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PHOTOGRILL: Why did you take the photo ‘This Land Of Mind’?
PHOTOGRAPHER: I spend a lot of my time in the Lake District in the North West of England, its a stunning location with sprawling lakes such as this with mountainous backdrops. I found Wastwater last year and I set out to photograph it this year. I found Wastwater more by chance after reading about it, I did not expect it to be as stunning as it was but I did not take all the equipment I needed with me such as grad filters. I returned this year to do the place some justice and it still blew me away even knowing what I would find. There is a single road that takes you to this location and you travel through forests before it suddenly opened up to reveal itself. I have seen people come here to photograph but simply stand there for a long while taking the place in. Then they remember why they came. There is no development here at all, no tourist cafes or anything apart from a pub at the every end of the road that has been there for over 150 years. The land is owned by the National Trust and is kept the way nature intended, its is lush, green and serene, one of my favourite places on the planet.
PHOTOGRILL: How did you make the image?
PHOTOGRAPHER: The foreground of the image is in fact the small river that feeds the lake, I wanted some scale between the small rocks in the water and the hills in the background, I split the image by the rule of thirds. Water at the bottom, mountains central and then the sky. The eye should be led up the image so the viewer got the same sense of scale of the place as me standing there. It’s immense, a land of folklore, I wanted to show movement in the clouds but stillness in the water to emphasise this.
For me every image needs to evoke a story for of the viewer. I try to convey how I felt at the time of taking the image, if its a straight portrait it needs a back-story so its more than just a face. If its a landscape they need to feel as though they are there with you taking the image.
PHOTOGRILL: What were the technical details?
PHOTOGRAPHER: The image was taken using a gripped Canon 7D with the Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle lens set at 10mm. It was on a tripod as its a long exposure at 100secs, I used a Lee Big Stopper to slow the shutter speed down with a Hitech 0.9 Soft ND Grad to keep the sky exposure level right. F-stop was at f/20 to keep the sharpness and the ISO was set at 100. Post editing included a conversion to HDR using Photomatix but with the strength tuned down, I only wanted to bring a little more of the detail out without killing the shot. It was then edited in both Lightroom and CS5 where I played with the colours to tweak them up a little.
PHOTOGRILL: What else happened?
PHOTOGRAPHER: I have other shots taken from the same place but I was stood in the river, no shoes, jeans rolled up and a firm grip on the camera. I have lost equipment to water before. When I first started out with photography I was shooting by the edge of a lake on a high bank, I wanted to change a lens and put my bag down, placed my camera in the bag and took the lens out I wanted to check it. I nudged the bag with my foot and it rolled down the bank and into the water! It had my motorbike keys in as well as all my equipment, I had no choice but to strip off and get in to get it back, it was the middle of autumn and freezing cold water, I went home after that and am now very careful around any water.
PHOTOGRILL: Tell us about your photography in general.
PHOTOGRAPHER: I tend to photograph within a local area but travel within England, I am hoping to expand my horizons in the future, I would love to travel more to the more remote areas. I have a general approach to photography, some are planned shots, others are opportunistic. I enjoy both landscape and street images. I am still an amateur with dreams of going pro but with the economic situation its not a good move just yet.
Sometimes my photography can be planned, most landscapes are, I tend to have a location in mind and go equipped, such as Wastwater, very beautiful location. My street portraits are entirely opportunistic, you never know what you will get until you hit the street, the only thing you are sure of is that you will be in a urban location.
PHOTOGRILL: What drives you to be in the elements making photos?
PHOTOGRAPHER: I have always had an artistic streak but no patience. Photography is ideal for me, I love being out with the camera and finding new places and people. I love coming home and finding what I have. I never delete any image, I have in total over 500 gig stored as stock images. I enjoy the golden hours of early morning sunrises or late night sunsets, the lighting is always so much better and you get to be alone with what you do.
PHOTOGRILL: Tell us about hardware & software?
PHOTOGRAPHER: I use Lightroom a lot as it allows me to play with individual colours, tones and luminosity, you can make such a difference to an image by playing with seperate colours, for me its one of the best post editing programs there is. Weight is not an issue but quality is, I consider lenses as the most important equipment and have just invested in the Canon 70-200mmL f2.8 IS II USM, expensive and heavy but the results speak for themselves. When I am asked about equipemt I always say byt the best you can affort, glass is important.
a a This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 at 7:30 am. It is filed under The Grill and tagged with Creative Photography, Landscape Photography, Photographic Techniques. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Over the past few years, printing photos at home has become much easier and quicker than it used to be. Producing great results is now within anybody’s reach, provided that a few simple factors are borne in mind. Here are five of the most important.
