Cameras dont shoot people

Sigma 70-300 F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro

2011-08-12T18:20:00.001+01:00

Sigma 70-300 F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro Extended
Originally uploaded by Dean™

A return to blogging with a return to an old lens !

I have just added a couple of shots I took of my Sigma lens when I was selling it, The original shot in my stream on Flickr is one of my most popular images and still receives hits nearly every day so I thought I would add the others as a test to see if they too collected hits.
I am still not sure whether it is because of my great picture with excellent lighting :) or it is due to the popularity of the lens that it gets so many hits but im hoping its just my skill lol, In fact I often wonder whether I should of kept the lens if it was so good ?
I admit that it was a great all round carry anywhere lens that I thought my other lenses would cover easily but for the sheer versatility (even if it was a little light hungry) I just could not fault the lens and miss it sometimes while out and about.
As a cheap (compared to others with the same reach) lens I would have no hesitation in recommending it to others as a nice carry around lens and even the macro capability was pretty good.

Moon plus convertor no crop

2010-04-23T14:37:00.001+01:00

Moon plus convertor no crop
Originally uploaded by Dean™

A ubiquitous moon shot, Yes I know everyone who has a lens capable of zooming wants a picture of the moon yet so many people fail and get a blurry blob of white light for their efforts.
Well truth be told me too when i got my first zoom, It all stems from the fact it is night time and it is a small point of light in a blue/black sky and what you need to know is it is still daylight on the moon or we wouldnt be able to see it.
This picture was taken at the following settings
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO Speed: 100

So all you need to do is set your camera up to take a daylight picture and you too will be forever taking pictures of the different moon phases.
Dont forget its a long way away too and camera shake is very evident so if you can get it on a tripod, Beanbag wall or somewhere where you can get a steady picture and set your camera to the 2/10 second timer so you can press the button and retire to a safe distance.

Have fun and best of luck on your shots !

Chaffinch in the rain

2010-03-30T18:03:00.001+01:00

Chaffinch
Originally uploaded by Dean™

This Chaffinch doesn't look as miserable as i felt. I had the day off work with no other distractions so I took a trip to Clumber park in Nottinghamshire.
Clumber park is a great place with hot and cold running squirrels everywhere you look and more birds than you can shake a stick at yet it was also the wettest day of the week, So after sitting in my car and drinking my coffee while waiting for a break in the clouds and taking the time to lens-pen my lenses cleaner than new I sat listening to the birdsong and relaxed.
After a little walk in the rain and a trip to the toilet (too much coffee) I went back to the car and decided to head home as the weather seemed to be in for the day and it wasn't getting worse but wasn't getting any better either, On my way home via the scenic route past the great lake at Norton (click the picture and look at the map screen if you wish to know where) I saw a row of feed stations on the tops of the fence posts so pulled into the lay-by and sat and waited a while.

Soon there were Robins, Sparrows and Chaffinches all hopping from feeder to feeder in search of treats and this helped to brighten my day a little even though it was dark, Miserable and wet I did get a few half decent pictures, All in all I found a few places I am going to go back to when the weather improves so it wasn't a bad day.

Daffodil wide Screen

2010-03-10T18:28:00.001Z

Daffodil wide Screen
Originally uploaded by Dean™

As i haven't actually been taking many pictures this year (insert usual procrastinating excuses, lack of time, Energy and general creativity) I just had to make do and mend one of my old pictures for a cheery desktop image for my wide-screen monitor.

I am in the middle of a house move at the moment and hopefully I will be able to take a lot more pictures when it is all behind me, Lots of self portraits of me Gardening, Decorating, building etc. I would imagine for a while but I do have plans for photographs and makeshift studios after all the walls are generic and plain at the moment I would guess to help to sell the property.

One of my main problems is lack of energy and time so now the days are getting longer too I am going to try to force myself to take pictures daily even if i just delete them at the end of the day it will get me out of my general non photography pit i seem to be in.

