Thursday 29 September 2011

Task 1a; Statement of Intent; Theme 2

Task 1a: Produce a folio of images.

Theme 2:
Wildlife of Church Farm, Anslow Gate


Purpose of the photography:
To discover and record the wildlife of Church Farm by producing images of the birds and mammals which visit the garden, and the trees and spaces that entice them.


Reason for selection of theme:
Interest in birds and mammals
Ease of access (my own garden)
To develop my skill & knowledge in this area, allowing me to apply these improvements in other locations
To discover aspects of the garden I have never considered before
To capture images which will be special to me as a memento of the garden I have enjoyed for over 20 years
To develop my skill & knowledge in this area, allowing me to apply these improvements in other locations








Photo imaging equipment and medium to be used:

Olympus E520 digital SLR camera






Lenses:

ZUIKO DIGITAL 17.5-45mm 1:3.5-5.6

2.5x standard zoom
Equivalent to 35-90mm wide angle standard zoom on a 35mm Film Camera
Closest focal distance of 28cm

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm 1:4.0-5.6

3.8x zoom - Telephoto zoom lens
Equivalent to 80-300mm wide angle standard zoom on a 35mm Film Camera
Closest focal distance of 90cm

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 70-300mm 1:4.0-5.6

4.3x super-telephoto zoom lens
Equivalent to 140-600mm on a 35mm film camera
Closest focusing distance of 120cm








Other Equipment:


HAMA Digital Camera Connecting System Connecting Cable OLY-1 (for Olympus Cameras) 00005210

HAMA Wireless Remote Shutter Release Digital Camera Connecting System Base 00005202


Velbon Sherpa 550R Tripod

This tripod has expandable legs in 3 sections which extend to give a camera height of approximately 5 feet; with the legs collapsed the height is approximately 2 feet, both of which are perfectly suitable for my use. The head is a swivel ball and socket.


Media to be used.
Initially all my images will be saved into Photoshop Elements 8 on my own computer where I shall review them, and delete any unsatisfactory images. From there I shall upload images onto my blog. I shall review these images further at Burton College and amend them as necessary using Photoshop CS5 on the college's computers. I shall save my final images onto a DVD.

My final aim will be to produce a book as final memento for myself and my family, However I would like images through the entire seasons of the year which is outside the time scale of this course, so will not be available for this module.





There is a possibility that 2 of my images will be displayed alongside those of my class members at a local civic centre. If so they will be printed as 16 x 12 inch photographs, and framed suitably. This will be an exciting step as I have never printed photos larger than 6 x 4 inches before.

 






Stimulus Material.
The major stimulus for this work is to record as many aspects as possible of the nature of the garden as a permanent record before I move from the house.
Prior to this course I have observed photographs of birds and mammals, as well as gardens in magazines and books. To be able to photograph well some of the beautiful birds and squirrels that visit my garden, plus the beautiful trees of my garden is a great stimulus for me to do well in this course.
The references I intend to use initially are those known to me - Steve Young and David Tipling, but I intend to extend this to discover artists new to me - which I shall record in my blog aided by using internet search engines, library books, names within magazine articles and other sources during the course. All the references will be labelled within a future blog.

Techniques to be used.

I intend to investigate the possible techniques I can use with the equipment listed above to produce interesting images of trees, and the varied aspects of the birds and mammals. All the photographs will be taken on the 'manual' setting of the camera so initially I shall investigate the effect of varying the 3 basic parameters available i.e. ISO setting, aperture width and shutter speed.

I have 3 main lenses available; I hope to vary my use of them to discover the best use of each. Depth of field will be important in this to enhance the images and effect they produce.

Study of composition will also be important to improve the images taken. Research will be needed as will analysis of images of other photographers to evaluate what does and does not work - remembering that the final perception is totally personal.
In addition I will need to develop techniques to take photographs of the shy birds and animals that visit the garden with the use of hides or remote control techniques.


Lighting Conditions.
colourfuland interesting images.