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A common mistake when selecting an image to print is to use one that is of too low a resolution. A photo to be printed on paper needs to be of higher resolution than one that will remain on a computer screen, so the camera being used should be set to its highest possible image quality levels. Using a digital SLR rather than a compact camera will generally produce sharper, more detailed results. It’s also important to remember that colours look different on paper from how they appear on a computer monitor; some test prints of smaller pictures will help in making a final selection.
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It’s easy to be dazzled by a lengthy specification list. However, if a printer is incapable of printing high-quality images, no amount of options and settings will give satisfying results. Choosing a printer from a well-established manufacturer with a good reputation is more likely to bring success. The best quality is generally obtained from a colour laser printer, but this type is still considerably more expensive than an inkjet printer. Some cheaper inkjet models have no separate black ink tank, instead emulating the colour by mixing other inks together; these are usually unsuitable for photo printing.
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It is often tempting to buy photo-editing software that can do absolutely everything, even if it is expensive. Occasionally, these pro-level features are required for perfect results. Most of the time, though, doing this is simply throwing money down the drain, since the features that are needed for the majority of people are included in much less expensive packages. Once software has been purchased, it helps to spend time getting comfortable with it and learning its basic features. Then, printing out photos can be accomplished quickly and efficiently, without the need to keep referring to the manual.
INFOGRAPHIC BY RAJAPACK
Even if everything else is perfect, the wrong paper can leave a photo looking lifeless, with photographers unfairly blaming their equipment for the disappointing appearance of their prints. Therefore, the desired finish needs to be considered: the most basic division is between matt (or matte) and gloss papers. The glossier the paper used, the more vibrancy pictures printed on it will have – but at the cost of potentially distracting glare. Satin paper is a semi-gloss style which gives a good balance for general use. Cheap paper can have imperfections in its finish, so skimping on this is usually a false economy.
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However good the equipment available, poor results are still likely if the process is rushed. It is important to allow plenty of time, not just for the actual printing but also for preparation. Enough paper and ink should be available to allow several trial runs, so that the final photo will look just right, rather than looking like a first draft. It also helps not to get worked up if things go wrong, since this is likely to result in impaired judgement and a higher chance of making mistakes. Finally, getting someone else’s opinion can be valuable in spotting previously unnoticed flaws.
Veteran National Geographic photographer Sam Abell offers a look inside the heart and mind of a master photographer.
Photography News Around the Web:1. Eye-opening: Photography Brings Life to Blind Students via CNN
2. Steve Schapiro Talks Photography Then and Now via WWD
3. Princess Photographer: Kate Middleton Goes Behind the Camera via TIME
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniel N
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When Sarah Hill discovered Dave on Wheel's Twitter Page, he had 8 followers. Sarah couldn't believe how insightful and funny the profoundly deaf paraplegic with cerebral palsy was. She friended him, followed by Erin Willett, and Dave's following quickly grew to 800 until I posted this story about Dave yesterday. In less than 24 hours, Dave has eclipsed 7,500 Twitter followers.
It's fascinating how technology has unlocked the genius bottled up in Dave. Dave uses a special computer called Tobii to type, it can read his visual instructions. And then there's Twitter, the vehicle that carries Dave's hilarious insights out to the world. A couple short years ago none of what is happening now would even be possible.
Many of you probably noticed Dave's Twitter Machine was silent for most of the day yesterday until Dave's sister hopped on his Twitter to update the Chivers. Dave had a crucial procedure during the day. On a day when Dave needed positive vibes the most, the Chivers delivered it in spades.
Later in the evening, Dave's Twitter machine sprung to life. He was so appreciative for the support as you'll see below. Dave has some very difficult days ahead of him right now, Chivers. He needs all the support he can get. Yet even after a grueling day, Dave didn't complain one bit. Right until the moment when the nurse turned off the lights, Dave was making jokes.
Dave's Twitter Machine.
For updates on Dave’s condition, follow is sister right here.
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Yesterday was a watershed moment in theCHIVE's history. It marked a day when years of work to bring all of our charity in-house came to fruition. After officially launching Chive Charities, it took the Chivers only 6 hours to eclipse the single largest financial goal we've ever set. We could not have pulled all this off without y'all. You proved to the world that the flash-mob charity model is here to stay and, most importantly, you forever changed the course of a little girl's life for the better.
