Short lived

Today is the start of the 10th Bournemouth Air Festival, a free event that has attracted some 8.5 million visitors over the past decade to the Dorset coast. However, the four days of flying has become less and less appealing to this particular photographer, due to the staid nature of its programme.

The one saving grace is the RAF Display Team, The Red Arrows; always worth watching; always worth a few shots in spite of the fact that I have thousands of images of them spread across several hard drives. In addition, their performance is scheduled for 6pm, so the light will be getting good by that time of evening.

Game on.

I arrive about 90 minutes beforehand, find a suitable viewpoint, and warm-up by taking casual snaps of other displaying aircraft as with one of the Twister Duo (pictured), and free-fall parachute jumpers that entertain the crowd before the main event.

But shortly before it starts I manage to put quite a severe dent in the focusing ring of my 300mm f/2.8 lens - I dropped it again the wooden rail of the cliff fence - and it won't focus.

Disaster! The focus ring won't turn by hand let alone autofocus, so I'm stuffed. I know straight away I will not get any more images, and somewhat disappointed, I leave before it starts.

It's going to be a costly repair.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/2000 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

One for the future

Nic and I set out today for a visit to Cliffe Fort, built during the 1860s to protect the entrance to the Thames. Now owned by an adjacent aggregate works, the fort was abandoned shortly after World War II when it served as anti-aircraft battery to defend the approaches to London.

It now lies derelict and is subject to flooding, not that it mattered as we were not able to gain access upon arrival as the road was closed. Workers we spoke to on the site assured us that the closure was temporary, and that means of entry would soon be re-established. Slightly disappointed, we decided to return at a later date.

In the mean time here is a photograph of a dredger arriving at the nearby Brett Aggregates processing wharf.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 160



© 2017

Normans Bay

Normans Bay, East Sussex, oddly has nothing to do with where the Normans landed during their invasion of England in 1066. Although the actual spot is still disputed by historians it is clear that it wasn't here as the location was underwater at the time.

It is, however, a peaceful and remote spot that can be tricky to find, since everywhere you go is signposted 'Private This', or 'Private That'. Whether or not that is the case it is probably enough to discourage all but the most determined casual visitor.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor.

Top: The beach. 1/2000 second at f/3.2. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. Polarising filter. ISO 320
Below: Martell Tower detail. 1/400 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. Polarising filter. ISO 250



© 2017

Always something new

The first time visitor may see nothing but desolation at first glance, but Dungeness never fails to produce something worthwhile for the photographer who is prepared to put in the leg work.

The top image shows the remains of the burnt-out hull of a fishing boat, although quite how that came to be isn't all that obvious. The beach is littered with such vessels; some are working boats, others derelict, but its distance from the waterline suggests it didn't happen at sea.

The second image reminded me of trees in an impressionist landscape, having been sprayed haphazardly onto the side of a large ship container.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. Both images - 1/640 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 160



© 2017

So why not stick the picture on the internet?

Being your own fiercest critic has its plus points, but also its drawbacks. There are many times I shoot, but having viewed the uploads on my screen eventually arrive at the verdict that there is nothing worth adding to the blog. Most of the time I think I am right in making those decisions, but there are times when I have the sneaking suspicion that I am being too harsh in my approach. After all, I did stop to compose and fire the shutter at the time, so why not stick the picture on the internet?

So, I have decided to relax this draconian ethic, at least for the time being, starting with this one. And just to be on the safe side I have deliberately broken a few compositional rules; plonking the subject in the middle of the frame and having the horizon slice the image equally in two.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. Polarising filter. ISO 320



© 2017

Monday: 4:39 am

I have been neglecting my camera for the past few weeks, so when I discover that a low tide will coincide with sunrise (well, almost), I set the alarm for 4 am and hope the light does its stuff.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. ¼ second at f/11. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. Tripod and remote release. ISO 160



© 2017

The first day of summer

It's the first day of summer, speaking from a meteorological point of view, and what's more it actually feels like it.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 250. Monopod



© 2017

The Bournemouth Wheel: Maximum impact

Something of an afterthought with the subject, but as planned I did return to shoot a local entertainment attraction just as soon as the conditions were right. I needed clear blue skies to achieve the effect I wanted; the conversion to mono enabling me to turn the sky black for maximum impact.


