New photography workshop dates soon to be announced

The Dying Day

Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

Just a quick 'heads up' that I am soon to announce a set of new dates for various photography workshops.

Themes will include

• Landscapes - in the Peak District
• Landscapes - Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire
• Seascapes - North Yorkshire coast followed by some landscape work on the North Yorkshire Moors
• Basic Photoshop and Lightroom skills
• Macro Photography masterclass
• Possibly a macro/wildlife workshop at a Butterfly farm
• Workflow Workshop
• How to start making money from your photography workshop

Those who get in touch with me by email get advanced early notice of all workshops - just contact me via my website or Flickr - and I will add you to my mailing list.

Workshops are then announced at my workshops website at http://www.dougchinnery.wordpress.com/ and at my website at http://www.dougchinnery.co.uk/

My aim is for my workshops to be enjoyable and informative. I aim to answer your questions at a level and pace that suits you, no matter what your level of photography experience. I want the workshops to be fun, relaxing and for people of all ages and abilities. I also want them to be very affordable.

I aim for you to go home having learned things that will take your photography to another level and that you will have some images from the day to be truly proud of.

I hope you can join me on one soon.

Update on the big focus issue

Sunrise over the Severn
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

If you have read my blog post from earlier today (see below) you may be interested in Tim Parkins comment to the post.

There he gives a link to a Wikipedia article describing what David Noton was on about - it has a name - 'Parfocal Lenses' - lenses that hold their focus on a point even though they are then zoomed to change the framing. I recommend you have a read.

He also gives a link to a page that lists the Canon lenses that have this ability. I am chuffed to say that all of my 'L' range lenses are on the list of those which are Parfocal.

More importantly perhaps, this paragraph of David Notons has made me realise the benefit in the quest for ultimate image sharpness of paying attention to and using the Hyperfocal distance to my advantage - namely, to be able to use a wider aperture than f16 for landscapes to improve sharpness while still achieving maximum front to back depth of field.

Focusing revelation

Ice Maiden
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

I have just read David Notons latest posting on his website (www.davidnoton.com). It has put me in a right state, I can tell you.

He has a chat about focusing and in particular, using the hyperfocal distance.

Basically, and simply put, if you focus your lens a certain distance away from you at a given aperture and focal lenght then everything from half that distance from you to infinity will be in sharp focus - very handy for landscapers.

It all gets a bit tricky as you need to know the hyperfocal distance for your lens at a given focal length and aperture to use it - meaning you need a wad of tables with all the info on or, as used to be the case on prime lenses, a hyperfocal scale on the lens itself. Modern zoom lenses don't have these scales, nor do Canon primes (although I think Nikon primes stoll do).

Now, as a basic rule of thumb, I set my landscape lens to f16 for good depth of field and focus a third of the way into the scene and this roughly equates to the hyperfocal distance. However, I know that my wide angle lens is actually sharper at f11 than f16, but I use f16 just to give me a greater margin for error. If I could tell for certain where the hyperfocal distance was at f11 easily in the field, I could get perfect depth of field and greater sharpness by using f11. (I shy away from f22 because the lens gets even softer at that end of the aperture scale.

Now, Mr. Noton, knows a lot more about the hyperfocal distance of his lenses than I do and in the image he was talking about he knew it for the focal length (28mm from memory) at f11 on his lens and it met his needs - it kept a foreground fallen tree trunk in sharp focus right up to infinity (the mountains in Canada he was shooting. So he got the nest of both worlds - perfect depth of field and the extra sharpness of using f11 over f16.

Then came the bombshell (you wondered when I was going to get to it, didn't you?).

He says he zoomed in to the scene to a branch on the tree trunk at the hyperfocal distance (just under two meters from him) and manually focused on it...... then...... wait for it........ zoomed back out to frame the shot without touching the focus wheel and took the shot.

Freeze. No body move.

He zoomed in and focused, then zoomed out and didn't re-focus - he just took the shot.

This is something I have never heard of before... and trust me I have read thousands of magazine articles, dozens of books and heaps of blogs by superb photographers and no one has even hinted at this technique.

Here I am, stuck indoors working and how am I supposed to concentrate?

