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And everyone else has that ability to some lesser or greater extent, there's no great mystery or special skills needed, just practice. Being able to see things a little diffrently, makes you no different to a muscian, artist, mathematician or any other subject, but you can learn how to be better in all those subjects..

Get out there with your camera, take photographs, enjoy what you do take, if people like them, well that's great, if people don't like them, well that's also great - you're taking them for you not anyone else.

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I really really like that.
That should be a mantra for life....'Enjoy what you do and do it because you enjoy it...not to please others.

The other good thing about this section of the forum, is that those of us on here who cannot get out and about as readily as we once did are treated to a glimpse of nature, the country side...whatever has been looked at and shot by those who DO get out and about with their camera...O yes and all pictures are accepted regardless of the skill of theindividual who took it....we are all on a learning curve for something.

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Todays One A Day: 16th Sept 2017 - A Cormorant on the Leeds - Liverpool Canal between Feniscowles and Riley Green - glad I decided to take my big birding lens - despite it weighing 6-7kilos

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You must have muscles in your spit Ryewolf...but definitely worth the effort.
A very regal looking bird.

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I was carrying it in a rucksack, I enjoy photography, so tend to take the stuff I might use when I go for a walk.

Thanks, there was one on Platts Lodge Accrington near Scaitciffe for about 5-6 weeks earlier this year, it got so used to people you could get within 12ft of it - I didn't even need the big lens. I even saw one in the River Irwell in the middle of Manchester..

When they're fishing they swim with their body almost submerged with just the neck above the water, they can stay under for about 30 seconds and can travel about 100+ foot underwater, which is how they catch the fish (unlike Heron's).

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I walk that path near Platts lodge to go to my Mum's house and saw the Cormorant the other week.
I did not have my bag with me or I would have taken a picture myself(I was just going into town for something for Ma ....so only had my purse with me)
When I was coming home I walked that way into town, hoping the bird was still there, but alas I could not see it anywhere.

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Thanks for that, I didn't realise it was still coming around. I only live around the corner so walk that way into town.

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I haven't taken any outdoor pictures recently.
I have been busy making cards for family and a couple I have been asked to make for other people( for a little donation to Macmillan).
See what you think of these.
All my own work...even the verse!

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A few from my Hols..

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No7 with the dolphin and #9 and #10 are my favourites... Pretty jealous about the dolphins as I've not see a wild one.

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Mine for today 17th Sept 2017 - Great Crested Grebe, just of the A59 on the way to Clitheroe - opposite McDonalds... I've been trying for ages to get some decent shots - the last was the closest I've managed to get and it was watching me closely...

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Love number three.

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Thanks, the first 2 images I was fairly well hidden, although quite some distance away, the last I was quite close 20-25ft away but did have to hide behind some reeds and literally pop up take some images and duck back down again... it knew I was there though.... birds can't move their eyes like we can, so they have to move their head, they've still got pretty good eyesight though....

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Thanks, we took a trip to see the dolphins last year but the mrs was sea sick so missed out, we went same place so took her again this year and she was OK (got a good video on her phone), we saw a whale as well but it only surfaced a couple of times then disappeared.
Not sure what happened with No.6, that`s the unedited pic which is sloping and needs white balance adjusting, uploaded to Flickr OK though. http://emoticons.datahamster.com/headscratch.gif

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Great pictures

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I took my dear old Ma on a whalewatching boat trip off the coast of Brisbane.
it was not something I would have done for myself, but she wanted to go....guess who enjoyed it the most...ME.
I loved it and did not expect it to be as great as it was.
The whales seemed to know we were out to watch them and put on a real show.
It is something I will remember all of my life.
If I can find some of the pics I might just post them, even though they aren't from today.

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So here are a few of the pics...From September 2004...this was Ma's birthday treat that year....and tea out.

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A few more.
I think these were taken with my first digital camera...so not a patch on the offerings by Ryewold and Gpick...but they still give me a warm fuzzy glow when I remember the day and how we both enjoyed it so much.

Really a camera is a bit like a time machine...it has the power to take you back to a snapshot in time.

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Look plenty good enough to me and much closer than we got, exif showing it as a Nikon E4300.

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yes...that was a lovely little camera and I was sad when if fell very gently off our bed and went to camera heaven.
My other half bought it for me in Melbourne in 2002. I had been lusting after it(it was, for a compact camera quite advanced) It cost him 1000 aussie dollars and I had every cent of enjoyment out of it.

