I didn’t weep at the sight of this.
This pretty little rainbow was a welcome break from all of the rain we’ve been having. So pretty I doubled it.
f/5.6
1/40 s
I achieved this by duplicating the background layer in Photoshop.
I hit CTRL + T to select the copied layer. I then right-clicked and selected flip horizontally.
I then decreased the copied layers opacity to 75% so that the original layer would shine through:
I kept this piece of news quiet for some time because it took a little while to digest it.
Less than two weeks into my 365 day photo challenge, BBC Three Counties Radio got in touch with me asking if I would like come in for an interview with Nick Coffer.
Understandably, I said yes!
I went on air with Nick Coffer yesterday and I can honestly say that to date, talking on the radio has been one of the most surreal moments of my life.
I discussed my blog, the concept behind secret diary of a scavenger as well as my art practice. I felt really inspired to continue with my art and to have more confidence in myself and what I can achieve.
If you missed my interview, you can catch it here for the next seven days.
Five years ago, I could not have predicted that the shy person I was would ever have struck up the courage to go on the radio – live.
Just goes to show how much I’ve grown.
So, for day 21, here was the view from my radio mic:
The challenge continues. Tune in tomorrow!
Did any of you watch Animal Odd couples on BBC2 a few weeks ago? I was really taken by the wild buffalo who was allowed to come and go as he pleased from a ranch owner’s house.
The beast was so delicate and graceful when he walked through doorways and passed cabinets housing breakable treasures. Yet when he was back in his natural habitat he was mean and bolshy.
I met some English buffalos when out walking. There was easily two dozen and all of them instantly became preoccupied with what I was doing. They began walking towards me as a herd until all that stood between us was a flimsy fence that the recent storms could have easily knocked down with one puff.
Yet each and every one of them approchaed softly and didn’t give any inclination that they would hurt me. They simply stopped and stared, almost inquiringly, reminding me of that sweet buffaolo from from Animal Odd Couples.
Here they are. I’ve called this shot “The Inquisition”:
f/14
1/80s
Make sure you check back tomorrow as I’ll have a very special feature!
Yesterday, Ian an I took a wrong turn and almost became an animal’s lunch.
I’ve grown accustomed to our mini adventures, but this time I think we (almost) went too far.
After entering Woburn Safari Park through an exit we’re less familiar with, we ended up seeing more of the park than non-paying members are supposed too.
We noticed that something wasn’t right when we emerged from behind a cattle shed, and a park ranger’s land rover began tracking us. He didn’t approach us so we continued to walk ahead. At this point we saw another park ranger pull up on a grassy verge less than 20 metres away. I felt like a wilder beast.
As cars packed with eager eyed onlookers drove by with their windows firmly locked, I began to feel more like a safari attraction myself. It probably wasn’t the best idea to be sauntering around Woburn Safari Park where some animals are allowed to roam around freely.
Anyway, before we made a swift exit, I managed to snap a couple of bemused Zebras. I’ve always felt an affinity towards the zebra because both our names begin with an obscure letter.
Here they are:
f16
100/s
I added a purple cooling filter to bring out the glowing hue around the creatures.
See you tomorrow!
Since I’ve had my humdinger of a DSLR, film photography has taken a bit of a back seat.
I still try to take my film cameras out for a spin every now and again, but as the art form has disappeared into obscurity, the price of getting your film developed has risen – and it’s got more expensive as the years have gone on.
Film photography reached its pinnacle when you could get your holiday snaps developed in your lunch hour. Now I doubt you’ll find a development lab in a thiry mile radius (if you have one close to you, I’m very jealous). I think there must be only one lab in my nearest town, but I usually send my films off in bulk via snail mail.
I’d love to build my own dark room in the bathroom but a) my long suffering other half wouldn’t allow it and b) the equipment is hard to come by.
Film photography has an enthsiatic following, with places like Lomography offering mail-order development services and hosting a thriving online community, film photography certainly isn’t dead. And as living proof of the technique’s endurance, I’ve just received my film snaps back (cheers Lomolab!)
Perhaps seen as one of the more banal cameras in the photographic world due it’s limited functionality, a toy camera is merely a point and shoot. I’ve been using the Lomo AquaPix:
This model is specifically for underwater photography. I haven’t been diving recently (ever), but apprently it can be used underwater for up to four minutes – a lot longer than I can hold my breath (I should know, I’ve tried).
Having got quite familiar, and, dare I say it, better, at using my DSLR, one might think that using a point and shoot is quite a big step down, restricting creativity. Not so. If anything, it’s more of a challenge trying to capture a decent shot, so a great picture feels like more of an achievement with this camera.
Anyway, I’m pretty pleased with my latest set. These pictures are clearer than those produced by my Canon 110 flat roll, only because I learnt that I needed to use my film cameras on sunnier days.
Anyway, here are the shots. They’ve been developed using Lomography’s unique Xpro cross- process technique. (All shots have been taken around Bedfordshire, namely, Barton Le Clay and Ampthill)
My next set of film prints will be from the Holga 135BC, so look out for those!