A visit to Suffolk
Had the opportunity of a couple of days to shoot some images in Suffolk, I had hoped the weather would have been kinder, but you have to take what you can get sometimes. It sure was nice to get away from the Derbyshire hills, I had planned to shoot the pumping station at Herringfleet, it's a photography Honeypot location, but I always wanted to shoot some images of it, the idea was to do this fisrt thing, then drop down to Shingle Street on the coast for some Sea shots. However the weather was forecast to be a mixed bag, and indeed it was. The Herringfleet location was some 60 miles from where I was staying, along the way the weather looked decidely poor, with a gloomy day and a prospect of rain, my hopes were looking dashed. As I walked from the car to the location, the skies started to clear and some better light looked possible.
Bearing in mind the photographic attraction to the Mill, I started looking for compositions which showed the Mill as part of the Suffolk landscape, rather than of the mill itself, I found several views that suited both the composition and light. It's a shame that a couple of the sails were missing, these had in fact broken off, still the place is in a fantastic location, and is well worth a visit. All the images were taken using the Pentax 645z with a mix of lenses.
Image Exposure 101
I have been asked on numerous occasions how I get the colour into images that I post online. Do I enhance? How do I get the particular look I am after?.
As photographers whatever the scene before us, whatever has caught our eye, be it a particular composition, a Sunrise or Sunset, one thing to bear in mind is the given dynamic range of the sensor you'e trying to capture the image with. If the sensor does not have a large dynamic range, you will not be able to capture the shadow detail whilst preserving the highlights. Larger sensor cameras, DSLR and Medium Format systems have a larger dynamic range. The problem with the exposure rerading that the camera makes, is that it tends to be biased toward the brighter part of the scene, usually the sky. The downside to this bias is that it will leave your foreground underexposed. Most modern sensors can cope with some changes to alter the dynamic range during post processing, but at a sacrifice of leaving some shadow noise to deal with.
So how can you maximize the dynamic range (the ability to capture shadow detail as well as highlights) without losing one or the other. The following images will give you some idea of the steps you can take to get an image that will give you the optimum exposure detail to able to undertake your image enhancement.
My usual way of capturing a wide dynamic range scene IE a bright sky with cloud detail, is to use a graduated ND filter. By using a filter like this, it allows you to preserve the Sky details, whilst keeping the rest of the scene correctly metered. Here are some examples of this.
So in the shot above, I established my composition, using the suggested meter reading I captured the shot, while my Pentax made a good fist of the exposure, it left the sky overexposed thus losing some detail in a quite glorious sky. I already knew that this would happen, and I would have to do the following, either use an ND grad filter, or by creating a series of images of differing exposures then create a blended image. What would be the reasons for choosing the latter?
One thing about an ND grad is that it will lower the exposure for everything that is within the graduation, my filter are 150mm and the gradient goes from the top down to halfway, so the remaining 50 percent of the filter is clear. This is all fine and dandy if you are shooting a scene like a seascape where you have a nice perfect horizon, but using it anywhere else can cause exposure issues if anything other than the sky sits within the gradient, such as this lovely Silver Birch tree.
The above image had a 1 stop ND grad filter applied, you can clearly see that the shadow detail in the vegetation is preserved, whilst the filter starts to preserve the sky. The red outline is where the grad was used
Using the 2 stop ND has shown the sky details but its starting to block the detail in the tree from being shown.
So finally a 3 stop filter ND filter is applied, The Sky has become darker, however the level of detail in the highlights is very much improved. The drawback is how the hill behind the tree has almost no detail, and has turned quite dark along with the tree.
The alternative method of getting a nice balance exposure on an image, is to bracket the exposure, most cameras have this ability, and will be within the menu system of the camera. I shoot in manual so the easiest way for me to do this is to choose the correct aperture for the depth of field required, and the correct shutter speed to preserve the details in the image, if it were a windy day for instance, and I was using a slow shutter speed then some elements of the image may blur. So the way I shoot in manual is to shoot a normal exposure one where the camera indicates it's correct. Then shoot one image over exposed, and one or two images underexposed. I usually don't bother going anything above plus one, you can do, but my preference is just the one shot over.
