Top Gloves

Santa brought some inspirational Christmas presents this year. I'd even suspect he might have looked at my Amazon wish list.....These gloves are made for the outdoor sporting community and offered the promise of resistance to rain, dexterity and ability to manage small controls despite being wet. In my experience all of these promises are fulfilled together with one obvious extra. Despite being thin, they also keep your hands warm, doing a  decent job of being wind proof.They are a slim fit and allow the cuff to be tightened in using velcro and once worn are soon forgotten. There haven't been many times that I've needed to take them off to gain dexterity. Removing one Lee Seven5 filter from the holder while leaving one in place was tricky but seemed to get easier.Too soon to comment on how hard wearing they are but so far they seem the ideal glove for photographers working in standard British conditions. I suspect that they may be slipped under large mitts in extreme cold conditions but no opportunity to try as yet.  

New Year, New Resolution, New Camera...

Just before the end of 2013, I bit the bullet and ditched all my Nikon DX kit in favour of a nice shiny Fuji X-Pro 1. This leaves me with the Nikon FX setup (back of cupboard in the really huge/heavy bag..) compact cameras and the Fuji. The Fuji has the 14mm/18mm/35mm and 18-55mm lenses. All seem good but I'm not yet sure which are functionally redundant or whether all will stay.There is an immediate joy in the small size and weight and for now I'm happy leaving the big stuff behind while I get used to the Fuji. There are already some minor annoyances of which only some seem to have cropped up elsewhere.Once the auto power off has cut in, it takes an age for recovery. It is quicker to just switch off and back on again.The shutter release is very recessed if wearing gloves. I've added soft shutter releases, they work, but fall out with disturbing regularity.I like the feel of the camera, the solid metal body inspires confidence and the generally retro feel is pleasant - there are always going to be echoes of the M series Leicas and in truth they are much better looking cameras. The functions are reasonably intuitive and most controls seem to fall naturally under the finger. I do occasionally find myself accidentally pressing rear buttons when wearing gloves but much less of a problem when not. I appreciate the live histogram while composing and selecting aperture shutter combinations and the newly arrived focus peaking is a joy.For my brand of photography I would have liked to be able either to use an electronic remote release with timer or to be able to set a longer ranger of speeds through the T setting. Offsetting this is the delightful counter that pops up automatically when the b setting is used. I can't believe this would be hard to fix with firmware and would make the whole long exposure process better. One final enhancement would be if the image on the review screen emerged gradually as with the Olympus cameras.Is the X-pro flawless? No. Do I enjoy using it? yes definitely.Am I positive about having let all Nikon DX go? Yes.

Post Processing

That superb landscape photographer Bruce Percy has written this week about Post Editing in his blog. This echoes a number of recent articles elsewhere across the web and on paper about the mess we are allowing ourselves to get into on the subject of what we do using software to the image we have captured with our camera.

Following the debacle of the landscape Photographer of the year competition last year I have been thinking hard about about the whole area of image manipulation.

There seem to be those who will only accept the 'pure' image. The original transparency perhaps, even though that may also have been manipulated by careful filtration. Others hark back to the good old days of the darkroom and will accept anything that could have been done manually through burning, dodging, differential development, contrast control etc. Many of these advocates cheerfully erase recollection of the enormous amount of manipulation that went on including spotting, scraping and even airbrushing.

I read another point of view this week suggesting that the time is here when it will soon be impossible for all but the most forensically inclined to ever determine how much processing has taken place. The writer's view was to have done and accept whatever appears based entirely on it's merits. A free for all, just look at the picture and decide whether you like it or not. The problem that such a strategy creates is that or pure fantasy images that have nothing to do with a camera. is that a problem? Should we perhaps discuss whether we want to appreciate art or just art created in a specific way?

I'm not certain that we can go much further than arriving at something which, on a purely personal level, 'feels' right. In the next post I'd like to explore what that personal view looks like.

