Inspiration and mood.

I'm sat here listening to music and considering what to do this weekend. In that I really mean what/who to photograph. The red wine's kicking in and the batteries are charging.

So, do you shoot better dependent on mood?

I think I do.

There's a frame of mind which I just get totally lost with a camera in my hand.

Talk to strangers and make conversation?..... Big time.

Does it pay off?.....of course it does, people become relaxed and comfortable. What makes better people pictures?.....people.

Have a good weekend and get those shots.

Best regards

Yup mood affects me snappy wise.

Me and buddy are goign to RAF Upwood again tomorrow for some more Urbex shooting. My 4th visit and still loads I haven't covered.

Should be interesting as someone best fire to one of the buildings a couple of weeks ago and I don't know which one. I hope it's not the one with the graffiti art in

Then we're in for a treat!

Stay away from the asbo's.

Best regards

What affects me most, is lunch, I hate it. Today for example, I knew I was having lunch with a friend at 2:00PM and probably finished by 4:00PM.

Before lunch I had decided that, as it's a beautiful day and 26 degrees C outside, I'd take one of my cameras for a walk and try and bag a shot or three of a cuckoo, a hoopoe, or a newly arrived bee eater perhaps.

Fat chance. We finished at 4:15PM and I'm stuffed with huge portions of ensalada, pan, macaroni con salsa de tomate y atun, emperador con salsa verde, crema de almendras, a cafe belmonte and a cafe cortado. All washed down with a nice bottle vino tinto.

I'm more likely to take a siesta than a walk right now.

OK, OK, I don't hate it at all really . . . ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.

Translation for those interested:-

ensalada = salad
pan = bread
macaroni con salsa de tomate y atun = pasta penne with tomato and tuna sauce
emperador con salsa verde = swordfish with a garlic sauce
crema de almendras = cream of almonds with a caramel base & cream and chocolate sauce on top
cafe belmonte = strong coffee, condensed milk, & brandy (tastes like a hot Baileys)
cafe cortado = strong coffee and hot milk in equal measures
vino tinto = red wine (as if you didn't know).

The price . . . 10€ for a menu del dia (menu of the day).

Great stuff!

The bigger picture is that you are aware of the situation.

Who's in control? You are of course. Whether you are inclined to shoot or chill is down to you. The fact that you say that you may get shots?..... even better as your still focussed. As it was, you still enjoyed the time. Live it or lose it.

Best regards from Perth, WA.

Peter you are a cruel man.

It makes retiring to Spain sound like a great idea.

Still it is supposed to be 22 here tomorrow, though looking at the weather now that is hard to believe. Not sure we'll be having a 2 hour lunch though, or photographing cuckoos or bee eaters. Haven't heard a cuckoo here yet. I might go stork hunting tomorrow but most likely the day will be taken up with gardening followed by the first BBQ of the year.

My mood affects my ability to take photographs - but once I am in the mood I too get completely lost in taking photographs.

Do you get barraquito coffee in your neck of the woods Peter or is that strictly a Canaries delight?

I've not heard of that one Gwyn.

My absolute favourite after lunch coffee concoction is Cafe Asiático :-

A tablespoon of condensed milk in the bottom of the glass,
a generous ration of brandy,
an equally generous quantity of liquor 43,
a dash of cinnamon,
that mixture is steam heated and mixed,
then a cafe espresso added, and stirred,
pop in a slice of lemon, and serve.

It's absolutely gorgeous.

Cafe carajillo is more common and is just coffee and brandy. Popular with the Guardia Civil I believe.

Oh, and 2 hour lunch breaks are normal here. Shops and factories close at 2:00PM and re-open again any time between 4:00PM & 5:30PM.

Our longest lunch break to date was at our closest restaurant, La Rata (The Rat) which is about 1Km away from our house. Our lunch started at 01:45PM and finished at 8:30 PM. We had picked a day when a few of the locals, including the restaurant owner, decided to have a bit of a jam session with their guitars, mandolins, etc. It was awesome.

We have a pair that have been around for a couple of weeks now and I actually saw one of them fairly close up the other day. It was on a power line as I drive past it.

It's a Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) and is calling most of the day at the moment from shortly before sunrise, right into early evening.

I'm going to try and get some photo's of it this weekend.

That sounds similar to a barraquito - condensed milk, espresso, milk, liquor 43, lemon zest and cinnamon. Yummy.

You are making Spain sound even more attractive Peter . Way too complicated to retire there though I fear.