Archive for July, 2007
Sunset yesterday
Fri Jul 27th - 8:07am
Sunset yesterday as viewed from Seaboard Park. Just shooting the Balintore vs Brora game and I noticed this golden sky silhouetting the trees.
The next must-have football shot (part 2)
Fri Jul 27th - 6:48am
My quest for the next must-have football shot took another step forward last night with this effort from the Balintore vs Brora Rangers friendly. Just a split second off on the timing as the ball isn't quite touching his head. Here's the full frame and a possible crop. Note the motion blur on the ball. Shot at 1/500s. I do love a bit of motion blur in football shots, so long as the faces are sharp. Next match I think I'm going to shoot at 1/320s as nearly all shots at that shutter speed still have the players sharp but you get more motion blur on the ball.
Sports Shooter NFL ad-vest article
Fri Jul 27th - 6:33am
More about the photographer-as-billboard controversy affecting future coverage of National Football League games in the US: Not A Fashion Statement on Sports Shooter includes the views of photographers from the Chicago Tribune, Kansas City Star, Reuters, Wisconsin State Journal, San Diego Union, Orange County Register and USA Today. Not surprisingly some of the individual togs aren't as outraged as the various people who have been getting their knickers in a twist this last week, but the overall tone is still disapproving.
North Star pics this week
Thu Jul 26th - 10:40pm
Two photos of mine in this week's North Star. This one from the Harry Potter launch ran large on page 2. (It was also used in this BBC gallery.)
And this one from the Seaboard Cup final ran on the inside back page. This shot was a bit of a fluke as it's almost full frame at 300mm and I never usually shoot when the players are this close. I'd been rushing to do two team shots right before the match, then it kicked off and after a few action shots I still wasn't sure I'd got the camera set-up how I wanted it, so I adjusted something and snapped a test shot. Turned out that this was what I got. Job done.
Here are some more pics from the match. You can see the sort of backgrounds I'm working with at this pitch, it's rare to get even one usable photo. These pics were taken from various positions around three sides of the pitch which is right in the middle of a housing estate with kids running around everywhere.
Strobist Lighting 102: Cooking Light
Wed Jul 25th - 6:12pm
The latest Strobist lighting challenge is up and running. Cooking Light is the first challenge in the Lighting 102 series of tutorials and practice assignments.
The assignment is to photograph one or more kitchen utensils – knives, forks, spoons, whisks – whatever you like. The look you are going or is that of ordinary object elevated to high art. Or at least commercial art, as this is the kind of thing that might appear as a catalog cover or in a calendar or on the wall of one of those ubiquitous "fast casual" restaurants.
Due to a heavy workload over recent weeks I wasn't able to take part in the earlier learning exercises so for this assignment I chose a difficult object and learned the techniques while doing the photo. I don't think I've quite nailed the double diffusion yet but I'm nearly there. Click here for set-up shots.
By the way I do know that the photo's rubbish! 
Vanity Fair cover shoot behind-the-scenes video
Wed Jul 25th - 1:11pm
This behind-the-scenes video doesn't feature much about the photography side of the latest Vanity Fair cover but you might find it interesting if you're really really really into that sort of thing. (Thanks Sam Song for the link.)
New mid-price / low-spec radio triggers
Wed Jul 25th - 11:08am
A pair of Pocket Wizard Plus II transmitter/receivers will cost you around £300 or you can have a set of two Elinchrom Skyports for around £115.
New in the market is the MicroSync transmitter/receiver kit which weighs in at £190 and, as far as I can see, has no particular advantage over other products apart from that they're very small, cheaper than Pocket Wizards, and they don't have those just-waiting-to-be-snapped-off Skyport aerials. The manufacturer makes a big deal of them having a long battery life but PWs are already well known for that so it's not bringing anything new to the table. And they only have a range of 30m which would be okay for most strobe work but if you wanted to start doing cool things with remotes then you'd be limited.
Oh and I notice that they're going for around $200 in the US so as usual we're paying twice as much here in the UK.
Iraq war slideshow and video
Wed Jul 25th - 7:25am
Two documentaries on the Iraq war:
News In Transition is an audio slideshow by LA Times photojournalist Rick Loomis. (Be warned that Loomis' web site will try to resize your browser window, tut tut.) Informative and touching in equal measure, and a good insight for any photogs interested in conflict coverage. You'll be amazed to learn how they test for clean air after a possible chemical attack. (Thanks Kevin Kreck for the link.)
Inside the Surge is a video by Guardian photojournalist Sean Smith, most noticeable for the openness of the featured soldiers who are clearly angry at the politicians back home. (Thanks Shaun Ward for the link.)
Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning
Wed Jul 25th - 5:43am
Sunrise this morning. One minute later the rain came down. Five minutes later the sky was thick grey with just a thin line of pale orange. Looks like we'll be having another lovely day in Scotland.
Click the pic to see it larger. Notice the seagull in front of the sun? I got another frame with one more central but I prefer this one.
Lyrebird mimics camera sounds
Wed Jul 25th - 4:45am
Now that I've figured out how to post videos we'd might as well have another one. This is a clip of an Australian Lyrebird mimicking various sounds including a camera shutter, camera with a motor drive, car alarm, chainsaw, and other birds. It's really quite amazing how accurate the sounds are. (Thanks to Kevin Sperl who posted the link over on SportsShooter.)
[googlevideo]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3433507052114896375[/googlevideo]