Personality and portraits

2009-12-18T18:54:00.002Z

40's Taylor
Originally uploaded by Dean™

As i have neglected this blog for so long i felt the need to update with my latest picture, In fact my flickr stream is sadly lacking too but not for the fact im not taking pictures.
Im actually not taking pictures I feel like sharing with everyone, Im not taking "public" pictures at the moment which was a surprise to me and also a revelation.
When i picked up my 400D my main goal was to be able to take better pictures of family and friends and maybe take a picture or two that said something to others out there that didn't know me. I wished to be more technically competent yet also be able to capture people with a natural look and not just the stiff posed deer in the headlights look and with a lot of pictures im taking now im actually doing just that.

I know i have quite a way to go but i have relaxed into the pictures a little more now, They don't have to be pixel perfect technically superior pieces of "ART" i can actually take a snapshot again which to me seems to say i have gone on to another stage of shooting, One where I actually can make the camera do what i wish most of the time without having to RTFM and i can also play a little more with the subject and make them enjoy having their picture taken like my son who is still smiling in the picture and not looking bored at me while i adjust/tweak/changelens/batteryfiddle etc etc.
So here is to the exciting times ahead where i try to find thing i can and want to share with the public again instead of just for and of family and friends.

Voyeuristic intentions.

2009-10-16T00:08:00.004+01:00

People watching is fun !

No honestly it is, Im not confident enough to stick my camera in peoples faces yet i find some of the street reportage style work posted on flickr great.
I have a limited number of shots that i have taken while people watching but i seem to miss the "decisive moment" as it were and think to myself wow that would of made a great picture, I guess its all in the timing and the ability to predict the event and my timing is still a little off.
I am working on it though so i expect there will be a few more pictures in my portfolio of street scenes if i can get my timing right.

Anyway here is a link to Stephen Wright's flickr stream who does manage to get the timing right and he has a great ability to predict the picture before it happens.

The race

2009-09-15T00:05:00.001+01:00

The race
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Yes its that time of year again when the summer starts to end and the nights draw in, People often get discouraged in their photography towards the winter and you really shouldn't as with autumn just around the corner the trees are starting to look great with all the greens yellows browns and reds.
Find an established old woodland and break out that flash to get some great shots of the many varied fungi that will be making its appearance shortly as it gets damper, The morning light is easier to catch too as it pops its head up later and later in the day so you can practice those misty morning sunrise shots just remember to wrap up warm !

Not all it seems

2009-06-25T10:39:00.001+01:00

Love is a shared leaf
Originally uploaded by Dean™

After getting excited at finding these little caterpillars and taking a few pictures i decided to try and find out about them and what kind of moth/butterfly they would turn out to be, It turns out they are not what they seem as they are the larvae stage of the Sawfly and they wont be turning into anything nice and pretty (depending on your viewpoint) so im still looking for a couple of real caterpillars to make a chrysalis and show the kids...Bah !

Fixing a 430 EX

2009-06-21T20:48:00.001+01:00

Canon Blitz Speedlite 430 EX
Originally uploaded by Andreas Solberg

Whilst playing with my flash + umbrella + light stand i managed to drop my 430 on the carpeted floor which I didn't think had caused any damage.
Sadly this wasnt the case as when i turned off the flash and then turned it back on again it gave a scary sounding grinding noise and wouldnt switch mode, I realised this was due to the motor not operating as it should so with all due care ( and thoughts of zapping myself silly with the inner workings of a strobe) I removed the 8 screws hiding under the circular parts on the sides of the head which allowed the case to come apart.
A little slight pressure on the front of the flash (with the fresnel screens removed) and i heard a little click as the motor re-engaged and with a quick test i was ready to put it all back together again.

PHEW another strobe saved ! its all working as it should again.

The importance of notes

2009-06-04T09:19:00.001+01:00

Fireworks
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Once again i have fallen foul of my own short-sightedness/laziness as I have been out taking pictures without notes, So what ? you may ask.
Take this picture as an example while taking the four or five different angles it wouldnt of hurt to take a picture of the label that was at the base of the plant and i would of been able to tell you the common and latin name of this beautiful plant, I could of added the names to the tags in Flickr helping out some other lazy person with a shot of the same flower and maybe even driven some views to my account as they searched for pictures of the same, As it is its just a pretty flower that i do not know the name of.
All that for the sake of a few seconds to take a picture or make a note, No contest really is there ?

