TINY TUESDAY - BLACKTHORN

It's a good job that not much housework is needed or done in our house because I have just spent the best part of two hours fartnarkling and trying to get a shot that I am happy with for today's Blip!

I went out just after 8 o'clock to cut a branch off the Blackthorn that is behind our fence because I had noticed from the bedroom window that it was flowering.  This was obviously a Blackthorn hedge before our houses were built and this part still remains.  I'm sure this is Blackthorn because having consulted Mr. Google, he says:

"With blackthorn, it is flowers before leaves, but with the hawthorn, it is leaves before flowers. The blackthorn flowers first around April and the Hawthorn blossoms later, around May. This is why it is also known as the May tree."

I took lots of photographs both on my iPhone and with my Panasonic TZ100 camera - with a black background - yes, my black velvet trousers once again - and with a sheet of white card.  I have never been good with white balance and all that malarkey, so knew I would have to look at them on the computer screen to make sure I was happy.  However, I did turn up the exposure with the white background, because I wanted the shot to have a "soft" look.

I liked the ones with the black background, but was also happy with the softer look, until I asked Mr. HCB his opinion!  As soon as he saw the "soft" look, his question was, "Don't you think you need a darker background?"  This rather threw me, as I thought he, too, would have liked the "softer" and "not quite so sharp" look, especially as I showed him that one first, but obviously I was wrong!

When I questioned him about his comments, he said that he knew I liked my subject to be sharp and therefore was just going along with what he thought I liked.  I said that I also liked some things to be "soft" and that was the look I was after today.

We had quite a discussion about this - and all before 10 in the morning!
I then decided to take a few more shots in the conservatory with the Blackthorn branch in my light tent on the table in the conservatory to see if I could take any better shots.  I know that perhaps I should be playing my Domestic Goddess role, but as I've said before, no-one comes to visit, so why worry?

Eventually, I whittled the shots down to seven I liked and asked Mr. HCB for his opinion once again - as he came in from the conservatory, his comment was, "Are you sure you want me to put the mockers on it?"  I said I was happy for him to be critical, because I was, so between us we got it down to two shots that we both liked.

The one with the white background, which I have used as my main shot, for Tiny Tuesday, was taken in the kitchen with the Panasonic TZ100 and there is a slight shadow on the left, which I'm not that keen on - but I like the softness of this shot and it’s my favourite.  However, I have put the one with the black background in as an extra, which was taken with the iPhone and was Mr. HCB's favourite.  It would be interesting to hear your views.

I think I have spent enough time on my Blip for today and perhaps I should now go and "do" some Domestic Goddess chores - while Mr. HCB has decided not to go into the garden, but is sitting enjoying the sunshine in the conservatory and doing a Sudoku puzzle - he says he isn't interested in being a Domestic God!

"Regarding the creative: 
     never assume you're the master, 
          only the student. 
Your audience will determine 
     if you're masterful."
Don Roff