Both Dead & Alive...

This silver birch seemed to have both skeletal and living branches...

Found out on the walk with my father's dog on the New Forest just behind his farm, I was drawn to the shape of these lower limbs, as they spread out towards the edges of the frame. I used a small aperture to purposefully get a starburst, to accentuate the bright, blazing sunshine.

Yes, my father's 81st birthday went well enough, but no great pictures, indeed almost none at all as he is hardly the most willing of photographic subjects (least willing, more like.) Those feeling left out can see his much bigger 80th birthday blip.

The walk with the dog helped counteract the calories from the delicious birthday cake but the common that we always go to is limited in it what it offers, no old trees, as it was previously gravel workings.

To look closer in LARGE

Lens is the little Tamron 17-50mm f2.8