Avalon Light Photoart

First Book Published on Blurb

2011-02-10T22:22:00.000Z

I have just published my first book on Blurb. It’s been a project for a while now, but the past week or so, I finally put the finishing touches together. It’s basically an account of my experiences with nature, both at home in the UK and in Nepal back in 1994. As an added touch, I have also included a number of photographs.

A Journey with Nature by Richard Winn | Make Your Own Book

Guide to Winter Photography

2011-01-04T11:38:00.002Z

Slight underexposure, giving cold feel.

Winter photography can be quite challenging. The presence of large expanses of snow or frost is liable to confuse the metering system. In order to photograph winter scenes effectively, it is important to understand how the metering systems in most cameras work. The camera meter only “sees” in black and white (with a few recent exceptions) and it tries to set the exposure midpoint to 18% grey, which for many circumstances works well. However, when there are large expanses of whites or highlights, the meter will try to compensate by reducing the exposure, as it is programmed to record the scene as 18% grey to prevent overexposure. The reverse is true if there are large areas of darks and blacks. This is the reason that many snow scenes result in blue or grey snow, because the meter hasn’t recognised that the scene should contain lots of highlight areas (known as a high key image). Sometimes, a blue tinge is desirable for artistic reasons, but it is easy for it to seem like a mistake, even when it isn’t. Also, snow isn’t uniformly white, as it is rarely level, so there will be areas that should be in shadow, plus the flakes won’t fall in the same plane, so there will be variable light reflection from the snowflakes.

The effects of sunlight in a scene.

So how can we photograph snow scenes that aren’t underexposed, if the meter keeps adjusting? There are two main methods. Personally, I always use manual exposure settings and deliberately over-expose, but I recognise that not everyone is comfortable with manual exposure, particularly when the light is constantly changing. The alternative is to use exposure compensation. The precise method of setting exposure compensation will vary on the brand and maybe also the model of camera, but the principles are the same regardless. Nikon cameras also show the exposure reading in the opposite direction to other camera manufacturers, so check which side of the gradient is positive exposure and which negative. On Canon cameras, “zero” is in the centre, with negative exposure to the left and positive to the right. In an average scene (i.e. where there is alot of 18% grey), the meter will be in the centre without any compensation when the exposure is correct, if the meter is to the left, then it signifies under-exposure and the right over-exposure. Of course, in a scene with alot of snow, the meter should be pushed to the right, but the camera will set the exposure lower to centre the meter, which isn’t what we want. This is where positive exposure compensation is required, so in the camera’s exposure compensation section in the menu, the compensation needs to be set to the right (in Canon cameras) to increase the exposure relative to what the meter reads. But how much compensation is needed? This is where experience comes in, as different scenes will require slightly different settings. Generally though, 1-2 stops of positive compensation is a good starting point. In my experience, most scenes require around one and two thirds compensation, unless there is direct sunlight. Are there any dangers to using exposure compensation? The short answer to this question is yes, but it isn’t straightforward. The main consideration is the risk of overexposure. While you don’t want snow or ice to appear grey, you also need to be careful not to push the exposure too high, otherwise you risk losing the detail, particularly when you have areas of snow in shadow. You want to be able to distinguish between those shadow areas and the brighter areas, but if you overexpose, you risk losing the differentiation. Also, snow has texture, just like any other surface. Being able to see this texture adds to the interest and lifts the photo from the ordinary to make it stand out more. Direct sunlight, while adding interesting light, makes exposure more difficult, as it increases the risk of blown highlights. In scenes where areas of snow are being lit by the sun, then it is important to expose for those areas to prevent the risk of overexposure. This may put some areas in deeper shadow than you would like, but photography is full of compromises and in most cases it is possible to correct this in processing, provided the difference in exposure isn’t too great. If the areas of light and shadow are more defined, it may also be possible to use graduated filters to decrease the differences in exposure, just like you would with bright skies, but be careful not to overdo it, as you want to be able to see that there is a difference between snow lit by the sun and shadow areas. Some of us don’t get the chance for winter photography as often as we would like, so it is important to take the opportunities when they arise, to avoid the frustration of taking an amazing photo, only to get home and find it is dull and grey and not how you imagined at all. The key is to be prepared and to experiment, so that you can react to a scene with experience, rather than hoping for the best. While slight adjustments are possible when shooting in RAW, the more you need to adjust in processing the worse the outcome. Subtle is always best and in my experience, HDR photography doesn’t work well when snow is present. While this guide is for snow and ice, it can also be used for other scenes with alot of bright areas, such as water or other reflective surfaces or white birds or other wildlife. The principles can also be used for dark scenes, reversing the exposure compensation as required. Beyond anything else though, enjoy the chance to photograph the snow and be careful getting to your chosen locale. It may be useful to have chosen locales set up ready for when the cold weather arrives, so that long distance travel isn’t necessary.

Winter Set to Return

2010-12-16T22:15:00.000Z

It's been an unusual winter so far in the UK. We often get cold weather (if not in the same league as parts of North America and Central and Eastern Europe), but this year has been unusual because it's been so cold, so early and for so long. The cold weather first hit last month and was deemed the earliest widespread snow for 17 years, although, we largely missed the snow, getting less than half an inch one night, althought parts of Somerset got much more. We certainly haven't missed the extreme cold and ice however, not to mention freezing fog on a couple of occasions. Over the next couple of days though, it seems we are likely to get heavy snow, as the cold waether returns after a few days respite (a balmy 7 or 8 Celsius).

Last Tuesday brought weather conditions I'd never seen before, even though we used to get much colder and snowier weather when I was a child, than in recent years. Although, I wasn't able to make full use of the conditions, due to a late parcel delivery, I was able to observe feeding birds in my back garden, including a robin (Erithacus rubecula) feeding on mealworms and hunting for other food in front of some Pyracantha berries, making for nice winter scenes. I also managed to photograph the hoar frost that slowly increased throughout the day, the first time I can remember seeing such a visible change in a short period. Every time I looked out, the crystals on the plants looked larger.
Over the coming days, I hope to photograph many more winter scenes, although the travel conditions are likely to limit the distance. I will also aim to produce a guide to winter photography, outlining some of the pitfalls and how to overcome them.

Photo Clusters of Guy Fawkes Carnival Carts Available

2010-11-30T20:56:00.000Z

I have now created a number of photo clusters featuring some of the carts entered in the 2010 Somerset County Carnival circuit. They are aimed at performers who took part in the carnival, who would like a memento of their club's entries and will be available as either A3 or A4 prints, on high quality, heavyweight fine art paper. If you are interested and would like to know if your club's entry is available, please contact me, if you don't see anything suitable. They can be printed with or without a caption, according to preference. I will be adding further clusters to the gallery as I create them, so please drop back in to see other examples.

Glastonbury and Chilkwell Carnival

2010-11-16T22:04:00.000Z

On Saturday it was the penultimate carnival in the Somerset County 2010 season. Having already attended Bridgwater in the rain and North Petherton, I decided to try something a bit different. I'm not a big people person when it comes to photography, so I tend to avoid them in my photos (perhaps why I concentrate on nature photography). This time though, I made a conscious effort to photograph groups of performers, as well as some individual performers. I didn't go for real closeup portraits, but tried to include them in the context of the carts thmselves. I also photographed some of the walking masqueraders, where the flash was essential, due to the lower light levels, and also some more detail shots.

The carnival itself was a success, with the rain holding off until the end (although people further along the route would have been affected by the weather much more). This season had seen a number of fires on carts, as well as some generator failures and even a model toppling onto one of the performers, but there was none of that at Glastonbury. On a more personal note, the photography also went well, with more shots I was happy enough with to upload, although the rain at the end pretty much ruined the shots of the last few carts. I've decided that flash photography in the rain doesn't work very well.

Bridgwater Carnival Photographs Available

2010-11-10T22:01:00.001Z

Finally, I now have the photos from Bridgwater Carnival last Friday up on the website, available for viewing and for purchase as prints for any participants who would like a memento. Due to the weather conditions, almost all of them have streaks of heavy rain falling. There are also others, which require some work before they are of high enough quality to upload. I have also prepared the NOrth Petherton Carnival photographs, ready for upload. Again, there are others available, but I have witheld these due to the presence of teenagers at close range, to avoid any problems. If you were a walker and can't see yourself, please feel free to contact me to ask if there are any photos available.

Carnival Weekend

2010-11-07T13:40:00.007Z

This weekend was the start of the Somerset County carnival circuit, starting with Bridgwater on Friday, before moving down the road to North Petherton last night. Even before the carnival started, things didn’t quite go to plan for me though. Even though, I’d charged all the flash batteries, two had actually failed, so there was only enough power to show the menus and not power the flash itself. So, resorting to plan B without flash, I waited for the first carts to arrive.

Runaway Train, overall winner by Gremlins

The forecast had been for heavy rain and for once, the forecast was right. Just as the pre-procession passed and the first carts were appearing, the rain appeared right on queue. It had been light drizzle up to that point, but now it was a fullscale deluge. Had I still had the flash attached, it would actually have made keeping the camera even remotely dry impossible, as it was, it still got quite wet.

Despite the rain, only two carts had major technical problems, with one having to drop out entirely, just past where I was, so that it could go for repair. The other carried on in darkness.

Gargoyles by British Flag CC

Because of the flash problems the previous night, I decided to go to North Petherton Carnival, so that I could experiment and maybe get some shots that didn’t have streaks of rain throughout the image. As the night before though, just as the procession reached my point, the rain started. Luckily, it only lasted quarter of an hour or so and wasn’t anywhere near as heavy.

The rest of the night went without a hitch and all of the carts were operational, although some had lost banks of lights. I now have alot of editing and processing to do. Hopefully, I should get at least some ready later on today.

Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival 2010

2010-11-04T20:03:00.003Z

Tomorrow night is carnival night, it’s time for the annual Bridgwater Carnival. Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival, to give it its full name, is considered to be the third largest carnival in the world, only being superceded by Rio’s Mardi Gras and London’s Notting Hill Carnival. Of the three, it is the only one that features illuminated floats, as well as the more usual individual costumes. As such, it is the largest illuminated carnival in the world, not bad for a small town with a population of around 30,000. People visit from all over the country and in recent years, there have been entries from Brazil, along with some other countries. The festivities start in the morning, with performers on a purpose built stage, taking in turns to entertain the visitors. After Bridgwater, the procession moves on to the much smaller nearby town of North Petherton, before moving on to other towns in the circuit, such as Glastonbury, Burnham-on-Sea and Weston-Super-Mare.

Last year, I attended for the first time, although, I did visit the event in Burnham-on-Sea many years ago. The winner of the overall event was Burlesque Cabaret by the Masqueraders Carnival Club, who also shared the overall prize on the circuit as a whole with To the Trees, by the Gemini CC. The weather wasn’t perfect, but it was much better than it had been earlier in the day, so there were just the occasional showers, although some were quite heavy. As can be seen in the second photo, the moon did show itself for a while in between the showers. The weather forecast isn’t very good for this year either, but hopefully the rain won’t be as heavy as it looks like it may be. Good luck to the participants and hope anyone who goes, enjoys the show.

