I'm not writing much about it tonight as I'm completely knackered! 800+ images to sift through and edit. Some are utter rubbish and only fit for the 'Shite Shots' folder, but I'm happy to say that the majority are absolutely fine.
I'll do a longer post at the first opportunity.
I hope you have a great weekend. It's a Bank Holiday here in the UK and typically the weather is dismal, but hey - I have the week off work and it's my birthday on Thursday, and that means lunch with the Happy Old Bags on Wednesday and out with family on Thursday. I hope Grumpy Trousers cheers up. He's been beyond Grumpy today. I texted daughter earlier this evening to come and drag him off to the pub quiz. She didn't take much persuading thank goodness.
Right, that's me done for now. Posting again soon.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sunday, 25 May 2014
Thursday, 22 May 2014
One more sleep......................
.........to the wedding. It's tomorrow! OH - MY - GOD how has it come round so quick???!!!!
It seems like yesterday since I was asked to do this, yet it was this time last year. How it seemed like a great idea at the time. It doesn't quite feel like that now it's so close. I have a right old belly-ache and haven't slept properly and for the last few nights due to revising the tutorials that I set myself up online with various schools and academies. I've been getting through them slowly over the last 6 months and my brain is riddled with apertures, exposures, ISO's, metering and all the guff that accompanies a DSLR camera. That's just the technical stuff. The there's the posing and the lighting. Lighting? What lighting? I don't have a light meter, or a Speedlite or a Lastolite flash thingy-doo-dah, all-singing, all-dancing umbrella whatsit. I bought two see through umbrellas from Primark today but they're just for keeping the rain off!
As if this wedding wasn't enough of a challenge, it's set topiss it down rain all day tomorrow. Brollies at the ready - big golfing one for me and the two see through ones for the bride and her dad. Low light, dull conditions, slippery footpath to the church, not to mention the innanely grinning vicar. If there are no fine slots in the weather, all the photo's are going to end up taken by windows at the reception venue, or using flash. See I did pay attention to my tutorials.
I got a great tip from one of them yesterday....you know how flash can make dark shadows behind people if they are near a wall? If you put a white handkerchief over the flash and fasten it on with a hair tie, it softens the flash and doesn't create such hard shadows. Well who knew? It seems I do now. That little tit bit won't stop me having another crap night's sleep though.
In fact, roll on tomorrow as I will be so glad when it's all over!
It seems like yesterday since I was asked to do this, yet it was this time last year. How it seemed like a great idea at the time. It doesn't quite feel like that now it's so close. I have a right old belly-ache and haven't slept properly and for the last few nights due to revising the tutorials that I set myself up online with various schools and academies. I've been getting through them slowly over the last 6 months and my brain is riddled with apertures, exposures, ISO's, metering and all the guff that accompanies a DSLR camera. That's just the technical stuff. The there's the posing and the lighting. Lighting? What lighting? I don't have a light meter, or a Speedlite or a Lastolite flash thingy-doo-dah, all-singing, all-dancing umbrella whatsit. I bought two see through umbrellas from Primark today but they're just for keeping the rain off!
As if this wedding wasn't enough of a challenge, it's set to
I got a great tip from one of them yesterday....you know how flash can make dark shadows behind people if they are near a wall? If you put a white handkerchief over the flash and fasten it on with a hair tie, it softens the flash and doesn't create such hard shadows. Well who knew? It seems I do now. That little tit bit won't stop me having another crap night's sleep though.
In fact, roll on tomorrow as I will be so glad when it's all over!
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
Rehearsal for Friday's wedding. And and a strange vicar
It was the happy couple's rehearsal at the church last night and I was on hand to:
- take instruction from the vicar about where I can take pictures from
- get a few test shots
- introduce myself to the few friends and family who were there
Did it go according to plan? Of course not! Well, not from my angle anyway. The vicar was the strangest bloke I've come across in a long time, with a fixed grin that shot on and off his face randomly. He was helpful though and I now know that I'll just be shooting from the bottom of the aisle only. The family intro's went nicely, and a few pictures outside with the bridesmaids went reasonably well. I even managed to try out my telephoto lens that I'm planning to use for the random guest shots later on at the reception. Unfortunately inside the church last evening was a different matter. This was down to:
- the vicar not putting on the main church lights above the pews
- me being in the darkened bit at the bottom of the aisle
- the backdrop of the altar area was lit up like a stage
- I forgot to change one of the settings within the camera to compensate from shooting in a darkened area through to brightness
- Once I'd thought on to make the adjustment, AND steady my camera on a pile of hymn books, things got marginally better. Unfortunately not enough to make me happy though.
- Result? A set of shots so poor that they are only fit for the 'Shite Shots' folder on the laptop. Out of about 30 shots I took, only 5 or 6 came out any good.
I tried not to be too disappointed in myself, but as I looked at them despairingly on the laptop later my stomach began to drop into my shoes.
