Wise words from Cartier-Bresson

"We photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth can make them come back again. We cannot develop and print a memory".

Digital vs Film Debate

When I first began learning to take pictures, barely 10 years ago for the first time, film was very much the dominant medium. I had never heard of a digital camera, even in 2000. My first "proper" camera was the Nikon F65, and I still have it to this day. These days, I work exclusively in digital, with my trust workhorse Nikon D80 - but I still use a lot of my old kit.

I don't have much to say on the Digital vs Film debate that hasn't already been said. However, today while sitting in the gallery of the Camera Club, I came across these wise words from the Photograms Annual of 1895:

"It is quite possible that the man who first introduced a T-square or a compass, was looked upon as a charlatan, who succeeded in gaining accurate geometrical forms, by mechanical means, which had been before his time only possible after years of patient study. A few sordid draughtsmen, no doubt, saw a rival endangering their means of livelihood. For any draughtsmen to fear photography is obviously to write himself down incompetent, but now as then, incompetence is peculiarly fluent in defence of the position it has usurped. This attitude, however, belongs to a past order of things, and at present we find critics well able to distinguish between art and artifice, who are willing to credit the photographer with supreme control of the latter, and even to allow him a certain place within the limits of the temple of art itself."

Perhaps such words apply equally to the "old school" Film and the "young pretender" of digital.

Being a Tourist Again

London Eye, Photo Plod

Sometimes, it's fun to be a tourist again in my home city. On my way into work, I pass several of London's most famous landmarks. Although I always admire them, I don't have my camera with me when I pass them, and I'm usually reluctant to spend much of my leisure time wandering around the city because of other commitments. The other day, though, I decided to take advantage of the Bank Holiday and an early shift and take my camera with me into work.

After my shift had finished, I wandered down to Waterloo Bridge and took a series of photos down the Embankment, facing towards the famous South Bank. Nearly 3 hours went past in freezing conditions, and I barely noticed. I had enormous fun, carting my kit around from one position to the next, taking photographs of things that I knew had been photographed a million times before - I spent most of the evening fighting for space in among all the tourists and other amateur togs - but it was a strangely liberating experience.

There are probably not many original ways to photograph the London Eye - so I didn't try. In the picture above, I just applied basic rules of composition, set the aperture to f/14 and fired off a 30-second exposure to bring out the colours on the river, which has been reduced to a smooth sheen. A Google Image search for "London Eye" will bring up millions of results - and, overall, this probably looks like most of them. But this is my shot and I enjoyed taking it. After all, isn't that what this hobby is about?

Getting "out there", taking photos and not giving a damn about what other people think of them is great fun. So, be a tourist again - get the camera out and take your versions of all those landmarks you've seen a thousand times before.

You can view my full set of images over on my Flickr stream.

Travelling Around

One of the (only) perks of being in the Metropolitan Police is that officers get a significant travel concession within a certain radius of London on rail travel. This often drastically cuts the price of train tickets to almost anywhere in the country, since travelling through London can add a lot of money onto the price of a typical train fare.

This weekend, and for the next couple of days, I'm taking advantage of this - and the Travelodge sale - by heading off down to Bath in Somerset. It's one of my favourite towns in the country, and the home of the Royal Photographic Society.

Annual leave + camera = happy Plod!

Compact Cameras

Although I love my trusty Nikon D80 very dearly, it can sometimes be rather bulky to carry around with me - especially with a couple of lenses in tow. I have been pondering buying a compact camera for some time now, just so that I can always have something to hand if I want to photograph it. The trouble is, I don't really know the first thing about compacts.

I've seen a lot of good reviews about the Canon S95 (sacrilege for a dedicated Nikon user like me), but even the reduced price of £299 strikes me as a lot of money for an everyday camera. The Canon Powershot G12 is meant as an offering for "serious" users, but at £389, it's also a very "serious" investment. I could purchase a lot of kit for my D80 for that!

I'm a bit torn. When we go away on honeymoon to the Maldives, I want a small waterproof camera that I can use while snorkelling, and I certainly don't want to spend a lot of money on this. I've investigated the possibilities of underwater housing for my existing kit, but the prices are utterly ridiculous - I wouldn't see much change out of £2000 for a D80-compatible kit, which is about 3x the cost of the camera itself when it was brand new in 2006.

So, I want an underwater compact *and* a good quality "surface" compact, all for under £300. Any suggestions?

View from the ISS

View from the ISS Cupola, Douglas H. Wheelock

Col. Douglas H. Wheelock, a NASA astronaut, has recently posted an amazing series of photos from his time aboard the ISS. Sadly, owing to the end of the Space Shuttle program, I have no idea how many more such images we'll be seeing over time. The series of 29 images is posted here.