The Fall and Rise of the Eurasian Otter

2010-10-31T13:45:00.000Z

When I was growing up in the 1970′s and 80′s, the Eurasian otter was scarce. Decades of pollution in the rivers of the UK and much of Europe as a whole was having a serious detrimental effect on otter survival. Being an apex predator, any pollutants were concentrated, causing organ damage, ultimately leading to premature death. Even less severe cases of pollution were probably enough to reduce the fertility of otters, which for a species that perhaps lived 3-6 years in the wild and reproduced every 18 months or so, was a serious concern. In the early 1980′s, the situation had become so bad, that the otter had disappeared from many countries in central and southern Europe and much of England and Wales too. There was a real danger that the Eurasian otter would become extinct in most of Europe. Only in Scotland, where there were populations of coastal otters and Northern Europe, were they still widespread. The only other areas in the UK, where there were still healthy (albeit small) populations, were Southwest England (mainly Devon and Cornwall) and parts of Wales and inland Scotland, particularly higher ground, where the effects of pollution were lessened.

It was during this time, that I had an ambition, or perhaps given the situation, it was more like a dream. I wanted to see an otter in the wild. Of course, not only was the otter population plummeting, but they are also largely nocturnal in most habitats, which made the chances of seeing one, pretty remote.

Fast forward to 2008 and the otter population was much more healthy, at least in the UK. Many areas had been repopulated from the west and they were slowly spreading east. I visited Scotland and was finally able to fulfill my dream of 30 years earlier. I caught sight of my first wild otter, running along one of the supports of North Kessock bridge, near Inverness, before it dived into the surf. It was around 6.30 am and bitterly cold, with frequent snow flurries, but it was worth it. My ambition was achieved, but I wanted more. I then spent hundreds of hours in the summer, observing otters in the daylight, much closer to home at Shapwick Heath. Unlike most populations, the otters on the Somerset Levels show themselves at all times of the day. It is probably in part due to the local diet, where freshwater mussels make up a large part of what they eat. One of the reasons that otters are nocturnal, is because their favoured prey items are less active then, so they can expend less energy catching them.

Over the past ten years in particular, but really since the 1990′s, the otter population has become stable and even increased slowly. However, the past has shown how precarious that recovery may be. Pollution, while lessened, still occurs and a recent incident involving paint thinner almost certainly had some effect in parts of the Somerset Levels. There is also a new threat, this time from a fluke carried by oriental fish that have escaped into the Somerset river systems and have since spread further afield. This bile fluke (Pseudamphistomum truncatum) can contribute to death and certainly debilitates infected otters. Generally, parasites are adapted not to cause serious harm to their host, it’s in their interest for the host to survive. However, the otter isn’t the natural host and as is commonly the case with accidental hosts, it causes serious harm to the otter’s internal organs.

Human activity also remains a threat to the survival of the Eurasian otter as a species. Whille pollution is lessened, in the period when the otter all but disappeared, many fish farms have sprung up. This has now become a source of potential conflict, with calls from some quarters for an otter cull. This call, has largely come about due to ignorance. Many seem to think that otters have deliberately been reintroduced by scientists and conservationist on a large scale, which simply isn’t the case. Even some individual anglers have joined the call for a cull, with some heated debates on internet forums. The fact is, the greatest cause of depleted fish stocks in rivers is human activity. If a river is able to support otters, then it is a good sign that there is some sort of balance. Otters simply are not present in high enough densities to cause depletions in fish stocks and numbers would soon decrease, if there were insufficient prey items (i.e. fish and crustaceans) to support them. Only in fish farms, where they are allowed access, are they likely to cause a problem and that problem is one that is easily overcome. Fish farms are big business and many of the fish are prized oriental carp, worth thousands of pounds, so an otter let loose in a fish farm will cause alot of damage. However, it is the responsibility of any business to protect their assets. In the case of fish farming, it is very easy to keep otters out, by using fences. Otters won’t try to force their way through an electric fence, as it would cause them discomfort. Like many predators, they will go for the easiest prey, if the fish farm isn’t otter-proof, then it will be the fish farm, but if it has adequate protection, then the otter will go elsewhere, where they won’t get a jot of electricity. Also, to put things in a bit more perspective, there are an estimated 3500-4000 otters in England and Wales, with a further 4000-4500 in Scotland (many of which are around the coasts). Their diet consists of around 90% fish and crustaceans. In comparison, the American mink has a diet of around 40% fish and crustaceans, with the rest being birds and small mammals. The mink is much smaller than the otter, so will eat less, but population estimates for the mink are around 35000 to 40000, perhaps five times as many as otters. It is therefore likely that mink account for more fish predation in total than otters, not to mention the other problems they cause to native breeding birds and small mammals, such as the water vole, which has seen an 80% drop in numbers in the period that the American mink has been at large in the British countryside.

I now have several photographs of otters, but none that I am really happy with. Otters have provided me with hours of pleasure and I hope they will continue to do so for many years to come. While the otter is a protected species, it still faces numerous threats, mostly either directly (through pollution and altered habitat) or indirectly (through realease of non-native species, such as oriental fish) caused by human activity. If the otter and the whole of the habitat each one inhabits is to survive, we have a responsibility to protect our environment. We must preserve the otter for future generations to enjoy.

Two Images Licensed in the Last Week

2010-10-14T19:16:00.002+01:00

It's been a successful week or so for me lately. Last week, I managed to licence one of my Bridgwater Carnival images, then yesterday, I licensed one of my kingfisher images. Purely by coincidence, I bought this month's BBC Wildlife Magazine and when I found the licence details, I thought there was a good chance, that it was part of Simon King's article on the Somerset Levels and lo and behold, there it was on page 86. Quite small and cut out and flipped, but it's always nice to get something in a well known magazine.

Autumn and Photography

2010-10-11T19:57:00.000+01:00

Photography can be a productive time for the nature photographer. Not only do you have the autumn colours to add a dimension to landscapes, but you also have the closeup abstract of autumn colours, not to mention all the fungi that spring up, telling the story of death and rebirth. They are nature's way of recycling the old, ready for the new in Spring. Of course, they come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Mycena spp. to the larger polypore fungi seen on tree trunks and at their bases. Many are simply white, brown or grey, but others add their own colour to autumn, with bright reds, pinks and purples, with a few yellows and even blues and greens. The weather may not always be at its best, with many dull grey days, but even these help to enhance the colours. Even on the dullest of days, it should be easy to find something in nature to photograph.

Back from Scotland

2010-09-27T21:43:00.002+01:00

It's been over a week since I got back now, but it's taken some time to process the photos. I recently spent a week in Scotland, on my annual fix of the highlands. I was quite surprised to find that I took over 1500 images. Of course, many of those were duplicates (or near duplicates) and some were "misses", due to photographing fast moving subjects, where timing was involved (such as gannets plunge diving and slamon leaping). The results were very much hit and miss, and with the salmon shots there was a lot of guesswork involved in pre-focussing, unfortunately, my guesswork wasn't working well, with most being out of focus.

On a more positive note, I was able to execute some ideas I'd had for some time, with some selective focus shots of a toadlet and some common lizards. Also, I saw my first newt and white tailed eagle. There was one shot in particular that just came together and is another of my milestone images, mainly because I was able to execute a pre-conceived idea. The image was of a toadlet of the common toad, using selective focus head-on and it has become my first limited edition print, priced at £34.99 for an A3 print.

Quiet Blog and Trip to Spain

2010-09-05T21:38:00.000+01:00

Things have been a little quiet on the blog recently and for that I have to apologise to anyone following. I've been having problems with the autofocus on the 7D, largely it seems, due to changes being needed to the microadjustment. Over the past few weeks, I have made some adjustments in the field and it now seems to be improved. I first noticed it when trying to photograph hobbies, not the easiest of subjects at the best of times. Because the expected "hit rate" for the AF is going to be quite low for such a fast bird, it was a while longer than it should have been before I realised there was a problem. Anyone else with similar AF problems should have a look at the microadjustment if possible and make some tests and adjustments.
I also purchased a 5D MkII, as I was finding that the requirement to keep to f/11 or wider on the 7D was limiting my landscape work too much, even with hyperfocal focusing. I'm happy with the improved dynamic range over the 7D and am finding it useful for macro work too.
In July, I visited my aunty and uncle in Spain. Landscape work wasn't ideal, because we were always out in the harshest light, apart from one day where it was partially overcast, but there were some interesting insect macros, such as an Egyptian locust, a Spanish swallowtail butterfly and a geranium bronze butterfly. It was also an interesting visit to Santa Jose Castle (Castell d'Alcozaiba).

Photographs in Horner Woods

2010-05-26T21:23:00.001+01:00

On Sunday, I made a trip to Horner Woods on Exmoor. My target was to photograph dippers and grey wagtails, although I wasn't expecting much, as I thought there would be too many people about. I was also planning to look for signs of otters on the higher reaches of Horner Water.
As it turned out, it didn't go too badly. I don't often photograph still life, particularly flowers, as I don't feel it is a strong point of mine, but I have been thinking more about photographing wildflowers recently. I was able to experiment a bit while I was there on some forget-me-nots and dog violets (the dog violets didn't quite works), as well as some ferns (I went a bit too far with the selective focus). I also struck lucky as well though and spent about half an hour or more observing and photographing a pair of grey wagtails. It was a little dark to be able to keep the shutter speed high enough, even at a high ISO (I wouldn't want to go higher with the 7D, as it is on its usable limit), but I was able to get some atmospheric photos when they were in the filtered sunlight.

Latest Photography Uploads - Images by Richard Winn

All About Somerset

2010-04-06T20:40:00.001+01:00

The United Kingdom, often called interchangeably (although often incorrectly), as Britain or the British Isle, is divided into counties. The rural counties are sometimes referred to as "the Shires". One of the rural counties in the southwestern peninsula of England is Somerset. Traditionally, it stretches from Bath in the northeast, to Yeovil and Sherborne (among other towns) in the south and Exmoor in the northwest, although there have been some boundary changes over recent decades.
In terms of geography, it is probably one of the counties with the greatest variety. The Somerset Levels are in the heart of Somerset and encompass a large part of the county, as they stretch from the Quantock Hills in the west, through the catchment area of the Rivers Tone and Parrett and the Brue Valley, to the Mendip Hills in the east. It is an area of many Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and nature reserves, run by the Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Natural England, with nationally important populations of many species, including the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) and hairy dragonfly (Brachyton pratense). Parts of the Somerset Levels are just 50 metres above sea level, particularly the Avalon Marshes area in the Brue Valley, so are prone to winter flooding, although modern pumping and drainage systems have limited the extent. This has however, had an impact on the wildlife, leading to many reserves trying to recreate and manage these nationally important wetland areas, one of the largest areas of wetland in the country.
At the other extreme, the county has three upland areas, some of the highest in Southern England. To the east, you have the chalk downs of the Mendips and the Polden Hills, which are important for many of the rare blue butterflies and orchids. In fact, following the reintroduction of the large blue butterfly (Maculinea arion) in the area, the lower reaches of the Polden Hills, which jut out into the Levels near Glastonbury and Street, now contain one of the most important populations.
To the far west of the county, straddling the border with Devon is Exmoor, the second highest and largest moorland area in the south west, behind Dartmoor. Exmoor, is relatively wild (although not as wild as Dartmoor). It is a granite outcrop, covered by open moorland and heathland, forming a typical upland heath, with gorse and heather predominating, in between ancient natural woodlands on the lower slopes. It also boasts some of the highest cliffs in Britain, with the northern edge dropping into the sea to form steep cliffs favoured by peregrines. Otters also frequent the rivers of Exmoor, probably in greater numbers than on the Levels, despite the lower prey density. Slightly to the east are the relatively unknown Quantock Hills. The Quantocks are very similar in terrain and wildlife to Exmoor and are in fact like a miniature version. However, they do contain more extensive woodland, with Great Wood at its centre. However, unlike Exmoor, the steep cliffs are absent, with a more gradual descent to the Bristol Channel, before lower cliffs dropping onto the ancient rocks of the beaches around Kilve and Quantoxhead.
Further along the coast to the north east, the beaches change to the sand and mud along the Severn Estuary, forming the beaches of Burnham-on-Sea and Weston Super Mare, before going on to Clevedon.
There are a few famous landmarks and tourist sites in Somerset. The largest is of course Exmoor, but in the Mendips, there is also the Cheddar Gorge, with its many caves, such as Wookey Hole. Glastonbury is also famous, due to the music festival (actually held at Pilton) and from the legends of King Arthur. Glastonbury Tor is probably one of the most popular tourist attractions in the county and the surrounding town attracts many mystics and pagans amongst the more usual tourist.
While many know of Somerset, relatively few have actually visited, simply using it as a thoroughfare on the way to the more popular Devon and Cornwall. It is a place of contrasts, upland and lowland, natural and manmade, but it maintains its rural roots and has kept some of its ancient traditions and ideals, with a low population density, probably among the lowest in England.

