I've just come back from a wonderful two days at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kincraig, where I was on a photographic workshop with Chris Weston.
As per normal with Chris' excellent tutorials I learnt something new and came away inspired - I really would recommend his courses to anyone.
I also want to thank the Park and to the two rangers who helped us, especially to Leanne, throughout both the days and in spite of us experiencing all four season in one day on the Friday.
The hotel I stayed in, The Suie, was great. Mike and Wendy couldn't have been more welcoming and I was really glad I had chosen to stay there. I have however now been officially "suie'd" and the lack of sleep (not to mention the hangover) did take a while to get over.
A special hello goes to the guys in the bar from Kincraig who made me welcome, which can be especially difficult for a women alone, and were friendly, conversational and a really great bunch. Especially to Arthur whose head must have hurt a ton more than mine on Friday!
But, the best bit for me of the whole trip was the great photos I have come back with. I have been able to update the website quite significantly and feel that my style is further developing. I have always tended at little towards portraits of animals but they have not conveyed the ethos I am trying to achieve but I feel like I have now made that jump. The picture I visualize is now being captured.
Scientists, biologists especially, say that we shouldn't put human emotions onto animals - we should strive to understand the animal and its behaviour. I agree with this BUT I have a counter to it as well. IF we feel and empathy with an animal, and we do this easiest by transferring what is really a human emotion or feeling onto the animal, then we are more likely to take an interest and to care for it.
It is public interest that moves political interest - we keep the buggers in work afterall. If the public can be made to care about a species then they will push the people that can actually do something about it.
The public, largely, do not have the interest or the time or the scientific kn0w-how to study an animal. This we leave to others - but show them an animal that stirs in them any emotion and you have them. They will then care about that animal, or bird, or frog, or whatever. When they care they cause others to. It spreads. It finds its way via the public voice to the people who grant the mining licences, who grant the logging rights - the people with the real power.
Then, my friends, we can change the world.
I want my photos to make you react. Be it with humour, or sadness, or just think that something it kind of cute. It doesn't matter - so long as my photos make you care.
On that note I am reminding everyone again - the government are going to look at the licence applications for exploratory gas and oil drilling in the Moray Firth by the 12th of March. That three weeks away. The public - that's you and me - have until then to let the polititions know we won't stand for it. The lives of the Dolphins of the Moray Firth are at stake here. Extinction is forever.
PLEASE HELP - go to www.wdcs.org or google "save the moray dolphins" for more information on how you can help in just 2 minutes. Yes, 2 minutes of your time and a lifetime to 130+ dolphins.
Now its your turn to make a difference.
Saturday 23 February 2008
Monday 4 February 2008
The bitter sweat taste of rejection....
It's February. It's cold, its wet and the phone has stopped ringing. It always does in the early part of the year but it never gets any easier.
Everybody is paying off Christmas and the doom and gloom of economic recession rears its ugly head once again.
Everyone is struggling with their budgets - have they got enough? Of course, come March they will all realise they actually have a surplus and have to spend it and quick or they'll get their budget cut for next year. It's the same every Feb and March.
Those of us at the sharp end wonder quite how we will make it through to Spring and then we'll run around like headless chickens in late March in the final spending dash. Not that we'll see the money for another 30 days at least of course - frequently longer than that!
It's a hard balance. You have to get used to rejection. You get a lot of it. Even the best and most famous photographers get it. Those of us towards the bottom of the great ladder feel it greatest.
As I sit here with no less than 6 rejection emails today and very little in the diary for February I do what I always do. I wonder - should I get a proper job?
Perhaps I should turn my hand to weddings? At least they start in the spring but then everyone getting married this year is probably already got booked with someone. And do I want to do weddings? Could I do weddings? I have no idea. I've only done two and they were for friends.
Editorial photography is certainly the hardest nut to crack.
I don't mind working alone (in fact I often prefer it). I don't mind spending hours in the cold and damp (rather that than hot if I'm honest). I don't even mind the irregularity of the workload - although right now in the season of drought I would like to see some evidence of an oasis on the horizon..