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Last lot from my Hols..

1. One more long exposure
2 & 3. Anfi Marina
4. A bright crab.
5. Bridge over fishes
6. Keeping cool.
7-9. More lizard pics.
10. Looks like pigeon but a bit more colourful.

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Love number one..Number two is damn fine too.

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18th Sept 2017 - Windfarm taken near Bedlam...

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I hate wind farms....but your picture has a charm about it...maybe it is that you have framed it elegantly.

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Just a few today

1. This mornings fog
2. Horsey
3. The gruesome twosome.
4. A young Moorhen?.
5. Canal side seating.

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Mine for today - 19th Sept 2017 Downham

(I had planned to post one of Pendle Hill or Ingleborough/Pen-y-Ghent, but spotted this crow in the trees and changed my mind.)

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I quite often use framing for my images, I think it sometimes just adds that little bit more.

I've photographed this windfarm several times over the last few years and indeed others - in the right light they can look very dramatic, and like them or not they are a feature of the landscape these days...

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I thought I'd add the others from today, to be honest Pendle area is one of the places I go a lot for photographs, whatever time of year..

Downham
Ingleborough/Pen-y-Ghent (from Pendle)
And 2 of Pendle itself

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I really like number 4....the reflections and the blue circles, they look unreal, but give a bit of a zing to the picture.

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Yes, they are...dramatic they might be(in certain lights), they are(to me) eyesores.
If I ruled the world I would tear every last one of them down (sigh).

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If only I was that photoshop savvy, the ripples are definitely real.:)

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Oh, I was not suggesting they were a post production addition(you can see it is a reflection of something because it is visible to the left of the bird too)...just remarking on how they draw your eye into the picture.
That said, i do not mind post production enhancement...it is a sort of artistic licence.

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Photoshop is a fine tool if you can master it...I am still learning and doubt that I will ever get that savvy either...probably because I am not that fussed about learning it.

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Yes, I think Frames definitely bring out a certain something in a picture.
Love the Pendle hill pics...both of them.

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It`s not something we see often around here but it`s also visible in the first and fifth pics.:hothothot

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20th Sept 2017 - The Halo at Night

I was just about to go and get the tripod, as even using the Sigma f1.4 at iso800 it was a 1 second exposure, when the heavens opened... 45 minutes later it was still raining and showed no signs of letting up....

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Here's a couple I took of our old commercial past on Countess st, how they got bulk goods in?

I had planned to take a couple around the front but I got interrupted and thought it not worth the bother as can be seen why here:-

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ml#post1201868
:(

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Bit late with my One a day from yesterday

21st Sept 2017 - Elmfield Hall

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Just one today from a drive over the tops

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Did you have to pre-book the rainbow?

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I asked for a double but only got a single, hope I get a discount.


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Nice one with the rainbow, I saw one today as well around 5pm ish..

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22nd Sept 2017 - Autumn Equinox on Pendle Hill

It's a scene I've shot many times this year at different times...

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Thanks, it was around that time that I took that photo.


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Ryewolf have you got that Pendle shot from the equinox in colour too...if you have please post it.
Autumn means colour, and while I love that shot in mono..it would be lovely to see the view in its autumn gown.

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Todays Wander - 23rd Sept 2017

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Yes, the original image is in colour, but to be honest the sky was rather flat and dull and the colours weren't all that autumny or vibrant - hence converting to mono.

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I suppose when autumn hits you have to expect dull days.
They do not show up the autumn colours in the same way, so converting to mono was the right thing.

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All great pictures, two and number three for me...love dogs

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24th Sept 2017 - Diesel Train 50 015 leaving Ramsbottom Station

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Some other diesel trains from today on the East Lancs Railway

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A miserable day for a drive today.

1. A rare glimpse of the morning sun.
2. Tornado (German Air Force) and a Lightning.
3. A few more Tornadoes
4. Rest of the Germans, 6 Typhoons & 6 Tornadoes.
5. A bit closer on the Tornadoe.
6. RAF Typhoons.
7. And another coming from the hangar.

No flying while I was there unfortunately.

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I just love number one....I can almost smell the autumn morning in that shot.

