Dolmen, Cournols, Puys-de-Doms, France

Long time without a blog post - apologies!

Here is a shot of ancient monument in France with thunder clouds above.

It was a 3-shot HDR taken on the 70D with 16-35 f4 L IS & processed in Photomatix.

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:28 mm

Max lens aperture:f/4

Exposure: f/7.1

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto bracket

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 200

Metering mode:Pattern

Derwentwater in the 'Golden Hour'

Photographers often aim to take outdoor pictures in the 'Golden Hour' - the hour before sunset. This is because you can get a beautiful warmth to the light and the low position of the sun in the sky often makes for more interesting shadows than when the sun is higher.

This was shot at the shore of the beautiful Derwentwater (or Derwent Water). I took two shots at combined them in Photomatix to retain sky and foreground detail.

 

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:35 mm

Max lens aperture:f/2

Exposure:f/8

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto bracket

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 100

Metering mode:Partial

2016_52 - Week 1 - Metal

I've decided to attempt the 2016_52 challenge having not completed one since 2010!

 

Each week a topic is picked and all participants attempt to take a shot matching the title.

 

Week 1 was metal.  Thought I'd try and get some molten metal! Used a 70D on a tripod (useful having the articulated screen!) and a 580EX2 off camera on a stand. Manual focussed, put it on a timer and tried to get lots of smoke!

 



Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:105 mm

Max lens aperture:f/2.8

Exposure:1/125 at f/13

Flash:Fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Manual

Exposure prog.:Manual

ISO speed:ISO 100

Metering mode:Partial

Jerry Too

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:105 mm

Max lens aperture:f/2.8

Exposure:1/320 at f/2.8

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 400

Metering mode:Partial

Araneus diadematus

Really tricky getting this little guy's eyes perfectly in focus - I braced against a fence and slowly adjusted my distance whilst on live view. I certainly appreciated the articulated screen.

Canon 70D, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 OS, 1/125s @ f/8, 580EXII.

100% crop:

Jerry!

 

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:105 mm

Exposure:1/320 at f/4

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 400

Metering mode:Partial

Prairie Dogs

Some zoo snapping at Cotswold Wildlife Park!

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:200 mm

Max lens aperture:f/2.8

Exposure:1/5000 at f/2.8

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 100

Metering mode:Partial

Golden evening light

There was some beautiful evening light seeping across a farmer's fields as I drove home from Wales tonight. Couldn't resist grabbing a couple of snaps!

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:24 mm

Max lens aperture:f/4

Exposure:1/320 at f/4

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 100

Metering mode:Pattern

Camera make:Canon

Camera model:Canon EOS 70D

Focal length:105 mm

Max lens aperture:f/4

Exposure:1/500 at f/4

Flash:Not fired, compulsory mode

Exposure bias:0 EV

Exposure mode:Auto

Exposure prog.:Aperture priority

ISO speed:ISO 100

Metering mode:Pattern

Photographing glass

So...how do you go about photographing something that is both transparent and highly reflective?

This is what I tried. I used a little table top collapsible studio thingy with a grey background draped at an angle - held there by the weight of the glass.

I need the glass itself to not be lit directly otherwise the edges would have disappeared. Instead I used a snoot pointing at the background and the subject was lit from behind. The glass edges now appear slightly darker than the background rather than just reflecting the light.

Canon EOS 70D, f/8 @ 135 mm, 1/250, ISO 100, No Flash

 

Maternity shoot

Spent the early afternoon today photographing a lovely couple expecting their first child!

This first shot was taken at the end of a set where I had lit from the front with a 70cm silver beauty dish and side lit with gridded strip boxes. To give a more introspective feel I switched off the strips and raised the beauty dish and pointed it downwards.

Toned in Silver Efex.

Canon EOS 70D, f/11 @ 35 mm, 1/125, ISO 100

 

 

In this this second shot I used strip box from the left - this lifts the hair from the background and rim-lights body. Added glamour glow and a little overall softening in Color Efex.

 

 

Canon EOS 70D, f/11 @ 40 mm, 1/125, ISO 100

 

Friday night, Northampton Town Centre

Canon EOS 70D, f/1.2 @ 85 mm, 1/160, ISO 1600, No Flash