The Message of Nature and Photographers

2010-03-17T12:02:00.003Z

In my last blog entry, I outlined my views on reality in photography, but why is it so important to portray reality in nature photography? You can argue about photography only showing what the photographer wants the viewer to see, but that is slightly different to manipulating the image as seen. Sometimes manipulating the viewer is wrong, but sometimes it is needed to put a message across, it's no different than a newspaper article putting a slant on a story. Photography is also telling a story, if you are making a documentary point, then it requires different ethics to an image that is simply an artistic creation. For example, near where I live, I could photograph an idyllic rural scene, with a country pub next to the canal. This would paint a picture of a quiet drink next to the canal, but in reality, right above my head would be the M5. If I was simply making an artistic photograph, there would be nothing wrong in this, but if I was photographing the pub for an estate agent and then sold that quiet scene, it would be unethical. The same would be true if I was trying to portray an animal in a similar manner. The key is to declare any concepts and manipulation.
If we as photographers portray a false impression, then it is harder for the public to trust what we tell them. It is already difficult, with people having the assumption that anything can be done (or rescued) with Photoshop and other editing software. But again, why is it so important? Does it really matter what people think? It depends on the purpose, for an artistic creation, it doesn't matter at all, but if we want to inform the public of a particular problem, then they need to trust and believe in what we are saying. For example, a few weeks ago, I came across an article (from last year I think), calling for the culling of otters, as they are decimating the stocks in fisheries. It's only 15 years, since we came very close to losing the otter entirely in England and Wales, yet already there are calls for controlling numbers. In 2003, it was estimated that there were around 4,000 otters in the country, which is barely enough to maintain a healthy population, let alone increase numbers. Further, more recent evidence comes from here in Somerset. The 2008 annual survey for the county estimates around 65 otters FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY, with a significant proportion of these otters on Exmoor, which isn't considered to be a highly productive area, due to low prey density. If you add to that, the death rate was high at 27 for part of the year (with a high proportion being cubs) and it starts looking more and more bleak. The report for the survey (written by James Williams) suggests that the known births, assuming survival, is only enough to maintain the population and not expand it. Many of these deaths were road deaths, but as part of a study, post mortem investigations were carried out, which showed a high level of a bile fluke, caught from imported oriental fish, another threat to health and survival. The dangers from pollution aren't averted either. Just last month, the South Drain that runs through the nature reserves of Ham Wall, Shapwick Heath and Catcott Heath was contaminated from an industrial plant in Glastonbury. Several dead fish were found as a direct result, plus a dead swan was found, but the cause of death will remain unknown, as there seems to be a reluctance to investigate properly. Considering the effects of pollution and the resulting decline in the otter population since the 1960's, this makes alarming reading. Just because the toxins implicated in the decline are now banned, doesn't mean that an environmental catastrophe can't be caused by a new agent. If pollution can happen in a nature reserve, without too much noise being made, what hope is there in the countryside at large? You only have to look at the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, which quite frankly, is in an appalling state, yet it is home to otters. Gross pollution with everday waste, such as bottles, cans and even shopping trolleys, is obvious, but there are also signs of chemical pollutants, judging by some of the scum.
The Somerset Levels, with all their waterways represent an important area for otters and their survival, but they are also prone to pollution from the runoff of agricultural pollutants, the source of the original toxins that caused all the problems up until the banning in the early 1980's.
The public needs to heed the messages hidden within the recent and past events, but for nature photographers to help get that message across, they have to be trustworthy, otherwise it will do more harm than good.

Reality of Photography

2010-03-14T21:53:00.004Z

In recent months, there has been much debate on about whether or not nature photography should portray reality. It reached a head, following the disqualification of "The Story Book Wolf" from the 2009 Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, after many discussions over its authenticity as a "true" wildlife image. The accusation was, that the wolf was a captive wolf, as it closely resembled one such wolf that was for hire. The evidence centred around the resemblance and the likelihood of a wild wolf behaving in the manner portrayed in the photograph. Ultimately, it is only the photographer and perhaps others associated with the photographer, who knows the truth behind the accusations, but it has sparked a more widespread debate.
Recently, I received a comment on one of my photographs that had been uploaded to a stock photography site, stating that it was nicely taken, but didn't look real due to the "Photoshopping". To say I was confused and irritated was putting it mildly, as I aim for reality in most of my photos and don't have the patience for lengthy processing. Also, the photo in question had, had a simple curves adjustment to increase the contrast and nothing else.

After contacting the photographer who made the comment, I was able to ascertain, that he had looked at the EXIF data and assumed that it had been "Photoshopped", simply because I had edited it in Photoshop, so basically, even if I hadn't done any editing and had simply converted to a JPEG, he would have accused me of "Photoshopping". I think this is a sad reflection on how photography is now viewed and how people believe that anything is possible (including getting a good photo from a bad one) and that it doesn't portray what was seen. The reality is, that with few exceptions, you can't rescue a bad photo and probably most photographs are still a reflection of reality or at least the photographer's reflection of reality.

I find this attitude frustrating, but at the same time, I understand how it has happened. HDR photography has become widespread and in my opinion is overused, to the extent, that it is no longer original. In fact, there is a danger, that photographers are becoming clones, simply copying what has come before them, because it's the vogue, instead of searching for their own style. Don't get me wrong, I have used HDR, it is a useful tool when other techniques aren't possible, either because of the unavailability of graduated filters or because the terrain prevents their use. However, that is all it is, another technique to achieve the look you are aiming for and I usually use it to portray the reality, as closely as I saw it at the time.

That's not to say I haven't pushed the technique a bit further though. At times, I do experiment with post processing work, sometimes with the Orton Effect, sometimes with some infra-red and sometimes with HDR, but it's been a long itme since I did use HDR, really not since I acquired my reverse ND grad filter. Until then, it was the only tool I had to photograph sunsets effectively.

So in summary, there is a place for manipulated nature photographs, but only if used sparingly for an effect and I feel it should be declared where it isn't obvious. Certainly integrity should not be compromised when an image is used for a contest, otherwise the photographer and perhaps photography as a whole loses its credibility. The danger isn't so much in the act, but in the belief that anything is possible, the assumptions that have become widespread, the jumping on the bandwagon that has occured and the loss of creativity and ability to think for yourself as a result. To a large degree HDR has become popular because it gives the impression of a painting, which in some ways makes it fair game for the surreal and artistic licence. I feel that for the good of photography as an art form and for its continued evolution, editors, both of websites and of paper publications, must offer a more balanced viewpoint and selection of techniques. It's far too easy to feature HDR, just because of the impact, but if realism is shunned, then photography stagnates and doesn't develop.

Tigers: A Celebration of Life

2010-03-11T20:32:00.006Z

I mentioned in my last blog entry, that I attended Focus on Imaging on Tuesday. One of the "events" at the exhibition was the pre-release of Tigers: A Celebration of Life, a book by Andy Rouse. Andy is one of the better known wildlife photographers in the UK and was commended in the 2009 Veolia Wildlife Phtographer of the Year with his image of two tigers fighting, with claws unsheathed.
The book itself is the culmination of a project and his love of tigers, stretching back to his early years. It is full of beautifully constructed images of tigers, from cubs to full grown adults. Unlike some photographers, he hasn't just gone for the close-up portrait shots, you so often see, but he has also gone for some wide-angle shots, showing the tigers in relation to their environment. If you're looking for photographs of tigers that portray the essence of the tiger, then this book is for you, but if you're looking for an in depth scientific study, then perhaps you'd be better off looking elsewhere. That said, there are also some conservation notes from Sarah Christie, outlining the plight of the tiger. Andy also has some advice on visiting reserves and looking for places to stay that help the local community and the environment. With just 4,500 tigers left in the wild, they are just as endangered now, as when I was a child, when I avidly read what I could. Tigers capture the imagination, like so few other animals can. I have a fascination with all big cats and while many animals come close to the same fascination for me as tigers, there is only one that exceeds it. As you might have guessed, it is an equally endangered animal and one with more mystery, it is the snow leopard.
For anyone interested in the book it can be purchased as a standard edition or a limited edition, complete with limited edition print from the 12th March 2010.

ARWP Store

More of his work can be viewed at his website.

Andy Rouse

Focus on Imaging 2010

2010-03-09T22:20:00.001Z

I spent most of the day today at the Focus on Imaging exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham, UK. It's always interesting to see what's going on and to try out equipment first hand. I attended on the Sunday last year and you could barely move. It was busy when I arrived at lunchtime, but it was quite a bit quieter in the afternoon. This made it much easier to try things and to talk to people.
Last year, I didn't buy anything, but I spent some money this year on some pretty good deals, including a very good price on Sandisk Extreme compact flash cards, cheaper than I've seen anywhere online at the Camerworld stand. I also managed to find a refurbished macro ring flash, which I've been looking for, for a while, just waiting for the right price. I didn't succumb ot the temptation of a 5D Mk II though, although it was a close call until I bought the flash. To top off a successful day, I found some more options for a heavier duty tripod, that I can use with my 300mm f/2.8 lens. Up until now, I thought I'd have to get a Gitzo tripod, which aren't cheap, but it turns out, that Giotto also make mor ethan one that also cope with the weight. All in all, a successful and interesting day, with a critique at the Futurenet stand that went well.

Depth of Field Confusion

2010-02-23T12:41:00.001Z

When I first started getting serious about digital photography, I did quite a bit of reading. One of the things I read about was depth of field, in relation to aperture diameters. At that time (and since), I kept reading that crop cameras have a greater depth of field at a set aperture than full frame (i.e. sensors the same size as 35mm film). Due to the high pixel density of the 7D or more correctly, the small size of the pixels, diffraction becomes more of an issue, as the interference patterns start matching the pixels in size. For this reason, I started paying more attention to hyperfocal focusing, so that I could try to use wider apertures and still get sufficient depth of field for my purposes. This was where the confusion started, as all the hyperfocal distance charts suggested that full frame actually had greater depth of field.
I then started doing a bit more reading and it turns out, that the expressed wisdom misses out a very important point. The statement that full frame cameras have less depth of field is based around portrait (and to a degree, wildlife) photography, showing the same field of view. To get the same field of view, a full frame camera must be positioned closer to the subject than a crop camera. It is actually the distance between the camera and subject and the camera and background that makes the difference to the depth of field. The closer the camera is to a subject, the less depth of field there is, so it is another apparent effect and like the apparent magnification from the crop factor, it tends to be stated as an actual fact, when it isn't actually the case.
For portrait photography, where you are trying to frame in a certain way, whichever the camera, it is an important point to consider, as long as you realise it is a function of distance and not differences between the two formats, likewise for macro photography. However, for landscape photography, which was the reason I was looking at it, it is largely irrelevant. Technically, the depth of field for full frame cameras is larger, but in reality, provided the foreground is equally sharp, the slightly softer background is probably not very noticeable, as the differences are relatively small. Diffraction is probably a bigger issue than the narrower depth of field, as the larger pixels of the full frame sensor are less affected by the interference patterns, so the effects of diffraction are ameliorated and become noticeable at narrower apertures. This of course, then allows much more depth of field, which is where the real advantage of full frame cameras comes in for landscape photography.
It brings to mind the saying, "believe none of what you hear and only half of what you read". The more I learn about photography, the more I realise how many inaccuracies have crept into accepted wisdom.