So does anyone know, does this work? Am I the only photographer who doesn't know about it? Is it such a basic thing to all of you out there that writers don't even bother to mention it when writing about technique? Is everyone laughing at me as I stand behnd my tripod as they use this technique and giggle away because I am the only one on the planet who doesn't know about it?

I have always assumed that if you focus, then adjust the framing of the shot by zooming in or out that you have to then re-focus? I have read Davids words carefully and he certainly seems to be saying this isn't the case. That if you zoom in on an object at the hyperfocal distance from the camera at your aperture so you can see it large in your zoom lens and focus on it carefully, you can then zoom out to frame the shot as you want it and take it without re-focusing and the focus will be correct. Much the same as someone with live view on a camera can zoom in on their rear screen to check focus - buut in this case actually zooming the lens.

I await any views/intelligence/information you have on the subject because if it is right, I need to start doing it right now!

Okay, so where did I put those hyperfocal distance tables.....

Burnham Lighthouse

Burnham Lighthouse
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

Well, this is the result of my early start this morning - please read my post lower down the page.

This was one of those times it was worth getting up early and driving through the night - probably the pinkest dawn I have ever witnessed.

Stan enjoyed running with all the dogs on the beach too, especially as it was blowing a gale - the wind excites him.

If you would like to join one of my landscape workshops please take a look at the schedule and prices at http://www.dougchinnery.wordpress.com/

Workflow Workshop - January 2010

Purple Rain
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

Just announcing my Workflow Workshop for January

Workflow Masterclass – Friday, January 15th 2010

Do you find it hard to organise your images? Do you struggle to identify which ones to spend time on improving in the computer and which ones to put to one side or delete? Is Lightroom, Elements or Photoshop a bit of a nightmare to you? Do you wonder how the pro’s get such superb shots? Do you wonder if you should be shooting in RAW or Jpeg? Does RAW scare you?

On the 15th January I will be holding a workflow masterclass p you with all these issues and more. H eld at my home, close to Junction 31 M1 andthe A57 junction with the A1 for easy access.

The class will cover workflow in its entirety;

Getting your camera set up right to maximise the quality of images it produces
Importing them into your computer (using Adobe Lightroom – but the principles will apply to whatever software you prefer to use)
Using metadata to tag your images to make finding them in future easier
Shooting in RAW and how to use RAW files
Organizing images on your hard drive effectively
Using Lightrooms tools to improve your images (If the new Lightroom 3 has been released you may even be able to see that working).
Making additional improvements using Adobe Photoshop or Elements
How to create slideshows of your images
Basic print techniques or exporting images to online print companies/Flickr
How to create a Copyright brush in Photoshop/Elements
How to create a free blog to use as an online website and gallery of your images
Basic instruction on how to set up and use a Clikpic website to sell your images.
The dark art of backing up made super-simple.
and lots more
Please feel free to bring your own laptop if you have one, so you can try out what I am teaching as we go along. Also bring your camera. Although we won’t be taking images on the day, we can ensure your camera is set up to maximise its potential.

This workshop is ideal for photographers of all abilities who want to streamline their workflow or understand how to use the computer to make the best of their images. The class is kept small, no more than five participants so I have plenty of time to explain things at your pace and answer all your questions.

This workshop will revolutionise your photography and help you make the most of your images. You may even end up earning some money from selling them as a result.

The workshop costs £65 and includes lunch and refreshments. We will start at 10am and it runs through until about 4pm. Please email me if you want more details or can’t make this date but would like to be emailed advance notification on future workshops. I look forward to meeting you.

Also, I have a new website dedicated to my workshop program - keep an eye on it for new dates and topics - http://www.dougchinnery.wordpress.com/

The Twilight Zone

Dales Dawn
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

I have come to realise that being a landscape photographer puts you in a parallel universe, a twilight zone.

Although you are part of the human race you live your life on a slightly different plane to 'normal' people.

It is 2am on a blustery morning. I am at my desk typing my blog. The rest of the human race sleeps. I am in the Twilight Zone. Yesterday I was up at 4am only to drive through torrential rain up to the Malham Cove area in the hopes of shooting images of some trees I want to capture at dawn. Of course, despite my seemingly limitless optimism, the rain continued to pour. The roads were flooded and dawn, rather than exploding in all it's technicolour glory as I had hoped, seemed to limp into the sky in a reluctant, creeping greyness.

