macro_50

macro_50, a photo by Phynyght Studio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
I have been stupid busy as of late with one thing or another and haven't had time to post much at all. This is something new I have been working on and still not quite sure. I am trying to decide if I like the shadow or not.

So far it's kinda winning me over, but I will try a few more different ones if I can get my hands on a few more of the seed pods before the all die off the tree..

Fixed.org.au Show and Shine.

Fixed.org.au Show and Shine., a set on Flickr.

A selection of images from the Fixed dot Org Show and Shine!!

Develop your OWN Black and White Film.. PLEASE!!

Yeah I shoot film a lot. I love the grain and detail it gives. I know that you can filter and muck around with digital to give the same feel, but why not go to the real thing straight away. 

The sad thing is that so many people have moved away from film, the art is being lost. for like $20-$50 you can get all the chemical and things you need to be able to develop a roll of black and white film yourself!!

I can guarantee it's tons more fun doing this yourself at home. Not only actually taking the photo, but doing the development yourself!! This is where the "art" of photography has fallen down over the years. Please click this pdf by Ilford Photo and do yourself a favor, learn a new technique and have more photographic fun!! 

Lensbaby.. My New Baby..

Well I have had my Lensbaby now for almost a month now, and I have to say I'm very very impressed. I have been keeping it with me a lot, and have found many many situations where I actually prefer to use it over a specific lens.



I have been using the Muse like I said, for about a month now, and just keep getting better and better images. The Plastic Optic gives this amazing dreamy feel, and a bokeh that just does my head in. It leaves me almost breathless to how and what is achievable with something so simple.

I'm dying to get my hands on a Double Glass optic to see the difference in clarity and style (just email me for my details Lensbaby employees), and have already ordered the Creative Aperture 2 kit and should have that in a couple of weeks.



I will post a few more pictures when I get the Creative Aperture 2 kit, and have had a decent play with it.

Again if anyone and i mean ANYONE at Lensbaby would like to help me out with some gear to play with, just drop me a line!!

More of the Holga 120N Love..

Sometimes we get cameras to work, and sometimes we don't. I have to admit that the Holga 120N I purchased a while ago from the team at Lofico has been with me every day for 2 years, and it's still giving me mixed results. Now that's not because of anything else but me.

I have only (and yes I mean only) really gotten my head around the exposure times and light required for taking a great photo with this "Toy" camera. I have been switching between ISO 100 to 400 speed films, and really think I have hit the mark at ISO 200. It just seems to work better and give a wonderful result. I know this seems to bring down the amount of film choices to Rollei Crossbird or Fomapan Creative 200 but I really do think the results are worth it.



You can find more shots over at my Flickr or just search Holga and you can and will come up with a ton of different, and inspiring images to work from.

Gregory Crewdson... Brief Encounters...

Gregory Crewdson is a photographer that many would say, is a genius.

His creativity and wonderful scenes can take your breath away, and at the same time drop you in a reality you have never belonged. He uses a massive crew for the world of Television and Cinema to create this "artificial" worlds. 

As this is only a trailer, I'm so excited!! This man is a wonder and to hear and see the process he takes in getting these images will be amazing!! I really hope this film gets to Australia. I would hate to have to find Ben Shapiro and drag him hear to perform it in interpretive dance!!

Gregory Crewdson Brief Encounters Has opened in the USA at selected cinemas. Check the site for dates and times.

Lensbaby Muse Trial..

Well I went and purchased a Lensbaby Muse the other day, and have been fiffing and faffing about with it for  like 3 days now.

I have been using the f4 aperture disc, and think I might really need to get on the f5.6 just for a slight larger and sharper "sweet spot". I must admit though I am using the Plastic Optic so everything is a little more Dreamy and Soft, and feel the investment into the Double Glass will happen when I decide to use it for more Portrait work.

There are many many wonderful little toys and experiments that can be done with this remarkable lens. I am also waiting for the Creative Aperture kit to arrive in Australia for even more fun.

My Thoughts thus far..

I'm still a little undecided on this. I need to head out and shot a lot more with it, just to get the feel and range of what this lens can achieve. I plan on doing a few more Street and City shots before I pass judgement, as anything I say now just wouldn't be fair. I think for landscape and cityscape style shots, the plastic optic offers an AMAZING chance to be extremely creative and offer an almost tilt shift feel to images. 