10.5mm f/2.8 AF-S Fisheye Nikkor. 1/800 second at f/11. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 160. Mono conversion in Silver FX Pro2



© 2017

First dawn

Newborn foals on Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch. The one in the lower image arrived seven days ago; the other less than a day old, arrived during the night.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. Matrix metering. Monopod
Top: (with TC-14E II converter) 1/500 at f/5.6.  - 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 250
Below: 1/1250 second at f/4. - 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

No stretch of the imagination

Imaginatively called the Bournemouth Wheel (I wonder who came up with that one), this Ferris wheel replaces the Bournemouth Eye; a tethered gas-filled balloon that had once been situated in the town's Pleasure Gardens. Clearly, a bit more thought went into naming the balloon, but whoever named what the wheel is far more photogenic.

However, I wasn't carrying anything wide enough to do it justice this afternoon, so a return visit with a (much) wider lens will be in order the next time the sky is right.


24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/250 second at f/8. Matrix metering. Polarising filter. ISO 160
Mono conversion in Silver FX Pro 2



© 2017

Fluffy

It's not often that I visit beaches during the spring and summer months for a photography session, but it seems a shame to waste such a low tide. Besides, I've not been shooting much recently and I need to get out there. I'm not going to get a setting sun along the shore line at this time of year, but the northerly wind is bringing a good amount of fluffy cloud, so at least the sky will be interesting.

However, it's far from warm, with temperatures barely topping 11ºC, and the moment I step onto the sand it starts to rain, swiftly followed by sleet. It's short lived, though, and for an hour or so I make photographs between showers and shade.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/1000 second at f/8. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Pay attention at the back

Although Heritage Railways dot the countryside - lovingly restored and operated largely by volunteers - it is much rarer to see steam trains run on main lines. So when an event like that is happening in your own back yard you take the opportunity to get some snaps.

A chance find on social media, I discover that the Railway Touring Company have chartered a train that is being hauled by West Country Class No. 34046 Braunton, now running under the name Lord Dowding. The engine has been renamed to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, and it will pass near me around mid-morning.

I then promptly forget all about it until it's (far) too late.

Nil desperandum, I think, as I know the return run will happen during late afternoon. I'll get some shots then. Besides, the light will be better.

However, the return trip turns out to be pulled by a diesel engine; Lord Dowding itself having being uncoupled to make a guest appearance on the nearby Swanage Railway. The camera remains idle, but all is not lost. I am reliably informed that the engine in question will be passing again tomorrow - around mid-day.

So once again it's off to the station... and wait. It heaves into view in the distance; smoke billowing, and I take up my pre-determined position to get at least something, only to be presented with the image above. Running backwards (and early), and with only one carriage, the picture certainly wasn't what I had hoped for.

Nevertheless, it's a lesson learned: Don't expect a second bite of the cherry.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 320



© 2017

About as high as it gets

A high flying jet against a blue sky caught my eye and I fired off just one frame. The thinking was to convert the file to mono, then make the image as high contrast as possible.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14E converter. 1/640 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Best of a bad lot

I'm always telling others: There is no such thing as bad light... and today I have to apply that mantra to my own efforts. Twice.

Thwarted by cloud taking away the direct sunlight I wanted for an early shoot, I come away with nothing. I change tack later in the day and visit the beach. Again, the light is anything but spectacular, but I'm determined to photograph something.

Once again those odd bits and pieces that get washed up on the surf line save the day and I go for the minimalist approach. I add the rough sides as an afterthought. I'm not a big fan of borders on an image, but once in a while it doesn't hurt.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. + 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400



© 2017

5202 detail

As well as remembering to occasionally look up when out shooting, it can also pay to look out for what lies underfoot. Trodden on by countless feet for many years, and pitted by harsh conditions equally as long, this drain cover on the seafront promenade almost certainly doesn't get a second glance by the casual passer-by.

I think I have an idea for a new theme.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/160 second at f/4. Matrix metering. + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400



© 2017

Testing times

My car is in for its annual MOT test, and for the 45 minutes or so while it is being scrutinised I wander the alley at the back of the garage in search of something to photograph. I'm always drawn to images of decay, as with the white painted bricks, stained by rust from a leaking gutter, or the boarded up window of the empty factory that has subsequently become the canvas of the graffiti artist.



Top: 24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/8. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 160
Below: 12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/8. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Graveyard shift

The fine spring weather of yesterday gave way to fog this morning, but the capricious nature of the UK climate has the advantage of offering-up different shooting opportunities almost on a daily basis.

I'm out early in a local cemetery while the murkiness lasts, shooting wide-open with my longest lens to isolate the subject, and to capture the beautiful softness of the light.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. Matrix metering. - 0.33 EV compensation. Monopod. Mono conversions in Silver Efex Pro 2.