Flickr Notes

One of the worst features of Flickr, I find, is the ability for users to add "notes" to photographs. I don't mean the comments (though God only knows how annoying those 'I'm an admin for blah blah blah and we'd like you to add this to blah blah blah' comments are), but the ability to "tag" areas of an image. Take this for example:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smithsonian/3112472619/

This is a perfectly good photo of US troops sorting an enormous number of parcels over Christmas during WW2. However, I think it has been completely ruined by a huge number of inane, unfunny notes plastered all over it. Most of them are lame attempts at humour or shit captions, and woefully out of place.

Notes can be disabled, and I do wish they would do so with all photographs in the Commons. I find it incredibly annoying that the second my mouse hovers over some of these most popular of photographs, up pop a hundred crappy comments. Flickr, take note!

Best Laid Plans

It's not often I get the chance to travel into London with my full photography kit, tripod 'n all. On New Year's Day, I was rostered to work an early shift. As there's no public transport, I have no choice but to drive into the city centre - so I thought I'd make the most of the situation by bringing in my kit and heading down to the river after work.

As always, real work got the better of my plans, and I ended up dealing with three prisoners in custody, out of a huge number that were arrested the night before. Instead of finishing at 4pm, I walked out of my station at 11pm - utterly exhausted and in no mood at all for photography.

New Year? Bah, humbug!

Happy New Year!

Matt Stuart Photography

Matt Stuart is one of those annoyingly gifted photographers who achieves remarkable results with nothing more than a Leica Rangefinder camera, patience and a keen eye for an excellent shot. His work, viewable at http://www.mattstuart.com/, is "street photography" at its finest.

According to his own preamble, Matt Stuart does not use contrived or posed shots, but uses a mixture of spontaneity and patience. Most of his shots are taken around my home city of London, especially focussed on its many varied people. I especially enjoyed the division of his work into colour and black & white.

Flickr Gallery - First World War in the Air

Concluding my little theme of late, I have created a Flickr Gallery of some of the most interesting WW1 aviation photos I have found on the site.

You can view it at http://www.flickr.com/photos/photoplod/galleries/72157625687189714/

WW1 Colour Photos

French soldiers receiving a haircut, c.1916

Colour photography was first invented in around 1903, and by 1907 the Lumiere brothers had were able to produce reliable colour images that were almost every bit as good as their monochrome equivalents on the first ever colour film. Unbelievably, a small number of colour photos were subsequently shot on this new film. They are - to my knowledge - entirely French in origin.

There is a remarkable archive assembled at http://www.worldwaronecolorphotos.com/ where the author has painstakingly collected together colour images from the First World War. None of them are "action" photos (indeed, few WW1 photos are) but they are striking images of the conflict as I had never seen it before. One of the most poignant images I found in the archive is this:

Senegalese and other French African Colonial Soldiers

That these men should have been photographed at all is quite remarkable - I find it even more so to see such an image in colour.

WW1 Aviation Photos

First World War aviation is a particular historical interest of mine. It's a niche interest, but I find the development of early fighting aircraft to be fascinating, and I find stories of the first pilots equally interesting and exciting. One of the primary reasons that aircraft were developed for military purposes was their capacity to take aerial photographs of the enemy; as long-range scouts, aircraft were unbeatable, even in 1914. Nobody really considered them as capable of actually fighting until mid-1915, and it wasn't until early 1916 that they became truly effective at fighting each other, mounting ever more guns and becoming ever more agile and manoueverable.

Perhaps even more strangely, it took around the same time for cameras to be mounted on aircraft, despite the fact that photography had existed for over 80 years in all of the warring countries - early scouting missions were often completed by observers drawing sketches of enemy positions while they were flying overhead.

Allied Aircraft over Airfield - c.1917 - Unknown Attribution

The cameras mounted on early aircraft were basic by today's standards, but they were among the most advanced of their day. In order to overcome the many problems posed by taking images from an inherently unstable platform, a camera with a fast shutter speed was required -as fast as could possibly be produced. One such model used was the Graflex "Speed Graphic", which had been acquired and manufactured by the Eastman Kodak company since 1905, though by no means would this have been the only camera used. The most remarkable aspect of the Graflex was the shutter speed for its day - as fast as 1/500. Designed primarily with sports photography in mind, the Speed Graphic used a very small slit, exposing different parts of the film at different times in order to achieve a sharp result - something that simply wasn't possible on lesser models. In order to get the shutter to fire at such a speed, a small key had to be cranked on the camera in order to build up tension - this was released when the shutter was fired - and it was enough to counter the vibration and unsteady platform of the aircraft. The end result was remarkably clear images of front-line trenches and fortifications like this:

