Dust and Decay

Decay and dead moths especially might not seem the most enthralling things to photograph, but i saw some work the other week in a mag i purchased, it was a brief look as Jen borrowed the magazine before i read it and i haven't seen it since ;) .. anyhow i really liked how the photographer had gone peering into another life, in to spiders webs and dark holes to capture what lives there. it got me

playing with decay. and Black and white.

 thinking and got me looking at the stuff thats left lying around, the small details. how they might look in the form we brush away and mop up. behind the vases on the window sill and the dust on the top shelf. 

so a little macro play while i still had Jens Tamron, do i want one.... yes defo want a macro lens next.. 

steve 

added textures and effect on Black and white to dramatise image.

Up date on me new learning curve

Well at the beginning I found college to be a tough step, all my own doing out of fear. But now I have found it to be a door open to my creative explorations, my way of creative thinking is different to Steve's as I think I need a structure to how I come about ideas. Steve's way of creative thinking can be so wonderfully random (jealous of that ability). It is nice to have ideas that can flow easily through the methods used in college, ideas do not usually flow so easily for me and can occasionally go stagnant.
I have loved reading about different artists/photographers and that has sparked ideas for me .. Here are a few plays all with Steve in them hehehe...

a little play from the 356!

1sec hand held exposure using a speedlight to capture the image and the exposure to capture the movement!
lots to learn about flash, but i love it

macro fun with the Tamron sp90mm Jen brought, its nice I'm learning to use it and love it now!

a little selection from me!

playing at the wetlands centre in llanelli, before the sun finally leaves us and the icy morns appear!

a little 365 play, Jens studio table lamp!

I really haven't been posting much of late! Im not sure why, photography is as much alive and kicking as ever, i guess i feel less of my work is worth showing of than i did.. i hope thats because im getting better and expect more from my images..

so whats been happening, well were still 366ing and it doesn't get easier. but thats the boring stuff, the quick shoot after work. the philosophers daughter stuff though, that i love.
i have a great image lined up for series 4, i cant give a way to much, but i have a technique that will rock this image if it comes off. so some clues! well im looking for a bridal hoped petticoat, a pile of newspaper and a white umbrella.. a blonde wig would be great too!!!!

there make what you will of that

steve. x

another from the 4th series of images, 'sleep walking' i love jen in this shot! she's a great model to work with

College start

Over the past few months I have had the hard choice of wether I should go back to college to do photography, and after a long chat with the tutor of the course I have decided to go for it.
The awesome thing about this course is that it has made me think hard about images I see and produce and in doing so I have found myself liking images that I don't particularly like visually. To look at an image and ask why they chose to do that style, subject, content or even technique . It's made me look at more artists than I would usually and that's changed my perception opon the those images that the artists have produced.
I have to be honest though, the thought of going back to college scared me, especially the first week. But thanks to a good telling from a certain hat wearing person I have come to realise that they are just old fears rearing its head. Load of nonsense really , silly Jen.. I'm loving doing the work now.

Jenny xx

366 update!

im still at it folks, posting them on the blog www.365llanelli.blog.com. but heres a taster!

U for umbrella!

W for worn out and ready to sleep where ever i can!

x is for oXo, lol

Hoping college will rock

I have been thinking of doing as/a level photography all summer but didn't want to pay for learning for something I already know. After a lengthy conversation with the tutor I have decided to go for it, I may know a bit about photography but I think this course could really help with developing my ideas for my projects as I do struggle with making my ideas grow. It involves contextual understanding and creative development as well as the technical side of photography. I really hope I'm up to the mark on this as I've never really been strong educationally or rather literacy. Wish me luck

Jenny xx


(for everything Jen struggles with Literacy wise she makes up for with boundless enthusiasm and love for the camera, that cant be taught unlike the rest!, Steve)

Getting close with Carl

After some time apart me and the reverse mounted Carl ziess have enjoyed some time exploring macro again, fitted up to the new D300, focusing is so much easier (thanks to the bright large veiwfinder) and the metering nicely accurate. Tis been a real pleasure :). As much as a better camera won't record as significantly better shoots than new glass will, the ability to work in certain situations really simplifies and that means getting the shot, very happy with my choice

Steve

long time no post..