I will walk down to a few of the Highway Overpass's around my house over the next few days and see what images I'm able to produce. I will post my results over at my Flickr page.

aboc Summer Sprint Series 2012/2013 Round 1

Well I had a MASSIVE weekend working.. Not only in the Bike Shop but out taking photos of the aboc Summer Sprint Series.

Great bunch of people and some lovely images were made by, well me I spose!!

aboc Summer Sprint Series 2012/2013 Round 1, a set on Flickr.

Please feel free to check em out and have your say!!

Lytro Light Field Camera

Ever wanted a camera you could take a photo, and re focus later on? Well get yourself a Lytro and explore all the possibility's of the weird functions and images you could create.

Never been so excited to see a camera like this EVER (well the Voightlander Bessa III would come close). This is something I really need to get my hands on and have a try of, it looks FANTASTIC and has a wonderful and whimsical feel. 

So if Michaels Camera and Video, Digital Camera Warehouse, or even Lytro want to lend me one for a week to give a review.... Happy to Help!!!

Click the links and check it out!!

Cannon 50mm f1.0 BOKEHLICIOUS

Ever wondered how cool a SUPER DOOPER fast lens would be, check out PetaPixel article on this ultra cool toy (if you have a spare 3k)..

Playing in the Night Lights.....

Been out and about just recently.. Been nice to be out and not sick and feeling like crap for the first time in ages.. I decided to have another crack at some night work.

This shot was done here at about 7:45pm last night. It's a 2min exposure at f22 using my Nikon D300s and Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8. Like all my shots there are things I like and don't like, but will leave that for you all to decipher. I am super critical of my own work, so if there is something you think is missing or "wrong" with this image please leave a note.

I also took another shot looking into the city lights. 

Again a lot of things here I like and don't like.. But feel free to leave me a note and let me know what you think. This is a composite of 3 images taken at 30sec, 1min and 2min brackets to try and see if I could lose a bit of the light noise from the city. Didn't really work I think but the composition looks not bad. I'm going to have to do a bit of reconnaissance and try and find a few more places to take these style of shots.

Busy times... And they just get busier...

I have been a pretty busy little Vegemite (the Aussies will get it) as of late, and been pretty sick as well. But no more excuses, time to get to brass tacks. 

I managed to pop into a friends Tattoo Parlor today and knocked out a couple of quick shots. Nothing really important as I was there more to talk about me getting more tattoos (you can never have enough), and they were pretty busy and I didn't really want to take up to much of their time. You can pop over to Flickr and see the couple I grabbed.

Some of the biggest news is that I managed to get a Bronze Award in the Better Photography Picture of the Year. 

Would have been nice to make the top 50, but maybe next year.

Well that's about it.. I have a couple of things in the pipe line and hope to get them popping up very soon. 

It's been to long.......

Well I must really apologize for the lack of posting.. I have been pretty sick as of late and am just finally getting over the last of the poxy virus that has knocked me over..

A lot has been happening in the camera world, as well as the world of photography..

We have had announcements from Cannon and Nikon on new entry level Full Frame cameras. Fuji Film have also announced fresh models of the X-Pro1 and X-E1 models..

So busy times ahead.. As soon as I catch up on some work, I will do a few write ups on everything!!

Plus Photokina is on as well... AAARRRRGGGHHHHH

Lots to catch up on..

Dirty Deeds Cyclocross 26/08/2012

Sometimes you get very close to the racing.. I LOVE CX!! 

The ability to get very close to the riders, and some AMAZING scenery around to shoot through. I get very excited when I be right in the thick of the action. 

Having riders bite the dirt right in front of you and almost take you out, much much fun.. I get such a thrill taking photos of something so intense and fun. The people and riders in these events are very open and friendly and never argue. They don't mind having their photo taken either.

So if you see or hear of a Cyclocross Race being run near your home.... Go watch and heckle!!

Better Photography Magazine

Just received an email from the people at betterphotography.com that one of my images just received a Bronze Award for Photograph of the Year.

Feeling like a very happy photographer at the moment.

Worlds Largest Holga...

Head over to fstoppers.com to see the LARGEST Holga going around and some sample images..

Nikki Toole Exhibition.. Geelong Gallery Victoria

So I popped into the Nikki Toole exhibition today to look at what she has done with her Skater Portraits. 

