Exercise - Shutter Speeds

For this exercise I took my camera down to a local spot at Cramond in Edinburgh to shoot the waterfall over the weir on the river Almond.  It was a bright day and I found it difficult to get more than one second exposure.  I forgot the ND filters!

I shot 8 images ranging from 1/1000th to 1s.

It is clear at this shutter speed motion is captured and stopped in time. The droplets of water can be observed falling over the fall and spray is quite defined in places as the water leaps into the air before falling back into the river.  It is not a particularly pleasing effect here although I imaging it could be best in a situation where the river was in full flow and you wanted to capture its power.

 At 1/500 the camera still captures greater detail but there is the beginnings of more flow, but just.

At 1/250th the spray is becoming less defined and more mist but in the main there is still definition of the structure of the fall and the water coursing over it.

At 1/60th the definition is beginning to reduce and a more milky effect is being seen in the smaller elements of the falls.

At 1/30 the effect of the slower shutter speed is becoming more noticeable. Anything moving has, in effect become a blur.

At 1/8th the real effect is much more noticeable.  Detail in anything moving is disappearing and becoming more ghostlike.

At 1 /4th spray is almost an opaque milky cape.  The main fall is also much more of a milky mass, still opaque but appears as one.

At 1s the full effect is more apparent, and would increase the slower the shutter speed achieved.

Again, selectivity of use will be crucial depending on the subject.  In sport for example the ability to capture the split second, or the expression greatly adds to the drama of the photograph, where as flowing movement of, say, a gymnast could also be captured by a slower speed giving an idea of grace in movement.  As to water, I do prefer, particularly in waterfalls a soft flow, although as seen in two of my images both faster and slower shutter speeds can be equally effective.

13 Second exposure

This image was taken near Comrie in Perthshire on a walk.  In dark woods a 13s exposure provided a pleasing ribbon of water as it hit the rocks cascading down into the pool.

1/3000th Second exposure

This image is of the nymphs in trafalgar square on a bright sunny morning. At 1/3000s the camera captures the droplets as the water is sprayed directly onto the nymphs hands.

I like the effect of both and both can create powerful or soft pleasing images.

Focal Length and Angle of View

For this exercise I printed out three copies of a photograph of a mouse I took in a lane in Paris not far from St Germain des Pres.  At first it was a colourful man's head sticking out the wall which drew my attention and then I noticed graffiti of a sprayed image of a mouse's head.  Lining the prints up I took three images at f2.8 focussing on each mouses head in turn.

Frou Frou1

Frou Frou 2

Frou Frou 3

Looking at each of the images I think I prefer Frou Frou 3 because the other 2 mice are thrown completely out of focus and the foreground mouse is completely sharp and stands our very effectively.


The angle of view clearly has an impact on the relative sharpness as does the focal length, which was 70mm in this instance, and which had the effect of compressing the image. Had I used a wide angle I would have probably achieved a higher degree of separation, however, for this exercise I do like how the mouse stands out clearly in image 3.

And for those interested in the man in the wall.......

...........and the mouse.

Paris

The golden city is undoubtedly one of the most photogenic capitals in the world. It has an impressive array of beautiful public buildings and photographic opportunities that could fill any album, and there have many who have done this much better than I could ever.  I tend to see Paris more in black and white than I do in colour for some reason, perhaps it come from those old films of Piaf or Montand or the books I have of Henri Cartier Bresson or Robert Doisneau.  I have never been entirely satisfied with anything I have taken in colour.

Tour Eiffel 2011

I visited Paris with my children, aged 15 and 18, for a few days and hoped to drag them around the more obvious sites and generally spend time with them over the holidays.  I was also in Paris in March of 2010 when the temperature was below zero and the conditions for photography were significantly more challenging.  This time though, in August, we benefitted from warm sunny days, with the odd shower, and lovely light, particularly in the mornings.  I decided, as a discipline, and to lighten the load, to take the Fuji X100 which has a fixed 35mm lens.

Staying up near the Trocadero we were perfectly placed for the Eiffel Tower, a landmark I have struggled with forever apart from shots taken from miles away.  I didn't fare much better this time either because on the day we were there the sky had a thin layer of cloud and was pretty well bland.  As ever the snake like lines of people made the place feel completely overcrowded as they waited their turn to make the trip to the top.  I decided to try a shot as seen here as well as a number of other uninspiring shots.

