Project "1" is coming...

On 1.1.11 I will be starting project "1". It will evolve over the year but the basic premise is one new picture every day for one year. It will be a great opportunity to practise and work on my photography and my vision. I hope that the majority of the images will be at least good, some inspirational, some funny and some sad. I hope that many people involved in my life will be involved in this project. 

The resulting images will become a short film detailing the year. I am pretty stoked by this project and how it will evolve over the coming 365 days. It will be challenging and fun. Watch this space - you never know you may be in it. 

Work...

Wow, I can't quite believe I haven't  blogged since my birthday which was nearly two months ago! That is terribly lapse of me and I will endeavour to be more handy with the posts going forward.

Very exciting news now - I am working this weekend! Not work work but fun work! I am doing a small maternity shoot for some very good friends and I am really psyched about it. I have some fun and quirky ideas that I hope they will want to try out as well as some more traditional shots. However it turns out I hope to be able to supply them with a set of images which they will be able to treasure and will be an important part of the special memories they have of this exciting time.

I remember the birth of my own little bundle of joy and all of the emotions that were running through us at the time. I also know that it is such a mad busy time that you forget such a lot of what happens in the blur of sleepless nights. In fact it was my own son who spurred me onto taking the photography thing that much more seriously so I could capture some memories of my own.

Well, off to start prepping. Batteries to charge and lighting to check.

Birthday...

...again! You would think that after 37 of them I would be getting used to it by now. But the ringing in of another anniversary of my birth brings with it the inevitable questions. What stage am I at in my life, where have I been, where am I going etc...

Well this year is quite different. I have some really exciting things going on right now - some big changes coming in my life and I can't wait. One will be an event worthy of a post in it's own right and with some very special photos - watch this space...

As for birthdays I had one of the best gifts ever from my lovely partner Sarah. Not a thing as such but an extension of my learning. She has paid for me to complete the next photography course! The gift of knowledge and the opportunity to extend your education into something which has become a passion has to be one of the most amazing things anyone can give (although even this does not come close to the beautiful son she has already given me!). I am now really looking forward to starting my course in mid-September. I should have the opportunity to catch up with some of the friends I made last year and of course I get the opportunity to work with the brilliant Rob Luckins again (see my earlier post about him). I really can't wait.

As for the boys - well they have outdone themselves with a gift again. They got me one of Lowepro's excellent Slingshot bags so I can just get out and go. I already use one of their brilliant Vertex bags for carrying everything in and I needed something small and transportable. This is just the ticket and I am sure it will serve me well in the years to come. Thanks Thomas and Jack! Lowepro consistently deliver when it come to bags and carrying items and I never hesitate when it comes to recommending them.

Well - back to college - hopefully another A, although I suspect it will be a somewhat harder this time!

Holiday season...

I have just realised that I have not blogged for over a month. A silly injury (knee ligaments) has kept me largely away from the camera. I had the opportunity to visit the Eden project recently. I have been before but it never ceases to please. It was a little busy but I managed to find one or two quiet little nooks for some fun shots.

I am slowly getting to grips with my new camera. It is step-change in terms of functionality and flexibility. I am also finding myself back at the silly mistake stage. I managed to reel off a load of shots at 1600 ISO in bright sunlight. Anyway, getting to grips and constantly surprised/pleased with the results.

Off to the Lake District quite soon so I hope to be able to stretch it;s legs properly - particularly around the beautiful Ullswater lake.

Finally it is exam results day!!! I have to admit that it has largely gone out of my head - busy with one thing and another. Will be odd to see how my work has been judged critically and what sort of result I will get. I don't mind too much as I am far more pleased to have learnt a new skill and a hobby which I am sure will live with me forever. But nevertheless...

Anyway, summer is nearly over so I won't be so neglectful with the blogging/tweeting etc.

 

New gear...

... I have to admit that I am a total gadget freak and gearhead. That said I am the first to admit that these things don't make as much difference to our pics as we hope they will. If you can't frame or compose a picture, or have any clue what effect light has on an image then the world's most expensive camera is little more than a lump of moving parts and fancy glass.

However... I have started to find my limitations with my current Canon EOS 1000D. Don't get me wrong it is an awesome machine for a beginner. I have taken some fantastic shots with it and I can't think of a better way to be introduced to the world of DSLR photography. However my skill and needs have progressed and thinking about the next steps I need something a little quicker, certainly a little more robust and with slightly better image quality.

I had two real options based on my budget. The EOS 550d and the EOS 50d. The 550 was my first real choice because of all of the bells and whistles. However being realistic I will take very little footage (and we have a Flip for that...) and what I really want is a better camera.

So it has transpired that after a lot of soul searching and questions, some doubtless frustration of a few salespeople and some gratuitous gadget groping I have plumped for the Canon EOS50d with a 17-85 F4/5.6. I know from my gut feeling that I have made the right decision and first impressions are that it is an awesome piece of kit! As with everything I prefer to be using kit that is slightly better than me rather than trying to squeeze out extra performance from something slightly under par.

