Photography with a slant
A while ago a photo shoot was organised for the historic Newman Brothers coffin works in the heart of Birmingham.
We had access to the building before it opened to the public so we were allowed to go ‘beyond the rope’ as long as we did not touch or move any of the exhibits on display.
More information then please look at their website http://www.coffinworks.org/
Below are a few of the images taken during the visit
So last week was the annual trip to the National Exhibition Centre to the Photography Show. A change of halls this year which meant a much shorter walk from the train station. Keep the aching feet for the walk around the hall.
I arrived just after 10 and after a quick breakfast entered the lions dens. Compared to last years visit the hall was very busy for an early start, sign of good times ahead.
The seminars were well attended, pity on the Bowen’s stand later on that the link from the camera to the laptop failed so we were not able to keep up and this lost a lot of the audience.
Adobe seminars were full to bursting, even though I had a ticket, I only just squeezed in. Adobe needs to sort this out for next year, tickets get the seats, at least we took the trouble to get there early to reserve a space.
Last word must go to the Wild Arena team set up on the Manfrotto stand. Shame that you looked as an after thought on there, but the seminar that you did was first rate, and the ‘models’ that you had behaved like proper professionals. A bigger stand next year with better signing would not go amiss.
Will I be attending next years show, yes I will, still worth going, and compared to last years, this was a much improved show.
OK, so this was the weekend when i went for my LRPS distinction. After a nail biting wait, the decision was announced, and i did not get through. Very disappointed but not too down hearted. The feedback generally were quite good, but some of the areas that they noted, in my mind, were very small. Things like small blown out areas that they said distracted from the image, and also, the images were too big. I know that they have to be critical, but the standard that they are setting is very high. I will take on the comments and work on these for another selection. I do think that they are looking for absolute perfection, but at the end of the day, photography is an art form, and as an art form is it open to different interpretation and sometimes the rule book needs to be torn up and thrown out the window.
The judging standard is extreme, i watched 5 portfolios go through the system, including my own, and only one go through. That made me feel slightly better.
Oh well, here is to the next time, a word or warning if you are planning to go for an LRPS, go to an advisory day first, i did not, and i wonder if i had, would the outcome been different.
a while ago i borrowed an old Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera, loaded it up with a roll of Ilford FP4 120 film and headed out. This camera compared to my Canon EOS60D is a massive step back in time, no meter, no preview screen, no auto focus, etc etc.
Also the screen works in reverse which took some getting used to. I did not take my DSLR and tried to remember the settings when the only camera i had ( a Zenith brick) which was also limited with the lack of a meter and preview screens.
A happy time was spent as i reacquainted myself with the workings, film duly used, off to the local lab to have it processed, my darkroom equipment has long gone, and then the wait for the CD with the images to see if they had worked.
Considering it has been an while, i was quite pleased with results, some processing using Silver Efex and they are not too bad. Even thought i would add a few to this blog.
So now to get some more film from the Photography Show at Birmingham which is in the next week and then load up and head out.
So at the last camera club meeting we were challenged to come up with a AV project lasting between 1:30 – 3:00 minutes, to include a soundtrack if required.
All to be complete for the end of April 2015 with a grand viewing to be held at a venue sometime in May 2015.
Now to get the thinking cap on, a few ideas kicking around so time to start planning so which may be the best option.
Before this was announced we had a talk by local photographer Richard Battye of his new project based on the form of the human body, some very unusual images and some striking poses.
Check out his work at http://www.riverstudio.co.uk well woth a look.
A few images of Dean from a recent shoot. Dean was covered in tattoos. from hi neck down, and he was very proud of them. He was great to work with during the shoot, hopefully will get to work with him some more in the future.
Jess, another great model to work with, even when i asked for a few unusual shoots which involved here screaming as loud as she could…..got the other people a little worried art first till they saw what we were trying to achieve, but hey, step outside the curve and trying something from the usual poses.
So, the date is booked for me to submit my work to see if it is good enough to earn a LRPS Distinction from the the Royal Photographic Society.
Date is the 22nd March during the Photography Show at the NEC, Birmingham.
Sent of the images to the printers, now just waiting for them to comeback and then review and change and sort the changing plan and then review till i get my final ten.
Getting some thoughts now that the selection will not be good enough but at least i have got time to re-shoot / re-work any that i do not think that are strong enough.
Not too stressed at the moment, but no doubt when the prints turn up and then the day starts to get closer the jangle of the nerves will start to increase…….
Ok, so after a lot of deliberation, i have decided to apply for an LRPS distinction with the Royal Photographic Society. I have been looking through images that i have taken over the past years both in studio and location shoots and have made a selection of the pictures that i will review and get down to the required number. Strangely, the images that i like are all of portraits, both male and female, So over the next few week i will look at these at different time of the day and make my selection.
I have also posted them in this blog, please see below, so if anybody out there reads the blog, any comment/thoughts/suggestions that you my have (keep them clean) would be most welcome and helpful.
OK, here are the last few images form the dance themed studio shoot. The guy that did these worked very hard for the group and at time he seemed like he was going to explode after been asked to repeat the same moves. Still he was a true professional and carried on with a smile, just above a grimace…
mikecassellphoto 