Inspirational Landscapes

What inspires a creative person ?

Speaking as a photographer, there are many things that move me to take a photo. Light, shapes, human interactions and landscapes. Sometimes, a change of scenery will excite me to want to capture moments which is ultimately what we do as photographers.

My partner and I came back yesterday from a weeks break in Anglesey, North Wales. I was brought up holidaying in the Lake District primarily and only venturing into Wales once or twice. We never visited Anglesey in my memory although I’m told I went with my parents as a very young child. Snowdonia was not on our radar for some reason. My partner on the other hand is far more familiar with Wales and since we met 9 years ago, we’ve been there several times. Anglesey is an enchanting island with fabulous beaches, awe inspiring cliffs and amazing lighthouses on rocky promontories. The interior of the island is generally flat agricultural land but it’s the coast that brings the island to life. Its proximity to Snowdonia is very handy too. The image above is of Carnedd Llewelyn, a substantial mountain in the Ogwen Valley. The light changed every few seconds, bringing its own drama to the majesty of the mountain.

South Stack Lighthouse on the north west coast of Anglesey is a jaw dropping location for photographers. The 91ft high tower is dwarfed by the 300ft cliffs next to it. We have visited this place before but you get a greater sense of scale from this angle at Ellin’s Tower, a 19th century folly built as a summer house for the wealthy Stanley family from Penrhos.

All the while we were staying on the island and at our AirBnb, I struggled with my existing camera gear and what I should do. The minute I began taking photos wherever we went, those dilemmas vanished. My Nikon Z7ii behaved superbly, rendered some great photos and never once got in the way of my getting the best shot. I have two Nikon bodies and a few lenses plus the magical Ricoh GRIII X. I kept thinking, should I switch systems and have one mirrorless interchangeable lens body and a small selection of lenses instead of two. Sony would be the only move for me as they have a greater selection of lenses but then I edited the images from the Nikon and this dilemma diminished. I realised whilst out taking photos, I didn’t once consider the gear and concentrated on the composition and the moment. The camera didn’t get in the way of the creative process. It was a machine doing what I wanted it to, efficiently and with very little fuss.

The photographer and YouTuber James Popsys, describes his Sony A7RV as boring, because it does the job without any drama or complications. It is a very good camera in the same way as my Nikon Z7ii, more megapixels than either of us would ever need, top notch lenses and the ability to execute any action without a hint of difficulty.

Most artists, creators choose their tools on the basis of how well they perform not how they look. Photography is strewn with fashionable, highly priced, vintage inspired gear. We are fed the line that having a cool looking camera or one with great history and caché matters. There are those who buy into a system and then spend at least 50% of the time convincing you their choice is the right one. I arrived at where I am now by falling for the look a camera, the label rather than the ability to help me create really good images. I am not a Nikon fanboy but they do the job really well. I am sure equally, Sony would be great as would Canon but this is the system I’ve invested in and it helps me do what I need.

The takeaway from last week was an appreciation of some beautiful landscapes, amazing sunrises and a real feeling of relaxation. I enjoyed taking my photos because the location and the company were the main inspirations not how retro or fashionable my camera looked. I can shoot with the Nikon or Ricoh bodies and no one gives me a second look. They are like assassins, stealthy and effective. They allow me to love what’s in front of the lens and not fixate over what’s attached to it. I don’t doubt Leica or Hasselblad cameras are capable of producing brilliant photos but they aren’t so far advanced of mine purely based on the their street cred. I’m sure if Hasselblad came a knocking and offered me and X1D II and a couple of lenses, I would be more than happy but in the mean time, I’ll stick with enjoying the landscape, the street scene, the moment. They are what matters, not the gear.

Winter in Calderdale

Winter has truly arrived in Calderdale.

Admittedly, this cold snap isn’t likely to last more than four or five days but it has certainly given us the true experience of a cold winter. It is for me, a blessing and a curse. I’ve managed to take some great snowy photos but given my rehabilitation following my ankle break last summer, it is also a challenge. This is both a physical and mental challenge, in that I’m more cautious about stepping out in snow and ice. I wish it were otherwise and I’m sure I’ll gain confidence the more I push myself.

Photographically, I’ve enjoyed shooting snow, mist and spectacular light. I have used my Nikon Z7ii and also my Pentax K3, which is made for cold, inclement weather. Often, some of my best shots have been from my street or at least, the top of it. The hillside with the tree lines have given me ice old woodland sometimes topped or partially obscured by mist. The sun hits the valley and deep patches of golden light reflect off the snow covered hillside.