I got some images of Stan. Quite an achievement bearing in mind he is a dog who finds it impossible to stay still for more than a nano second. I was able to scout out some future potential locations. But the odd landscapes I shot will probably languish on my hard drive forever, never to be seen by the World. (Unless one is suitable for a mono conversion - my boundless optimism at work again, you see).

Today, undaunted by the BBC weather mans reports of gale force winds and rain sees me unable to sleep. So I am up, keywording stock images and replying to email enquiries about my forthcoming workshops ( more at www.dougchinnery.wordpress.com ). At 3am I am off into the dark - to Burnham lighthouse. I am in the Twilight Zone.

As landscapers we arise at stupidly inhuman and unsocial times to drive through the night only to arrive at deserted locations, shoot for an hour or two and then drive home. We may well head back out while 'normal' people are sitting down to enjoy a nice meal with the family and an evening in front of the telly. We find ourselves alone again, behind the tripod on some beach, up a hill or in a field, peering at the clouds, looking at the watch, waiting for the light. Sometimes it happens, mostly it doesn't and we drive home in the dark knowing that in just a few hours we will be setting off again into the darkness.

To live in this etheral, unreal world and to stick at it, you need that limitless optimism that today is the day the clouds, the light and the scene will come together to give that image that will capture stun your audience. An image that expresses the sense of place in all its glory, at its very best. That optimism needs to be strong enough to withstand countless disappointing dawns and dusks. Endless failed journeys. It needs to be strong enought to last until we witness and record another superb morning display or evening symphony of light.

We need to be prepared to live in this otherworldly dimension that sets our internal clock to rise in the night and to be busiest and away from our loved ones just at those times when others are together.

It has to mean more to us to be alone in beautiful places than to be sat on a sofa with a glass of malt in front of the telly or down the pub or up the allotment, or whatever it is that 'normal' people do. We have to get our buzz from those rare days when all the elements that make for stunning images collide and produce beauty.

So today, even though in my heart of hearts I know Burnham Lighthouse is going to be weighed down by heavy cloud, whipped by driving rain and grey light, I am going to set off (with Stan) and put this to the back of my mind. Because maybe, just maybe, the stormy weather will break the cloud just enough for crepuscular rays to pierce the gloom. Maybe, the horizon will ignite with a display of reds and oranges streaking across the sky, reflecting off of the wet sand. Maybe I will get an unforgettable image of the lighthouse on stilts I have so long wanted to photograph.

But if it doesn't happen at least Stan will have explored another bit of the UK coastline. At least I will have scouted a new location for the next time (because there will be a next time). And lets face it. I can sleep when I'm dead.

So its off for another episode of the... 'The Twilight Zone'.

Shock Review of the Canon 7D

What is it with Colour and Flickr II ?
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

I just came across this field test of the Canon 7D and was very suprised by the results. To balance what you are about to read, it may just mean the 7D's RAW files will need more processing to get them to look right, but it may instill some doubts in the minds of those considering buying this new camera?


Darwin Wiggett and a photographer called Samantha did a field test with unprocessed, unsharpened RAW files from a Canon 450D (Or maybe 500D, - the Americans call them 'Digital Rebels' so I am not certain on the model number), the 1ds mk3 and the 7D for comparison. Take a look at the images and his comments.


http://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/the-canon-7d/

Next Landscape Photography Workshop

Beechwoods
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

My next landscape photography workshop will be on Monday 28th December 2009 for all those wishing to escape the overindulgence or need an excuse not to go to the sales!


This will be a dawn to dusk workshop, for those who are keen to start at 6am near Hathersage. Those who like their beds can join us at breakfast in Hathersage a bit later. Sunset is around 4.00pm so I am happy to stay out until about 5pm to get the best of the days light.


The day will be spent capturing the waterfalls in Padley Gorge along with the moorland landscapes around Hathersage - hopefully with some mist, lovely soft winter light and maybe even some frost thrown in. Sadly, one thing I can't control is the weather!


I am limiting the group to five to ensure all get personal attention and help. The cost will be £65 per person and this includes breakfast (but not lunch or drinks later in the day).


