Rob Haines

@robhainescreative

Creative writer, statistical programmer, photographer, pianist and unrepentant catdad. he/him Microfiction, essays and visual art at Cannot view DMs on Bluesky.

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Rob Haines@robhainescreative· 26d

These rolling heatwaves have been a struggle for my style of photography. And then last night I went out at dusk to water the garden and found a bumblebee fast asleep with their face buried in our lavender bush. The resulting shot was a 13 second exposure lit by my phone 😍 #Photography #Bees

A bumblebee fast asleep on a dried-out lavender stem, in the dark night. A pale luminescence lights the scene from the top right.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jul 9

Best STAR TREK captain. Wrong answers only.

Vyse from Skies of Arcadia, a sky pirate dressed in a blue jacket and transparent eyepatch, with a turquoise cutlass over his shoulder.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jul 7

Went back to some photos I took last month of ladybugs in our garden, including a ladybug getting harassed by an ant on a ragwort plant which the ant was using to farm aphids :D #Photography #Insects

A red and black ladybug climbing a vertical grass stem, the sunlight shining off the black-and-white mottling off its upper body.

A red and black ladybug climbing a vertical grass stem. Another sprig of green-and-purple grasses enters the frame from the left.

A ladybug clambering up the side of a sunlit cluster of ragwort buds ready to flower. An ant has climbed over the buds to snap at the ladybug's heels with its pincers.

A ladybug hunkered down atop a cluster of ragwort buds, while a persistent ant worries at its face, attempting to drive it away from the aphids further down the plant.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jul 3

More beautiful birds and bugs from the mountains #Photography

A blue damselfly resting on a bright yellow-green leaf over grey water.

A female sparrow with variegated brown plumage and a yellow beak, perched on a stone wall in the sunshine. The background is out-of-focus wooden slats cutting across a green lawn.

A skylark in flight against a grey-green backdrop. Its wings are swung downwards, showing off the brown feathers across its back.

A red kite soaring through a blue sky, from right to left. Its wings split into finger-like protrusions at the tips

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jul 2

When we went away recently, the field outside our lodgings was captivating, a gentle slope of shimmering green. I couldn't help but run joyfully towards its centre, to revel in that glorious sunlit canvas. Turns out I wasn't the only one 😅 #Photography #Squirrel

A grey squirrel on a sloping sunlit bank, partially dappled with shade.

A grey squirrel mid-leap across a golden-green field, with butt and tail still descending as it breaks its fall.

A grey squirrel sitting back on its haunches in a patch of dappled shade in a golden-light grassy field, nibbling on something it found in the grass.

A grey squirrel crouched in short grass, its tail bushed up behind it. The grass ends in a diagonal line cutting across the middle of the image, and beyond lies shaded woodland.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 25

Thanks for the art share, and nice to meet you! I'm Rob, and I'm a nature photographer who appreciates a good riverbank and a meadow full of bees 🐝 Here's a few of my favourite shots, and I've recently started selling fine-art prints at ko-fi.com/robhainespri...

A flush of sunlit bluebells, shot from a low angle. Sharp angled green leaf-blades cut across the image from the bottom-left, their surfaces alternating light and shadow, and the distance is out-of-focus green and occasional dots of purple.

A bumblebee with a fuzzy orange back approaches a bright yellow day lily flower, against a backdrop of variegated greens

A close-up of a single pink and white cherry blossom on a dark grey slate. The petals are flowing, with white at the centre, with pink edges, and at the centre is a cluster of yellow reproductive stalks.

A mother duck in shades of brown and a purple stripe leads a cluster of yellow-and-brown ducklings across a wind-rippled canal.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 21

#SilentSunday #Bloomscrolling

A cluster of tiny purple flowers with orange pollen at their centre, growing from conical spires of buds.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 19

Second, "the heron, a symbol of patience and elegance"

A grey heron standing on a rock, poised for a graceful dive into the water.

A grey heron, belly-flopping off a rock with a mighty splash.

A grey heron emerging from the river with raised wings, looking a little disgruntled.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 19

A couple of photography out-takes from last weekend, photos which didn't quite come out but I enjoyed the story they were telling. First, "you can do it li'l ducky"

A tiny duckling in a canal, looking at a rock while its sibling sits judgingly on the next rock up.