The contrast between pure white snow and bright sunlight can be challenging for photographers. There’s always a chance that your images will either come out as very blue or highlights will be blown. Also, snow has a habit of smoothing the details of a landscape. You have to work a little harder to get a decent shot. I try to add features whether they natural or man made to break up the whiteness of the scene. Luckily I live in an area that has both woodland and rocky moorland. I like to use features such as roads or pylons to give a focal point.

The sunrises have also been spectacular with pinks and oranges bursting over the hillsides. I find myself scuttling up to the top of our street, trying to catch the brief moments of intense light. They contrast with the grey/white of the shadows, woods and buildings. I’m trying to embrace this cold winter with all its challenges. I like to see the opportunities and grasp these brief moments in time. I hope you like these photographs as much as I enjoyed taking and editing them.

Eating My Words

Ok, I was wrong.

I made the decision a week ago, in order for me to trade a load of gear in for me to buy a Nikon Z7II, a 45.7mp high resolution beast. The big brother of my Z6II. I’m loving the output of the Nikon mirrorless system and having done extensive research, I thought I’d be the total hypocrite you now see before you.

There are several reasons as to why but they will just sound like me justifying this decision.

We have had fairly inconsistent weather in the last few days and I have been getting over a cold, so the opportunities for me to give the camera a good run out, have been limited. So these really are first impressions. Form and function, it is identical to the Z6II. It is very hard to tell one from the other apart from the writing on the front. They behave very much alike so it isn’t a steep learning curve to operate or indeed set up. Where the magic begins is the moment you start producing images. The clarity, the detail you can get from this camera is for me, off the scale. You are presented with a machine that can produce whatever you want it to/or are able to, and the choices in composition are limitless. The ability to crop an image and not lose printable resolution is really handy.

All the reasons I didn’t go for this model seem a bit far off the mark. Yes, my 24mp Z6II is probably cleaner in low light and it has a faster burst rate than its big brother but they are different tools in that sense. As a landscape camera and for general street photography, I think the Z7II should be a winner. The image above was taken at sunrise a couple of days ago. On editing the raw file, I noticed this dot in the sky. At first I thought it was a bird or a bit of debris on the lens. When I magnified it , it was a clear shot of an airplane carrying passengers to or from their holidays. It is tiny but very clear, which I found astonishing. The tree-line is sharp against the pink sky. I’ve shot with some nice cameras in my time but none have come close to capturing detail quite like this.

The black and white images in this post are taken with the Nikon z 24-70 f/4 s lens, a kit lens that is by far the best I’ve ever used. It balances beautifully on both my Nikon bodies and produces super sharp images every time. Some higher megapixel cameras have too much resolving power for some lenses but the Nikon ones pair very comfortably with the Nikon bodies. Have I been here before with previous cameras? sort of. I have used some great gear in my time but none come close to this new one.

I have sold all my Pentax gear and a couple of other pieces to fund this new body. I don’t have to wonder if I’ve made the right decision because I already know the answer to that. Yes, you can produce stunning photos on a 15 year old 12mp camera but this gives me so much space to create and does the hard work effortlessly. I fully admit I was wrong.

Gibson Mill.

Gibson Mill near Hebden Bridge is like a film set. It is much photographed, in all weathers, at all times of the day and evening. It sits below Hardcastle Crags, next to Hebden Beck which would have originally been the source of power for the mill. The estate including the mill, was donated to the National Trust by Lord Saville in 1950.

It is a regular spot for me and my partner to visit. Given my current situation, it also has limited disabled parking spots which enabled us to actually get there! Autumn is probably my favourite time of the year for photography and the estate and mill look fabulous, particularly on a sunny autumnal day. I travelled light, taking my Nikon Z6 II, two Viltrox primes and an adapted Pentax 100mm f2.8 vintage lens. The three primes covered the focal range from 20mm to 100mm and still I had to work for the shots.

I could have taken the 24-120 with the FTZ II adapter but weight was important. Even though I have become accustomed to shooting with large DSLRs, I am still taking it steadily using a single crutch so excessive weight unbalances me. The Z6 II and a small prime is roughly half the weight of my D700 and 24-120 lens. It makes you wonder if going fully mirrorless is the long term goal but I love shooting with DSLR cameras.

You go all in with a camera manufacturer and it has many benefits. Batteries, menu systems, lenses (even if adapted) all sync and you choose the camera for the look it produces. The D810 has more megapixels but also a different look to it than the Z6 II. The D700 is like no other camera I have ever used but the operational essentials are Nikon. I know my restriction is temporary and I’ll be back shooting with the heavier gear soon but until then, I am more than happy using the mirrorless camera. I went from film to mirrorless, only discovering the joys of it a couple of years ago.

Ultimately, It doesn’t matter what gear you use, It is down to the landscape/subject/location you are shooting. Gibson Mill is a joy to shoot at. Combine that with great company, excellent weather and decent accessibility, It proved to be worth the visit.