Zoe and her family were at theCHIVE offices all day. We all sat around the TV watching as the totals came in - kinda' like election day only without all the bullshit. The Lush family was more or less in shock for the first couple hours but it gave way to the most genuine excitement I've ever seen. And finally, gratitude. Zoe's family has asked me to thank the Chivers from the bottom of their hearts. It's been a long hard road for them, and finally now you've brought a light to a dark corner.
Even though Zoe's campaign is closed, hundreds of Chivers have emailed us asking to donate to Zoe. If you'd like to send them anything personally. Here is the address:
Curtis, Chelsea, and Zoe Lush
21342 Compass Ln.
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
Because we have brought everything in-house, we must account for every expenditure that we make. We itemize Zoe's specific needs and set the financial goal based on that. The IRS guidelines force us to be more rigid with our campaigns and that's ok. The days of soaring past our goals are over but our days of helping more people have just begun. Enter the Chive Charities Fund.
There is an important component to yesterday's Chive Charities inaugural launch that I want to make everybody aware of. As many of you know, I receive dozens of emails everyday from Chivers who seek out theCHIVE for help. I still read all of these stories personally. What I've noticed is that many Chivers need a small amount to make a big difference.
For example: Let's say there is a Chivette mother of three. Her apartment burned down recently and she's back home living with her mom. She emails me and just needs help getting back on her feet, $5,000 would do the trick. She doesn't want any more than that.
Now if I launched a major campaign on theCHIVE homepage asking the Chivers to donate to this woman, you'd build her a mansion in the Hamptons, and probably a boathouse out back. It's the amazing flaw inherent in theCHIVER's prodigious capacity for giving, you won't stop until the machine breaks.
The Chive Fund exists to support people in need of smaller generosities than the headline campaigns, help underfunded campaigns meet their goals, and build support that allows Chive Charities to operate (currently 1 awesome employee). Leo and I will never receive a paycheck from Chive Charities.
By becoming a Charity Chiver at one of our 4 levels or making a one-time donation to the Chive Fund, you are helping champion the underdogs. There are a number of cool perks you receive for becoming a member, not least of which is getting your hands on those awesome Chive Charity shirts we're all wearing in these photos as well as first-look at all the 'impossible shirts'.
Or you can simply make a one-time donation.
Chive Charities will be our lasting legacy. I will now be able to read these emails from worthy individuals who just need a little help and offer more than a few kind words of support. With your help I can now offer real help. We'll be sure to bring you the stories of the Chivers you help with The Fund on theCHIVE.
Lastly, I can't thank you enough for what you've done yesterday. Not only did you help Zoe, but across the globe now, we've helped achieve a greater understanding of a misunderstood disorder. Only good things can come from that. The world is slowly getting 10% happier.
Donate to the Chive Charities Fund RIGHT HERE.
Now please enjoy a gallery of yesterday's events...
Zoe is not mentally disabled. She was, on some level, aware of the gravity of the situation. She clapped when we hit each $10,000 level and signed goodbye to all of us when she left.
Thanks again, Chivers.
Donate to the Chive Charities Fund RIGHT HERE.
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This year, I've had the privilege of raising a glass with hundreds of our service men and women. I'm humbled that theCHIVE has provided a temporary escape for our soldiers and sailers on deployment as well as our veterans who sacrificed so much to protect our freedom here at home.
A profound thank you and Happy Veteran's Day from everybody here at theCHIVE. We'll see many of your in Austin on Thursday, drinks are on me.
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First, I have to thank Tito's Handmade Vodka for sponsoring this event. They came to theCHIVE offices and asked us where we wanted to go. We immediately responded, "Seattle, before the weather gets super shitty."
Thanks to all the Chivers for coming out to play. It turned out to be one of the best times we've ever had. The Emerald City came to party, man. I made some good friends that night and we'll be back for more soon.
Thanks to Garage Billiards for being generally awesome. Any bar that has a fucking bowling alley in it is already awesome, but the staff there were amazing that night from what I remember.
And thanks again to the Belltown Pub for hosting the after party. I can't imagine what it looks like to see hundreds of wildly intoxicated Chivers steamrolling your bar at 1am looks like, but you handled yourself with poise and grace. I highly recommend the chicken wings.
I'm done thanking people now. No thanks especially to Mac, who was not invited and showed up anyway. His ability to elude security is legendary.
Check out the (very cool) timelapse video of the meetup below!
We always welcome your input on where to hold the next meetup. It’s time to announce the next offical Chive meetup will be held in Austin, TX, November 15th. Details shortly.
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