This is Canon's base model 'prosumer' model and more than enough for my needs. Sadly, Monday morning brings the inevitable requirements of the office but I am sure we will have plenty of adventures together. Watch this rather exciting space...

Cheesy/Artist...

...? I am giving serious consideration to using one of my pieces as a gift to a close family member and it has got me in a bit of a quandary. Do I take myself that seriously as an 'artist' that people will want to be given a piece of my work. I 'commissioned ' it myself and it is a one off. I will 'retire' the picture after giving it so it will always remain unique. As it happens (I feel) it is one of the best pictures I have taken yet but all the same... Is there a point at which you decide that your work has such presence or commercial value or artistic quality that you deem it suitable for external scrutiny. I guess all artists/creatives go through this period - not just photographers.

I am fortunate (from a pride point of view) that the recipient will probably be grateful and quite touched by the gesture. I am unfortunate in the sense that it will probably not garner the level of critical scrutiny that will deem it a valuable exercise in terms of feedback. I am making arrangements for it to be professionally printed on archive quality paper and then professionally framed.

Will I be happy with the end result? I am sure I will find imperfections, things I could have done differently. Will the recipient enjoy it? I sincerely hope so but it is a big ask to expect them to like something so personal and heaping even more expectation on them to display it with pride on the dining room wall or wherever it will end up.

Or am I thinking too deeply about it and is it just a nice thing to do by creating something personal and unique as a gift. Hmmmn...

Searching...

That is what the early stages of this transition feel like. I am resigned to a gradual change in my calling but whilst this happens I can't help but search... For ways to supplement my work, to improve it. Practising, learning, developing and looking through the noise to try and understand what it is I really want to do.

Searching through the endless options of equipment and styles. Searching for the aesthetic in the most mundane everyday things. Working within my current limitations is so often frustrating yet I also understand that it helps me prepare for when my options aren't so limited.

I have never been the most patient person but for once in my life I know that I am in the long game. It is not going to happen overnight but it is coming. Watch this space...

Next steps...

Well... what comes next?

I have just been given David duChemin's excellent book - Visionmongers. There is a heap of practical advice in there for people considering that leap into the unknown and making a career change. At the moment I am only too aware of my limitations and not only of the areas I need to develop but where I need to plan too. Sometimes it feels like a million miles away but my working life to date has undoubtedly given me some useful insight that I am certain I can apply to my own business. It won't happen tomorrow or next week but the need for change feels palpable now.

I feel a calling now to make so many changes to my life for so many reasons. There is much planning and consideration that needs to be undertaken but this journey continues unabated for now. I just need to work out what the next step is...

Test link...

Quick test post to ensure my new blog links are working!

Keeping it up...

Now that Tuesday nights are no longer filled with photography classes. I am determined to ensure that I don't let this new hobby slide so I am diligently carrying my camera everywhere and snapping all I can. I am even going out specifically to capture images. I have become a big fan of the "golden hours" before and after sunset.

Well that is it....

Exam all done, photo's all printed, coursework all handed in. Now it is just a waiting game until the end of August to see how well (or badly...) I have done.

Personally I am satisfied with my progress so that is the most important thing. I had very little photography experience before I started and had my DSLR for exactly three (3!) days before I started!

I have learned a useful skill which I firmly believe will become a lifelong passion and if I am really lucky then an escape route...!

Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000...

I was stopped by a security guard whilst taking pictures for the first time today. It got me thinking about the current row regarding so-called abuses of section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Don't get me wrong I didn't mind the interjection today. I was merely asked if they were personal photos - to which I obviously replied yes - and proceeded to have a good conversation about the area I was photographing. I had also managed to draw some unwanted attention to myself and this proved a useful escape. (note to self - hanging round unpleasant places with £000's of camera equipment round one's neck is not wise...)

However it is becoming more apparent that the powers afforded to our security services and police are being abused. At what point do we accept invasion into our personal freedoms as a price to pay for greater protection. This is a question I am still grappling with. All three main political parties are aware of this intrusion and the affect that it has on us - none have given a satisfactory response - like on so many other issues.

Coming up...

For some time I have been considering doing some personal work - a photo essay based on an area where I spent quite a portion of my formative years. With the alarmingly rapid growth of my son I think a lot about my early years and how and where I grew up. Things are very different for people of his generation. I think there will be a great deal more expectation on him not to mention demands on him and his time.

I never really considered it a great deal but I didn't grow up in the most salubrious part of the world. In an area once considered the worst estate in England in fact. I don't have particularly good or bad memories of the place - rather indifference. Visiting the area again left me feeling very detached. It was almost like I could recall it being a part of my history but not actually recall living through it. Like the episode of a show I once saw. The area is now largely derelict and is in the process of being demolished and slowly replaced. I wanted to capture it warts and all before it vanishes forever.

My life and that of my children's is very different from that of my parents at that stage. I have little doubt that if like me my son is blessed with children of his own that their life will be further removed again.

At times today I felt blessed and sad and often intimidated. I even felt threatened at one point when I placed myself in danger. This is my first attempt at any kind of reportage style photography and I got quite a kick out of it. It felt refreshing and furtive and dangerous and in it's own way was a recording of some personal history. I got a tiny glimpse of what serious reportage style photographers do and it whet my appetite somewhat.