Oh and of course, having spent today (not raining, cold but sunny) indoors "taking care of business" I can guarantee its going to rain sideways and even upwards with gale force winds on Thursday - I have a little project I'm going to get started on.....
Perhaps I need another cup of tea...
Everybody is paying off Christmas and the doom and gloom of economic recession rears its ugly head once again.
Everyone is struggling with their budgets - have they got enough? Of course, come March they will all realise they actually have a surplus and have to spend it and quick or they'll get their budget cut for next year. It's the same every Feb and March.
Those of us at the sharp end wonder quite how we will make it through to Spring and then we'll run around like headless chickens in late March in the final spending dash. Not that we'll see the money for another 30 days at least of course - frequently longer than that!
It's a hard balance. You have to get used to rejection. You get a lot of it. Even the best and most famous photographers get it. Those of us towards the bottom of the great ladder feel it greatest.
As I sit here with no less than 6 rejection emails today and very little in the diary for February I do what I always do. I wonder - should I get a proper job?
Perhaps I should turn my hand to weddings? At least they start in the spring but then everyone getting married this year is probably already got booked with someone. And do I want to do weddings? Could I do weddings? I have no idea. I've only done two and they were for friends.
Editorial photography is certainly the hardest nut to crack.
I don't mind working alone (in fact I often prefer it). I don't mind spending hours in the cold and damp (rather that than hot if I'm honest). I don't even mind the irregularity of the workload - although right now in the season of drought I would like to see some evidence of an oasis on the horizon..
Oh and of course, having spent today (not raining, cold but sunny) indoors "taking care of business" I can guarantee its going to rain sideways and even upwards with gale force winds on Thursday - I have a little project I'm going to get started on.....
Perhaps I need another cup of tea...
Thursday 17 January 2008
Low Light, a New Tripod and some great shots
I decided that I really must get a ball and socket headed tripod that I could actually carry for more than 20yards from the car.
With this in mind I headed up to Ffordes at Beauly, to the north west of Inverness where I spent over two hours (thanks guys) comparing and trying different legs, heads and combinations thereof.
Settling in the end for the Manfrotto legs I matched them to the beautifully smooth operation of a Giottos head. Although i wanted a ball head I wanted one with the ability to control the amount of movement by adjusting the resistance - the giottos head does just that but its so much smoother than the Manfrotto ones.
I toyed with Carbon fibre legs but they are SO expensive compared to aluminium ones and the weight saving is not that significant until you get to the very large ones anyway.
Of course, once the new toy was decided upon I had to go and try it out. It was heading rapidly towards three in the afternoon so I knew I wasn't going to have a lot of light left. And, boy was I right. To get anything close enough to a shutter speed to capture a wader feeding I needed to turn the ISO first to 800, then 1250, then right up to past 1600. The really good thing was that I also remembered to set the Hi-ISO Noise Reduction and I am delighted with the results of this. Using the camera's built in noise reduction has produced images better than some of the ISO800 I had from earlier in the week.
Something else to play with!
Roll on some decent light - I am not worried about summer but please can I have a little more light!?!
I got home well after dark and set about processing the RAW files into TIFFs for the library and then some into JPEGs for the website. I have uploaded the new images onto the site as of about 10 minutes ago - its now 8.30pm and I am really starting to feel the evening drawing into night. Its been a long day. But at least my back and shoulders are complaining with the new tripod.
Sometimes even just an hour is all you need to capture some pleasing images. In some ways today was more interesting and successful than the whole of last Saturday when we didn't see a thing. I think that being the only person on the point, being quiet and not moving about when it wasn't totally necessary was the reason I got to see so much.
Watch out the ice on untreated roads - several carparks today have been like icerinks!
Jan
With this in mind I headed up to Ffordes at Beauly, to the north west of Inverness where I spent over two hours (thanks guys) comparing and trying different legs, heads and combinations thereof.
Settling in the end for the Manfrotto legs I matched them to the beautifully smooth operation of a Giottos head. Although i wanted a ball head I wanted one with the ability to control the amount of movement by adjusting the resistance - the giottos head does just that but its so much smoother than the Manfrotto ones.
