Photography for Novices

'Surprise' Gifts

2011-07-17T00:05:00.000+01:00

This photo is from yesterday's wedding. It is the same photo on the left and the right and the reason that I am showing you this photo is that I took a 'surprise' 10" x 8" photo back to the evening reception. I also took back some fridge magnets for the couple and their parents and these are 9cm x 6cm so these proportions are on the right. I did print them out in colour but it is an easy click of a button to convert to monochrome and to sepia.

When they collect their photos they will get all the variations in a 6:4 format as they will get so many that this is the easiest format to get them printed. It is also handy as the proportions that work for the photos also work for fridge magnets.

Happy snapping

Joining Two Photos

2011-07-15T23:10:00.002+01:00

I don't think you would notice that the photo on the right is impossible unless I explained it to you. The photo on the left is genuine. I took two photos and joined them together for the photo on the right.

It is useful to have a common factor in both photos and that is the floor and that is where the join is made. I have a little room for manoeuvre in that I have cropped both photos a little as both have the floor in the frame.

I did have an idea of adding one floor to the next to the next but it would be a long thin photo. I might go for three floors next time I am there but it will work anywhere you can see the opposite side of the stairs.

Happy snapping

Directing the eye

2011-07-11T00:05:00.000+01:00

If I am asking for a photo then I say when I am taking it. There are times like this one when I just wait for the opportunities and this moment is particularly important as it is the first time that the groom sees the bride.

Computer techniques have made photo manipulation so much easier and keeping part of the photo in colour and part in monochrome is one of the easier techniques. As you can see on the right, it certainly directs the eye to the main subjects of the photo.

Happy snapping

Conscious Manipulation

2011-07-10T22:21:00.002+01:00

I like this scene. It is only two minutes from the Ashton Memorial but it looks like we are a long way from it. This also happens to be the photo that I took back in the evening as my 'surprise' gift. Unfortunately I did not have time to take out all the weeds but I really don't think this was the first thing the couple thought about when they saw the photo.

There are a few changes that you can see and some you can't. You'll have to trust me on the weeds because I won't show the original. You also get converging verticals when you are too close to a building. This means that because the top of the building is so much further away than the bottom and this makes the top look narrower. The eye corrects this perspective subconsciously but the computer has to correct the photo consciously.

Happy snapping

Sepia Fridge Magnet

2011-07-09T00:05:00.000+01:00

I was back in Morecambe taking photos yesterday so I did get chance to return in the evening and take an enlargement with me plus three fridge magnets. Well the magnets protect the photo and it does mean they don't need framing. I usually take three so that the bride and groom can give them to their parents but it is up to them what they do with them.

I didn't have much time to choose a photo and even if I were given plenty of time and I still chose this photo, I would definitely take out the door closure. It adds clutter to the background and sky would be so much better. I knew this couple liked monochrome and sepia so they received the sepia version on the right.

Happy snapping

Colour and Sepia

2011-07-04T00:05:00.000+01:00

This is a contender for the fridge magnet photo. I have converted it to monochrome and given it a little more contrast. I feel this gives the photo a little more impact. Back in the 1970s I used to have my own darkroom and I would choose darkroom photo paper with higher contrasts. Paper was numbered one to five (and still is) with higher contrast with higher numbers. You see photographic manipulation is nothing new!

I also converted to sepia and then finally I gave the sepia version a white vignette around the edge - there it is on the right. Sepia toning was a Victorian technique which meant that photographs took longer to fade and it had the enhanced benefit of making the photo look warmer. It looks like the couple have an instant tan.

Happy snapping

Not the fridge magnet yet

2011-07-03T21:31:00.002+01:00

This photo is from yesterday's wedding. I usually show the photo that I make into fridge magnets and it is usually a standard pose (not like this photo). However yesterday I couldn't get home to make the magnets as the wedding was in Blackpool. Some of you may recognise the Norbreck Castle in the background.

Much more important than the background is th foreground and that is why I like this type of photo. If the couple are able to pose like this then I can guarantee natural smiles. Tomorrow I will show you the photo that may become the fridge magnet but I still have a few days to choose.

Happy snapping

Not really cheating

2011-06-18T00:05:00.000+01:00

And here are a couple of the backgrounds that I took two days ago. We did look at other backgrounds too but you get the idea that technology really has advanced and we now have so much more control.

One thing you won't see are weeds. I tend to think that the grass could have been cut an hour earlier so taking a few weeds out isn't really cheating.

Happy snapping

Wedding Practice

2011-06-17T22:11:00.002+01:00

This photo was taken at yesterday's pre-wedding meeting. I like to go through some different poses and this is one of my favourites. You don't naturally face your partner when you are having your photo taken but it is a nice pose.

As for the bag, well this is a stand-in for the flowers. In the close-up you just get a touch of flowers - well they are practising.

At this meeting I am also concerned with the backgrounds. The couple will walk around the venue with me but I mainly look for their view on the background for the group photo and with the advances in technology I can send them the photos with the possibilities for this background.

Happy snapping

A fairly easy technique

2011-06-09T00:05:00.003+01:00

And finally for this pre-wedding meeting I wanted to show you one of the characteristics of my wedding photography - the photo on a photo. It is a fairly easy technique, but isn't anything when you know how to do it.

A photo is much lighter on a monitor than it is when printed so I have to make the photo much darker when it is placed onto a picture frame. In this case it was a mirror but as you don't see what's underneath it doesn't really matter whether it is a mirror or a photo.

The think I like about this type of photo is it looks like you have gone to the trouble of printing a huge photo and getting it framed. It would also work as a billboard or in this case maybe we should wait for a passing tram.

Happy snapping

Similar but different

2011-06-08T00:05:00.000+01:00

I mentioned that we look at the different poses at the pre-wedding meeting and this is one of those poses. The photo on the left looks fairly similar to the one on the right but one is a piggy-back and the other is one person sat on a chair and the other standing. Can you work out which is which?

I am guessing that you can see which is which but the giveaway for me are the smiles. It doesn't really matter where this photo is taken. It could be outdoors with a distinctive building in the background or it could be anywhere indoors.

Happy snapping

Background Preferences

2011-06-07T00:05:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I mentioned that I like to look for where we can take photos at the pre-wedding meeting. By walking for two minutes we get a good background for the group photo. You have to walk for at least two minutes from this hotel because it is so large. If the photo is taken any closer you get a distorted perspective caused by converging verticals. Basically if you are too close the sides of a building look like they are leaning towards each other. A similar thing happens to a path as it goes towards the horizon. The further the path gets, the smaller it gets.

The couple haven't moved anywhere on the right. I just walked around to get a totally different background. I can tidy up grass on the computer but the pre-wedding meeting taught me that we could walk a few more steps and it would save me some work. It is also worth taking the photos to show the bride and groom and then they can say which backgrounds they prefer.

Happy snapping

The case for a vignette

2011-06-06T00:05:00.000+01:00

One of the reasons to have a pre-wedding meeting is to be able to go through the different poses. I also like to see where the photos may be taken. In this photo we are practising one of the poses and there will be flowers between them on the actual day.

I converted to sepia and gave the photo an oval vignette on the right. I thought that this vignette worked well here. Sometimes I use this type of vignette because there are distractions in the corners of the photo but in this case there is no object of interest in any of the corners and the vignette works just as well.