A tiny duckling attempting to jump out of a canal onto a rock, and not quite making it. We respect the ambition, though!

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 19

Me, taking on the role of the quackerazzi at the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal last weekend #Photography #Ducks

A trio of fluffy yellow-and-brown ducklings swim across a brightly-lit canal. The leading duckling has their eyes squeezed shut sleepily.

A single brown duckling with a yellow face and a black stripe across their eyes, floating in a canal beneath a grey-stone overhang.

A pair of bright-eyed ducklings swimming down a canal. The water is brown and green but reflects their little faces perfectly.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 17

Spent the weekend up in the Bannau Brycheiniog, a dark skies reserve, so got up at 2am to have a go at some astrophotography! Couldn't quite escape scattered clouds, but happy with the sheer number of stars on display with minimal kit. #Photography #Wales

A deep blue night sky full of many-coloured stars, scattered with dark grey clouds. To the bottom-left, treetops are silhouetted against the night, and in the bottom-right a sloping hillside rises up against a blue-grey horizon.

A deep-blue sky full of stars, with an encroaching bank of yellow-gray cloud coming in from the right. A silhouetted hillside and cluster of tree-tops line the bottom of the image.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 16

This gaggle of ducklings would absolutely sign up if they had any concept of "money" or "supporting artists" 😂 🦆 #Photography #Ducks

A wide scene of a brown mother duck jumping out of a stone-walled canal onto a rock, while her little yellow-and-black ducklings explore the water around her.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 9

Worked on my first A3 print order today, using Hahnemuhle 308gsm Photo Rag as a special request. It's a gorgeous paper, and really exciting to see my photography at this scale! #RobHainesPrintClub

An A3 print of "Bluebells by the Usk", all grassy greens and pale violet flowers, with a blue mechanical pencil for scale.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 5

Out and about yesterday without my Good Camera, but still found time for some #Bloomscrolling

A large yellow flower with five petals and a dense array of bright yellow stamens surrounding a central yellow pyramid. The flower is protruding sideways out of a bush with many other similar flowers.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· Jun 4

Congrats on the 1K @cozytreeleaf.bsky.social and thanks to KB for tagging me! I'm mostly focusing on nature photography this year - and just opened up a print shop - so here are a few of my recent favourites :D

A close-up of a small mason bee with an orange butt on the side of a garden table, against a black backdrop

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 30

A pigeon holding court like a Zelda forest spirit, and assorted other friends I met this past week #Photography #Birds

A pigeon in a shaded tree looking like a forest spirit from a Zelda game. They're standing tall with a sinuous curve to their neck, and a stray sunbeam lights the side of their chest and head in glorious incandescence.

A female blackbird - with variegated brown plumage - perched on a wooden fence against a deep green background. Her body is facing away from the camera, with her head turned to look back over her shoulder, and her tail feathers are casting a sharp shadow against the grey fence.

A pair of swallows in flight against a blue sky, showing off their distinct wings and forked tails.

A red kite soaring overhead, against a blue sky. They have a white face and reddish-brown plumage with white and black banding, and a recognisable v-shaped tail.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 29

The nigella flowers came out this week in full force. I adore the complexity of these little space stations! #Photography #Bloomscrolling

A top-down view of a lavender-coloured nigella blossom. It has overlapping rings of wide petals, with a central spray of green stems, and an array of spiky green foliage below the petals, emerging like solar panels on a space station.

A nigella flower with just five lavender-coloured petals, and many branching green spikes. The flower has recently been watered, and water droplets gleam where the petals have caught them.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 28

I spent a lot of time in the garden this past week, between the worst of the heatwave, and found some delightful insect friends #Photography #Bees

A tiny black bug marching along the petal of a radiant yellow day lily as if on a quest.

A tree bumblebee with a shock of golden fur on its shoulders, tumbling upside-down at the lip of a bright pink foxglove flower. Its butt is curled in the air, and its legs are splayed to keep it from falling out.

A tree bumblebee emerging upside-down from a bright pink foxglove flower encounters an ant on its way to explore the depths.

