This is combination post for the coming week - it is my announcement of stuff coming out plus show notes and anything else, like cool pictures I have to share.

The week kicks of on Tuesday with Macro Talk and this ne is going to be a blast…

There are about 21 entries to go through and I want to show you all of them, so I won’t be doing much talking - still - it could run a little over, just saying. Congratulations to our winners. The stream can be found here https://youtube.com/live/JbYIZCIBq3Y?feature=share

LATE ENTRY (AFTER THE STREAM) - Huge congratulations to Graham Carey for a clever and amusing winning entry to a challenging and competitive contest. These were, overall, a much more entertaining group of clips than I had dared to hope for. There was a lot of talent on display, but also plenty of opportunities to turn up the heat for the next running of the AWP Video Contest.

And by the way, if you have not looked at Benro’s new pro tripod leg set, you need to - this looks like the combination of features and price that I have been holding out for!

After all that excitement, take a break and buy yourself something nice, like a monitor for your macro-cine lens…

Don’t you feel better now? Thursday is Macro Talk Too and I took a daft comment from an article and decided to smash it to smithereens in the livestream - or maybe not. We shall see. What would it take to kill flash dead?

If you want to wade into that one, join me here - https://youtube.com/live/3z75fS1_u-o?feature=share and we shall debate.

Late Entry*** We just wrapped up another fun Livestream and there are a couple of things I need to announce as a result of that. Firstly the topic for the March contest is “MACRO BOOK COVER” and you may interpret that any way you wish, but if you want a little more guidance think of it like this.

The book can be a book of any type, it doesn’t have to be a macro book or have anything to do with photography, but it does have to have a macro image on the cover - and it has to make sense - for example a book titled”Cake Decorating for Beginners” with a photograph of a paramecium on the cover would not make a lot of sense, at least not to me. Be creative and have fun! The book must include the title and author on the cover. That’s it - and you can submit 2, as usual.

The second thing was the quartz slabs that have been donated… if you live close enough to come and get one or have any creative ideas for transporting them to people who could use one, please get in touch - major thanks to Robert Wester for doing this! I have always wanted to put my rig on a base like this - it really makes a difference

While that is is for the scheduled goodies, I do plan to release the 100mm Macro Cine video in the coming week. I keep reshooting it because I am never satisfied, but today’s recording went well and I am happy with everything except my macro-cine footage - and as it has started raining once again, you are just going to have to learn to love it

I promise that the next time I show that picture it will have a link to the video!

Because you have been so patient and because I like Megachilid bees I am going to introduce you to one of the cutest and tiniest leaf-cutters I have ever seem - 2mm from stem to stern…

OK guys - that is it for now - see you in the stream!