Happy snapping

One line is straight

2011-06-05T19:34:00.002+01:00

This is Little Moreton Hall near Congleton and if you compare this blog entry with my last then you may have guessed that I have a National Trust membership. I visited this hall on Friday and despite what you might see it was quite busy.

I could have removed people digitally but I decided to wait a moment. There were some people just out of shot. I converted to monochrome and slightly increased the contrast as that is what I thought the Tudor building wanted. You won't find any straight lines on the building and there is no horizon so I couldn't improve on the orientation but I think one of the lines is straight.

Happy snapping

Lyme Hall / Pemberley

2011-05-29T20:02:00.002+01:00

I went to Lyme Park a couple of days ago. The weather wasn't brilliant but there were a few rays of sunshine which only lasted a few seconds. On the left was the usual lighting and this would have been my preferred view of the Hall. A few steps later and the sun came out. This is the view on the right. I am not keen on unattached branches hanging in view but the lighting is so much better.

I couldn't finish this blog entry without writing about Fitzwilliam Darcy. In 1995 the BBC decided this was their Pemberley and Colin Firth should go for a swim. Let's hope it was a warm day.

Happy snapping

The first dance

2011-05-21T00:05:00.000+01:00

When I take a photo of the first dance I like to amend them a few times. The bride and groom get the original and then I will blur the background. Then I convert to monochrome and then sepia, usually with a vignette like that on the right.

Anyone can take a photo like these as I am not telling the couple where to stand or where to look. I hope the difference between my photos and those of family and friends is that they don't know how to make the changes on the computer.

Happy snapping

Thank You Card

2011-05-20T00:05:00.001+01:00

I don't remember why I got the expressions on the left but it does add to the many other photos that could have been used for the thank you photo on the right. I pick on a couple of photos, add them together and it becomes an inexpensive way of sending a thank you card. All you have to do is fold a piece of A5 card and stick one photo on the front, one on the back and write something in the middle.

The photo on the left didn't make the final two for the card and there were dozens of possibilities. However I am always willing to put any two photos together. This time I was even thinking of the photo seen on Tuesday with the new pose.

Happy snapping

Colour and Monochrome

2011-05-19T00:05:00.000+01:00

Both of these photos are examples of a very simple technique in which you leave part in colour when most of the photo is converted to monochrome. Even though it is a simple technique it should not be forgotten but I only use it sparingly. Out of well over four hundred photos that I will be giving to this couple, these are the only two examples of this particular technique.

If you like the colour and monochrome together then that's nice. If you don't then it doesn't matter because they do get a colour version and a completely monochrome version too.

Happy snapping

Don't avoid the props

2011-05-18T00:05:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I showed you a pose that I had never used before which was inspired by the wedding cake models. Today I can show you another pose that I have never used before inspired by a children's play area. I didn't expect the groom to climb up for the photo on the left but I was quite prepared to take the photo as he managed to get up there.

We had looked at photos in this play area and the one on the right was one that we had planned. You don't get natural smiles like this without something happening so whenever I see a play area I don't avoid it, I head straight for it.

Happy snapping

A new pose

2011-05-17T00:05:00.000+01:00

I am always looking for new poses and this is the first time that I have used this pose. It is also the first time that I have seen cake models in this pose.

I always take photos like that on the left but the one on the right is much less frequent. The great thing was that it was a bit of fun, not that it is difficult to get great photos at weddings as everyone has taken time to get ready and they are there for a celebration.

Happy snapping

That's a nice lawn

2011-05-16T00:05:00.004+01:00

This is a typical wedding pose. I like the train in this direction as we read photos like we read books, from left to right. The eye catches the end of the train and leads us to the faces. Then you may take a look at the lawn and background shrubs.

We went to this venue recently for a pre-wedding meeting and I said that it wasn't really cheating if I took weeds out of the lawn because the grass may have been recently cut. Well it was, but there were still one or two weeds to take out digitally.

Happy snapping

Yesterday's wedding

2011-05-15T00:05:00.000+01:00

This photo is from yesterday's wedding. When I go back in the evening I like to take an enlargement and that is on the left. It was a 10"x 8" print which makes the proportions 5:4. I also take fridge magnets which are 9cm x 6cm which happens to be the same proportion of the most common size of photo 6"x 4".

So you know the reasons for the different proportions but by putting them in the same blog you can see which you prefer. I have worked on quite a few of the photos now but you also know why I chose these photos - because I have worked on them.

Happy snapping

Looking for different methods

2011-05-12T00:04:00.000+01:00

I passed this statue yesterday morning. I have written about it before and I have taken it from various angles and at different times of the day, but that doesn't mean there may be other photos that are better. The chances are that my opinion as to which photo is better is different from yours. It may be that tomorrow my preference may change. So it is important to look at other ways in which to shoot the same subject.

Yesterday morning there was a photographer taking photos here and he was using a telephoto lens. This type of lens has a shorter depth of field which means the background is more likely to be blurred. So maybe I'll try that next time I am on the prom.

Happy snapping

Manchester Angels and Demons

2011-05-11T00:05:00.001+01:00

I watched Angels and Demons again recently and I wondered how far fetched it could be to have a theme of following directions from statues.

These two statues are in Manchester. On the left Gladstone is pointing into the air but if you looked at it from above could you make up your own direction to another statue? You will find him in Albert Square which is dominated by the Albert Memorial but he isn't pointing anywhere. On the right is the silhouette of Richard Cobden in St Ann's Square. The silhouette makes it two-dimensional but I could have taken this image from any angle.

Happy snapping

A natural pose

2011-05-10T00:05:00.000+01:00

This photo was taken a few hours ago. The reason I took it is because of the lighting. I took a photo a few months ago when a desk light was the sole light and in this case the computer screen is the main source.

On the right I converted to monochrome. Less obvious is the change I made to the periphery of the photo. There is a dark vignette which puts more interest on the centre of the photo. This is a simple technique. You can't use flash but you have to keep the camera still. A tripod is nice but just leave the camera on a chair and use a timer and in this way your photo may result in a natural pose.

Happy snapping

No kissing babies

2011-05-09T00:05:00.000+01:00

Here is proof that we did everything right at the local election and still managed to lose. Alright it's more an example of a photography technique that leaves part of the photo in colour and part in monochrome.

It is the sort of technique commonly used in wedding photography when flowers are the last remaining part in colour. It works better if the flowers are brightly coloured and works well with rosettes.

Happy snapping

Still inside St Helen's Church

2011-05-08T00:05:00.002+01:00

This is the stained glass window which is behind the altar at St Helen's Overton, and you saw it yesterday in the background. The photo on the left is a simple cropping. There is a distraction from the wonderful detail in the window which is to be seen all along the periphery. A tighter cropping corrects this and can be seen on the right. You may also notice a slight distortion to fit into the common proportions of 3:2 but I don't think you would notice if you were only looking at the photo on the right.

Happy snapping

Inside St Helen's Church

2011-05-07T22:25:00.003+01:00

This photo puts the inscriptions into context. The "university challenge" amendment yesterday may be alright if you want to make a bookmark or a ruler as a memento of the church, but they really belong beside each other, not one on top of the other.