Hello folks, anyone out there still tuning in? sorry its been a while since we posted last, theres been some holidays and new toys going on here so i guess we have been side tracked..

i gave you an update on the d300 (still love it) the other week and I hope Jen will be joining soon with some thoughts on her 50mm f1.8 purchase, she's still giggling with excitement form it! in the meantime what have we been up to?

Butterfly bride.

we we have had some fun with the alphabet 366 themed challenge and had another shoot with he 'philosophers daughter' collection, thats went really well, Heather our model was great, and shown very few signs of nerves seeing as though this was her first time modelling and meeting us. trusting, very...

the session went well, got some cracking shots to work through and feel that we have another chance to work with her more, which is always positive. the images are a continuation of the play with butterflies and the mighty wings we made, but there a little lighter and more dainty than previous images, which is nice. i learnt loads again, (i always say that, i hope the evidence backs it up) and of course have loads of things i wish i could have done better. i leave you decide on that!

meanwhile me and Jen spent sunday brain storming ideas and developing ideas on Jens identity project! some fantastic ideas brewing there and time to make them real! ill let Jen tell you more when shes ready.. ;)

Steve...

D300 thoughts so far!

well as promised a Nikon D300 update... OMG I love her, nuff said really.

Ok seriously, I got the camera wednesday last week so have had a great weekend of play time and a couple of days this week while I have been off work, in fairness I haven't given her the fairest of chances yet. While I have been out and about most of my shooting has been with the cheap Tamron 70-300ld not really a great performer, as you might well have heard me moan. But the results i posted before where from said lens and to be honest I'm rather pleased, focusing on the D300 is sharp and spot on, the metering is awesome under these conditions and and its quick. I have been playing with high ISO's of 1600 and am really pleased with its ability to keep noise under control, although viewable on flat detail-less areas its always manageable in the darkroom and of course I've been able to push the shutter up above the 1/4000 barrier of the last camera.

Weobley Castle, 10mm, processed using Topaz and CS5

Today I took the camera out to the Gower for my 365 challenge, Weobley Castle providing the opportunity for some wide angle fun. and I'm again very pleased, the ergonomics of the camera are great despite it being both 400g heavier and almost twice the size of the little D60. Its a pro end camera and it shows, its always comfy and ready to use, the extra control meaning its easy to make changes on the fly and not to forget something as I did on the D60 because it was always hidden away. Picture Quality is great, is it better? well if I'm honest to my eye I couldn't say, the D60 has and still does hold its own and with the digital darkroom working its magic on pictures its hard to distinguish. But thats doesn't mean I'm disappointed, i just think that after a while you start to count numbers when talking about 'quality' on digital instead of seeing real differences, certainly when I put Jens SP90 macro lens on I saw a huge difference in quality and the D300 rocked those pics, but that piece of glass cost 3x as much as my humble 70-300 so i would expect to see 'quality' results from it.

using the feared 70-300, and getting results at last!

Ok so here Begs the big Q... should I have spent the money on Glass instead? Hell yes glass will always provide a bigger step in Quality than a new camera, But thats to miss the point here, this was as much about lust as need and as much about access to control and ease of use as to simple quality gains. I am completely in love with this camera, in less than a week it fits in my hand like it belongs there and is sooo easy to learn to use that I haven't thought twice about its depths. and speaking of Depths the manuals size alone gives some idea to the Depths the menus will go on the beast, i have hardly touched the Menus other than to set up an alternative shooting menu for when i wanna play lensbaby B&W and let the camera take over correcting any minor metering bunnies for me, although I cant wait to really get  stuck in to the camera more.

so verdict.. the camera is great 100% what I wanted, Quality wise ill get the picture on this easier than the D60 and that equates to getting the picture, which is always better than not! I certainly want new glass to replace the tamron and possibly my little Zeiss lens, but at least I'm not tied to new expensive glass I have the world of old AF stuff available now to. all round its win-win

the RAW colour of the D300 and the Sigma 10-20 lens is just breathtaking, a few tweaks and some sharping and this is the result, i did try a few bracketed shots for a HDR image, but it just doesnt need it. oh and the metering is epic!

a weekend of chances!

