July morning...

Over the past few weeks the weather has been more in keeping with the British summer: unsettled - and it is often the case that there are just a few minutes of good light around sunrise before the cloud rolls in for the best part of the day.
Today's example was photographed on Canford Cliffs beach, Dorset, at 5:22am, shortly before the sun broke the horizon, and is the result of two images blended together in Photoshop. Normally I would use a grey graduated filter to hold back the sky - having exposed for the foreground - but this time I used the technique of "bracketing".
This involves making several exposures in quick succession at different exposure values - in this case normal plus one stop over the meter reading. This allows for two parts of the scene to receive adequate exposure (in this instance sky and foreground) which then can be blended together using software.

Cheating? No. Multiple exposures in photography are almost as old as photography itself. It is only in the last twenty years - since the advent of Adobe Photoshop - that the public in general have become aware of such techniques; techniques which were an integral part of darkroom working, but subsequently made easier and quicker with the use of computers.

I rest my case.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400-1/200 second at f/8. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 640.

© 2010

Marquee peaks...

It has been almost two weeks since I've been out with a camera: my energies have been spent engaged in other activities - some more pressing than others - so it was a welcome change to be out before dawn, hell-bent on shootring something.
The weather has also been less than spectacular over the past week - a stark contrast to the mini-heatwave experienced by the UK last weekend - but today the winds have dropped and the rain clouds have dispersed.

The sixteen mile ride could well have proved fruitless but for the chance discovery of the marquees erected on Sandbanks beach, Dorset, for the Beach Volleyball Tournament over the next two days; part of the Sandbanks Beach Festival 2010.
Straight away I'm drawn to the play of light on the canvas and stop to make a number of images at 5:55am, using a super-telephoto lens to isolate specific elements of the scene.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/1600 second at f/4. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200.

© 2010

Summer field...

Now that we are past the solstice and summer is well established - we are even getting appropriate weather to support this - there is little to inspire me from a photographic point of view. There are several organised events in the coming months that are on my schedule, but unless there are unusual weather conditions in the offing I have no real reason to get out before dawn, or stay out late, until the end of summer/autumn comes around.

I will, however, continue to take a camera kit with me when out on my bike and will stop to make an image if I feel the need, just to record the passing seasons if nothing else (and give me something to post on this blog).
Although very much a token shot the photograph of an English oak in a wheat field at Hurn, Dorset, is a typical country scene at this time of year.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/100 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. Polariser

© 2010

Warming up...

Temperatures are rising and a weekend heat wave is predicted for the UK. On the south coast the mercury rose to 24ºC (75ºF) today and is predicted to hit 30ºC by Sunday. This will create the inevitable stampede to the beaches.

Under clear blue skies of late afternoon I take a telephoto lens to the entrance of Poole Harbour, Dorset, specifically to photograph people enjoying the water. There are all the usual suspects; para-gliders, wind surfers, jet skiers and boaters of all kinds in general, so I'm not short of a subject. Although most jet skiers keep a good distance from the shore a rider occasionally comes close enough to get a decent image (below). Unfortunately, they do most of the "interesting" stuff much further out.

As well as numerous water enthusiasts getting the weekend off to a good start there are a good number of boats returning after a day at sea.The second photograph shows a private boat approaching the harbour entrance during early evening, with the affluent West Cliffs of nearby Bournemouth in the background.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off) with TC-14EII converter.

Top: 1/1200 second at f/6.3. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200
Below: 1/2500 second at f/4.5. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 320
Monopod

© 2010

Run, rabbit, run...

This post, the 353rd, celebrates 4 years of blogging...and still free of advertising! Despite encouragement from various web sources my sentiments concur with that of George Orwell: Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.

We will continue to remain bereft of such apparatus.

So, how to celebrate this anniversary? For the third consecutive day I ride into the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, in search of  photographic subjects. Quite by chance, during early evening, I come across a field on the edge of Studland Bay that has a number of wild rabbits present.