Lightbox !

2009-05-23T13:25:00.001+01:00

Live one
Originally uploaded by Dean™

So anyway adding more to the DIY lightbox topic, I found the walls made from white tissue x2 are very thin and fragile so im going to try to update it next week when i have time with some tracing paper or greaseproof paper and take some test shots to see if there is any sort of colour cast or any problems.
The lightbox is fun to use and I have a queue of items that need to be photographed so if anyone is watching my Flickr stream i will say sorry now as it may get a little lightbox heavy as i play with the materials its made from and the actual lightsources used for illumination.
The lego picture is rather grey at one side due to the single lightsource but overall im happy with how this first image turned out.

DIY Lightbox

2009-05-20T17:56:00.003+01:00

Sigma 70-300 F/4-5.6 APO DG Macro
Originally uploaded by Dean™

I thought i would get off my lazy behind and make a lightbox with the basic design coming from Strobist.com
Mine is very similar and gives nice results ready to shift some stuff that I no longer use with a view to buying some nice new Lee ND filters.
Hopefully the photographs will make people spend more as they look better and it only cost me about £3 as I had most of the items anyway so its a win win situation.
The Sigma lens im selling is a great lens if you have plenty of light or you compensate to allow for it, Sharp and light enough to carry about all day for a walk around lens.

So people make yourself a light box even if its just to have a play about with as its fun and cheap to do and you never know when you might need to take a few "product/stock" shots.

Exploring Blue and Green

2009-04-30T10:33:00.001+01:00

Blue and Green
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Flickr has this strange algorithm that can grab one of your pictures and throw it into explore, While it has no bearing on subject,composition focus or technical ability people still seem to chase after the mystical HDR bokeh loving Donkey that is the explore picture picker.
Im happy if real people like my pictures and if a picture does make explore (like this one) i just hope it draws more people towards my stream and garners me more comments which helps me progress as a photographer.

More comments = happy me !

Chinese imports

2009-04-20T18:50:00.001+01:00

Mandarin
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Out in Clumber park and on the lake was this great Mandarin duck, Part of the British wildlife yet was an original import from China.
As my photography progresses so does my knowledge in wildlife so it seems to be a hobby that just keeps expanding my knowledge in more ways than one.

Hide and seek

2009-04-15T20:15:00.003+01:00

Originally uploaded by Dean™

A trip to Clumber park to scout out the location and see what was there as I hadn't been for a long time, Last time I went to take pictures there was with my trusty film camera many years ago.
In fact now I think about it I didn't even have kids back then I just wish I had the money to carry on processing film and buying lenses back then, Thank god for digital as it has been great to try different techniques and angles and getting feedback instantly so I can learn and move forward in my photography.
I myself am happy with my progress and I know im slowly getting more consistent with my pictures, Hopefully I can continue slowly improving over time and you will see how I do here.

Delivery of snow !

2009-04-09T23:16:00.002+01:00

Stuck in an uphill struggle
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Had a quick google for my images and came across this one that has been used by BBC Derby, I submitted it but didn't realise they had used it !
http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/content/image_galleries/weather_2009_01_gallery.shtml?22

Creativity: Learn to filter your world

2009-04-09T22:54:00.002+01:00

While looking for inspiration and learning i came across a wonderful lesson which I am going to have a go at as my creativity sometimes gets filtered out in the technical aspects of photography.
I have also bookmarked this blog as there are some great travel photography ideas on there.

Creativity: Learn to filter your world

Posted using ShareThis

Waiting

2009-04-07T09:47:00.006+01:00

Waiting
Originally uploaded by Dean™

A trip to the coast to take a few sea shots with sunsets long exposures and general coastal views was a waste of time yesterday as the clouds and mist never cleared leaving me with a dark grey day.
I did however come across the RNLI training on Skegness beach while my kids played on the pier amusements so the day wasn't a total loss.