Notre Dame

Next down to Notre Dame where again the entire population of europe had descended. Again with too many people I concentrated on the cathedral and the surrounding areas and worked quickly before complete boredom set in with the kids.  Generally when at such a tourist attraction I tend to look in the opposite direction from people around me to see if I can catch something unexpected.  Given that this was Paris in August at around mid day the traffic was as expected, busy, however, as we crossed Pont Archeveche at the back of Notre Dame, a peaceful scene opened up before me as other photographers took their shots of the flying buttresses and the river boats. At the junction a lone boy on a bike approached and there was absolutely no traffic near him.  I managed a couple of shots as he passed before the norm returned of loud horns and frustrated drivers.

A major attraction of Paris, or indeed many major European cities, is the ability to sit and eat al fresco.  Eating in restaurants with pavement tables in Edinburgh is really only or the hardy or those with mountain gear.  The hustle and bustle of Paris, be it visitors or locals, means that there are a number of photographic opportunities for the discrete or even the bold.  The X100 is a rangefinder and makes taking candid shots quite easy and certainly less intrusive that a SLR.  The camera can be set up for black and white with various filter choices although I prefer working from the RAW image and converting to black and white in Photoshop. It has a silent option on the shutter so a picture can be taken before anyone realises it.  Here my daughter was attracted by something nearby and the shot was taken before she knew it or had time to put her hand up in front of her face, as is her want.

So a couple of days in Paris and more images than I could reasonably put up on this blog.  I enjoyed the discipline of a camera with a fixed lens.  The X100 is a fantastic camera with its retro styling and its state of the art technology.  It is also a pleasing weight and feels sturdy enough to take the jostling and bumping of a bag or in the metro.  I am also very pleased with the quality of the images taken, both in RAW and in fine Jpeg.  Most shots don't need much Photoshopping at all.

Palace Challiot

I still think Paris in monochrome is best although others will no doubt disagree.  It has its fair share of photo opportunities and with care and attention I think you can find something that is a bit different.  With the current recession and the value of the Euro it is horrendously expensive and I am afraid the number of trinket sellers have increased five fold in only a year as have the  Eastern Europeans looking for you to sign some petition.  There is a sense of someone always looking and as I found out on the metro someone attempting to dip into your pocket - he got more of a shock than I when I caught his fingers attempting to get into my empty back pocket - he must have been learning.

One thing is for sure, all this aside, Paris only being a short hop across into Europe opens up photographic opportunities that I will continue to plunder.  Next time I think I will develop a theme and take images only associated with that theme.  The problem I seem to have is akin to a child in a sweetie shop, there are generally too many to choose.  So next time more discipline is needed!

Getting back to basics....

 ....is always a good thing, whether it is in photography, cooking or just life in general.  A good grasp of the fundamentals always makes the task intended in hand a bit easier.  Exercise One, looking at the effect of different focal lengths on a scene, has a number of benefits as I see it.

I tend to think about what I am trying to achieve with an image before thinking about the equipment to be used. Clearly, knowing that my eyes equate broadly to a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera assists greatly in that effectively what I see is what I get, particularly when the aperture is stopped down at f22 providing the maximum depth of field. From there thinking about what aperture to use provides alternative images based on the depth of field created, but that is for another exercise as is decisions to be made on shutter speed.

Using a telephoto lens obviously enhances my general eyesight enabling detail to be brought to the fore from a distance depending on the size of the lens, say 135mm or 200mm. It also does other things like compressing the foreground and background bringing them closer to the main point of focus compared to a standard lens. The narrowing of the field of vision will take out other elements compared to the standard lens but again this comes back to what I am trying to achieve with the image I am producing.

Using a wide angle lens, such as a 24mm, creates a field of view greater than is capable in the human eye and opens up opportunities to create great space in an image. Packing so much in essentially reduces the size of objects compared to the telephoto and standard lens. Great vistas can be catered for or perhaps detail from front to back where a dominant foreground can be balanced against an impressive wider scene. I think Charlie Waite uses foreground interest with great effect when dealing with landscape images, effectively having interest across the entire image.

So when taking three pictures of the same scene using a zoom lens set at 24mm, 50mm and 97mm focal lengths, printing them and viewing them to ensure the image being viewed is the same size on each print, one needs zoom arms. I did notice an inverse effect where bringing the wide angle print in so close has the effect, to my eyes anyway, of zooming in!

I took these two images in 2008, that I think illustrates the different perspectives on the same scene.