In this photo you also see the altar and another stained glass window. I'll show you this window in more detail tomorrow.

Happy snapping

True University Challenge Style

2011-05-06T00:05:00.000+01:00

There are not only fine stained glass windows in St Helen's Overton, but there are also some wonderful inscriptions. The photo on the left is a typical photo taken with a standard lens and a tripod. This is natural light not flash.

I have amended this photo by correcting the distortion. I have also changed the surrounding light falling on the plaster because I added one inscription on top of the other, in true university challenge style.

Happy snapping

It is still St Helen's

2011-05-05T00:05:00.000+01:00

We are still at St Helen's Church in Overton but have moved indoors. I wanted to show you one of the stained glass windows for a few reasons. It shows you the beautiful work that has gone in to creating the window. You have to be inside the church to appreciate these windows but they really are works of art.

It is fairly easy to take these photos. You do need a tripod because you have to use natural light. It is better to avoid shutter blur by using a remote trigger or, as I did, set the timer to two seconds. Less obviously I have amended the distortion caused as I took this photo below the centre of the window. This perspective makes the bottom of the window broader than the top, but this isn't the way our brain appreciates the view. So until you read this second paragraph I bet you didn't notice.

Happy snapping

Removing weeds and a path

2011-05-04T00:05:00.000+01:00

I liked the image from yesterday that only showed St Helen's Church as the house was hidden by a shrub. I prefer it when the gardener has just taken the weeds out but hey I can do that on the computer.

I thought the path was a distraction as well as the weeds so you can see the amended photo on the left. I hope you can see the point of removing weeds digitally but maybe removing a path is beyond the pale. In that case I have made a closer cropping on the right.

Happy snapping

Different perspectives

2011-05-03T00:05:00.000+01:00

This variation to remove the house is really quite simple - walk a little bit and change the perspective. Now that I am on the other side of the stone wall the house is not seen in the photo on the left.

On the right the house is disguised by shrubbery. I prefer this view because it gives depth to the church. The photo on the left is the kind of perspective that a child would use when painting. The other view is much more sophisticated. Here you know so much more about the building but it still isn't good enough. I'll show you more tomorrow.

Happy snapping

St Helen's Church Overton

2011-05-02T00:05:00.000+01:00

A few days ago I took these photos of St Helen's Church in Overton. I have taken photos at several weddings here and it really is a beautiful and ancient church.

It was built in the thirteenth century and this photo could have been taken at any time. Alright we didn't have photography until the nineteenth century and the big problem with making this view historic is not the trees, they could have had similar trees hundreds of years ago. The big problem is the house which has a look of the 1960s about it. Tomorrow I'll show you some variations to remove the house.

Happy snapping

Can you see this join?

2011-05-01T00:05:00.003+01:00

Yesterday's question was could you see the join? Well we are now with the next generation but it is the same question. However this time the large number means that this time it would have been really helpful to have a larger black piece of material.

The computer has extended the backdrop but I had to work around hair. Yesterday there were no difficult areas to work around but the proof of the pudding is whether you can see the join.

Happy snapping

Can you see the join?

2011-04-30T00:05:00.001+01:00

Children are great for portraits. They don't mind having their photo taken and I can take as many as I like. At this age I can even give some direction (but not much).

There is an obvious change to monochrome on the right. Less obviously I have done my usual trick of using a dark piece of material but it is not the length of the room. I use the computer to fill-in the gap. Can you see where it is yet?

Happy snapping

No link with Labour and Lenin

2011-04-29T00:05:00.000+01:00

As it is less than a week to our local elections I thought I would choose a political theme for the photography blog and this is one of those occasions when I use the same blog entry for both of my blogs.

It is well over twenty years since a Labour councillor showed me the similarity between the Labour Rose and the silhouette of Lenin. I have always thought that there was a strong resemblance but now that I have worked on the photo of a leaflet I am not convinced. Maybe the Labour Rose has changed over the years but I think I will settle on the notion that there is no connection.

Happy snapping

A flock of birds of liberty

2011-04-28T00:05:00.000+01:00

I am standing for election to Morecambe Town Council and for Lancaster City Council next week. We have been putting leaflets out all year (and last year) but normally the leaflets are produced by us on a Riso printer. We have gone upmarket towards the election and the photo on the left is the background used for one of the leaflets.

All you have to do is increase the brightness and decrease the contrast and add the Bird of Liberty for good measure. All I had to do after this was add a few words on top of the background. On the right I thought it would be interesting to add a flock of birds to Morecambe Bay but this didn't go to the printer.

Happy snapping

A computer-generated lawnmower

2011-04-27T00:05:00.000+01:00

I often show the same photo in colour and in monochrome. The two photos place the emphasis on different aspects of the photo. Look to the left and your eye is taken by the green of the grass and the colour in the building. On the right the grass is hardly noticeable and the angles of the building take on a much greater significance.

Even to the trained eye it is almost impossible to see that I have removed the weeds from the lawn. There weren't many but why should the one or two bright colours cause a distraction? Some people may say that I should not manipulate photos as it is not "honest". Well if you think photos are honest, whatever that means, you dismiss the artistic side of photography. I haven't found anyone yet who objected to my use of the computer-generated lawnmower.

I am showing these photos to identify one more aspect of the pre-wedding meeting - to find the places that identify the venue. I know the place where the bride and groom need to stand and so do they.

Happy snapping

A simple background

2011-04-26T00:05:00.000+01:00

Pre-wedding meetings are also about poses, (see yesterday's blog) and here is pose number one. Basically it is the pose everyone couple takes up if they are having their photo taken. Bodies slightly towards each other and facing the camera.

Even this simple pose needs a background and I do like green bits because they don't distract from the main subjects. Obviously many of the photos at a wedding need to identify the venue but you also need plain backgrounds.

Happy snapping

More on props

2011-04-25T00:05:00.000+01:00

Five yards on from yesterday is another prop which brings about natural smiles. The last time i was here one of the groomsmen decided that he should climb to the top. That's fine. Much more important than posing everyone is facial expression.

The photo on the left gives you the setting, on the right with the obvious closer cropping and conversion to monochrome, I have also slightly increased contrast and sharpened a little.

I don't particular look for smiles during the pre-wedding meetings but it is always a nice memory fo the day we went to look at the venue.

Happy snapping

Motion Blur

2011-04-24T00:05:00.001+01:00

I went to a pre-wedding meeting this week with the usual aims of finding the backgrounds for photos and in particular where we can have the main group photos. Another aim is to talk through the day including the sorts of poses that are possible. This photo is not a typical pose but park equipment is a great prop.

You may not believe this from this photo but I am not particularly concerned with facial expressions. It is nice to take photos with good natural smiles and a conversion with a motion blur helps too.

Happy snapping

The confetti shot

2011-04-23T00:05:00.000+01:00

There is usually a confetti photograph at weddings and I ask those who are throwing it to make sure they have enough for me to take two photos.

This is a close-up of the second photo and after this we went for a walk around Williamson Park to get photos of all kinds of backgrounds including where they were married, the Ashton Memorial. Immediately after this photo there is the small job of removing the confetti and I ask for the piece they are taking off and I give them back (one from the bride and one from the groom) when they collect their photos.