Canon EOS 7D In-use Update

2010-01-12T21:20:00.005Z

In October, I wrote a mini-review of the Canon EOS 7D. At the time, due to the poor weather, I had limited time using it. I have now had it for three months and have generated alot more testing time with it, with some good results.
In recent weeks, the UK has been thrown into its own mini ice age, with freezing temperatures and the accompanying snow and ice. In December I was able to test it in the cold conditions, photographing a number of different subjects, although mostly landscapes. It produced warm rich tones in the late afternoon evening sun and was able to get some shots of the cold frosty mornings.
It was last week though, when I was able to put it through its paces, photographing what it was intended for, action and in cold weather too (I think the camera coped better than I did at times). For the wildlife shots, I was using the Canon 300mm f/2.8 IS, with a 1.4x extender attached. On the Monday, I was able to get a couple of quick grab shots of a kingfisher before it flew off, despite being a very brief view, it focused quickly and accurately. This was followed by a series of shots of some cattle egrets delving in the dredged up material from the main drain at Shapwick Heath in Somerset. Not exactly challenging for the autofocus, but it was good results nonetheless. The next day, I got caught in an unexpected snow storm ahead of the main snow that was forecast for that night. I decided to try photographing a moorhen walking across the ice in the heavy snow, but the very large snowflakes, almost 2 inches across played havoc with the autofocus and the focusing was slightly out. Conditions were so bad though, that manual focus would have been impossible and as a reference point, we had almost an inch of snowfall in half an hour. Next it was back to landscapes in the snow and again, it coped without any problems, althoug following my usual practice of spot metering, I didn't test out its ability to meter correctly in the snow. At one point, a little egret flew over and landed, so I quickly switched to the 100-400. Unfortunately the focusing was off quite badly, it could have been due to the white bird against the white background of the snow, but I'm having continuing problems with this lens lately, so I can't draw any conclusions.
Finally, during a fit of insanity, I decided to travel back to Shapwick Heath on Thursday. Conditions were treacherous to say the least, with the road near the reserve being covered in compacted snow and the reserve itself being under about six inches. For a long period, nothing happened, but then a great bittern flew over in the distance, so for something to do, I tried photographing it. Obviously being so far away, the images aren't of any use, but the focus couldn't have been sharper. Then a marsh harrier flew closer, so I tracked it moving towards me, until it suddenly hovered and dropped into the reeds. As it was totally unexpected, I lost it in the viewfinder momentarily, but the camera regained focus quickly enough for me to get some shots of the initial drop and then a stoop, osprey-like. Unfortunately, the focus was on the wingtips and not the head, but I was impressed by the camera's ability to focus against a difficult background. A little later, I started to realise, that a shape in front of the reeds looked a little odd, so I took a closer look. It turned out it was a great bittern, standing in front of the reeds, almost perfectly camouflaged. That would be a good test of the autofocus. Again, it didn't fail.

A few days earlier, I'd heard that water rails were running about in one location. Normally, they are very difficult to see, let alone photograph, so I decided to see if they were around. I crept down the path and looked into the frozen wet woodland and there they were. I crouched down and took a number of shots, increasing the ISO to 1600. This was into high noise territory on the 40D, so I was rather reluctant to push it so high, even though intial tests showed the 7D to be at least a stop better at controlling noise. I needn't have worried, as the images were very clean, despite the high ISO. In fact, there was so little noise, that I was able to add some luminance smoothing in Lightroom to remove the slight speckles, without noticeable loss of detail.

I then laid down in the snow, to see if I could entice them to come out into the open a bit more. It was mainly the lens that was in contact with the snow, but even so, I would have been very wary of using the 40D in those conditions and I had a little more confidence after seeing a test video by Ole Jørgen Liodden. The hope for them coming out into the open wasn't entirely successful, but I did get some action shots a little further away of one water rail running towards the camera, which is a good test of the autofocus.

In summary, the 7D performed as well as I could have hoped. The autofocus was fast, assured and most importantly accurate. The results at ISO 1600 were extremely good with very low levels of noise, even more impressive when you consider the fact it is 18 MP. I can only imagine how the 1D Mk IV will perform. It also coped with the very cold weather conditions, some days as low as -4 degrees Celsius. All in all, definitely a good performer for action shots and not too shabby for landscapes either, provided you keep to f/8 or f/11 and not go narrower. The only marring factor is the result with the 100-400, which is more likely to be a problem with the lens than the camera.

Stealth Gear Extreme Photographers Suit

2010-01-08T15:13:00.005Z

In the past couple of months I have found it very cold sitting in hides, despite wearing multiple layers and thermally lined trousers. Recently, I read a review of some new outdoor clothing by Laurie Campbell in Outdoor Photography Magazine, in which he viewed it favourably. The clothing in question was the Extreme Photographers Suit by Stealth Gear. As I know Laurie, I know how importantly he views the right equipment, so I decided to get one for myself.
The suit consists of trousers, a fleece jacket, photographers vest and an overjacket. The vest wasn't something that seemed that useful for me and I am yet to try it, but there wasn't much difference in price between getting the other items individually and the suit as a whole. In addition, the fleece could be zipped into the overjacket. All of the items are made from microsuede and are both windproof and waterproof. It only comes in one colour - olive green, which is actually ideal for a bit of camouflage. The sizings are a little eccentric, so I went for the small.
The suit didn't arrive too soon, as I had been freezing my proverbials off the previous couple of days and we had heavy snow the night after it arrived. The first test was walking through the town through four inches of snow, followed by an outing just outside of Bridgwater to photograph some snowy landscapes. It was actually still snowing, but I remained dry. Even though I'd got the smallest size possible, it was on the large side, but it did give planty of room for all the layers I was wearing. However, as it turned out, I probably didn't need quite so many layers, as I actually overheated. The next test was sitting a few hours in the hide. Again, walking to the hide resulted in overheating, despite having thinner layers than I was used to wearing and being even colder than it had been previously. Once in the hide, I was able to easily keep warm, well except for my hands and feet anyway.
It then had the ultimate test, crouching and lying in the snow, while trying to photograph water rails on the ice. Crouching wasn't too much of a problem, as it wasn't really in much contact with the snow, but even after lying in the snow for abouit half an hour, I didn't have any effect from the cold snow and I was completely dry. At one point a water rail came from behind me and walked across the pathway, but it was only when it got close, that it realised I was a person and flew into the woodland, even then though, it didn't alarm like it would normally, so I was able to continue photographing those in front of me.

While it isn't perfect, it is a very good piece of clothing that does the job it's supposed to, keeping you warm and dry in the most extreme of weather the UK can throw at you. The biggest problem is the sizing, while I'm not large, I'm not small either, yet the smallest size is large on me. This is something that Laurie Campbell also noted and I believe they are addresing this. There a a few stockists across the country, but I ordered mine online from Extreme Nature Gear and although their communication could be improved, I received it in a week, with New Year in between, so not bad delivery really. Full details of the features (which I haven't even begun to list, there are so many) can be found at both companies websites.

Winter Around Bridgwater

2010-01-06T19:31:00.004Z

Like most of the UK and much of Europe, we have been having some pretty cold weather over the past few weeks. Last night, the Southwest of England had a rare dousing of heavy snow, giving the opportunity of photographs not normally possible. I have now uploaded a number of snow landscapes from near Bridgwater, to go with the earlier frosty dawn shots from December and some other snow scenes from last February.

Somerset Rural and Town Life Photographs - Images by Richard Winn

Canon EOS 7D Review Lists

2009-12-19T23:25:00.008Z

A couple of links to sites with a list of reviews for the Canon EOS 7D. Both were kind enough to link to my own mini-review.

Northlight Images
Planet 7D

Some links are listed on both sites, but look out for the one by Ole Jørgen Liodden that also looks at weather sealing, with a photo of the 7D half buried in snow.

New Series of Images of The Meads

2009-12-19T12:42:00.007Z

I've uploaded images of The Meads, near Bridgwater, part of the Somerset Levels. One image is embedded below, but a bigger selection will ba available on my main site, when I've finished uploading.

Images by Richard Winn | ShutterPoint Stock Photos

Out and About with the 7D

2009-12-12T23:02:00.004Z

After the almost constant rain of the last six weeks or so, it's been a pleasant surprise to see the sun and get some decent light. I've spent my spare time so far, using the Canon EOS 7D with my newest lens, the EF 50mm f/1.4. In many ways, it's almost been like relearning photography, as I have always tended to shoot my landscapes wider, to get wide open landscapes with alot of depth of field. Of course, at 50mm, you don't have as much depth of field to work with and coupled with the 7D showing up the effects of diffraction to a greater degree, due to the higher pixel density, I'm having to modify the way I shoot. At the moment, it's a bit hit and miss with the depth of field, as I'm trying to stay with f/8 to f/11, so I'm trying to work out the best way of finding the hyperfocal distance, when the scale goes from 3 metres to infinity and I need around 7 metres.
Some experimentation has shown up the diffraction problems. last week, I photographed the same scene at f/8 and f/16 and apart from the nearest foreground, the f/8 image was much sharper than the one taken at f/16, enough to make me realise, I didn't want to be shooting at f/16, unless I really needed the depth of field. It may mean that I have to consider not including foreground as close as I normally like to, which will reduce the depth in my images, but if I need something like that, then I can still use the 40D, with the smaller image being the compromise.
On a slightly different note, while I was out this afternoon, I had the perfect opportunity to test out the tracking, when a buzzard decided to land in a tree in my chosen scene. While the image is a little noisy, because the head was in deep shadow, with the sun directly behind the tree, the focus tracked the bird as it took off, without any problems, until I lost it momentarily, as it passed the sun (I didn't fancy pointing a 400mm lens at the sun).

Durleigh and Hamp Brooks, The Mead, Bridgwater.

Odd Phenomenon with Canon 7D at High ISO

2009-11-28T18:09:00.005Z

This evening I decided to play around with the noise reduction settings for high ISO. The ultimate aim was to try to determine whether it would be better to switch the noise reduction off and control it in Lightroom instead and the tests would also determine for sure whether noise reduction had any effects at all in the RAW files, even if in theory it shouldn't.
It was full darkness and heavy rain, with the street lit by artificial lighting (i.e. street lights). I was using the Canon 50mm f/1.4 at 1/50th sec handheld on ISO 6400. Because I wanted to test the detail level, I was trying to focus on areas without the risk of blown highlights and as a consequence the contrast was quite low, making it a challenge for the AF system.
However, I didn't get as far as testing the detail level, as I noticed on the screen, that the camera just didn't focus properly when high ISO noise reduction was set to Standard, if it was compared to the focus when it was switched off.
While this is a static scene and therefore can't be extrapolated to wildlife such as birds in flight, it does make me wonder if this is one reason why there have been reports of some 7Ds not coping very well with birds in flight. Also, I can't judge whether it occurs at all ISO settings or just at higher settings. I do know though, that until I've tested further, I will be keeping the high ISO noise reduction switched off until I can test further.

