Up the wall...

Today's photograph occurred by accident rather than design. I had stopped to photograph something completely different and whilst eyeing up my original subject, trying to decide which angle was the best to approach it from, I noticed movement in the background. This was far more interesting. At first I thought I had the opportunity to shoot some pictures of the rare Sand lizard, confined to a few areas of the UK and a protected species. This initial identification was determined by the green colour, which begins to fade after the summer months.

I already had a macro lens mounted on the camera and I quickly rattled off a few frames in case the lizard took flight and I didn't see it again. But once I had the grab shots in the can I ventured to slowly move closer, to see if I could get anything better.

Although the reptile was well aware of me it allowed me to get a series of close-up pictures. I stopped the lens well down, to allow for any focusing errors - I was shooting hand held - and chose to use the image with the catchlights in its eyes.

On further investigation I identify my subject as a common Wall lizard (Podarcis muralis); the blue markings on the edge of the belly clinching the deal. Theses lizards are unique in the UK, as they are the only species that can climb vertical walls, hence the name.

105mm f/2.8G Sigma macro lens. 1/320 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Red sails in the sunse...er, afternoon...

The remnants of the Indian summer continue, although as the weekend comes to an end temperatures begin to drop across the country; in fact, this morning was the first time I witnessed a frost on the grass.

Making the most of the good conditions I return to Stanpit marsh, at the confluence of the Avon and Stour rivers, Dorset. The Glossy Ibis, the centre of attention of the area for the past month, has apparently now departed for warmer climes - much to the chagrin of the BBC's Autumn Watch programme, that sent a crew to attempt to film it last week.

Instead, I turn my lens to other areas of the marsh and surrounding area. Today, I'm using a macro lens - an optic primarily designed to photograph subjects up to a magnification ratio of 1:1 (life-sized on the image sensor of the camera) but this type of lens can also be used for general photography - as today's image illustrates. The short telephoto design is also useful for portraiture, as it slight flattens perspective, flattering the sitter.

105mm f/2.8D Sigma Macro. 1/500 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Sharp eyes...

After last weekend's all-too-easy shots of a Glossy Ibis, I lay in wait at a local pond with the intention of photographing a Grey Heron in flight. I have many images of this resident whilst fishing, but up 'til now have not been successful with any shots of it airborne.

The trick it to develop a smooth panning technique to follow the subject, but also to keep the whole of the heron in the frame and keep the eye sharp while firing the shutter. This last point is critical: the viewer's eye will always be drawn to the eyes of the subject of a photograph, and if they're not in focus the picture doesn't work. It gets deleted - no exceptions.

Being able to anticipate when the bird will take off is also helpful, as you have to be locked-on from the start. Trying to acquire the subject in the viewfinder once in flight when using a super-telephoto lens is very difficult, and good results are hard to achieve.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor with TC-14E II. 1/640 second at f/5.6. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 800

© 2010

Queen Elizabeth: Superliner...

The Queen Elizabeth, Cunard's newest addition to the fleet, pulls out of Southampton's Ocean Terminal shortly after 5pm this afternoon, as it begins its maiden voyage under the command of captain Chris Wells. Several thousand spectators lined the seafront at Hythe marina - from where this photo was taken - to witness the event; enjoying the autumn sunshine but also braving the cold wind that swept across the water from the north east.

The ship was officially named by Queen Elizabeth II, yesterday.

I'm not going to go into too many details about the specification of the ship; that information is available on the Internet, but briefly, it is 964.5 feet long; has a guest capacity of 2068 and a gross tonnage of 90,900 GRT.

There was the predictable flotilla of smaller vessels escorting the ship as it made its way down the Solent and out into open water. Such is the popularity of the ship that all the tickets for the voyage were sold within 30 minutes of becoming available.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/5.6. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200

© 2010

Glossy Ibis (again)...

After yesterday's successful shoot on Stanpit marsh I decide to postpone this morning's planned early shoot until later in the day. Besides, the light wasn't all that promising during the morning (any excuse to stay in bed on a Saturday morning).

It's approaching mid-afternoon when I set up at the same location as yesterday, in the hope of photographing the Glossy Ibis that has recently appeared on the marsh, but I'm almost immediately advised by people toting binoculars around their necks that the ibis has flown to nearby Wick fields, so I'm probably going to be out of luck. They wish.

Experience has taught me that patience is the key, and I decide to wait it out - after all, there are several Little Egrets feeding in the distance. Maybe I can photograph them, if they come close enough.
Forty five minutes pass; still no ibis and the egrets are having none of it; they keep their distance of several hundred yards. As the sun dips low in the sky I make the mental note to give it another half hour before calling it a day...and then it's there!

The bird flies in and settles near the distant egrets. At this point I begin to resign myself to the fact that yesterday I had been very lucky. After all, it was unlikely I would get the same photo opportunity that presented itself so conveniently but twenty four hours previous.