You can clearly see in this image that the highlights are blown, but the shadow area beneath the tree contains much more detail.
In this shot, the sky detail is being preserved but the shadow detail is being sacrificed.
Perfect sky, but no shadow detail retained in the foreground.
So with these 3 exposures chosen I can then blend these in Lightroom using the create HDR option, HIgh Dynamic Range. There can be negatives associated with using this technique, which I will cover at the end.
Here are the blended 3 images. An image that retains both highlight and shadow detail. Which is much easier to work on with fine-tuning and sorting out the various aspects of the image that you want to highlight, or bring out.
Please bere in mind when shooting your exposures for HDR, that if you are shooting during a windy day, then each frame you take may have some cloud movement during the exposures that have to be dealt with by the HDR algorithym, and may produce some image ghosting. Each method has poitives and negatives, it's whatever you prefer to do in your image workflow.
If you start your editing and enhancement process without a correctly exposed image which should have a broad dynamic range, then any adjustments you make can have in some cases a detrimental effect on other parts of your image. Having a good balanced image, is not only good practice, but by doing so you give yourself the best opportunity to enhance the image as you want. This especially applies to large prints, as any defects will be magnified.
Storm Eleanore at New Brighton
I fancied a change of scene, and a breath of sea air. Struck down with a severe man cold over Xmas and New Year, I needed to get outdoors. Hearing that Storm Eleanor was headed our way, I thought about going over to the west coast to try and get some images. I checked the tide tables and high tide at New Brighton was around 11 am, after a couple of hours drive through Cheshire I made it just as high tide arrived. I'm glad I made the trip, the wind and the high tide made for some great images.
The view out into the sea was just mental, waves crashing into the promenade as high as fifty feet, our weather can be very spectacular. The light was not on my side sadly. I was hoping for some slanting winter sun to highlight the surf, but although we had a fleeting glimpse it stayed pretty much overcast. I got caught out a few times and ended up at one point in 2 foot of salt water, annoyed that I had left my gloves behind, my hands after a couple of hours were pretty cold.
Still it made for an eventful outing, and to witness the power of the ocean and the force of nature, was a real delight. All the images were shot with a Pentax 645Z, using the 35mm 45-85mm and the 80-160mm, all the shots were handheld, to breezy for the tripod. Hope you enjoy the images.
Storm Eleanor at new BrightonWinds and high tide at New Brighton
Perch Rock Lighthouse New BrightonStorm Eleanor
Flooded Promenade New BrightonStorm Eleanor
An Angry Sea New BrightonStorm Eleanor
Big Wave New BrightonStorm Eleanor
Falklands revisited
A year ago today, I arrived in the Falklands. This visit came about purely from a visitor to our Gallery in Ashbourne several months earlier. I had the pleasure of meeting up with Allan White and partner Jacqui Jennings and Bosun the dog, they were on a UK holiday and had stopped by chance in Ashbourne, one thing led to another and I was on my way back to the Falkland Islands. Full of trepidation I boarded the flight that was to last around 19 hours. Have to say that the flight was great and we were well looked after by the cabin crew.
I was met by Jacqui at Mount Pleasant Airport some 40 miles away from Stanley. Jacqui was preparing for her daughters wedding and was buying mountains of food, for the day. The wedding was taking place at Fox Bay on West Falkland, we would be driving over via the ferry MV Concordia, which runs from New Haven on East Falkland to Port Howard on West Falkland.
The following day found Allan and I driving out to New Haven, we had a small detour via Darwin, I wanted to stop and visit the memorial that lies on top of Darwin Hill, and overlooks Goose Green. I wanted pay my respects to those that died, during the Battle of Darwin and Goose Green. As I walked up the small rise to the monument I was struck with uncontrollable sadness, and spent the next half an hour pouring out my heart. It had been 35 years since I was on the islands, and those 35 years came tumbling out as my eyes filled with tears as I remembered events from that time.