I am planning a number of photo-essays over the coming months - some personal, some more generic. I have enjoyed this as a start of this process. I am documenting them on my facebook page (just light reflected - photo album - Coming up...) and some of them will no doubt appear on my website (www.justlightreflected.com). Please have a look and feel free to comment - your thoughts and criticism would be welcome.

#@*&%#}!...

@$%&*@#! printers!

Day 2...

Day number two of the exam... 3 more to go after tonight. With the majority of the work complete my thoughts turn to the barren period that will be Tuesday nights once college is finished. I have enjoyed the time in the last nine or so months and I am keen to continue. Without the stucture of formal lessons I hope to be able to achieve a little more creative freedom. There is the option of continuing study in the Autumn although this feels a long way off.

I have in mind a number of studies or photo-essays to complete over the summer. I think I will start to plan these in greater detail over the coming weeks and think how best to present these.

Here come the pre-exam jitters...

Calming down...

Wow - two posts in a day! Following the disappointment at the non-starter which was my photography exam I have just about re-grouped. It will give me time to consider my images and choice of medium for this exercise. Whilst I am confident that I am doing the right thing - another week of reflection will be no bad thing. Anyway - back to the pictures....

The above moody looking shot is of one of the benches near the Harbourmasters office in Warsash, England. The light was failing fast and I managed to fire off a couple of semi-usable post sundown landscapes. I had headed out in the car to try and get my young son to drop off to sleep. I was just packing up and walking down the steps when the above composition caught me. I fired off a shot using my 50mm lens at about f1.8. Being relatively new at this game I am still in awe of the power of a shallow depth of field shot.

My lesson for the day - never pack up the camera until you have had one last glance around.

Exam...

...didn't get off to the best start. I was overly prepared and found myself faced with photo-printers that didn't work. I really wanted to see the images to get a feel for how they looked in real size. Never mind - four more weeks to finish it off.

Welcome to the Darkslide...

If you get some time check out the website of Rob Luckins - www.welcometothedarkslide.co.uk - Rob is a talented and creative photographer with a varied range of skills. Rob has been the tutor on my photography course and he has been great. Four days before the course I had not used an SLR or photoshop in anger and I have to credit nearly everything I have learnt in the last 8 months to him. He has been unconventional, supportive, creative and above all PATIENT! Most importantly he has let us actually do and learn from our mistakes and triumphs rather than just talking at us.

Sunshine...

Wow - what a difference the sunshine makes. Some early starts this weekend making the most of the beautiful light. Had some odd creative vs. nerdy moments this weekend. Continuing with my exam shots and I reached a point where I needed some props. The long and the short of it was that I pitched up at a flat calm beach with a surfboard for 'art's' sake and felt a bit of a numpty. I guess that will pass and the results were really quite pleasing so it was worth it. Not sure I can say the same about being caught in the woods taking close up pictures of a mountain bike saddle... hey-ho.

Got the chance to take some fun shots of the family but as you delve deeper into the world of photography you even search for an arty angle on that. Big shout out to my gorgeous two year old son for his seemingly endless patience and his big brother who is entering that awkward and uncomfortable phase of being a young teenager. Yes, I will keep taking pics of you - we need something to remember these precious times!

Website...

So, the website moves at pace! This is all very new to me and naturally my main concern is content and style. However there is a great deal of technical wizardry that goes along with this and that is where I start to fall down... Anyway check me out, add me to your favourites, stumpleupon etc. Would be great to see you!
www.justlightreflected.com

Studio Lights...

So, I got to play with my studio lights properly for the first time. Some fun results - I have a lot to learn - but they give you great creative freedom. More creativity to follow!

Exam Portfolio...

So, I have decided on a topic for my exam portfolio. I just need to take the pictures. I have taken the measurements and done the preliminary sketches. I just need to flesh it out now with real images. There will be a lot of post-image work in photoshop which I still feel is cheating a bit... but it is mostly stitching panoramics and merging for high dynamic range so I don't feel so bad.

Exams...

... here it comes. Day no.1 of my exam. It is only a start in terms of qualifications but it feels like a great step into a new industry. Can I cut it? Only time will tell but what a ride it will be finding out! Follow your dreams!

Marwell Wildlife...

If you can get along to Marwell Wildlife park nr Winchester in Hampshire. They do amazing conservation work and you get the opportunity to photograph some simply beautiful animals in great surroundings. One not to miss.

Studio Lights...

Well, next step... I have purchased my first studio lighting kit. I have been using studio lighting for about six months with some exciting and creative results. Here goes - I will need to find a way to supplement these costs very soon...

(Thanks to Freakpit - great bunch of guys and a fun shoot!)

pho.tog.ra.phy...

Pronunciation: \fə-ˈtä-grə-fē\

Function: noun

Date: 1839

: the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (as film or a CCD chip)

Day 1...

Day 1 of my new blog. Here I will detail the (mis)adventures of a wannabe photographer who has decided alarmingly late in life that he has a new path to follow...