Never say never

My previous post was more of a hopeless voice crying out in the wilderness. A lone individual arguing against the flawed wisdom of a huge multinational corporation. I was lamenting the unwillingness of the huge company to listen to the lone, insignificant customer. I now have to eat my words. Adobe have not just listened to me but have bent over backwards to resolve my issues. They made contact, apologised, offered a solution and made it happen. I take it all back. perhaps sometimes really huge companies do listen to individuals. Well done Adobe, greatly appreciated.

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Programme

I am all but speechless. Adobe announced some time ago that Creative Cloud had arrived. This effectively means that you can no longer buy a piece of software but now we have to rent it forever and if we were rash enough to stop renting, our products / images could no longer be opened. The costs Adobe came up with we're getting on for £50 per month. Last month the penny began to drop that their customer base was voting with feet and giving a traditional doubled fingered sign of displeasure. This however is not the really clueless bit....The response was to launch a repriced offering under the guise of the Photography Programme to avoid having to admit the degree by which their initial estimations had been wrong. The revised offering as a loyalty reward to existing customers was $9.99 per month. If we swallow the perpetual rental, at least a manageable sum. Last night I tried to sign up but quickly discovered that Adobe were not offering this purchase opportunity to those who had taken advantage of their reduced prices for teachers and students. Let us remember that this pricing was not to reward us for all the valuable work we do for their children. This price structure was so that we might influence our students to use Adobe. There are many thousands of potential users of the new service who would be prepared to pay $9.99 per month but who could not and did not buy at the first quoted price.We have no choice but to walk away from Adobe. Over £100 per year, every year, no breaks, for as long as we live and make photographs. Adobe does not have the sense to take our money and add us to the list. They seem prepared to stick to a mistake rather than have the sound economic sense to take our money.I accept there is a huge personal impetus for me in this but cannot understand how Adobe can possibly feel that it makes more sense to turn us away that to take our monthly subscriptions. Their additional costs are NIL so it is all profit. Where is the flaw in this logic Adobe?

First frames with new camera

Just back from the Isle of Tiree with the results from my new Nikon D800 camera. All the 'objective' evidence suggests that not only is the additional quality not visible on the web but the huge files produced cause more trouble than they are worth. I love it!

The 36MP output is a delight allowing cropping of course but to my eye also producing images that are somehow 'smoother'. Maybe that's the result of an unconscious need to justify, who knows. It is a superbly made camera, good in the hand, efficient and enabling for the photographer. It is the first camera for 30 years that I have bought brand new, I've been a second-hand aficionado of habit but this particular camera was so plagued with manufacturing defects when launched that I wanted an item that I could process under warranty if need be.

As it happens there is no sign of the infamous left focusing issues and the supposedly green cast to the LCD is not present or not visible to my eye.

Running a Core i7 processor and 8 Mb of RAM I see a significant hit on speed and have already had to change my way of working to reduce the number of images open in Photoshop and to reboot on a more frequent basis.

Many have identified hard disk space as an issue and I suppose if one is firing off bursts at 6 frames per second over a sports event I can see how the storage requirements would become unsustainable. However my way of working is such that I may only take a dozen pictures in a day, so far storage has not been an issue.

Much has been written about the demands of this sensor on technique and lenses. Again my conservative use of lenses and almost unbroken use of a tripod seem to ensure that images are of high quality. I'm not asking any of the equipment to preform outside its optimum conditions. I suspect that a less steady tripod, more reliance on hand holding or use of lenses at less than optimum apertures may reveal more flaws.

So far the camera is a joy to use and the results beyond my ability or judgement to find flaw.

Flickr

First they change Flickr in a desperate attempt to make it 'cool'. The new photostream is an abomination. Now to cap it all, they seem to have broken it. That's not very 'cool' at all is it? http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeprincelandscapes/It is crawling along, presumably creaking under the weight of all the users trying to make their images look less awful.....

