Returning to the Biggest Carrot Show and playing with my Nikon D3300 DSLR

In preparation for my Year Abroad, I've invested in a new camera to take with me to Germany. It's a Nikon D3300 DSLR, which my camera-savvy dad tells me is a nice little starter camera for somebody who, a year ago, was relying on an iPad for photographing purposes. It's considerably smaller than his own camera, and nice and light to carry around, which makes it perfect to take on any potential trips and outings at home and abroad.

Once I'd remembered to take off the lens cap, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy the D3300 was to use; at the moment, I have everything set to 'auto' while I learn what all of the different functions do, but I've still taken some nice pictures. The seven photos in this post were taken last week before, during and after the Latchley, Chilsworthy and Cox Park Show, which, as you may remember, I visited last year at the very start of my blogging escapades, way back when everything had to be Instagrammed to oblivion.

Editing-wise, I've not done a great deal to the photos I've taken with the D3300 so far, although I've enjoyed playing around with things like the contrast and gamma correction in IrfanView. I'm looking forward to experimenting with some of the camera's inbuilt settings once I get used to it a little more, so I'll keep updating as I learn more - and, of course, as I go on the trips to take the pictures in the first place!

Blue skies and belated blogging

You may or may not have noticed that I've been taking something of a blogging hiatus since the New Year. Returning to university, exams and general hecticness have meant that I've not been able to do much in the way of writing blog posts, not to mention the weather - the UK's biblical storms have not exactly been conducive to my ramblings, as they've meant that I haven't been able to get out and about to take nice pictures of anything. 

However, this once-in-a-century/eight-in-two-months freak weather has got me reminiscing about the lovely weather that we had by chance when we visited St Ives, Cornwall, just after Christmas. By then, some of the country was already underwater and further destruction was already forecast, but somehow the far western tip of Britain managed to escape it for the most part. 

Taking advantage of a mid-winter deal, we booked to stay at Tregenna Castle, a beautiful hotel with views over the town and the Atlantic Ocean. Here are some of my favourite pictures from our brilliant mini-break - hopefully we'll be back in St Ives very soon.

Just a quickie - Falmouth with Frosty and friends

So I've just arrived back from a whistle-stop visit to Cornwall, having spent the last couple of days with the sometimes-anonymous boyfriend, our friend Frosty and his kind housemates who let us take over their living room with sleeping bags.

I don't have heaps of photos, because I didn't want to inflict my ipad mania on everybody too much, but I did manage to take some pretty pictures on Monday evening, when we went for a stroll around Penryn.

As we walked a little further, we left the Jubilee Wharf behind and wandered in the direction of St Gluvias church, near which were some pretty cottages and another great view of the quay.

The following day, we took a trip to Pendennis Castle to see the mediaeval jousting and melée - as I said, I didn't want to take my tablet all over with me and get on everyone's nerves, so unfortunately I have no mediaeval photos for you. But rest assured, we had a very entertaining day - especially given that the evening's diversion was 'power-rangers-for-grown-ups', Guillermo Del Toro-directed blockbuster Pacific Rim...!

On Wednesday, my last day in Penryn with Mike, Oli and Michel's housemates, we were on the road again. This time our destination was Penzance, where we stopped for lunch, then Marazion, where we caught a boat over to the beautiful St Michael's Mount.

Once on the island, Mike and Laurence trekked up to the castle, while Oli and I stayed in the village at the bottom to explore.

And so concluded another trip to Cornwall. Frosty finally turns 19 tomorrow, so I shall sign off by wishing him many happy returns of the season and thanking him and his friends very much for having me for a few days.

(: xx