Happy snapping

Poses and Natural Smiles

2011-04-22T00:05:00.000+01:00

The pose on the left is typical and is one of the photos you just have to have at a wedding. In fact everyone gets this photo and that gives me the chance to get photos like that on the right.

The vast majority of wedding photos on the blog and on my website are of the bride and groom only. They are the people that I ask so it is quite exceptional for me to add flower girls or bridesmaids. I couldn't resist publishing this photo and I can't foresee any objections especially when you get natural expressions like these.

Happy snapping

Morecambe Bay too

2011-04-21T00:05:00.000+01:00

I like to go back for the evening receptions at weddings because I am able to take photos like these as the sun is setting. Every venue has great backgrounds for photos but the big advantage on the Morecambe coast is that you can take photos of Morecambe Bay.

The colour version isn't bad. The sunlight at this time in the evening gives a warm glow to the photo. You can't see that with the sepia version but the bonus is that you lose the distraction of the colour in the background. Would this couple prefer the colour or the sepia or even a monochrome version? It doesn't matter as they get them all.

Happy snapping

Before and after blurring

2011-04-20T00:05:00.000+01:00

For me the facial expression is the most important aspect of wedding photography. Blurring techniques may be a nice addition to any photograph but is nothing in comparison to a relaxed pose.

Here we have the venue for the ceremony in the background. With bit of cropping, a change to monochrome and a blurring apart from the hand, we end up with the photo on the right. The main point for me is that you can still see facial expression even with the blurring. I will tell the groom at this point that he is not in focus and this usually means we get a better expression, both before and after blurring.

Happy snapping

Different proportions

2011-04-19T00:05:00.000+01:00

This was the photo that I took back to the evening reception. You will see that the photo on the left is in the proportion 4:3 and on the right it is 3:2. The reason for this is that I give out fridge magnets which are for the bride and groom and their parents and they are 9cm by 6cm. I also gave them an enlargement which was 8"x 6"/

Take a look at the difference that the proportions makes to the image. Like most things in art and photography, it is down to personal preference. I quite like the fridge magnets and the proportions that go with it but I'll leave the main choice to the bride and groom.

Happy snapping

Almost The Wedding Breakfast

2011-04-18T00:05:00.000+01:00

I like this photograph which has been taken just before the bride and groom join their guests for the wedding breakfast. That's a strange name as it was 4.30pm. I like it because it mimics the photograph taken earlier in the day when the bride and her father were waiting to walk down the aisle.

Even if nobody else thinks it is important, I like to have the bride and groom standing in this order for this photo. I don't ask them to stand on any particular side for any other photo apart from this moment. There may be other reasons that dictate which side they stand, like the wind affecting hair and veil but for all the other photos I make no restrictions as to which side they stand.

Happy snapping

Yesterday's wedding

2011-04-17T00:05:00.003+01:00

This is one of the photos from yesterday's wedding in Lancaster. The reception was in Morecambe and a small diversion took us to this venue for a view of the bay. There aren't many places where you can get a view like this. Fortunately this was only a couple of minutes from the reception.

I often amend photos to monochrome or sepia and on the right I added a vignette to the sepia version. I like the way that these changes make it look like the wedding took place years ago but it really was yesterday.

Happy snapping

A new angle on lights

2011-04-16T00:05:00.000+01:00

I went round to see a friend last week and his son is considering photography as an option for his GCSEs. In the space of thirty minutes we covered exposure and aperture and shutter priorities. He soon picked up the basic workings including manual focus. Mostly we covered the practical aspects of using an SLR.

On the left you realise the need for a fast shutter (unless you are trying to be artistic). If you want to use ambient light you have to use a tripod and timer or remote control. An alternative to a tripod is a floor and that's the photo on the right. Photography helps you to look at things around you. Have you looked at your lights from this angle?

Happy snapping

The same photo

2011-04-15T00:05:00.000+01:00

I thought that it would be interesting to show you these photos or I should say this photo from a recent wedding. It is a simple pose but I am a great believer in facial expression being the most important aspect of portraits.

It is the same photo. Obviously there is a closer cropping on the right. I have also increased contrast and decreased brightness and if you look closely you will see that I have also removed a distracting light or two in the background.

Happy snapping

Eric Morecambe's question

2011-04-13T00:05:00.000+01:00

There are many people who don't like their photos to be taken but you don't usually count children among their number and my grandson is no exception.

The photo on the left is taken in his den. Alright it is a settee that is on its side. The photo on the right is more of a pose in the sense that he is being held. It sounds like a question Eric Morecambe would ask Ernie Wise but can you see where the join is?

Happy snapping

Last two from Saturday

2011-04-12T00:05:00.000+01:00

Here are the last two photos from Preston Grasshoppers taken on Saturday. They were taken within a few seconds of each other as I understand that there were two serious injuries on another pitch. Preston's ground is not very far from the Royal Preston Hospital so these injuries must have been serious to call out the air ambulance.

There have been many calls for the Grand National to be banned following the deaths of two horses. This was happening at the same time that I was taking these photos. I don't know what happened to the rugby players but there must be many serious injuries occuring in many sports and nobody is protesting. I can hear the answer "but people choose to play - the horses don't choose to run in the Grand National". Well they are only horses. I heard Ginger McCain say that these horses died doing what they were trained to do. Even if horse racing was a lot safer there would still be some deaths. I wonder why we don't hear calls to ban sports when humans die.

Happy snapping

Line-out close-up

2011-04-11T00:05:00.000+01:00

Here is another photo from Saturday's match at Preston Grasshoppers. I showed you one photo yesterday along with an enlargement and I have done so again.

I was half-tempted to buy a 300mm lens but for most purposes I would not want such a close-up. I have not been to a rugby match for some time but I did enjoy it, so next time I might take the zoom lens that I already own and see how I get on with that.

Happy snapping

Standard or zoom lens?

2011-04-10T00:05:00.000+01:00

I watched Preston Grasshoppers play Nuneaton yesterday. I have to admit that I like rugby, especially rugby union, but I am not a regular fan. The main reason I went to Preston yesterday was to meet up with an old friend with whom I used to play rugby. He went on to write for Rugby World for many years and he still writes for a golf magazine. He has also had many photos published and always takes his camera to games. Yesterday was no exception and I borrowed his camera with a 300mm lens.

This photos were taken with a 17.5 to 45mm lens and the photo on the right is simply an enlargement. I have always been happy with a zoom up to 45mm. I have lenses up to 150mm but I hardly use them as I prefer to be near to the subject. Even if I am not that close I really don't think there is anything wrong with these photos. My friend knew many of the people at the ground and he spoke with two other photographers both of them, like him had 300mm lenses. The next time I go to a game I may use a zoom lens.

Happy snapping

Studios on a shoestring

2011-04-09T00:05:00.000+01:00

This is my daughter and grandson (nephew and aunt just in case you wondered). The reason I am showing you is that we had a party last week and it was easy to put up my black piece of material and take photos.

I wanted to show you the photo on the right just to let you know that it is only a piece of cloth that cost a few pounds. As for the studio lighting I turned the flash to the ceiling. This gives the impression that the lighting is from above and it softens shadows tremendously. With a black background you don't see any shadows.