If you look closely, you can see craters in the ground from shelling, and the distinctive square-tooth shape of the trenches below - so designed to minimise the effects from blasts and also to prevent aircraft strafing down a straight line. With photographs such as these, generals were able to plan attacks and see the damage that the enemy had suffered following a bombardment. WW1 aerial photography had such a remarkable impact on the army, it was deemed too important to leave it to a particular regiment of the army; in 1918, the Royal Air Force itself was formed. It would not be an understatement to claim that aerial photography changed the course of the war.

Very few photographs exist of WW1 aircraft actually in the air - their cameras were for reconnaissance, not for frivolities, but some observers used a frame or two for their own personal reasons. It is these images that I find the most remarkable of all, such as this one:

Rumpler C1a Dropping Bomb, Unknown Attribution

Even more strange - in this particular photograph, the picture appears to have been taken by the pilot, as the observer seems to be sitting perfectly still in the back. It seems more likely that the pilot had turned the mounted Graflex (or similar) camera back towards the tail and used the opportunity to photograph his colleague dropping the bomb.

There is an infinite amount I could write on the First World War in the air, but there are several websites out there with plenty of excellent information. I particularly recommend the following:

http://www.wwiaviation.com/

http://www.theaerodrome.com/index.php

http://www.century-of-flight.net/new%20site/frames/WW1_frame.htm

They are all well worth a visit, and contain many other remarkable photographs from this fascinating era.

Mr. Tilling's Hansom

Mr. Tilling's Hansom
Originally uploaded by The National Archives UK

I particularly enjoyed this image of a 19th century Hansom Cab, waiting outside Greenwich station in London. Notice the "First Class Ladies Waiting Rooms" in the background.

The photo itself isn't of any great merit, artistically, but even simple photographs from the 19th century can say so much about how our ancestors lived.

Christmas

last christmas...
Originally uploaded by ansik

Merry Christmas one and all!

I'm at work today, so we had most of our Christmas yesterday... we haven't quite finished with all the presents yet, though! We'll see if my fiancee will let me use her new netbook soon...

To illustrate this time of year, I found this lovely little snapshot on Flickr - the perfect snowy capture, showing just what is possible with a little compact P&S camera.

For those who can't be with their families this year, for work or whatever other reason, I hope you find some relaxation somewhere and get back to them soon. For those service men and women overseas, especially, there are plenty of people back home - here - thinking of you all.

See you soon!

David Pattinson

Posting under the Flickr username "travelight", I have recently discovered the photography of David Pattinson. I can't tell if Pattinson is a pro or not - he doesn't seem to have his own website, and all his images seem to be posted straight to Flickr. What is not in doubt is that Pattinson is a hugely talented photographer.

Pattinson uses a Leica M8 - a stunning camera that is far out of my price range, especially with a wedding to pay for - but camera does not maketh photo. It does, however, allow him to "travel light" and no doubt keep his camera on him in situations where I'd have to leave mine at home.

Have a look at his range of noir photography, portraits and amazing control of light.

J F Rauzier - Hyper Photo

Jean-Francois Rauzier is a multi-award winning French photographer whose invention of "hyperphotography" is truly amazing.

http://www.rauzier-hyperphoto.com/?lang=en/

Rauzier achieves his particularly unique style by shooting hundreds or thousands of photographs of a particular scene, then painstakingly cutting out and rearranging elements into pictures full of almost infinite detail and complexity in a fantasy surreal setting. His images have to be seen to be fully appreciated - be sure to check out the full screen option in order to get the best out of his images. It is amazing just how far it is possible to zoom in and explore in such amazingly sharp detail. I particularly recommend "Voyages Extraordinaires".

It is curious to consider if Rauzier is more of a "digital artist" than a pure "photographer", as Rauzier's technique does not extend to the printed page very well - unless it were onto a truly huge photographic canvas. That being said, every single element in his pictures is taken from a genuine photograph; is Rauzier a "missing link"? I think so. It is an amazing body of work, and Rauzier deserves a place at the forefront of modern French photography.

Ice Hockey 2 - Choosing a Shot

Guildford Flames vs Basingstoke Bison
Originally uploaded by Photo Plod

Once you've got your camera set up, the next challenge is to choose your shots. The official NHL togs are able to capture moments of explosive action from any angle in the rink, thanks to banks of remotely-triggered cameras in positions that you and I could never get to. That doesn't mean I can't get good shots, though.