24mm

97mm

And for me what is the benefit of thinking about how different lenses, or focal lengths on a zoom lens, lead to different outcomes on the same scene? I suppose it helps you think about what you are trying to achieve and in doing so slows the process down to thinking before proceeding. Visualising first then deciding second and executing third. Like the old joke "fire, ready, aim" is never as good as "ready, aim, fire" and as Blackadder Goes Forth nicely put it, "about 40 years between aim and fire!"

As an aside the human eye is a wonder in terms of its focus, depth of field and exposure capabilities!

There was an old cowboy....

.....who lives on the range. And so it goes, a seventies song that harks back to a time when Gene Autrey was in the saddle and singing songs in that particularly cliched country music style where the cowpoke leads a romantic existence on the trail and plains of the west. But this is no Gene Autrey, it is the eponymous James Taylor, singing on stage at Glasgow's SECC, a barn of a place that does it's best to destroy even the best musicians and singers whose promoters decide to maximise revenues.

James Taylor and his legendary band are a different breed though. Quality oozes from their mouths and their instruments. The songs are all classics in their own right. Crafted so well and played so beautifully that they defeat the horrible acoustics of the venue. Coupled to all this quality was an appreciative crowd who understood when to be quiet, when to sing along and when to dance, yes dance.  Taylor himself deserves listening to when he speaks because he speaks gently with a wry line in self depreciating wit. His only attempt at flattery to the crowd in Glasgow was also deeply revealing, whether true or not. When a Glasgow voice called out he said that when he attended an AA meeting earlier that day he couldn't understand what they said either, except when they said "fook".

It is not hard to understand why Taylor is so successful and has a vast array of fans. He has worked and written with the best that America could produce. His songs, again self depreciatingly classified as all being based around a small number of themes such as redemption and recovery, are of such quality that they have become classics. Fire and Rain, Carolina In My Mind and Copperline where greeted with unrestrained enthusiasm.  But Taylor doesn't just do songs in minor keys, his opener Everyday, the Buddy Holly Classic set the pace, or his own Whenever I See Your Smiling Face, Mexico and the crowd pleaser How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You demonstrated his ability to deal with pace and the upbeat with great aplomb.

For me his own personal favourite written by Carol King and Gerry Goffin, Up On The Roof, was one of three highlights of the whole night. There is something about that song that makes me smile and feel happy.  His most famous song of course was written with Carol King, You've Got A Friend, but that is not my favourite although I can delight to the perfect harmony of lyrics to music. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight is a song that has great resonance with me and the meaning behind the lyrics play to the base fear of relationships. A simple song but one that is so clear and perfect.

Fire and Rain has always been my favourite since the day I first heard it on the record player at our family home. Although it was my sisters record, as a 10 year old in 1970, I was able to play singles that would influence my music tastes for ever and this record was to start a love for James Taylor's music that has now lasted over 40 years. It's true meaning I never really understood until much later in life and more recently, with the passing of my wife and my father, I have been able to revisit the song and really appreciate it's meaning. Life changes forever and only memories persist, beautiful as they may be, there is nothing more that can be developed - but I always thought that I would see you again.

I think next time I want to see Sweet Baby James in a much more intimate theatre. His music demands to be listened to carefully, even the driving Steamroller.  His distinctive guitar playing style sets up each song perfectly, his voice crafted by years of life frames the lyrics beautifully and his legendary band is just that, legendary.

Remember James, Don't let me be lonely tonight...

In the beginning......

Right, here goes.  34 years since I left school, 25 years since finishing my professional qualifications and 2 years since a short OA course.  What am I doing?  What have I started?

I wanted to put some structured learning behind a subject that I have loved since I started work and could afford a decent film camera.  I have been on many a workshop and even relearned how to develop film and print an image.  But still I feel there was something missing. Now digital cameras have made life a bit easier I think now is the time to really work out properly what I am trying to do.

So at a relatively advanced age I have decided to start with the OCA degree course on photography. Here is hoping I can keep up with the pace. My mind is slowing down but I think I have a decent eye for a photograph.  Well let's leave that for others to judge.


First big fearty thing for me is the learning log.  I have sat and looked at the guidance book, even looked at the Black 'n' Red lined notebook they kindly sent.  Looked at it for at least half an hour and noticed there was nothing in it.  Finally, on their website saw that electronic blogging was an acceptable alternative to a paper log.  Acceptable to who?


So.... a new skill to be learned.  My daughter laughed at the fear on my face. My son just laughed.  This is my first attempt. I have a flickr account and that took me ages to set up and post but this is something entirely different.  So lets see how it goes.


A picture to start off with...

From a walk near Comrie in Perthshire in 2007.  It was cold, clear and bright.