It will be ideal for camera users of any ability. I will help you get the most out of your kit be it a compact through to a top end DSLR. The one thing you really will need is a tripod to make the most of the day.


We will be able to set up a laptop during breakfast so we can review images taken and to demonstrate workflow and basic techniques using Photoshop (and Elements) and Lightroom.


My aim is always to spend time with each student giving help specific to your needs. I am happy to hear from you in advance by email on things you specifically would like me to cover with you.


There will be some walking and light 'clambering' so while you don't need to be an athlete or mountain climber you will need to be able to get do some walking.


If you would like more information or would like to reserve a place, please drop me a message via my website at http://www.dougchinnery.co.uk/ or drop me an email.

Photographing Stars

Eons
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

Firstly, this image is a composite. I don't mind composite images, as long as the photographer is up front about it.

My reason for using two shots for this image is that while my wife and I climbed up to The Old Man of Storr on Skye in the night in order to photograph the dawn, the position of the Milky Way was wrong.

So the shot of the Old Man was taken at night (early hours of the morning before sunrise). The Milky Way image was taken a few days before near Gairloch and I have combined them.

To photograph the stars I set the camera to f2.8 (depth of field is irrelevant when photographing stars so the wide aperture keeps the shutter speed as fast as possible.).

I upped the ISO to 800 - some noise is not really an issue as it makes the stars look denser.

I sed a wide angle lens to capture the sweep of the galaxy - 16mm in fact.

The shutter speed was 30 seconds - this was long enough to records the stars but fast enough so they haven't moved much. If you zoom in to 100% you can still see they have moved a fraction. But at 30 seconds on a tripod they still record as dots of light, not streaks.

I also tweaked the white balance to bring up some of the colour in the sky, deepened the blacks in Lightroom and used a screen blending mode in reduced its opacity in Photoshop to bring out the full glory of what I had witnessed.

If I had used the stars as they were in the actual shot it wouldn't have made such a good image and the light pollution from Portree spoiled it too.

Some will feel this makes the image invalid. Some will feel there is no problem with it. I have no issues with it, as I said, as long as the photographer is up front about it and doesn't claim to have captured something they haven't in order to boost their 'status' or whatever.

Just a couple of things...

Sligachan II
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

Just a brief blog to catch up on some stuff from this week.


First of all, the Macro Photography Masterclass on Monday 30th November is now fully booked. If you would like advance notice of my workshops in different areas of photography please contact me via my website at http://www.dougchinnery.co.uk/ or send me a Flickrmail, or leave a message here with your contact info.


Next, I came across a photographers website this week, the quality of whose images astounded me. I was astounded I hadn't heard of him before either. I always encourage the students on my workshops to spend time where they can learning from images created by others. This photographers name is Marc Adamus and you can see his website here - http://www.marcadamus.com/index.php


If you only have a couple of minutes go into his personal favorites gallery. It took my breath away... and made me a bit jealous of those photographers who live in the Pacific Northwest of America. I love Scotland, Wales and all the other beautiful locations of the UK but Oregon, Washington State and Montana just seems to have landscapes and light on a different level.


We have been planning our 25th wedding anniversary holiday for a couple of years now and we settled on this area. It is an expensive trip with flights, accomodation, car hire and all the rest so we have been saving a little each month for two years and have another 18 months to go. I am going to try and get three weeks over there. If I come back with just a couple of images close to Marcs, I will be a happy chappy.


I also wanted to thank the Worksop Photographic Society for being brave enough to invite me to speak to them at one of their meetings. They are an enthusiastic and knowledgeable group with some superb photographers. Ages there ranged from around 12/13 to well, shall we say over retirement age with everything in between. Men and women who obvioulsy love photography and are keen to learn and improve. I hope I wasn't too boring.


I spoke on 'Making Money from Photography' and 'Perfecting Landscapes'. They have invited me back next year. Gluttons for punishment.


If you want to improve, whatever level you feel you are at now and whatever camera you have, no matter how basic, you will find them friendly and keen to encourgage you. They have their own website at http://www.worksop-photo-society.co.uk/ and you can pop along to a meeting to join - you are sure of a warm welcome.


