Dark by the Sea

Some heavy digital pushing of today’s image ‘Dark by the Sea’. Mucking around in Gimp, I was pushing the sky to get some dynamics, and then the foreground to get the cliff sides. I think the result, although requiring more editing effort on my part where the foreground and background collide, gives quite a dynamic surreal feeling to it.

With the weekend here (at last!) I am hoping I will get some time to develop my film – and start a new one. I also took delivery of a budget 2.2x telephoto lens to try on the Nex. I wanted to see how acceptable a result it would give me on my 210mm leans, as well as the possibilities it may offer when I am travelling light with the standard kit lens.

February 1, 2013 9

Construct Zone

I am generally one of those people who get a sense of relaxation and re-energizing from nature. Walking through the forest or bush, or along the beach the air feels cleaner, we have less (not none) forms of modern technology buzzing around us. Its a unloaded simpler feeling.

However, I also enjoy exploring ‘things in change’ – areas under construction (as well as areas returning to nature). Sundays walk took me to a new development area in Long Bay – the northern point of the North Shore. Here open fields and scrub has made way for carefully planned and measured sections for residential use. There is one road in/out with a monolith of a structure announcing you have entered this likely prestigious area. Today’s image was taken at the edge of this boundary, just before entering the area. For me, the title Construct Zone both signifies an area in change, literally being constructed, but also the mental symbolics of construct being the putting together of planning and theory to create a new suburb and the people within it.

Shot on the Sony Nex with the Sigma 30mm lens, I only slightly adjusted the levels before resizing to publish.

I’m also working my way through the 35mm film I took to the music festival yesterday. I initially thought I had a 24/27 shot film, but it must be a 36, so not too much longer until I can develop!

January 29, 2013 4

Rolled Hay

With another great day for the long weekend, I went for a stroll both in a small bush park I had not been to before, and to explore a recently developed area behind Long Bay Reserve. I am assuming, in some form of preparation for the land, Hay had been rolled out in the soon to be housing developments.

Not having much real life experience on farms and the like, I love the look of giant hay rolls, or stacks of bails as tall as a barn. There is something appealing about the simple raw product that has been gathered straight from the ground.

The rolls in today’s image were quite some way past a tall fenced off area, so I had to zoom right in with my 55-210mm lens to capture them as viewed above.

In post processing, using Gimp, I added a ‘lomo’ filter and adjusted the contrast a little.

Off to the music event Laneway tomorrow. All going to plan, I will be taking my Pentax MG to get some B&W 35mm shots, and likely my mobile, so we will see if I have some shots from there tomorrow, or later in the week. I did get some more shots today from my bush walk, so will look to share them on a day I don’t have much.

January 27, 2013 4

Evening Path

Not much time for written content today…its been a long one & bed beckons.

Shot on the Sony Nex ISO 3200 1/50th sec and converted to B&W in Gimp.

January 20, 2013 0

Tree on the Horizon

Tree on the Horizon was captured at an old residential estate in my local area that has since been pulled down, and is currently overgrown park area. Drains that were covered in sheets of ply have disappeared under the thick bed of grass that has covered the area. Many of the paths/drives have also broken up and are in the process of returning to nature. I always find the thought of nature taking things back fascinating, so a wander through this empty (of buildings) area is fun when doing so.

Captured on the Nex 5N with a legacy lens on (I’m pretty sure it was my Industar 61). In post processing with Gimp, I adjusted levels, desaturated and added a faint tint. I find that the slight sepia (or similar shade) tint helps add ‘a little something’ to B&W images

January 15, 2013 0

Balmain Reserve and the Beach

As the days rapidly count down to the end of Holiday time, I have decided to continue on with my ‘digital Polaroid’ theme for the last few days. Hitting 25 degrees in Auckland today, we headed down to Cheltnham beach for a swim (I have written about the beach numerous times in the past so wont spend time on it today)

As with the last few days, image was shot on the Samsung Galaxy S2 using the vignette app. I made some minor tweaks to the film type and exposure today, giving it mostly an overexposed quality – as a comment pointed out in the past, this almost gives more of a feeling of bright, hot summer. Photoshop CS5 provided the written content and resizing.

I have used CS5 these last few days simply out of convenience in that its on the laptop in front of me, rather than my usual desktop unit with Gimp 2.8. Its been, lets say refreshing to use CS5 these last few days – more just so I don’t totally forget how to use it (just almost).

With two days left on my break I am hoping to get to the West Coast – Piha. Fingers crossed for tomorrow or the day after. I will take a combination of mobile, digital and film shots all going well.

Until tomorrow!

