Future imperfect

I took a trip to a nearby pub that was featured last week on a TV programme, in the hope that I might be able to start a new photography project.

The programme told the story of the Spa Inn at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, which its brewery owners wanted to shut and sell off to housing developers. Pub regulars wanted it saved... but then were filmed leaving a council meeting and heading for a completely different pub for an evening drink. I think that just about summed everything up.

I trawled the internet to find out if the Spa had closed down in the four months since the programme was filmed, but none of the three local papers had followed up their reports on the planning battle.

So I had to find out for myself. Alas, when I arrived, I discovered it was well and truly closed. But I enjoyed a little gallows humour when I spotted a blackboard outside advertising a clairvoyance evening in months gone by. I wonder if the pub's fate was seen in the crystal ball?

Oh no, not again....

I think I'm going to have to write a list of things I have to check before pressing the shutter.

I took another trip to the William Tyndale Monument at North Nibley, Gloucestershire, today and climbed to the top of what is a rather tall tower on a very high hill.

But I discovered later that the photos I took from inside the top of the tower were shot at a very high ISO. It's an old mistake that I keep on repeating and I'm just kicking myself that I've done it yet again. The problem, of course, is that I get a lot of noise in the final image.

I just wish the camera would re-set itself to something like 100 or 200 ISO every time it is switched off. Instead, it retains the ISO setting from the last time it was used.... and then I forget to check it when I pick the camera up again.

High point

I've really got the photography bug at the moment, so I ventured out again today - this time to the Tyndale Monument, in North Nibley, Gloucestershire.

The monument was erected in honour of William Tyndale, who translated the New Testament. He is thought to have been born at North Nibley.

It was wonderful being out in the countryside with spectacular views down to the Bristol Channel. Photographically, the expedition was perhaps not so good. I was disappointed with the results of my efforts because the wide angle lens I used distorted the tower much more than I would have liked.

The image above has been adjusted in Photoshop to get rid of the distortion, but when it comes to college projects I'd rather return for a re-shoot than use a heavily manipulated photo.

Showtime

My project involving the steam railway museum is well advanced, but when I was compiling a book of photos I had taken there, I realised that I still needed three or four more shots. So I paid a brief extra visit today.

One thing I have learned during this exercise is that there is always something to learn! And on this occasion, despite going there loaded down with flash equipment and light stands, I realised that experimentation with very long shutter speeds could produce equally good results.

So I took some close-ups of steam engine boiler rivets with the shutter open for as long as 20 seconds and I employed a similar approach for abstract photos of engine wheels and drive shafts.

The picture above was also taken without flash, and with a long shutter speed. It is the inside of a Punch and Judy-type show and I wanted the characters to be largely silhouetted, but the sharpest part of the shot.

...and in black and white

Broadway Tower, Worcestershire

I thought it might be interesting to post yesterday's two images in black and white, so after some quick adjustments in Photoshop, these are the results.

As much as I like monochrome, I'm still not sure they are better than the colour versions, although it is a close-run thing.

I think the deep blues certainly add drama to the Broadway Tower image. But maybe the monochrome sky is better in the Burnham lighthouse shot. Perhaps the latter picture could benefit from a little more contrast - after all, mono work is all about getting the tone and contrast right.

I'd be interested to hear what people think.

Burnham lighthouse

Busy!

Broadway Tower, Worcestershire

To borrow a well-worn phrase, I have projects coming out of my ears at the moment. But I also have some time on my hands, so I have been trying to take full advantage.

Yesterday, I went to Birmingham to introduce myself to a religious community I intend to feature in a project, and to take one or two preliminary shots. I will be returning for a more intensive photoshoot in the near future.

On my way back from Birmingham, I visited Broadway Tower, in Worcestershire, to capture a photo for another project. The result is at the top of this entry.

The busy day inspired me to get out with my camera again today, but I had mixed results. I wanted to get a strong picture of Glastonbury Tor, in Somerset - hopefully with flood waters in the foreground. I have seen this kind of shot in the past and it can look very atmospheric.

Do it your-selfie

I'm not exactly into so-called selfies, but my course required me to take one and then work in Photoshop to produce versions that looked like different Hipstamatic filters/lenses.

So here's one that emulates the Salvador 84 lens, with its surreal look in the style of the eponymous artist.

Actually, while I might not be a fan of selfies, the exercise itself was extremely valuable. I ended up using layer styles, layer blends, opacity, colour balance, colour mode, layer masks, vector masks and so on and so forth.

I was also pretty chuffed to discover that a 100 round brush with bristles is perfect for erasing the border to produce a distressed effect. Useful stuff.