Happy snapping

George Rodger

2011-04-07T00:05:00.000+01:00

On Sunday 27th March I showed you a photo of Glasgow's GoMA, Gallery of Modern Art and on the first floor was a photography exhibition. I recognised some of the photographs as the work of George Rodger and I also took a look at a file giving a lot more information about him. It was good to see the photos that I had recognised. I suppose it is a little like going to a concert and hearing the songs that have been a hit.

If you search for information about George Rodger you will see that he took photos during World War Two, worked for Life Magazine and took photos in Africa, in particular he took photos of the Nuba tribe in the Sudan. I know this is a very brief summary of a very long career but it may be that it was for his photos in the Sudan that he was most famous and it was some of these photographs that I saw in Glasgow. And the most important piece of biography? He went to the same school as me in Manchester.

Happy snapping

Ashton Memorial 3

2011-04-06T00:05:00.000+01:00

A couple of days ago I showed you this view of the Ashton Memorial. I don't usually take the photo in landscape as the shape of the building lends itself to a portrait orientation. However I wanted to use one of the photos that I took on Sunday and make it fit into the frame on the right.

We don't take many photos at the pre-wedding meeting as the main thing is to discuss where the group photos are to be taken, what the couple want from the day and I can also give advice on the day.

Happy snapping

Ashton Memorial 2

2011-04-05T00:05:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I showed you the quickest way to get the Ashton Memorial in the background. On the left is my favourite view. Unfortunately the landscape has changed and the overgrown rhododendron bushes were cut down a couple of months ago but it doesn't take much to walk to the other side of the building as seen on the right.

We don't take long to take the photos at the pre-wedding meeting. A few seconds longer at each point gives another photo and weddings are the time to make use of backgrounds like this.

Happy snapping

The Ashton Memorial

2011-04-04T00:05:00.000+01:00

Whenever I go on a pre-wedding meeting it is always a new experience for me even if I have been to the venue many times before and I have taken many photos at the Ashton Memorial in Lancaster. I mention three options for photos of the couple and perhaps small groups, and this is the shortest version of a walk around the park as they must have this view with the memorial in the background. It only takes five minutes to get here and then we continue our walk around the park.

The good thing about this scene, apart from it being close to the building, is that there is a natural dip and I am standing up quite normally. Can you imagine if the land was flat I would have to be lying on the floor. In this particular photo I also like the cloud formation and the lighting which is just right on the building and on the bride and groom.

Happy snapping

City Chanber and Lion

2011-04-03T00:05:00.000+01:00

I mentioned Glasgow's City Chambers a few days ago as you could just see the top of the building on the horizon. This is a view taken from the top of a bus. I often take the red bus tour when I am in a city that I don't know well. Just in view at the foot of the cenotaph is the statue of a lion on the right.

I was once a physiotherapist for an American football team in Manchester called the Manchester Heroes. I also worked for the Blackpool Falcons but I have always considered myself a hero (that's a joke). One of the teams we played when I was with the Falcons was called the Glasgow Lions. I wonder how much of the name was due to this statue.

Happy snapping

Beauty or nothing?

2011-04-02T00:05:00.001+01:00

We have been to many art galleries, and you may have read about some of them in this blog, but my wife reckons that Kelvingrove is the best. It doesn't have the most famous works of art - we have been to galleries in London and Paris. She appreciated it because they were showing works of art that she liked.

On the left is a work by an impressionist (not Pissarro) which may not be your favourite painting and if it were a photograph it would be taken again and this time getting the focus right. The quote from Pissarro was near this painting. It is quite beautiful. I am not sure how humble it is. My photos in Glasgow were of buildings that were quite grand. Maybe I should blur my photos that are in focus/

Happy snapping

These must be the cherubs

2011-04-01T21:36:00.003+01:00

If you have seen Mrs Doubtfire you should remember the line in a Scottish accent"you must be the cherubs". Well this was Glasgow and these must be the cherubs. So much time and trouble has gone into public art and so much is to be seen on above eye level.

These cherubs in the three semicircles are busy counting money, working in design and engineering, and the final scene is about working in agriculture. How do I know? Well I followed a trail from a council leaflet.

Happy snapping

Inside Kelvingrove

2011-03-31T00:05:00.000+01:00

Here we are inside Kelvingrove again. The balustrade was wonderful for taking photos without flash and there was no need to carry a tripod. Look backwards and you see the spitfire.

On the right I zoomed in and cropped a little tighter. It may not be as important to do this when you look on your computer as the quality of the photograph is not as important as when you print photos. You will still have a better appreciation of the faces.

Happy snapping

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

2011-03-30T00:05:00.001+01:00

This is Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. You saw it yesterday from the inside as this is where you will see the Spitfire and the stuffed animals.

I am not keen on converging verticals. If you think of a path that is seen from the foreground to the background I think we all know that it gets smaller. The same thing happens vertically. The lines of the building on the left look like they are leaning towards the middle of the building but our eyes accommodate for this as we know that the building is really upright. The computer accommodates for converging verticals too and I have made this amendment on the right.

Happy snapping

Motion and radial blur

2011-03-29T00:05:00.000+01:00

I used no flash in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. I noticed on the news yesterday that Kate Middleton and Prince William were photographed in front of what looked like an expensive canvas. Light is not good for paint. You will no this yourself if you paint your house. I am not sure how light affects stuffed animals but I don't think it will help. Look at the photo on the left and you can see the balustrade which acts as a tripod. Use the timer and there is no possiblity of camera shake.

You may not believe this if you just look at the photo on the right because I have blurred most of the scene, as if there has been a panning focus. This is when you move the camera to keep a moving subject in focus and this blurs the background. Well it is easier to guarantee a good photo when you do the blurring on the computer. I added a rotational blur for the propellers.

Happy snapping

The relevance of art

2011-03-28T00:05:00.000+01:00

Here is more street art. The safety pin may be a little modern for some viewers but it clearly represents a useful item. On the right is a remnant of Asgo's, I mean Glasgow's maternity hospital. It is certainly a reminder of Glasgow's past and without the need to enter a museum.

If you look closer on the right you will see Glasgow's City Chambers - Town Hall to me. You may not be able to tell from this distance but it is a fine building. If you know Glasgow then it tells you roughly where this hospital used to be. Look a little closer and you can just make out the safety pin through the treees that are visible through the doorway.

Happy snapping

Wellington and GoMA

2011-03-27T00:05:00.000Z

I have just returned from two nights, three days in Glasgow and I saw this statue of Wellington on each of the three days. I was not going to take a photo because of the traffic cone but then I heard a guide on the red bus tour comment on it. It seems it is often there. The next day I was on the red bus again but this time a recorded message told me that a red cone was often on his head. Then I read the same thing in a booklet on the statues of Glasgow. I had thought that the cone would be removed after the first day but I suppose the statue and the cone are synonymous with Glasgow.

The people of Glasgow have accepted the cone and it looks like they don't bother taking it off. This isn't so much an act of laziness but of friendliness. Take my dealings with two of the staff inside GoMA which is the building behind the statue. They could not have been friendlier. One told me about the meaning behind a series of art works and the other went out of his way to answer my question on whether I could find out more information on a photographer - and yes I did.

