ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Thursday 31 July 2014

A TOUCH SLOW. (31/07/14)

I was very late going out this morning as I was waiting for the rain to clear. The dogs had a good time as they found their friend or one of the many.

I did try to take some video. I pressed the AF-ON button to focus and heard it click but it didn’t focus the lens as the camera was in servo focus and for some reason it doesn’t in video or live view. Not to worry it didn’t look up to much even taking blurry into account._MG_3298   Molly having a paddle. I hope they can last till September but they are both a bit too hairy. They don’t mind but it’s the sand, water and muck they bring back home that I object to. They also need a good brushing which deposits more crap in the van.

_MG_3296    Alfie misjudged his paddling and a wave landed on him. He wanders along in a little world of his own then seems surprised when a wave crashes round his ears. He is getting a good swimmer when the occasion warrants.

_MG_3301   This is Zeb. He is a bit big but he rarely runs at full speed so they can chase him with relative ease. It’s a very noisy business but it does tire them out and give me peace for an hour or two.

We came back and I fed the dogs. I looked at the weather forecast and it’s giving heavy showers and moderately strong northerly or north easterly winds for tomorrow and Saturday. With a bit of luck the swell will build.

I want some long exposure shots so thought I’d have a wander out to have a practise or practice or a rehearsal. I do know the difference. The first and last are correct. Unless one is talking about lawyers, politicians or bankers they just practise law, governing and banking.

It did occur to me the other day that with a ten stop filter on then time isn’t at all critical. I have read several tutorials and the pedants always seem to make a meal out of calculating exposure times. What does it matter whether it is 20s or 60s? I have at least 3 stops to play with on a RAW file. It is just a suck it and see job the only difference time makes is how smooth and smokey you would like the water and clouds to be.

I did several; all shot at 100 ISO and f16 and varied the shutter time. I am a bit slow as I don’t even need to time it accurately. Open the shutter have a quick glance at my watch then close it when I like. It’s really easy, it’s like I imagine large format to be. It’s how it was, pop the film in the tray and watch. Pull it out when it’s ready. Just like cooking. Don’t rely on the clock, use your eyes.

Were I doing it in low light then I would take a black frame so that I could get rid of noise or any naughty hot pixels. I suspect again that as long as the black frame is taken while the sensor is still warm an exposure of roughly the same length would do. I don’t like in camera noise reduction it seems to soften images which is a bit daft when one is paying ridiculous money for serious lenses. It is a little bit silly taking long exposures to soften the job but at least the static bits are sharp or sharpish.

Slow: Me?…Always have been. In primary school the teachers used to say. “Master Ward do you really want to be a Bin Man?” I had to spend longer in school listening to crap from them than the Binmen spent at work.The two Binmen I knew were finished and in the pub for lunch time everyday so although I didn’t dare say; it did have a certain appeal. Better than teaching or farming for sure.

_V0G2047    This one is 22 seconds.

_V0G2048    This one is 55 seconds. I also flipped it horizontally as I prefer the foreground leading from the right.

I’m waiting for my new external hard drive. Then I’ll declutter the drives on the laptop. If I'm feeling really enthusiastic I’ll do it properly put stuff in folders by genre and year and quarter year. I never really bother saving pictures methodically as I have little interest once I’ve processed them. Don’t know why it’s just how I am……. A bone idle binman perhaps.

I called at the shop for bread and milk and spent two pounds on a lottery ticket for Friday's draw. If I win I am going to get a 5K video recorder. The frames are big enough to use as stills. How long before there are affordable 8K cameras? Not long I shouldn’t think.

 If I don’t post tomorrow then have a great weekend.

36 comments:

  1. Both of your LE's are very nice. I suppose I somewhat prefer the greater action in the water around the rocks of the faster exposure.

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  2. AC, I use cheapo stopper filters from SRB Photographic. They are not perfect but are good the big one at 82mm does most of my lenses with a couple of stepper rings. Total cost £55.00p. No nasty Cokin colour casts. You have to just brush crap off them. I put them under a tap to wash salt off.

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  3. Definitely not bin jobs Adrian, two excellent images there...the second one, with the RH lead in, works the best for me...I would say that the rehearsal went well, so the full performance should be spectacular?
    I'm in two minds about you winning the lottery because I'm sure that my ticket is THE winner...and I don't like sharing!!...[;o)

    I missed commenting on your video in yesterdays post (my internet connection wasn't for most of the day!) You're getting the drop on the time lapse videos now each one is an improvement on the last. If you like I've got some ant powder you can have to sort out all those ants!
    Letting your neighbour watch the camera doing it's thing in exchange for a slap up meal seems like a good deal to me, I'd let him watch again!...[;o)

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    1. Trevor I like a right lead and bugger reality.
      It's so easy, it's like using film again. I rarely use a meter for medium format unless it's 'And 'Eld. Sometimes not then. Photography is very forgiving. If I'm printing I make sure that I don't have pure white as it doesn't print anything. Not so bad on gloss paper but awful on silk or revolting on matt or art papers.
      The video was the day before yesterday. I'm pedantic too.
      They are getting better but there is a long way to go. It is busy up here and everybodystops to look at the camera.
      I'm just starting out. The editing is the hard bit and guessing interval. I like doing it and it is school holidays and warm. Nice folk were Hans and Gretel...just a bit thick. I'm a bit slow......Special Needs I think they call normal people now.

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  4. Those pooches always steal the show, but I also like the slow shutter speed exposures.

