Inspiration comes from all sorts of places and given I was spending the week in Embleton I clearly had to try for a sunrise over Dunstanburgh Castle even with a 0430 start for a 0545-ish sunrise. Plus I wanted to do something different than my trip in January. Google surprised me with an image from 1797! Joseph Turner clearly spent sometime on the Northumberland coast and captured an image in … Continue reading →

Following on from my ‘personal learning notes’ from my Farne Island blog on wildlife photography technique I have some great conversation with Alan Hewitt from Hawkshead Photography. I thought I would update what I have learned. Prior to my Farne workshop Alan had persuaded me to use my D800 instead of my D7000 which is my normal default for wildlife – of course I did rent a 200-400 f/4.0 which … Continue reading →

So in the continual search for improving my wildlife photography I decided a workshop on bird photography would be good and Hawkshead Photography day on the Farne Islands on 11 June 2013 attracted me. I have to say it was great fun and Kaleel and Trai we both informative and really helpful. Whilst I ‘sorted’ my autofocus issues (see earlier blog) I still hadn’t tested the ideas in anger. In … Continue reading →

Having visited Sebastião Salgado Genesis exhibition at the Natural History Museum and was mightily impressed I want to understand his approach to post processing. A friend sent me a TED presentation by Sebastião yesterday and I thought I would have a go. The thing the exhibition gets over so strongly is a narrative that is somehow enhanced by the processing. At the exhibition I wondered whether it was strong processing … Continue reading →

Where do you start! I have hundreds of slide photos taken on Fujichrome slide film with a Pentax ME-Super from 1983 whilst I was working in Mount Hagan Hospital in Papua New Guinea – these have recently been scanned. Its interesting to see how soft and vibrant these images are compared to the modern digital. There a so many events whilst I was in Papua New Guinea from war in … Continue reading →

Well there was a stable high pressure system over the UK, a great forecast with some cloud but little if no wind! Reflections came to mind and given an abortive attempt a few weeks ago on this front at Buttermere I thought we would have another go. My Zeiss 21mm was still in Germany getting repaired and broken Lee filters on back order, after my fall in Skye, so I … Continue reading →

So I have just spent a week in the Scottish Highlands at a photographic workshop – The bigger picture – photo book and portfolio making workshop – it felt like a month (in a good way). What a great venue in Mellon Charles at the Perfume Studio it is amazingly equipped and reviewing an OS Map doesn’t prepare you for the beauty of the surrounding landscape – breathtaking. The team of tutors were … Continue reading →

Skye is probably my favourite place in the World! For the last 30 years I have returned many times and enjoyed the Isle especially the Cullins and my favourite whisky Talisker. I have done several winter ascents and scared myself on a few occasions the last interesting moment was in summer a few years ago with Sharon climbing Sgurr Alasdair on a windy day – you have to take the … Continue reading →

Can you believe it Josh got up at 0545 to go take photo’s – well done dude. He’s been talking about learning photography for sometime now and the start was this morning. It was a cloudless morning so nice sunrise and catchlights. Teaching Josh I managed to get most of my pre-sunrise (bar one) and actual sunrise out of focus I opened the aperture a touch and forgot to shift the … Continue reading →

It is said that persistence is one of the greatest attributes that a landscape photographer can posses. Having discovered yesterday that there was a cave to get past the point from Byer’s Hole (or The Wherry) that might give access into the bay at 2.1m over datum it seemed obvious to have another go if the weather forecast look good – which it did. I got round the point at … Continue reading →