Thursday's Phrase (May 5th)

Small but fast

How fast are these?

It didn't help taking these shots at dusk but it was great fun to have a go. A friend of mine has just started this club (http://www.shrccc.co.uk/) so I popped along with the camera bag.

If you've tried taking photographs of fast subjects before you know it isn't easy. These things are very quick so it was very challenging.  If you haven't tried, want to or want to know how here goes

Make sure the shutter speed is no less than 1/125 if you think your quick enough to pan with the subject. If your not and I certainly wasn't, get the shutter up as high as possible (1/800 and upwards)

If the light is low, you'ree going to need to try a couple of things to get this high shutter speed.

Firstly make sure the aperture is wide open, the lower the "F" number the better. I was shooting with F2.8 and my 70-200 lens mainly and I still needed to change one more setting, That was the ISO. If you are not sure on ISO its the light sensitivity. Increase the ISO and the sensor will be more sensitive to light, but be warned. If you increase to much you will lose detail, sharpness and gain "noise". If you have a modern DSLR then you can be bold and increase ISO to 4000 without really seeing any real detrimental effect.

This should give a fighting chance, but make sure you take lots of images. Of course the flash can be used, that's another subject and doesn't always save you.

 

The rest of the images are located at www.rmpgallery.co.uk/SHRCCC

If you want to know more let me know

Low and glow

Hope everyone had a good Easter!

What a busy week indeed. While taking lots of work photographs (Which I try not to publish as I want to keep this blog casual/informal) I took two that I really liked.

This is Ollie in his new shoes on the step. He gave me all of 5 seconds before he was bored and ran off, thanks! Opened the blog with similar pictures and they are fun to do. If you have kids worth having a go with different shoes and surfaces.

 

This image I saw as I was sitting watching TV. The sun was setting and shining, low and golden through onto these guys. We received this for our wedding and it seemed to be a perfect match for the long shadow and warm light. Tough part was not trying to get my shadow in the picture!

Thursday's phrase (April 28th)

Thursday's phrase (April 14th)

The paths we walk

I really like the look of this boardwalk. There was good symmetry and an "infinite" feel.

Decided to focus on the beginning of the path, fading out quite quickly

I've done this shot a few times as I really like the effect. Bridge paths over roads & water are great for this as they normally have fences or sides.

If I did this shot again I'd like to add a wet footprint, to see what that would add.

D700 50mm @F1.4 1/2000

Reeds in the sun

If you're near stillwater there is a good chance you will see tall reeds reaching for the sky. On a bright sunny day these can make great subjects whilst they bask in the sunshine.

There will be a whole array of Browns glistening and the difficulty is choosing what to focus on. This image is really best viewed large which you can do here and selecting "dim the lights" (I have it as a desktop currently and works well)

Another image to try is from the floor looking up vertically with the Reeds all around. I didn't go equiped with my Wellies so next time for me.

D700 50mm @F6.3

Benches

Even something like an old bench can make an interesting subject for a photograph. Below are two benches I saw today and thought there was character to be captured.

The first bench I really couldn't decide which way to go with the editing. In the end I concentrated on the Blue and Red graffiti. Shame people have to do this, I'm not sure of the point.

I'm looking forward to trying this shot again on a nice summers evening (and more colour)

This is also an example of getting lower down to take the shot. Standing up really didn't give me a good perspective 

D700 200mm F4.5 1/800

This image I tried to go for the aged, overgrown, lonesome feel. Seemed best to take the shot from higher up and at this angle.

Tweaked in editing with more contrast

D700 200mm F4.5 1/500

OK they are just benches and many will not find it too interesting. However my point is that whilst walking or out and about look for something different. Find a subject with a bit of character and try different things to show this in your photograph.

Thursday's Phrase (14th April)

Thursday's Phrase (April 7th)

Bunny in the hole

Hello,

Not had a chance for any blog posts (work/holiday), poor form sorry but am back now.

So its coming up to Easter and the Bunnies are out in force. I captured this one nibbling away at the grass and decided to take it a little further. Once I took it further I kept going and made this somewhat odd image. Be great to hear what you think of the "Bunny in the hole"

Below is the first edit, then the final. Photoshop was used for the final part and its not to tough to do. In fact if you have Photoshop then load a panaramic, select Filter->Distort->Polar Co-ordinates. You may need to do a little more fiddling but the thats the basics.

