Tag Archives: Lockdown Logs

Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, Lockdown Logs, Still Life

The Lockdown Logs #47

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 18th 2020

Tulips at Crossnacreevy.

These white Tulips are growing in a flower bed beside the post box at Crossnacreevy, so when I stopped to post some letters, I grabbed the camera and made a series of exposures of the flowers.  I wanted to use a wide aperture to remove the distracting background, and it was good that I did, for the tulips were moving slightly in the wind, and I needed quite a fast shutter speed.  The big tulip is in focus, but with so little actual texture in the flower itself, it was difficult to assess the focus in-camera, but in LightroomI was able to see the tiny specks of dust on the petals.

Fujifilm X-T30, F=200mm, f/4.8, 1/1000th sec on ISO1250

Tulips

 

Lockdown Logs

The Lockdown Logs #45

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 15th 2020

Following my earlier conversation with a crow, I decided that I couldn’t allow myself be defined solely by my love for the birds.  This pony was standing alone in a field, so I stopped and politely asked if I might take its photograph?  The pony obliged striking a pose, and when I’d got the shot he/she came over to the fence to have its forehead stroked.  I thanked the pony for its willingness to pose, and promised to leave it continue its meal (grass).

Pony
Fujifilm X-T30, F=156mm, f/6.4 @ 1/160th sec on ISO400

Lockdown Logs

The Lockdown Logs #44

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 15th 2020

Well, stone the crows!  This fellow came and sat beside my car when I was in the petrol station!  It was a salutary lesson, one I should have heeded many years ago – that a camera in it’s bag is no use at all!  This old crow came and sat a few feet away from me, – cocking its head to give me a good examination…  But the Fujifilm X-T30 was tucked away inside its camera bag beside me.  By the time I’d got the camera out, he’d walked away along the fence, and then I needed to waste more time changing to a telephoto lens.

Crow
Fujifilm X-T30, F=128mm, f/6.4 @ 1/160th sec on ISO400

Lockdown Logs, Studio

The Lockdown Logs #43

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 14th 2020

Some exciting news for the Lockdown Log today!  My new Studio-Pod is finally finished!  The pod had been ordered back in January when I was first considering the long-term future of the studio at Dundonald  and before we even had heard the word ‘Lockdown’ mentioned!  My original plan was to close the studio around the end of July, when all the outstanding vouchers were finally redeemed.  That would give me time to formulate a plan and get organised.  So work was to begin on the Pod around March, with installation before the end of that month.

Then came the virus and the Lockdown and everything changed.

But this week some of the construction industry went bak to work, and among them the firm who had already pre-fabricated the Studio-Pod, and it was erected on site in two long days…  Here it is!

DSCF5605

First images of my newly built Studio Pod at Ballygowan!  Just wait until the restrictions are lifted, and I’ll welcome pets, babies, passport photos etc etc.  It’s not a full sized studio by any means, not even big enough for a decent family group, but it will serve its purposes very well.  It’s all fully insulated, with heating and air-conditioning built in, double glazed and wired.

Inside…

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It’s wood lined and comfortable, and waiting for the lights and chairs etc.

So – some really good news in the midst of the gloom.

Lockdown Logs

The Lockdown Logs #41

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 12th 2020

Fred… There’s no bread!

‘No wonder, love, – the delivery van is lying in a sheugh near Comber.’     Image highly over-processed using one of these Lightroom preset thingies. (That’s a technical term)

Fujifilm X-T30, F=200mm, f/8 @ 1/125th sec on ISO400

Mothers Pride Up

Lockdown Logs

The Lockdown Logs #39

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 9th 2020

I’ve included this image in my previous post ‘Sketrick Island’ – but looking at it today in the Cocoon, I thought it was worth a little more work, probably because of the textures.

It’s not a macro shot!  This is an anchor chain, and it’s huge!  I imported it into Capture One and gave it a closer crop, and some extra presence and clarity, to accentuate the textures.  The shot was made with the Fujifilm X-T30, F=55mm, f/4 @ 1/250th sec on ISO250.

DSCF5530UP2.jpg

Coincidentally, while I was manipulating the image in Capture One, the Alexa device was playing Leonard Cohen singing his poem ‘Born in Chains!’  Cohen certainly is a wordsmith of the highest quality, – dissertations could (and probably have been) be written on the deeper meanings of his words.

Here’s ‘Born in Chains…‘ Continue reading The Lockdown Logs #39 →

Lockdown Logs

The Lockdown Logs #38

The Lockdown Logs

Dateline: May 8th 2020

This poor wee black beastie was looking round and giving me a mournful look when I was taking her photograph.  I don’t know whether it was because she was camera shy, or perhaps embarrassed at the state of her kitchen!  After all, who wants the whole world to know that your water source is a slurry tanker!

Fujifilm X-T30, F=55mm, f/5.6 @1/60th sec on ISO800

Slurry tank_UP.jpg