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Opiliones or Harvestmen, it is an arachnid but not closely related to a spider...

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Love the shot, but the subject matter made me go Aaaargh!
I am not scared of spiders...I just don't LIKE them.

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26th Sept 2017 - Whalley Abbey..

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Once again my photos from my trip to Angelsey, I'll be walking with a Welsh limp soon with the amount of time I've been spending there.
Anyway over to Llanberis and Bethesda.
Near Bethesda there is a zipwire a mile long and over 500 feet high. WE spent a happy hour there listening to the screams of the clown brave (or daft) enough to spend £50 a go. The lake is actually that blue colour from the minerals in the rocks. The scenery behind is fantastic. Then round to Snowdon and the pass of Llanberis. Past the outfall reservoir from the Electric Mountain at Llanberis before finally having half an hour on the beach at Benlech watching a treasure hunter find nowt.

We tried to go up Snowdon by rail but they were fully booked and had already turned 140 cars away when we went.

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Great pictures...Is number 3 you Russell?

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Lovely pics Russell...you have me drooling here.
I would have done the zip wire...but someone else would have had to do the paying!

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No chance.
It's a spectator sport as far as I'm concerned.

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27th Sept 2017 - Whally Abbey

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28th Sept 2017 - A walk in the woods with the Sigma 30mm f1.4

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A Walk in Roddlesworth Woods today...

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29th Sept 2017 - The Sculpture

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A few others from today...

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In case you're wondering shot 4 is the underside of a motorway bridge on the M65 at Darwen (no#2 is also of the motorway bridge on the M65 at Darwen)... Photography isn't always the most obvious image, it's about using your eye to capture something unique....

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A Pied Wagtail that comes to my yard for the meal worms I put out, it's now got so used to me that it doesn't even bother flying away....

The second 2 are of a Gull in Blackburn that was 'Worm Charming' by paddling/stamping the ground, I've never seen this before but after a bit of a google and was surprised to find 3 videos on YouTube of a gull doing the exact same thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OcJstUfD88

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Interesting picture...where was it taken?

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The roundabout near junction 4 on the M65 near Darwen.

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Lovely picture. Is it modelled on the new Backburn Rovers' manager' efforts to rebuild? ;)

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1st Oct 2017 - Pendle Hill

and a thoroughly miserable day it was on the hill.....

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I remember that sculpture being created as I passed there daily. It was sculpted in place after a large block of sandstone was installed onto a plinth. Before work started, someone spray painted 'Welcome to Bedrock' on the block.

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There`s a photo of the uncut block of stone on here - https://www.sculpturecarving.com/art...aItem-iusbra3c

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Umm, that's interesting, I hadn't realised it had been sculputed in situ...

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2nd Oct 2017

Alas, no chance to get out today, so the Pied Wagtail through the window...

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3rd Oct 2017 - Grey Squirrel

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A couple of others from today, a Robin and a rather distant Kestrel

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4th Oct 2017 - Female Chaffinch

Not the greatest of days to go bird watching, though it wasn't raining when I set off, still I did get to use the lens Storm Jacket...

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I feel really sorry for birds and animals in such miserable weather.

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Hey up, this isn't miserable weather, it's just wet, nature survives.

;)

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A couple of other soggy birdies from today...

Male Chaffinch and Pied Wagtail

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Yes Less....I know nature survives.
I still feel sorry for wet and bedraggled little critters.

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I'm always afraid of taking my camera and gear out in bad weather.
There's too much money invested in the equipment.
Good for you though in getting out and about taking those great photos.

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Same here...

Unless you have a pro camera/lens combination which are usually fully weather sealed - but they do come at a hefty price premium...

If it's just a few spits and spots of rain/light drizzle, I usually keep the camera under my jacket/fleece with the lens hood on, whip it out when I want to take some snaps and then put it back and wipe the body/lens body with a kitchen towel whilst under my jacket.

If it's absolutely teeming it down with rain, like it was yesterday, it's a different matter.

This is what I used yesterday: Storm Jacket - they came in Standard or Pro versions (in various sizes to fit different lens/camera lengths). The only difference between the Standard and Pro, is the Pro version has a velcro opening on the bottom for use on a tripod.

Mine is the medium Pro, but still big enough to cover my Sigma 150-600mm lens at full stretch + camera, plus can be bunched up to fit my 24-105mm lens + camera. Cost me around £40-45 a few years back. (Wex Photographic sells them...)

