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The trouble I have always found when taking shots of the lake is the letter box effect of standard lenses, the picture never does justice to the image you get with your own eyes. I use a Canon 20D, which is a fantastic camera and perfectly adequate for my needs, mainly using the camera for taking pictures of anglers with their latest catches.
During a summer BBQ I was explaining that I wanted to take some photos of the lake for a new brochure to Mr Andy Crouch who is the chief photographer with Av'it Now Events. He very kindly offered the use of one of his lenses, 8mm 1:3.5Fish-eye cs lens. Andy also tried to explain a little about the best way to achieve some fantastic effects and pictures. Unfortunately by that stage of the BBQ not much actually managed to penetrate my slightly impaired brain.

However some of it must have entered because while the weather was good on Monday 2nd August I went around the lake taking lots of pictures of the swims and stalking areas, I even got arty in the surrounding woodland. The lens is fantastic, giving you a super wide angle effect, you have to lean forward slightly while composing and taking the shot otherwise your own feet are in the photo. Anybody or thing that you don't want in the shot has to be behind you, if they 'it' is to the side and level with you, they 'it' will be in the photo. Even with my basic knowledge I think I have been able to give a view of the swims in a much more realistic manner.

I have loaded my pictures in the Gallery, or click on lake tab, select photos, select Fish-Eye lake shots. I must admit that I am quite please with my results, the
lake is particularly beautiful at this time of year and these pictures capture some of that beauty as well as the tranquil atmosphere.

However, I must point out that Andy from Av'it Now Events only let me borrow the lens with a brief overview of how to use it. My un-skilled effort is by no means up to the standard of the Av'it Now Events team, who produce fantastic work using the latest photography equipment. They even have their own development - processing mobile laboratory, which allows them to edit ,enhance, develop and print high resolution glossy photographs at and during the event they are covering.

If you have an event that you would like covering you can contact them at

Av'it Events on  Office 01202 253870       Mobile 07973787529 Their website is currently under construction but on request they will send you their extensive portfolio.

Andy has promised to come back and spend some time with me to show me how to use the camera and lens properly 'to be honest he'll have to, I've still got his lens!'
until then the rest of the 32 pictures I took are in the Gallery.

Perfect for surface stalking                                      Getting arty in the woods