Top: 1/160 second at f/2.8. ISO 160
Middle: 1/320 second at f/2.8. ISO 250
Bottom: 1/640 second at f/2.8. ISO 400



© 2017

Apple blossom and spring sunshine

There are no crisp boundaries between the seasons, but best part of the transition doesn't last long; often only a few days.



105mm f/2.8D EX Sigma macro lens. 1/60 second at f/16. Matrix metering. + 0.3 EV compensation. Tripod and remote release. Mirror lock-up.



© 2017

Last call for winter

The low spring tides herald what is likely to be the last of the winter's photography on my local beaches, as by the time the next ones happen the sun will be setting too far inland to get anything meaningful.

Although nothing like the storm that arrived last week, strong winds were enough to keep the sky constantly changing, producing stunning light.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/8. Matrix metering. + 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth*

Doris has had her day; the sun shines, and the blossom on the trees, er... blossoms.

Spring is here.



*From Thomas Blackburn's Easter Hymn


24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/200 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 320



© 2017

Barometric anarchy or: Storm Doris

As I write, Storm Doris continues to batter the country, with winds of up to 94 mph recorded in some parts. Such is the intensity it has now been classed as a weather bomb; the first time I have heard the term used to describe this kind of barometric anarchy in the UK. Travel disruption and damage is widespread.

However, along the south coast things are a little different, and although the wind occasionally gusts up to around 48 mph the sea remains calm, and at least a few of us can get out and enjoy an afternoon on the beach.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/8. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Just a moment

Members of the Wessex Paragliding Club can often be seen wafting to and fro above the cliffs of Poole bay, but it seems that every time they do - and I'm on the scene - I don't have any long lenses with me.   So, as always, I use what I do have and chose my moment carefully.




24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/1600 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 1 stop EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Rambling on my mind

I like nothing more than rambling on local beaches as the sun drops low in the sky. Making photographs without really trying; either abstract - as in the top image - or the scenic, is the best way I can think of spending a fine afternoon during the winter months.



Top: 24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/100 second at f/5.6. + 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 250
Below: 12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/100 second at f/8. + 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

No-one, I think, is in my tree: a post for Beatles fans

It was a grey day when Nic and I visited Knole Park, in Sevenoaks, Kent, but there were two things on the agenda. She wanted to photograph the deer in the park; my interest was in The Beatles.

It is 50 years to the day since shooting took place for the video of Strawberry Fields Forever, and I wanted to find the precise location. The tree, no longer there, was already dead when Swedish director Peter Goldmann chose it to be part of the strange musical instrument that features in the film.

It was reportedly blown down in the storm of 1987, and its original location is now disputed. However, lining-up land features in the distance with the original footage - and the proximity of a road that runs through the park, just visible in front of the trees in the middle distance - leads me to believe that this is, indeed, the right place. It's not much to look at now, but it appears that the stump in the right foreground is all that remains of the oak.

The B side (in fact it was a double A-sided single), of the release was Penny Lane, and footage was shot the following day to accompany the music. Again, the area near The Birdhouse in the park was used as a location. In the images above the arch that the band rode through on horseback can still be seen, while the pond where the banquet table was situated still looks very much like it did on that winter's day in 1967.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. Matrix metering. ISO 200

Top: 1/200 second at f/8.
Middle: 1/250 second at f/8
Bottom: 1/250 second at f/8



© 2017

A bit of warmth

                    After two days of fog it's good to see a bit of colour before the next weather front rolls in.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/8. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2017

Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs

The fog that enveloped me yesterday still lingers, and again atmospheric conditions are too good to pass up. Cemeteries can be good places to work in under such circumstances; the frost and strongly diffused light adding to the ethereal character of the photographs.


I borrowed the title for the post from Richard II, by William Shakespeare.



Top: 70-200mm f/2.8 Sigma EX DG Apo lens. 1/1000 second at f/2.8. Matrix metering. + 0.7 EV compensation. ISO 320
Below: 24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/60 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. + 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 320

Hanging in there

Fog and freezing temperatures combine this morning; ideal conditions to be out with my camera and in search of images. I was quite surprised to find a lone leaf still clinging to its tree in a park.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/80 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. ISO 160



© 2017

Too fierce for my own good

No doubt about it, photography has become a struggle once again. I'm out there shooting, but the images I am getting aren't giving me any sense of achievement or satisfaction. Being your own fiercest critic has its good aspects, but it can, I think, also lead to nagging self doubt.