Waves were a little rough and i was amazed at how close the main boat was able to get to the beach at one point im sure you could of walked up and got on to it without getting up to your waist in water.

Winds of change

2009-04-03T22:28:00.001+01:00

Kite
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Ahh well after being contacted by Nottingham County Council for use of this image on thier bus shelters I have been informed it isnt going to be used after all, It seems it cant be placed in Nottingham so they no longer want to use it.
Never mind im currently in talks with someone else who wants to use one or more of my images so lets hope that one pans out.

Nice green tan

2009-04-02T08:18:00.003+01:00

Nice green tan
Originally uploaded by Dean™

I have just rediscovered a place near me that has a wonderfully varied habitat and is just on my doorstep, Its amazing how we tend to look further away for something interesting to shoot and we don't look around our own home town and im as guilty as anyone.
I guess i need to seek a little more locally and learn to keep my eyes open more for these little parks, Nature spots and even places in the urban landscape we pass and try not to take notice of as it is so commonplace to us, Approach your home town as if you were a tourist i seem to remember someone writing someplace !

Anyway this place is called Portland park and is near a town called Kirkby in Ashfield and it has places to walk, sit and observe with lots of wildlife like frogs, Birds, Squirrels and suchlike im sure i will have fun there in the coming months unless i forget its there again...

Rother valley flyer

2009-03-30T11:36:00.002+01:00

Rother valley flyer
Originally uploaded by Dean™

After spending some time at Rother Valley in Rotherham I figured what the "L" part of my lens means, Leap in the air !
Every time I pointed it in the direction of a boarder they leapt, Jumped and twisted on command, i must visit there more often.
This is the first time i have had the 100-400 lens out to shoot any sport and I have to say the focal length is great for this type of sport and its not too heavy to carry and walk about with which was one of my main concerns when i got the lens.

Tit

2009-03-25T22:16:00.001Z

Bird and bud
Originally uploaded by Dean™

After reading a few different articles and looking at other peoples photographs I have decided to stop marking my pictures with a watermark.
I mean its not hard to clone or crop my small watermark out yet a large one ruins pictures for the viewers which is defeating the object of actually wanting others to view them, I may change my mind in the future and i reserve that right.
I am also playing with my permissions and licences at the moment and i will have to see how that one works out.

L of a Heron

2009-03-24T23:26:00.001Z

Grey Heron
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Had a chance to try out my new Canon 100-400mm L zoom today and even with a little user error im very pleased with the clarity, Colour and contrast of it.
I managed to get a few good pictures and a lot of great information on how to use the lens and how far i could push the IS which is one of the things i wanted to try to play with.
Great zoom lens hope i get some more chances to use it very soon.

Droplets

2009-03-18T13:17:00.003Z

Droplets
Originally uploaded by Dean™

Just out this morning playing with my new Canon 100mm Macro lens and i must say it is really sharp and great to use, Im sure that as i play more with this lens i will get some great results from it.
I havent had time to set it up on a tripod yet and get full depth of field out of it but im sure it will impress me just as much, This is a quick grab with the web blowing about in the wind so any softness is due to the bad technique not the lens.

Sam the Suffolk Sheep

2009-03-16T22:50:00.002Z

Sam the Suffolk Sheep
Originally uploaded by Dean™

So I have this fairly innocent sheep called Sam sat in my pictures and it seems to get a steady stream of hits from Italy, Germany and England.
No nothing kinky just people looking for Suffolk Sheep and i cant seem to find out why all i know is this seems to be the most popular breed of sheep for some reason.

Of course if anyone does know why there is so much interest please let me know !

Hello World ?

2009-03-13T22:32:00.004Z

So in an effort to try to understand my photography im using this Blog as a thinking tool, Im not sure what may be posted but hopefully i can get a reader or two in time and i may just progress with my photography.
I have just got two new lenses and they do the complete opposite of one another so it might be fun to do a rolling review as I use them.

Why start a Blog on Friday the 13th of all days ? Well as 13 has always been my lucky number its as good a time as any I suppose.