Return.

It’s been a while. In relation to my normal shooting schedule, it has been a positive lifetime. Many photographers will plan shoots and maybe go once a fortnight to do a specific shoot. I’m not that guy. My normal is 3 times a week in different locations. As I’m lucky enough to live in a spectacular part of the world, there is plenty of opportunities on my doorstep.

This was the case up and till the 2nd August this year. My accident and subsequent recovery has taken its natural course for a broken ankle. I’m now two weeks into using a boot and can now drive. This has opened up a whole heap of possibilities for me as a working photographer. I’m still a few weeks off returning to regular shoots and a couple of months walks and shoots.

The photo above was taken at my favourite lay by above Hebden Bridge. I’ve captured this view of Stoodley Pike so many times but this one felt special. I was able to drive myself up to the spot and take a photo standing unaided.

I’ve posted a couple of times about my recent experience, the frustrations I have had and ways of working around those. To be able to go out and take photos of the valley, moorland and towns is immensely satisfying. You know a complex fracture isn’t the easiest thing to deal with and part of that is working out how. The health professionals give you loads of support but you don’t always know if you’re on track with a full recovery. There isn’t really a timeline as every fracture is different and we all respond differently. I have never broken a bone before so have no frame of reference.

What is great is that I can start to think as a photographer again rather than a patient. I am still a way off a full recovery but I’m getting there. I can stand and hold my cameras again and use them in a way I am comfortable with. I can look at a landscape or building and see how light or cloud interacts with it. I was interviewed this morning for a magazine feature and it felt really good to talk about my photography rather than my ankle. I am loving using the Nikon d810. It’s such an intuitive machine and does exactly what I want it to. My images will improve as my mobility returns but I’m capable of doing this wonderful camera more justice than I have in the last couple of months. I want to take my d700 out and play with that as it is truly a one off in the world of digital cameras. All these monochrome images are taken with the d810 as I prefer to shoot the d700 in colour ; mainly because the sensor renders colours so beautifully, it would be a shame to deny it the chance to shine.

It feels like a return but not a full blown one. That is good enough for me right now and to not have to talk ankles or using crutches will be a relief. I can’t recall how many times I have had to explain how it happened and to have to relive a moment I really don’t want to. For the first few weeks, I experienced a sort of ptsd every time I thought about my accident. I am better now and don’t have the same reaction but you meet so many people who don’t know how it happened so you have to recount the story. I’m much happier to talk about photography and cameras with people.

Start of Summer

It’s beginning to feel like Summer. I was never really a big fan of the season but in recent years, I’ve grown to love it. I embrace warmth, long days, sheltering from the hot sun in cool shade. My photography seems to be reflecting that which is around me. Fields and meadows bursting with delicate flowers.Long grass dancing in the summer breeze.

All the images on this post are made with the Pentax K70 and various lenses. It is a joy to use, reliable and with great image reproduction. My main gear is as ever, evolving. I won’t be updating on any changes in gear as I would prefer my work to be judged on its creative merits rather than any fancy camera or lens. You see the world through the eyes of a photographer as you do with a painter, illustrator and in general, all artists. It is an interpretation of that world which the recipient is able to make a connection. Photography is as much of a valid art-form as any other. We as photographers, try to capture moments and produce our interpretation of that moment.

These images aren’t all the sharpest I could provide. The camera, lenses and photographer are all capable of producing pin sharp photos but I chose to not go for that. Summer isn’t always the sharpest season, in that light and nature are sometimes more of a feeling than an observation. A field of wildflowers with a hazy background can be as evocative as a clinically in focus photo of a flower, tree or landscape. Cloudless skies, strong shadows will make sharp images and I’m a fan of those ; but just because of that admiration, it doesn't exclude more subtle images. Maybe this is part of my creative evolution? I know I can do sharp, I choose not to do so.

The other thing I’ve noticed in the last week or so is how much green there is. All shades of green, some subtle, some vivid but there’s a lot of it. We endure winters where trees and shrubs are stripped of foliage, preserving their energy for surviving in cold, dark inhospitable conditions. These couple of months when trees come into full bloom are the greenest they will be. Later on in summer, the trees show signs of having too much of a good thing.

I like summer. I really like summer, it’s probably my favourite season partly because autumn follows on from summer. Autumn, with its oranges, yellows, browns is often thought of as the top landscape/nature photography season. So many Lightroom presets are created to help you find the perfect edit for your autumnal images. I get that, I understand the allure of those photos. I love capturing them, eating them, printing them. Summer however, is a great time to be out in nature. You wear less, you have longer days to work with. I am fair skinned and the sun likes me. I burn easily but these days, I learn to live with it and compensate for it. I really love observing hot sun from a shady spot. I get all the visual benefits of summer without the downsides of being out in full sun. Ultimately as creatives, we have to work with what’s available and within the confines of our environment and season. The start of summer is a good time for me and let’s hope it continues for the next few months!

