South African beauties

February 14, 2019January 9, 2021 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

The Protea is South Africa’s national flower. There was no better place to see them than on a recent visit to the wonderful city of Cape Town.

The botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch have the most amazing backdrop of one side of Table Mountain, boasting a treetop canopy walk among its acres of well-manicured grounds.

I made a beeline for the Protea garden with my macro lens, realising there are numerous varieties of the flowers, beautiful with blooms and after they’re gone.

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Cape Town’s botanical gardens have a majestic mountain backdrop

A garden in the north

May 7, 2017March 16, 2020 / mikeosbornphoto / 12 Comments

Manchester is a sturdy, handsome city packed with great buildings and urban power. But it’s relatively quick and easy to escape to the country and find green fields, hills and more.

Dunham Massey is a modest stately pile within the boundaries of Greater Manchester. We made a beeline for the formal gardens, which in Spring are bursting with colour. The tulips and rhododendron are out in force, while it’s that special moment of the year when the native bluebells carpet the woods. It’s soothing for the soul and easy to get snap-happy surrounded by these flowers…

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Summer grasses

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015 / mikeosbornphoto / 12 Comments

A glimpse of hot summer days and baking sunshine. Everyone has a memory of these grasses – they’re the ones you can pluck and throw as darts. They stick in hair and clothing. We’ve all done it. In a corner of west London they catch the wind and look gloriously green. Some simply lie on the tarmac, spent and useless. A simple part of nature which appears lush and complex when subjected to the camera lens.

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Yellow hot

June 28, 2015March 16, 2020 / mikeosbornphoto / 10 Comments

I’m a lucky Londoner, enjoying a commute to work that is a mere 15-minute walk. It takes me through an area of the White City estate, a housing area that has seen better days. I have the space for observation on my walk, and noticed a waste area has been landscaped and planted out.

At the moment it’s bursting with a patch of yellow Kniphofia – striking flowers also known as Red Hot Pokers. I had to stop off and capture this sight using my 60mm macro lens – a natural flash of inner city colour.

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Regal garden

June 7, 2015March 16, 2020 / mikeosbornphoto / 8 Comments

This is a London backyard to savour. The gardens of Eltham Palace are a sublime fit for a house combining medieval and Art Deco majesty. You can explore formal lawns, water features and meadow-lined paths. And in early summer, the herb beds and borders are bristling with delicious blooms. It’s a haven for macro photography and the capture of the vibrant colours of nature. Come and take a stroll…