I toyed with Carbon fibre legs but they are SO expensive compared to aluminium ones and the weight saving is not that significant until you get to the very large ones anyway.
Of course, once the new toy was decided upon I had to go and try it out. It was heading rapidly towards three in the afternoon so I knew I wasn't going to have a lot of light left. And, boy was I right. To get anything close enough to a shutter speed to capture a wader feeding I needed to turn the ISO first to 800, then 1250, then right up to past 1600. The really good thing was that I also remembered to set the Hi-ISO Noise Reduction and I am delighted with the results of this. Using the camera's built in noise reduction has produced images better than some of the ISO800 I had from earlier in the week.
Something else to play with!
Roll on some decent light - I am not worried about summer but please can I have a little more light!?!
I got home well after dark and set about processing the RAW files into TIFFs for the library and then some into JPEGs for the website. I have uploaded the new images onto the site as of about 10 minutes ago - its now 8.30pm and I am really starting to feel the evening drawing into night. Its been a long day. But at least my back and shoulders are complaining with the new tripod.
Sometimes even just an hour is all you need to capture some pleasing images. In some ways today was more interesting and successful than the whole of last Saturday when we didn't see a thing. I think that being the only person on the point, being quiet and not moving about when it wasn't totally necessary was the reason I got to see so much.
Watch out the ice on untreated roads - several carparks today have been like icerinks!
Jan
Monday 14 January 2008
Fruitless dash
The weather and the light continue to conspire against me. When it did brighten up I grapped the camera gear and jumped in the car. By the time i got half way to the birding area I was heading for to capture shots of the Goosanders the light had gone again.
I suppose I could have headed out there in the rain earlier and hope it brightened but then I have a lot of things to do.
Lets just hope that thursday meeting doesn't go on forever and that the weather for the rest of the day turns into a treat.
The weather tommorrow and wednesday is bound to be good as I won't be free to be about in it! That's the way it goes.
I did get my entry to the competition in the US finished and finally dried enough to post it off. Now I just have to get it posted to California to arrive before 30 Jan!
Wish me luck.
Jan
I suppose I could have headed out there in the rain earlier and hope it brightened but then I have a lot of things to do.
Lets just hope that thursday meeting doesn't go on forever and that the weather for the rest of the day turns into a treat.
The weather tommorrow and wednesday is bound to be good as I won't be free to be about in it! That's the way it goes.
I did get my entry to the competition in the US finished and finally dried enough to post it off. Now I just have to get it posted to California to arrive before 30 Jan!
Wish me luck.
Jan
Sunday 13 January 2008
You just can't predict wildlife
It's Sunday and it's raining...again.
Yesturday was bright and not too sunny but nice; great weather for photography dolphins, birds etc. It was also rarely above freezing.
Dressed up like artic explorers Mark and I got up early and headed for Chanonry Point. We know that the Dolphins typically appear (if they are going to) the during the two hours either side of high tide. Having checked the tide times against the available light times for the last two and half weeks we had decided that today (Saturday) would be a good day. High tide was 14.23 which meant we could get there mid morning and have a spot of tea and check things out.
Arriving at 10.20 we thought the day was going to be good, the light perfect and the sea becoming calmer for every minute we were there. After having tea and dressing for the weather (two pairs of socks, thermal underwear, fleece, duvet jacket, boots, hat, gloves etc) we braved the cold and took up a place on the point.
After nearly two hours of watching 2 Grey Seals, 3 pairs of Red Breasted Merganzer, a flock of Ringed Plovers, two Turnstones, an irrate and hungry (and very large and over friendly) Herring Gull juvenile we were starting to loose feeling in fingers and toes.
We headed back to the campervan to make lunch - pasta in a tomato and basil sauce, garlic bread, more tea, cake, more tea etc. (with people sitting in expensive cars with a small thermos and a sandwich looking on enviously at the ratty old camper they had previously thought shouldn't be allowed on the road.....)
We keep the gear ready and an eye out while we cooked and ate. Ready to leap out at any minute but we didn't need to.
At about 12.30 we headed back onto the point, refreshed and somewhat warmer (especially as we'd had the gas heater on in the van as well) ready for the Dolphins.