Capturing Clouds

If you ask most people what their idea of a perfect day is, they would invariably cite the fact that there ‘wasn’t a cloud in the sky’. Clear blue skies tend to cheer folks up, well apart from most photographers I know. A cloudless sky is one stripped of an important element, drama. That drama is often supplied by clouds. Whether they are the soft fluffy type, the dark moody type or the mackerel skies. Cloud inversions are even more sought after. That feeling you are floating above the clouds and distant landscapes peek through the clouds or are enveloped by them. Calderdale is a particularly good spot for cloud inversions as the valleys are very steep sided and cloud has a tendency to get trapped in them.

My photography tends to lean on the dark and moody side. I love dramatic atmospheres - mist, cloud, storm, the more oppressive or cloudy, the better. Maybe it's because I haven’t come to grips with shooting in very sunny conditions, or I just don’t use ND filters enough/properly. Maybe it is because it is a reflection of my general mood. I have a dark brooding personality that is best expressed through my photography. From the moment I started to take photography more seriously, I favoured dark, de-saturated images. I thought and indeed still do think, a light blue/grey tone to my photography works better for me. Clouds and cloud inversions really lend themselves to this colour palette.

We do good skies in Yorkshire. We have big landscapes with height and valleys. This can be a problem to capture the grandeur of the landscape but I still try. There sometimes isn’t a foreground, just plenty of middle and background. It is how you present this type of view. I have used 2:1 or 16:9 crops lately to express a sense of scale to my photos. I find it a good way of showing off just how open and uninterrupted the scenery is.

There is a local campaign to stop a proposed windfarm of 65, 200m high wind turbines on the moors between upper Calderdale and the moors above Top Withens near Haworth. This would have a devastating effect on the upland moorland ecosystem as well as drastically affecting the landscape of this area. To say it is overkill is an understatement! We are used to wind turbines in Calderdale but on a smaller scale. Clumps of up to ten moderately sized turbines, can just about sit comfortably with the surroundings but this proposal is huge both in the size of the turbines and the number they wish to put in place. The big skies would be peppered with massive structures, looming like giants over the peat bogs and rocky outcrops. It would be dramatic but rather more in the way Tolkien painted nightmarish visions of the landscape once Isengard fell to Saruman.

I didn't intend this to be a campaigning blog post about the wind farm proposal, it is about why I love clouds.Maybe it is their ethereal qualities, their mystical properties, of how they change the landscape for the better. I am writing this on damp grey Sunday morning. It doesn’t feel very inspirational weather today. The sky is light grey with little or no cloud definition at all. I do try in every light or weather to get photos. I do work for my craft but I just don’t crave clear blue skies any more. Good luck to you if you do and I hope they lift your spirits. Mine aren’t deflated by blue skies but just throw in a few clouds to make them more interesting.

Dales Landscape

Every few months, my partner needs to deliver or collect artwork from a gallery in Settle, North Yorkshire. We try to combine the day with half decent weather so I can take a few photos along the way. It’s been a bit grim up north since January, with only a few decent standout days for dry weather. Clouds I like, dark moody skies are excellent. I am ok with very sunny as long as I can find ways round the glare. Wednesday was a very sunny dry day. I am no landscape photographer and do not relish standing in a dramatic landscape in subzero temperatures or torrential rain. I just want to be able to capture some images without too much inconvenience.

I discovered a back road from Grassington to Settle. It’s probably well known but I have never travelled that way so therefore, I discovered it. I took my Canon 6D with me plus a couple of lenses. It is a pleasure to use older technology that can still deliver good quality images. It doens’t have many bells or whistles but I don’t mind. In some ways, I prefer a simple efficient tool to do the job. My GH5 II has loads of tricks up its sleeve but you always feel as if you’re fighting to keep up with what it is capable of. Like an eternal quest for knowledge that you will never quite master. To some, this array of specs is enough to convince you that it is the camera for you. Maybe it is an age thing but increasingly, this only manages to baffle me rather than help. The joy of being out the other day with my 6D was that the basics were what mattered rather than what my camera could do. I know I have barely scratched the surface of what a 12 year old DSLR is capable of and yet it doesn't shout out to you. I was allowed to take in the wonderful landscape of the Yorkshire Dales.