2 Para memorial on Darwin HillOveooking Goose Green, East Falkland
I had carried this sadness around with me for all this time and I guess this was my chance to unburden myself of those memories, When we were on the ferry to Port Howard I had the time to reflect upon those events in 1982, when as part of the 2nd Parachute battalion (2 Para) we landed on the Falklands. This was my chance to see the Islands in a different, and more thoughtful way, and I was so glad that I had made the trip. As a photographer I wanted to capture images of the landscape, which makes this place so special. Reflecting back to 1982 I didn't like the Falklands at all, barely knew where it was. It was wet, windy and pretty cold. A vast barren windswept land which held no allure for a young Paratrooper. I think we all wanted to get the job done, and get back home as quick as possible.
Travelling over West Falkland to Fox Bay the scenery was just epic, The gravel road went on for mile upon mile carving through the vast bleak moorland, finally arriving at the small hamlet of Fox bay which would be home for a couple of days. I was shooting the wedding of Nadia and Justin out at Leicester farm, and I couldn't wait to meet them, and their friends and family on their wedding day.
West Falkland Vista (The big country)
It's quite amusing even now as I sit here in Derbyshire typing this, having shot hundreds of weddings in the UK at Castles, and Hotels, and other venues. Never have I shot a wedding in the middle of a 55.000 acre farm. The wedding would be held by a little brook over a very rickety bridge, it was quite simply amazing. Watching people turn up carrying plastic chairs in their finery, a walk of several hundered yards for most folk. The view of seeing 50 odd 4x4s perched on the hill overlooking the wedding place, reminded me of film Zulu. It was a simple ceremoney filled with little touches from their friends, and certainly is one wedding that I will think of for the rest of my life. A wedding on New Years eve, boy do these people know how to party, they work hard, and play hard.
Evening soltitude Fox Bay, West Falkland
Abandoned House Fox bay West Falkland
New Years day turned out to be the warmest day of my whole visit, it was brilliant sunshine with a gorgeous blue sky, Allan, Jacqui and I went on a 4 wheel drive adventure and ended up at a Penguins Rookery high up on a hill a few miles from Fox bay, although the sun was out it was quite breezy (it is rarely calm on the Falklands) we were out a few hours and I actually got quite well sunburned, the lack of ozone and pollution helps. We found beautiful untouched white sand beaches, at times you would think we were in the Bahamas. The Falkland Islands are certainly full of suprises. On the drive back to Stanley, Allan and I went for a drive over to Bodie Bridge, the only suspension bridge in the Falklands, it must have cost a small fortune to build. We crossed over it rather delicately as it is quite a sorry state, and it won't be much longer before some of it will fall into the sea.
Fox Bay and beaches West Falkland
Bodie Bridge Near Goose green
So it was back to Stanley for a few days, before Allan departed back to West Point Island, this sounded like a fantastic place to live, and I would join Allan and Jacqui at the end of my visit. Meanwhile I went on a battlefield tour with a wonderful guy from Stanley called Tony Smith. We picked a rather moody day to go, which suited my photography, sunlight danced around the hills and we had the occasional shower to contend with. A great experience and Tony, who is a real affable, and we spent the best part of the day touring around Longdon and Wireless ridge. His Landrover coped admirably with the terrain. Some great images captured, I did make my way back up to Wireless ridge later in the week and spent a few hours up there as dusk fell and witnessed the most spectacular sunset. As the light began to fade and the wind picked up, it felt quite eerie being there, I paid my respects and left them in peace.