Two iridescent rosemary beetles perch at the top of a tall stalk of lavender, feeding of the purple tips.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 28

Up before the heat this morning to put together prints for shipping! #RobHainesPrintClub

A bright A5 print of bluebells rising above grass, lying atop a card with the title and context for the shot. They're both on top of a brown card-backed envelope.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 24

More teleconverter-assisted birds for the weekend #Birds #Photography

A goldfinch perched atop a row of decorative metal leaves, against a dark green backdrop. He has a bright red face, and black markings in bands across white and tan plumage.

A close-up of a large black crow sweeping out of a blue sky into a sunlit green tree. Their wings are outstretched, the wing-tips splayed like fingers.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 23

One of my favourite bees from this morning's shoot: #Photography #Bees

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 23

A mocked-up Star Trek TNG title card, with the Enterprise below the title reading "I Know Writers Who Use Subtext, And They're All Cowards"

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 16

Earlier this week, I was relaxing after work when there was a large *bang* from the back of the house. I went outside to check, and there was nothing to be seen, except for this impression of a rapidly-decelerating pigeon left on the kitchen window. (The pigeon seems to have been fine 😅) #Birds

A ghostly impression of a pigeon, left on a window that it flew into. You can clearly see its face (with beak) and tail, and the impression of its shoulders.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 12

Some of this week's garden visitors, taken with my new teleconverter. #Photography #Birds

A beautiful pigeon perched on a wooden fence, the evening sun shining off their chest and orange beak. Their neck is gently ruffled, and shines with nacreous greens and pinks.

A small brown dunnock standing on a wooden bench scattered with leaves.

A blackbird with a bright eye and orange beak, perched on a wooden fence against a pale evening sky.

A large black crow peering over a wooden fence into the garden beyond, at dusk. The ambient light is pink and gold against sheet metal in the background.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 10

I edited this series of photos last night and laughed so hard 😂

A blue tit perched on a green bird feeder.

A blue-tit at a bird feeder, with a pecked morsel of peanut balanced on the perch between its feet.

A blue-tit perched on a bird feeder, as its peanut tumbles into mid-air. It's looking down in alarm.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 9

Congratulations! I always enjoy your birds when they show up on my feed 😍 I'm Rob, a writer and occasional digital artist, and I've been really leaning into wildlife & nature photography this year. A few of my favourite recent shots:

A close-up of a tiny brown wren, standing on a moss-covered driveway. The wren is round and has long yellow feet, with a little brown tail sticking up behind it.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 8

It's a day for #Bloomscrolling, I think!

A close-up of a bright yellow creeping buttercup flower, against a dark green backdrop. The flower has five petals around a dense structure of curling yellow stamens.

A macro photo of a bright red tulip, viewed over the top edge of its petals. A three-pointed yellow structure sits at the heart of the flower, surrounded by stamens.

A *very* tiny pink wildflower, no more than a few millimeters across, amidst a backdrop of grass. At the centre of the flower is a five-pointed reproductive organ, surrounded by small blue clusters.

A view down the open mouth of a deep pink foxglove flower. The floor is covered in fine hairs, and a complex reproductive apparatus curls against the roof of the flower.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 5

Poppy insisted that I drop everything and play it immediately 😍

A tuxedo cat sits firmly on a lap while the owner of said lap plays Wax Heads on the tv opposite

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 4

More of the best moon photos from the past week and a half, until the rainclouds inevitably rolled in and put a stop to my moth-core fascination #Photography #Moon

A crisp photo of the moon, three-quarters lit from the right. Craters along the terminator are cast into dark shadows.

The moon, three-quarters lit, partially obscured by wispy cloud. The moonlight forms an intangible halo that appears to drift to the left.

A crisp photo of the moon, almost full, against a navy blue sky.

The moon, mostly obscured by a bank of cloud, between a pair of powerlines. The bottom-right corner of the moon emerges, casting a shaft of pale light that glows copper as it descends between the clouds.

Rob Haines@robhainescreative· May 4

It's late spring, and the big fluffy bumblebees have descended on the garden en masse 😍 #Bees #Photography