I was born in Yorkshire but grew up in Kent. I have lived back here for 36 years this year and it was only when I moved back, did I really find the wild places the combined counties have to offer. The Dales are a captivating mixture of dramatic rocky hills and farmland. Man’s hand is rarely absent from this landscape. It has been farmed, mined, quarried and lived in for thousands of years. Great viaducts such as the one at Ribblehead, span a broad head to a valley. It became as iconic as the highest of the three peaks, Whernside. I don’t spend enough time in the Dales and would drive through to get to the Lake District. I live in Calderdale which has its share of drama but in an even bleaker fashion. Its moors seem almost more inhospitable but it lacks the rising limestone karst scenery that the Dales possesses.

I enjoyed stopping to see the landscape, to feel less pressure to take the perfect shot. I have and am very guilty of putting too much pressure on myself to produce stunning images most of the time. I know I will fall short and yet I don’t stop to think that I shouldn’t be piling that level of expectation on myself. I am not at the level of those I truly admire but I feel as if I have gone a way down the road towards them. I am training myself to enjoy what’s around me and be more considered when taking photographs. I set my camera up and try to capture what I see and how it could look in the finished image/print. It is good advice to spend time wandering around before you take the photo. Take in the possibilities and look at the possible variations before you press the shutter button. That way, you learn to appreciate what you are taking a photo of.

Joy In Simplicity.

I had an epiphany a couple of weeks ago. No, I haven’t got religion or had a visitation from outer space. I realised something. What if I could have one system for landscape projects and video; and one for street, portrait and daily use? Simple really. The only problem is how do I get both without breaking the bank? The answer came to me one day. What if I slimmed down my micro four thirds set up and keep what I need for video & landscapes and go old school for my portrait, street and daily use. The solution started to become clearer. I put one of my micro four thirds cameras up for sale, sold a lens I wasn’t really using and bought a cheap full frame DSLR. My problem with full frame DSLR’s is the size and weight of them. Generally, the lenses are big and heavy. The bodies are invariably very big and heavy and I end up back in the situation I was in six months ago. I didn’t want to be lugging big bags of gear around with me and causing a recurrence of my neck and shoulder pain.

I searched, researched and found my solution. I went for the Canon 6D. Its a small, light, full frame DSLR with a respectable 20.2mp sensor. It is cheap as it’s getting on but built very solidly. I found one online with a 50mm f1.8 lens at a very good price. I bought the kit along with the highly rated Canon EF 40mm f2.8 pancake lens (also very cheap). I took possession of the items a few days ago. Ive only been out three times with this setup but what a revelation. The camera is very comfortable, lighter than my GH5II and a joy to use. I am a novice with DSLR’s and have much to learn but my first impressions are very favourable. I opted for a full frame because of the ability to work in low light. I also like the fact there isn’t any maths involved when working out the focal length of your lens. No crop factors or calculations as to what focal length your lens actually is. A 50mm lens is 50mm. Talking of the 50mm, it’s a lovely sharp lens. very light, very cheap and surprisingly capable. The 40mm is a sensation, super sharp and good in low light too.

I know the 6D has its haters. Only one card slot and not rugged enough for professionals. It’s solid enough for me and one card slot is fine as I’m not planning on doing any wedding or serious landscape photography with it. Even if I did decide to do those things, I’d just have a spare couple of sd cards in my bag. The whole kit was cheaper than what I am selling the Panasonic G9. I still have the GH5II and a few lenses. It is a brilliant camera and even better video camera. I am happy with that and what it can do. It feels more of a tool whereas the Canon 6D feels more of a joy to use. I carry the small Peak Design camera bag around with me just in case there’s a moment I want to capture. I might get myself a cheap 28mm to complete the set but it is simple, fast and pleasurable to use. The shutter is on silent mode but still sounds pleasantly reassuring. I am only a couple of hundred shots in with it but I feel already, this one is a keeper. If I fell on hard times and had to sell all my MFT gear, I would still have a brilliant, professional grade full frame camera to use, for fraction of the price of a modern full frame mirrorless system. The camera and two lenses weigh very little. Even if I added a 28mm, it would still be lighter than my GH5II with three lenses. It isn’t without its flaws and limitations but I don’t need perfect. I am a novice professional photographer that wants to get better at his art. I want to pick up a camera I don’t have to worry about being precious with and go and take photographs. I want it to be about creating, not accumulating gear.

One Camera - Maybe More Than One Lens?

New Year, new challenges. If I’m honest, I feel as if my photography has been a bit stuck of late. It’s not that I’m unhappy with the results but just that it isn’t progressing as upwardly as I would like. You often imagine that progress is gradual but consistent state. I realise from the benefit or misfortune of being nearly 60, that life very rarely goes in an upwardly straight projection. My kit is absolutely perfect for my photography. I have a small collection of stellar lenses and two brilliant hybrid camera bodies so I do not excuse myself on account of not being ably equipped. I had my first exhibition last September which went very well. I launched my website around the same time and am fairly pleased with the look and function of it. I have asked others who are in both photography and the creative arts as to how I could structure my website to increase traffic and sales of prints. I now have an idea as to how I can do this.