I've never tried to photograph rabbits before, but have glanced through a number of articles on the standard procedure: get down wind of them, keep low and remain very still - and be patient.
I decide to give it a go.
Of course, my arrival makes nearly all of them scatter into thick bracken, but applying the four advisory points proves to have its worth, and after fifteen minutes or so they re-emerge and continue feeding - which is when I make my shot.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/800 second at f/5.6. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 640. Handheld.

© 2010

Cows coming home...

Around a year ago a trip to the Isle of Purbeck on a mountain bike would have been a major event: this evening I cycled the round trip of 28 miles (52 km) just for the fun of it. The ride culminated at the obelisk on Ballard Down, part of the Southern England Chalk Formation that runs down to the sea and forms Old Harry Rocks, a local landmark at Handfast Point (see June 27, 2009 post). The peace of the evening is only broken by the skylarks: there is no other human presence.

The photograph below is of a herd of meandering cows, and was taken during my descent of Ballard Down. The chalk cliffs of both Alum and Scratchell's Bay, Isle of Wight - some 15 miles (28km) distant -  are at the top of the image and are a continuation of the same chalk ridge mentioned above.

Once at Handfast Point I stop to photograph the nest of a Herring Gull, perched on a ledge of the vertical cliff face, shown here with one of the chicks beginning to test its wings in preparation of its first flight. The young birds are superbly marked (there are two), blending well with their surroundings. Even the parent bird was, at first, difficult to spot against the chalk cliffs.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor lens.

Top: 1/1000 second at f/8. ISO 400

Below: 1/400 second at f/8. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 640. Monopod

© 2010

Solstice dawn...

Keeping a close eye on weather satellite images is one thing, but a visual inspection of the dawn sky at 3:30am confirms that I'm going to get the light I want for this morning's shoot. Today is the summer solstice.
The word derives from the latin: "sol" - sun, and "sistere"- to cause to stand still - and the event is traditionally recognised as the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere.

I had a primary and secondary location in mind for photography before setting out, but opt for the latter on a hunch at the last minute and head for the Dorset Stour on my MTB. What the weather forecast didn't tell me was the formation of localised mist along the river banks; an added bonus for a touch more atmosphere.
The sun rose at 4:54am, but because of the distant tree line it was not visible for several minutes: the photograph of an oak tree at Throop was made at 5:15am. I had to work quickly as the light changes rapidly at this time of day, but local knowledge and experience enable me to get a number of useable images.
By 5:40am the sun had become too bright to manage and the shoot was over.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/8. ISO 400.

© 2010

Avoid clichés...

like the plague - it may well be something to bear in mind from a creative point of view, but I think most photographers have been guilty of the cliché at some time or other. I just don't care.
In fact it's difficult to resist as summer gets into full swing in the UK, and poppies are now rife on the edges of most cultivated farmland. They are, to say the least, somewhat photogenic, with the red flower being a subtractive primary colour and the green of the fields being its secondary, complementary colour. Red is, in itself, an effective device from a photographic point of view, as its wavelength is at the long end of the visible spectrum and focuses slightly behind the retina in the eye. This makes the brain work harder to interpret the hue and is thus more stimulating to the viewer.

This example, photographed during early morning at Hurn, Dorset, is the culmination of a 4:20am start and a twenty mile bike ride. A fresh breeze was blowing at the time, forcing me to shoot wide open to achieve a shutter speed fast enough to freeze any movement.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/4000 second at f/4. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400.

© 2010

Ugly ducklings...

Today I found the time to spend the afternoon on, or around, the banks of the Dorset Stour, and it is there that I photograph the swan family in the picture. I hadn't planned on seeking out any particular wildlife, but couldn't resist the opportunity when it arose.

Danish author Hans Christian Andersen possibly had it all wrong when he penned his literary fairy tale, although at this stage of the cygnet's development they can seen a tad ungainly.

It's just a matter of time.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/3200 second at f/8. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 640

© 2010

The Matthew...