Light breaking over Mount Longdon, East Falkland
A moody Wireless Ridge east falkland
Moody Brooke East FalklandTwin sisters in the far distance
Wireless Ridge and Mount Tumbledown sunset
Toward the end of my first week, I made my way over to San Carlos where I spent the night at Matthew McMullan's farm, after spending an hour or to on the top of Sussex Mountain. I visited Bllue Beach and the UK Armed Forces Cemetary. Paid my respects to Colonel H and the rest of the lads, the cemetary is in a lovely quite spot overlooking Blue Beach, with nothing to disturb, other than the cry of an Oystercatcher. Following morning I was away back to Darwin and Goose Green, once agian loitered at the top of Sussex mountain, remembering that bloody tab up from San Carlos, loaded up with ammunition and kit, easily carrying over a 100lbs on our backs, a tab I'm never likely to forget.
San Carlos from Sussex Mountain
As darkness falls, San carlos East Falkland
Old 2 Para postion on Sussex Mountain
UK Forces cemetary at San Carlos East Falkland
Having a full day over at Darwin and Goose Green, the light was simply stunning and I was in Landscape heaven, this rather benign landscape I was taking pictures of on this lovely January day,was such a different place 35 years ago. A place where friends and comrades died, where fine and selfless acts of heroism took place amongst the sound and sights of battle. Once again I was brought to a halt by salty tears, not this time ones of sadness, but by a feeling of immense pride in our battalions, and it's endevours during those hours of combat. Over the next few days I really did begin to see how the Falklands had grown and prospered, and what we achieved back in 1982 was so worthwhile.
Cemetary at darwinA little wooded copse under a rather magnificent sky
Small Cove at darwinGoose Green in the distance
Finally my visit was coming to an end, but for the last couple of days I would fly out to West Point Island, and join up with Allan and Jacqui. West Point is a truly specatacular place to live, and not for the faint hearted. A certain amount of resiliance is required, and the kelpers have it in abundance. Especially when you think of the cosseted life many of us enjoy in the UK. So it was with a heavy heart that I said my goodbyes to these 2 wonderful people. The flight back to Stanley was rather impressive, Sat in the crew seat with Andrew Azalia the FIGAS pilot, he asked me where i wanted to go, we had a memorable trip back flying over San Carlos and Ajax Bay, Goose Green, Fitzroy, Swan Inlet, finishing with a flypast of the 2 Sisters, Mount Tumbledown and the final views of Mount Longdon and Wireless ridge, before touching down at Stanley Airport, a truly amazing visit, amongst equally amazing friendly people.
Port SussexAerial view taken from the FIGAS Islander
Sunlight on a small inlet, West Falkland
Wind scorched trees, West Point Island
FIGAS Islander landing on West Point Island
Swan Inlet and the road to Stanley
Port Stanley
Allan and Jacqui West Point IslandWithout these two splendid people my trip would not have happened. I cannot thank you enough.
Winter Arrives
For a brief moment in time, the Derbyshire landscape was covered in snow, although it only lasted a few days it certainly brought a smile to my face. I love winter when we get some snow, usually it's wet and quite dour, the colours of dark greys and muddy brown do nothing to lift my spirits.
The day it snowed, we went out for a walk around the local lanes, the light was poor as it was quite late in the afternoon, I just hoped that the following day would be clear, and that I could get to capture a winter landscape in some decent light.
The following day was nothing short of epic, the light was spectacular and had a real alpine feel to it, I headed off to Minninglow Hill resplendent in its white coat. No one had been out before me, and the heavy covering of snow, untouched by human feet. Up on the hilll itself drifts were several feet thick, and I was upto my knees in places. Amazing how the sheep manage to get below the icy layer to get at the grass.
It's kind of special to have an opportunity to shoot in such pristine conditions. I hope you enjoy my images
All the images were taken with a Pentax 645z the lenses used 35mm, 45-85mm, and the 80-160mm.
Snow Marston Montgomery
Snowfall Marston Montgomery
Curious Sheep
Windblown Trees Minninglow Hill
Minninglow Hill, Derbyshire3 image panorama
Beech Copse in Winter Minninglow
Snowdrifts Minninglow
Textures of Winter
Shadow play