I’m also pleased with how my photographs are turning out. I see a shift in style and mood with my recent work and like how this shows some progression. The title of the post is however related to the challenge that is popular with many photographers ; namely the ‘One Camera, One Lens’. The principle behind this is to focus the photographer on improving their composition skills by requiring them work the scene more. Having a fixed focal length can be seen as a hindrance by some. Conversely, having a single focal length makes the photographer look at the scene more critically and maybe focus aspects of it rather than trying include everything in it. One of my favourite You Tube channels is that of James Popsys. He talks in one of his videos about the best advice he was given when starting out in Photography. He was told by a very experienced landscape photographer, to think of a scene as a jigsaw. To not look at the entirety of the scene as a completed one but to decide whether the component parts of that scene work sufficiently well to produce a coherent image. Having a single focal length can enable the photographer to concentrate on maybe one or two elements by virtue of the self imposed restrictions placed upon them. I do sometimes think my images can be too busy, too many elements. The skill of an artist can often be what you leave out rather than include.

I do however have a problem with using just one lens. I see why it is a good exercise but I also see the merits of having two ways of approaching a scene by using two focal lengths. I have sufficient experience to know that using one lens in certain circumstances, can be a bit like cutting your nose off to spite your face. I have two excellent Leica/Panasonic collaboration prime lenses - a 25mm f1.4 and 15mm f1.7. These give you the full frame equivalent focal lengths of 50 and 30mm respectively. The wider lens allows more of the scene to be included whereas the longer focal length is a standard length. The wider lens enables the photographer to give more context to the subject even if the shot includes maybe too many elements. The skill in this case is to manage how you contain the number of elements while increasing the context. The longer focal length reduces the extent of the scene but enables the focus to be specific. 50mm is not an uncommon focal length for portrait work which does allow a little scene to appear. In truth, I like both focal lengths. I may only take out one of those lenses as part of a two or three lens kit. This doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy using the other but I make a determination as to what the particular assignment requires.

In short, I do think it a worthwhile challenge but I am not a sufficiently experienced professional photographer, to artificially restrict my workflow by choosing only one focal length. For instance, yesterday, every shot I took on my Panasonic GH5ii was with the 35-100mm f2.8 lens. They were either at 35 or 100. I chose that lens because the images I wanted required that flexibility. I was very happy with the results and enjoyed working the compositions using that one lens. If I had used just 25mm lens, I would not have been able to get the images I specifically wanted. One day when i’m rich and famous, I will spend a year shooting exclusively with my Leica rangefinder and the best 50mm Leica lens I can afford. I will justify it as a need to return to improving compositions skills. Until that day, I still need the options my excellent kit allow me!

Getting to Grips

I got a new eyecup for my G9 today. Cheap as chips, a genuine Panasonic one courtesy of the lovely peeps at Wex. It is transformative as it makes the use of the viewfinder so much more comfortable. I’m beginning to really enjoy using the G9. I am wondering why I slogged on with various full frame cameras, all getting increasingly heavy. This camera is more than capable of helping me produce the type of photos I love taking. I’ve sold some gear over the Christmas period and am awaiting a used GX9 to compliment my G9. I also have received a Panasonic Leica Summilux 15mm f1.7 lens today to complete my lens collection. I can get all of my lenses and camera in one bag and it’s still lighter than a full frame body with attached lens and two other lenses. It makes carrying a camera a joy again. I’ve gone for the GX9 as a sort of replacement for the Ricoh GRIIIX. It means I can have a small, discreet camera but I can also carry a couple of other lenses in a small bag and it not feel cumbersome.

This time of year is often seen as an opportunity to reflect on the past year and plan for the next one. It has been a turbulent one photographically, what with all the changes I’ve made in gear. On a personal level, it has also been difficult. I lost my mum in June this year which was very sad. She had lived a long life and died peacefully with her family around her. I also have two new grandsons who are both adorable; this seems to often coincide with the loss of older family members. As I approach the dying embers of 2023, what have I learned? Firstly, the best camera you own, is the one you have with you. I know this is a well known saying in the photography world but it is very true. I have realised, creating art through photography doesn’t require the top spec, full frame gear with all the bells and whistles. Having a kit that is portable, functional and understandable is more important. I love the Panasonic menu systems, the ability to be able to shoot both stills and video to a very high standard and yet be light, tactile and reliable, are reassuring.

