Somewhere over the rainbow ...

Cornwall - Phoenix Tin Mine

 The ruined engine house ... captured in a very small puddle

Got the whole tower ... and wet knees!

Autumn Colours

NE Derbyshire Moors, near Stanage Edge

 Winterbourne Gardens



Ladybower Reservoir

Derbyshire Landscapes

 Rocks galore on Stanage Edge

Derbyshire milling heritage



 Abandoned millstones at Stanage Edge

Strong sun limited the options as many views threw shadows that were too dark.  These stones are one of the "icons" of the Derbyshire "edges", beloved by landscape photographers.  Without some dramatic weather, it is difficult to take a picture that has not been seen before many times!





Heage Windmill near Belper

Still experimenting with low light and high ISOs.  I particularly like silhouettes against a darkening sky.

 



Stainsby Mill on the Hardwick estate 



Trying to create a line drawing effect for the flour bins using Photoshop.

Colour tinting in Photoshop - pink anyone?!



Magpie Mine ... revisited

And rewarded with a lovely sunset.  Camera on tripod, with self timer and ISO kept low to avoid "noise" in the darkening sky.  The buildings are intentionally silhouetted, to keep all the focus on the sky.







MAGPIE MINE



Magpie Mine

So ... how do I get this kind of b&w picture quality?  The polished, almost liquid inky tones are so impressive and the image is incredibly crisp.  How much of this is down to the camera quality and how much to the operator I wonder?!  Also, how much was the image enhanced in Photoshop?

Magpie Mine site

Ruins at the old lead mine site - side lit by evening sun.  ISO 200.

Capturing the sun as it disappeared on the horizon:

ISO and low light

ISO 800 captures the image as the light fades, but it could be sharper.

Good demonstration of the rule of thirds though!

Experimenting with side lighting and higher ISOs

The sun finally came out briefly late in the day.  The low side light emphasises the texture of the wood.

ISO 400

Tricky lighting with shaded wood and strong side sunlight through the trees.  Late Autumn afternoon gives long shadows.

ISO 400

Autumn

Playing in Photoshop ... Autumn Leaves

Would like the B&W to be more dramatic - like Charlie Waite's boat image ...

Inspirational water themed images

by Andrew Dunn

Images of industrial decline

Cwm Orthin, Gwynedd
Industrial Remains - Alan Simpson      http://www.alansimpsonphotography.co.uk/



Cymn Orthin Slate Quarry - John Roberts   http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=843261

Charlie Waite - inspirational b&w images

Derbyshire images

Lone tree - b&w

Assignment 1: You Take Control - Item & Location

5 8"x8" SQUARE PHOTOGRAPHS, 5 DIFFERENT OBJECTS, 5 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, INCLUDING PERSON/PEOPLE.  AMBIENT LIGHT (NO FLASH), EACH PHOTO WITH DIFFERENT ISO.



Bracelets - ISO 100
Taken in bright sunlight, low ISO gives sharp image. 

Glasses - ISO 200
Shadier spot, with slightly less sunlight so ISO increased.

Apple Picking - ISO 400
Higher ISO due to shade and wind movement in the leaves of the apple tree.

Candle - ISO 800
Due to very low light level (candle only) ISO increased.  However, digital noise is present and picture quality suffers.

Plug - ISO 1600
To capture the fast moving water, ISO increased to maximum but, as before, digital noise is present giving a grainy image.

C&G Photography Course - Units of Study

7512-92 Level 2 Certificate in Digital Image Manipulation 120 GLH / 16 credits
Unit 206 Principles of Photo Image Capture
Unit 215 Digital Image Manipulation

Depending on time constraints, I may in due course consider adding some/all of the following units: 205, 209, 208, 207.

As I am relatively new to digital photography and only have a basic compact camera (Fujifilm Finepix Z100fd), my aim on the course is simply to improve the quality of the photos that I take and also to learn more about manipulation techniques (using Photoshop Elements 8).  I am also hoping for some useful guidance in ultimately purchasing an appropriate dSLR as this will be a major investment for me.

In terms of subject material, my principal interests are:
The natural world - from land/seascapes to close ups of texture and detail
Heritage - both rural and industrial (I really must join the National Trust!).

Consall Hall - The Thatched Cottage

Autumn Leaves reflected in the cottage pool signal the change of seasons at Consall Hall Gardens.  A tripod helps mimimise camera shake with my Fujifilm Finepix compact camera.

Consall Hall - The Packhorse Bridge

The Monet-esque reflections in the pool caught my eye.