Long Exposure Solution

This week I yet again managed to drop a remote control into water . The tripod was set up mid stream to make  a long exposure image of some local waterfalls. One minute all is going well, the next I'm fishing delicate electronic equipment out of the beck. I decided I'd done this once too often and set about a solution. ('Just be more careful', I can almost hear my mother say...). For those of us who enjoy making very long exposures, often running into several minutes, a remote release with timer is essential. I carry two (one spare as I seem to keep breaking them), both of similar design.The solution was so simple, most photographers probably use it already (or they're just more careful than I). The answer has been to simply create a loop in the remote cable using a bit of sticky tape. Placing the loop near the control end allows the control to be hung from any suitable part of the tripod or head. This keeps the electronics up near the tripod head and not trailing in the water.

Problem solved.

Pilgrimage

Over the Christmas vacation we made our way down to 'That London' to visit the Royal Maritime Museum. This was not the result of a sudden bout of naval curiosity but because in answer to prayer they were hosting an exhibition of prints by Ansel Adams. To many he is the grandfather of landscape photography and his pioneering work in the last century forms the bedrock of much that is great today. Until this week I had never seen an original print in the flesh and my knowledge was gleaned from books, calendars, posters and the internet.

Arriving after a delightful boat journey from Embankment, I wasn't sure what to expect. The collection was advertised as a selected view of those aspects of his work that were associated with water. I like water but was prepared for not seeing many of my particular favourites. I was also braced for a pretty limited selection.

Both fears proved to be spectacularly unfounded. The exhibition was HUGE and only compromised by the decision not to issue timed tickets but to allow a free for all. There was considerable jostling and it made the process more difficult than it should have been.

The prints were a joy and spanned pretty much his whole career. The ranged from the tiny (almost contact print sized) to the enormous as shown in the image at the top. As prints they were exceptional, as images there were many I liked and a few that aroused me less. Perhaps there were almost too many to take in during a single visit. I wove my way around the wall after wall of pictures enjoying the experience, revelling in the immersion but still moving nonetheless. Then quite by surprise I came across the image below.

I've never been a huge fan of Moonrise over Hernandez but this view of Yosemite is one of my favourite photographs of all time. To see it suddenly and unexpectedly stopped me in my tracks. I stood and stared, moved on, came back, stared again and again. I could feel myself falling into it. To me this is the absolute expression of Ansel Adams. The scene before our eyes is unbelievably grand, perfect. The print is a joy in itself, the tones, the gradations, the blacks, the shadow detail. All as perfect as I know how to determine. I could have stood there all day but in the end settled for buying a  print to frame. I left moved, inspired and determined to raise my own game in 2013.

Clik Elite Square Filter Valet

I've just added a mini-review to this superb filter pouch here.

Skye

Back now from an excellent trip to Skye and proving that with patience, sensitivity and consideration all round it is possible to combine a family holiday with a photographic visit. There do have to be many compromises of course and in truth perhaps neither fulfils its true potential but in the same was a really good day's climbing ends in the pub, then a really good session taking photographs ends with being able to share the them with family. The day itself is the better for the social aspect. I failed miserably to get up before the family and return for breakfast triumphantly, the week and my energy just weren't like that . I did manage an evening in Elgol while the family rested after the drive up. The rest was achieved by combining visiting interesting places and what seemed (to me at least...) very efficient picture taking.

The weather was kind with only one day fully saturated and during the rest we managed to visit Elgol (twice), Neist Point, The Old man of Storr, The Quirang, Kilt Rock and Sligachan. On the journeys to and from we also took in The Buachaille twice and Eliean Donan.  A few photos were made from lay-bys and more than a few were made more hurriedly than they should have been but the week was a great success.

From Monday to Friday, less one washout, I managed at least 6 'keepers' which even allowing for the natural attributes of Skye is a good return. If the rest of the family can bear it, I'd repeat this style of holiday again.

Over the sea.....

Counting down to Monday morning. We're heading north for Skye. Hoping to pass through Glencoe in decent weather and praying for some luck from the weather gods on Skye.

Buttermere

Buttermere in late September. Beware too much pre-visualizing. the week had been wet, windy and changeable. The day had been one of huge showers blowing through and my plan had been set to do battle with the elements in Buttermere. Upon arriving in the valley in the last afternoon, the wind dropped, the skies cleared and the sun even peeped through. With the still conditions, the midges appeared and the evening quickly changed into another plan entirely.