If you have an iPhone you can get an app called tiny planet and a example of iPhone imagery can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/milkcowblues/ . (Some awesome iPhone images in general too, well worth a look)

Have a good day
Richard

Thursday's Phrase (March 17th)

On the Beach

Over the weekend I headed to the South coast, mainly for a family day out but took the camera. Glad I did as it was a really good day for light and subjects.

On the shingle beach I came across this which I assume are the supports to an old pontoon?

I've added a texture to give it bit of an old or used feel.

D700
ISO 100
50mm @ F1.4
1/640





Have a good Monday
Richard

Train track

Local to me there is a miniature railway, which in the summer is always busy. Being March not much is going on and I decided to hop onto the track for a low perspective shot. Think I will re-visit again as there is better image to be had I believe. I am a fan of low perspectives as I think it adds so much more than if the image was taken at head height.

I'm 100% happy with this, its a starting point and hopefully I can post another from here soon.


Be interested to find out what you think, Like it? Not really do it for you?........I can't decide

Thursday's Phrase (March 10th)

Questions answered

Firstly thanks for the feedback, its great to hear your views on the blog. Its also great to get questions and i'll gladly answer them. Please keep them coming in along with the feedback

Here are Two questions recently asked, one via the blog one from out coaching

"How can I take good portraits. All the photo's I take especially of my girls are not so great"

Very good question and an in depth answer would take a while. However i'll try a more brief answer and i'll happily expand on this at a later date.

If were talking portraits where the subject is looking at you there are a few things to try. Firstly, make sure the eyes are in focus. This sounds obvious but its very important as this is the focal point of the portrait. Secondly, consider the light. If bright sunlight then squinting will be going on, this isn't great. If too dark then you can see the features of the subject. If you have time, use some spot/desk lamps and try to avoid the flash to start with. The flash is a great tool but it may not produce the best results just yet (it can later). Thirdly, compose the image. Try not to have the subject bang in the middle of the frame. move to one side or take the image from higher with the subject looking up. Make sure the background isn't too "busy" also, this will distract.

Try with different expressions, this makes the whole thing fun, which it should be. Let me know how you get on. PS - Kids are not the easiest subject, stay patient.

"I live in a place where there are good landscapes. I can't seem to take images which really show it off in all its beauty"

This is a common question many ask. Again there is a long in depth answer and luckily this question was asked during a camera walk. The answer was explained and we ended up getting some good shots with a few changes. I'll stay brief for the blog for now.

Firstly, Light. I'll say this a lot and that because its probably the most important part of photography. If you have a fantastic scene wait until the light is good or interesting. This isn't always sunrise or sunset, but can be a moody cloudy day, early morning mist or as a storm is rolling it. This can add drama and mystery. Use the weather and it will enhance the image. Even just waiting 5, 10, 20 minutes in the same location can dramatically change the scene. With landscapes its about patience and perserverance. Sometimes you'll have to visit the same spot many times before the scene is exciting. Once you capture it, its worth the wait and effort.

 Secondly, add something in the foreground as a picture can be "distant" without. We've all seen those beach images with the driftwood, and that's whats needed sometimes for a good foreground subject. If no driftwood then a boat on the beach, or a fallen tree, a fence for the more inland landscapes. Sometimes something as boring as a bench can add to a landscape. Its not always about the landscape but sharing where you are taking the image from and capturing the "feel".

Hope this helps answer your questions a little. Thanks again and keep them coming

Richard

Still Life - Intro

What is still life? Well the definition in wikipedia is "Still life photography is the depiction of inanimate subjects or a group of objects which are either natural or man-made, via the means of a photograph"

Basically for me its a subject that can be manipulated into how you want it framed. You can also take your time with lighting and the settings. Still life is used everywhere, advertisements in shops, posters, tv, etc. One area I think its good to try still life is selling on ebay. With a bit of effort you can make your subject stand out from the rest.

Firstly consider the background. If its a solid colour or shade this will concentrate the focus onto the subject. For a solid background you can use a bed sheet, a towel, I've even used a black fleece before. Keep the subject a distance from the background to eliminate shadows

Secondly consider the light. The great thing with still life you can try so many different things and experiment. Light is the key, grab a bedside light a torch even and light the subject up. Play with shadows on the subject too, shoot away and see what you like.

Finally look at composition. With the flowers I think it looked better getting in closer and making the focal point the open flower. With the old camera it looked better with the subject turned inwards. Again experiment and see what works.

