Spent the weekend with my good friend Sally in Gloucestershire. Natalia came along too. We had hoped to see an apparently spectacular Severn Bore, but it wasn't so great and our location wasn't the best. So we then decided to hike through the Forest Of Dean, where we were treated to some stunning views over the Severn's course.You will have to forgive the lack of creativity in these photos. I simply didn't take that many, and the ones I took were taken in a bit of a hurry. I used the EM5 with everything from the Panny 14mm F/2.5 to the Oly 60mm F/2.8 Macro to my phone, the Nokia N8. I hope, at least, the the photos convey a sense of our little adventure.
After our captures of butterflies and plants at RHS Wisley, the ever intrepid Jena suggested that we spend the afternoon at Richmond Park to photograph the deer. And I'm very glad she did. Fewer shots here than my typical posts, but all taken with the Olympus 60mm F/2.8 Macro lens in the light of a waning sun. The robin at the end was captured near my car.
After shooting the butterflies at RHS Wisley, we focused (pardon the pun) our attention on the many exquisitely beautiful plant species on display there, especially the orchids.Again, these were taken with the Olympus 60mm F/2.8 macro, all except the last three images, which were captured with the Olympus 45mm F/1.8, itself a stellar lens. Enjoy :)
Jena and I both went to see the butterfly exhibit in the glasshouse at RHS Wisley. A fantastic exhibit which we visited last year as well. However, whereas last year I used a DSLR and 18-200mm zoom, this year I used a dedicated macro lens. All of the photos below were taken hand-held with the Olympus 60mm F/2.8 on the EM-5 body. Macro shooting is not something I ordinarily do; my past efforts can been seen here. But I can fully appreciate why seasoned macro shooters value their tripods! At 1:1 magnification, even the slightest movement can take you out of the plane of focus. Well, there were really no places to set a tripod down in the glasshouse, especially amongst the swarms of visiting spectators. So I did have to stop my heart-rate and breathing momentarily to capture these shots. Even the amazing IS on the EM-5 couldn't guarantee blur-free shots at reasonable shutter speeds at these magnifications. I found that using the AEL focus lock once focus had been achieved helped in obtaining sharp shots. The Oly 60mm macro is a very sharp and light lens, and a nice addition to my mirrorless kit. In contrast to the Canon 100mm macro which Jena borrowed, I was able to get very close to my subjects, and manually focusing at 1:1 magnification on the EM-5 was quite easy. The butterfly exhibit is at RHS Wisley until March, so please make your own visit. Until then, enjoy my efforts below.
One of those silly projects for a rainy day. The recent, unending inclement weather has been discouraging me from venturing out on an excursion, so I begrudgingly went through some old photos on the hard drive. This time last year I was photographing white tigers in the snow. For this post, I selected some random photos of Paris and rendered them in B+W.I really shouldn't complain given the horrendous polar freeze my friends in the USA are experiencing, but if it snowed here I'd be outside like a shot snapping away.Anyway, some photos from Paris below. You can see more from Paris and in colour here.
Well, the city budget must have been tight this year. Because after standing for 5 hours, squashed in a crowd like a tinned sardine and battered by wind and rain, we only got a measly 10 minute display. Nothing at all like the last time I came to see the fireworks. Whereas last time I stood along the Embankment in front of the London Eye, this time I wanted to include Queen Elizabeth Tower (often incorrectly called Big Ben, which is in fact the name of the bell inside the tower) in the shots.Not a great selection below, but reflecting a less than great display. I used mainly my Nikon D600 with 50mm F/1.8G, but also took the Olympus EM-5 with Panny 14mm F/2.5 out of my pocket for a few shots. Hope you had a better display where you were. Happy 2014!