(Steve) Well the plans for the weekend didn't come off :( and we were left wondering what to do with damp grey nothingness! the summer of discontent continued, or so it seemed. we cancelled the shoot with Heather and the 'philosophers Daughter' series because it was just wet, hardly suiting summer dresses and paper butterflies.

Hoverfly on Sea holly. (Steve)

 Instead we decided to head of to the camera shop and hope longingly that a little break in the clouds might spread some sun on us. In Swansea Camera Centre Jen falls in love with the 50mm f1.8 and I realise that a good camera needs good glass! oh dear, time to save again it seems, so much for a free hobby once you buy the camera..

Anyhow the sun broke and we headed down to Sketty Parc and found plenty of fun in the gardens there, I took the Tamron which I have come to hate and fell in love with its potential, and coupled with another impromptu break in the clouds and more macro fun to day, I think im quite happy to play with it again. So its not the sharpest tool in the bag, but on the new D300 it rocks, (did I mention that, let me bring a update to you on that midweek)  its focuses nicely on macro and if you close the f-stop up a little its not too bad! Certainly better than nothing at all :D

you cant beat a spot of red on a sea of green (Steve)

Jen on the other hand has fallen in love with a Squirrel or two and then today, a random trip to Pembrey circuit to see what was going round in circles in the damp greyness, and the skies cleared and some fools were to be found 'Drifting'.  ill let her fill you in....

Mr Squiggle

 (Jen) Well gutting Steve's shoot was off, but I have really enjoyed myself this weekend. Having squirrels come to me when I call was so cute, not like the ones in my garden that are vicious, so may go back there without the sp90 lens on so I can get a good shot lol.

Chasing butterflies and dragonflies is always been fun to me and with the sun deciding to rear its head its best to grab a chance when you can so I am pleased with my shots and hopefully when I get home there will be more shots to share with you all.

Another Daisy shot

Drag racing today was absolute fun, not sure on my shots but a good giggle I had to myself watching them and getting burnt fron this thing that people call the sun (doesn't come around here much) . I really hope that I get a chance to catch them race again soon. It also helped this weekend when i came to realise (only because Steve is playing with his new camera) that my camera has iso sensitivity settings that i didn't know was there .. Hehehe helps a little (ps... I should read the manual to camera sometime)

Cheeky fells who was waiting for me to throw seed

Alphabet challenge!

well I'm often telling people I could construct a better argument with a tin of alpha spaghetti, but could I do the same with the camera, a challenge set me thinks! so without further to do the 366 takes another twist, the 366 alphabet challenge... every day (mon-fri) we work through the alphabet taking a picture that links with the letter, so monday coming will be 'F' for example.. so I might choose 'fish' 'flowers' or a I might use a 'fisheye' lens, so no real rules,in fact if we can justify it it goes! :D sounds typical for me then!

Coastal Play at Lougher estuary, it was a damp grey and very windy evening, perfect for photographers then, lol

Sunny fun

Well on the weekend we headed down to pembrey race track to have my first experience of photographing bikes. It is quite a skill to learn, one that I haven't got meh...
On the plus side of things, we headed into the country park to a little sandy pond to discover dragonflys breeding in the reeds there. Awesome day even in the tremendous rare heat of the sun. I know now that my tamron sp90 defiantly rocks for macro even if it does struggle with the focal length for flutterflys . So after I buy a shorter length ( maybe 35 m or 50m) just to have a closer quality prime I might be looking at a teleconverter as a good addition to my kit. Hehehehe
Jenny xx

Poo to the weather

After sitting here and looking back at last years stuff we have realised that we have seriously not gone out to half as much as last summers activities and photography thanks to the weather. But what we have done we have enjoyed , just wish there was more of it. Fingers crossed for next year. Jennyxx

what a great week!

