.:: www.id7.co.uk ::.

]]> RIP Michael Jackson. Tortured soul | Legendary Musician

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25/06/2009 | 23:50
Canon G10
6.1 (28mm equiv)
6.1mm
f/2.8
1/60th
Manual
0
pattern
Yes
RAW
CS3 + Lightroom
no

]]> So I got the G10, and very pleased with it I am to (at the moment)! Only thing being that ithe camera is more recent in terms of its RAW functionality, than my copy of Photoshop, so whilst I can work with the RAW files in CS3, it doesn't natively support the type produced by the G10 (as far as I can see).

However Lightroom can!, and I have been converting to DNG prior to editing. That appears to work well.

Anyway tonight's post was going to be from the G10, but alas being the bloke that I am, I went out blind. And on DJN's advice I just 'used the camera' as i would any other camera. Except I forgot to check the file type settings embedded in the CUSTOM profile I was using. Therefore ending up with a pile of JPG's, which after using RAW feel quite useless.

So whilst the pics are ok (subject wise), I don't feel I have enough meat in them to edit or indeed blog. We'll see.

feel like an IDIOT........ guess I should have RTFM.... again ;-)

Anyway this image was one of a series that I shot at my Dad's 70th, this is my niece dropping from the skies above and bouncing back up again.... good times.

Oh and for those curios enough to be bothered.... here is the original frame;

....archives/urbanangel.php

Also I have embedded an interview from Folio Podcasts with Dave from Chromasia, a good friend, and inspiring photographer. Take a listen, its great to get inside his head, and listen to how he works....

Thanks for stopping by ...... CSJ

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10/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
17mm
f/8
1/750th
Manual
0
pattern
160
No
RAW
CS3 + Lightroom
Slight

]]> Thank you for all the comments. I don't have a lot to say about this image, it was merely a detail of the building I shot of Ganchovets Station whilst in BG with @chromasia.

I have been in a bad place since I realized that I have been done by a complete fraudster on AMAZON of all places. I mistakenly ordered a camera on Amazon not realizing I was buying from a third party. Who then transpired to be ripping off everyone that placed an order with him. Several people in the sellers area started posting stories of fake emails by RODNEYJWILLIS, and false tracking details. I felt such a tosser for ordering from an unknown source, I spend most of my days telling people to be careful online. Ironic really. I feel like naming and shaming him, maybe I should if for no other reason than to prevent anyone else from making the same mistake. But it follows the adage if a deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is. In this case it was a Canon G10 for £40GBP less than anyone else was selling them for. I wasn't thinking straight.... and hence , my current minor depression around the fact I'm now £325GBP out of pocket..... Live and learn...... csj

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02/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
17mm
f/8
1/45th
Manual
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Lightroom
Yes slight from rightside

]]> Thank you for all the great comments on my last shot - I wasn't expecting them for that image to be honest but they're very much appreciated.

This image ...

Shooting this as an HDR was essential here to retain highlight detail and to try and rescue some detail in the station, I don't believe a single frame would have captured it.

Post production in this frame was two phase, constructed with Photomatix Pro, from a five shot sequence (as described in these tutorials), I was hoping for this image to achieve a balance of tone that looked photo real, but edgy. I'm not entirely sure I succeeded, but that's whats its all about for me, try try again. The EXIF is from the middle frame of the five.

As always, let me know what you think.... and here is Dave from Chromasia's shot of the same subject ......0906061251.php and thanks for stopping by...... csj

UPDATE: I am please to embed this podcast into this feed, if you have time, listen to this, @Photojack (Jack Hollingsworth) talks intuitively about the use of Twitter and its positive use for Pro and aspiring photographers. Its an interesting chat, well worth a listen if you have a fuzzy understanding of the power of Twitter and microblogging.... it was a podcast from F-Stop Beyond

FSB080: Jack Hollingsworth (PHOTOJACK)

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02/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
17mm
f/9.5
1/180th
Manual
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Lightroom + Photomatix + Topaz
Yes slight from rightside

]]> A view that became common place during the trip, but one that needed recording for posterity. The flies, bugs and wiper marks from the drive to Bulgaria will remain in my mind for a long while......