Typical of my adult life, the year feels like it barely started and now it’s already over. But, once again, some amazing people in my life made it an immeasurably enjoyable year, filled with wonderful, hilarious, exciting and terrifying moments. If our lives are measured and remembered by these moments, then this year was a good life. Below are snippets of snippets, a fleeting snapshot of some wonderful experiences that mere photos cannot do justice. Whether it was a day at an opulent mansion or crouching next to a wild alligator, enjoying a joust or getting drenched under a waterfall, this year was teeming with its generous share of awe. Fewer trips abroad this year, but plenty of trips within the United Kingdom, fully appreciating how replete this land is with endless places of wonder. Towns such as Bristol and Cambridge, countless National Trust venues, and even a tour of Parliament all made it onto my radar.Jena provided excellent company on our many photo-shoots, and Zuzana and I finally got back to our London tours. Bizhan and Linda accompanied Natalia and myself on a nine-hour hike through the Brecon Waterfalls. And my good friend Gene from New York visited London again, vicariously showing me just what a world-classcity this is. As always with my dear friend Lisa, I ticked yet more things off my bucket list having visited her in Florida in February. That’s just how we roll :)And Genka and Petar again managed to surprise and amaze me on my seventh trip to Bulgaria. Photographically, I rarely deviated from postcard style that I find so gratifying, but I also moved more towards monochrome. Bizhan and I challenged ourselves to shoot with discipline and we succeeded. I also tried capturing my other favourite pursuit: food. And one of my favourite days of shooting was at my dear friend’s Zuzana’s graduation in July. I care far less about gear than the majority of the internet crowd, but this year I acquired two new cameras. The Nikon D600 was bought in time for my trip to Florida, and after dropping it in August and awaiting its repair, I acquired the Olympus OMD EM-5, an absolute gem. The EM-5 and the three primes I bought with it have become my gear of choice. Extremely lightweight, with a wealth of useful features and excellent image quality, there is very little need for my DSLR gear, other than for wildlife. I even used the EM-5 to shoot my sister’s wedding. My take on this past year is that I owe much to great friends, both here and abroad for their testament to the truth of our existence. It’s not about self-gratification, but sharing your experience with others, to inspire, to motivate, and to feed their souls. Others may crave material wealth and the superficial adulation of people they’ve never even met. As I head into a new year full of uncertainty, I know I am extremely rich with the unconditional love from incredible people that I am privileged to know. Thank you all, and Happy New Year!
Enjoyed a wonderful intimate Christmas party with some friends this year. Substituted the traditional roast with a middle eastern themed cuisine, including Moroccan chicken and baklava, all cooked by yours truly. My friend Natalia did a ton of baking and produced some delicious gingerbreads and chocolate cakes. We followed the dinner with an exchange of gifts. My sincere thanks to all my guests for sharing this dinner with me and for all the gifts. Had an amazing time. Not many shots on account of being too busy eating, a but a few to capture some mood and some food. All shot with the EM-5 and Panny 20mm F/1.7. Hope you had a great Christmas too.
This time of year I usually make a few different calendars to give as gifts for people. Wildlife is always a popular subject. Last year I made calendars of cities and countries that I had visited, and even of wild cats. This year I have made calendars of London, waterfalls, and some of my favourite wildlife photos. Below are a selection from one such wildlife calendar, in the order that they appear month by month. The first image of the baby lemur is the cover photo for the calendar. The subjects have been shot in various places around the planet, some in captivity and some in the wild.Mostly shot with the Nikkor 70-200mm VRII, and having many of these images published on some magazine covers last year comfortably paid for that lens.Hope you enjoy the selection, and make some calendars of your own. Always a useful and easy gift idea!
This is not a biography. This is merely an emotion. There is very little I can already add to the wonderful and fitting accolades given from around the planet to the extraordinary Nelson Mandela.Much has been said of his character and his legacy. But even though he was a shrewd politician and articulate negotiator, he transcended all politics. For me, his legacy is that he represents what we aspire to when we look for the very best in ourselves. He embodied and defined what it means to be truly human; to have compassion, forgiveness and tolerance. And who better to champion the cause of human freedom and human dignity.I remember watching his release from prison live on television in 1990, and I knew it was a monumental moment. As we witnessed then the release of his person to the planet, last night we witnessed the release of his spirit to the ages.Another one of the inspirational heroes of my lifetime has now passed. And so I took it upon myself to capture a little flavour of the tributes being paid to him in London tonight. I first visited South Africa House in Trafalgar Square, and then the Nelson Mandela statue in Parliament Square. The atmosphere was one of celebration, rather than mourning, of a life that continues to inspire so many around the planet.May he rest in peace.
