Tag: lenses

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Weekend Wanderings – Melbourne Flower and Garden Show

For today’s Weekend Wanderings I thought I would give you a look around some of the exhibits at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden show. For most of the days I went I was using the Tamron SP 90mm macro lens, but on the first day I left the Nikon 24-70mm lens on the D850. Sorry this post is a day late, I find myself really exhausted from going in there so much. On top of that going to Calamity Jane at the Arts Centre added to the tiredness. Fantastic play, if you get a get chance, go and see it.
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Catching up and things to come

Christmas is sneaking up fast and when I sat down to think about it I realised I better get shopping. Thankfully, I don’t have to do a lot and there aren’t that many people I have to buy presents for. I do like that. It is a good time for me to work on things while a lot of people are very busy. I work at home on my own, so Christmas parties and catch ups are not really part of my world.
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Learning About Long Exposure Photography

One of the most amazing types of photography is Long Exposure and you can learn about it here. It can seem quite complicated, but learning about long exposure photography is a great way to help you decide if you really like it. While it can seem very complicated, the truth is, once you know what you are doing it is fairly easy. This article is designed to help you understand what long exposure photography is and how you do it. Though, the best way to learn is to get out there and try it.

It is can be an expensive sort of photography to do, and if you would like to try it before spending the money on filters then I can help you. I run long exposure workshops for groups, or individuals and I have the filters for you to try. There will be links at the end of the post, with more information if you would like to do one.

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If is a little word, but it can mean big things

Camera gear is important if you want to take photos, and over the years you change with what you are taking photos off, along with how. I thought it might be fun to take a look at what gear I think I need for what I do now. Let’s say all my gear was stolen and I had to start again, what would I get. I don’t think I would end up with as much.
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Weekend Wanderings: Melbourne’s White Night

This is a fairly new thing for Melbourne, but every year in February we have White Night. The city centre is closed to traffic, all of it, even trams, for the whole night and the buildings are lit up with amazing light shows. There are installations everywhere as well. They go on all night and there are people everywhere. It is a popular event. 
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U4D: Looking back at the Photography Wishlist

Back in May I did a post on my photography wishlist. I did it for some fun, but I also knew there were things on that list that I did really want. Since then, I’ve changed my mind about some of them, still want some and have got some. I am going to repost what I wrote here for you and put in the updates.

So here is my wishlist.

  • A new camera, a Nikon D810 or D750. I am not sure which. I think they are both great cameras.

I would still like a new camera, though I think I would go for the D810 by Nikon now. Still with what I know and the gear I have, it does make sense to stick with it. I’ve been noticing a lot of hot pixels when I do long exposures and I’m wondering if that is just something I have to put up with, or if it is something that happens with older cameras.

  • A 28-300mm lens by Nikon. I love this lens and would really love my own.

When I had this lens I couldn’t imagine living without it, but since I haven’t had it since June, I can’t say I have really missed it. I manage very well with what I have. If I could have anything I think I would wish my 24-70mm was a little longer, so maybe the 24-120mm would be a better lens for me. 

  • Maybe a Nikon 24mm Tilt Shift lens. I like architecture and wonder if I should get one, but then I was with someone recently who had one and it was a bit of mucking around to get the photos, so not so sure now.

I have now decided that I don’t think I could be bothered with it. So this is also coming off the list.

  • A slightly smaller tripod, I would like some new carbon fibre legs from Gitzo.

This is still on the list, though I think I have found the one I want, only it is from Benro instead. I’ve been loaned a travel tripod from them to try out and if I’m honest, I really don’t want to give it back. Actually, I think I’ve made up my mind I won’t be. Hoping I can get a good deal. It is exactly what I wanted. It is light to carry around most of the time and great for photographing the city.

  • A geared Really Right Stuff tripod head with a L bracket.

I finally got my L bracket, but not from them. I found a great alternative from Sunwayfoto. I also got a new top bit for my tripod so the L bracket fits it very easily. It is great. The bracket is like the Arca Swiss brackets, so fits all those as well.

