Saturday 31st August 2019 was a big day in Ballygowan. Ninety two (yes, 92) marching bands were parading through the village in an event that was last held here 39 years ago. (And I was present then too). The next time it happens I’ll be 104, and I’m not sure if I’ll be fit to stand with a camera all day!So, with a great opportunity for street photography right on my doorstep (literally 100 yards away) I spent the day making around 700 images.Continue reading Coping With Loss – Data Loss!→
A wee trip by train up to the so-called ‘Maiden City’ and a dander round the famous and historic city walls, with granddaughter Chloe and the Fujifilm X-T30 camera. Here’s some of the images…
NIR – Northern Ireland Railways
A train leaves the city en-route to Belfast, a journey that will take it almost 2 hours, travelling along the north coast to Coleraine, and through some of the most beautiful coastal scenery anywhere. The trains in NI are safe, clean, comfortable and modern, and they run on time, (unlike their English counterparts!) and the fares are reasonable. I like to think this is because the trains here are still run by the government, – Translink is a government owned company, so profits are used to improve services, instead of to reward shareholders and fat-cat bosses. Continue reading Londonderry on 28th August 2019→
Free Family Shoots if you’ve got someone leaving home for College etc.
Completely free photo shoot for families – you only pay for images that you choose.
And you get:-
* A digital image sized for Facebook* * A complimentary Mini Print.
Family Memories
Families
Bring the family – all we ask is that your son or daughter who is leaving home is one of them! Mum, Dad, brothers, sisters, grandparents and grandchildren even pets if you want.
A visit to the Mausoleum at Templepatrick (Co.Antrim) requires some diligence and persistence – just to find it! It is signposted from the road opposite the Templeton Hotel, and the passage to the site lies within the historic Castle Upton Estate. Nowadays the monument is owned by the National Trust. A visit is rewarding though, for the site is historic, including not only the Templetown Family mausoleum, but also the grave of the first Presbyterian Minister of Templepatrick, Rev John Welsh, the grandson of John Knox.
The approach to the graveyard is by way of a tree lined pathway, which lends itself to the ‘spooky fog’ treatment in photoshop! (Don’t worry, you can see the ‘untreated’ image in the next montage. Images were made with the Fujifilm X-T30 and a standard zoom, 18-55mm lens.
The Gate to the Mausoleum – Spooky! F=39mm, f/4 @ 1/60th sec on ISO800
Pathway and gates F=39mm, f/4 @ 1/60th sec on ISO800First view of the mausoleum from the gate.F=28mm, f/11 @ 1/60th sec on ISO400
The Mausoleum was built by the Scottish architect Robert Adam for the Upton family in 1789. It contains memorials to some of the family members. On the day I visited the monument was open and access to the inside was certainly interesting.
The Mausoleum Interior. F=18mm, f/2.8 @ 1/60th sec on ISo3200
The best shot of the Mausoleum is from the far side of the graveyard. Although the ground is uneven and the graves squashed close together, the graveyard can be crossed with care for a rewarding photograph.
The Templeton Mausoleum at Castle Upon Estate F=18mm, f/13 @ 1/60th sec on ISO400
Fujifilm X-T30, 18th August 2019, 6pm, overcast/patchy clouds – daylight. Average reading was f/5.6 @ 1/250th sec on ISO200,
Great studio sessions today, mostly involving babies! (Of one sort or another!)
First in was newborn baby Alex, who posed eloquently in the baby hammock, with mummy and daddy holding him safe at each end. And if you think he’s going to roll out, don’t worry, and please don’t have nightmares – the hammock is safely resting on a table!
Our ‘Mummy and Me’ photoshoots at Dundonald are GREAT FUN, and give you a unique opportunity to grab some memories that will endure for a whole lifetime! Yesterday evening (Thursday 8th August) we had a lovely mum, Martine, and her daughter Tori. Here’s just one of the amazing images we made at that session:-
Tori – trying to decide what to do with her hand! Having FUN at Dundonald
Want to give it a go? It’s a great way to celebrate a birthday or a graduation or any other happy event – or just for the fun of it! To book your session ring 07802 466302, or text ‘MUMMY and ME’ and we’ll get in touch.
Mark the event with a special ‘Back to School’ mini-photoshoot at The Studio od at Ballygowan. Get professional prints of your child/ren in their school uniform, and avoid those ‘child against the door’ photos all your friends will have on Facebook!
In my last video-log from the studio I was demonstrating how I did a ‘Photo-Noir’ selfie with one light and a reflector, and someone later asked why I’d referred to it as an ‘experiment’ when its a well known studio technique!
Photo made with a Rotolight and a silver reflector
Well, what was experimental about it was that I was using a single rotolight, instead of a flash.So, what’s a rotolight, and what makes it different from a standard studio flash?
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