Author: Richard

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Lightroom – Importing Presets

Installing Lightroom presets can be a little tricky but Mat from Lightroom Killer Tips has recently found out, there is a far easy way.

Just Drag and drop the preset file on to your Lightroom icon in the dock.

Thanks Matt.

Of course that is if your a Mac user. If you’re a Windows user then double click the preset file. It will most likely say it does not understand the file type. Associate the file type with Lightroom and then double click will install it.

Have not tried it in Windows, as I do not have a Windows machine handy to test it on, only Apple Mac’s, Linux, and Solaris at present. Must rebuild that Windows 7 test machine of mine.

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Photo Tip: Sharpness 4

Sharpness.

Something all photographers worry about, this the fourth in a series of posts.  This time something a little different that you might not have thought of.

Are your shots tack sharp?

  • Do you use a heavy tripod?
  • A cable release?
  • Still not sharp?

Try using your mirror lockup, something I always use on my
Hasselblad when shooting landscapes, most digital SLR’s have
this function these days.

On lower end DSL’s it is generally buried in a sub menu, but on higher end models there may be a dedicated button or dial.

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iBird UK

I am no bird watcher and certainly no twitcher but I do enjoy a trip to the Park or Nature Reserve, either to just enjoy the view, walk or fresh air.

Often I’ll take the camera and photograph the birds.

That often leaves me with a problem. Recognising the birds. While I have books at home, sometimes you want to know there and then what it is you have spotted/photographed.

This is where your iPhone/iPod Touch comes in, together with an app called iBird UK (also available for other countries).

Download the limited free version and give it a trial. I am sure, like me after a short while you will end up buying it.

Now where is my UK iPad version!

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Happy Birthday Angela

Today was a quick trip across to Chesterfield and a family get together.

Over the course of this month it is Alan’s, Caroline’s, Angela’s, and Roberts Birthdays.

So a meet up, lots of cake, and fun and games with the Children and of course Tilly & Molly the two Labradors.

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another trip out to see the Birds

The weather is getting better and spring is definitely in the air.

I have spotted a number of birds starting their mating rituals, and now is a good time to get some great shots.

Tomorrow subject to good weather I am going to pop over to the local park and try to get a few good bird shots.

We will see how it goes.

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Amateur Models

I had an email from a model today asking for me to shoot her.

She has no experience and wanted me to cover all the costs and pay her £45 an hour for the shoot!

Models please be serious!

I sometimes do tfcd, but if I am paying you, it’s normally for a commissioned shoot, and you can provide me with the professionalism, experience and look I need with the minimum of work and direction, so I can nail the shot the client wants in minimum time.

If you have no experience then you have to start at the bottom, working tfcd or paying a photographer to build experience and a dramatic portfolio.

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Rievaulx Terrace & Abbey

Another trip out. The morning found us exploring the moors.  We then headed to Rievaulx Terrace which as well as some interesting architecture, has some dramatic views down the hill and through the trees to the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.

We took some shots of the temples built as items of interest by Thomas Duncombe the landowner.  The sun climbed and illuminated Abbey below, so both Caroline and myself took some shots of the Abbey using our medium format gear.

We then popped down to the Abbey itself to visit their tea room for lunch and photograph the dramatic ruins from close up.

The sun had gone in but the dark clouds with some glimpse of blue had potential, so we carried on carrying the medium format gear, tripod and Nikon SLR with the 12-24mm f/4 DX (APS-C) around the Abbey ruins in hope.

At the end of our visit we walked slowly back to the car, when I saw the hills in the distance slowly becoming illuminated in light.

Looking at the clouds I guessed that in about 5 minutes the break in clouds would illuminate the Abbey.  Quickly finding a good position I had spotted early, I set the tripod and Medium format camera up.

As the golden light reached the Abbey I quickly metered the scene with my spot meter and two shots, one with Fuji Velva 50 and one Ilford FP4.

I quickly repositioned and shot two more frames before the sun when in again.

With that we packed in and headed home.

 

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Whitby Goth Week

A day out at Whitby.
It’s the start of Whitby Goth Week and I am not sure but the Photographers may just out number the Goths.

As always the outfits are fantastic and whole family’s get involved.

With so many Photographers, Goths, Steam Punks & Emo’s not to mention lots of bikers clad in black leather (not us this time thou), I am not quite sure what the ‘Normal’ holiday makers made of it all!

If you are going to Goth week during March or later on this year in the autumn, remember to treat everyone with respect.

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Ryedale Folk Museum

Today we had a trip across the North Yorkshire Moors and spent several hours at the Ryedale Folk Museum.

William Hayes’s (1871-1940) Photographic Studio has been moved there. It’s the oldest daylight lit studio surviving. His studio still has his large format camera with 7.5 inch portrait lens and his dark room is also there.

The studio was set up in 1902 in Monkgate, York, and moved to Hutton-le-Hole in 1911.

In many ways its not much different todays studios, a selection of cloth backgrounds, props, but instead of flash, a side wall of glass and a glass ceiling.

The Museum opened in 1964, and the original exhibits comprised of the private collections of Wilfred Crossland, Raymond Hayes and Bertram Frank.

 

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Evening Meal

If you are ever near Lastingham, try the Blacksmiths Arms, good beer and fine food.

 

Game terrine starter, belly pork, black pudding and a bottle of fine red wine. Glad I was not having to drive.

 

If you are ever in the area do pop in to the church.  St Mary’s has a wonderful crypt well worth a visit.