There's nothing inherently wrong with the photograph, and I can't say I've seen it all before because every day on the beach produces something different. It's just that at the moment I don't feel like I'm trying.

Time to get that well-worn thinking cap on again.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/50 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 400



© 2017

The first snap of the year

It has been a lean 4 weeks or so in the photography department, but as I mentioned in the solitary post I managed last month, it's not for the want of trying. I have been taking photographs, but nothing was coming up to snuff image wise. I was either faced with grey conditions to blank, blue skies (when it wasn't raining), and none of the pictures were particularly inspiring. Thus they never see the light of day.

The afterglow and the excitable dog give me a little of the something I have been looking for.



12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. ISO 320



© 2017

The snowflakes aren't dancing

The marked absence of images for this month is not down to lack of shooting; I have been, but the light for the past few weeks has been less than inspiring. So time for some detail work, and this afternoon I point my lens at nothing more dramatic than light surf rolling up the beach.

Nothing too exciting there you might think - and you'd be right - but once I had processed the two pictures using the Mirror filter in Affinity the results became reminiscent of snowflakes, or perhaps intricate lace. Whichever way you look at it, it will be the closest I will be getting to snow this Christmas.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/250 second at f/2.8. Matrix metering. ISO 400



© 2016

Three jets

Since the weekend there hasn't been a cloud in the sky, and the high pressure system that is responsible gives winter its first bite. Temperatures are down to around 4ºC during the day; much lower by night, and a featureless sky isn't too inspiring for the outdoor shooter.

But all is not lost, and images are there if I look. Shortly before the sun sets the contrails of three high-flying jets scratch the heavens over the sea; negative space and colour completing the composition.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/160 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. ISO 160



© 2016

Time to get out

I wasn't going to bother with this shot, but a good response to it on social media has prompted me to add it to the blog.

The first hint of approaching winter storms.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/100 second at f/8. Matrix metering. ISO 200



© 2016

Just the two of us

             The first taste of winter arrived today, as the strong winds whipped-up heavy seas along the coast.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/200 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. ISO 400



© 2016

Waste not want not

                   No apologies for posting a similar shot to yesterday, but I'm not wasting all that glorious light.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/8. Matrix metering. + 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2016

Waving the camera about

There is the odd occasion when all you have to do to get a good image is to wave the camera about a bit and fire the shutter, such is the display that nature puts on. Okay, I did get my left knee wet kneeling on the sand for a lower perspective, but it was essentially the application of the old photojournalist maxim: f/8 and be there.


12-24mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/200 second at f/8. Matrix metering. +0.3 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2016

Rainy day, dream away #3

Monochrome photography: Far from being old fashioned, it is possibly the most flexible medium as a means of communication. However, one of the biggest errors I see from the novice mono worker is the fear to go to town interpreting a scene they have captured; meekly removing the colour from an image and leaving it at that. Of course there is far more to good black and white imaging, and the medium allows the imagination to run riot should you have the will.

It has been a pretty miserable day here, weather wise, so I wanted to reflect this in today's photograph. Of course, in reality the sky wasn't this dark; nor the beach this dingy, but by the time I had fired the shutter I had a clear vision of what I was going to do with the shot in post production.

The RAW file started life in Lightroom before being opened in Silver Efex Pro2 for the mono conversion. Lastly, I performed dodging and burning in Affinity Photo. It's not supposed to represent reality; photographs don't have to do that. It's just my take on the day.



85mm f/1.4 AF Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/4. Matrix metering. ISO 250



© 2016

Under surveillance

The glorious light of the past two days is conspicuous by its absence, but that isn't to say there are no photographs to be made. I've had this scene under surveillance recently, knowing there was a shot in there somewhere; it just needed the right conditions.

The composition was all about keeping it simple, and although I toyed with the idea of a monochrome conversion, the image works just as well in colour.



85mm f/1.4 AF Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. + 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 250



© 2016

Shadows on the sky

                                   Clouds some 60 miles distant, casting shadows onto the sky as the sun sets.




70-200mm f/2.8 Sigma EX Apo lens. 1/1000 second at f/4.5. Matrix metering. + 0.3 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2016

The Golden Hour, or what?

There are times, when the sun gets under the cloud, that the light can be breathtaking. This has been one of them.



70-200mm f/2.8 Sigma EX Apo lens. 1/160 second at f/5.6. Matrix metering. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 160



© 2016