Flowers mounted in an empty wine bottle. Black background with two strong lights either side.






D700 ISO250 F13 1/60

The background here is a graduated one. I picked up 6 different colours off ebay for £10. Useful for these kind of shots for ebay.







D700 ISO100 F6.3 1/60

Thursday's phrase (March 3rd)

I'm just starting to feel brave again after a ride last year ended in A&E

Lunchtime walk in the woods

As my profile says I'm out everyday with Alfie, so this gives me a good opportunity to get camera time. Today was the first time in a while it is clear and sunny so we headed out without wet weather gear on. 

Taking images in bright direct sunlight is tough and not ideal, the perfect light is a nice haze or light cloud base which softens everything.

Playing with the light can really make an image stand out. Using the harsh lights or the shadows it leaves can add drama or effect, although quite difficult sometimes.

Its more of a reason to go out because there are so many options available in the settings. Experiment and see what works and what doesn't is a good way to learn more about your camera and photography in general

This was a stream running over pebbles. I was more interested with the colour left by the sunlight

D700 200mm ISO100 F4.0 1/4000sec

This is a track left by an Army land rover. Getting really low and making sure a lot of the puddle is in frame adds I think. Only so much you can do with mud and water though.

D700 200mm ISO100 F4.0 1/2000

This pine branch looks sultry on the blue sky. There had just been some logging of pine trees and the smell was quite intense

D700 70mm ISO100 F2.8 1/1000
I love these sorts of images and I wish I took my super wide lens with me. However this captured the mood in the woods well and you can almost imagine the deer in the background. Maybe I'll photoshop one in?

D700 ISO100 70mm F3.5 1/50

After a ridiculous amount of rolling in mud, a swim was in order. He didn't mind, he loves it, the colder the better.

D700 ISO100 200mm F4.0 1/4000

And back he comes with all his sticks.

D700 ISO100 200mm F4.0 1/4000

Come spring there will be dozen more opportunities in the woods, hopefully with more colour.

The evenings are becoming longer and on sunny bright days these are the best times to go out. Earlier posts goes into the "golden hour" and its certainly easier to capture images.

Have a good Wednesday

Richard

 

Thursday's Phrase (Feb 24)

May try and do this every Thursday as a bit of fun.

This one is from last year

Have a good day!
Richard

Walking the dog

As my profile says a lot of my time is spent walking my dog Alfie. Its a great time to take the camera too, especially if your in the woods. Everyday can be different, with changing light, animals, interesting people, weather, seasons and much more.

Even if you walk the same routes there is plenty to snap away at. The dog himself is a great subject and I've taken hundreds of Alfie. I love trying to capture something a little different with pet shots, something that makes me think about what was going on at the time. In a previous post I talked about perspectives, it applies with pets too. Get down to their level and try a few shots, it really boosts the impact. I generally always wear waterproof trousers so I can kneel (and have been known to lie)

Below are a few images of Alfie from the end of last year. All were taken in the same area and no editing applied.

Here Alfie was searching for a snowball I threw. Needless to say he didn't find it but his expression and face made me smile

This image took a bit of work, mainly with Alfie. I wanted a shot of him running & bouncing through the ferns. I took him into the fern and made him wait whilst I went back to the path. I knelt down low and fixed onto a spot I hoped he would run through. He ran exactly where I hoped and this was the result. 

I like this one, mainly because it makes me smile with all the sticks. Again its very low with lots of foreground. You can make out the ferns in the distance where I took the image above.








We don't all have dogs to walk, but its certainly no reason not to grab the camera and go for a stroll. With the seasons seemingly changing quickly there is plenty of natural opportunities. Best time on a sunny day is just after sunrise, or just before Sunset "The golden hour". This light is soft giving a warm and gentle feel to photographs. The middle of the day is fine but sometimes the sun can be too strong. Currently I don't think we need to worry about the sun coming out and being strong however. Wet days can offer good images too, with water droplets, reflections in puddles, steaming paths after the rain, even people walking along with their umbrella's.

If you have the camera, you have a chance of that great photograph. If its at home then there is no chance.

Happy Snapping

Richard

Newbie

Gave myself a couple of weeks Paternity after Samuel was born. Apart from lots of newborn images I've not snapped anything else although I have a few interesting shots coming soon.