Visit Avalon Light Photoart for nature photography prints and licenced images.

Event Photography and Carnival

2009-11-16T20:02:00.004Z

When I went to Bridgwater Carnival a couple of weeks ago, little did I know that I would develop any sort of interest in event photography. I went mainly because my mum was coming up for the weekend and she had never been. It had taken me six years to decide to go and had it not been for my mum, I probably still wouldn't have gone. From a commercial point of view, it makes sense for me to go. The day is pretty much a non-starter where nature photography goes, as I can't get anywhere, with the roads being closed early and it doesn't take much effort to spend a few hours watching, so at least I can make some use of the day. However, since I looked at the results, I have been planning how I can improve next time. I even considered attending Glastonbury Carnival at the weekend and may have done, if not for the weather and logistical problems. While I'm happy with how most of the photos came out, I know I can improve and if I'm alone, I can get into position early, to get the best vantage point.
I'm not going to develop a full scale interest in event photography, but if the opportunity arises where it doesn't take up much of my time that could be better spent elsewhere, then I'll take it.

Bridgwater Carnival 2009

2009-11-07T23:54:00.005Z

Last night, I went to my first Bridgwater Carnival, depsite living here for six years now. The last carnival I'd seen was about 20 years ago, which happened to be Burnham-on-Sea, so part of the same circuit and things are a bit different now. The lighting was nothing short of impressive on many of the carts, but that I expected from photos, but what really took me by surprise, was the movement, not just the performers, but also the carts themselves. It was also virtually impossible to see the towing vehicles on many of the carts. Some of the carts must have cost several thousand pounds to produce. The joint overall champions were Joust, by the Gremlins Carnival Club and Ramses Revenge (Curse of the Mummy), by Ramblers Carnival Club.
The other new experience was one unique to Bridgwater. Gone are the days of the home made fireworks, but the tradition of squibbing remains. It was difficult to see much through the crowds, but it was certainly worth the experience.
The first set of photos have been uploaded to the gallery linked below.

Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival 2009

Canon EOS 7D Hands on Mini-Review

2009-10-18T20:31:00.011+01:00

The EOS 7D is the latest DSLR camera from Canon. Its principle target use is for fast moving subjects, so is ideal for sports and wildlife. I principally shoot wildlife and landscapes, so that will be the emphasis for this mini-review. It should also be noted, that I don’t generally do reviews and will be comparing it to the 40D, the camera it is replacing for me. That said, this review isn’t a direct side by side comparison, but more of a report of hands on experience so far on an early release camera (firmware 1.0.7), with reference to shooting in similar conditions with the 40D. There are others much more able to do scientific comparisons, so I won’t attempt to pre-empt any results they may achieve and report on. In addition, I have very limited videography experience, so I haven’t tested the various movie modes, other than a little playing around.

General Use and Feel

The 7d feels sturdy and well-built. It is significantly heavier than the 40D, which is by no means a light camera. I haven’t tested its weather-proofing capabilities and quite frankly, I don’t intend to deliberately put it out in the rain to see how it holds out. It feels a little different to hold, which has taken a bit of getting used to. It is more ergonomically curvaceous than the 40D, which I think in time I will prefer.
The menus on the whole, are pretty logical. They are an evolution from previous EOS cameras, including the 40D, rather than a major change. Because of the additional features, the menus are much more extensive on the 7D compared to the 40D. My biggest complaint with Canon cameras remains, the mirror lockup remains hidden within the menus, instead of a dedicated button like on Nikon cameras. Also, despite the ability to reprogram the functions of a number of buttons, it isn’t possible to assign mirror lockup to any of them. One feature I do like, is the Q or Quick Access button, this enables quick access to a range of features, including the AF system and focus point selection, but again, not mirror lockup. I do find the buttons are a little harder to activate with larger fingers, because of the slight recess.
The shutter gives a solid “thunk” when the shutter release is pressed. In silent mode 1, it seems quieter than on the 40D, although it is lower pitched in sound, so a direct comparison may be slightly skewed. This gives me the impression that it is much better for wildlife, but only time with shy creatures will confirm that though.

Exposure and Metering

This is one area where I tend not to use cameras to their full potential, possibly due to previous inadequacies, so it is the feature I have tested the least. I tend to keep the camera set to spot metering, even for landscape use. This allows much more precise control of the exposure, particularly for animals in shade or when using filters for landscapes and testing the various exposure ranges in a landscape.
From the limited use, I find that just like the 40D, I need to slightly overexpose, but only by around 1/3 stop. This does help to limit any noise from underexposure of shadows. The new metering system does have the potential to solve metering problems when using graduated filters and is something I need to force myself to try, as it could shorten the time taken to respond to changing lighting conditions in stormy conditions and close to sunset and sunrise.

Focusing System

The new focusing system is pretty complex and I’ve really only scratched the surface so far. No doubt with time, I will be able to refine my choices for different situations. Ever since the highly publicised problems with the EOS 1D Mk III, Canon has taken quite a pounding of the performance of its autofocus. Reading between the lines, there was a lot of hype and over-reaction, but there were definitely problems. There have been a number of occasions, where I haven’t been entirely happy with the autofocus on the 40D, but it was a significant improvement over the 400D, so the hyped AF on the 7D was of definite interest to me. In light of the controversy surrounding the 1D Mk III, suggesting that some people just didn’t know how to set it up properly, exacerbating the problems that have been well documented, I have been determined to do my best to test out different modes. While I haven’t completed a full test yet, I have tried out the main modes that are supposed to be the most useful for the sort of subjects I shoot.
Initially, I tried AF using my Canon 100-400mm and Canon 100mm macro lenses, but I have now tried some more extensive testing with my new 300mm f/2.8. With both the 100-400mm and macro lenses, I tested the ability of expanded point selections to focus accurately.
I had mixed results on the 100-400mm. With close subjects, focus was very good, but trying to focus on birds in flight that were small in the frame, seemed to reflect many of the experiences noted in some forums. That said, I had some fairly good results too. On one occasion, there was a marsh harrier, at some distance (about the same size in the frame as the expanded points), against a background of trees, with reeds in the foreground. Pretty much at the limits of the lens and with the 40D, it would have struggled. While I wouldn’t say that anything was good enough to sell, out of 70 frames, only about 11 were completely out of focus, with the rest being acceptable for personal use. Also, I had very good results with a kingfisher perched on a branch, in windy conditions, with leaves blowing in and out of frame, in front of the bird. I then tried photographing some mute swans in flight that were much closer than the marsh harrier, placing the central point of the cluster on the head. The results quite frankly were awful (unfortunately, I deleted them in disgust, so can't post them), but there also seemed to be a problem with the IS, as there seemed to be evidence of motion blur, despite a shutterspeed of 1/1600th second, plus they were almost “grab” shots, so the focus may not have had time to lock. Subsequent testing on a stationary subject at home (my back fence) showed that the lens actually front focuses quite badly, at least on the 7D, which presumably becomes more noticeable with distant subjects, particularly large birds such as a swan, where the AF may lock onto the wing tips, exacerbating any other problems. I have since adjusted the focusing, using the AF microadjustment (-20, the greatest adjustment possible), so I need to test further, as well as testing with the other AF modes.
For macro work, I almost exclusively focus manually, but I was interested to see how it would perform, considering some comments about the use of AF on the 7D when coupled with the new 100mm f/2.8L IS macro. As I don’t have that lens, I obviously couldn’t test all aspects, but I could test how the AF would cope with a swaying photographer, handholding at close distance with the original 100mm f/2.8 macro. Focus was ok, but not what I would want, when I used the expanded points selection. Following experience with the 300mm (see below), I want to hold off judgement until I’ve had a chance to test the spot and single point AF modes. Unfortunately, as autumn is upon us, with winter fast approaching, suitable insect targets are disappearing, so further testing may need to wait until the spring. Until then, for critical circumstances, I will continue to focus manually.
Next up was the 300mm f/2.8L IS, so far just with the 1.4x extender. This is one of the sharpest and fastest focusing lenses in the Canon arsenal, so if that couldn’t focus, then not much would. Of course, the narrower maximum aperture meant that depth of field would become an issue, making accurate focusing much more critical. Initially, I used the expanded points selection mode, just like with the other two lenses. As with the 100-400mm, if the subject covered a significant proportion of the frame (at least half), then it was possible to place the expanded points selection over the eyes for pin-point focus and in those conditions it worked very well. However, if the subject was smaller in the frame, so that the expanded selection covered more of the subject, then accurate focus was lost. At this point, I switched to single point mode, with much better success. I was able to use the single point to focus on the head of mute swans that were quite distant, to get sharp focus at the more distant ranges. The faster moving raptors aren’t around at the moment to test how it would cope with such a small focusing area on fast moving subjects and the slower moving buzzards and marsh harriers wouldn’t be much of a challenge for the AF system (other than wingspan problems and depth of field). I then decided to really test the AF system, with a very distant kestrel, that was little more than a speck in the sky with the naked eye. In fact, it was so small in the frame, it was smaller than the single point focus box. As a consequence, the single point focus showed the same problems as the expanded points for such a small subject, as I would have expected. In such conditions, I wouldn’t even have attempted anything with the 40D, as it would have failed miserably. I then tried the new much smaller spot focus, which was incidentally, about the same size as the very small kestrel. While it was by no means sharp, for such a distance, I must say I was impressed how it coped and some of the lack of sharpness is probably as much to do with compression of the moisture in the atmosphere. Initial testing with focus tracking using single point AF, gave good results, which will probably improve with practice.
In summary, the expanded points focus mode can be disappointing, but I suspect this is down to the size of the subject compared to the focusing area as much as anything else. My tests so far, suggest that for close subjects, the expanded points is fine, but for more distant subjects, the single point focus is much better for accurate focusing, provided the tracking can keep up or the photographer can keep steady enough. If spot focusing is required, then chances are, the subject is too distant anyway, so tracking moving birds etc., is more of a moot point with it, being more useful for static subjects, such as a kingfisher between leaves, which is a different type of challenge for an AF system. Also, some reported poor results may be due to lenses that need to be calibrated. Most will probably be close enough to optimum focus not to be noticeable, but some may require a significant adjustment.

Tonal and Dynamic Range

This isn’t easy to qualify, but I have been able to photograph some scenes with quite a high dynamic range, including some in which I was able to shoot without the need for a neutral density graduated filter. Tonal range seems to be at least as good as the 40D, certainly enough for most scenarios. No doubt a full frame sensor would exceed what the 7D can achieve, but it holds its own, to produce good landscape images, with plenty of resolution. One concern I have had, is that images from my zooms (even though they are L zooms) may appear soft, from the extra sensor resolution, but so far, I’m not finding too much of a problem, although I am yet to try out my 17-40mm f/4.0L, which is the lens that seems to be more affected on the 5D Mk II.

