Fri, 30 Jun 2006Comment on this article via email or flickr

Photo Blog #43

After last week's short diversion, it's back to the plants. At least it has an insect in it, but that doesn't really improve the cliche! As I've spent the last year looking at photos in much more detail, and more volume, I've realised that photos of flowers (often with insects on) are two a penny, and while occasionaly you do get something that is really out of the ordinary most fall into the category of (like this one) "pretty but nothing special". Given that you're starting with a model that has pretty infinite patience, lovely colours, and very pretty, it's hard not to end up with a photo of a flower that isn't at least nice. This realisation has made me try to look elsewhere for shots, to find something more challenging. Lack of time (and no post last week) meant I decided another flower was better than nothing though!

Sadly, with this one, I think I'd have been better waiting for the sun to get lower and less strong as the highlights are totally blown out. I wonder what time bees go to bed?

Camera model : Olympus C2040Z
Date/Time    : 2006:06:30 17:33:43
Flash used   : No
Focal length : 21.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0063 s  (1/160)
Aperture     : f/3.6
ISO equiv.   : 100
Metering Mode: spot
Exposure     : aperture priority

Post processing was quick and dirty: a curves adjustment to increase the contrast a boost the colour a little (in reality the lavender is much more purple than this - I think the strong sun is to blame for it coming out more pink), and a very slight inverse vignette to lighten the corners.

This work is Copyright (C) Kieran Mansley. All rights reserved. This means you can't use this photo without my permission. If you'd like to use it, please contact me and chances are I'll say yes.

Posted at: 20:37 | category: / | permalink

Fri, 16 Jun 2006Comment on this article via email or flickr

Photo Blog #42

It's not a plant, and it's not a baby. Something of a novelty for my photos recently!

Camera model : Olympus C2040Z
Date/Time    : 2006:06:03 09:20:45
Flash used   : No
Focal length : 15.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0012 s  (1/800)
Aperture     : f/2.8
ISO equiv.   : 100
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure     : aperture priority

Not much processing on this - just a crop to make it square, a curves adjustment, and a slight unsharp mask.

This work is Copyright (C) Kieran Mansley. All rights reserved. This means you can't use this photo without my permission. If you'd like to use it, please contact me and chances are I'll say yes.

Posted at: 17:13 | category: / | permalink

Fri, 09 Jun 2006Comment on this article via email or flickr

Photo Blog #41

Isabel was a month old earlier this week, so seemed a good idea to take some more photos.

Camera model : Olympus C2040Z
Flash used   : No
Focal length : 14.5mm
Exposure time: 0.0063 s  (1/160)
Aperture     : f/2.3
ISO equiv.   : 100
Metering Mode: spot
Exposure     : program (auto)

This is fresh off the camera - no post processing at all. I could probably do some to improve it if I had the time, but currently don't. It was taken by my wife, rather than me, but it was a joint effort!

** Update ** I've now had time to do a bit of processing, and thought I'd post the resultant version. On reflection, I think I could have taken a bit more of the colour out - we're both on the pink side - but I could carry on fiddling for hours. This had a curves adjustment to boost contrast at the bottom end without blowing the highlights even further, a gaussian blur overlay to soften it, and a desaturation layer (set to about 50% transparency) to take out the strong colours from the overlay.

This work is Copyright (C) Kieran Mansley. All rights reserved. This means you can't use this photo without my permission. If you'd like to use it, please contact me and chances are I'll say yes.

Posted at: 13:38 | category: / | permalink

Fri, 02 Jun 2006Comment on this article via email or flickr

Photo Blog #40

A triptych of three shots around the garden in between the heavy rain we had this week.

Camera model : C2040Z
Flash used   : No
Focal length : 21.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0040 s  (1/250)
Aperture     : f/3.6
ISO equiv.   : 100
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure     : aperture priority
Camera model : C2040Z
Flash used   : No
Focal length : 21.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0100 s  (1/100)
Aperture     : f/4.0
ISO equiv.   : 100
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure     : aperture priority
Camera model : C2040Z
Flash used   : No
Focal length : 12.4mm
Exposure time: 0.0015 s  (1/650)
Aperture     : f/3.6
ISO equiv.   : 100
Metering Mode: matrix
Exposure     : aperture priority

Almost no processing on these - no time! - just cropping, and I think a vignette on the lupin leaf.

This work is Copyright (C) Kieran Mansley. All rights reserved. This means you can't use this photo without my permission. If you'd like to use it, please contact me and chances are I'll say yes.

Posted at: 12:32 | category: / | permalink