How wrong can you be?

This very occasional visitor to our shores proceeded to give a second performance, as if part of a well-rehearsed routine, for those who wished to watch, while several nearby camera shutters begin to fire like machine guns. After a hundred shots or so of more reserved photography I begin to get the feeling that this is no longer such a challenge to capture something so rare on camera. It's too easy! I include this image as it illustrates the quality of the plumage better than the previous post's offering. All the same, I will make repeated visits to the marsh next week, as it is flight shots that I really want. Now, that will be a challenge.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor and TC-14E II converter. 1/800 second at f/5. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 640. Monopod.

© 2010

Out of the ordinary...

I pay my first visit to Stanpit marsh, Dorset, for the first time in 6 months, and I'm treated to something out of the ordinary.

The photograph shows a Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) being eyed warily by an egret (foreground). This wetland bird breeds around the Mediterranean, and most of them winter in Africa, so it is something of a rarity in this country.

Unfortunately, I was not prepared to photograph this bird, being equipped with just a 300mm lens, and the Ibis maintained a good distance whilst feeding, hence the rather small size in the image. I understand that once these birds appear in a region they often stay for several months.

Tomorrow morning, at high tide, I will try for another shot but this time better equipped. Whether the bird shows up...who knows.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2500 second at f/5.6. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Come early afternoon and I decide I can't wait until tomorrow, and return to Stanpit marsh, armed with a 300mm lens and x1.4 converter in the hope of getting a better photograph of the Glossy Ibis that has taken up residence at the site.

Although I found this rare visitor to the UK shortly after I arrived it still kept tantalisingly out of frame-filling range of my lens. I take a number of shots but it seemed that I was going to only get marginally superior images to this morning. After twenty minutes or so the bird flew off . Fortunately, I had been exchanging details with another photographer at the location, and he advised that the Ibis had merely departed to another favoured part of the marsh. He was right.

Despite the rarity of this waterfowl, it doesn't appear to be shy at all, and it obligingly put on a feeding display of around fifteen minutes or so for the camera. In fact the bird approached so closely that at times it more than filled the frame and I had to back-off to get what I was after.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14E II converter. 1/200 second at f/8. ISO 400. Monopod.

© 2010

You can't put it there...

    In my last post I devoted a paragraph to compositional rules that a photographer should bear in mind when shooting, and then went on to say that theses rules are not to be strictly adhered to. Another cardinal rule of composition - never place the horizon in the middle - is yet another device frowned upon by purists. Today I set out to shoot an image that did just that.
    
    It took some time before I found a suitable subject: kite surfers on Bournemouth beach, and once I started shooting it took a long time (and a good deal of failures) before I could capture both kite and surfer in the shot. I also wanted my subject silhouetted against the sun's reflection off of the sea - longer still.

I cropped the image slightly to get the effect I was after, but despite the flagrance of compositional etiquette the photograph works.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2500 second at f/8. +0.33 EV compensation. ISO 320

© 2010

Moby Dick...

Composition plays a major part in photography, and there are several schools of thought as to what this should be. "Stick the subject in the middle and shoot" and "align the main subject according to the rule of thirds" are but two approaches that produce pleasing images to the eye.

But there are times when rules should be ignored and caution thrown to the wind, as in today's photograph. I had been monitoring the progress of the sail-boat in the hope it was going to come nearer to shore, but eventually it was evident that it was just going to sail on. So, with the composition already in mind, I shoot several frames of the boat, knowing just how I was going to crop the photograph (another contentious technique for some) and where I was going to publish it  (here, on this blog).

Moby Dick, the title of this post, keeps with the sea-faring theme, but is intended as a tribute to John Bonham, drummer with Led Zeppelin, who died 30 years ago today.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/4000 second at f/5.6. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200

© 2010

Crikey, I'm bored...

Yes, it's true. I'm finding it difficult to motivate myself at the moment as far as photography is concerned, but then these things happen - I've been through it before. It becomes all too easy to get into a rut and to keep visiting the same places; shooting the same things. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing: repeated visits to the same location will always produce something different, whether it be lighting, atmospheric conditions or just the fact that the place has changed. Today is no different.

The photograph of Handfast Point and Old Harry Rocks was made from Sandbanks beach, Dorset, just after 7am. The sun had just broken above a cloud bank on the horizon and had started to light the distant hills and clouds, but it's the sky that makes the shot, more so as each one is unique.

To clear up any confusion that some visitors experience when viewing the rocks is that Old Harry (a local name for the Devil) is the thin chalk stack at the far left in the picture - not the somewhat larger formations that are visible. His "wife" is the diminutive stack to its right, which collapsed into the sea in the 1890s.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/5. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Facing due east...