January 6, 2013 0

The Chain Fence

It must have almost been a week since I picked up my Sony Nex, and many many months since I last used my Industar 61 (generally I would grab the Jupiter-8 for a manual 50).So, I headed out with this combination and my Ricoh GR1 (to finish the film in it) for a several hour stroll around the Devonport and Belmont areas.

As it has been for a few weeks now, the beaches were packed with people, the sun out and the water cool. I had earlier gone for a swim, so ventured off the beach track and more into the local parks and reserves. Walking out of Devonport, Lake Road, I captured today’s image. Shot just behind the memorial plaques and crosses, a wood post, chain fence runs the entire length. Approaching early evening the shadows were getting longer and I was drawn to the light filtering through the trees as I looked through the viewfinder up the fence passageway.

In post editing I did a fair amount of mucking around today in Gimp, adjusting contrasts, shadows, saturation and finishing with the rounded edges just after an aspect crop.

I also managed to finish off the film in the GR1, but don’t know if I will get around to developing it for the next few days or not.

The days are counting down until I return to work now. I enjoy my job, but am never one who enjoys finishing a holiday!…but enough about that. I still have several days up my sleeve!

January 2, 2013 0

Welcoming the New Year

After limited sleep following the midnight welcoming of 2013, today welcomed a hot sunny and beautiful day to Auckland. With many of the shops closed for the public holiday (sadly not all for the retail and essentials workers) masses went to the beaches for a near perfect midday high tide.

Being New Zealand’s largest city, the Christmas/New Year period is always a little interesting in Auckland. People often leave town to go on their summer vacation. As a result the roads are generally a little quieter, and for those of us who stay (in reality the vast majority I’m sure), as long as you are not shopping in things like the boxing day rush, it feels like the city has itself taken a break.

I mentioned resolutions in yesterdays posting. No doubt around the world many people are waking up today with new goals and intentions. I cant say I made any specific ones at this stage. I have been suffering from a bad back of recent, so I think one goal will be to sort that out more!

Photo wise, todays image was shot at North Head on the North Shore, looking towards Bastion Point. Both North Head and Bastion point historically have been used by locals since Auckland (or pre-Auckland) was populated. In early pre-european times, local Maori had Pa (fortified villages) on these sites. Later they were used for WWII operations. In the late 1970’s Bastion Point was part of a land protest (it had been taken from Maori from the crown earlier) and eventually in the 1980’s given back to the local Iwi (local group/tribe). North Head is now looked after by the Department of Conservation, and open for all to explore the old WW tunnels and various tracks and pathways.

The only post processing for today’s image was putting on the rounded corners after resizing. Image was shot on the Ricoh GRD IV.

I have also been trying to finish off a few films. One in my Ricoh GR1, and the other in my newly acquired Pentax MG. I must say, the Pentax is a really nice SLR to use. Very light and compact and fits into the hand well. It does loose manual shutter control (although one can adjust ev compensation and film speed to work with this), but all else is manual. When I have finished either I will develop and hopefully have some interesting shots to share.

January 1, 2013 2

Farewell 2012

A quick shot in between bits and pieces for the last day of 2012. Heading out for a bike ride, it was a beautiful day to cycle around, and for the beach.

Today (as anyone reading knows) marks the end of 2012. Typically a time of the year when people make resolutions and changes heading into the new year. For some its a change of jobs, improving those eating habits, cutting out drinking etc etc… I’m not generally one to have strong new year resolutions. Last year it was to not buy any more digital cameras for the whole year. I survived that, but do have more 35mm film cameras (at a fraction of the cost generally). 2013…I’m not sure yet. I guess I have several hours to decide…maybe

Image shot at Narrow Neck beach on the Ricoh GRD IV and resized in Gimp.

To all of you who follow my posts and read the content, I wish you the best of wishes heading into 2013. Happy New Year!

December 31, 2012 4

No Family Portrait Today

Catching up with friends today in Devonport for Fish and Chips, it was decided the time was right for a family portrait…well, for all but the youngest member Emily. As soon as everyone lined up and cameras were at the ready, Emily heard the call of the sea-saw and rushed off.

I captured today’s shot just before she fell out of frame. Shot on the Ricoh GRD IV, in bleach bi-pass mode, I loved the lighting effect and the almost street photography like quality of the image.

In post processing using Gimp, I kept the focus on Emily and added some blur to different stages of the background. Other than the blur, its as is from the camera.

One more day left for 2012. Prior to a celebration/welcoming of 2013 with friends, I plan to be out for some of the day on the bicycle. I’m not sure where we will be going as yet, but likely I will find something to shoot!

December 30, 2012 0