So what next for 2024? I plan to get out to some new locations and really work on creating more professional, more interesting photographs. We hope to be moving house at some point this year. Ideally, we hope to move to the coast, to build a new life by the sea. I have a deep affinity with the sea even though, I’m no sailor, fisherman or have any family connections. I don’t necessarily want to focus on coastline or seascapes but having it on the doorstep would be a massive bonus. It is more about the feeling one experiences stood on a beach, a clifftop, a harbour. Being next to an immense force of nature is humbling. I will miss living amongst the Pennine moorland but we need a change. My aspiration is to learn how to get the best out the kit I have. I also want to grow my fledgling professional photography, to sell more proficiently through this website and to offer my services as an outdoors photographer to any potential clients.

I need to get fitter, to be less impulsive, take my time over photographs, not rush the process. The photographer Chris Orange, a constant source of inspiration to me, has moved away from digital cameras for his landscape work and gone to medium format film. It isn’t a new experience for him but he’s decided to shoot film for his landscape work as it enables him to enjoy the creative process and slow down more. I too have shot film over the years but never with a serious professional grade camera. I rushed using compact 35mm film cameras so almost conversely, I now take my time far more using professional level digital! Thank you for being with me in 2023. I wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope 2024 is a peaceful and productive one for you.

Harsh Realities.

I have neck and shoulder issues. It’s not a new thing and the combination of poor posture, carrying excess weight and being fairly tall ; all combine to make carrying stuff about painful. This year has been what some could describe as turbulent in my camera gear ownership. I switched to full frame in spring and was initially happy I had done so. I failed to notice the inexorable rise in weight of my camera gear. Lenses and camera bodies got increasingly heavy and bulky. I accepted it as part of the deal with full frame. That’s what serious photographers use after all?

My neck and shoulders have got progressively worse as the year has gone on. Whether it is carrying round heavier gear or just anno domini creeping up; I knew I wasn’t doing myself any favours. By and large, I’m an outdoors photographer, either in nature or in towns and cities. I like to have an interchangeable lens camera with at least two lenses and the resultant accessories should my sd cards fail, lens cloths, filters etc. I have been using the Pentax K1 recently. It’s a stellar machine but heavy. Combined with a kit lens or telephoto zoom, it becomes even heavier. Yesterday, I went for a walk just outside Hebden Bridge. I used a backpack to distribute weight across my back and shoulders. The walk was fine but my neck and shoulders were painful. The images I got were disappointing partly because I felt the heft of the gear. It all felt a bit too much effort.

I downloaded the images and had a serious think. Why have I pursued the idea of going full frame? What discernible advantage has it given me over crop sensors ? Many of the Fujifilm zooms and pro grade lenses aren’t much smaller than full frame equivalents which is why I switched in the first place. I was already carrying a fairly heavy pack when out doing landscape photography. Maybe the truth that I was struggling physically with large gear had been filed away in the ‘well nevermind about that’ section. So, I needed to do something decisive. Make a change that will free me up to get out more.

I have decided to downsize to micro four thirds. Smaller lenses, generally smaller bodies, different prospect altogether. I am happy to relinquish megapixels if the payoff is more mobility. I know there are professional photographers who use MFT with some success. I feel I have the skills to deal with the possible consequences of a drop in file resolution. We have to make compromises sometimes and my search for the perfect system continues. Many of my prints for sale on this website are taken with smaller sensors, some with low megapixels. They print just as beautifully as the full frame images. Most people view my images online so having a 20.2 mp camera, is no loss really. I just hope I can stop this revolving door of camera gear and settle with a system that works for me in every way. I need to get to know a camera better.

Change Is In The Air.

Seasons often meld into each other. When does autumn end or when does winter begin? In the UK it is officially the 1st December and lasts until the end of February. That seems pretty clear. The weather often says otherwise and winter conditions can come early and appear well into what is thought of as spring. Climate change in the past 20 years has exacerbated these anomalies so it is not uncommon to now experience mild winters and late cold spells well into March and even April. There does not seem to be clear demarcations of seasons any longer which can cause problems for photographers. We like reliable weather, not good weather but just reliable. The UK is not known particularly for its reliability but as a rule, we can work around whatever weather appears. As I say on every blog, I am no landscape photographer. I love taking landscape photos, some of which turn out well. I am more of an outdoor photographer, at home in both urban and rural settings.