Fisheye daises! was a great lend, but I wont be buying in a
hurry at over  £500
 I don't think I could get enough use out of it

Its has been an awesome week for me behind the camera, some impromptu landscape plays, getting the sand between my toes and playing roulette with the incoming tide and my camera percariously close to the sand/sea. Then tonight a quick charge to the beach for a cracking sunset that just rocked for about 5mins before the heavens opened on me! was it worth it, hell yeah I think so but ill let you judge me eh!

in the week we had the wednesday night camera club stroll, this week around Parc Howard and I managed to borrow a fish eye lens so got some cracking play time in with that!!! 

 I didnt realise how much I miss landscape shots till yesterday gonna get out there now. :)

ok ok, pics tell the story better than me!

Llanelli beach, 5 mins before the rest of the sea landed on my head and camera! Its rained this summer fair play!

Bracelet Bay, Mumbles.. so wish i had had a 10stop ND grad for this shot!

the 366, and no theme!

something old and wonderful at furnace pond
given the lensbaby treatment!

and someone new, a piece from the start of our commissioned works maybe.
the lovely Abi in Parc Howard gardens.
and the lovely 35mm f1.8, sharp as a pin!

sorry folks its been a quiet old week... but we had a commissioned piece of work which has been waiting for the sun, so we managed to sort that on sunday, Also a cancellation from the model who was under the weather unfortunately, but never mind that gives us more time to work the image.. :) 

I really enjoyed the sunday shot mind. Catching Abi at play was quite a challenge she didn't like to make eye contact and was keen to cling to mam, who'd blame her eh, two strangers with cameras click click click at her! anyway a great day and I think the shots were worth it. it was great to get the 35mm out of the kit bag once again, its a special bit of kit which never seizes to impress, especially for children's portraits where its so bright, vibrant and pin sharp! its just the perfect focal length too.

steve. :)

Sun and sand.

Lovely day in new Milton yesterday, the sun was shining for us and we ventured to the coast to visit the beach huts on hengistbury head... The place was wonderfull and pics will follow, I think it would be great to return there in the winter when snow lies in the ground, but I've been assured the sun always shines down here.. :)

it was quite amusing really as well as annoying that some people after buying there sheds in a public beach then weren't happy that people were taking pictures! We do seem to becoming very confused by the idea of private and privacy, we like to spend our lives in a voyeuristic bubble yet are horrified when we see a camera.

Anyhow day 3, suns shining no plan as of yet. But it is warm, damn warm...

day 199, theme, finance,,

OMG i want!

its time I'm afaird for me to really consider the life of the d60, i feel i really do want to step up to the bigger boys playground now! so can i, cant i.. should i take the gamble and jump in and have some fun!

the 336 blog is down!!!

as the 366 blog is down another couple of shots for you good folk here. :) from friday and today! (and yes the sky really was that colour, not photoshoped in!!! real sun... :)

fridays last day of the 'off camera flash' theme, pleased with how the week went really

Hot Rod! llanelli car show, and some 10mm super wide angle madness

The philosophers daughter!

a few weeks back i brought you a early image of the butterfly wings for the third in the philosophers daughter series of shoots! (number 2 is still in the making too, lol)  well there finished, i think.. waiting to be laced up and tied to the back on an unsuspecting model!!! I'm really quite pleased they have been a labour of love that i have loved and hated in equal measures, there supprisingly strong for a willow and tissue paper construction, but also quite large and cumbersome, so waiting of the perfect day to go out into the woods and play! still evening with a lovely soft orange sky, no pressure then!!