At 2.30 we were still ready to see the Dolphins but the light was fading as the clouds were gathering - it was snowing on the far mountains which had been so beautiful earlier as the sun rose up their white and glissening flanks. We were loosing feeling in the hands again - something I seem to constantly battle with and always loose.
At about 2.40 we decided that enough was enough. The light was getting bad and it was getting windier and colder. Time to make a move.
Heading back we saw three birds of prey (all on fence posts by the side of the road and all on NO STOPPING bits with nowhere to pull off) - a buzzard, a peregrine and a kestrel.
We also saw a heron fishing and again nowhere to stop.
So, 150miles, two frozen fingers later we hadn't seen a single Dolphin.
Well, that's wildlife for you. And that's why patience is the number one skill - above fieldcraft (a very close second) and photographic skills.
Perhaps I'll have more luck along the southern side of the firth Monday.
Take care on the roads everyone - its slippery out there!
Jan
Yesturday was bright and not too sunny but nice; great weather for photography dolphins, birds etc. It was also rarely above freezing.
Dressed up like artic explorers Mark and I got up early and headed for Chanonry Point. We know that the Dolphins typically appear (if they are going to) the during the two hours either side of high tide. Having checked the tide times against the available light times for the last two and half weeks we had decided that today (Saturday) would be a good day. High tide was 14.23 which meant we could get there mid morning and have a spot of tea and check things out.
Arriving at 10.20 we thought the day was going to be good, the light perfect and the sea becoming calmer for every minute we were there. After having tea and dressing for the weather (two pairs of socks, thermal underwear, fleece, duvet jacket, boots, hat, gloves etc) we braved the cold and took up a place on the point.
After nearly two hours of watching 2 Grey Seals, 3 pairs of Red Breasted Merganzer, a flock of Ringed Plovers, two Turnstones, an irrate and hungry (and very large and over friendly) Herring Gull juvenile we were starting to loose feeling in fingers and toes.
We headed back to the campervan to make lunch - pasta in a tomato and basil sauce, garlic bread, more tea, cake, more tea etc. (with people sitting in expensive cars with a small thermos and a sandwich looking on enviously at the ratty old camper they had previously thought shouldn't be allowed on the road.....)
We keep the gear ready and an eye out while we cooked and ate. Ready to leap out at any minute but we didn't need to.
At about 12.30 we headed back onto the point, refreshed and somewhat warmer (especially as we'd had the gas heater on in the van as well) ready for the Dolphins.
At 2.30 we were still ready to see the Dolphins but the light was fading as the clouds were gathering - it was snowing on the far mountains which had been so beautiful earlier as the sun rose up their white and glissening flanks. We were loosing feeling in the hands again - something I seem to constantly battle with and always loose.
At about 2.40 we decided that enough was enough. The light was getting bad and it was getting windier and colder. Time to make a move.
Heading back we saw three birds of prey (all on fence posts by the side of the road and all on NO STOPPING bits with nowhere to pull off) - a buzzard, a peregrine and a kestrel.
We also saw a heron fishing and again nowhere to stop.
So, 150miles, two frozen fingers later we hadn't seen a single Dolphin.
Well, that's wildlife for you. And that's why patience is the number one skill - above fieldcraft (a very close second) and photographic skills.
Perhaps I'll have more luck along the southern side of the firth Monday.
Take care on the roads everyone - its slippery out there!
Jan
Friday 11 January 2008
Bad weather halts play
The bad weather over the last week has pretty much stopped play. Normally I am out in most weathers regardless and some of your best shots can come in the worst weather but one thing that really halts photography is a gale force wind.
I have a heavy trip (I know, I carry it) and a heavy lens and camera set up and it was getting blown about (I caught it before it went over). Hand holding was not an option owing to poor light - even with the 2.8 lens I was struggerly to get about 1/125 with most shots needs 1/60 at ISO400. I am reluctant to go above 400 using 800 only when I am in danger of missing a really great shot. I am keen to see the results of the new Nikon D3 and D300 in the field as I think they may have nailed this. The problem is that the new D300's lowest ISO is 200 and when 100 is often too fast for landscapes this brings a problem to the landscape element of my photography.