Noise Control

One of the features I was looking for in a camera to replace my 40D, besides a higher resolution, was better low light capabilities. High ISO capability is handy, but only so far as the quality of the images produced. If the high ISO settings produce high noise levels, then it limits the use of any photographs obtained. When I first saw the press releases, I paid close attention to the sample images in the pre-production reviews that were circulating, particularly the scant few that looked at wildlife. Sometimes I think too much is made of noise, people can sometimes lose sight of the fact that some images simply wouldn’t have been possible at low ISO. However, if the detail is obscured by the noise, then it is pretty much unsaleable. The 40D was pretty good up until ISO 800, provided exposure was good, but then it started to deteriorate, although in some circumstances you could get away with ISO 1600, if the background wasn’t uniform. So far, Adobe only offer beta support for 7D RAW files and I’m not keen on Canon’s software, so it isn’t possible to see the full potential yet, but I would say that the 7D is at least one stop better than the 40D, pretty impressive for those extra 8 MP. I’m hoping it will prove better than that, but time will tell. From the images I’ve seen taken with the 50D, it is an even bigger improvement in terms of noise control at high ISO. One thing that is certainly improved is the banding of noise that was a feature of previous Canon cameras at high ISO. The noise on the 7D is free of banding and is much more pleasing and less distracting as a result. The dedicated second DIGIC IV processor is certainly having an effect.

Conclusion

The Canon EOS 7D is by no means a miracle camera, but it has narrowed the gap in terms of noise control with Nikon. Whether or not it exceeds the capabilities of Nikon cameras is a matter of debate and may be down to personal choice, as most early indications, based on reviews suggest that the quality of noise is different and therefore not necessarily comparable. In addition, Canon have increased the sensor resolution, without any noticeable decrease in performance in other areas. If I’m honest, I would have liked to have seen the results if the sensor had stayed in the 16 MP range, but I’m happy with the results as it is. The frame rate is ideal for both sports and wildlife photography, where the moment can sometimes fall between shutter releases, making the frame rate vitally important. There are many arguments between full frame and crop sensors, but the fact remains, that the effective magnification from the crop sensor is very important for wildlife photography, where you often need as much reach as possible, plus it would have lowered the frame rate considerably. It has its downsides, but overall, the APS-C sensor in the 7D is what makes it so appealing to the semi-pro or enthusiast wildlife photographer. Professional photographers will probably stay with the 1D series, particularly when the eagerly awaited Mk IV is released, but the 7D would make an ideal second camera even for professionals, particularly where weight is an important factor.
Autofocus aside, there are very few limitations. It would be nice to have a bigger image buffer in RAW shooting, but that teaches you to choose your moment. Metering seems pretty good and with more testing it could be even more useful and noise control is also significantly improved over the xxD series. The autofocus still needs further evaluation to confirm its performance and best shooting modes for different situations, but it does look promising also. Overall, the 7D is a worthy upgrade from the xxD series and will also appeal to semi-professional and professional wildlife photographers as a second or backup camera. Will it tempt Nikon owners and is it a world beater? Probably not, but then it would have to be something pretty special to tempt Nikon owners to switch systems, having invested a lot of money in glassware. In this price range, after thinking about whether it would be worth switching to Nikon for a while, I think Canon just about has the edge, at least for a couple of months. Some of the early niggles will also be fixed by the first firmware updates too.

Photography Basics

2009-10-11T23:34:00.006+01:00

All art forms have their techniques, which should be learnt, but photography is probably unique in the amount of technical expertise that is required to achieve good results. Some of this technique involves the use of additional equipment, such as flash, strobes and filters, but before any of this equipment is used, the basics must first be mastered. Despite the obvious differences, film and digital photography have much in common and while the method of capture has changed, the terminology is equally applicable, even the ISO or ASA.

Film and Sensor Sensitivity

In the days of film, film was categorised by its American Standards Authority (ASA) sensitivity, which later was reclassified by the International Standards Organisation (ISO); it is this latter designation that has been passed on to the digital age. It was often referred to as the speed of the film, because the higher ISO ratings allowed higher shutter speeds to capture faster motion. The slowest film in general use was ISO 25, but the most commonly used film was ISO 100, which was ideal for everyday use in a variety of conditions. Digital cameras typically start at ISO 100 or ISO 200 and some can go as high as ISO 12,800, something that was unheard of in the days of film, although some slide film could be “pushed” quite high, as much as two stops above its rated ISO in some films. The amount of noise (assuming equal noise reduction algorithms) is dependent on sensor pixel density. The more pixels in a given area, the greater the resolution, but the greater the noise characteristics. The smaller sensor size of compact cameras, is therefore more likely to produce high levels of noise, due to higher pixel density, when compared to DSLR cameras with the same megapixel resolution.
Each time the ISO doubles, it lets in twice as much light and is the equivalent to a full stop by that definition. However, higher speed films tended to have larger grains, giving a grainier appearance in the resultant prints. Likewise, increasing the ISO of a digital sensor increases the noise that is present. The combination of increased noise and higher levels of noise reduction, either in camera or in post production can soften the detail in an image. The amount to which this matters, depends on the subject matter, the more detail there is in an image, the more important it is to preserve the detail. An example would be the fine textures in bird feathers, where detail is vital.

Aperture

The aperture is measured as a function of the focal length of the lens; it is inversely proportional, so is usually defined by f/x, where f is the focal length and x is a number which represents the aperture size. Because it is an inverse, increasing the f number actually decreases the size of the aperture, so f/2.8 is wider than f/5.6. Aperture has a very important effect on the image and when used correctly, can be the make or break of an image. It can also be used to good creative effect. Each full stop allows twice the amount of light in as the previous aperture. Many modern cameras can be adjusted by a third of a stop. The full stops most commonly encountered are f/2.8, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16 and f/22. There are narrower and wider apertures, but they are only available on certain lenses.
The size of the aperture has a big effect on the depth of field, this is the amount of the image that is in sharp focus, from the foreground to the background. A narrow depth of field results in a very small amount of the image being in sharp focus, while a deep depth of field results in most of the image being in sharp focus.
Wide apertures (such as f/2.8) are very good for portrait and wildlife photography. This is because they result in a narrow depth of field, which throws the background out of focus, helping to isolate the subject from an otherwise distracting background. Conversely, narrow apertures, such as f/16 result in a deep depth of field, which is an effect that is needed in landscape and architectural photography, so that as much of the image as possible is in focus.
Caution should be exercised though. Lenses are generally less sharp, especially at the corners, at their widest aperture, so often it is better to “stop down”. This is the practice of closing the aperture slightly. At the other end of the scale, with narrow apertures, you start to see the physical limitation called diffraction, this is where the light is bent as it passes through a narrow aperture and is a function of physics and not the lens. The resultant side effect of diffraction is again image softness. Some lenses start to exhibit the effects of diffraction earlier than others and natively sharp lenses are still able to produce sharp images at apertures affected on other lenses. Generally, diffraction sets in from around f/11, but it isn’t usually until beyond f/16, where the effects start to visibly affect sharpness. Sometimes, a scene is so expansive, that a very deep depth of field from a narrow aperture counteracts the diffraction to a great enough degree to make it worthwhile, but it is best not to go any narrower than f/16 unless absolutely necessary.
Just to complicate matters further, it isn’t just aperture size that affects the depth of field. Sensor size also has a role to play, the larger the sensor, the narrower the depth of field. Compact cameras have a much deeper depth of field, which makes it much harder to produce background blur, but does make keeping the whole landscape in focus easier. At the other end of the scale, full frame cameras (cameras with a sensor size equivalent to traditional 35mm film) have a much narrower depth of field, so much more care needs to be taken when preparing landscape shots. So-called cropped sensor DSLR cameras are somewhere in the middle, as they have a smaller sensor than full frame, but a much larger one than compacts. In addition, lens focal length is important, the longer the focal length of a lens, the narrower the apparent depth of field, as the increased focal length compresses the scene, making it easier to throw the background out of focus.

Shutterspeed

Shutterspeed controls the speed at which the shutter flips up and down, letting light onto the film or sensor. The longer the shutterspeed, the greater the amount of light that enters the sensor or film. Each full stop shutterspeed allows twice as much light as the next fastest. Like aperture, modern cameras are usually able to be adjusted by a third of a stop. Examples of full stops include 1/15 sec, 1/30 sec, 1/60 sec, 1/125 sec, 1/250 sec and so on. As can be seen, it is much easier to predict the effect on light, just by looking, than with the aperture. For example, 1/250 sec is twice the shutterspeed as 1/125 sec, so therefore will let in half the light. Faster shutter speeds allow the capture of fast motion, so are ideal for sports and wildlife. Slow shutterspeeds allow for motion blur, so are ideal for creating the silky effects of water in some landscapes.

Putting it all Together

The key to a good photograph though, is to get all the different aspects right and to do that, you need to understand how they interact. To get the right exposure, you need to get adequate light into the camera and it is how you control the different aspects, that determines the exposure. If you increase the shutterspeed by a full stop, you are halving the amount of light, therefore to compensate, you must either open the aperture by a full stop or increase the ISO. So for example, if you change the shutterspeed from 1/125 sec to 1/250 sec, you must open the aperture from f/5.6 to f/2.8 or increase the ISO from 100 to 200. Likewise, if you close the aperture from f/8 to f/11 to get more depth of field, you must decrease the shutterspeed, say from 1/30 sec to 1/15 sec or increase the ISO. It all sounds pretty complicated and it is to a degree, but the key is to practice; eventually it all comes together. Also, there are ways you can reduce the amount you have to think about each time, by using either aperture (Av) or shutter priority (Tv). By using these modes, you can set the camera, so that only one of either the aperture or shutterspeed respectively is varied by you. In aperture priority mode, you control the aperture and the camera adjusts the shutterspeed accordingly, if you need a faster shutterspeed, you can increase the ISO. The same principle applies with shutter priority. The more you practice, the easier it is to remember and eventually deliberately change things to get different effects, adding creativity. You’ll make mistakes to start with, probably alot of them, but it will come and remember, even the most seasoned of photographers make mistakes, they just don’t show them to people.

The First Photographs from the Canon EOS 7D are up

2009-10-08T22:02:00.006+01:00

Ever since I received the delivery of the Canon EOS 7D, the weather has been pretty awful, the sort of days that are totally uninspring, dull grey, uniform cloud cover or absolutely chucking it down. Not good for inspirational landscapes and not enough light for wildlife. I did manage to shoot a few successes with the help of flash in my back garden, but that was it.
Today though, it was a glorious day, classic autumn sunshine, with the soft golden light this afternoon. Even better, I had the afternoon off, so off I trotted to Shapwick Heath, one of the local nature reserves and one I frequent regularly and was so successful for otter sightings last year. I struck lucky quite early after arriving in mid-afternoon, as I had my best sighting of a kingfisher. It was a bit of a challenge for the autofocus, as there was alot of tree cover in front of it, with leaves and whole branches being blown in front of the bird. The focusing worked very well though, with a 100% success rate with the autofocus (much less with manual focus).

I was using the expanded point focus setting, which seemed fine for the static subject and wasn't fazed by the leaves and branches.

So my first real outing was deemed a success and so far, I'm happy with what I am getting. The noise seems an improvement over the 40D, if not a dramatic improvement, despite Adobe only providing early beta support for the camera.

New Canon 7D has Arrived

2009-09-30T20:54:00.005+01:00

My new Canon EOS 7D arrived this morning, courtesy of Warehouse Express. I haven't really had a chance to use it in anger yet, although I did go for a walk this evening. There was very little to aim at and the light deteriorated quite a bit, so the testing didn't go well. I definitely need to take more time to read the manual.
First impressions on the feel, it is heavier than my 40D and also looks larger. There is more of a ridge, than a curve, where my right thumb sits, so that will take a slight change in grip. The shutter sounds a little quieter than the 40D on quiet mode 1, although it is a deeper sounding thunk, so it's not so easy to compare. The Adobe RAW convertor and Lightroom aren't fully compatible yet.
Hopefully, I'll get a chance for some proper testing at the weekend. I'll probably write a comparison review once I'm more use to it.