The size of the pouch with folded cover is 15cm long, 10cm tall and a couple of centimeters thick, weighs about 50-70gram, the material is waterproof/water resistant... and I can now say with confindence that even after an hour stood in the rain that both were bone dry at the end.

The rain got so bad that even the birds bogged off and sat out of the rain.

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5th Oct 2017 - A Robin

Not the greatest shot of a Robin I've done, the background is far too busy...

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Looks like a perfectly natural habitat for a robin, what more could you want?



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I'll take your word for it mate. I've started leaving the 150-600 at home more and more lately, I'm finding it hard to wag about without a tripod.
My favourite combo at the moment is a Nikon 810 or D750 with a 24-120 f4 lens.
Unless I've something specific in mind then I've a selection of primes to choose from.
I'm not really into wild life photography or plants. I haven't a clue what's what.

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My camera's are quite humble...not in Russells league at all, but I do not like taking them out in bad weather either.
I know if they were to be weather damaged I would not get them replaced.

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It's more than just having the best cameras MARGARET, the eye behind the lens is most important.
My partner studied fine art at John Moores University and I met her friend who studied with her a few weeks ago.
She had taken most of the monochrome photos for a BBC documentary about the old Liverpool docks and the demolition of them and old Liverpool.
I was very interested in what equipment she used and was amazed when she said "A LUMIX bridge camera on auto and an eye for a scene' and like me doesn't like too much processing and editing.
Just goes to show. Biggest isn't always best.

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I have a couple of LUMIX camera's...I also have A Fuji compact which I carry everywhere.
You can have the most sophisticated camera in the world, but if you do not know how to use it, then it is wasted...equally having a 'feel' for a shot...and of course being in the right place at the right time are all good ingredients for a good picture.

Pictures are also a very personal thing. The shot you take means something to you because it is a moment in time, in your life.
It may evoke different emotions from someone who views the shot.

It used to be that National Trust properties did not allow you to take photographs(I do not know if this is still the case).They would, however, let you buy a compilation of shots taken by a professional photographer...on glossy paper and not cheap.
I would prefer that places like this would allow you to purchase a licence to take photographs that are personally meaningful.
I am sure this would be cost effective to them.
No outlay on paper, printing costs and a photographer.

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I had to purchase a licence to take photographs in Peterborough Cathedral, got a big label to fix to my coat.
I've taken photos in the big house on Angelsey and that near Bangor(you know the ones Margaret) but flash wasn't allowed.
Luckily my camera takes pretty good photo with hi ISO settings in low light.

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It can depend from property to property, some allow photographs inside, others don't - the same goes for English Heritage. Riddlesden Hall does allow photography inside as well as outside - though it's limited to personal use only and not commercially.

Same goes for other museums etc, Howarth Art Gallery does allow any photography inside (and it'd be probably be limited to personal use of the outside only given that it's private property), when I went to Helmshore Textile Musuem I had to sign a form saying that I wouldn't use images taken inside commercially.

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As you say, perfectly natural habitat, it's a perfectly good image of a Robin, but there's natural habitats and natural habitats that don't detract from your subject...

Just a few from the last few years, all of Robins in natural habitats, the 3rd image was taken earlier this year not 15ft from the one I posted...

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That should be 'Howarth Art Gallery doesn't allow any photography inside', damn that Edit Post option disappears quickly....

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6th Oct 2017 - Astley Hall, Chorley

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Yes, they have a similar set up in Exeter Cathedral.
The big house on Anglesey is another one I have happily snapped away in(without flash).
Osborne House does not allow you to take any pictures inside the house...flash or no flash.
Indeed, I was stopped from taking a picture of the grounds from an upper storey window.
I thought that was a bit excessive seeing as my photography was harming none of the artefacts inside the house.
I just wanted a good vantage shot.
They have stewards(plural) in every room and corridor.
Needless to say I did not splurge on the photographic souvenir of the place.

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Ten minutes is all you have got...to edit, that is.

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I've taken photographs in Howarth Art Gallery and nobody told me to stop.
It wasn't a special occasion either.
My partner took some of me posing by the piano also.
That was a couple of months ago.

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7th Oct 2017 - Poole's Cavern

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8th Oct 2017 - Steam Train on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway