An intermittent blog featuring photography and pieces of writing all opinions my own unless stated.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Tour de France
As a cyclist it was stunning to watch the riders circle the cobbles six times at speeds in excess of 30mph and always packed in a bunch. Photography from behind the barrier was a real challenge but I managed a few shots of which I am proud and will now try to post from my hotel in the Boulevard Raspail. However using a french language keyboard is complicated when used to qwerty.
It proved too complicated to add images..............
Friday, July 27, 2007
Eizo Colour Edge

model on display: (All EIZO monitors have 5 year warranty)
• 1600 x 1200 native resolution
• 500:1 contrast ratio
• 225 cd/m2 brightness
• 170° viewing angles
• Digital/analog inputs
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Bowens Studio Lighting
http://www.bowens.co.uk/downloads.php?osCsid=e61403c62f9cdda1db5e60e1005d8175#m
For any of my readers who use studio flash.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Rain, Rain, Rain

This summer, the jetstream is flowing further south allowing low pressure systems to sweep straight over the centre of the country. High pressure systems over Europe and the Atlantic have been weak............ Hence all the rain down south(not a link just a nice wet colour), here in Scotland it is normal, but today is nicer.
Pressure chart: 4/07/07. Source: Met Office
Digital v Film
I could have even coped with hand searches of my luggage to avoid putting film through the x-ray at the airport. The colours are so much more vivid than those possible on a computer. Digital has its day when time is short.
However, last night at the Peebles time trial shooting digital allowed me to fit in an Indian meal as well as send the pictures off to my "editor" who compiles the weekly report for the local rag. With film I would have had to do the final wash with meths before scanning the pictures and the nearest I'd have got to the Indian would have been a carry-out. In this situation digital is a no brainer.
Quick Quantum
Wedding photographers carry fat external batteries for fast recycling and tons of shots. The SB-800 has a socket for this. The SB-800 even has a bizarre external single AA holder which lets you use odd sets of 5-AA cells for somewhat faster recycling compared to just using the 4 internal cells (It seems weird to me: my sets and charger come in 4s, not 5s.) Other companies like Quantum make big external batteries that plug right into the SB800 while the SB600 has no such connection. In the old days we just rigged up our own connections to flashes, usually with wooden dowels the size of AA batteries and thumb tacks, and used a 6V gel-cell around our waists. Personally I just swap alternating sets of Ni-MH AAs and I'm happy.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Jessops
Peter MacCabe has left a new comment on your post "Jessops":
"I'm sorry you had a bad experience with Mr Hodson. I was employed at Jessops for 13 yrs, if I recall right, Steve was a Store Manager at Bath then went on to be an Area Manager,all this before 2000 when I left.
I'm certainly not going to defend his alleged banging the counter or any other rudeness to customers. Whilst I was there, he was sited as a model Store Manager though he certainly had a "face that fitted".
Regarding the demise of a Store Manager under his control, did the individual concerned sue under current employment legislation?
Sadly I'm convinced that powers higher than Mr Hodson had just a little to do with it...
Which is one of the reasons why they are on the brink of annihilation... "
The individual concerned packed his bags and left although he was offered a lesser job.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Nikon D40x v D80


Earliest digital camera
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Flash Diffuser

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Fuschia

Pretty simple really ISO 400, 1/160th f8 on Tamron 90mm macro lens, + fill-in flash from Vivitar 283 and variopower manual adapter - 5 stops, with stofen diffuser.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Ricoh Caplio 500SE

Ricoh states that the camera is watertight to IP67 specifications (up to 1 m water depth), that it is dustproof to JIS grade 6 and that it can be dropped from a height of one meter without sustaining damage. Due to the water tightness the camera looks a bit cheap with its rubber body and soft plastic keys. Having said that, it feels quite sturdy and seems to be more than up to the tough life of everyday surveying. The supplied GPS receiver however was neither watertight nor dustproof. But the camera can be coupled to any GPS receiver capable of outputting NMEA type GPS messages, so just hook it up to your trusted GPS solution. There seems to be a design flaw with the see-through seeker. And although most people will probably prefer the LCD display on the back of the camera for composing the picture it can become unreadable in bright sunlight. The built-in see-trough seeker is however obstructed by the camera housing at wide zoom angles.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Amateur Photographer