In my mind I'd seen shafts of sun bursting between the showers. What I got was a far more conventional scene. I'd expected to shoot for black and white and I ended up with colour. What works for me is the colour of the water and the tiny patch of sun to the right of Fleetwith Pike.

Buttermere Dash

Yesterday I tried to maintain my new year's resolution of seizing opportunities. Having been at a meeting in Penrith all afternoon I rushed straight off at the end and headed for Buttermere. At the top of Honister Pass I changed from work suit to outdoor clothes and set about finding somewhere to park. The road from Gatesgarth to Buttermere village is desperately short of parking spots and I ended up with a very dubious piece of parking. The afternoon had been wild with sun and huge showers sweeping through but by the time I got there the dram had been replaced by tranquillity. Looking for foreground interest while trying to beat the fading light brought me to this washed up log. I was tempted to add to the composition by moving it but settled for higher moral ground. The long exposure was slightly compromised by the fact that the log was able to shift slightly as the waters lapped around it leading to a loss of critical sharpness. I made both colour and black and white versions but much prefer the colour one in this case. I was glad as ever to have worn my Hunter wellies as the entire evening's picture taking was made standing in water about a foot deep.  It was a beautiful and tranquil evening at the end of a very busy day. the peace and quiet were medicinal and even the long drive home and late evening meal could not take the shine off a wonderful experience.

Tiree #4

A second image from Salum. This time with a much simpler composition. Fewer clouds and trying to eliminate as much as possible expect the three bits of land above the sea. The right hand is sadly attached, I think the whole image would have worked better if it had been three separate distinct islands, but you have what you have.

Tiree#3

Back to the Broch at Vaul today with just the little Nikon. I was thinking about simplified seascapes. The final choice has just one point of foreground interest and relies upon the fabulous clouds to carry the image. Less is more, the question will be how much less I can achieve.

Tiree #2

After a disappointing afternoon I went down to the tiny beach nearby. Here I went some way towards that more simplified composition. The light was fascinating and combined with the long shutter speed, produced an image that almost seems to be lit artificially. I'm pleased with this image and I think it keeps me on track. I'm tempted to think that it would have been better without the large rock to the left?I'll return soon as that little cove has more to give I think.

Tiree #1

This is already proving difficult. I'm struggling for simplified compositions already. Whether this is due to tides or seduction by the big vistas I'm not sure. I am to some extent influenced by the paintings of Colin Woodcock who runs Blue Beyond, the gallery on Tiree. he seems to capture the very magic that I see on this island. Many of my images, have an echo of his work. There is something about the combination of the blue sky, blue sea, topaz sea over sand and the pure white shell sands that reaches deep inside me. However, I know what I must do - simplify, simplify, simplify. Somehow while still keeping a  sense of the place to lock the images to this island. I'm pretty sure I will be more successful at higher tides, but time will tell. The day is brightening with some patches of blue starting to stake a claim to the immense skies. Nowhere I've ever been has skies that appear so large. 

Heading North

The bags are packed and we're heading north tomorrow morning. The destination is the Hebridean Island of Tiree via an afternoon in Glencoe /on Rannoch Moor. It's ten years since I've been to Glencoe and despite an exceptionally poor weather forecast, I'm looking forward to being there. The following week will be spent on Tiree. I am determined to look at both places with fresh eyes. Despite an annual visit to Tiree, my photography making has shifted dramatically this year and I'm hoping for a new lease of life on the island. Just about everything has changed since I was last there. New equipment, new inspirations and nearly all my best work has occurred in the last 12 months. My goals, against which I will be judged on return are simplicity in composition, new variants on old locations and new viewpoints found. I'm going to be thinking in colour and black and white and will be looking for opportunities for long exposures. On any domestic trip, a balance has to be struck between photography and more 'normal' human shared enjoyment. It is 15 months since I was last there ( the annual Whit trip being lost due to emergency eye surgery) and the pressure is on to produce.

iPhone

Taken using iPhone3 camera and processed in phone using Snapseed App.