This weeks challenge- off camera flash

I have struggled so much with this challenge '365/366' but since the weekly challenge with in it have started I have found it so much easier. This week has been about off camera flash ,a good one set by Steve as we dont have much experience with it and need to get use to the idea of what that kind of light does compared to natural day light. So here are a few of mine from this week...

Jennyxx

Yeap! I go along with that, half way through so I think its gonna get tougher before it gets easier, but the theme's help. if not because they add some spice then because we all like to feel like we have learnt something, and with this we do! :)

a couple of mine in here as well then to show willing....  a self portrait and some close up work, cos its been a while.

steve :)

half way!!

well the 366 is half way, Phew!!!! wish it was further, lol. this weeks theme was one lens length so i choose my new 10mm to give it some chance to shine, poor thing hasn't seen much landscape work with all this rain!

enjoying exploring Aperture's range of control lately and have used the tools to bring the shadows out on the two plant pic's, I'm quite pleased with its depth of control really! the night pic shows it range beautifully, what a mammoth piece of work!

the Philosophers daughter!

still working away on the next shot in the 'philosophers daughter' series the pics of Sarah with the butterflies in her hair rocked, I was so pleased. but its time to up the game and the scale, moving into a full set of wings for Jen now!!! anyhow, willow frame and tissue paper covered in glue.. slow, dirty, sticky and fiddly, not to speak of awkward, there huge!!! they have a bend in the middle to allow transportation (in theory), have a look see what you think!

366 update!

 This weeks 266 theme, 'decay derelict and abandoned' offered plenty of scope for some fun images!

so a walk down to Pembrey, a little stroll around some ideal first time buyers properties and a dusting off, of some cut flowers!

great theme!

Steve

The new idea

Alice in wonderland has been great fun and still is. It is great that we have an ongoing project and theme to keep us busy and excited. But occasionally we have been getting ideas for shots that may not fit in to that category but good all the same.
After a in-depth chat an idea for a project that we could run along side the Alice theme was thought of. What if we were to go with a title of 'Dirty Thought in a Clean Mind', now this is a topic that can be interpreted as many things. The idea that something can be so out of place that it would change a simple image into something totally different, like a seed being planted in a thought so that it would inevitably overgrow that thought creating something new.
So lots of fun, bizarre and creative shots to come hopefully.

Jenny xx

I love the idea that thought can travel in a mind, something you see can work its way through your psyche. 'A dirty thought in a clean mind' is a notion that to me signifies a lot of imagery, perhaps because it might be taken to be sexual or deviant, but I think the beauty is deeper than these simple analogies. I think a dirty thought is any thing which challenges the clean 'status quo' that we surround and protect ourselves with, there the Ivy that slowly break through the structure of the walls we build to protect us. So quite simply to me it's the things which challenge and disturb us, not because there so graphic that we can't remove the anguish of seeing them, but because they slowly infiltrate our thoughts, slowly we might learn and change through them. 'A dirty thought in a clean mind' is anything that isn't on our minds guest list!

Steve

always a bridesmaid never a bride!

Well, not quite.. But anyhow a second place for me with the 'unspoken word' print last night and nothing for the 'long wait' image! the critique was great, artistically minded not simply photographically minded and an emotional response as much as a technical one. I really enjoyed this kinda approach (but then both my images had pleasant feedback so that helped! :)
of course theres always new things to learn and rules to be applied and any artist brings a few of there own or a few of there own approaches to theses rules, some thing quite different to take into consideration. I also had some interesting advice about how to help make the prints 'pop' more so have been keen to play with that..

In the meantime heres a taster of this weeks 366 black and white theme!

Steve


As for mine, it didnt come in the top 6 but i am not disapointed. As Steve has said the critique was great and a lovely change from the techical critique we usually have. So here is my image from this comp

Jennyxx