Following up a tip-off I made an early morning visit to Poole Quay, Dorset, to photograph the Matthew, a full size replica of the ship John Cabot sailed in over 500 years ago. The design is based on archaeological data and period illustrations since no original plans are known to exist. It took shipwrights two years to build her. Usually based in Bristol, she has been berthed in Poole for the past few days due to a pump failure.

The ship does have a number of modern advantages not found in ships of the day, such as radar, GPS and an engine. Compared to ocean-going ships of today the Matthew strikes me as being tiny for such an application, but its size - as were all ships of the period - is restricted by the keel length, which had to be a single piece of straight hard wood.



24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor.  1/250 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200

© 2010

Worth the wait...

As the summer solstice draws near I have to be out earlier and earlier to catch the dawn light, and today I set off at 4:55am to visit the swan family that I have been observing during the past month or so.

The five cygnets, hatched on 24th May, are growing at an alarming rate - necessary in nature to increase their chance of survival - but are still small enough to fit under mother's wing for protection. Four nestled in this fashion for over an hour, presumably sleeping, while one climbed onto its mother's back. In a bid to get into a comfortable position its head briefly appeared, producing this image.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/7.1. ISO 640. Monopod

© 2010

Image compression...

It's Spring Bank Holiday in the UK and as per usual temperatures drop below average while the sun takes a holiday of its own. The best of the light is predicted to be for the first hour or so after dawn, so everything is prepared the night before for an early start. The only problem is that I oversleep and wake up at 4:40am. By the time I've had breakfast - I never leave the house without it - the sun is already up and I'm missing valuable shooting time.
I initially planned to visit the remaining swan's nest that still has the eggs to hatch, but at the last minute decided to give it and the swans a break.

At this time of year the sun, once it's up, rises almost vertically into the sky and by the time I arrive at Fisherman's Dock, Poole Harbour, there is little of the good light left. So, using a super-telephoto lens I opt for graphic effect and the compression of planes. Long focal length optics can impart a claustrophobic feel to a scene (picture), with the impression of subjects being piled on top of each other - known to photographers as telephoto compression -  but there is several hundred yards between the boat at the bottom of the photograph (PE21) and the Condor Vitesse catamaran at the top. It should also be noted that both vessels are at sea level, although the one in the background seems to be on a higher plane that those in the foreground.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/11. -0.33EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod

© 2010

Family portrait...

The emerging swan family that I photographed on Monday of this week took its first swim together early this morning. It is usually after the first four days, once all the eggs have hatched, that the mother will take the cygnets to the water for the first time.

The photograph shows three of the five young advancing towards the camera, all close together. This makes focus with a super-telephoto lens easier, although not always successful - the sibling at the rear is not sharp, despite the fact that I stopped the lens down for increased depth of field. It is the main reason why I've not posted a shot of the whole family: it is difficult to get all seven birds in the same plane of focus at the same time, so, inevitably, some members will be out of focus.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off) with TC-14EII converter. 1/2000 second at f/8. -1 stop EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod

© 2010

Down Under...

The regular dawn visits over the past eight days have paid off, and at 5:54 this morning I was able to make this photograph of a Mute Swan cygnet which had hatched during the early hours. It should be noted that this is not from the same nest as in my more recent posts: those eggs have yet to start hatching.
Every few minutes or so the mother would stand and inspect the contents of the nest, and at the time the picture was shot two had hatched. As the mother turned the eggs one could be seen beginning to break out it its shell. The other three eggs had yet to show signs of life.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/640 second at f/4.5. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 640. Monopod

© 2010

Surprise arrival...

Out of bed at daybreak and appraising the coming dawn through the window, I decide to head to Poole Harbour, Dorset, and leave the house well before the sun rises. Again, conditions are near perfect, with clear skies and no wind. Although I'm toting a super-telephoto lens I have no preconceived idea of what I'm going to shoot, preferring on this occasion to take things as they come - hey, it's Sunday.