On a final note, I would like some feedback on the kind of workshops you may be interested in to see if I can meet what people want. Would any of the following be of interest?


1. A workshop on either the 28th, 29th or 30th December - probably landscapes out in the Hathersage area - to escape the overindulgence or to be an excuse to miss the sales?


2. A workshop on workflow - from getting it right in camera, through downloading and backing up to using Lightroom and Photoshop or Elements to process your images and how to prepare them for print, the web etc?


3. A landscape workshop for the disabled or older photographer with mobility issues? Most landscape courses involve walking possibly a bit of hill climbing and so on. I am wondering if a day where you can work from a wheelchair, your car even or where just a few steps are needed from the parking spot would be of interest?


4. A photowalk workshop. I wondered if anyone thought a good idea for a workshop would be a walk where we all travel quite light along a route and photograph as we go, combining some exercise with photography - so whatever is along the route we capture, landscapes, wildlife, architecture, people - whatever, with me giving help and instruction as we go?


I would also be interested to hear if you have ever thought, "I could do with help on...." - maybe I can develop a workshop to meet a need that is not being met at the moment.


I appreciate you taking the time to comment and look forward to hearing your thoughts.


I had some prints delivered this week - off to put them in frames now, the exciting bit! I always leave my images on the wall too long. A case of the cobblers children having no shoes. I am a photographer and yet don't rotate my images often enough. (I also have to confess, very embarrasedly, that I even have some Ikea photos on the wall in the kitchen - they were supposed to be up there just for a few weeks when we moved in and I just haven't got round to taking them down and replacing them with my own. Imagine how embarrasing it is when visitors ask if they are mine. Hangs head in shame. Now they must go!)


Happy snapping


Doug

Macro Masterclass Workshop

Deep Vein Thrombosis
Originally uploaded by thefatcat44

I am holding a Macro Photography workshop on Monday 31st November at my home close to junction 31 of the M1 / the junction of the A57 with the A1.

If you have ever wanted to master macro photography or would like to use a macro lens for the first time (I will have three spare lenses for students to use for the day) this will be the workshop for you.


The atmosphere is relaxed and the discussions are kept as simple as possible - I aim to help you at a pace and level you find understandable. So if you are a novice or experienced camera user you will find the workshop helpful.


Macro photography is ideal for wet, dull days when you can't get out and shoot, or when you need to stay at home.


Working with natural light, studio lights and flash on a wide range of macro subjects we will look at how to perfect your macro images both technically and compositionally.


I provide a selection of high quality items ideal for macro images including flowers, shells, leaves, fossils, metal surfaces and so on.


We will look at floral photography using the maro lens, abstract and fine art macro photography, how to use things from around the home to produce stunning images. We will cover how to work in full manual mode as well as working in aperture priority and spend time demonstrating how depth of field affects macro images.


We will also look at the benefits of working in RAW and how to process your macro shots in Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Elements or Adobe Photoshop. I also cover how to have a workflow to maximise the quality of your images and how to concentrate on processing your very best shots. I also aim to look at how to convert your images into stunning black and white for that fine art look and how to use textures to further develop artistic effects.


A buffet lunch is included in the price of this relaxed and easy to follow workshop. My aim is for you to go home not only with a memory card full of stunning images, but also a solid understanding of how to keep making high quality macro images yourself.


Course participants are limited to four so that you can all have plenty of personal attention and help.


The day will start at 10am and finish around 3 to 4pm depending on your needs. The cost includes lunch and all the macro subjects we will photographing and use of a loan camera (There will be a Canon 5d and a 1ds mk2 available with Sigma 105mm macro lenses. I also have a third Canon fit Sigma 105mm macro lens available if you have a Canon Camera) and macro lens if you need one (just bring your own memory card so you can take the images home with you.) It would be best if you had a tripod to make the most of the day, although I have two tripods which will be available on loan if required.


The day will cost £55, payable on the day. Please use the 'contact us' form on my website to book a place at www.dougchinnery.co.uk


I hope you are able to join us.

PS. This workshop is now fully booked. If you would like advance notice of future workshops please just contact me via my website at http://www.dougchinnery.co.uk/ and I will email you as new workshops are announced.