Charlie's Worldclub night
Posted on March 15, 2010
I go to a photography club every month in order to learn from other people, but also to have my photos judged by some top class judges from locally in Western Australia and also nationally.
I’ve only been going for about 6 months, and so far, I’ve managed to get at least one photo each time I’ve been in the top 3 of the submissions – at least I’m doing something right then!
Last month was no exception – managing to get 1st, 3rd and 4th in the open (non modified) class – I was pretty pleased as I think I’m improving month my month.
The club has a monthly theme, which I aim to have a go at if I can – however I’m normally rushing about at the 11th hour trying to think of something to take a shot of! So, in order to avoid that this month, I thought I’d start early. The theme is “abstract macro” which is tougher than it sounds. It really requires a macro lens, which I do have, although it’s only a 50mm which is really the wrong focal length.
Umming and ahhhing over what I’d take, I had a go with some flowers and a chilli in the garden, but as nice as the shots were, they weren’t abstract.
see what I mean?
Nice, might even do well blown right up onto a canvas, but not abstract enough for me.
So, onwards and upwards, we try again, this time, a different subject
can you tell what it is? I think the first and last shots kinda give it away, but I’m not submitting those 😉
style
Posted on March 15, 2010
I was determined to be a cool street photographer.
I had designs on my camera collection down to a simple Leica M6 or M7 35mm rangefinder and a few tasty lenses, shooting exclusively in black and white and generally taking cool shots a-la Cartier Bresson and his ilk.
Well, the nearest I’ve got is my Trip 35 (which, despite being very cool and unflappable is still woefully underused)
and a couple of second hand autos from the 80’s
You might think I’m a bit gutted, and in some ways I am, but it transpires that I’m actually starting to like landscapes and also, rather incongruously, sports photography. Neither of which lend themselves to the Leica in any way shape or form.
I’m on the save up for an ultra wide angle lens for the D300 plus some very tasty filters that would enable me to take the shots that just can’t quite get with my current setup. Handily, I’d like to use said ultra-wide angle for sports photography too.
Here’s some recent landscapes that I’m rather fond of..
Okay, true, they are all sunsets, but I haven’t invested any time into daylight shots yet (plus I need better filters, mine are fine for sunsets, but tint clouds purple during the day). I have a few location ideas in mind which I think I’ll start to work upto in the next few months, especially as the cooler weather is coming.
So we’ll see how it goes, I might be getting up at the crack of dawn to catch that sunrise yet.
more Melbourne pics
Posted on March 9, 2010
Last photos from Melbourne I promise
These are general shots of Melbourne people plus the cool street art of Fitzroy, just outside the CBD. Ideally, I’d like to go back there on a sunnier day with more time and just the Holga.
more Melbourne
Posted on March 8, 2010
Well, we had a good time, you should expect photos :p
this episode – details
Melbourne has plenty of nice things to take photos of – I wasn’t really there for that reason as it was supposed to be our honeymoon – but I did manage to get some snapshots of some the little details which give it some of its charm.
Lomo #fail
Posted on March 7, 2010
Regular readers may recall that Jay and I bought a couple of Lomo cameras last year – I got a Diana Mini and Jay got a Supersampler.
Well, as I mentioned, the Diana is shocking – the film hard to load, it gets jammed, the focussing ring is too small and the film strips on rewind. I have a film stuck in there at the moment – it refuses to move forward. Epic #FAIL.
We had similar trouble with the Supersampler – it’s a bugger to load, shredded the film on rewind but redeemed itself with excellent photos. I loaded up another film and took it to Melbourne – I’ll get the shots developed in the week, but I have every confidence they’ll be pretty cool.
It was a shit to get the film out though and a little metal tag thing inside had come away and scratched the film surface – fooook!!!
Then the next film would not load at all. It kept tearing the film no matter what I did.
So both cameras are going to go in the bin. Stupid arse things.
I’m ordering a Superheadz Golden Half next week – hope its better than the Lomo ones!
more of Melbourne
Posted on March 7, 2010
It’s just as well we went there last weekend – this weekend they’ve had torrential rain, golf-ball sized hailstones, wild wind and floods in the city! *eep* The news has been full of pictures of flooded streets and hail-drifts. Bloody hellfire!!
Anyways, just to rub it in for people who are visiting at the moment (and Ellie who lives there), here are some tasty photos – firstly, cityscapes
The first couple of days were a bit dull, so some of the photos are a bit on the grey side. Ah well.
girl on film
Posted on March 6, 2010
An homage to the missus. Taken with the Holga and (mostly awful) Diana Mini.
looking good, wifey 🙂
more film pics
Posted on February 24, 2010
Some more scans of the latest films that came back
Perth from Kings Park – Holga + Kodak Portra 400
Perth – Murray St Mall – Holga + Kodak Portra 400
Sunset, Warnbro, WA – Holga wide angle pinhole + Portra 160 – this is really way underexposed, but I love the potential this camera has for sunsets.
Busselton, Western Australia – Holga wide angle pinhole + Portra 160
films are back
Posted on February 18, 2010
Been sat on the latest lot of films for ages and I finally posted them off last week to get developed
I’ve been dreading it a bit – as I had a couple of Holga back opening incidents and the Diana Mini has frustrated me endlessly. Jay had a couple of films in there too, including from the equally brilliant and irritating Supersampler.
I popped up on the train to the lab after work and picked the shots up and had a natter with the lady who works there. Churchill Colour Labs – to give them a plug – do a great job and have an excellent gallery in their shop.
So, the results – as usual, the Holga irritates and amazes at the same time – I think this latest set of mine were less good than the last batch, but there were some interesting shots none the less.
And I’d forgotten I had the first shots from the new Holga wide-angle pinhole – they were underexposed, but then its a hit and miss thing with manually timing an exposure for 10 seconds. Is that under ideal light, or the light I have in front of me. Add a bit for luck and still not enough. Ah well, all good fun.
So, a taster of Holga goodness for you eager beavers
Footbridge over the Kwinana Freeway looking towards the centre of Perth
lights at the B52’s gig
(also captured here with the phone camera)
Taken with the Holga pinhole wide-angle camera – a little under exposed, but I love it none the less. Wide angle is AWESOME!
More pics to come in later posts, including from the Diana Mini (which overall disgraced itself, but there were a few corkers in the bunch)
Kite Surfing
Posted on February 14, 2010
Saturday afternoon I popped out to Shoalwater where the kite surfers hang out and took a load of photos.
It was earlier in the day than the last lot and there were a lot more kits out and the sun was higher leaving more blue sky to get decent shots against.
I usually just watch them for 15 minutes or so to see who the better kite surfers are and where the wind is blowing, thus where they are doing the best tricks. Then, I take a few shots, gauge the speed and the angles, the background behind the shots and how many other kites are in view.
Then I get right up close to the water and hope to engage some of the better kite surfers to show off for me 🙂
Had a corking session this time – there were a couple of guys out who were noticeably more confident than most – one of whom was really happy to try to do tricks right in front of the camera. He came in for a few mins and I asked him to get as close as he dared so I could use the wide angle and get him really filling the shot – to which he obliged and I got some awesome shots! Hats off to you, mate – I didn’t get your name, but hopefully you’ll see this when I email you 🙂
Chatted to another photographer who had one of those waterproof baggy things around his camera – he was standing (getting his toes bitten by crabs) chest high in the water getting some serious wide angle shots. I’ll see if he posts his stuff anywhere – it’ll look pretty intense I’d say.
Anwyay, for your viewing pleasure – kite action – I have so many I don’t know which ones to keep! This is about 1/2 the “keepers” from the session.
Charlie's World 