Vantage point is very important, and what you can achieve will depend on what the rink allows. I find the most effective shots come from next to the glass. Don't worry about smudges and smears (generally) on the glass - your f/2.8 (or similar) aperture will shoot through them with barely a mark on your image.

I find that the most effective shots tend to fall into distinct categories - for my own purposes, I call these "explosive action", "on the puck" and "players". I always try to capture the puck in shot.

"Explosive Action" are moments that show intense activity in the game - like the shot above. You can see the failed attempt to take the puck away from the forward, and you can see that he's really struggling to stay on his skates as he drives forward hard. Players crashing into each other also make good "explosive action" shots, but so do shots even as simple as one player turning hard on the ice, frequently sending up a cloud of fine ice spray behind them. "Explosive Action" shots are always the most difficult to achieve with great accuracy, and it will take plenty of practice to capture the "decisive moment" when everything comes together. Don't be afraid to spray & pray with your shots when the action comes close to you, and don't check your shots until there's a break in the game - I've lost count of the number of times I've lost perfectly good shots because I've been reviewing my images instead of watching the action.

"On the Puck" shots are those that show players in the normal course of the game - perhaps like a standard press shot - where the player is skating with the puck. I try to keep these shots as interesting as possible and sharp - I'm far less forgiving than I am with "explosive action" shots.

"Players" shots are not necessarily on the puck at all. I reserve these for close-up shots of the players themselves. Framing is all-important, and I find it crucial to have the player almost full-face onto the camera..

In terms of framing, always try to get as much of the action as large in the frame as possible. Unless you're using a 400mm or 600mm lens - which means you're probably a pro - you'll end up cropping the finished result to achieve this. 200mm or less will end up with too much junk in the image, and most British rinks look pretty poor and shabby.

Next time, I'll have a look at the post-processing steps I usually go through to get my finished images.

Ice Hockey

Guildford Flames vs Basingstoke Bison
Originally uploaded by Photo Plod

Ice Hockey is one of my favourite sports, and the season in the UK runs from September - April. I used to be able to get to see Elite League matches regularly (albeit I could never get a good enough vantage point to take photographs), but since the drop of Basingstoke Bison into the English Premier League, I have contented myself by being a regular visitor to the Guildford Flames.

Ice Hockey is a tricky sport to photograph. A quick trip to the galleries hosted over on NHL.com show stunningly clear images, shot by the best photographers in the business, with access to press boxes and team benches that amateurs like me could never hope for. Unless you're armed with a D3 and have negotiated a special vantage point, you're going to have to "cheat" your shots.

The first problem in Ice Hockey is the light; without exception, games are played indoors in artificial lights. The crowd are usually kept in semi-darkness to enhance the brightness of the rink. Secondly, there is a great big white rink in the way, throwing your exposure settings and white balance into chaos. This gets even more fun when you consider that many teams play in largely-white kits as well. Combine this with a necessarily-fast shutter speed, telephoto lenses and a requirement to hand-hold the camera, you have all the ingredients for a sports photography nightmare.

I tend to use these settings for my shots, which I find time and again give me reliable output - they may not always be perfect, but they work more often than they fail, leaving me with the important business of seeing the action and grabbing the shot.

Camera Mode: Aperture Priority. You don't need to be fiddling with manual settings while working at high speed.

Aperture: f/2.8. Anything more and you'll lose the shutter speed you need.

Shutter: 1/500. You can get away with slightly slower, but hockey is a fast moving game. 1/200 will frequently give you blurred pictures.

ISO: 1600.

WB: Auto. I have never found a WB setting that accurately captures the colours of an ice hockey rink, but I find that a colour temperature of somewhere around 4800 - 5100 generally works well.

You will have to adjust your vantage point depending on the rink you go to. I find that the best views can be obtained by standing up to the glass at the corners of the rink - usually a handful of supporters are allowed into these positions, so you have to arrive early and be prepared to stand for a long time in order not to lose your place. It doesn't generally matter which end you stand at, as there will usually be a fair share of action all over the rink. As a solo photographer, you won't be able to "chase" the action all over the arena, so don't try.

Later, I will discuss shooting tips and then move onto post-processing.

Too Much Sport

Having gone from a fairly quiet summer of sport, I now find that I'm totally overloaded with a crowded football and hockey fixture list. I've got a huge backlog of photos to upload, and tonight I'm off to yet another event down in Guildford. I believe the phrase is "workflow management" but right now I'm suffering from a classic problem - too many photos, not enough time!