Happy snapping

Photography and Politics

2011-03-26T00:05:00.001Z

Today I will join my two blogs as I am showing you amendments to a photograph which then became a political leaflet.

On the left is the photo you saw yesterday in the photography blog. It has already been cropped significantly and you will also notice that Lancaster Cathedral has been removed. Increasing the brightness and decreasing the contrast makes it the background in the election leaflet on the right. As for the politics, this is an amendment to the leaflet which was seen on Thursday which showed Morecambe Town Hall in the background. It is a simple explanation of how voting will take place on May 5th and readers of the political blog will know that a full explanation of our present system takes longer than an explanation of the Alternative Vote.

Happy snapping

Lancaster Skyline

2011-03-25T00:05:00.000Z

I took this photo with a compact camera that I just happened to be carrying as I walked through Lancaster. I noticed the three buildings on the skyline, Lancaster Cathedral, the Town Hall and the Ashton Memorial and I thought there was a picture there. However there are a lot of distractions. Particularly in colour the bus really dominates the scene. I won't mention the other clutter in the photo as you can see it for yourself.

You will notice that clock tower is sloping too. Most of the amendements were done by cropping and tilting but the photo is now transformed. It can't be a poster because it was only a hand-held compact camera in the first place but it can be part of a leaflet. I'll show you tomorrow.

Happy snapping

Even more changes

2011-03-24T00:05:00.003Z

It is quite nice to amend photographs and to use them so that they are seen by more people and a leaflet is one way of doing this. You have already seen the photo in the background in yesterday's blog. If you thought the amendments were obvious then well they are even more obvious today.

This is not a blog about the technicalities of working on photographs but I can tell you simply that if you increase the brightness and decrease the contrast you end up with this background photo. It is a fairly simple technique but so is anything when you know how to do it. I don't think anyone is shy but I did remove the address as I haven't asked Bill - well many people get their faces blurred on the internet.

Happy sapping

Morecambe Town Hall

2011-03-23T00:05:00.000Z

You may have guessed from the title that this is Morecambe Town Hall. It was a nice enough evening when I took this photo but the reason I am showing you this particular photo is to show you how manipulation can improve the scene.

I could have waited until the car moved but I would have a long time to wait before the signs were removed. I can't remember what the distraction is on the ground to the left of the building. It is not that long ago when photographers were getting up early and taking photos in towns and cities without members of the public in view. We don't have to get up as early now.

Happy snapping

More manipulations

2011-03-22T00:05:00.001Z

A couple of days ago I wrote that I was showing you the last couple of photos from this wedding. Well I have been asked for some amendments and I thought that I would let you see some of them. I am always pleased to amend photos as I can be sure that these amendments are wanted. Up to this point I had worked on the photos and made amendments as I saw fit. With these the couple have thought about them and I can be sure that they are wanted.

Happy snapping

A vertical panorama

2011-03-21T00:05:00.005Z

This is still the pre-wedding meeting at the Midland Hotel in Morecambe which is famous for its Eric Gill medallion on the ceiling at the top of the stairs. It is possible to take a photo of the Neptune and Triton medallion from the top of the stairs but you don't get anything else in the photo, but by the magic of digital photography you can add a photo of the top floor landing...and the floor below that (seen on the left).

So in the photo on the right I have combined a photo of the ceiling with a photo of two of the four floors. The floor itself made an easy division between the photos but it made me wonder if a panoramic photos could be made of the whole of the building, and what about normal landscape panoramas? Could lamp-posts do the same thing? I didn't take a photo of the floor below but this floor (the first) is similar to the second. The ground floor is totally different as it is the main reception. So that's a challenge for another day.

Happy snapping

This photo was taken at a pre-wedding meeting during the week at the Midland Hotel's viewing gallery. The wedding is taking place at The Ashton Memorial and both venues are great for photographs and the Ashton Memorial is visible from the hotel if you come here to the viewing gallery.

If you focus on the horizon then you won't get the foreground in focus and vice-versa and in this case the foreground is slightly more important. I was thinking about taking a photo with a tripod with the Ashton Memorial in focus and then joining the two photos together, a little like someone who paints a bump on a car and blends in the two colour of paint. It is probably easier for me as I could use part of the rail to blend the two photos. I wanted both venues to be visible and so went for the inset and the arrow but I will give it more thought. I don't normally go for the car park in the middle distance as the Platform, the former railway station has a lot more going for it.

Happy snapping

Last two from last week

2011-03-19T00:05:00.000Z

I like to take photos when bride and groom are ready and maybe there is a pretence of getting ready e.g. fastening a button that is already fastened or pretending to adjust a tiara. However the photo on the left is a genuine record of the preparation. That makes a change for me.

On the right is me being arty again. I know I showed you a photo like this last week but I liked the way the flowers came out on this. I have never shown you a photo like that on the left because I haven't taken one before. I will look out for it in future.

Happy snapping

These photos are the same

2011-03-18T00:05:00.000Z

I have an A1 poster in a frame on my wall. It is a wedding scene and it is there to show that photos look fine when enlarged to this size. The ability of a photo to be enlarged does not depend solely on the technology of the camera but at least you get a rough idea of the extent to which any photo may be changed. In this example the portrait of the bride should enlarge to A4 as it is a small section of the original photo.

At first glance it is hard to see that these two photos are the same as they look so different. The tiara, necklace, earing become more prominent. As with most aspects of art if you like it that's fine. If you don't then it doesn't matter. Stick with the original.

Happy snapping

Copyright and thank you

2011-03-17T00:05:00.000Z

I really don't mind other guests taking photos. Partly this is because it gives me the chance to take photos like the one on the left and partly it is because I give away copyright anyway. I have heard of wedding photographers who deliberately break up poses because they don't want anyone else to take a similar photo. It doesn't matter.

On the right I have added two photos together. Together they make a 6"x 4" photo but cut them in half and you have two 4"x 3" photos. This is not a bad size anyway but stick them on a piece of folded A5 card on the front and the back and you almost have a fully completed unique "thank you" card.

Happy snapping

The first dance

2011-03-16T00:05:00.000Z

It is nice to record who is present at a wedding, so I take group photos formally and informally. Similarly I take formally posed photos and informal photos of the bride and groom, but it is also nice to take candid photos. If I use flash then I am less discrete but without flash movement may become a blur.

It doesn't matter if I use flash with the first dance. Everyone is taking photos anyway and just like the cutting of the cake, you get time to wait for expressions.

Happy snapping

Posed or not posed?

2011-03-15T00:05:00.001Z

Yesterday I was writing about expressions. Well I suppose posed photos are fine but you can't beat natural smiles. I know this photo is definitely posed as it is the cutting of the cake but it takes a minute or two for all the guests to get ready to take their photo. I already had my articial cutting of the cake so whatever I took here was a bonus.

When you have a minute or two to take a photo you are bound to get natural smiles and this is no exception. I get a similar chance to take photos like this during the first dance and I'll show you some dance photos tomorrow.

Happy snapping

Expressions make photos

2011-03-14T00:05:00.000Z

You know whenever I like a photograph because the bride and groom will receive the original colour version. The more variations, the more I like it and this photo was also converted to sepia with a vignette. I haven't had time to work on all the photos yet but this may be my favourite of the day.