What if I make this kind of mess on the day?
Will I be able to salvage anything?
Will I be quick enough to respond to opportunities?
What if I miss stuff and all my shots come out boring as hell?
I might just go lock myself in a toilet and not come out all day. With THIS face.....
Alternatively, someone just shoot me NOW!!
Monday, 19 May 2014
All kinds of daft stuff.............
Well, the UK weather surpassed itself this weekend. We had beautiful sunny days with temperatures in the low 20's, thoroughly pleasant evenings worthy of sitting outside with the newspapers and a nice drink. We had our chums round on Saturday evening and as they only live two doors away they don't have far to stagger home. In any case, it was a great excuse to sweep and scrub the patio of all the muck and old snail shells that seem to accumulate in corners. I hate doing that bit so I get Grumpy Trousers to wield the sweeping brush just in case there's any mouse or frog corpses, the discovery of which would send me hurtling up the garden, screeching like a banshee. I'd be hiding behind the honeysuckle, a quivering wreck until the offending thing was removed. I'm such a wimp! Yet, I have no fear of live things; shifting spiders and daddy-long-legs are my speciality. Weird woman!
So how did you spend your weekend? Was it warm and sunny for you? Did you get to the pub, or the park? Did you go for a walk, sunbathe, or like me sit in the garden with a drink and something to read? For that short time, all felt well with the world. Comfy in my relaxing chair, I had no aches or pains, and Polly snoozed contentedly under the patio table in the shade.
Only later when I tried to struggle out of the chair did my old friend 'Mrs Pain' come to visit. You see, my foot has been a bugger during this last week. Sometimes it settles down to a dull ache that I can live with, then at other times it keeps me awake in the night with it's nasty stabbing sensations. I think this is all down to my hip being a bit more comfortable because I've felt able to do more activities. Logic would have it that can only be a good thing but my foot is suffering as a result. Mrs Pain is clearly overseeing the proceedings, lying in wait for me to feel comfortable then swiftly reminding me that it isn't allowed. I've called her some right old names these last few days - I'll leave your imagination to guess what. Anyway, enough of that, I'm sick of moaning!
Exciting Challenge!
On Friday this week, I have an exciting and challenging day. I'm photographing my first wedding! This is for a friend of my younger daughter, who for some reason has more faith in me than I have myself. She asked me months ago to take her wedding pictures and it seemed an awfully good idea at the time. Now of course I'm not so sure, but I'm not going to let her down. I shall go and do my best; meet the challenges head on; wing-it if I have to, bluff it out where necessary and TRY and behave like a pro. However, I'm not passing myself off as any kind of professional photographer. I'm just there to capture a few formal shots inside and outside the church, in the car, cutting the cake etc. The rest will be random pictures capturing the fun and laughter. I desperately hope I don't panic and start faffing about during the formal bit. If I'm under pressure I can soon lose sight of what settings and apertures I need to be using. I'll be using my trusty tripod though which is an enormous help for keeping the camera steady and the images sharp. For some wacky reason I seem to have more confidence when using the tripod, rather than hand held.
Various friends have given me some great advice such as (if hand holding the camera) tucking my elbows in, supporting the lens underneath and pressing the shutter release on an outbreath. It all works as I've tried and tested it so many times, but with 120 wedding guests around me am I going to remember it?
Here's how I SHOULD be doing it.....
Hopefully I'll look a bit smarter than this geezer. I plan on swearing my best black trousers and black and white patterned silky blouse. I'm a guest like everyone else but with all the to-ing and fro-ing and being on my feet for ages, I need to wear my trainers. They're black and hopefully no-one will notice.
I'll be posting again before Friday; no doubt being quite candid about the butterflies in my tum!
So how did you spend your weekend? Was it warm and sunny for you? Did you get to the pub, or the park? Did you go for a walk, sunbathe, or like me sit in the garden with a drink and something to read? For that short time, all felt well with the world. Comfy in my relaxing chair, I had no aches or pains, and Polly snoozed contentedly under the patio table in the shade.
Only later when I tried to struggle out of the chair did my old friend 'Mrs Pain' come to visit. You see, my foot has been a bugger during this last week. Sometimes it settles down to a dull ache that I can live with, then at other times it keeps me awake in the night with it's nasty stabbing sensations. I think this is all down to my hip being a bit more comfortable because I've felt able to do more activities. Logic would have it that can only be a good thing but my foot is suffering as a result. Mrs Pain is clearly overseeing the proceedings, lying in wait for me to feel comfortable then swiftly reminding me that it isn't allowed. I've called her some right old names these last few days - I'll leave your imagination to guess what. Anyway, enough of that, I'm sick of moaning!
Exciting Challenge!