Now when I saw this shot in my mind sat next to DJN I realized that it would only be a matter of time before he interprets this scene himself and pulls out the big guns to record it. So not wanting to be someone who lets anyone upstage me, I decided to grab a chance frame or two as we passed by. I had plenty of opportunities during the week as this slip road to town, and the Beer factory / Brewery were landmarks for our early navigation attempts in BG. For a through the window frame, and including the screen detritus I was quite happy with it. Thanks for stopping by ...... csj

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01/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
17mm
f/11
1/250th
Manual
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Lightroom + Photomatix + Topaz
Yes slight from rightside

]]> DJN's loft, rafters and all. Bulgarian style. Not a lot to say about it other than that I liked the shape and texture. Sometimes its a lot simpler without meaning..... csj

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01/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
17mm
f/16
30s
Manual
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3
no

]]> This was a chance shot, we had driven to the border of Romania, and it was our last 'civilised' night before entering the 'Romanian' route South to Bulgaria. We had literally run out of road, and had no idea where to pull up for sleep, but a small sign, no larger than A4 with a pen'd on campsite symbol gave me a glimmer of hope, and saved the 40KM drive back to somewhere half decent. We trundled down an unlit underpass track, and drove under the arches of the road and railway above. Total darkness in the headlights, nothing to see apart from graffiti and still a sign to a campsite. It wasn't looking good in fact I nearly reversed out apart from a faint figure waving us in, and a welcoming glimmer of a camp fire. We took a punt, and it panned out ok, a campsite in amongst trees, in total darkness, £10 for the night, and it a shower block!, albeit cold water and this unusual advert for Rollei hanging above the showers, I took the opportunity to grab a shave and a cold water freshen up, and everything panned out ok.

capture date
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30/04/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
40mm
f/5.6
1/6
Manual
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3
no

]]> The crossing house at Ganchovets in Bulgaria, which I am sure shakes to the foundations (if there are any) every time the train goes by. Which is about 5 times a day. Porter lives in a part of this building, which I just found interesting, as to how someone can live literally 10ft from a line. I also photographed the station and its post war platform and buildings. Was an interesting place. Not entirely sure I photographed it fully, I was feeling a tad jaded that day..... always next time... CSJ

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02/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40 f4 L Series
17mm
f/11
1/90
Manual
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3
no

]]> Bubba. My slightly annoying, sometimes lovely 13yr old daughter who is a reluctant model.

I used a couple of curves to bring out the contrast, a Red Channel for black and white conversion at 60% mainly. No luminosity blend mode here. This was a test using low light with the 580EXii bounced with a Stofen and whilst I was happy ish with it, you really notice the 2 to 3 stops loss when using this method. My fault, probably, and it was the first 10 frames with the flash on board.

...... thanks for stopping by... csj

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22/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
70-200mm f2.8 IS USM L Series
200mm
f/2.8
1/30
Manual
0
pattern
100
Yes (Stofen and bounce)
RAW
CS3 + Topaz
no

]]> Third in the series on 'porter'. This was how I saw him, on the days preceding this image and when I approached him, so rather than allow the situation to contrive itself, I felt it only right to portray him in this pose.

I was drawn to the gnarly wood, and the decrepit state of his house behind, and the pile of wood for next winter.

I used a couple of curves to bring out the contrast, a Red Channel for black and white conversion at 60% mainly.

...... thanks for stopping by... csj

CSJ

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02/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40mm f4 L Series
17mm
f/10
1/60
Aperture
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Topaz
no

]]> This was seen by me long before it was understood. I think everything I shot in Bulgaria that precedes this image was as a result of this memorial.

I was intrigued as to its meaning, from my arrival in Ganchovets. It now meant I had to find out the significance of the figures, and it wasn't until I was made aware of the Shipka Battles and the year of 1877 - 1878, by my now friends Adrian and Valiya, that I realized it was very significant to the Bulgarian people. I'm not sure what I wanted to say by photographing it, maybe nothing, I think maybe it was just about recording something.