September 22nd - the autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere; one of two days during the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west.
Shooting weather conditions at either end of the day ideally needs a bit of cloud to improve a bland sky, as in this photograph, shot just after dawn at 7.04 am on Christchurch harbour, Dorset. There was low-lying mist on the surrounding shores, frequent after a clear night at this time of year, but no such luck on the water, so I choose to utilise the sun's reflection as part of the composition - the ducks taking-off was a piece of luck.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/5.6. +1 stop exposure compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

The joys of f/2.8...

Today's image was not planned: I was on my way to Christchurch harbour, Dorset, to photograph waterfowl as the dawn broke, but as I rode in the semi-darkness along the cliff tops I became aware of the muffled sounds of heavy diesel engines labouring in the distance.

Upon investigating the din my suspicions were confirmed - the Limassol-registered dredger Shoalway was, once again, delivering a load for the ongoing beach replenishment scheme of Poole Bay - but under cover of darkness. I suspected it was a 24 hour operation yesterday, due to the floodlighting at the site, but was mildly surprised to see work being carried out during the night over the weekend. They must be earning a fortune in overtime.

Once at the scene it soon became obvious that light levels were very low, and some improvisation was going to be in order as it was still 23 minutes before sunrise. This is where fast aperture professional lenses shine: the ability to produce good quality images when used wide open. I still needed to brace the camera against a convenient lamp post to keep everything steady and raise the ISO rating to give an acceptable shutter speed, but the shot worked.  

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/50 second at f/2.8. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 800

© 2010

The Wind Cries Mary*...

The blue sea is discoloured by pipe leakage as the dredger Shoalway (top left) pumps sand ashore onto Portman Ravine and Fisherman's Walk beaches, Poole Bay, Dorset. The material is then distributed by two bulldozers and an excavator to level the area. It is only 18 months since the operation was performed at this location and the beach didn't seem to need replenishment, but obviously others disagree. Perhaps it was because a significant amount of material was taken from this site for the second attempt to build the ill-fated - read: doesn't work -  Boscombe Surf Reef.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200


* The title of this post is an acknowledgement to Jimi Hendrix, who died 40 years ago today - arguably the best electric guitar player who ever lived.

© 2010

A change of mind...

The PS Waverley, the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, is currently running its south coast excursions, and I always try to get some photographs during the season.
Today's image was shot at 6.40pm as the Waverley made an approach to tie-up at Bournemouth Pier, Dorset, but oddly this was as close as it came. For reasons best known to the captain the steamer then stopped; reversed back ou...er, went astern into open water and then headed east. I can only assume that there were no passengers wanting to disembark at this point.

24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/1000 second at f/5.6. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200

© 2010

The sun has got his hat on...

After the dismal summer weather of the past week or so - heavy rain and leaden skies - things have turned around over the bank holiday weekend and we have had some sunshine. Although it's not a case of too little, too late - it is always nice to have a bit of good light to work with - this weekend does in many ways mark the end of the summer holiday season in the UK.

Sunrise and sunset are now at more civilised times, so I don't have to be up in the middle of the night, or stay out too long, making more time for dinner (or breakfast). Having said that, the temperatures during the pre-dawn have an autumnal nip about them and there are already the signs of seasonal change. The horse chestnut tree leaves have been turning a rust colour for several weeks and the black-headed gulls are taking on their winter plumage (they loose the black head feathers).

Today's photograph was made shortly before the sun set over Poole Harbour, Dorset. Shooting directly into the light does cause exposure problems due to the brightness of the sun, so I add two neutral density graduated filters to the front of the lens to try and get the contrast under control. This runs the added risk of lens flare, so I wait until the sun's disc is partially obscured by a convenient cloud before shooting. Contrast is reduced and there is no flare.
Result!

24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/60 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200. 0.6 and 0.9 grey graduated filters.

© 2010

Rain stopped play...

The fourth and last day of the Bournemouth Air Festival 2010 and again it was marred by the weather. Apart from the unexpected arrival of the Breitling (where's my watch?) Wingwalkers opening the show there was precious little flying to follow. Although conditions were an improvement on yesterday - why, even the sun made a brief appearance for a few minutes - low cloud and several bouts of rain presented safety issues for flying jets. As a result there was no display by the Avro Vulcan or the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Red Arrows cancelled for the second day running.

There were several late displays before the weather closed in at 4.15pm - at which time an end was called to proceedings - including the Pitts Duo, one of which I include here, mainly because of its amusing registration.

It must be stressed that the organisers, pilots and ground crews did their level best to put on a show, but they were just defeated by the English weather.
Roll on next year.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with x1.4 TC.

1/1000 second at f/5.6. +0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Grounded...