I eventually set up on the edge of Parkstone Bay, shortly before 7:00am, having been attracted by a number of Oyster Catchers feeding along the shore on an ebbing tide, but it's the surprise arrival of a Little Egret that steals the show. The bird lands right in front of me, and I start shooting straight away... but it's short lived.  I only manage 5 frames, 4 of which are successful: the fifth only contains the egret's trailing legs and wing, as it quickly departs to a different location in search of food.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII. 1/5000 second at f/5.6. - 0.67EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod.

© 2010

The Golden Hour...

Known to photographers as The Golden Hour, the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset has long been held to the best light for shooting. Contrast is low at these times, giving a more balanced exposure for images without having to resort to neutral density graduated filters, or, more recently, HDR (High Dynamic Range) image processing. I personally prefer the extremities of the day because of the quality of light: the warmth of the setting sun, or the delicate hues of a clear dawn.

In the first picture I was attracted by the latter - and the mirror-like surface of the water, and I stopped as I rode along the edge of Poole Harbour shortly before 5:30 this morning specifically to photograph the light. The fact that the Brittany Ferries' Cotentin hove into view at the time was a bonus.

The second photograph was made some 40 minutes later: a skein of Canada Geese flying off to feeding grounds. A skein, the collective noun for flying geese, only applies when several are flying together, but once they form a 'V' formation it is known as a wedge.

Top: 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off). 1/640 second at f/4. ISO 400. Monopod
Bottom: 300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/8000 second at f/2.8. - 0.33EV compensation. ISO 400. Handheld.

© 2010

Swan update...

It can't be too long, now...
I've been keeping a watchful eye on the swan's nest all week, and it's now that the adult pair are continually sitting on the three eggs. I thought, for one moment during today's early morning visit, that the eggs were beginning to hatch. The parent bird on several occasions stood up to examine the clutch (picture), but by 7:30am there was still no sign of any emerging cygnets.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor (VR off). 1/1000 second at f/4. ISO 200. Monopod

© 2010

Bow wave...

 The sun rises at 5:25am through broken cloud, while UK airspace (once again) is being compromised by the erupting Eyjfjallaökull volcano. I'm already out in the still air of daybreak, seeking subjects for my lens. I have the notion of photographing swans, specifically the run across the water in their bid to get airborne, and visit Poole Park lake for the exercise.
Naturally, the swans within shooting distance don't comply with my plan, and just bob serenely on the tranquil dawn water. There are one or two birds that take off, but they are hundreds of yards away on the other side of the lake: too far for my (or anyone's, I shouldn't wonder) lens.

It's on my way out of the park that I encounter a Mallard family of fourteen ducklings, swimming under the  council of their mother. They learn quickly, it seems, that anyone loitering beside the lake shore is a signal for a potential free meal, and swim eagerly in my direction. This time they're out of luck: I've already used up my supply of feed elsewhere, but I shoot a number of frames anyway, free of charge.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off) with TC-14EII. 1/640 second at f/5.6. - 0.33EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod

© 2010

Line astern...

My early morning visit to the swan's nest (previous post) revealed that none of the eggs had, or were, hatching. It takes around 35 days for this to happen and since I don't know the dates they were laid I have to return on a regular basis to catch the event.
So I set off to my secondary location to check on the progress of the Greylag families of Poole Park. Whilst trying to deftly get into a suitable position to photograph one of the larger families I notice a pair of geese swimming across the lake with just one gosling. Whether there were originally more - I strongly suspect there were - I don't know, but many fall victim to predators. Since this lone survivor has both parents there is now a chance that their undivided attention to this gosling will aid in its survival.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/5. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Sitting it out...

Today's photograph illustrates the qualities that bright, overcast conditions can produce when it comes down to capturing detail. Texture in the swan is retained as a result of the soft light, while the background colours remain saturated. Direct sunlight could have resulted in burnt out highlights in the plumage and created dark shadows with little detail. The diffused light through cloud cover allows a more balanced, natural image.

The nesting pair, shot at 7:30 this morning, are currently taking turns to sit on the eggs, and it will be in the next day or so that they will begin to hatch. I'm not revealing the location of the nest, as it is important that the birds are not disturbed unduly during this crucial period.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off). 1/1600 second at f/4. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod.

© 2010