OK, whilst I look at the entries for that competition and deliberate and conjugate and all those things the bloke on Master Chef did I thought I'd show you this.

I took it today, more to prove to myself that it was impossible to use the close up filters with the 50mm lens on a tripod.

Well, you know what.

Turns out you can.

(f/10, 30sec, 50mm +10 filter, ISO-100, 02/07/08)

 

This is part of the back of one of those pin pressions toys (just in case you're interested).

Folks, a final reminder that if you want to enter the challenge/competition thing I set up a few weeks back, then I need your entries by the end of tomorrow!

You can find all the details here!

 

Send them to me at paul(at)learningtosnap.com

I'm really going to have to pull my pennies together to get that Macro lens I mentioned. I can already see just how addictive taking that sort of picture could be.


(no exif information for you right now...)

One thing to note in this picture is that rather than make some tweaks in Lightroom myself to fix up contrast etc, I made use of a preset. Lightroom provides a number of "out of the box" presets which, while interesting, can be quite limited. However, there are a large number of presets available on the web (both charged for and free). these can have quite an effect on your image.

I'm not sure that using a preset isn't some form of cardinal sin - after all every image should be treated as a new challenge and one size probably shouldn't fit all. However, as a starting point (or if you like the effect), they can be really useful and give some impressive results.

One of the best preset selections I played with so far were referenced on ReallyJapans blog (kudos to him for sharing the find). You can find them here from the original author Kim Long (thanks to her for sharing them so generously).

...but increasingly they seem to be overstepping your rights.

A few months ago I posted a short thing on photographers rights, you can read it here.

Well, if you're interested, theres a new article about the same subject on The Register today. There's also an interesting video on the Lighting Mods blog about it too.

Well worth checking out, even if you're not a photographer.

Andrew pointed out a few flaws in yesterdays clips picture (I prefer to think of them as features), specifically that the focal clip was a little out of focus on the edge and there was some sort of smudge on it which was distracting.

Well, since he was right (but don't tell him I said it), here's some more clips.

(f/9, 1/60sec, 50mm, ISO-400, +10 filter used, 22/06/08)

 

As a point of note, I left the white balance much closer to the auto default setting this time, it gives the clips a nice bronze feel.

This is the reason why I want a macro lens.

(f/9, 1/20sec, 50mm, ISO-400, 22/06/08)

I follow a number of different photoblogs and one thing amazes me in all of them is colour. I've no idea whether they're using post processing techniques to tweak curves and saturation or whether they're using filters on the camera, but whatever they do it always looks amazing.

A couple of great examples of this are Oswegan and ReallyJapan blogs. Whether its abstract stuff or cityscapes, these guys seem to always make the photo stand out.

Given the amount I've spent on camera gear in the last year, I'm not really in a position to buy a lot of filters, so I think my summers work will be learning how to make small tweaks in Lightroom/Photoshop/GIMP to improve the colours in the picture.

That's right, as well as having to live with my blurred and poorly composed shots, you'll now need to bear with me while I mess up the colour balance and intensity as well.

 

Seemed appropriate to look to higher powers for inspiration.

(f/7.1, 1/30sec, 55mm, ISO-200, 20/06/2008)

 

What I wanted was to make the sign feel vibrant against the leaves and tree. To make it draw your eye in whilst still being legible. What I ended up with, well the dirt on the sign looks like noise and the blue looks a little too electric, but I do quite like it.

I was out again on Sunday trying to take a photo of model cars racing. Yet again the wee blighters stumped me by being too small and moving too fast.

In no particular order I tried

• Pre-focusing on the track
• Using a really fast shutter speed
• Using continuous shoot mode on the camera
• Demanding my brother throw himself onto the track to make the drivers slow down

The first three had marginal successes. the last one, well let's just say the tire tracks on his head look well.

One shot I did get that I kind of liked was this. A little HDR to make it "gritty".

(f/8, 1/60sec, 55mm, ISO-200, 15/06/2008)

 

And yes, the car was stationary at the time....

It's been an interesting few days. Between getting a new flash gun (Canon Speedlite 430EX) and having a chance to play with the Canon 55-250 IS lens it's been a bit busy.

Proper thoughts and example shots using both these fine new toys will follow, but in the meantime here's a purple flower!

(f3.5, 1/2000sec, 50mm, ISO-200, 15/06/2008)

I promise this isn't going to turn into a flower blog. Lord, I don't even know their names. But, in their favour, they do sit still (sort of) and they don't complain half as much as my family who now hurt me when I take too many pictures.

And besides. It's purple. PURPLE.

 

Anyway, one of the interesting side effects of buying a new flash gun is that I've started trying to read a bit more about off camera flash. Currently I'm working my way through some of the articles on The Strobist and if I ever work out what I need to make my 400D and my 430EX do that funky dance I'll post my results.

 

Another less interesting side effect is that I'm broke. Cheque book photography is not recommended. Mr Canon, if your listening, your toys are lovely but very expensive.

 

 

Like I said, purple.