My dear friend Gene from New York visited London this past week, and it was the perfect excuse to be enthralled by my city once again. These are a mere snapshot of scenes that we passed and artefacts that we saw, especially in London's many world-class museums.We enjoyed the Science Museum, The British Museum and dipped our toe into the Natural History Museum. But the Victoria and Albert Museum truly overwhelmed us with its magnificent porcelain and ceramic collection, everything from the Ming Dynasty to French Sevre to Italian Majolica. And following that, downstairs had a breathtaking silverware and stained glass collection, to say nothing of the exquisite snuff boxes, some of which were made from precious stones such as agate. We also experienced the harrowing Holocaust Exhibit at the Imperial War Museum. Incredibly upsetting and wrenching, but an exhibit that everyone should see. And of course, we enjoyed killing time at the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery.At the weekend, I took Gene to see Uppark, a beautiful, small mansion maintained by the National Trust, whose volunteers spared no generosity in bequeathing their knowledge and information unto us. We were extremely gratified by their time and friendliness. Gene's visit once again reminded me that it is easy to become home-blind to one's own city and backyard. But London really has some of the best museums and galleries in the world, and since they are almost all free, you really have no excuse not to immerse yourself in their captivating wonder.
They say a good photographer records and a great photographer reveals. Well, I think my efforts around Tower Bridge tonight probably fall in the former camp rather than the latter. But I think I managed a few interesting takes on somewhere I have shot so many times before.I used my EM5 along with all three of my primes: Panasonics 14mm F/2.5 and 20mm F/1.7, and the Olympus 45mm F/1.8.The vibrant colours and lights around this place really do it for me, and so I may have tweaked and enhanced them a little in post. The sky actually had some appealing hues around the almost full Moon.Anyway, if it's not too cold, get yourself down there on a clear night and takes some shots.
A sunny but cold November day brought myself, Natalia, Bizhan and Linda out to see Bodiam Castle. A magnificent structure from 1385, with a beautiful moat surrounding it, and all manner of wildlife calling it home. The interiors were a joy to walk around and explore, and we ascended the turrets to take in the views. Sunlight bathed the grounds and cast some long and interesting shadows.The sunlight was a little harsh, but the shadows (you have to adapt to the lighting you have) allowed for some neat B+W renditions. All photos were taken with the EM5 and mostly the Panasonic 14mm F/2.5. The wildlife shots were taken with the Olympus 45mm F/1.8. An ND filter enabled me to take some long exposures of the reflections in the moat. I hope you enjoy the photos and perhaps make your own visit to this fantastic castle.
The greatest and noblest aspiration of all humankind is the acquisition of knowledge, and where better to entertain that desire than the London Science Museum. A veritable treasure trove of information and artefacts, there simply aren't enough hours in the day to see it all.With that in mind, my dear friend Zuzana and myself spent most of our time there in the Flight section and Medical History. We had seen some of the other exhibits on our last visit, but we wanted to explore those particular areas more.All the photos below were taken with the EM5 and mainly the Panasonic 20mm F/1.7 and Olympus 45mm F/1.8 lenses. Enjoy the photos, but do make your own visit to this fascinating museum.
Another November, another trip to Veralanium Park, this time four of us in tow to witness the fireworks display.The photos I got were not as good as the shots I got last year, and I have only myself to blame for that. I could say it was the horrible wind, or the fact that I was using a different camera (the EM5), but the fact is that for some reason, I chose to use a slower shutter speed than last I did last year, and that resulted in more blur. I manually focused correctly on the trees underneath the display, and the EM5 has an excellent image stabilisation system, but the slower shutter speed meant the streaks were more blurry than I would have liked.Still, it was a fantastic display as always (apart from the hugely annoying DJ harping on in the background), and the colours were beautiful. Feel free to visit last year's photos as well.
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