This is my reply to former Sunday Times photographer Philip Dunn. After writing the letter I found that he is also based in the Borders....small world.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Edinburgh Botanics Competition
TheEdinburgh "Botanics"
Dawyck in the Borders
Benmore in Argyllshire
Logan in Dumfries and Galloway.
The competition is open to all and prizes will be awarded in three categories:
1. Garden View
2. Plant Portrait
3. Natural History Close-up.
First prize in each category £50 and second prize £15, kindly donated by the Goswami Trust. Rules and entry form can be downloaded from http://www.rbge.org.uk/ Closing Date: 31/October/2007 Contact: Margaret Stevenson Website: http://www.rbge.org.uk/
feightandbethere
During the summer I am planning to migrate some work to the above new site.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Tamron 90mm Macro

While a bee collects pollen from a strawberry plant a snail devours our clematis. Both shots with a Tamron 90mm f2.5 manual focus macro lens. The bee, which is really sharp on its wings was hand-held.
Set-up for the snail was more complicated. Iso 400, 1/4 sec at f16 with fill-in flash off camera from the side and Stofen diffuser, camera on a tripod and fired with self-timer. There's some luminence from the flash but it was just a quick 10 minutes, I am no Heather Angel.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Bowden Doors, Northumberland, England

Sunday, July 08, 2007
Fuji Big Job

I kid you not this is Fuji's latest digital camera a six million pixel modal unfortunately named Fuji Big Job. Aimed at industrial applications, forsenic science and the like. Obviously the people in those occupations create large logs.
Luckily it is not yet available in Scotland or it would have to be re-named the Big Jobbie. Could be a case of poor research by the Japanese who clearly associate Big Job with work rather than the water closet. The advertising blurb says the camera is "ruggedised" and designed for tough applications. Syrup of figs or Senokot is also reputed to help resolve sticky situations. No doubt if this camera is put in the right hands it will prove popular for crappy jobs such as traffic wardens who need a hardy work horse to record peoples poor parking and then stick them with a ticket.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Dan Chung Snapper's Tips
http://travel.guardian.co.uk/sendusasnap?CMP=KNC-GUtravel&HBX_PK&HBX_OU=50
Guardian Competition
Hard Cash
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Wildgrass & weather

On Monday it was all I could do to keep moving against the wind and rain at this location.
No special technical info fully auto on pocket camera.
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Peebles Time Trial 4th July 2007

Charlie Brindley (right) 4th in the event is perhaps, too relaxed on his tri-bars at the same point. The youngsters are hot on his tail.
For those interested in the technical detail: Nikon D100, 180mm lens, Iso 200, f2.8, 1/160th + -4 stops on manual adapter of Vivitar 283 flashgun as "fill flash" Levels slightly
adjusted in Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Canyon Camerawork
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Photographic Portrait Prize
The Photographic Portrait Prize 2007
8 November 2007 - 24 February 2008
Porter Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery's prestigious international photographic portrait competition celebrates and promotes the very best in contemporary portrait photography through a competition that is open to all. It has established a reputation for its diversity of photographic styles, encompassing editorial, advertising and fine art images submitted by a range of photographers, from professionals to gifted amateurs and photography students.
Call For Entries
Photographers are invited to enter the National Portrait Gallery's Photographic Portrait Prize 2007.
Register online between 1 May and 20 July 2007: you will receive an email confirming your registration number. Photographs must be delivered to London College of Communication (address below) either in person or by post/courier between 23 and 27 July 2007. Online registration will ensure a quicker, more efficient, check-in when delivering photographs.Diamonds & Leckie
Leckie, Ivanhoe Road's neighbourhood black cat enjoys some milk after his chicken dinner. On his right are some diamonds of rain caught in a spider's web.