Safety Considerations.
Since these photographs will be taken on my own land there are no issues about access. If photos need to be taken from the roadside I obviously need to be aware of oncoming traffic - keep eyes and ears open and do not stand in the middle of the road.
Within the garden the hazards are minimal - steps upon which I could trip, mossy paths on which I could slip. I don't intend to climb any trees to fall from. There is no pond. Care will be taken if photographing from upstairs windows.

If I need to hang feeders from trees care will be needed if branches are to be cut, or nails attached. I normally feed birds all the year round, so this should be continued for their benefit. Nothing should be done in the composition of an image that will compromise the safety of any of the wildlife.





Task 1a; Statement of Intent; Theme 1

Task 1a: Produce a folio of images.

Theme 1:
Close Up in the Garden of Church Farm, Anslow Gate


Purpose of the photography:
To discover and record the nature at Church Farm by producing close up images of all aspects of the garden.

Reason for selection of theme:
Interest in close up photography of nature.
Ease of access (my own garden).
To discover aspects of the garden I have never considered before.
To capture images which will be special to me as a memento of the garden I have enjoyed for over 20 years.
To develop my skill & knowledge in close up work, allowing me to apply these improvements in other locations.


















Photo imaging equipment and medium to be used:




Olympus E520 digital SLR camera:





Lenses:

ZUIKO DIGITAL 17.5-45mm 1:3.5-5.6


2.5x standard zoom
Equivalent to 35-90mm wide angle standard zoom on a 35mm Film Camera
Closest focal distance of 28cm


ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm 1:4.0-5.6
3.8x zoom - Telephoto zoom lens
Equivalent to 80-300mm wide angle standard zoom on a 35mm Film Camera
Closest focal distance of 90cm


ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 70-300mm 1:4.0-5.6
4.3x super-telephoto zoom lens
Equivalent to 140-600mm on a 35mm film camera

Closest focusing distance of 120cm

HAMA Digital Camera Connecting System Connecting Cable OLY-1 (for Olympus Cameras) 00005210

HAMA Wireless Remote Shutter Release Digital Camera Connecting System Base 00005202


Velbon Sherpa 550R Tripod













This tripod has expandable legs in 3 sections which extend to give a camera height of approximately 5 feet; with the legs collapsed the height is approximately 2 feet, both of which are perfectly suitable for my use. The head is a swivel ball and socket.


Media to be used.
Initially all my images will be saved into Photoshop Elements 8 on my own computer where I shall review them, and delete any unsatisfactory images. From there I shall upload images onto my blog. I shall review these images further at Burton College and amend them as necessary using Photoshop CS5 on the college's computers. I shall save my final images onto a DVD.


My final aim will be to produce a book as final memento for myself and my family, However I would like images through the entire seasons of the year which is outside the time scale of this course, so will not be available for this module.

There is a possibility that 2 of my images will be displayed alongside those of my class members at a local civic centre. If so they will be printed as 16 x 12 inch photographs, and framed suitably. This will be an exciting step as I have never printed photos larger than 6 x 4 inches before.

Stimulus Material.
The major stimulus for this work is to record as many aspects as possible of the nature of the garden as a permanent record before I move from the house.
Prior to this course I have observed close up photographs in magazines and books, and whilst out and about I have noticed miscellaneous flora and fauna which warranted closer observation. Close up photography enables you to really study small and seemingly inconsequential items of nature, be they flowers or leaves, insects or spider webs, dead or alive, and appreciate the beauty and wonder that might normally be missed. Often close up photographs bring out features that cannot be observed easily with the naked eye - especially if long sighted!

The references I intend to use initially are those known to me - Steve Young and David Tipling, but I intend to extend this to discover artists new to me - which I shall record in my blog aided by using internet search engines, library books, names within magazine articles and other sources during the course. All the references will be labelled within a future blog.
 
Techniques to be used.
 
I intend to investigate the possible techniques I can use with the equipment listed above to produce close up images. All the photographs will be taken on the 'manual' setting of the camera so initially I shall investigate the effect of varying the 3 basic parameters available i.e. ISO setting, aperture width and shutter speed.
 
I have 3 main lenses available; I hope to vary my use of them to discover the best use of each lens for close up photography. Depth of field will be important in this to enhance the images and effect they produce.
 
