Here’s a building that’s been part of the East Belfast community since 1893. It was originally built to facilitate hygiene requirements by the City Corporation, for many of the houses in the terraced streets around the building had only outside toilets, and no bathrooms. So, the council built the public baths…
I have passed the building on many, many occasions, but rarely can it be found without cars parked along the front during the daylight hours. (It sits just off the new ‘Glider’ bus route along the Albertbridge Road, so I suppose that people park there and ride the Glider into the city centre.) Today as I passed it was clear, and I just happened to have a camera or two in the car! Continue reading Templemore Baths, Belfast→
Newcastle Co.Down is a favourite of mine, with it’s beautiful setting; the scenery that inspired Percy French to write his famous song, “Where the Mountains of Mourne Sweep Down to the Sea.” He might not have found it just so inspiring today, for the wind was blowing a gale, and the seas were rough – the mountains overcast and dark.
In this image I was trying to show the darkness of the mountains against the stormy sea. Shot in Acros Black and White, F=18mm, f/16 @ 1/40th sec ISO400
I had the Fujifilm X-T30, with a standard zoom, the 18-55mm f/2.8-4. I love using this camera, for it’s small, but with a powerful processing engine. For this walk I kept the camera on ISO400, with the film simulation mode set to Acros Black and White and shooting simultaneous Jpegs and RAW.
It’s getting boring now. I’m now at Day 4 with my dead leaf. This time I put a macro extension tube on the X-T30 and stuck the lens right up against the leaf. Focal length was 55mm (Macro tubes only work at the vey end of these lenses) –
f/8 @ 1/60th sec on ISO3200, lit by a Rotolight Neo in a light tent.
In Lightroom, I used split toning to bring out the reds in the leaf’s shadow areas, – just a tiny amount of saturation used.
I’ve got to find a new leaf soon. I’m running out of options. Either that or I need to get out and find something to photograph really soon.
(Even a cat wouldn’t play with a leaf as long as this). Today I set up the light tent, and put the leaf in it. I lit the tent with a Rotolight Neo, and used the Fujifilm X-T30. I had three objectives:
To see the effect when I used the LensBaby lens,
To create shadows by bringing the Rotolight down from the top of the tent tone side of the tent. (Left, so I could hold it by hand, and use the camera in my right hand)
Two commercial photoshoots today, first one was at at 8.30am in an HGV Yard, and needless to say – in the miserable, foggy wet, yucky semi darkness. I needed an ISO of 6400 on the Fujifilm X-T3 to get anything near what the client wanted.
Fujifilm X-T3, F=34mm, f/11 @ 1/60th sec on ISO6400
Strange how all the romantic notions of being a photographer vanish when you’re standing in a puddle!
However, whatever way you spend Christmas Day, HAVE A HAPPY, BLESSED AND SAFE DAY. Enjoy your food, your family and your photography, and hope that Santa brings you a Hasselblad!
Sometimes its good to do something that’s out of your comfort zone, – like STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY. It’s not something I do very often, but today I chanced upon an autumn leaf, curled up and lying in a dusty corner of an outhouse, and I picked it up and brought it home, with the intention of making an image of one single brown leaf.
I love Black and White, the images have a timeless quality about them, and the lack of colour seems to make the mind work harder to interpret the image, a provocative gestalt. But does it work in the studio, under studio flash lighting? It does for adults, – but what about for kids? And does studio monochrome always have to be so noir?
Scarlett visted the studio this evening with her mum and her little sister to make some lovely photographs and memories, and among them was this little black and white portrait.
So, does this image work for you?
Fujifilm X-T2 F = 24mm f/8 @ 1/125th Sec on ISO 200 under studio flash, W/B = 5600K
Time for my annual visit to the Belfast Christmas Market, clustered around the veritable ‘Dome of Delight’ itself, Belfast’s historic City Hall. This year again, it was the evening when I visited. I took the Fujifilm X-T30, small enough to be unobtrusive and powerful enough to make eye-watering images. I had the ISO at 3200 throughout the evening. Despite the fantastic X-T30, the market was so busy it was difficult to make any decent images, but here’s a few…
If you’re interested in a personal photography project have a read at this from Valerie Jardin – see how she’s approaching her subject and how she states the aims of the project. There’s a lot to learn here. Follow her blog to see how her project progresses.
I met Dakota Dave Hull this morning in his studio. It was another snowy day in Minneapolis and I was so happy to get out and work on this project again. I was greeted by his dog, an adorable Cavalier King Charles by the name of Kobi, who knew instantly that I was a dog lover.
I would describe Dave’s space as a recording studio/guitar museum. I don’t know much about guitars but I could tell that there were some very special ones lined up. Dave immediately chose one and started playing, then switched to a different one, and another one. All more beautiful than the other: Classic, resonator…
From a photographic standpoint, this was a very challenging shoot. No soft window light this time, but multidirectional spotlights creating strong shadows and bright highlights. But isn’t the point of this project to keep me on my toes by adding the…
We have a small quantity of blank canvasses, suitable for 16×10 inch canvas prints – the slightly panoramic shape makes them idal for small family groups or children. They are made with “260gsm Exhibtion Polyester Matte Canvas with a bright white, smooth matte surface and tight weave pattern producing pin sharp images both in colour and black & white. The tight weave makes this canvas ideal for stretching over wooden frames and suitable for both photographic and fine art prints, either reproductions or originals. This Canvas is water resistant with superb results.”
Portraits2Go.co.uk 