I knew the background was good. Look carefully and you will see the cake and the candelabra doesn't look bad. The dress and jewellery come out well but the most important part of any wedding photograph is the expression and these expressions are what makes this photo what it is.

Happy snapping

Amending Photos

2011-03-13T00:05:00.001Z

I like monochrome. Sometimes I prefer sepia and sometimes I prefer colour. I know everyone has their own preferences so if I like a photo it tends to be converted in a number of ways. On the left I have picked on monochrome for this blog entry. You do miss the colour of the flowers but that is not always a bad thing.

My next change was to move the portrait to the mirror on the right. I generally take photos when the bride and groom are getting ready and if mirrors or picture frames are involved then it is an easy change to add a photo to a photo. In this case the reflection was fine but I will look into adding another photo to replace the main reflection.

Happy snapping

And Finally...

2011-03-12T00:05:00.000Z

And finally from last week's wedding...I work on wedding photos immediately after the wedding. I work chronologically which means that when I get to first dance I have almost finished my work. Anyone can take a photo of the first dance but I blur the background. In this way it looks like everyone's attention is on the dancers (of course it was).

You also know when I have finished because the very last photo that I work on is the "thank you" photo. I do this routinely and if the bride and groom choose to send to stick them on card and send them then that's great. It is an inexpensive way of getting round to thanking friends and family and as well as this my photos are seen by a lot more people - and they are my best advert.

Happy snapping

Is this arty?

2011-03-11T00:05:00.000Z

This is not arty in the same sense as yesterday photo as nothing is out of focus. However these photos are arty in the sense that the bride and groom may be thinking about what is happening when they look into a mirror - yes they are mirrors.

This type of photo is a trademark for me. I tend to follow instructions as to when and where I am wanted but I try to find a moment when bride and groom can take a second to look in a mirror. I did also take a photo of the groom and best man by a picture frame. In that I placed a photo of the best man giving his speech but you can't see that one as I only ask permission from the bride and groom.

Happy snapping

An 'arty' photo

2011-03-10T00:05:00.000Z

I don't mind if I am not allowed to take photos during the wedding ceremony. If I take photos then there may be another half dozen prints to hand over but the congregation don't move much and all the photos would look very similar. In this case there were no photos but that doesn't mean that we couldn't go back later and take photos of the church.

I may even prefer taking photos like this as you can't go wrong with poses and I am able to stand wherever I wish. The photo on the right shows the narrow depth of field when the flowers are near the lens. The bride and groom become deliberately out of focus which gives a feeling of semi-privacy while they are kissing. I know it is flowery language but they are flowers and this is me at my most arty. By the way, they will receive a monochrome and completely colour version too.

Happy snapping

A bit of direction

2011-03-09T00:05:00.000Z

I was given direction for these photos as they reflect a family photo taken many years ago. It would have been nice to see the photo because there may have been facial expressions or slightly different poses that I could see from my side of the lens. However it is just nice to get input about different poses.

The monochrome version is a homage to photos taken 60 years ago. Yes I know colour was around but monochrome looks older. The cropping in portrait and then in landscape takes the emphasis from the couple and more towards the car but it is possible to crop in many ways and place the emphasis on different aspects of the photograph. The colour version directs the eye towards the flowers, but the photo can remain in colour and the flowers could be cropped out. That's thebeauty of the digital age - so many changes can be made.

Where's Ozzy?

2011-03-08T00:05:00.001Z

I showed you this scene on the 23rd February. The Viking Graves may be known to you because they have been there since the time of the Vikings! You may also know about them if you are a fan of Black Sabbath. You can see them on the cover of their "Best of Black Sabbath" album and to save you going to the shops you can see it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Best_of_Black_Sabbath

It doesn't really matter if you know the graves as that is Morecambe Bay in the background and as Bill Bryson commented, it is probably the best view in Europe. On the 23rd I showed you a colour and a monochrome version of the same photo. This time I have gone for the colour and the sepia with vignette versions.

Wind can often be a problem here but it wasn't bad on Saturday. We are fairly high up and even if the forecast doesn't mention a breeze it can still be a problem because of the height and because of the sea breezes, but we managed all the photos that we had planned.

Happy snapping

A most beautiful venue

2011-03-07T00:05:00.000Z

The vicar at this church said that it was one of the most beautiful places to get married in the country if not the whole of the world, and there would be many who agree with him. You can see a little of the church in this photo but the main think you can see is the bride and groom and the genuine smiles as they walk down the aisle.

Look at the detail in the stone on the floor and on the wall. I think the monochrome version brings this out more. The colour version definitely highlights the flowers but both have their focus on their faces and their smiles.

Happy snapping

The actual day

2011-03-06T00:05:00.000Z

I showed you this scene from the pre-wedding meeting on the 22nd February. Well here is the actual moment from yesterday when this bride and groom left the church. This time I have used the proportions 3:2 which means the photos are a little longer and thinner than those on the 22nd.

Again I used the colour version and on the right I used the sepia with vignette as I think this really makes the scene look like it was from a hundred years ago. They will also get a monochrome and sepia without vignette version. I picked up a few leaves with the computer but the strange thing is that if you compare this photo with the one from the 22nd then leaves have increased with time. Well I didn't pick any up last time and there are definitely more leaves on the floor in the last couple of weeks!

Happy snapping

More pre-wedding photos

2011-03-05T00:05:00.000Z

The main reason for the pre-wedding meeting is for the backgrounds. It doesn't matter what the bride and groom are wearing at this meeting and it isn't particulary important whether they are smiling for the photos. Their expression does become the main concern on the day when it is generally hard to not get a smile. The backgrounds become incidental on the day but at least they have now been planned.

I know the tree on the left is going to feature - well it is quite distinctive. I quite like the door on the right with the old brick wall. The only thing that puts me off is the modern bolt. Still, it will be easy to hide on the day.

Happy snapping

Pre-wedding Meeting

2011-03-04T22:19:00.002Z

I went to a pre-wedding meeting today. We are mainly looking for backgrounds for all photos, including the main group photo but it is also a useful time to talk through the events of the day and I can find out when I am wanted.

The photo on the left has a very nice background especially with the sunlight. Let's hope it is nice on the day. You may have noticed that it is exactly the same photo on the right but this time with a close cropping and in monochrome. I added the vignette and increased contrast a little as the vignette tends to decrease it.

Happy snapping

Back to Morecambe Bay.

2011-03-03T00:05:00.000Z

Back to Morecambe Bay. Last week I mentioned that it is really easy to take a good photo of the bay. I particulary like this part of the bay looking from Morecambe because there is interest in the foreground. You get a different great photo just by turning the camera a little. With interest in the foreground you can just take a few steps for a totally different view.

I decided that there was not too much interest in the top and bottom of the photo on the left. The cropping on the right crops out these areas. I don't think too much is lost by doing this but you do need to get used to unusual proportions. As with photo subjects, cropping is a matter of taste.