Here is the boy himself

This type of shot is known as "High Key", lots & lots of light needed. It eliminates shadows and gives a "happy" feel to the image. It works well with portraits but also flowers, and anything with good contoured lines

To take this shot get lots of light on the subject and find a white background. Its good fun to play with and you can get some great results. You can also take it one step further and use some editing software to further enhance. I use Adobe Lightroom to fine tune and tweak some of my pictures when needed.

If you want to know more let me know and I'll help out.

Lots of catching up for me now, more updates soon enough

Have a good weekend
Richard

Thursday's phrase

A while ago a good friend told me this phrase. "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there"

Today I was walking Alfie and I was walking across this path . For some reason this phrase popped into my head, which was odd as I knew where I was going. Anyway I took this image, which I quite like and added the phrase. Think they work together.

Quite fun doing these sort of images, done a few recently which I'll add at some point.

Richard

Get in close.....

"Fill the Frame". This is a term I use a lot when giving tuition. When you are photographing a subject, get in close.....fill the frame.

The images below are examples of this. Its quite easy to take a picture of something in its entirety and that may work (no right or wrongs here). But before you walk away from the subject thinking you have captured all there is to offer try one more time. It doesn't matter is some of the subject is outside the frame, it makes the view ponder the bigger picture.

The Gauge of a fuel filler

Norton motorcycle

Valves on a V12 engine

Concentrate on a particular area of the subject.......maybe some text, a logo, a feature, an eye and make this the focal point.

Mountain biking - Photographing hobbies

I love it! I've been a MTB'er for 18 years and still love it as much as ever. This year I really want to spend more time photographing this sport and different angles of it. I read a book recently called Privateer and the images are inspirational. Trying to adopt my own flavour now and I hope to spend a lot more time out with the camera and bike. Here are some close ups of my primary bike which I custom built over time.





 

No point taking photographs if your not really interested in the subject.

Also like I said in the post "Dusting off that camera" try different angles and perspectives

Richard

I have lots of new ideas and look forward to getting them uploaded. Its also a good place to start if you have a camera but unsure what to take pictures of. Pick a subject you enjoy and are passion about. You find you'll take great pictures because you have some knowledge on it. Also look for idea's or inspiration in magazines or online say at http://www.flickr.com/

Skyline

Photographed some great cars over the weekend, from 1902 racers to modern day marvels.
Here is a Nissan Skyline GTR under quite a cool break in the cloud. Pretty lucky with that but if you wait sometimes even only minutes things can change quite dramatically. Same applies to any landscape or image outside, patience is key.

This photograph is not straight out of the camera, some post processing was applied to emphasise the mood.

D700 50mm F1.4

Dusting off that camera

I know a lot of people who have nice Digital SLR's and a great eye for a shot. I see them using these cameras in auto mode and there's so much more, and its not hard to do. In fact you don't even need an SLR, you can make many changes to a compact. In the coming weeks i'll go through all these setting. In the mean time get that camera out and start playing

If you love your photography and/or want to know more, experiment. Try new settings or techniques, not all will work but you may find something interesting or different. Try a portrait from high up looking down, or take a pet shot from laying on the floor looking up. Not all pictures have to be taken at 5'10 and if you look closely many aren't.

I'm going to go through certain settings and what things mean, all in bite size portions.

Photography is all about inspiration, idea's, experimenting and having fun. I use www.flickr.com for my inspiration. If your stuck for idea's follow the link and browse, you'll spend a long time on there.

It's also not about competing. I see lots of images that never get to see the outside world because the photographer things they aren't good enough. Be proud of your work, show people, ask for critique and feedback. You don't have to listen to it after all

It’s not important to capture something interesting, it’s important to do it in an interesting way, rules are just guide lines.

Little Boots

First image to go onto the blog. Just sitting looking at the little shoes on the floor, nice light and the camera to hand. No setup of lights just the natural light coming in. As always it was on my D700, the 50mm F1.4 and this was @F3.5 1/50sec 320 ISO

I tried a few shots at different angles and like this one best. Took it into Lightroom and took some colour away, added a bit more stronger contrast and a little vignetting. Few other bit on level but that boring.

Main thing for me is how a simple item can be made to look different and quite cool. Definitely worth trying this yourself if you haven't already.



Welcome - Post 1

Well this is my new blogspot, welcome.


I will be regulary posting images here, along with the details, locations and experiences while taking it/them


Feel free to comment


Thanks
Richard