quite pleased at the result. Thanks.
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Margaret, this post was well worth waiting for. I loved the tern. I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of his beak! And then the array of wools. Their textures were so inviting. And ending with rust and an old tire. What a way to fill the frame!
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Ah, thanks. I’m glad I made the effort before I left home to come here.
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What a great gallery you assembled here, Margaret! I did not know there wer such different types of wool. Also, the mallard close-up was amazing. The sharpness and detail are unique and unlike anything I’ve seen before. Beautiful photos! On another note, I almost missed your post because it did not have the “lens-artists” hashtag. I’m glad I follow your blog and saw this entry.
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Oh, thanks so much. I was sure though I’d tagged it. I scheduled it in a hurry, ahead of coming to visit family in Spain. I’ve only got my phone here and feel limited in what I can manage with it. *sigh*
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When I first started doing these challenges, I was using the hashtag in the singular form. Then, I realized it needs to be by itself and in the plural form, lens-artists. Have fun in Spain!
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Thank you. I am but it’s a working holiday in that it’s Grandparent Duty!
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Beautiful selections, Margaret! The bird capture is amazing. Love your close-up photos. The locked, and tractor are unique.
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Thanks Amy. It was fun hunting them down.
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These are all really terrific Margaret! Loved that you showed all the different types of wool – who knew?! Poor sheep tho, I guess all of the new high-tech fabrics are making the market a bit less profitable for them. Also loved your sunflower images – the one on the right really shows their incredible Fibonacci pattern. And I was drawn to the farmyard images – the photographer’s eye is always drawn for some reason to rust and age. Beautifully done!
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One of the saddest sights these days is seeing fleeces just chucked into barns after shearing. Not worth selling quite often. Still, specialist wools like these have a market. Aren’t they amazing? Yes, I liked the sunflower images too – and the rust. Thank you!
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The sheep fleeces are amazing. The last one could almost be a very curly head of human hair.
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There are some very different fleeces about. The variety always astonishes me.
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I love the photos of all the different wools. What fun post Margaret 😀
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Thanks Cee. Yes, the variety of wools is a bit astonishing.
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Tractor tyres, rusty door furniture, sunflowers and sheep fleeces – some interesting frame fillers, Margaret!
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Gotta try, Sue. Thanks.
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Yes, need to get my act together!
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Ha, I wonder if sheep all get jealous of each other’s woolstyles. “Look at her with her curly wool! Thinks she’s special.” *head toss*
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They’re fairly self-absorbed, I think!
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Oh Margaret, really beautiful photos, and so interesting with info and close up detail. We see those sheep with heads that are not that sheepish and chunky pig like bodies! Lots up on the hills here! Enjoy your travels.
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Thanks. We do sheep big time in North Yorkshire. Whereas in this corner of Spain, it’s all about parakeets and seagulls.
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Oh, those rosy winged parakeets. They get about!
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They certainly do.
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Dear Magaret,
great collection of pictures 👍 We love the six wool pictures most.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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The wool pictures are everyone’s favourite it seems. Mine too. A great weekend to you as well.
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Simply great fillers, Margaret – and the six woolen ones are my top choices! Milo might be the last one…a little bleached though…but the structure looks the same!
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How funny – dogs and sheep, easily confused! Yes, it was fun seeing the variety. I didn’t show the half.
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♥
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Oh crikey, I’m going to be chasing sheep now. Great pics!
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Oh thank you. You have plenty of sheep to go at I think.
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Google tells me the National flock is on a 15 year high…78.85 million as at Feb this year. Give or take a few. I’m going to be busy.
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😲 😂
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