I really like a moody sky, can cope with rain and wind. I’m uncertain in snow as I haven’t taken enough to hone any skills in those conditions. Autumn suits me down to the ground. Good skies, pops of colour making the options for images all the more plentiful. I have been on a camera gear journey that has proved to be more turbulent than I had hoped. I want a rugged camera that will be at home in bad weather, take detailed images with lots of depth and be reasonably affordable. Panasonic has been very good nearly for all of that. I am however looking at Pentax full frame. Not the most common gear these days although it has a stellar history in photography. It was one of the pioneers of SLR cameras, of IBIS or SR (shake reduction in Pentaxian). It has always had a reputation for producing high quality cameras and lenses. The K1 is apparently, a beast. It has 36.4mp, practically every bell and whistle a photographer could wish for. it’s a pretty lousy video camera but I’m primarily a photographer.

I do wonder if I am satisfying some hidden need for satisfaction by changing my gear as often as I do. I know a new camera won’t make me a better photographer but it might just get me further along the road. My plan is shoot photos with the Pentax and Ricoh GRIIIX and shoot video with the Panasonic S5. The video will contain You Tube videos so I need a good video camera. The S5 is a great photo camera but as I said earlier, it lacks a certain something. Soul is maybe overstated but there is something about the camera you have in your hand. The Ricoh GRIIIX excites me. You feel as if there possibilities where there were not before you picked it up. I recently and briefly owned a Leica SL which managed to do that. Unfortunately, I also felt unworthy of owning such an expensive piece of kit, plus I needed the help of IBIS which it did not have.

Like the seasons, I feel a change in the air. I have been a serious photographer for a couple of years now and have acquired a degree of technical competence. I want a piece of kit capable of easing my ambitions as a photographer. I don’t care if the technology is a few years old, as long as it’s really good. I have been in a creative autumn and now feel the onset of winter. Winter isn’t a bad thing in my book. I love the challenges that winter throws at you, I don’t mind the cold and find it easier to be in snow as long as I don’t have to drive anywhere. It has been tough year in some respects, losing my mum, changes with my family, uncertainties of our future. My partner and I are happy to change and live with change. I have a new grandchild and another imminently about to appear. I love being a grandpa, not at all bothered being one. Next year is a big milestone for me and I suspect, more change will come. I feel my professional photography career is about to take off. Just need to make sure I don't screw things up before it begins!

Autumn Walk.

Birch Tree - Panasonic S5 + Panasonic 24-105mm f/4

I have a lingering, annoying cold. It has been here nearly a week and it’s getting me down. I have missed opportunities to go out and capture the majestic displays of autumn. I haven’t been feeling overly positive of late, and having to sell my Leica to recoup some funds, only made this worse. As someone who suffered with clinical depression for several years, it is always a worry. Am I slipping back into the darkness again? Is the black dog trotting his way up the garden path? I think it feels more physical health related this time and hopefully when this bloody cold goes, I’ll perk up. That’s the excuses out of the way and now onto one of the two photowalks I have managed this week.

I stopped at Chellowdene on the outskirts of Bradford on Thursday this week. It is a place I have been to many times in all weathers, lights and times of year. Autumn is maybe where it is at its finest however. The rambling woods lead to two reservoirs constructed first in 1844 and then 1853, were built to supply fresh drinking water to the city of Bradford. They are very popular with dog walkers and locals wanting to stretch their legs. My late mum played in these woods as a child in the 1930’s. I wandered through the woods to the upper reservoir, stopping frequently to capture the beautiful burnished colours, crunching over a carpet of leaves. I felt pretty dreadful butt also determined to not turn round and get back in the car. The lure of capturing some seasonal colour was too much and also, I wanted to give my Panasonic S5, a runout.

As I have owned one of these cameras before, it felt familiar and comfortable. I forgot how well it performs and the level of detail you can recover from the raw files. It made me wonder why I had sold it for the Leica, given that they do share certain internal components, thanks to the Panasonic/Leica hook up. I was grateful for the in-body image stabilisation as my hands were particularly shaky thanks to the cold and general feeling of feebleness. It pairs very well with the 24-105 lens which also has image stabilisation. The Lens is probably the nicest kit lens of any manufacturer I have ever owned. Simple, effective and not overly heavy. It does the simple things well.

I am glad I managed to get out and get some photos. I am always happiest when I have a camera in hand. This is only marginally better than looking and processing the raw images. To see your photos come alive in Lightroom is a joy. The greatest moment for me in any photography, is the split second before the shutter goes. Can you capture what is not only before you but what you see as being before you. These for me are very different in that one is how the scene is and the other is how you envisage it could be portrayed. I am not a landscape photographer in any way. I don’t want to recreate the scene exactly as it is. I know many landscape photographers will manipulate their raw images to create a certain mood or bring out facets in the composition which I guess is where I am. I went for a darker moodier vibe this time, wanting the colours to pop but the skies and shadows to also predominate. When I’ve shaken this cold, I hope to get out again and do some more photos before the trees lose all their leaves and winter sets in. Sorry for the moaning and thanks for reading so far. Enjoy your Sunday!