Category: All the Series of Four posts

Series of Four #13 – Winchester Cathedral – with muted HDR

Series of Four

This is the thirteenth Blog in the “Series of Four” series. Each blog focuses on a different aspect of photography, either technical or creative.  To see the full set of “Series of Four” blogs, click here.

Winchester Cathedral – with muted HDR

Here is a set of four images taken recently of Winchester Cathedral in England.   This is my second visit to Winchester Cathedral – my first visit was at the beginning of my project to photograph the Cathedrals of the Church of England and I have learned a lot since then.

For these images I have used a technique called HDR (High Dynamic Range) which uses a series of bracketed images taken at different exposures (+1, 0, -1 in these images) to achieve a greater range than is possible with the sensitivity of a normal digital sensor.  Using software it is possible to integrate the images (usually 3 or 5) to achieve a very sharp image with details across the full range of the available light.  I have been intrigued recently how HDR can enhance images.  Taking bracketed exposures in low lighting situations like cathedrals adds considerably to the time a shoot takes as each exposure is usually between 20 to 30 seconds.

 

 

Series of Four #12 – Autumn scenes – with muted HDR

Series of Four

 This is the twelfth Blog in the “Series of Four” series. Each blog focuses on a different aspect of photography, either technical or creative.  To see the full set of “Series of Four” blogs, click here.

Autumn scenes – with muted HDR

Here is a set of four images taken yesterday near Cheltenham in England.  Autumn has come late and this was a bright, mild, mid October  afternoon.  I have used a technique called HDR (High Dynamic Range) which uses a series of bracketed images taken at different exposures (+1, 0, -1 in these images) to achieve a greater range than is possible with the sensitivity of a normal digital sensor.  Using software it is possible to integrate the images (usually 3 or 5) to achieve a very sharp image with details across the full range of the image.  If overdone this can begin to look very artificial and many photographers are deliberately pushing the method as a creative technique.  I prefer to mute the effects.  There is a great deal of experimentation to be done!!

 

 

Series of Four #11 – Macro photography – Critter Art

Series of Four

This is the eleventh Blog in the “Series of Four” series. Each blog focuses on a different aspect of photography, either technical or creative.  To see the full set of “Series of Four” blogs, click here.

Macro photography – Critter Art

Macro photography is the art and science of taking hyper-closeup photographs.  I have enjoyed macro photography immensely.  It takes you into another world which looks very alien but which is actually around us all the time.   A certain amount of specialised equipment is used such as marco lenses, extension tubes etc. but you will be surprised how much you can do with the equipment you have, assuming you are prepared to get up close to whatever spider, fly or other critter you want to capture.

Today I came across two dead ‘daddy-long-leg’ insects on my windowsill (A crane fly in the insect family Tipulidae).  I took out my macro lens (see the setup I used at the end of this post) and a couple of hours later here are the results – Critter Art.

 

Here are the unfortunate insects on the windowsill – there are hundreds of them around at this time of year but I have never looked at them this closely before. 

The equipment

The equipment I used was as follows:-

  • 2 insects (dead* in this case which make it a lot easier),
  • 1 dining room table (with spouse permission)
  • Canon 1D MkIII camera
  • Canon EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM  Lens
  • Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX  Flash
  • DG Extension tubes
  • Yongnu MC-36R remote release
  • BENBO 1 tripod
  • I used the manual settings of 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 100

(* The insects were already dead – promise – but it does tend to make them more cooperative.)

 

 

Series of Four #10 – Creatures in Motion

Series of Four

This is the tenth Blog in the “Series of Four” series. Each blog focuses on a different aspect of photography, either technical or creative.  To see the full set of “Series of Four” blogs, click here.

Creatures in motion

Generally the aim is to freeze motion and to avoid motion blur but that is what rules are there for – to be broken.  I have a few images in my collection where the sense of motion makes the image.  The instant is prolonged – a butterfly takes off, a baboon leaps with its baby, a thief escapes and a puppy runs for the pure joy of it.  To be different (and to add one to the Series of Four) a fly is frozen in flight…. 

An extra image – a fly frozen in motion as it flies.

  •  A chipmunk escapes from the bird feeder in Vienna, Virginia, USA
  • A Queen Butterfly, Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, USA
  • Toffee dog, Caterham in Surrey, England
  • Monkey and child, Kakamega rain forest, Western Kenya
  • A  syrphid fly, Caterham in Surrey, England

 

 

Series of Four #9 – On the streets of Europe – Number 1

Series of Four

This is the ninth Blog in the “Series of Four” series. Each blog focuses on a different aspect of photography, either technical or creative.  To see the full set of “Series of Four” blogs, click here.

On the streets of Europe

Urban street photography is a favourite of many photographers.  Catching a passing moment, finding a space which expresses and exposes a city’s sole, seeing the unseen and the mundane.  Street photography needs to be approached with care, sensitivity and not a little boldness.

 Clockwise:

  • A dog in Stockholm
  • A man and a dog in Brussels
  • A girl in Moledo, Portugal
  • Horses in Geneva