In wildlife I often have too little light and in landscape too much. Of course with the D200 the landscape situation isn't too bad with ISO100 and f16 being quite normal, the application of an ND or ND grad or combinations thereof usually solves the problem.
Perhaps a D300 or D3 might prove a good investment but I want to give it a while of the market to settle and firmware teething problems (non reported so far) to be resolves. There is almost always a firmware update within 4 months of release for most cameras and I think about 6 months should see the market settle.
It amuses me how many of the magazines are saying the D300 is a replacement for the D200, its logical given that the D200 replaced the D100 but Nikon have kept production and supply of the D200 going so I think they are going to run alongside. This makes sense given the ISO problem I outlined above. For the pro on a budget it makes perfect sense to have a D300 and a D200 running alongside on another.
For the pro with excess cash then depending on their speicalist fields it would make sense to have a D3 and either a D200 or D300. But, most pros will already own a D2 as backup to the D3. Having said that though - the D200 is actually far superior in many situations than the D2.
What would I have in an ideal world? I don't know. I like the look of the D3 and getting a full frame sensor would be great in most respects but does do away with the advantage of the 1.5x equivalent magnification gained on lenses of the APS-C sized chip. With a D200/300 a 500mm lens becomes a 750mm. With the D3 - 500 is 500.
If I had a D3 I would probably need a longer lens again or a teleconverter. I would be tempted by the teleconverter option as the extra light loss will not be felt as the D3 is so impressive in high ISOs upto 1600. ISO800 would be usuable almost as the default setting (in winter when light is at a premium).
So, should a windfall come my way then I am not sure. A D300, a very small compromise and £2,500 in the pocket or a D3 and a teleconverter....... hmmm.....
Take care out there, watch for the black ice
jan
I have a heavy trip (I know, I carry it) and a heavy lens and camera set up and it was getting blown about (I caught it before it went over). Hand holding was not an option owing to poor light - even with the 2.8 lens I was struggerly to get about 1/125 with most shots needs 1/60 at ISO400. I am reluctant to go above 400 using 800 only when I am in danger of missing a really great shot. I am keen to see the results of the new Nikon D3 and D300 in the field as I think they may have nailed this. The problem is that the new D300's lowest ISO is 200 and when 100 is often too fast for landscapes this brings a problem to the landscape element of my photography.
In wildlife I often have too little light and in landscape too much. Of course with the D200 the landscape situation isn't too bad with ISO100 and f16 being quite normal, the application of an ND or ND grad or combinations thereof usually solves the problem.
Perhaps a D300 or D3 might prove a good investment but I want to give it a while of the market to settle and firmware teething problems (non reported so far) to be resolves. There is almost always a firmware update within 4 months of release for most cameras and I think about 6 months should see the market settle.
It amuses me how many of the magazines are saying the D300 is a replacement for the D200, its logical given that the D200 replaced the D100 but Nikon have kept production and supply of the D200 going so I think they are going to run alongside. This makes sense given the ISO problem I outlined above. For the pro on a budget it makes perfect sense to have a D300 and a D200 running alongside on another.
For the pro with excess cash then depending on their speicalist fields it would make sense to have a D3 and either a D200 or D300. But, most pros will already own a D2 as backup to the D3. Having said that though - the D200 is actually far superior in many situations than the D2.
What would I have in an ideal world? I don't know. I like the look of the D3 and getting a full frame sensor would be great in most respects but does do away with the advantage of the 1.5x equivalent magnification gained on lenses of the APS-C sized chip. With a D200/300 a 500mm lens becomes a 750mm. With the D3 - 500 is 500.
If I had a D3 I would probably need a longer lens again or a teleconverter. I would be tempted by the teleconverter option as the extra light loss will not be felt as the D3 is so impressive in high ISOs upto 1600. ISO800 would be usuable almost as the default setting (in winter when light is at a premium).
So, should a windfall come my way then I am not sure. A D300, a very small compromise and £2,500 in the pocket or a D3 and a teleconverter....... hmmm.....