On Friday this week, I have an exciting and challenging day. I'm photographing my first wedding! This is for a friend of my younger daughter, who for some reason has more faith in me than I have myself. She asked me months ago to take her wedding pictures and it seemed an awfully good idea at the time. Now of course I'm not so sure, but I'm not going to let her down. I shall go and do my best; meet the challenges head on; wing-it if I have to, bluff it out where necessary and TRY and behave like a pro. However, I'm not passing myself off as any kind of professional photographer. I'm just there to capture a few formal shots inside and outside the church, in the car, cutting the cake etc. The rest will be random pictures capturing the fun and laughter. I desperately hope I don't panic and start faffing about during the formal bit. If I'm under pressure I can soon lose sight of what settings and apertures I need to be using. I'll be using my trusty tripod though which is an enormous help for keeping the camera steady and the images sharp. For some wacky reason I seem to have more confidence when using the tripod, rather than hand held.
Various friends have given me some great advice such as (if hand holding the camera) tucking my elbows in, supporting the lens underneath and pressing the shutter release on an outbreath. It all works as I've tried and tested it so many times, but with 120 wedding guests around me am I going to remember it?
Here's how I SHOULD be doing it.....
Hopefully I'll look a bit smarter than this geezer. I plan on swearing my best black trousers and black and white patterned silky blouse. I'm a guest like everyone else but with all the to-ing and fro-ing and being on my feet for ages, I need to wear my trainers. They're black and hopefully no-one will notice.
I'll be posting again before Friday; no doubt being quite candid about the butterflies in my tum!
Thursday, 15 May 2014
Photo project for this week - Recycling
Hello all
I set myself a photo project from time to time and a few weeks ago I did 'Ephemera', using my old typewriter. I found some others from that project but haven't loaded them yet. I forgot to edit them, so that's why I held off. In fact quite possibly they may never make it out of the folder on my laptop. Nothing wrong with them, but they'll sit there for about 2 years when I'll find them again and wonder why I didn't do anything with them. That's how I roll!
Anyway, with my usual gung ho attitude I rapidly moved on and this week it's been 'Recycling'. I popped a few on here so you get the idea.
The wood under the tulip is some old stuff that Grumpy Trousers had hanging about in the garage so he made me a 3ft square little platform to put my subjects on. Good bit of recycling there as this little platform will work well for years to come for my still life bits and pieces. Grumpy looked at this photo and completely missed its beauty, instead seeing that the boards had come adrift and were not butted up properly. Personally I like it that one is sitting a tiny bit lower than the other as it casts a shadow.
The jar is one of a set that I made for my daughter for her tea lights . I had a bit of burlap and some stray ribbon and did a set of three. They don't half look nice when the tea lights are glowing inside. Not sure the photo captures that aspect well enough but after about 20 attempts I got proper fed up and just chose the best of the bunch. I might make some more and give them to the local scout group to flog at the summer fair. I reckon they'd go for a couple of quid each, don't you?
The tin cans have been salvaged to decorate and use as pen pots or for make up brushes. Wound with paper string and off cuts of chiffon I reckon they look pretty and quirky. Maybe another donation to the summer fair.
I like photographing still life, primarily because it sits still, minds it's own business and doesn't complain when I faff and prat about.
Nothing wrong with a bit of faffing and pratting. It CAN get results :-)
I set myself a photo project from time to time and a few weeks ago I did 'Ephemera', using my old typewriter. I found some others from that project but haven't loaded them yet. I forgot to edit them, so that's why I held off. In fact quite possibly they may never make it out of the folder on my laptop. Nothing wrong with them, but they'll sit there for about 2 years when I'll find them again and wonder why I didn't do anything with them. That's how I roll!
Anyway, with my usual gung ho attitude I rapidly moved on and this week it's been 'Recycling'. I popped a few on here so you get the idea.
The wood under the tulip is some old stuff that Grumpy Trousers had hanging about in the garage so he made me a 3ft square little platform to put my subjects on. Good bit of recycling there as this little platform will work well for years to come for my still life bits and pieces. Grumpy looked at this photo and completely missed its beauty, instead seeing that the boards had come adrift and were not butted up properly. Personally I like it that one is sitting a tiny bit lower than the other as it casts a shadow.
The jar is one of a set that I made for my daughter for her tea lights . I had a bit of burlap and some stray ribbon and did a set of three. They don't half look nice when the tea lights are glowing inside. Not sure the photo captures that aspect well enough but after about 20 attempts I got proper fed up and just chose the best of the bunch. I might make some more and give them to the local scout group to flog at the summer fair. I reckon they'd go for a couple of quid each, don't you?
The tin cans have been salvaged to decorate and use as pen pots or for make up brushes. Wound with paper string and off cuts of chiffon I reckon they look pretty and quirky. Maybe another donation to the summer fair.
I like photographing still life, primarily because it sits still, minds it's own business and doesn't complain when I faff and prat about.
Nothing wrong with a bit of faffing and pratting. It CAN get results :-)
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