Sorry about the map, falling off both the road atlas and the OS map. It's been the story of the last couple of days. Saw a nature reserve on the chart a couple of days ago and thought it would make a change. It would have, the camp site was a holiday park. I'm not usually fussy but I have to draw the line somewhere. The next site I stopped at was ideal, within walking distance of the salt marsh and beach, had Wi Fi but took exception to dogs. So a lay by last night and then down here, mainly for internet access. Great scenery, not grand but a lovely wooded valley and three bars on the 3G. So all is Dippity Doo, also managed a supermarket on the way, I was beginning to tire of sardines and couscous.Settled in, sorted some e-mails, then the internet crashed. After several Oh Bless My Souls decided to cut my losses and walk. The Torrent walk is the thing to do around here and apart from it being dark amongst the trees and vegetation making it nightmare to photograph we had an interesting couple of hours.
THE TORRENT......Camera set to ISO1600, f18, aperture priority and a polarising filter, plenty of post processing involving selection and levels, contrast, saturation. Must own up to having gone off HDR a little, the images appear to lose sharpness. I'll include one in this set. 
Here it is! Five exposures tone blended +2ev/-2ev. Three would do but the Olympus will only burst bracket over this range with five exposures. Better results can be had manually by taking a spot reading off the brightest part of the image, repeat for the darkest. Set camera to manual, don't alter the aperture but adjust speed in two stop increments from one end till you get to the other. Then let Photomatix work it's magic.
The self same image, processed using the usual discrimatory selection and levels etc. adjustments. Can't make my mind up. The latter is more natural but these are images not reality.
back to normal.
I loved these colours under the water, 1600 ISO 8 sec., no wonder it's a touch noisy, should have opened up the aperture and focused on the rocks under the water. If I go back that way I'll try it. In an ideal world more light would have helped. Been far from ideal for a while, never mind, beats work and certainly beats sitting at home.That's all for today.
I love your narrative. I like the photos but I am not a big fan of softness in water and the rocks around it.
ReplyDeleteI have studied photography since 1953 when I began taking pictures in Japan in 35mm format before we had Kodak and Fuji color and running and falling water has always fascinated me.
I think of my camera as my eyes and when my eyes look at water I don't stare at it but look at it and my eyes flit around and I see the bubbles and details in the water as it runs over, around and between the rocks.
I can snap any of my cameras and get that same look but I can only get the silky, cotton-soft look if I stare at a point with my eyes or focus at a point and not really see the water but allow it to pass trying to do a time lapse without catching the water but rather, allowing the water to become a blur
Those are my views on running water and cameras. Some people share them, most don't.
Having seen some of your portfolio will gladly have another go today. Sacrifice depth of field for clarity. Keep telling me, I need all the advice I can get, thanks.
ReplyDeleteA lovely set Adrian. The first, my favourite.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try these things at some time - but somehow doubt they will get onto the first page of my 'To Do' list. I'm inclined to go with my photos generally unedited when it coms to rivers though. In the meantime I'll enjoy your efforts.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm on the Wirral today (Sunday) we are not that far apart at the moment!