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Harvest_Mouse_Diana_Walker
Have van will travel!
Diana takes us through her year!
10/12/2021
Long -time NRPS member Diana Walker is an accomplished artist and photographer of wildlife who regularly packs cat and camera into her camper van, travelling far and wide to venues and courses that allow her to practice her hobbies, and perfect her craft. She entertained us on a cold, wet December evening with tales of her travels far and wide, in search of subjects close to her heart.
Diana seeks out providers that care lovingly for the captive wildlife they allow photographers to access, and she spends hours in hides and shelters, or in the open fields making the most of the natural surroundings, as well as the man-made reflective pools, that make her images so endearing. Foxes and Kites featured prominently, along with a range of birds of prey and Harvest Mice, but Owls are of particular interest, and many of her photos are then transformed into paintings at a later date, and used to produce cards and prints for sale at local events.
The extent of Diana’s travels was very evident, as we were presented with arrays of very skilful images of animals the rest of us would rarely catch sight of, or possibly even be able to identify- Wild Boar from Wales, Polecats and Pinemartins, Beaver and Lynx as well as the more recognisable Badgers and Red Squirrels. She goes to zoos such as Marwell and country parks and estates, such as Longleat, for animals native to other lands. Lions, Tigers, African Wild Dogs Kudu Koalas, and all manner of rodent species featured prominently , and Slimbridge provided the more sedate bird and insect species that Diana takes so well in close up.
Diana has taken advantage of the many walks the club has embarked on during this strangest of years, and she showed us views of Beckington and Monkton Combe, as well as those on her own doorstep from Radstock and Haydon Batch – walks that she herself had led. Moths and Butterflies, Lizards and Goslings will always distract and draw Diana wherever she roams, but visits to local woods usually find her highly focused on the fungi that abound at ground level, and she is the font of all knowledge on these! Town and Cityscapes are less her “thing”, but Diana has taken many photos in year, of which she can be proud, that are outside her comfort zone, and trips to Bristol and Frome as well as the East Somerset Railway in Cranmore ensured there was much quality photography to admire and to talk about, in what was a thoroughly pleasant evening on Zoom.
Next week, before we break for the holidays, members will meet in Bath to follow the light trail and seek out some seasonal cheer, on what is the traditional annual Chairperson’s evening.
Jenny Short 10.12.2021
Members are reminded to submit 4 entries for POY 2021 to Jill - deadline first Thursday back in January, and also to think of the three favourite photos on any subject they would like to put forward for Margot to judge before she awards the Witcombe Trophy at our annual dinner 24th February. Deadline for this is January 20th
The Chairperson's evening will begin in Charlotte St Car Park in Bath at 6.30pm on Thursday 1th December. Come armed with camera and be prepared to indulge in the light trail and some Christmas cheer! Do please check e mails and Whats App group Walks R Us on the day in case the weather is bad or we have to cancel for any reason on the day.
Diana seeks out providers that care lovingly for the captive wildlife they allow photographers to access, and she spends hours in hides and shelters, or in the open fields making the most of the natural surroundings, as well as the man-made reflective pools, that make her images so endearing. Foxes and Kites featured prominently, along with a range of birds of prey and Harvest Mice, but Owls are of particular interest, and many of her photos are then transformed into paintings at a later date, and used to produce cards and prints for sale at local events.
The extent of Diana’s travels was very evident, as we were presented with arrays of very skilful images of animals the rest of us would rarely catch sight of, or possibly even be able to identify- Wild Boar from Wales, Polecats and Pinemartins, Beaver and Lynx as well as the more recognisable Badgers and Red Squirrels. She goes to zoos such as Marwell and country parks and estates, such as Longleat, for animals native to other lands. Lions, Tigers, African Wild Dogs Kudu Koalas, and all manner of rodent species featured prominently , and Slimbridge provided the more sedate bird and insect species that Diana takes so well in close up.
Diana has taken advantage of the many walks the club has embarked on during this strangest of years, and she showed us views of Beckington and Monkton Combe, as well as those on her own doorstep from Radstock and Haydon Batch – walks that she herself had led. Moths and Butterflies, Lizards and Goslings will always distract and draw Diana wherever she roams, but visits to local woods usually find her highly focused on the fungi that abound at ground level, and she is the font of all knowledge on these! Town and Cityscapes are less her “thing”, but Diana has taken many photos in year, of which she can be proud, that are outside her comfort zone, and trips to Bristol and Frome as well as the East Somerset Railway in Cranmore ensured there was much quality photography to admire and to talk about, in what was a thoroughly pleasant evening on Zoom.
Next week, before we break for the holidays, members will meet in Bath to follow the light trail and seek out some seasonal cheer, on what is the traditional annual Chairperson’s evening.
Jenny Short 10.12.2021
Members are reminded to submit 4 entries for POY 2021 to Jill - deadline first Thursday back in January, and also to think of the three favourite photos on any subject they would like to put forward for Margot to judge before she awards the Witcombe Trophy at our annual dinner 24th February. Deadline for this is January 20th
The Chairperson's evening will begin in Charlotte St Car Park in Bath at 6.30pm on Thursday 1th December. Come armed with camera and be prepared to indulge in the light trail and some Christmas cheer! Do please check e mails and Whats App group Walks R Us on the day in case the weather is bad or we have to cancel for any reason on the day.