It’s so long Fuji and thanks for all the fish. (Google if not Douglas Adams fan).It’s been a pretty happy 6 years with Fuji since my original X-Pro1 arrived. I thought the original concept was brilliant and they sustained that throughout. I’ve been impressed with the cameras, the lenses and immensely appreciative of the regular firmware updates. Despite liking the “Leica influenced’ look of the X-Pro, I was much happier with the X-T1 and then the X-T2. Both superbly well designed cameras and an absolute joy to use. The combination of small size, low weight and high quality was perfect for me. The lenses I owned were excellent by and large with some rising to outstanding such as the 56mm f1.2 and 50-140mm f2.8, the 23mm f1.4 and the 90mm f2 and the wonderful little 14mm. Others were a tad underwhelming such as the 55-200mm which was great until you looked closely. I had two similar samples, others may have been luckier. The 18-55mm kit lens batted way above it place and was responsible for a high percentage of keepers from the cameras. I was hooked on the EVF from day one and always missed it when using the Nikon. I used the Fuji wherever weight mattered, the fells, longs walks, overseas travel or just when I wanted to grab a light bag. It fulfilled those requirements perfectly.From day one it would have been more convenient to have a lightweight camera that shared a mount with the bigger Nikon. Not least of which to take as a backup camera on trips. When heading for Harris for example, I always had to take two entire systems to insure against breakage or malfunction. I dipped a toe into the DX Nikon range for a while but found it too frustrating. The straw that broke the camel’s back however was the instability of the files. A perfect exposure under perfect conditions resulted in a pretty good file if treated correctly. If however the file needed a degree of work in Photoshop, I found them to be fragile and smooth gradation between different tones could disappear quickly. I also found the propensity for the ‘grains’ in the image to form elongated shapes unattractive. Many authors reported on the dreaded Fuji ‘worms’. I never found these particular problematic as they seemed to appear if too much sharpening was applied. Many other photographers evolved specific workflows using software from other companies to arrive at their optimum files. I’m quite happy to admit that the problems I experienced were due to poor technique on my part, a lack of expertise or a lack of subtlety. However I didn’t find any such issues with Nikon and I didn’t want to have to evolve a complex process to edit raw files, I just wanted to operate in the same way as I had always done.My ideal would have been a Nikon sensor in a Fuji X camera. A really interesting development might be a new series of sensors in the Fuji or perhaps a revised in camera software or processing engine.Arguably the thing I may miss most about Fuji was the sense that one was part of a project to move on and develop. There was always a very strong sense that Fuji listened to users, listened to wishes and listened to criticism (lesson for Nikon here). Their regular Firmware releases showed this very clearly and they generously rewarded loyalty by improving the camera, at no cost, from the one you originally bought. I’m sorry to be going, I really am. I may well return at one point but for now it’s off to pastures new and in the next Blog entry I’ll discuss what steps I’ve taken to replace the role of the Fuji X-T2.
New Fotospeed Papers
I recently received two boxes of paper sent by Fotospeed for me to try and then review. Given the vagaries of colour perception, lighting, compression and variations in monitors ( not to mention different printer outputs) , it seems pointless to waste time and space showing heavily compressed jpegs that concentrate on colour reproduction. I plan therefore to concentrate on other properties of these papers. I bought my first Nikon in the early 80’s. At the time it had a great deal to do with the fact that not only did Don McCullin use Nikon but that his life had been saved by his Nikon F when it was hit by a bullet that was meant for him.Our choices are often influenced by the famous and the lauded: these two papers are ‘signed’ by two of the giants of our world, Doug Chinnery and Joe Cornish. I use the term ‘signed’ to emphasise the fact that these papers are not merely ‘endorsed’ (which can mean anything or nothing) but have been designed in conjunction and are genuinely used by the named photographer. These two names are more than enough to cause serious consideration of these papers. If I have an anxiety about Fotospeed, it is that they make a bewildering array of papers through which one has to navigate in order to reach a choice. When I started printing in the early 80’s we simply picked a brand and then chose a gloss or Matt finish, possibly a silk if feeling giddy. Knowledge and technology now require more of us. The important factors which define these two papers are:
Weight
Surface texture
Base colour /use or otherwise of OBA.
Archival stability (including base material)
Both papers are made from Cotton giving grater archival stability; this is enhanced by both being acid free. Both are 305 gsm in weight so feeling like a thin card rather than a paper. Both are matt finish though one(The Etching) is much more textured. Both papers have a less than 'Persil White' appearance with the OBA free Platinum Cotton being the less white of the two.Cotton Etching 305 is a 100% cotton Acid Free Fine Art paper with a white base. The surface has an etching texture which helps accentuate detail and gives a depth to you image. Cotton Etching 305 uses the latest coating technology resulting in a wide colour gamut and pin sharp detail. Platinum Cotton 305 is a 100% cotton, Acid & OBA free Fine Art paper with a smooth natural white surface. Platinum Cotton 305 use the latest coating technology resulting in a wide colour gamut and again, pin sharp detail. Comparing the two descriptions (from Fotospeed) we see that they are both heavyweight papers, both matt (though one smooth and one textured) and both acid free for stability. the remaining stand out difference is that the Platinum Cotton is OBA free. This latter is important for two reasons. Firstly the inclusion of OBA (Optical Brightening Agent) gives the paper a 'whiter than white' finish. this does however gradually fade with time. Most OBA free papers seem to have to sacrifice initial whiteness in order to achieve this stability but technology moves on and this new paper makes less of a sacrifice than most. Both papers are however less than the 'whitest white'. the image below shows a comparison between the two papers and a sheet of premium photocopy paper. However your monitor is set up, the comparison will still hold good in relative terms.In order, the whitest is the photocopy paper, followed by the Cotton Etching and finally the Platinum. Many users prefer the softer white of the mid point here others the warmth of the OBA free and others still demand the whitest white. Tastes change; 40 years ago I loved the almost green warmth of Agfa Portriga paper, today I tend to prefer my whites as white as possible.Part of the joy of a print is in looking at a tangible image and how the light reflects off it, another part however is to be able to hold the physical image in your hand. The weight and finish of both papers is truly superb, they both feel like premium offerings destined for large prints on gallery walls. The pronounced texture of the Cotton Etching is reminiscent of my once favourite Hahnemuhle Etching. My current choice would however be the smoother finish of the Platinum Cotton. All personal taste of course but at some point I find myself looking at the texture rather than the image and for that reason prefer a less visually obvious finish.Personally I am delighted with the output on both papers in terms of colour and resolution of detail. I found that to my eye the smoother finish of the Platinum Cotton helped both the resolve more detail and also to better handle the subtle gradations in a monochrome print.In the example below, I found this image, filled with closely packed mid tones, was better presented (to my eye) by the Platinum Cotton than it was by the Cotton Etching.As stated above, by the time this has been compressed and displayed on another monitor the accuracy will be lost but the comparison again holds good. Both the subtle tones and the fine detail of the leaves are better represented to my eye.Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder and our concepts of beauty change over time. these are both beautiful papers of exceptional quality. My current preference is for a very bright white and a smooth (or often pearl) texture. When I used to print in the darkroom, my preferred finish was always that of an unglazed gloss paper. The strength of the Fotospeed range is that whatever one seeks in terms of a printer paper, they almost certainly provide it and of very high quality.Are these papers for you?If you are seeking acid free papers of high quality, yes.If you are looking for a neutral OBA free paper, yes.If you are looking for a high quality matt paper with a smooth or textured finish, yes.These papers were supplied free by Fotospeed but there was no pressure or suggestion that a positive review was expected. https://www.fotospeed.com/
A Fuji Wishlist
Fuji are one of the few camera makes who do just occasionally give the impression that they are prepared to react to customers' wishes. I thought I'd offer my wishlist in the full knowledge that it will have zero effect. It does however provide a context in which I can focus my own thoughts. First please note the title is ‘Wishlist’ not ‘Which items should Fuji produce which will be the most successful and bring the most financial gain....’.
We’re clearly going to get another X camera soon, probably at about 28mp and placed to sit above the XT-2 which it will replace and the X-H1 alongside (but slightly above) which it will sit. What would I wish for in the new camera:
Longer battery life - I hardly use the LCD and yet still carry 5 spares, this is a tad ridiculous. I could use a battery grip but part of the appeal of the system is the smaller size and I've never liked screw on battery grips as they introduce a second potential plane of movement between the sensor and a tripod head. Not only is there the possibility of movement between camera and grip but the grips themselves can distort and allow movement.
Add 5:4 to the range of image sizes so I can preview accurately in viewfinder.
Increase the maximum shutter speed to 1, 2, 4 or even 8 minutes (or longer , the OM2 did better than the XT-2 40 years ago…). Available though aperture priority. (manual greatfully received in firmware update.)
Re-site connection points for cables esp cable release to make it easier to use when in portrait orientation on an L bracket.
Give us a much lower base ISO, 64, 50 or even 25.
Allow full menu and button configuration, let the user define and organise their own menus and buttons without restriction.
Lenses General
Offer an Arca Swiss foot for those lenses with tripod collars
Understand that some users will trade light gathering power for a smaller size but still want the highest optical standards. Modest apertures with high level performance.
Lenses Specific:
Revamp the 14mm, 35mm f1.4, 18mm f2 and the 60mm f2.4 to give us WR and improved optical performance (in 18mm esp.)
Something round about 16-55 f4 with the performance of the 2.8 but in a smaller lighter package.
50-140mm f4 as above
Tilt and shift at about 16mm
That's it, not too much to wish for but probably an awful lot to hope for. What it does show, in my opinion, is quite how quickly the Fuji X System has matured into a fine photographic tool.
Which lenses for Venice?
Which lenses for Venice?
This is a question that is often asked and even more frequently ruminated upon by those heading off to Venice for the first time. Experience generally informs subsequent trips but only if honest reflection is undertaken and heads lead rather than hearts. There are questions to be answered first of course - relating to the kind of subject matter and images we wish to create. Those indulging in street photography will in all likelihood use the same selection as in any city. Others may revel in picking out the details from a distance and so take along a longer lens. My answers usually follow from the premise that, for me, the landscape of Venice is the main subject. A second and in some ways bigger question is to do with the degree to which we are prepared to compromise the enjoyment of the city by carrying too much weight. Photographing Venice involves a lot of walking and every kg seems to weigh double as the day goes on. For many people the iconic images of Venice are long exposures and in order to achieve this even more extra weight has to be carried in the form of tripod, ND filters, remote release etc. I recently analysed all my ‘keepers’ from Venice and tabulated them according to number of images for each focal length. I rounded all intermediate focal lengths to the nearest ‘recognisable’ prime equivalent. Note needs to be taken that the graph represents focal lengths and not specific lenses. The 85mm length equates to 55mm on my Fuji X cameras. In my analysis this includes the 18-55mm @55mm, the 55-200mm@ 55mm and the 56mm f1.2. The outcome surprised me slightly and is of course influenced by personal style, conditions, time of year etc. It is probably also influenced by whim to at least some extent. The key findings as may be seen from the table is that very wide angle only accounts for 10% of the mages and effectively less than 2% of images are from focal lengths that exceed 85mm. 75% of all the images were, or could have been made with a 28-85mm(FF) or 18-55mm (APS-C).
The information can be used to plan which lenses to carry. An 18-55 (28-80 FF) and something wider would account for 98% of all my keepers. Adding a telephoto as the third lens brings this to 100%. A future blog post will concern itself with a detailed analysis of exactly what equipment I personally carry when visiting Venice. The problem we all face is a perennial one, that of being prepared for the once in a lifetime image that is beyond the popular range of focal lengths. Everyone finds their own resolution to this question but I would prefer to enjoy the days rather than carry too much. A further consideration becoming every greater is that of transporting the relevant equipment by aircraft. The information above refers to my own favourite images from Venice over the past five years. These are partly represented by the Venice Gallery on my website. My solution so far has been twofold. The first part is the use of Fuji X series cameras and the second to beruthless on lens choice, drawing from my own data rather than my heart. The next blog post will be concerned with an analysis of all the equipment that I would usually take on such a trip. This will include my solutions for managing a balance between photography and airline luggage restrictions. If you would like to photograph this beautiful city and improve your own photography, I will be leading a workshop in April 2019 for Aspect2i. The workshop details may be viewed below.http://www.aspect2i.co.uk/intermediate-level-photograph-venice-italy-ID130.html
Breakthrough X4 77mm ND64 Filter Review - Part 1
Breakthrough X4 77mm ND Filter Review - Part One.There’s more to life than looks of course but it is difficult to avoid forming a first impression. From the moment I opened the box, this filter created two impressions. It looked like a high end piece of engineering and it stood apart from the crowd. Such an attention to detail by a manufacturer sends an instant message. ‘We know what we’re doing and we believe it is important to do it right’. As soon as the box is opened two practical aspects make themselves known. After countless years, a manufacturer has finally included a sufficiently 'grippable' edge to transform the process of mounting and removing. At best we’ve been given a knurled edge or often a smooth edge with a lightly knurled front. The X4 starts from a more functional approach and gives an edge that is more scalloped than knurled and provides an infinitely better grip. Even with gloves this is a breeze to remove and no more need for filter removal tools for overtightened items. Secondly, although in principle the engineering of threads is relatively straightforward, there is a world of difference between the individual variations of a so called standard pitch. Some are simply cut to poor tolerances, others while accurate are left with edges sharp enough to cut skin. Poorly cut threads are a potentially expensive accident waiting to happen. From the moment you first offer up a filter you know instantly how good the thread is, some fight and others work with you. The Breakthrough, almost threads itself. The frame is CNC machined from Brass and oozes quality. The same attention to detail is also paid to the glass, Schott B270 in this case. Secondly a 16 layer multi coating is applied ( 8 layer to each face) and finally a nano coating which both serves to bead water droplets and make it easier to clean off any marks.Optical performanceBreakthrough make a number of significant claims for the filters including a completely neutral colour, class leading sharpness and great resistance to marks and moisture.Colour: It is certainly the most neutral 6 stop filter that I’ve ever used. In my view, the sample I have, is not quite completely neutral, there is a very, very slight blue cast. Nothing however that cannot easily be removed. Sharpness: I cannot fault the optical sharpness of the filter, more attention will be paid to this is part 2 but for now, it seems flawless.Finally the Nano coating succeeds in two ways. After multiple days in the field, the filter remains unmarked. In light rain the filter resists the water and drips quickly bead and run off. This is a high end product at a high end price but it is easy to see what value has been added. There is a certain pleasure to be derived from anything that is done well and this is a beautiful piece of engineering. Unique in my experience is the presence of an individual serial number for each filter. This enables the similarly unique offer of a 25 year guarantee to be claimed. Although a full comparison with other industry leaders will form the basis of the second part of the review, I currently would have no reason not to make this my first choice for a screw in ND64 filter.
Every step you take, every move you make
I hope the length of this piece doesn't imply it is anything more than it is. In the same way that language enables thinking, for me, writing enables me to organise my thoughts. I’ve just been having a bit of a think, nothing more. Two major outcomes have emerged in the past 20 years for Landscape Photography, largely I would suggest, as a direct result of the emergence of the internet, the growth of Social Media and the advent of Digital Photography.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people enjoying the process of making Landscape (as opposed to holiday) Images.
It has become substantially easier to discover locations in which such images can be made.
(I think that a third outcome probably exists which is to do with the speed of growth and coherence of ‘fashions’ in Landscape Photography. This aspect will form the subject of a future set of musings.)There are many outcomes from these changes not least of which (in my opinion) a positive development in the art of landscape photography. However one unarguable change is a dramatic increase in the number of people making landscape photographs and their tendency to be drawn to a number of iconic sites. Whether this is good or bad for photography is the subject of yet another future article. What is inescapable is that they are causing damage to those very beautiful locations. In many ways such Photographers are no different from the millions of tourists who are loving the world’s beautiful places to death. This damage falls into three categories:
Accidental - resulting simply from erosion damage that exceeds the speed of recovery of the local ground.
Careless - Accidental damage beyond merely footfall. Damage to soil structures or scratches to delicate rock structures caused by tripod spikes. Stream banks are frequently damaged by careless access to the water.
Wilful - Photographers breaking off branches, pulling up saplings that impede their view.
Stuart Low wrote a very depressing piece about the new Massacre of Glencoe here.http://www.stuartlowphotography.co.uk/photographers-massacre-of-glencoe/Stuart lays the blame for a great deal of damage at the feet of photographers and while we as a community are not blameless, I do feel that the presence of fires, bottles and cans hints at the increasing taste in some parts of society for ‘pop up parties’. We see the evidence for theses all across our wild areas, the pattern is almost always the same. A relatively secluded area, fires are lit, wood both collected and sawn off purposefully off living trees, trees cut down, wilful damage to the local environment, alcohol containers, abandoned folding chairs and tents. I think these are nihilistic party goers rather than photographers. If we view a specific site such as the waterfall view of Buachaille Etive Mor from the Coupall, we can consider the likely narrative for the consequences.
It is ‘possible’ that the fashion for landscape photography has peaked and the issues may largely rectify themselves. Sales of cameras are certainly diminishing, though this may however be far from a guide to the numbers of people visiting iconic locations.
If no effective actions are developed, the damage will increase both in depth and spread. We know that as access is limited by difficulty, the line of approach will deviate to the next easiest route and spreading the problem further.
Our erosion may serve to permanently disfigure the very subject of our visits.
The land owners will feel moved to take some sort of action whether driven by fear of litigation (resulting from slip or fall injuries) or genuine care for the local environment.
Local councils may seek to limit the possibility of any suitable local parking. In my experience, many people will not walk for more than 10 minutes.
What then are the most likely outcomes? The least expensive is of course allowing the local site to become irrevocably damaged. In some locations I would suggest that the landowners are likely to amend access by the use of purpose built path or walkways. For a site such as the Coupall, my instinct is that this would eventually lead to a stable viewing platform with ‘sturdy guard rails’ all around and appropriate warning signs about proceeding beyond. Access to Blea Tarn has already been upgraded to allow a route for those with limited mobility, I suspect it is only a matter of time before a path is created down to the water’s edge. I have heard many an established photographer complaining about numbers and seemingly suggesting that newer entrants to the field should have to find alternative locations. This is a selfish view in my opinion and has all the hallmarks of pulling the ladder up after us. Such a view should certainly never be espoused by anyone who has an image from these locations in their back catalogue.Given that appealing to the better nature of the general public is likely to have little effect what other steps might be taken to attempt to limit or even reverse this damage?
There is never any harm in appealing and hoping, such a process works to some extent in respect to climbing and environmental; damage/ protection of nesting birds etc. I’m not sure how effectively it works but anything is better than nothing.
As a community we could draw up a set of voluntary guidelines to educate individual photographers with regard to the damage they are causing. We could circulate this and hope. Individual photographers could publicly sign up to such a code.
We could attempt to create a voluntary code of practice or standard for organized groups and those who bring groups to such places.
We might appeal for those providing workshops both to follow such a code and also to ensure that environmental impact be an element of their syllabus.
As a community, we might seek to raise the profile of such places with landowners and look for ways to encourage them to to improve access. The most effective way of encouraging is usually financial but there may be other quid pro quo alternatives.
There are considerations to do with the sharing or attempted concealment of locations. I think there’s a real conflict here for many photographers but for different reasons. The selfish or perhaps reasonably protectionist ones seek to protect their business by trying the limit the supply of images from a particular location. Although I don’t fit in this category I do have substantial sympathy for someone who has found a genuinely un-photographed location after hours of research, map study and hard miles. They may not feel like simply giving this away. There are others, of which I am one, who struggle to reconcile the fact that we find quiet or unspoiled places and then contribute to their destruction by publicising them. Once upon a time you might photograph, print and exhibit without having any effect on visitor numbers. Today a single image, widely shared can lead to a devastating effect.One a quick and unsophisticated Twitter poll this week encouraged 88 people to respond either via the poll or directly. The question asked ‘ Do you share location details from your photographs?The results were as below when additional answers were included.Freely 69%No, I made the effort (others can do the same) 10%No (Due to) protecting my business 5%No to (reduce footfall) and protect (local environment) from damage 16% A number of qualifications were added, these being:Sharing locations with friends but not the general publicSharing rough area but not precise detailsThere was a substantial view that as the photographer had made a significant investment of time and effort, there were not just going to give it away freely.This was a very ‘Raw’ poll and made no attempt to differentiate between those making a living from Landscape Photography and hobbyists brand new to the activity. It does present a very positive view in terms of generosity and also perhaps serves to explain why the dissemination of location information is so widespread. I would suggest that the following conclusions may be drawn overall.
As people who photograph the Landscape, we ourselves are the cause of the majority of the problems. There is no honesty in pointing the finger of blame at any sub groups.
As our numbers are comparatively small and usage intense our damage is not addressed in the same way as, for instance, Lakeland footpaths where there are both government funded and charity funded organisations working tirelessly to repair erosion damage.
The solutions to wilful and careless damage may come partly from education and codes of conduct at group and individual level.
The solution to damage resulting simply from footfall is likely to be complex. It will probably entail a blend both of on site footpath creation and an integrated parking plan. As we have seen at the Fairy Pools, building car parks isn’t enough unless it is accompanied by a strategy to limit reckless parking on nearby verges.
I’m not sure what else can be done apart from sitting back and watching the destruction of the very thing we love. If people have comments, please feel add via Facebook.(And, yes...that is my image at the to made in 2012 so I've done my bit to ruin this beautiful place. )
Icons
Landscape Photographic icons - should we follow the tracks or should we avoid them?The first and most pertinent answer in my opinion is that we ought first remove the use of the word 'should'. The photographic 'written word, whether it be books, blogs, forum posts, is far too full of advice telling us what we 'should' or 'shouldn't' do.Landscape photography is, for so many people, an escape. An escape from cities, from jobs, from stress, from illness or other life factors. It can also be an escape from 'shoulds'. When photographers are in the wild, providing they are not causing damage, they can be free of any pressure to conform. Any adherence rules can be chosen not enforced. I have often expressed the view that the development of photographic skills can be likened to learning a musical instrument. An understanding of the basic principles is needed, the level of practice is often reflected in proficiency and the learning of test pieces often forms a precursor to personal composition. The performance of the test piece does two things, it first (and foremost) brings the player pleasure and secondly it forms the structure for the acquisition of skills. There is no suggestion that they are immediately adding a new gem to the cornucopia of world music. There will always be those artists who somehow manage to shortcut stages and emerge 'fully formed' but for the majority, let them make their own versions of iconic images. A significant subset of the criticism I see levelled on those who 'dare' to set up their tripods at the Buachaille, or Blea Tarn or Crow Park in Keswick, comes from well known and established photographers. When I read such criticism, I tend to visit Google and their websites and so often find their own early images of the 'standards'. Much of what is written might be better if worded to avoid telling beginners what they should do and adjusted to emphasise that their enjoyment of what they are doing is key.With this post is an iconic image, the famous shed and bicycle in Glen Etive, it features somewhere in many a fine photographer's back or current catalogue. I've never been moved to photograph it before but on learning of the partial collapse of the structure, it suddenly became something of which I wanted to have my own record. The picture was a quick snap on the phone in the pouring rain. I suspect there won't by much still standing when I next return. I won't be sharing it as an example of creativity, mastery or even record. I am however pleased to have an image to call my own.One or two readers have asked about comments. I'm struggling to both allow comments and yet filter the colossal amount of spam that was arriving. If I can solve it in a manageable way, I'll reinstate comments. In the meantime, please feel free to provide counter arguments via Facebook or Twitter.
Little by little
Today was another day devoted mainly to the 24mm PC-e lens. I set off for one of my very favourite places, Deepdale. This is a lonely valley accessed from the road to Patterdale. Despite easy access, very few people make their way there in comparison with the standard Lakes honey pots. In 7 hours I only saw one walker heading up the valley. This provided an interruption and distraction free time in which to develop greater experience with this challenging lens. I understand the general principles of Tilting and have read all that I could find in terms of practical usage advice. I was also helped enormously by Andy Phillips who generously shared with me his precise step by step process.I felt that the only way to develop was simply to use it a lot until some of the thinking was replaced by feeling. That's what I've been doing since buying it. Not all situations lend themselves to a T&S lens or indeed to 24mm however and I havent tried to 'force the issue'. Today was the first day in which I have felt the balance shift towards a majority of success rather than failures. Today I made progress in a number of aspects. I think I am beginning to get a 'feel' for the tilt and refocus process; when things look right, they are increasingly right. I also chose use the viewfinder more than live view in the initial setup. I had also been focussing on the nearest point before tilting for the distance but today I've been focusing on a point a little further out and the number of iterations seems to have decreased.Probably the key gain today is that I felt the lens was working with me and not against me. I was enjoying using it and not fighting it. Perhaps the peace and tranquility of the location helped, perhaps it is just another inevitable step. The attached image was made with the 24mm f3.5 PC-E, 30s at f11 with a Lee Polariser and 3 stop ND.
Aiguille Alpine Stratus Rucksack
Aiguille Alpine Stratus ReviewI have a number of specialised photo rucksacks from the American company F-Stop. As a way of transporting camera equipment when that is the prime intention they are unparalleled in my opinion. However when spending time in the high fells during winter, their ability to carry other necessary equipment leaves something to be desired. Under these circumstances I have tended to use a specialist hill sack and fit a modest amount of camera equipment in. Last year I took ownership of an Aiguille Alpine Stratus 37L rucksack and have been using it as my sack of choice since. If you are looking for a high spec, well made sack it is well worth looking at Aiguille, all made by Adrian Moore in Staveley, the Lake District. When weight is at a premium ( as today after a month lay off and much illness) I take the Fuji X-T2, 10-24mm and 55-200mm together with a set of Lee Seven5 filters, spare batteries, remote cable and tripod. This allowed the following items to be carried in the sack:
Spare hat
Spare gloves
Mitts
Buff
Rab insulated jacket
Overtrousers
Flask
Food
Sitmat
Map
Compass
GPS
Phone
Torch
Whistle
Ice Axe
Ice grips for boots
Tripod
Walking Poles
Padded camera insert (see inset photo) with camera 2x lenses, remote and batteries
Lee Seven5 filter set.
This left plenty of room in the bag and had conditions or route been different I might have added a warmer jacket, more food, emergency shelter (used for brew stops rather than emergencies so far...) ski goggles, crampons or more substantial tripod.The rucksack is superb, nothing added beyond what is needed and nothing necessary missing. I had a slightly longer back length created for me and this is probably the only rucksack I own that actually fits me. The carry is quite excellent and the quality of construction and materials are beyond criticism. This is a bag that hugs and moves with you - it becomes part of the body when moving over steep ground. I've owned many, many rucksacks since an original Alpiniste and this has quickly become my favourite mid size sack. If you are looking for a 35/40L sack, this should be on your list.Quoted weight 0.95kg Sample weight 1.02kg. This discrepancy results from the fact that my sack was made with a longer back length and thefore was slightly larger. This also means the capacity will be slightly greater than the quoted 37l.
Intimate Landscapes
Perhaps I'm the last human on the planet to discover this, but if not.... The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) have a free copy in pdf form of Eliot Porter's wonderful photographs 'Intimate Landscapes' being an Exhibition Catalogue from 1979. There is no real substitute for a physical book but this is still a delightful collection and best of all, free. Have a wander over tohttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/intimate_landscapes_photographs
Nikon 24mm f3.5 PC-e Tutorials
There are only a small number of articles that genuinely give solid advice on using this lens. There is a common view that there is 'nothing out there'. After much searching I've found a few links and these are added below. If you know of a link I've missed, do get in touch and it can be added for the benefit of all.http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/tilt-shift-lenses2.htmhttps://luminous-landscape.com/focusing-tilt-shift-lenses/http://www.davidsummerhayes.com/Focusing%20the%20tilt-shift%20lens.pdf http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/using-lens-tilt-on-your-digital-slr/http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/what-tilt-and-shift-lenses-do/https://www.schneideroptics.com/pdfs/photo/PC-TS%20Anleitung%201-12%20en.PDFShift onlyhttps://petapixel.com/2015/04/06/a-quick-introduction-to-shooting-with-a-tilt-shift-lens/http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/tilt-shift-lenses1.htmhttp://www.oopoomoo.com/2012/0 3/seven-advantages-of-using-ti lt-shift-lenses/
https://www.redbubble.com/peop le/peterh111/journal/7077801-h ow-to-take-a-tilt-shift-photog raphThis ebook is exceptionally good.http://www.oopoomoo.com/ebook/the-tilt-shift-lens/A fine article by Tim Parkin at InLandscape, worth the subscription alone.https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2015/03/focussing-tilt-lenses/For a practical guide to using a Tilt and Shift lens there can be no better place to go than to Aspect2i. They regularly run workshops dedicated to these lenses.http://www.aspect2i.co.uk/findWorkshop.php?workshopType=3&abilityLevel=findWorkshopAn excellent article, also published in Luminous Landscape by David Summerhayes.Focusing a Tilt and Shift lens. It also includes some useful tables to provide ad starting point for the amount of tilt required for near to far sharpness in Landscapes.
New Year Resolutions #2
Some resolutions are too personal to share but others relate to the professional side of life and may indeed be improved by sharing. This list will be added to or amended over the coming days as thoughts develop. It is not currently in order of importance or any other hierarchy.
Write Blog posts more frequently
Refresh website content more frequently
Raise 'quality bar' for website content
Create and maintain a sketchbook
Achieve an increased measure of competence with Nikkor 24mm f3.5 Pc-e lens
Build 'Classic Lakeland' content
Shoot more
Increase number of photo trips
Review backup system
New Year Resolutions #1
I tend not to wait for New Year to make resolutions but the period of calm between Christmas and the end of the year provides a perfect opportunity to reflect and make decisions. Some of those decisions are appropriate to share, others not. This one is public. I've decided to keep a sketch book this year and to investigate both how it may help me and also how it may help those with whom I work on workshops. The sketchbook is a staple of Arts courses and I was talking to an artist in North Berwick on Christmas day who despite the passing of over 30 years still has all his sketchbooks dating back to A-level. The use of a sketchbook as an aid to reflection is well documented as is it's value in recording development over time. The final influence came from Karl Mortimer who wrote an excellent article on the use of a sketchbook in photography. I browsed a facsimile of a sketchbook belonging to Gauguin and was reassured that they do not have to be things of beauty in themselves. Mine will be private, completely so. I don't believe I could think as honestly if I knew it might be seen by others. That view may change of course.
This time, it’s serious
After an abortive foray into Tilt &Shift a few months ago, it's time to have another go. In May I bought a Nikon 24mm f3.5 PC-e lens. After about a month of pain, I sold it again and bought a Zeiss 25mm f2. I spent hours trying to coax satisfactory images out of the Nikon to no avail. To this day I'm not sure where the problem lay but by the end of the month the lens was preventing rather than enabling pictures.A couple of weeks ago I considered a s/h example at MPB and while discussing it with them, it was bought by someone else. I was disappointed, the price was good and the lens looked ok. A week later the same lens was back on the shelf, having been returned. Additionally it was in their year end sale with £100 off. I was nervous about buying something that another photographer had returned and spoke to them for reassurance. This was given and I pressed the buy button. The new example arrived yesterday and looks to be a bargain. A visual inspection confirmed no functional flaws, the cosmetic wear suggested a well used lens which I take to be a positive endorsement. Optical test indoors are already more positive then the previous example ( which I now suspect, might have been faulty).The first outdoor session went very positively - a delightful dawn with frost and mist at a relatively unvisited jetty on Coniston. The conditions were too good to risk using just the new lens so I doubled up with a 16-35mm and a 50mm. There were three key questions to ask about this lens:
Overall sharpness unshifted
Sharpness and extent of acceptable sharpness from near to far.
My ability to achieve the potential sharpness of the lens.
I made a number of exposures in Landscape and portrait format across the three lenses. My instinct is that that circumstances when this lens will be particularly useful is in portrait format images where I'm looking for the optimum near to far sharpness. Jetty's are an interesting subject (though admittedly over photographed) and offer distinct choices. In this instance the portrait orientation didn't yield any pleasing results on any lens and the best outcome was from the 24mm in landscape format. In the attached mage, I also decided to crop to 16x7, thus effectively losing much of the foreground sharpness so expensively won. The image must come first however, another post will contain more specific test images.Returning to the initial questions, the overall sharpness (note, of this sample) is excellent over the normal aperture range. The effect of diffraction at the smallest apertures of f22/f32 is however more extreme than any lens I've ever used. This to the extent that, if replicated across all samples, I fail to see why those stops are even offered.The near to far sharpness is excellent if focussed and tilted accurately.Even on first usage, I managed both to obtain sharp images and to begin the process of being able to do so reliably.
Pictures at an Exhibition
My first full size solo exhibition opened this week at Farfield Mill Arts and Heritage Centre near Sedbergh. This has been a bit of a learning curve on the basis of it being solo and also over three times as big as anything I'd attempted before. It has made demands in terms of organisation, choice of images and an attempt to keep costs sensible. There was no question of sending lots of files off to be printed, mounted and framed for a seamless display. the content has been drawn from previous exhibition stock, new prints and a number off the walls of the house. The process has caused a number of bouts of introspection - purpose, outcomes, hopes, fears etc. After some thought a number of conclusions are obvious (not new however):
Far from being a moneymaking venture, the exhibition will cost me money. I don't expect even to break even.
There needed to be sufficient prints to make it worthwhile for those people making the effort to visit.
There needed to be a balance in cost between the framing I would wish for and an affordable solution.
I was not prepared to compromise on the quality of the prints however.
In some ways the exhibition has come a little soon for me - however I suspect that might always be the case and regardless, such opportunities when offered should not be turned down.
I have not chosen images based on social media popularity, I've chosen my own favourites. I'm proud of the photographs, whatever the public reaction.
I have been moved and humbled by the level of support, encouragement and good wishes from the landscape photographic community.
Healing by Colin Bell
This is not a book review. It may be no more than semantics but the term review has a flavour of judgement and I do not feel either qualified to judge or that judgement is appropriate for such a work. I prefer to think of this as a book response, a purely individual, subjective reaction.I don't buy many photo books, fewer at full new price and fewer still cause me to fight for a place in the queue. The Healing places itself therefore, in a special position for me.I first became aware of Colin Bell’s work ( like many others perhaps) through his defining picture of the tree at Rydal then his iconic image of the group of trees at Crummock Water. Since then I have followed and enjoyed his photographs immensely.As much as I hate the phenomenon of ‘unboxing videos’, the first little slice of joy came with the beautiful packaging and presentation of this book. Before a page was turned, the thing shouted class. Again before turning a page the beautiful linen cover subtly advised that there were riches within. Joe’s fine forward set the scene beautifully and reassuringly echoed my own advance thoughts that this book was about both the healing of damaged places and also of Colin’s own journey. While no expert on book printing, the images look delicious and the overall production of the book seems to be flawless.If you buy a book such as this, you probably have a reasonable measure of familiarity with the images that are within. I don't think anyone could possibly be anything other than delighted. It is a collection filled to the brink with the most beautiful images from three main areas, The Tilberthwaite Quarries (including Hodge Close and Holme Fell), Thirlmere and the Dead Lake at Delamere.They sit beautifully as individuals, as a collection and as pairs on adjacent pages. For me, many of the images are the defining images of their respective locations. Those on Holme Fell for instance, are such a powerful and iconic record that they make me feel as though I'm trespassing in some way when I make my own photographs there. Colin’s images display many things apart from the obvious mastery of the photographic art. They show an understanding of the elements and a sympathy with mist and rain. Quite apart from the obvious beauty of so many images the single overwhelming aspect which I perceive is that of subtlety. There is a delicacy and empathy in these images that arises alongside the fact that there is a clear relationship with the landscape. These are places much visited by the photographer; all seasons, times, weathers and moods. Multiple visits that allow the feel of the place to seep into the bones as if by osmosis. That empathy emerges in tidal waves though the pictures.This has instantly become one of my very favourite photographic books, standing alongside the greats. It speaks to me of the places I know so well, the weather of my homeland and the relationship that is possible if one knows, understands and values the natural environment. It celebrates our land in all its moods and also the power of nature to restore life to damaged places. It was published as limited edition which must be running low. I can only exhort anyone with a heart and soul to buy this book.
Choosing a beginner's Camera
'I'd like to buy a proper camera, what should I get?' - This is one of the more commonly asked questions for anyone who is known to be a photographer.I have two standard answers in the form of two further questions:How much do you want to spend?What is it that you cannot do with your current camera?It presents no challenge to find cameras that will cost more than a brand new car. Buying cameras can be a slippery slope leading to a black pit that absorbs money. In my view there needs to be a budget set and an attempt to reach clarity about what the buyer seeks to achieve with their new camera.The last 2-3 years has seen an immense simplification in the process of buying cameras as the category of ‘compact camera’ has all but disappeared. In almost every case these have been completely replaced by the ever improving and spectacularly competent camera in even modest smart phones.Most people have an excellent camera already in their phone. £300-£500 buys an entry level camera with interchangeable lenses and from then on the bank balance or credit card is the limit.The crucial questions become:What do you want to photograph?What does your current camera (or phone camera) NOT do?Often, buried deep within the original enquiry, is the perennial problem - the belief that a ‘better’ (more expensive or more technological) camera will result in ‘better photographs. This is a false promise in which the greater part of the Magazine industry is also complicit. I often refer enquirer to the outstanding work of Julian Calverley using only an iPhone http://www.juliancalverley.com/personal/#north-northwestFor other aspects of photography (travel, portraits, etc) a quick Google will generally yield fabulous results from a phone camera.Who definitely needs an upgrade? You may well get better results from an upgraded camera if you want to photograph the following:Sports especially if the action is some distance awayInsectsWildlifeInteriors in small spacesAircraft, motor racingSome landscapes especially if you want to exploit different angles of view provided by wide or telephoto lenses.Finally, the experienced, analytical and reflective photographer who is able to identify a highly specific feature may well see improvements.Canvas as many views as you can but be wary of anyone who insists that any one brand is the best. It's pretty hard to buy a poor camera currently. The number of cameras being sold and the number of makers is reducing, by and large the best are surviving. There is a great deal to be said for a specialist camera shop but again be aware that the salesperson may be on greater commission for some brands.If you return home with a camera that feels right and looks right to you, it will have the potential to produce fine images. Most cameras on dealers shelves come from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Fuji; all will produce fine images. The current models will represent the ‘state of the art’ but the previous models will also represent high quality and better value.Tips:Do your research. If you are considering spending hundreds of pounds on a camera, make some effort.Look for the previous model in every case. These will always be cheaper, always have better deals, always represent good value for money and in an occasional case, may even be the better camera.By all means ask for views on Social Media but don't set yourself up as an easy target. Express clearly what your budget is, what you want to photograph and if possible what it is about your current camera that fails you.Make sure you are getting the best out of what you have now. Many people express a desire to get ‘clearer’ pictures: if that's the case, holding your phone more steadily and using a handkerchief to clean its lens will often bring rapid improvements.Consider the investment in some tuition. A 1:1 workshop may well pay for itself in terms of money saved on needless or ill considered expenditure. Many providers are happy to answer a continuous stream of questions that lead to you getting the resits for which you seek.Read the reviews by all means but remember that many of them are written by people who are in the pay of the manufacturer, many are written by people without any real experience, many in print and online are designed to increase circulation and so are controversial or provocative.Getting off the fenceWhat would I currently recommend for a newcomer to photography?(May2017)If you want to spend less than £300, I'd be very tempted to either stick with your phone camera or consider an upgraded phone.If you are ready to spend £350 then I'd look very hard at the Nikon D3300 with an 18-55mm lens. ( the current model is the D3400 so previous model is cheaper). Depending upon what you want to photograph, you may need to budget for a tripod, a remote release and protective filters for the front of the lens. A little more will allow you to add a telephoto lens for those more distant objects. A camera such as the above ( or Google for whatever the nearest Canon equivalent might be) will certainly cope with most holiday photographs, pets, family, walks, festivities etc. When you can't make the picture you want, the time may have arrived for additional lenses. Bear in mind however when seeking additional lenses that most of the greatest photographs ever taken throughout history were taken on focal lengths within the range of that supplied kit lens.
