One of my favourite photo-techniques is the silhouette. This involves exposing for a bright background and leaving the subject in deep shadow.
In Londonderry I made this silhouette of a girl, sitting looking out the window of a cafe. Silhouettes are good for this kind of candid shot, for the identity of the ‘Derry Girl’ remains shrouded in mystery.
Fujifilm X-T30 fitted with a Nikon 35-70mm manual focus lens.
If you are travelling on the train from Coleraine to Londonderry there are some truly stunning views, and on approach to the city this otherwise inaccessible view of the Peace Bridge and the Guildhall are a worthwhile image to capture.
This mage made while the train was moving using the Fujifilm X-T30. The trains are double glazed so a little bit of dehazing in Lightroom fixed that. Continue reading NIR Railway Journeys – L’Derry
Flowers in a (Depth of) Field!
This flower is blooming along the side of the Moneyreagh Road and the traffic goes by at 69mph (or more) so even on the calmest if evenings, like this evening, these flowers sway with the tailwind of every vehicle that passes. Trying to keep them in focus on a manual focus lens was a real challenge, but I still liked the sense of perspective that the shallow depth of field gives.
On the computer screen the image almost looks three dimensional.
Dringing home along the Moneyreagh Road towards Ballygowan I’ve been fascinated by an old derelict dwelling near the village of Moneyreagh, at what used to be known as ‘Milligan’s Cross.’ There’s nothing special about the building, except that there’s an old second floor fireplace exposed at the side of the building. Tonight I asked Janette to leave me off outside the old building, so that I could make some photographs of the fireplace, and its surrounds, – and then to walk the two mile journey home. Here’s my favourite image:
I love the textures and colours in the walls and brick, and the contrast between the bright blue tiles and the crumbling plaster in the walls.
Waking along Tullygarvan Road this evening and got overtaken by this road-hogging monstrosity!
Fujifilm X-T30, F=21mm, f/5.6 @ 1/125th sec on ISO2000 (9.20pm) Nikon manual focus lens, using focus peaking.
Baby Holly visited the studio-pod today for the second stage o her ‘Baby’s First year’ photoshoot. I offer these fantastic short sessions at 4 months, eight months and twelve months. Session one sees baby lifting their head and taking an interest, session two and he or she is sitting up, and session three is usually a cake-smash with our big figure one in the background!
Frequently I shoot the second session on Greenscreen (Chromakey), as with this session. I used the Fujifilm X-T3, F=47mm, f/5.6 @ 1/125th sec on ISO400. Two Elinchrom studio lights (flash).
Ballywalter today for work purposes, and while I waited for an appointment time, I went down to the harbour with the Fujifilm X-T2 fitted with a Nikkor 37-70mm f/3.5 lens, and a Nikkor 100-300mm lens. It was a strange day, windy and overcast, but with bright spots appearing through the threatening clouds.
First stop was to look at an old boat that I saw parked on the road down toward the slipway. Continue reading Ballywalter, Co.Down
In December 2019 I had my attention attracted (or ‘distracted’ since I was driving!) by the old Templemore Avenue Baths, – for there were no cars parked in fort of it – which is unusual, and that fact prompted me to actually get out of the car and make some photographs.
So,you can see the original post here:
So, when I discovered that one of my ‘Baby’s First Year’ mums worked at the Baths, needless to say I asked for quick look inside, and so with the help of David, Sam and Sharon, I got a great tour of the inside of the building, and just in time too, for the building just about to be stripped inside, and incorporated into a new state of the art leisure complex being built on the adjacent site. Here’s some (but not all) of the photos…
The Boiler Room was my starting point. in a lower floor below ground level, the machinery there is still working (for the community group who have been using the building) but no less interesting for that.
The Baths had two pools, and the small of the two has been disused for quite some time.
The larger pool is still in use at the time of writing. It features little changing cubicles along the sides of the pool – probably considered unhygienic by modern standards, but perfect for the period in which the structure was built. Thanks to David for removing the pool cover to let me see the water!
I sat in one of the cubicles to get a swimmer’s view of the pool…
The most interesting part of the building is the actual bathrooms themselves, and these will be in Part 3 – following in a day or two. I’ll post a link here.
Baby Molly visited the new ‘Studio-Pod’ at Ballygowan (aka ‘Man-Cave for retired photographers! LOL) for the first visit of her ‘Baby’s First Year’ photoshoots. What a lovely subject she was. To maintaining social distancing and good practice, her mummy had to do all the hard work, moving props, and posing her – but it was fine, and we got the studio visit over in around 20 minutes.
In the studio I used the Fujifilm X-T3 camera, fitted with a Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R, LM, Wr lens. Before the visit the fabrics and floor were washed and sterilised, hand sanitiser, masks and gloves were made available, and afterwards all fabrics went straight into the washing machine. As we all say – “When you pod – Pod safely!‘
The new normal!
On a lovely sunny June evening a walk along the sea path past Pickie Funpark at Bangor is a pleasant way to while away an hour or so. Here’s a few shots made on the Fujifilm X-T30, using the excellent Acros Film Simulation.
Portraits2Go.co.uk 