Study of composition will also be important to improve the images taken. Research will be needed as will analysis of images of other photographers to evaluate what does and does not work - remembering that the final perception is totally personal.

Lighting Conditions.
The period of this assignment is September 2011 through to the end of January 2012 i.e. through autumn and early winter. During this period of some 4 months I can expect the quality and quantity of light available to decrease as we move through the vernal equinox and midwinter solstice (shortest day). Hopefully in autumn there will be days with bright sunrises and sunsets which will produce vivid reds and yellows; in winter light quality will become poorer partly because of the reduced light time, but also because of possible 'grey' or wet days with low levels of light. It will be necessary to take advantage of any sunny days there are, and to shoot throughout the limited daylight. Winter sunrises and sunsets may be colourful, but they have low level light which means that it will be difficult to capture close up images.

Safety Considerations.
Since these photographs will be taken on my own land there are no issues about access. If photos need to be taken from the roadside I obviously need to be aware of oncoming traffic - keep eyes and ears open and do not stand in the middle of the road.
Within the garden the hazards are minimal - steps upon which I could trip, mossy paths on which I could slip. I don't intend to climb any trees to fall from. There is no pond. Care will be taken if photographing from upstairs windows.
If I need to hang feeders from trees care will be needed if branches are to be cut, or nails attached. I normally feed birds all the year round, so this should be continued for their benefit. Nothing should be done in the composition of an image that will compromise the safety of any of the wildlife.

Discussion with Steve 29/9/11: Change of Plan

Steve and I have had a useful discussion about my photographic interests; and decided that within my own garden I can complete 2 projects.  The plan now is to produce 2 folios of photographs that will reflect the biodiversity and ecosystems of Church Farm by taking images of "nature" - birds / mammals / trees of the garden, and an alternative assignment of "macro photography" of plants / insects / spiders of the garden.

I will learn different techniques to enable me to photograph small plants and insects, shy birds and animals where I must stay at a distance, and general views of the garden.

In order to do so I will research what wildlife is in the garden, where each species can be found, how each species can be attracted to the garden etc... By doing this I can discover the whole ecosystem of the garden.

In addition I will research different wildlife photographers within the areas of birds / mammals, gardens, invertebrates, plants, trees etc..

I need to include a plan of the garden plus images from several angles to aid understanding of its layout.

Indian Summer

Currently we are enjoying a brief ‘Indian summer’ – blue skies and soaring temperatures during the day; misty mornings. Yesterday as I closed the bathroom window I looked down on the garden as it lay bathed in early morning sunshine. Such wonderful spiders’ webs – glinting in the sunlight. So today I was up early dressed and ready with camera in hand waiting for the sun to rise over the trees. Here are the results:



(526) ISO 400; 1/20 sec; f/22; focal length 78mm

This had the sun to the left and behind me, and I was fascinated by the size of the large web – and its hole, but also the sunlight glimmering on the horizontal webs at the bottom. Does the tall grass distract? Without it there would be no web.




(536) ISO 400; 1/25 sec; f/8; focal length 70mm

I love the swinging element of the web here. It probably should have been framed more to the left – maybe it can be cropped? Also the top of the web is hidden by the top of the flower head. I like the colours and out of focus background.




(541) ISO 400; 1/30 sec; f/8; focal length 114mm

I like the shapes in this one – but feel the light at the top is too bright and draws the eye away from the subject and out of the picture.




(544) ISO 400; 1/30 sec; f/8; focal length 149mm

Again that light – but otherwise a fun shot.


I also took a photo from a window since I know birds often perch here:



(519) ISO 400; 1/25 sec; f/8; focal length 215mm

Unfortunately the depth of field makes this a muddled photo with no real focus. Lovely colours and hopefully it can be improved.


Equipment used: 
Olympus E520 camera
Zuiko digital lens 70 – 300 mm.
No polarising filter
This telephoto lens was chosen as I could not get close to any of the subjects – the webs were too fragile and the branches several feet from the window.

Inspiration:
Photographing Garden Wildlife by Marianne Taylor and Steve Young.
Within this book is a beautiful image of a song thrush with dappled light.



