Leap of faith

 

  

Looking like something that would be more at home in a War of the Worlds movie, the PierZip tower stands some 60 feet (18 metres) above the decking on the end of Bournemouth pier, Dorset. Today officially being the first day of Spring the fine weather drew out the crowds, and a number of people were prepared to take the leap of faith and ride the 850 ft (250 metres) double zip wire to the beach.



Top: 10.5mm f/2.8 AF-S Fisheye Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/11. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 160
Below: 24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/200 second at f/11. Matrix metering. ISO 160



© 2015

The daffodil and the spider

Despite the early signs at the beginning of the year Spring seems to be taking its own sweet time, now. Not a bad thing as it is said that the later it starts the longer it lasts, but even my usual patch of sure-fire daffodils is certainly lagging behind what it was this time last year.


300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/8. ISO 160



© 2015

The Victoria Cross, other memorials and comic genius

This morning a paving stone was unveiled at a local War Memorial for a soldier of the British army, who's selfless act a hundred years ago today posthumously earned him the Victoria Cross. Born locally, Cecil Noble was an Acting Corporal in the 2nd Batallion, The Rifle Brigade, and was wounded along with another man (Harry Daniels), as they both voluntarily rushed to cut barbed wire that was impeding an advance against German lines at Neuve Chapelle, France. Daniels survived his injuries but Noble died the following day. He was 23 years old.

During the short service held before the unveiling it was noted that to be awarded the VC there needed to be a 90% chance of dying during an act that was deemed to be above and beyond the call of duty.

  Lord Lieutenant Angus Campbell and Councillor Chris Mayne at the unveiling.

 Sounding the Last Post

After the ceromony I took the opportunity to photograph two nearby memorials of pilots who died locally, although not in action. The first (below) is the recently re-vamped plaque for Flt/Lt Henry Green, and the one below that for Flt/Lt Jon Egging of The Red Arrows.

 

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The Blue Plaque, comissioned by The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society, is something I have been meaning to photograph for some time, and since I was in the area I thought now would be as good a time as any. A childhood hero of mine, at the height of his popularity the comic genius commanded half the viweing audience of UK television each time one of his shows was transmitted.

Having asked permission to take photographs - always a good idea - the helpful chap on the hotel front desk offered to show me to a second floor corridor, where a glass display cabinet contained a number of artifacts of the man. Amongst the items on show were three typewriters: one owned by his family; a second one that the lad 'imself used to write scripts on, and lastly the one that was with him when he died in an Australian hotel room in 1968.

Unfortunately, light levels in the corridor are very low and without a tripod it would be rather pointless to try and take any photographs, but the man on the desk said it would be no problem for me to return at a later date - suitably equipped - to get the images I wanted. A subject of a future post.

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Fleeting glimpse

The last thing on my mind today when heading to the local nature reserve were kingfishers, but as so often happens the best shots of the day can come from nowhere. I had bumbled about on the river bank for over an hour, trying to find something to photograph that would represent the emerging spring, but other than repeating what I had already photographed last week I wasn't having much luck.

I had been keeping a watchful eye out for otters as reports of recent sightings had been forthcoming from passers-by all afternoon, but it wasn't until I moved upstream to a favoured spot for kingfishers that I saw today's subject, perched on a pice of angle iron driven into the riverbed. Predictably, the bird flew away as I arrived, but undeterred I set up and pre-focused my lens on the perch... and waited. It was an hour and twenty minutes before my patience was rewarded, but even then it was a fleeting glimpse and I only managed a mere 14 frames before it was gone again.



300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/250 second at f/6.3. Matrix metering. ISO 160. Tripod and remote release



© 2015

In the (infra)red

Over the past few days I have been working my way through transparency and negative files dating back to 1982, primarily for the purpose of copying them and bringing some into the digital world for the first time. My interest, piqued by a post on Facebook no less, led me to the technique of using a lightbox and macro lens to get the job done (why didn't I think of that before?). It is a basic set-up but it works very well, at least for the purposes of the Internet, and is much quicker than using a scanner.

The one thing I miss about photography since turning fully digital is shooting with infrared film: both mono and colour, and the discovery of several long-forgotten neg sheets reminded me of this. Tricky stuff to handle in the field, and even trickier to expose for, the results with these films was always unpredictable purely because it depended on how much infrared was being reflected from a subject on any given day. On top of that there were the filters needed to get the full effect with either emulsion, but with care it could all work out just dandy.

The colour image of Christchurch Priory, Dorset, has been known to me since the trannies came back from the lab, but the mono picture - taken nearby but at a later date and developed at home - is seen by me for the first time since I never got around to making a contact sheet, let alone prints. I still have two 35mm film cameras but Kodak ceased production of the film(s) in 2007, blaming poor sales numbers. However, apparently there are several manufacturers - Ilford, to name but one - that still make the stuff (woohoo!), creating the possibility that come summer, and spurred on by my new-found copying technique, I may just dust-off the F5 and give it all another go.

Now, where can I get the chemicals, these days?



Top: Kodak Ektachrome EIR (yellow filter), rated at ISO 250 - May 2001
Below: Kodak EIR (Kodak wratten 25 filter), rated at ISO 400 - June 2004



© 2015

Two birds

Weatherwise it is more spring-like every day, although the temperatures are struggling a bit and barely reach double figures on the Celsius scale. There is, however, glorious sunshine today so I spend the afternoon on a local clifftop shooting whatever takes my fancy. This chap above was flying about; minding his own business, until he saw me with a big lens. After that he spent a good amount of time swooping and diving - as much as a paraglider can swoop and dive - for the camera. He even landed briefly for a chat about where I might publish any good images I get (on here, mate).

There was nothing like as much fuss from the Stonechat that flew in for a few moments before I packed up and headed home. I had hoped that the kestrel would put in an appearance, hence the telephoto lens, but it was not to be.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. Matrix metering. ISO 160
Top: 1/1600 second at f/5.6. - 1 stop EV compensation
Below: 1/1250 second at f/4.5. - 1 stop EV compensation



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In the clear

Scrambling about on woodland floors looking for macro shots is probably not the best way to treat a knee issue, but at this time of year there is a lot beginning to happen at that level. I had the offending (right) joint X-rayed this morning and won't know the results for a week or so, but so long as my doctor doesn't read this (highly unlikely) I am, for the time being at least, in the clear.


105mm f/2.8 Sigma macro lens. 1/30 second at f/11. Matrix metering.  - 0.33 EV compensation. Tripod and remote release. ISO 160



© 2015

Cheaper than The Plamp

The most frustrating thing when photographing plants outdoors is subject movement caused by the wind. Not so much an issue when shooting flora and fauna as part of the landscape, but when you get in close the slightest trembling of your subject can ruin a shot. Patience is the key here as eventually the wind will drop long enough to allow the subject to settle, but this is not always practical if the lighting changes when this happens. The photographer needs some assistance and this is where The Plamp comes into play.

A portmanteau of the words Plant and Clamp, it was originally designed and marketed by a well known tripod head manufacturer and features two clamps at either end of a flexible arm. One end is attached to something stable - a post in the ground, or possibly a tripod leg, for example - whilst the other end grips whatever it is that you are photographing. A nifty solution that works quite well in the field, but quite expensive for what it is.

Enter the DIY solution: I made my own, and for approximately a tenth of the cost of the commercially available version. Two plastic spring clamps and some foam-covered garden wire were bought from a local hardware store, and the whole assembley finished-off with some electrical tape that I already had. It may not be as sophisticated as the real thing, but for all intents and purposes it does the same job, as the image of Hawthorn blossom testifies.



300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. Tripod and remote release. ISO 200



© 2015