Happy snapping

Lord Lee of Trafford

2011-03-02T00:05:00.000Z

I was present at the Liberal Democrats' North West Conference on Saturday. I'm not bragging as I really am quite an ordinary member but it did give me some photo opportunities. For more on the political side take a look at my politics blog at http://politicsfornovices.blogspot.com/

I only had a compact camera and no tripod but that doesn't mean that photos cannot be taken. In fact, even if I could use flash I would have to be quite close to the subject for it to work. How many times do you see flashes going off in stadia only for those photos to show people in the next three rows with their backs lit up.

Of course these two photos are one and the same. It is just the cropping that is different. If you want to see Lord Lee on his own without distractions then you would go for the portrait version. In landscape you get more of a feeling that he is speaking to an audience. The photo is taken from a lower perspective than usual as my only choice was to place the camera on the table, set the timer and hope there was little movement. It is easy to get motion blur or camera blur but the rewards are much greater with ambient light than they are with flash as you get atmosphere with ambient light.

Happy snapping

More desk lighting

2011-03-01T00:05:00.001Z

You may have noticed that there was a chair in the way yesterday. One answer is to have a tripod with you. I didn't have mine and for that matter I didn't have an SLR, however a compact on a table is a possible answer and it was the answer on Saturday. As for the chair, the answer is to move the chair or move the camera. I did the latter.

I liked the lighting in this scene and as the subject wasn't moving much (he was working) it was easy to take two photos and end up with two photos that were not blurred. This photo reminds me of many of the paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby. Do a search and you will see what I mean.

Happy snapping

Desk Lighting

2011-02-28T00:05:00.000Z

I was at a conference on Saturday (see yesterday's blog) and I just had a compact with me. I didn't want to be conspicuous as I wasn't the official photographer but I could see some great photos. In the morning I took a couple but only when people in front of me had moved from their seats.

In the afternoon I moved to near the front of the hall and the person in front of me was working by desk light. He is actually lit by the reflection of the light from the desk. Studio lighting can be expensive, well all you have to do is use the lighting that is available to you. It's just that you have to make sure your subject doesn't move as this movement would be a blur. The answer is easy if you are the official photographer - take plenty of photos.

Happy snapping

The disadvantage of flash

2011-02-27T00:05:00.001Z

I was part of the Liberal Democrats North West Conference yesterday and here is one of the photos. I did take more but I will only show you them if I get permission but I already have that persmission from the Minister from the Department for Communities and Local Government. I was thinking of putting it on my politics blog and writing about the ease in which anyone can talk to a Liberal Democrat Minister or how I am able to take a photo like this when I am barred from doing so in many public areas for no obvious reason, but I am placing this on my photography blog so I will stick with the photographic aspects.

If you don't use flash then you do get ambient light. The atmosphere of the room is reflected in the photo whereas flash produces an artificial scene. It makes a bright foreground and a harsh shadow in the background. In fact if you are not close to the subject then the flash is almost useless. The trick if you are using flash is to get close to the subject. The drawback to turning off the flash is that if there is any movement then you get blur but most of my photos were fine yesterday. However the big advantage to turning off the flash is that most people won't know the camera is working.

Happy snapping

In praise of Morecambe Bay

2011-02-26T00:05:00.000Z

There is one wonderful thing about living in Morecambe and that is you can always take a photo of the Bay and it is really difficult to take a bad picture. It doesn't matter if the tide is in or out. In fact it gives you a different photo even if you took it from exactly the same place.

The time when you take your photo doesn't matter. I have written about the 'golden hour' which is the first and last hours of sunlight in the day. On the right you can't even see the sunset but it is still a fine photo.

Happy snapping

And finally

2011-02-25T00:05:00.000Z

I am always more interested in the backgrounds when I take photos at a pre-wedding meeting. Foregrounds are definitely more important on the day but the bride and groom have to make decisions about where they want their photos including the main group photos.

The interesting thing about both of these photos is that they both have St Peter's in the background and they both have the ruined St Patrick's. The Viking graves, seen a couple of days ago, are just the other side of St Patrick's and then you have Morecambe Bay.

Happy snapping

Nice stonework

2011-02-24T00:05:00.000Z

One thing I like to do during the day is get the bride and groom sat down together. If there is any height difference it reduces it. In this case you would not normally think that there was an interesting photo here. Turn around and you have a wonderful view of Morecambe Bay but the stone wall is not without character. Change the photo to sepia with a vignette and it's almost like a set for portraits.

P.S. You probably didn't notice the cigarette but in the foreground yesterday. I took it out for the monochrome version but I do spend much longer on the wedding day making the lawns look more cared for. Well they could have cut the grass just before the wedding!

Happy snapping

No mistaking this view

2011-02-23T00:05:00.001Z

Wedding photographs will record the event but they also record the place and there is no getting away from this place. You have to be in Heysham. As it happens it is a stone's throw from the church that you saw in yesterday's blog.

On top of the view in the foreground, the view of the bay in the background is often spectacular. However even on this misty day you can still appreciate the view, and most eyes will be on the bride and groom anyway.

Happy snapping

Photographing a moment

2011-02-22T00:05:00.000Z

This is a very simple photograph to take as all you have to do is step away from the bride and groom and take it. I like this scene because it shows the couple with the church and it will also show the moment when they are leaving as a married couple.

The photo on the left is the standard colour version and all that I have done is to crop into a 3:2 format which is a common proportion for enlargements. On the right I have just added a small vignette and changed it to sepia which was a technique that was often used in Victorian times, It gives the photo some character. The changes tell you immediately that something has been done and it also makes you think that the photo was taken years ago - especially when the bride and groom are dressed for the part.

Happy snapping

Photography for Novices

'Surprise' Gifts

Joining Two Photos

Directing the eye

Conscious Manipulation

Sepia Fridge Magnet

Colour and Sepia

Not the fridge magnet yet

Not really cheating

Wedding Practice

A fairly easy technique

Similar but different

Background Preferences

The case for a vignette

One line is straight

Lyme Hall / Pemberley

The first dance

Thank You Card

Colour and Monochrome

Don't avoid the props

A new pose

That's a nice lawn

Yesterday's wedding

Looking for different methods

Manchester Angels and Demons

A natural pose

No kissing babies

Still inside St Helen's Church

Inside St Helen's Church

True University Challenge Style

It is still St Helen's

Removing weeds and a path

Different perspectives

St Helen's Church Overton

Can you see this join?

Can you see the join?

No link with Labour and Lenin

A flock of birds of liberty

A computer-generated lawnmower

A simple background

More on props

Motion Blur

The confetti shot

Poses and Natural Smiles

Morecambe Bay too

Before and after blurring

Different proportions

Almost The Wedding Breakfast

Yesterday's wedding

A new angle on lights

The same photo

Eric Morecambe's question

Last two from Saturday

Line-out close-up

Standard or zoom lens?

Studios on a shoestring

George Rodger

Ashton Memorial 3

Ashton Memorial 2

The Ashton Memorial

City Chanber and Lion

Beauty or nothing?

These must be the cherubs

Inside Kelvingrove

Kelvingrove Art Gallery

Motion and radial blur

The relevance of art

Wellington and GoMA

Photography and Politics

Lancaster Skyline

Even more changes

Morecambe Town Hall

More manipulations

A vertical panorama

You are here

Last two from last week

These photos are the same

Copyright and thank you

The first dance

Posed or not posed?