The Untapped Source

2009-09-26T21:26:00.002+01:00

I've created a new gallery at The Untapped Source, a site that specialises in fine art prints. It offers an outlet to a different market. I will concentrate on my landscape work there initially.

Calendars for Sale

2009-09-24T12:53:00.004+01:00

I now have a number of landscape and wildlife 2010 Calendars for sale on my Redbubble site. They are printed by Redbubble on a heavy duty paper, much higher quality than you would find in the high street. Some people make use of the images after the end of the year to make framed prints, although the paper quality isn't as high as fine art paper of course. They are 15% off this week, so be quick for the best value. The calendars are one page per month, with a photograph on each. The pages can be viewed from the site.

Wildlife Photography

2009-09-18T11:17:00.014+01:00

Wildlife is a popular subject for many photographers. Many will specialise in other subject matter to make money, but photograph wildlife for pleasure. However, it isn't straightforward. To be successful as a wildlife photographer takes more than being a good photographer, you also need to have good fieldcraft and know the animal. Many professional wildlife photographers will spend weeks or months on a project, trying to get close enough to get the shots they need. Some animals are used to people, so they are much easier to get close to them and get good compositions, while others take alot of patience. Even some insects are very difficult to get close to.
Equipment is also problematic, as the specialist lenses required are very expensive. While landscape photography requires a number of filters, the cost of the lenses in comparison is relatively inexpensive for good quality glass. While you may pay upwards of £1000 for a high quality prime lens, a high quality prime lens for wildlife work is upwards of £3500. Also, the difference in quality between a good wide-angle to standard zoom and a prime is minimal, so the primes are less attractive. However, with a few exceptions, there is quite a large difference in quality between telephoto zooms and primes.
I use the Canon 100-400mm L IS lens for most of my wildlife photography. While it isn't the highest quality, it is still good, plus it is light and relatively inexpensive. I do find that I'm always looking for more reach though. When the situation dictates, however, it is the ideal lens for tracking and stalking animals, because of it's relative lightness and flexibility as a zoom. I also use the Canon 100mm macro for my macro work, although I am considering a longer macro lens for some of the shy insects. Common to all macro lenses, the image quality is outstanding and despite not being an L grade lens, it has good build quality.
Using a telephoto lens takes alot of practice to get optimal technique. It is very easy to blame the lens for poor image quality, when it is simply a case of not applying good long lens technique. As with most photography, a tripod will give the best chance of a sharp image, but it isn't always practical. Image stabilisation is a boon, as it gives you a much greater chance of sharp images, particularly at slower shutterspeeds, but with the older lenses, you must remember to switch it off when mounted on a tripod. Beanbags and monopods are often more use than a tripod, as they don't need time to set up and are easier to carry unobtrusively. This is important when the animal you're stalking may only present a photographic opportunity for a split second. Having a good stalking technique though, will give you the best chance of being able to take a bit more time to get the composition right.
Stalking animals takes practice. They have a much better sense of smell than humans, so it is important to approach downwind of them where possible. Better still though, is to let the animal come to you. This is where fieldcraft and knowledge of the animal really comes in. You can either observe an animal and predict where it is going, so that you can get in place before it gets there or you can observe signs and stake out a likely spot. These are the sort of tactics that work for the Eurasian otter, particularly the coastal animals in Scotland. Even insects need to be approached carefully. It is important to be aware of where your shadow is, as the moment your shadow goes over the insect, it is likely to fly off. Instead, try to approach, so that your shadow is behind you. Failing that, try to make yourself as small as possible, so your shadow is shorter. It may be necessary to make the final approach by crawling. In all cases, you need to move slowly, so as not to seem a threat. Some insects have better vision in some areas than others, so learn where their blind spots are. While basic principles apply, each animal is different, which is why it is important to know as much as possible about behaviour.

Composition is just as important in wildlife photography as any other form. It is very easy to get the standard shots, like a side on deer or the top view of a butterfly, but try to think of different angles or look for specific behaviour. Also, don't necessarily go for the close up, sometimes it is much more interesting to photograph a subject, in context with it's environment. Think about depth of field, for closeups, you want to blur the background, so go for a wider aperture, conversely, a context shot may need the background in focus, requiring a narrower aperture. Also, make sure that the shutterspeed is fast enough to freeze the subject or wait until it freezes, unless you are deliberately looking for motion blur or are going to pan. This may mean that you need to increase the ISO setting. While you should always use the lowest ISO setting possible, you shouldn't be afraid to increase it when necessary. It is better to get some noise, than get a blurred shot because the shutterspeed was too low. Bear in mind also, that too much noise may be so distracting, that it renders the image useless for anything but personal pleasure, so learn when it isn't worth bothering.
Learning wildlife photography can be quite difficult, partly, because the opportunities for practice are less than landscapes and you don't always get a second chance. I have enjoyed learning the techniques though and look forward to perfecting and learning more.

Photographic Passion

2009-09-15T17:01:00.016+01:00

In my last blog entry, I talked about my thoughts and decisions surrounding my photographic future and career path. I talked of how I'd considered what subject matter I shoot and whether I could make money from it. My conclusion was to continue to shoot what I enjoy, instead of switching to something more commercial. But what is it that I enjoy?
When I was younger, before my long break from photography, I shot mainly railway scenes, trying to combine them with beautiful scenery when I could. I also photographed at many air displays, shooting both static exhibits and fast moving jets. At the time, I was using a Zenith 11, which created some challenges. To start with, the light meter wasn't through the lens and it tended towards underexposure, by as much as one and a half stops. That was surmountable though, I just had to compensate, compensating further when using a telconverter. More problematic though, was the maximum shutterspeed of 1/500th of a second, very slow for such fast moving objects as jets. I coped though, probably more so than now when I need to pan. Later, when I was too busy concentrating on a career in science to practice photography, I was limited to photographing historic architecture while on holiday.
When I took up photography seriously again though a couple of years ago, switching to digital at the same time, it was landscapes that I concentrated on. I have spent many hours practicing and perfecting my technique on photographing landscapes in my local area and getting used to using various filters. I enjoy landscape photography and the challenges it provides, the chance to visit the local area and to go for walks. However, my real passion is for wildlife.
From a very young age, I watched wildlife programs on TV. As with many children, African wildlife spurred the imagination, largely in part, because that was the biggest subject matter shown. It is only in more recent years that more local wildlife has been shown on TV. However, one British animal that did feature in my imagination was the Eurasian Otter, although at the time, I wasn't aware of other otter species. Being from Devon, in the UK, I was never far away from Tarka country, the area in North Devon where the story of Tarka the Otter was based. Throughout my childhood, the otter was seriously endangered and it was thought that it may soon become extinct. That is possibly why it caught my imagination, it had that air of mystery about it and it could be a constant dream to see one, but at the same time a dream that seemed unacheivable. Often dreams never match reality, so it would seem that my dream would never be sullied by reality. Now though, the otter has recovered significantly in Britain, so that dreams can become reality. I saw my first otter in Scotland, in March 2008, underneath the Kessock Bridge, just outside of Inverness and was hooked. I then spent several days over that spring and summer searching for otters on Shapwick Heath in Somerset, a place that is considered to be one of the best places to see them in England, largely because they don't stick to their usual nocturnal habits, but also because the population, while still being vulnerable, is much healthier than it once was. This year, they don't seem to be as numerous, but they are still visible there and in other areas of the Avalon Marshes.
Alongside my burgeoning interest in otters, was my interest in macro photography, in particular dragonflies. Wildlife photography generally is more difficult because of the fieldcraft involved and the element of luck, you can't expect animals to be present on tap, but macro photography allows you to photograph other subjects while waiting. Of course, they are also part of the story, without insects, other life wouldn't exist, fish and amphibians need them to survive, just as the otters need the fish.
Having decided that I wanted to continue to photograph wildlife and having decided it wasn't as easy to teach myself, as I could with landscapes, I attended some photography workshops with Laurie Campbell, one of the prominent Scottish nature photographers. I had already attended a wildlife week at the Aigas field centre, nearly Beauly, Inverness-Shire and the photography workshops they organised seemed very good value. Laurie is an inspiration. The first workshop was awful weather, yet he demonstrated how it was possible to take photographs in even the worst weather and it forced me to try new things, even still life images of plants and motion blur shots of birds at a feeder. It literally broadened my horizons.
So with my passion for wildlife reaffirmed and a new found reason for my landscape work, it better equipped me for the next stage in my progression. And so the quest for more than just record shots was born. I am now looking to create more artistic work, starting with macros, where I can practice, but with ideas for larger plans and projects slowly forming. My recent shortlisting for the British Wildlife Photography Awards has shown that I have made some progress, but there is still more I need to do. It's been frustrating not being able to get out with my camera over the past few weeks, but hopefully I can soon get on with my planned projects.

Photography to Sell or for the Pleasure?

2009-09-08T21:30:00.007+01:00

We've all dreamt of that job, where you can combine pleasure with earning a living - so we can give up that mundane existence at work and I'm no different. I've been trying to sell my photos now since October 2007, when I got my first digital camera, a Canon 400D and signed up to Shutterpoint. As pressures at work got worse and the stress levels increased, I began to think of ways I could earn a living, enough so that I would be able to tell the boss to stick it one day. I'd been through the process before, thinking of things I could do, could I make use of my audit and quality training? Could I start up a mobile computer repair service? Both had been discarded for different reasons. In this new round of musing though, I was considering photography. Specialising in a saturated market though, means that sales are few and far between.
That was when I did some soul searching. Should I continue to photograph what I like, such as landscapes and wildlife, or should I shoot more commercial subjects? I probably have the greatest aptitude for historical architecture, probably from all the practice on holidays, visiting historical sites across Europe. Over the past couple of years though, I've concentrated on improving my landscape photography, to the point, where I think I can hold my own with alot of people and produce images with impact. It doesn't always work out of course, but I can tell when I'm in with a chance. My real passion though is wildlife, although I don't get as much opportunity to practice and I've produced a number of macro images in particular that I'm proud of. It gave me a real buzz to be shortlisted for the 2009 British Wildlife Photography Awards, even though I didn't get any further. Despite that though, it doesn't earn much money and that brings me back to the decision process I went through almost a year ago now. Advertising is where the real money is (although the recent recession has cut many advertising budgets) and anything showing people or human activity, especially children sells well. However, as a landscape photographer, it is almost the antipathy of what I do. To go from cursing under my breath to actively pursuing people would be quite a change for me, not to mention a whole new learning process. Another option would be electronics, food and other similar still life work, but I find such photography soulless. Many excel at it, but it has never really interested me. It was then that I decided, that the day I started photographing purely to make money, instead of photographing what I enjoy, would probably be the same day I put the camera back in its box, never to see the light of day again.
Having been through that thought process, if anyone asked me what they should photograph, my response would be "whatever you enjoy photographing". If you photograph something you enjoy, then there is a greater incentive to learn and improve, ultimately making you a better photographer and in a roundabout way, there is a greater chance of success, albeit, not necessarily in monetary terms. As artists, we are all looking for critical acclaim and while money is nice, I think that is what is important, to be lauded by your peers.

Landscape Photography Part 2 - Technique

2009-08-27T20:11:00.008+01:00

In part 1 I discusssed the artistry behind landscape photography. Before I start on the technique, I'll say a little about micro landscapes. Micro landscapes are pretty much as the name would suggest, landscapes on a small scale. This could be a detail shot of a small area or perhaps even a macro image showing the minute details in a very small scene, maybe showing the habitat of an insect or other small animal.