Day three of the Bournemouth Air Festival and there were no aircraft flying - the British weather being the culprit. With a cloud base of around 200/500 feet, plus a brisk wind and light rain, the Red Arrows were the first to cancel their 12.30 performance. Pilots stated that 1000 feet is the minimum cloud level for jets to fly safely. Only a solitary Lynx helicopter from the Black Cats managed to give a display before proceedings were called to a halt at 3.00pm.
Hopefully (and it does seem promising) the weather will improve somewhat for the last day tomorrow.

As a result I'm posting two images from the festival that I shot yesterday. The Breitling Wing Walkers are the worlds only formation wing walking team and performed last year (although under a different name). The top photograph shows an attempt for the girl wing walkers to touch hands, but the wind on the day was too strong to fly safely at close range and the endeavour failed. Apparently, the effort was successful the day before.
The bottom image shows one of the many poses taken up on each pass of the Breitling team (perhaps if I mention their name enough time they'll send me one of their watches. Yeah, right).

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with x1.4 TC.

Top: 1/1600 second at f/4. +0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400.
Below: As above.

© 2010

Bournemouth Air Festival 2010...

The third annual Bournemouth Air Festival, the largest of its kind in the UK - free and by the sea - got underway this week and today I visited the event with a camera. The weather was not the best for display flying and a cloud base of around 1000 feet forced all team displays to fly a reduced program.
Even the Red Arrows, making the first of three visits over the weekend, were forced to fly only eight aircraft instead of the usual nine because of a cockpit component failure.

However, individual aircraft were still able to deliver an entertaining performance for the crowds gathered along the coastline of Poole bay, including a Dutch F-16 Fighting Falcon (top), seen here in its familiar orange paint scheme, after-burner on, moisture condensing over the wings and dropping flares as it climbs.

The second photograph is of "Miss Demeanour", a Hawker Hunter British jet of the 1950s and 1960s, painted in an unusual colour scheme, making its first appearance at the festival.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor lens (VR off) with x1.4 TC.

Top: 1/3200 second at f/4. +0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400
Below: 1/1000 second at f/4.5. +0.67 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Air display season...

I had been planning this shoot for almost a year. It dawned on me last September that Ballard Down, which overlooks the town of Swanage, Dorset, would make an good vantage point to photograph the RAF Red Arrows display team during the town's Regatta and Carnival week.

On this occasion I want to use two lenses: a standard zoom and a long telephoto and opt to use two camera bodies instead of fumbling about changing lenses and missing shots - but it presents a problem...a weight problem. Not only that but the backpack I need to transport the chosen gear will prove too cumbersome when riding a bike, especially over rough ground and uphill (raising my centre of gravity and all that - causes balance problems, you see). I finally cobble two bags together, making a much more manageable rig, but it still weighs in at 18lbs (8.2 kg) - something you begin to notice during a twenty five mile round trip.

The Met Office weather forecast predicts "sunny intervals" but there is a good deal of grey cloud by the time I get into position. It doesn't look too promising, but the cloud breaks shortly before showtime and the Red Arrows do their stuff like no others.

Top: 24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/200 second at f/7.1. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200
Below: 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off). 1/3200 second at f/6.3. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 320

© 2010

Two stops under...

Now that the British summer has settled into its true weather pattern: changeable - often cloudy with outbursts of rain - there is the opportunity to capture dramatic scenes at either end of the day.
Today's photograph was made at 5:21am before the sun had risen and to get a sharp image I have to press the camera against a makeshift jamb - in this instance a convenient flagpole.

Now, light levels at this time of day are low, and most camera metering systems will try to average-out a scene to give what it thinks is the best exposure, but this is not always the case. This is where the photographer steps in. Had I left the camera to its own devices I would have ended up with a rather bland image of Bournemouth Pier, albeit with a dramatic sky. So I switch to manual control and take a meter reading from the beach. This is the basis for my exposure, but I then modify it by setting the exposure compensation to give two stops less exposure than the meter reading. This produces an image far closer to what I saw at the time, not what the camera designers deem correct.

There is no such thing as "correct exposure", although for the majority of photography modern metering systems produce results far superior than your best guess. It's at either end of the day when the sun is below the horizon that the system needs the most help.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/15 second at f/8. ISO 640. - 2 stop EV compensation.

 © 2010

Tiny island...

This morning I decided to chance it: unable to draw any solid conclusions from weather satellite images, plus the fact that the sky was overcast before dawn, I set out on my bike - purely for the exercise if nothing else.
It's during the ride that the cloud begins to break up and the sun begins to shine, creating perfect light as I reach Poole Harbour, Dorset.

 At first there's nothing too inspiring to point a lens at, but with a little perseverance I find some reflections to work with and produce today's photograph, made just before 6am at the North Haven area of Sandbanks. It's intriguing how the grass on the small island survives as it does, considering it is submerged at high tide, though the fact that the harbour gets between six to eight tides a day perhaps plays a significant part.
Obviously hardy stuff.

12-24mm f/4G Nikkor. 1/125 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 640. 0.9 Grey Grad filter.

© 2010