Learning Curve
I'm on a learning curve that has suddenly steepened. A few weeks ago a 24mm PC-e lens arrived along with a determination to achieve control over it. This morning was another instalment, beginning at 4.30 (which is frankly getting ridiculous...) and concluding with more thoughts about selling it.I think I understand the principle. Frame the image, focus on a point about 1/3 of the way up the frame then apply a tiny amount of tilt forward to bring everything into focus. I know everyone applies too much and am careful of that. I use live view and magnification to check the focus. I have a Lupe to allow me to magnify the live view screen. I feel I'm doing it all right but still failing to make a substantial or indeed any significant improvement over using my 16-35mm well stopped down and carefully focussed. I'm going to edit and add to this post as blog within a blog. I'd be really keen to hear others people's views and experience. If you have one or have ever had a PC /T&S lens, do contribute.Update 6/5/17 The Pc-e lens has gone. I am in the fortunate position of being able to do what I enjoy. I wasn't enjoying this lens and it wasn't adding to what I could achieve. Even allowing for the need to learn and practise I was hating the fuss necessary to make a photograph. I don't mind slowing down and taking time but this lens sucked out my desire to live. I don't know whether I expected too much or if I simply failed to make the lens perform to its full or even if the lens was faulty. It would have required an even greater financial investment to investigate and my patience was done.Lit is being replaced by a Zeiss 25mm f2 that comes with a colossal reputation. This will no doubt become the subject of further ramblings in this blog.
Teacher or Sharer?
I’ve recently experienced a relatively dramatic upsurge in enquiries for workshops relating to either photographing or processing. Simultaneously there has been a noticeable increase in visitors to this website. Finally and in some ways most surprising of all has been the growing realisation that many of those visitors have been reading these blog posts. I plan and think in words and pictures. I use diagrams and text to organise my thoughts (usually with pencil and paper) and while the blog has always been open, it has served as a way of enabling thinking rather than of specifically sharing or pontificating. I’ve been a subscriber to the principle of Social Constructionism for many years now. The core of this for me is the belief that learning, rather than a competitive process where the ‘best learner’ wins, is an undertaking that is best performed by a group. This may be a small study group or scaled to the whole of society/humanity. Simply, work together, share and we all learn more. In writing the above I am trying to make a point. When I write about what I have learned, it is to share that learning and perhaps facilitate the learning of someone else. It is explicitly not to demonstrate my learning, knowledge nor to advertise some form of mastery. Last week I wrote about installing Jetpack on this website. I'm not a high skills tech guru and it wasn't intended to be an evaluation, justification or even a recommendation. I don't know enough about either the product or the underlying technology to do any of those things. The writing was simply to share an experience. The growth of Social Media and of self publishing (in its many forms) has made it very easy to become an ‘expert’. There seem to be an ever increasing number of people who on Monday buy their first DSLR, by Wednesday are Photographers (With a Facebook business page) and by Friday have their own YouTube channel to disseminate their week long experience and expertise.Some of this relates to a future post on the difference between response and judgment and some relates to the concept of mastery. However the key element is that when I write I am sharing my learning rather than seeking to teach. I’m offering a personal perspective rather than an expression of what I consider to be an absolute truth. There are different truths out there for different people, even science is not absolute and shown so elegantly by Heisenberg and Schroedinger et al.
JetPack
I've experienced a bit of an epiphany this week. Following a number of chance interactions it seems that people have been looking at my website and on at least a few occasions, actually reading it. Despite the substantial amount of work out in, it still comes as a bit of a surprise. Part of the reason for this surprise is that for the last two years, every single print sale or workshop has come from either Facebook or Twitter; buyers and clients have only gone to the website after their initial interest has been confirmed.The immediate consequence ( apart from a smidgeon of pride) is to encourage me to stop up my efforts a little as the provision has been a little thin over the last year or so. Over the previous month, I'd been updating galleries (hate that job....) and generally tidying leaving two major jobs to do. One was a renewed attention to the blog and the second was to organise a few bits of background stuff including site statistics. Having looked around for a number of plugins, I decided to fire away with a collection called JetPack. This bag of goodies is written by the same people who write the WP code and seems to offer a mixture of features I want now, those I might want, those I might want if I ever understand what they do and those unlikely to be required. The set is nicely written so that only the code for the activated plugins runs on the site.I could have used Google Analytics as I used to do on my old hand written site but to me the JetPack offering seems more elegant and more quickly gives me the information I want. I'm hoping ( based to be honest on what others have written rather than my own specific knowledge) that site security will be enhanced. I'll also compare the WP comments feature with the anti spam plug in that I'm currently using to se if there is any gain to be made.If any of this is of interest, do drop me a line. My intention is to add to this individual entry with updates as things bed in.