Some assumption is made below regarding knowledge of photography basics, such as depth of field, aperture size and the relationship between the two. There are a number of articles available that describe the basics of photography if needed. I may cover some basics in a future blog entry.
Whether a micro landscape or a more traditional one, the basic technical issues are similar. Some form of support is essential. Normally this would be a tripod, but if the conditions dictate, a beanbag could be used or perhaps rarely, a monopod. Beanbags are particularly handy for low level perspectives or if the conditions are very windy. Some tripods are also able to be dropped down very low to the ground. Generally speaking, shutterspeed is a secondary consideration to aperture size and ISO setting. Unless conditions are windy and a faster shutterspeed is required to freeze foliage, then the slowest film speed or ISO setting should be selected, which for most digital cameras is ISO 100 (some may require the use of a "low" setting to achieve ISO 100 and some may offer ISO 50). Aperture is dependent on the scene itself and how much depth there is. For most landscapes, an aperture of f/8 to f/16 should be selected, occasionally narrowing the aperture to f/22. Most scenes contain quite alot of depth to them, so to get adequate depth of field, f/16 is needed, in order that the whole scene is in sharp focus. Sometimes a scene may not require as much depth of field, for example, photographing a waterfall or cascade from a distance, when there is very little background. In such cases, it is better to aim for a slightly wider aperture such as f/8 or f/11, as most lenses are sharper at the slightly wider apertures (i.e. mid-range). It is also preferable not to go narrower than f/16, as you start to get problems with diffraction, which is a physical barrier and one that will soften the image. At f/22 it is easily noticeable, but there may be occasions, where the need for more depth of field outweighs the effects of diffraction. Beyond f/22 though, the image is little more than a soup without much detail and should be avoided. A natively sharp lens will be sharper at f/22, even though the effects are just as great, so high quality lenses will still allow a higher quality image. One last thing to consider is the camera you are using or more to the point, the size of the capture device. Film cameras and full frame digital cameras will require a smaller aperture than crop cameras (smaller sized sensors) to get the same depth of field.
The key to taking a competent landscape photograph is to understand how the different settings on your camera interact with one another and what effect they have on the resultant image. The first point of call is your user manual, it is surprising how much useful information you will find, they don't just contain instructions for use, but also chapters on making the most from your camera. Being able to take a great landscape photograph however, is a different story. It is something that takes lots of practice, luck, swearing and visiting an area several times until the light is just how you want it. It is important to know your camera inside out, so that you can then concentrate on the creative side to try out different ideas.

Landscape Photography Part 1 - The Artistry

2009-08-23T20:30:00.023+01:00

Landscape photography is perhaps one of the most varied forms of photography, ranging from urban landscapes, through to dramatic mountain scenes and even micro-landscapes; the small scale landscapes of small subjects. The basic rules and principles remain though, whatever the subject.
The key to a good landscape is maximum sharpness across the whole scene and to have a strong subject or lines. To get maximum sharpness, a tripod is essential. Even when you're able to use high shutterspeeds, there is some softening of the image if a tripod isn't used. Sharpness can also be increased by using mirror lockup and in fact for longer shutterspeeds, it is imperative. Weather conditions can also affect the quality of what may otherwise be a perfectly good landscape image. Wind is often the bane of a landscape photographer, especially without a solid, sturdy tripod. In very windy conditions, a beanbag may be useful, as the lower the camera is to the ground, the less it is affected by the wind. Foliage is also blown about by wind, so unless you're looking for more of an abstract image, the wind may dictate when you photograph your chosen subject landscape.
Lighting is the next key to a good photograph and may turn an average image into a great one. Bland, grey skies rarely make for an interesting landscape, but change those for deep, moody clouds and you can have a very dramatic scene. This image typifies the sort of image you can get on the Scottish Western Isles and proves, you don't need bright colours.

There are also other ways that you can make use of the light, for example, sun shining through the clouds onto the main subject or simply the angle of lighting, particularly in the golden hours after sunrise and before sunset.

Shooting during the golden hours gives you the best chance for a landscape with real impact, because it is when the light is at its softest, allowing for less harsh contrasts and the ability to use the lengthening shadows to add depth to the scene. This also increases the mid-tone contrast, which is the area in the histogram that gives the image the punch it needs to stand out.
Without a strong compositional element though, many landscapes fall flat, simply because there is nothing within the scene to attract viewers. The best landscapes are often simple when you look at them closely, even when they contain many fine details. Most of the best landscapes can be diluted down to an interesting foreground, which draws the viewer in, then there may be leading lines, either diagonals or s-shaped curves, pulling the viewer towards the main subject, which is likely to be on one of the thirds intersections. Sometimes, the main subject is the landscape as a whole, but there is usually a strong supporting subject on a thirds line in these cases and the leading line acts as a guide, taking the viewer on a tour around the image. Both of the above examples use the shore as a leading line from the corners to the distance, literally going through most of the scene.

In Part 2 I will talk of some of the more technical aspects of landscape photography and visit micro-landscapes.

Redbubble Slideshow

2009-08-14T23:20:00.000+01:00

Macro Photography

2009-08-13T11:57:00.012+01:00

Macro photography is arguably one of the more difficult forms of photography to master, it is certainly more technical than some others and it is important to understand the effects of depth of field. In many ways, depth of field is one of the biggest hurdles a macro photographer has to overcome, either by using a narrow aperture or to embrace the narrow depth of field in such a way that it becomes a form of creativity. At wider apertures, the depth of field can be measured in millimetres. Almost without exception, manual focus should be used because of the narrow depth of field, even at f/16.
True macro is considered to be 1:1 or life size (or larger). Many zoom lenses are marketed as macro lenses, but typically, they are around 1/3 or 1/4 life size and they certainly don't have the sharpness associated with true macro prime lenses. The choice of lens is dependent on what sort of subjects interest you as a photographer and what backgrounds you want to include. At their closest focusing distance, all macro lenses will blur the background to an equal degree for any given aperture, although the focal length will determine how close it focuses. For example, a 100mm lens will have a closer focusing distance than a 180mm lens, but if both are 1:1, they will both blur the background to the same degree. However, the 180mm lens will include less of the background, making a pleasing background easier to achieve, as it will potentially have less distracting background elements (such as bright objects). For best results a tripod (or monopod/bean bag) should always be used, although sometimes it simply isn't possible.
Shorter macro lenses are good all-round lenses (50-60mm range), useful for a range of macro (and non-macro) subjects, although trying to get close enough to insects would be a challenge, so they are best used for still life or where there is limited space. The medium sized macro lenses (90-105mm) become more useful for insect macro photographs, so are perhaps even more useful as all-rounders, although in confined spaces, it may be difficult to fit larger subjects in the frame (i.e. non-macro images). If insects are likely to be your main interest, then the longer (150-200mm) lenses are going to be the most useful, although they do come at a price and they tend to be less sharp than the medium focal length lenses, also some sort of support is essential. Luckily, because you're further away from the subject, it is much easer to set a tripod up, without disturbing the subject and sending it flying away. Another advantage with the longer macro lenses, they are compatible with teleconverters (extenders in Canon land) and not just extension tubes. Teleconverters and extension tubes both increase the magnification (and converters also increase focal length of course), but the 2x converters can reduce image quality quite a bit and extension tubes prevent infinity focus. Most (but not all) of the shorter macro lenses are unable to make use of teleconverters, although they can make use of extension tubes. Short of getting specialist macro lenses (like Canon's MPE-65 5x macro lens or microscope attachment), this is the greatest magnification you can achieve.
There isn't really a bad macro lens in terms of image quality and they all have a high reputation interms of image quality. In the two most poular mounts (Canon and Nikon), Nikkor, Canon, Sigma and Tamron all make excellent lenses, with Sigma offering the greatest range of focal lengths. Sigma and Tamron also make lenses in the other popular mounts, along with other options from the camera manufacturers. It may also be possible to get adaptors to use other lenses, such as Zeiss, Leica and M42 mounts.

Shortlisted for BWPA Awards

2009-08-04T22:19:00.004+01:00

I found out today that a number of my images have been shortlisted for the 2009 British Wildlfe Photography Awards. It's a good feeling to get past the first hurdle and I always imagined that the best chance I had of getting anywhere with awards, was for landscapes, even though I prefer to photograph wildlife. I was quite pleased when I saw the categories, as I knew I had a good chance of finding some invertebrates and as it turned out, I had a couple of coastal images I felt were suitable.

Fine Art of Ana Viktoria

2009-08-02T10:44:00.001+01:00

Fine Art of Ana Viktoria

Singh-Ray Filters

2009-08-01T17:42:00.005+01:00

I first came across Singh-Ray filters after reading an interview of an exceptional photographer by the name of Mike Dawson on Better Photo in 2008. I already had some neutral density filters form Hi-Tech, but the results weren't ideal for sunsets. Singh-ray are known for their high quality in the United States, but they aren't available in the UK. However, they make special reverse graduated neutral density filters, especially designed for sunsets and sunrises and are the only manufacturer that makes them that I'm aware of. Instead of having the darkest part of the filter at the top, the graduation is darkest at the centre, gradually decreasing towards the top, with the bottom remaining clear, as with a standard ND grad. I have been using them now for a year, with some results I'm really pleased with. In fact, with a couple of exceptions, most of my sunset work has been done using a 3 stop reverse grad. I've even been considering a 4 stop version, but I keep hoping the exchange rate will be more favourable first. I also usually couple it with a warming circular polarizer, instead of a slightly cool cast you get with most CPL filters, it warms the image up a little, again ideal for sunsets.
The filters have been instrumental in developing my style, without them my only option would be HDR, which is a technique I'm not over fond of, except as a tool for occasional use. They make it possible to make use of striking lighting, without resulting in blown highlights.

2009-07-28T21:17:00.002+01:00

Having spent a week on the Isle of Skye, one of the Scottish Western Isles, I have now created a new gallery, within the Scotland collection. Although the weather wasn't ideal, it did allow some moody landscapes and a couple of sunset images. I also updated the Birds gallery.

Isle of Skye - Images by Richard Winn

2009-05-04T17:31:00.006+01:00

New macro images of blue-tailed and red-eyed damselflies uploaded (Ischnura elegans and Erythromma najas).

Macros - Images by Richard Winn

Greeting Cards

2009-05-01T21:51:00.006+01:00

Greeting cards and 7x5 inch (18x12 cm) prints are now available for purchase direct from the galleries. Even small images, not suitable for the standard A4 prints are now available for print sales and not just personal use downloads.

Avalon Light Photoart specialises in landscapes from Somerset and the English Westcountry as well as wildlife images.

Swans in Mating Ritual

2009-04-23T21:36:00.004+01:00

New photographs added to the Birds gallery, showing a pair of mute swans during their mating ritual.

Birds - Images by Richard Winn

New Uploads to Glorious Devon Gallery

2009-04-13T22:16:00.003+01:00

New images from Dartmoor and the Exe Estuary have been uploaded to the Glorious Devon gallery of Avalon Light Photoart.

Glorious Devon - Images by Richard Winn

Photographic Website Up and Running!

2009-04-07T20:30:00.007+01:00

Avalonlight Photoart is a photographic site specialising in landscape and wildlife images. After several months of inaction, it is now available, selling prints and downloads, as both private and commercial licences. Currently prints are only available in the UK, but it is hoped that worldwide delivery will be available in the future.

Spain and Spanish Islands - Images by Richard Winn