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  5. Maria, I know so only use them on really slow news days. I like film cos it is slow. It can be made to hop and skip in strong light.
    Digital is far too lively. Why would anyone want more than 400 ASA sorry ISO. Not normal are some cameras. 64,000 ISO. just silly, sillier than I am.

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  6. I can't get the idea of the smell of wet dog out of my head....

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    1. Frances, wet Adrian, wet dog, second hand cigarette smoke. My van smells just perfect. Like a pub of yesteryear. Pre children running here and there. It is lacking the spilt ale smell but give me time and I'll sort that bit. Wet horse is worse. They really do stink.

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    2. PS. My sister has a ten ton horse shifter with bunk beds for grooms. That really smells, we are not allowed to spark up in it. It does have a microwave and a toilet but I have yet to see them train a horse or groom to use it.

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  7. I know how nice it is to meet dogs friends every day, and i think for our dogs it is so nice to play together, Adrian your pics are always beautiful, there is a magic atmosphere in all

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  8. Laura, it is silly season here. School Holidays. Most dogs are used to mixing but there are ones who are frightened. It is good Zeb lives here so often comes for a walk with me. He thinks he's walking with the dogs but does keep off the road when I tell him.
    Dogs have to be treated well and be made to feel confident, same with children but I am not keen on them.

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  9. HI Adrian Love the dog shots. I like the 22 second shot best.

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    1. Magaret, long exposure is easy. Even if you don't have a posh camera. Get a cheapo tripod and one of those £1.00p dog tether screws and a bit of rope to make sure it doesn't shift. Use the 2 second delay to fire it in bulb mode and with £25/45 filter you are in business. Doesn't matter when you click it off cos it's all done by then.

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  10. HI Adrian This is the fourth time of trying to write this comment!!!! I am just going to say, I loved the time lapse video. You have come on brilliantly in this field.

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    1. Margaret, I watch the news and nature programmes. They are really good at it. So good most folk don't even know it is time lapse. I met the winter watch lads last winter in Braemar. They inspired me. Michaela did but she couldn't string two frames together if her life depended on it.
      Middling I am. I know how to do it but I suspect it is more than a one person job.

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  11. I love the doggies playing in the water, 'tis wonderful.

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    1. Bob, they love the walk to the beach so I will stop here. They like the sea and so do I.

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  12. What dog was Zeb? The puddle on the beach was either very deep on your dog was lying down, it reminds of the sketch in the Vicar of Disley, won't make sense unless you've seen it. Good luck with the lotto lol

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    1. Grrr autocorrect, should be Vicar of Dibley and "or your dog was lying down" sorry

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    2. Douglas the dog, god knows what Zeb is. Last year when he was a wee pup he looked like a Zebra. He is just a lovely dog. Molly bullies him if I don't watch her.They get on all right despite all the barking and growling. He sees them and does cliff top to beach in a jump and a bit. Impressive as he barks like hell on his descent.
      Molly is a bit of a tart cos she lets Zeb in the van. She snaps at Alf when he grumbles at him. It's a full time job looking after dogs.
      Never watch telly but Zeb is back. His owner works in the pub so drops him off on the way. He sleeps on the floor. But not for long,

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  13. yet another great post on the life and times of Adrian. Hope your ticket comes up with the goods.

    peter

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    1. Peter, there is more chance of pigs flying.

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  14. I must say that if I had been your primary school teacher I'd have given you a sound thrashing every Friday to beat some sense into you. If your lottery ticket wins please may I have a hundred thousand? I'd do the same for you.

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    1. YP, No but you can have two hundred thousand. One hundred will get you nowhere with a RED camera.
      It's nice to dream.

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  15. The only thing I can comment on is the dogs. They like to run with the big dogs because then they think they're big dogs too. It' a long weekend here. Of course, retired people don't get long week ends.

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    1. Red, the dogs have no comprehension when it comes to size. They are quite happy to play or attack anything regardless of it's height or weight.

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  16. That teacher might be quite surprised to hear you grew into someone who can rearrange reality so easily. Mind you the deranged can do that too, so maybe I should reword that. I like the dog shots, especially the second of Alfie, he does look bemused. Good luck with the Lottery.

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    1. Pauline it takes dedication to become a lunatic.

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  17. Buen baño y buenas carreras se dan los perros!!
    Hola Adrian de nuevo por aquí de vuelta de unas malas vacaciones.
    Me atropelló un coche en Oporto y tengo un gan golpe en el costado. Ya estamos en casa, menos mal que lo puedo contar. Pero lo pero es que la conductora se daba la fuga y la gente la paró.En tres semanas estaré mejor.
    Bien fin de semana.
    Un abrazo

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    1. Laura, lamento escuchar que sus vacaciones fue un desastre.
      Espero que estés bien pronto. Debe haber sido un gran accidente, pero espero que usted no es demasiado molesto.

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  18. I just love long exposure. And your last two shots are great. The longer the exposure the better for me.

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    1. Mersad. I will try and get out for some more today. Tomorrow is going to be very wet.
      I like them when there is some detail left in the sky and water.

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  19. I really should try to read your posts first because it takes me so long to read the post and all the comments that when I get to the end there's nothing left to say even if I could remember what the post was about.

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    1. Graham, don't worry. I have the same problem; by the time I finish the post I've forgotten what I was writing about.

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  20. Yea, I prefer guessing by trial and error in low light. The standard exposure is too dark for me and usually leave it a bit longer unless of course there's some Neon afflicting it.

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    1. Jay, if you are on a 20s exposure then a minute is only 2 stops away and RAW can cope easily. Film is not that much different either.

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