They are lovely images. Inkjet Printed 24"x18" (63cm x 48cm) prints mounted into white board and timber frames, the images are strikingly pretty. The shading and tonal range is sublime, withe very deep velvety blacks and crisp clean whites. 19 black and white images make up the exhibition.

The prints are of Skaters from Melbourne and around the world. As far as the Czech Republic and as close as Fitzroy, we see how the skating subculture is not much different from place to place. The faces and expressions all seem similar and familiar. We connect to her subjects understanding the discomfort and shyness we all seem to have within. 

I would love to have seen some full portraits though. All of Nikki's work was shot with the riders lower legs and feet missing. Not having access to this information made me want to see how the riders were standing, and the position of their feet. I think this is why once I looked through the exhibition, I kinda felt left out of what she was trying to show. 

If you read form the poster "Curated by Dr Christopher Chapman, Senior Curator at the National Portrait Gallery, this special exhibition features 19 black and white photographic portraits that examine identity within skater culture. Toole asks whether there is a ‘global look’ or if there is still a place for the individual or the loner to express him or herself. She is driven by the desire to understand and commune with her subjects while exploring the forces of identity that define the lone skateboarder." I didn't really get any of this, well not from all the 19 images at least. 

Yes I would recommend you go see these images as they are lovely. You will need to make your own decision on the meaning and if they look into "Skater Culture" and show a "Global Look". 

For me..  I know what I would have, and will do, differently. There is a lack of connection to the subjects, and they all have a slightly tilted bored look. I would like to have seen a little more interaction, and more of what the skaters "space" looked like.

Anyway... Go see Skater Portraits by Nikki Toole on until September 9th.

Nikki Toole Skater Portraits...

As with almost everything I think of, someone else comes out and does it before me. 

I had this plan where I would go around to local Skate Parks and start to capture all the riders and do a bunch of portraits of the locals for the attempt at an exhibition. Nikki Toole seems to have beaten me to the punch, and I can't wait to she what she has done..

Running till 9th September at Geelong Gallery.

                                              
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500px....

I just upgraded my 500px account for a year. I have not been overly happy with this platform, but will give it a little more time to schmooze me.. 

We all need a web presence for image sales, but this one doesn't have the POP I thought it would.

Canon posts Service Notice for EOS 650D DSLR camera - Canon Australia

Canon posts Service Notice for EOS 650D DSLR camera - Canon Australia

Silly Canon Users...

Check the serial number of your Canon 650D/T4i and see if you have bad rubber baby!!!

Macro or Micro or Close Up..... Whatever you call it they're pretty!!

Being a stay at home dad does have it's benefits. I get to wander the streets like a lost puppy, and do pretty much anything I like during the day!! I can eat what I like, watch what a like, and listen to what I like (until the kids come home then all my fun is spoiled)..

So in these times of waning enjoyment of having not really that much to do all day, I get to experiment more than most others on photos and photographic techniques.

So yesterday was a nice sunny day in Melbourne (yes sun in winter) and I had to go shopping to get bread and milk, pick up some mail, and maybe even get a bite to eat. I always grab my camera before I leave the house, and chose to pop the Nikkor 60mm Micro. Now I must explain I have the older version of this lens (mine is the f2.8 D), but many of the characteristics of the lens are very much the same. 

I would LLLLLLUUUUURRRRRRRVVVVVEEEEEEE to get my hands on the new edition of this lens, even a slightly longer length would be nice, but I am loving what is achievable with more and more practice. On a technical level, one of the hardest things to get right is the DOF (Depth Of Field). Your working in such a small area that the DOF can be thrown out by something as simple as you breathing! I try and shoot at least f8 for most of my Macro use. If you can got to f14 or f16 you will get an even better look, but you risk needing a tripod unless its very sunny out (or you use a close up flash).

Think about these tiny little flowers we are trying to shoot.

These are barely the petal tips. Look at the amazing detail though!! The look as though the were snipped with scissors, or clipped at the ends with a punch. It's truly amazing what you can do with a macro lens. Remember that flowers and water drops aren't the only things you can photograph.

Sometimes a sign behind a wire fence can have a great repetitive pattern. The wire looks almost like you can touch it, and the pattern behind on the tin giving you something else to follow. 

So get creative with your Macro lens. I will be!!