I love the L bracket and it has been one of the best purchases I’ve made. I had got one from Manfrotto, a total waste of money. I hated it.

  • Complete set of Formatt Hitech ND Filters for my Nikon 14-24mm lens.

I have to say this has been a long time wish and I finally got some last week. I haven’t had a chance to try them out yet, but I will be very soon. I got the holder and the 10 stop and 16 stop for that lens.

  • Pay for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom for about 5 years.

This is still very much on the wishlist. I couldn’t live without these programs so it would be nice to just get them.

  • Maybe a Tamron 150-600mm lens.

I haven’t really been out taking bird photos for so long, and, if I’m honest, I have never really thought of myself as a bird photographer. I think I could take this off my list.

  • New laptop.

This is still on it. My husband and I are having small disagreements over which I should get. He thinks I should get something that will be a lot more expensive, and I don’t think I need one that good.

I can’t think of anything else. Is your list close to mine? What would you get?

If you want to see what you might have said here is the link to the previous post, My Photography Wishlist.

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Bolte Bridge, Docklands. I used this image for MM, but it was monochrome.

Changes

There are things that have changed and things that I want that are more to do with photography in general rather than just with gear.

Ambassador

I keep seeing this word being used for many other photographers and it carries a lot of weight, but I don’t seem to be able to get anyone to think that I am good enough to be an ambassador for. It is frustrating and quite depressing really. I don’t know what else I have to do.

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Writing

I am really enjoying the life of a writer and I would like to do a lot more of it. I would like to write for magazines as well. I would be more than happy to earn most of my money from it.  I don’t know if that is possible anymore, but I am going to continue trying.

I’m also planning on doing a lot more writing for this blog. As I said previously, I do want to start doing reviews, perhaps some tutorials, some articles on photography. Time is going to be my biggest factor. It would also be good if I could get companies to advertise or sponsor posts. Though, having said that, I need to be clear that the posts would always be about photography. I’ve been approached in the past and so far have turned many down because I don’t like what they want me to do for them.

Finally

I think that is about it really. I keep hoping that some of the opportunities that other photographers get will swing by my way, but it isn’t looking hopeful.

How is your wishlist going? Have you changed you mind about some things? Maybe you have been able get some of the items you wanted? Let me know.

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Up for Discussion: How much is that image worth?

From time to time I get asked how much will I sell an image for. People who like my photos often want to buy one for their walls, but when I give them the price, there is obvious shock and I never hear from them again. The main problem seems to be that they think I should sell them for far less, but they don’t take into consideration all that has gone into the creation of it. For today’s Up for Discussion post we are looking at How much is the image worth.
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Doing things for fun

A couple of weeks ago I was invited by a group to go into the city and do some night photography in the lanes. A couple of the guys brought along some steel wool to burn and then spin around. I have seen so many photos of it in the past, only tried it once, so I was quite excited to try it again. It wasn’t as easy as I thought, but lots of fun.

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We went to Hosier Lane and did some with the graffiti as a backdrop. It worked out really well.

I put this image on Instagram and it did so well. Can’t believe how many likes it got, my most successful image ever really.

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They were making use of the doorways and spinning in those. It was quite amazing. I didn’t frame mine very well for this one, but it is all a learning experience.

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We went down to another lane which wasn’t so well lit up. The lights in adjacent buildings can create too much light in the lanes. This one was quite dark. They did an orb sort of thing in it. Quite weird, sparks went flying and you had to be careful. I had to walk away from my camera because I was getting sprayed.

I used my 14-24mm for these, but I think if I were doing it again I wouldn’t go so wide. I had to get so close to be able to get anything. It wasn’t always a problem, but it meant I could get in the way of others there. I think next time I would use the 24-70mm, or something similar.

It was a lot of fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I would do it again, but only for fun. I can’t see myself trying to get a body of work doing this. I know there are people out there that doing it all the time, and that’s great, but I love doing other stuff more. I do hope I will get to do it again one day, you never know.