Tag Archives: Travel

Belfast, Cars and Vehicles, Travel

NIR Engineering Car

Unplanned Trackside Serendipity

I was sitting in the passenger seat of Janette’s car, crossing the M3 bridge in Belfast, with the Fujifilm X-T4 in my lap, when this track maintenance vehicle crossed the railway bridge which runs parallel to the road. A quick adjustment or two, and thanks to the X-T4’s in-body image stabilisation and continual autofocus, and I got this shot from that rare angle, a shot that would be impossible on foot!

So the only thing planned about this shot was the readiness of the camera!

F=55mm, f/5.6 @ 1/150th sec on ISO800

Beautiful Ulster, Cars and Vehicles, Ireland, Travel

Slaght Crossing

Old Trackside Railway Hut

Around 2.30pm this afternoon, I was about to cross the Slaght Level Crossing, outside Ballymema, when this old trackside hut caught my eye, and I thought, “Ah ha! There’s an old trackside hut! Time to get the camera out.” I parked the car, and walked to a gate with a view of the track, and fitted a medium length zoom on the Fujifilm X-T4. (No, I wasn’t trespassing on the tracks.)

Fujifilm X-T4, F=200mm, f/4.8 @ 1/250th sec on ISO 1600.

I needed the faster shutter speed to steady the lens in the wind, – I should really have got the monopod out, lowered the shutter speed to 1/60th and the ISO to 400.

But then hindsight’s a wonderful thing!

Actually, a few days down the track (see what I did there) and I decided to take away that ugly sign in Photoshp. It probably improves the image significantly!

Belfast, Cars and Vehicles

The ‘On The Move’ Project’

Adjusting to retirement, or just a new obsession?

‘The Car in Photography’

Mini One-d

I’ve this thing about cars. I’m not by any means a ‘petrolhead’ – after all, I drive a Skoda! But I’ve been photographing cars commercially for about 15 years, but I’ve always been glad to get those jobs done and get away home, or back to the studio for some real photography! But there is no studio anymore, and I’ve been reading a book called ‘Autofocus – The Car in Photography.’ It’s pretty inspiring! I’ve taken an interest in getting car images just for fun, my ‘On the Move Project.’ Ive been sitting in the passenger seat, with the camera, on continuous focus, and looking for interesting vehicles out and about. I’ll share more of these images from time to time.

Get it at Amazon:

Buy it at Amazon

Anyway, I found this Mini One sitting at traffic lights in Belfast. I underexposed by two stops, darkening the background significantly and keeping the brake lights looking realistic. Normal exposure would have rendered the red lights unrealistically bright. In photoshop I duplicated the layer and raised the exposure in the bottom layer by 2stops, added a layer mask to the upper layer and then painted the car in at normal exposure. Except the lights of course!

Cars and Vehicles, Co. Antrim, Travel

THe VW and the ibis…

In-Body Image Stabilisation on the Fujifilm X-T4

One of the great advantages of the Fujifilm X-T4, and the unique selling point, as far as I was concerned, was the IBIS feature. It works a treat! So, to combine it with the continuous focus mode, I sat in the passenger seat, with the camera, while Janette was driving.

Ok, so there’s some of our roads here that no amount of digital technology could cope with! Bumps, potholes, bends, (and sharp gear shifts… LOL) all take their toll on the image stability! So, when we got onto a reasonably straight road, I fixed the focus on a few other vehicles on the road, and made some images!

Fujifilm X-T4, F=78mm, f/6.4 @ 1/125th sec, on ISO200, Classic Chrome film simulation.
Continue reading THe VW and the ibis… →
Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, Ireland, Landscapes, Travel

Dark Mournes – Murlough Bay

Shooting into the Sun!

Shooting into the midday sun is never a great idea but the waves and the dark Mournes were irresistible today.

The image was captured today on Murlough Beach, a National Trust property, between Dundrum and Newcastle, Co.Down. The tallest peak is Slieve Donard, part of the Mourne Mountains range.

Shot on the Fujifilm X-T4, F=30mm f/20 @ 1/125th sec on ISO160.

Continue reading Dark Mournes – Murlough Bay →
Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, History, Ireland, Landscapes, Travel

Drumbo Round Tower

Between Carryduff and Lisburn, with views across Belfast and the Lagan Valley lies the hamlet of Drumbo, with its historic Round Tower, now situated the graveyard of the Drumbo Presbyterian Church.

Drumdo Round Tower, Fujifilm X-T30, F=24mm, f/13 @ 1/200th sec on ISO500

The tower is one of the oldest monastic monuments in Ireland, dating from around the early medieval period. It was around in AD1130 when records show that it was plundered by one Connor McLochlin.

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Beautiful Ulster, Co. Down, Ireland, Travel

The Lecale District #2

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Ardglass in a Jamjar!

Why is Ardglass in a Jamjar? I’ve no idea! But I’ve heard that expression used by my late grandparents, back in the 1960’s. It was made famous by Van Morrison, the singer/sngwriter, who immortalised it in his song ‘Coney Island.’

…On and on, over the hill to Ardglass
In the jam jar, autumn sunshine, magnificent
And all shining through Stop off at Ardglass for a couple of jars of
Mussels and some potted herrings in case
We get famished before dinner…

Van Morrison
Ardglass Harbour
Continue reading The Lecale District #2 →