• Filter no filterWith the poor weather of late, and a bit on my plate work wise, its been hard getting out to take many images. What I did work on however was a bit of a filter project for my Ricoh GRD. Ive written about the full control one can get using the great little Ricoh, but one limiter it, and 99% of all compact cameras has is the lack of a filter mount. One can buy an attachment tube where you can put filters on, but ultimately you end up with something the size of a small DSLR. Once that size, I’d just as soon use my Nex with a larger sensor.

    So, after hunting around and finding no retail option, I went about making my own converting ring. Buying a 25mm-46mm step up ring, I removed the 46mm thread and attached via foam tape the new adaptor to my GRD. Most of my filters are 49mm, so I got a 46-49mm adaptor and viola, a sub $10 filter adaptor on my compact camera – yet still compact ‘enough’

    As above, the weather has been poor when I have been free, but after a week of waiting, I set out determined to test the filter adaptor on the Ricoh. To see the obvious difference, and  something you simply cannot replicate in post editing, I attached my polarising filter – a great addition to ones camera filter kit (and one I should use more).

    As in todays image, you can see the difference a polarising filter makes on a camera – identical aperture and  exposure time – filter just rotated to reduce reflection and darken the sky.

    Images straight from camera (obviously two edited into one)

     

  • The Blind ComputerHe sits there, whirring, hard drive ticking away.
    Powers running, fans are on, but somethings gone astray.
    His face is missing, broken now, never to be fixed.
    The mind is willing, body gone, time to rest me thinks.

  • Seagull and the IslandView from Takapuna Beach to Rangitoto Island.

    Ricoh GRD IV.

     

  • Long Way Up

    The Ants 
    Douglas Florian 

    Ants are scantily 
    Half an inch long,
    But for their size 
    They’re very strong.
    Ants tote leaves 
    Five times their weight 
    Back to their nest 
    At a speedy rate.
    They walk on tree limbs 
    Upside down 
    A hundred feet 
    Above the ground,
    While down below 
    Beneath a mound 
    They’re building tunnels 
    Underground.
    And so it’s been 
    And it will be 
    Since greatest 
    Ant antiquity.