Take care out there, watch for the black ice
jan
Saturday 5 January 2008
Major web update
Well, I have spent the whole day (from 6am until 5pm) going through the images for the last 6 months and changing the files names to a more user friendly and uniform format. I have also changed all the files from PSD to TIF to make storage requirements somewhat smaller and to make them more cross-platform compatable.
I also checked the embedded profiles to make sure they were all uniformly Adobe RGB and that they were all pretty much the same size to enable straight A3 production. This will mean that I have less work to do when clients want a photo fast and it also means that clients use better referencing for them and me. Now if someone says I want to see everything you have on Bottlenose Dolphins I just write the folder to a DVD(s) and send it off.
All files also now have full and correct metadata attached which will help everyone, espeically if I need to find the original RAW file again.
Now all I need is to complete the defrag or all the drives (that can go overnight), backup all of 2007 onto the SAFE special disks and put them in the fireproof safe with 2006 etc.
The website has been overhauled with new images and higher quality jpegs and the new reference system. I have also finally got around to putting more useful educational materials on the site. Each wildlife pic now features the common and latin names, as well as specific details about the species and the shot. Where more than one image exists of a species then facts are spread over the whole series so each pic tell you something different (I hope).
Its a lot of work but I think it'll be worth it.
Although I might get cabin fever if I have to spend another day in front of the computer!
Its below freezing and more snow is forecast. We are planning however two trips this months alone. One to Chanonry Point to see the Dolphins again (hopefully) and another into the Cairngorms.
I am also keeping an eye on the local seals as two seem to be missing. This is probably not a something to worry about as the dynamics of the group does change but I want to see if they come back or now. I think one of them may have been pregnant and will be in the breeding grounds but the other was male and quite young - in some ways its him that worries me more but perhaps he's just got too big for this group and has been forced to find his own girls!
The mole is very active in the garden but I have only caught very slight glimpses of him (or her) for now. Trying to photograph the mole is going to be the challenge of 2008 I think!
Have a good weekend (what's left of it) and watch out for the ice.
Jan
Oh, I almost forgot. There are also two rather amusing pictures of me "in the field" on the website. I am not sure I camo is very flattering especially when its got about 6 layers under it to keep out the cold. I am NOT that fat, honest!
I also checked the embedded profiles to make sure they were all uniformly Adobe RGB and that they were all pretty much the same size to enable straight A3 production. This will mean that I have less work to do when clients want a photo fast and it also means that clients use better referencing for them and me. Now if someone says I want to see everything you have on Bottlenose Dolphins I just write the folder to a DVD(s) and send it off.
All files also now have full and correct metadata attached which will help everyone, espeically if I need to find the original RAW file again.
Now all I need is to complete the defrag or all the drives (that can go overnight), backup all of 2007 onto the SAFE special disks and put them in the fireproof safe with 2006 etc.
The website has been overhauled with new images and higher quality jpegs and the new reference system. I have also finally got around to putting more useful educational materials on the site. Each wildlife pic now features the common and latin names, as well as specific details about the species and the shot. Where more than one image exists of a species then facts are spread over the whole series so each pic tell you something different (I hope).
Its a lot of work but I think it'll be worth it.
Although I might get cabin fever if I have to spend another day in front of the computer!
Its below freezing and more snow is forecast. We are planning however two trips this months alone. One to Chanonry Point to see the Dolphins again (hopefully) and another into the Cairngorms.
I am also keeping an eye on the local seals as two seem to be missing. This is probably not a something to worry about as the dynamics of the group does change but I want to see if they come back or now. I think one of them may have been pregnant and will be in the breeding grounds but the other was male and quite young - in some ways its him that worries me more but perhaps he's just got too big for this group and has been forced to find his own girls!
The mole is very active in the garden but I have only caught very slight glimpses of him (or her) for now. Trying to photograph the mole is going to be the challenge of 2008 I think!
Have a good weekend (what's left of it) and watch out for the ice.
Jan
Oh, I almost forgot. There are also two rather amusing pictures of me "in the field" on the website. I am not sure I camo is very flattering especially when its got about 6 layers under it to keep out the cold. I am NOT that fat, honest!
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