CSJ

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01/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40mm f4 L Series
17mm
f/11
1/64
Aperture
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3
no

]]> Shot at the Shipka Pass memorial in Bulgaria, the title is of no religious meaning, it was just that there appeared to be a lot of people making the 1632 steps to the top and back, and it appeared to be a vertical climb, but in essence it probably wasn't. The monument stands as testiment to the battles of the Shipka Pass that signified the collapse of a 500year rule by the Turks. Russia and Bulgaria regained the territory in one year between 1877 and 1878....

Apologies for the change in the text, I corrupted the blog post and had to recall from meory what I'd posted.

CSJ

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02/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40mm f4 L Series
17mm
f/9.5
1/32
Aperture
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3
no

]]> Second in the series on 'porter'. I called him 'porter' because other people called him that. I am not sure if that was his name, but it kinda fitted the character in my mind, so I'll stick with it until I am corrected. As he spoke no English, and I spoke no Bulgarian actually getting the facts was impossible, but we gestured and smiled a lot and we got the job done. I think he instinctively knew what I was after, and I was very happy with the results. I have one more portrait of him to go. Portrait of a person and their surroundings rather than a head and shoulders detail portrait that most people allude to. I prefer the 'industrial portrait', that which hopefully says a little about the person in their environment.

Sorry about the slowness of uploading them to the blog, but I really don't know where the time has gone since I have been back from BG.

No rush though eh! ...... thanks for stopping by... csj

CSJ

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02/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40mm f4 L Series
40mm
f/9.5
1/32
Aperture
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Topaz
no

]]> Here is a frame that I saw in my head before I shot it. I mean I saw the buildng, and believe me it didn't take any prisoners in real life. It truly was quite ominous, and foreboding. It had a very turn of the war, German outpost type feel about it, not helped by the flag dangling from the windows, and whilst everything I have shot in Bulgaria so far has been B&W apart from the last frame, I can assure you that it was not a conscious decision, its just the way it happened.

I have a few more frames to post over the next week or so, another portrait, and one or two more observational pieces. I really did enjoy the trip, and have heard back from Chromasia Base Camp that they are all well and settling in, so it was a good job jobbed in my opinion.....

CSJ

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03/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40mm f4 L Series
17mm
f/4
1/500
Aperture
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Topaz
slight

]]> Ganchovets, Bulgaria. I'm no historian, but it seemed that everywhere I looked in and around VT there were small reminders of a battle, and a narrow time line of 1877 to 1878, it seemed to be significant on several levels, and it was a pleasure to finally realize why these dates were important. Plaques, monuments, statues, and propaganda slogans all quoted these dates, and on asking we found that there was a significant battle (well several) that meant the end of 500 years of Turkish rule in Bulgaria, as the Russians and Bulgarians battled alongside each other to regain rule over the Turks for the Shipka Pass, a place where a monument stands high on a mountain side, and somewhere that will never be forgotten for the sovereignty of the people of Bulgaria.

I was caught between looking after my pal Dave, who at this point was very ill and asleep in the van , and a 816 step climb to the top which doesn't sound much, but was enough in the heat, and with a backpack of camera kit.

At the top you have a wonderful view over the pass and the mountains in the distance, they had gunning positions marked out with Cannons that could well have been the last chance saloon for the Bulgarians. It apparently took four battles to secure the pass, described in detail here. I'll post a few images from this trip, as it founded most of the shots I took whilst away in BG, and it was just a shame that DJN was ill, because I would have loved his input, and a chance to shoot with him, and to get an idea of his interpretation of the subject. I'm sure I'll have another chance all in good time......

CSJ

capture date
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03/05/2009
Canon EOS 5D
17-40mm f4 L Series
17mm
f/8
1/350
Aperture
0
pattern
100
No
RAW
CS3 + Photomatix
yes