ISO 200; 1/80 sec; f/5.6; focal length 390 mm

Sunday 25 September 2011

Macro photography

One type of photograph I would like to develop is the close up or macro. I have achieved passable results occasionally, but not consistently.













So today I have experimented with my lenses and the macro setting. The aim is to produce a focussed image of the half eaten leaf to illustrate its colour and texture.




(447) ISO 1600; 1/20 sec; f/16; focal length 42mm; compulsory fired flash; 14 – 42 mm lens

The focus should be the half eaten leaf – but the focus is wrong and the berries dominate. The leaf colour is washed out.



(489) ISO 200; 1/80 sec; f/8; focal length 42mm; fired auto flash; 14 – 42 mm lens

Here the leaf colour is improved, but the flash has given a harsh image with harsh shadows. Again not all the leaf is in focus.



(503) ISO 400; 1/180 sec; f/8; focal length 150mm; fired auto flash; 40 - 150 mm lens

The leaf focus has improved, but too great a depth of field and too harsh lighting.



(513) ISO 400; 1/5 sec; f/8; focal length 125mm; no flash; 40 - 150 mm lens

Leaf out of focus – beautiful berries!

Problems:
  • Focussing 
  • Lighting
  • Lens – what to use when
  • Or is a compact camera with a macro setting better for this since I have no macro lens?

Theme 1: Assignment 206; Task 1a: Statement of Intent.

Addendum:
This Statement has now been superseded by one produced on 29th September. This follows a discussion with Steve about proposed themes.


Assignment 206: Principles of photo image capture.

Task 1a: Produce a folio of images.

Theme 1:
Wildlife of Church Farm, Anslow Gate


Purpose of the photography:
To discover and record the wildlife of my own garden.


Reason for selection of theme:
Interest in wildlife photography
Ease of access (my own garden)
To capture images which will be special to me as a momento of the garden I have enjoyed for over 20 years.
To develop my skill & knowledge in this area, allowing me to apply these improvements in other locations




Photo imaging equipment and medium to be used:

Olympus E520 digital SLR camera




Lenses:







ZUIKO DIGITAL 17.5-45mm 1:3.5-5.6

2.5x standard zoom
Equivalent to 35-90mm wide angle standard zoom on a 35mm Film Camera
Closest focal distance of 28cm

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150mm 1:4.0-5.6

3.8x zoom - Telephoto zoom lens
Equivalent to 80-300mm  wide angle standard zoom on a 35mm Film Camera
Closest focal distance of 90cm

ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 70-300mm 1:4.0-5.6

4.3x super-telephoto zoom lens
Equivalent to 140-600mm on a 35mm film camera
Closest focusing distance of 120cm

Olympus C-765 UltraZoom Compact Camera


Bright 10x optical zoom lens f2.8-3.7 (equiv. 38-380mm on a 35mm camera)


Other Equipment:
Velbon Sherpa 550R Tripod











Medium:



Thursday 22 September 2011

My photos - Where I am

As requested on Weds I am putting some of my favourite photos on the blog. They are all from my holiday in Shetland last year, and show some of my main interests - wildlife and (for want of a better term) views. Family photos I am not including.


The first photos are of wildlife:














These are views:












Thursday 15 September 2011

ABOUT ME!!

Hi! Everyone calls me Val - not Valerie, but whatever...

I am not far off retirement, married with 2 sons & daughter in laws, and 3 gorgeous grandchildren.
One son lives in Cockermouth, and he is the one with 3 children - all aged below 5! Brave folk!!
The older son lives in Beverley, so when we visit we are visiting gorgeous places.

My job - I work at the local hospital as a pharmacist - specialising in Mental Health.

One of the reasons I am doing this course is - don't laugh - to discover my artistic side! I've been a scientist all my adult life!

Photographic interests - well I guess my number one love is photos of birds - and holidays in Shetland are a definite boon for this. Also gorgeous views - but generally the image disappoints. I'd love to be able to take great photos of the grandkids - but I am hopeless in this area!

I do use Photoshop, but would love to really know what I'm doing there. However my aim is to keep use of Photoshop to a minimum.

shetland

Tall Ships Parade, Shetland 2011

Metallica - Nothing Else Matters: Official Music Video [1080p]

I luv Metallica