Overpowering The Sunshine

You might have noticed recently how lovely the weather has been with the sun out, blue skies and even some warmth radiating down. I set out in the sunshine armed with my camera and a flash gun in the hope to capture some portraits. I did just that only I made them look like night time images... oooh!

I have put this image in to show you just how beautiful the weather was when I was shooting.

My final outcome. Admittedly this isn't a great photo however I was only testing out what I could achieve. 

I am pleased with the results I got from one small Metz flashead and with minimal experimentation with shutter speed and apertures too. I think this is an effect I might try and use more if I am able to.

Farming, Tractors and Band Shoots

I had a whole other post planned for this evening however that's now coming tomorrow instead. Today we have updates for you on a few projects that you've seen developing recently over several posts.

Last week, just before I returned to university I managed to bag myself a new farming shoot. This time with a female farmer. So you remember my post "Mooove over - females coming through", well although I officially finished that uni project last semester it is a project I am continuing to work with as the theme is one of high importance to me. I found my first female farmer over Easter: Sally. Sally is a beef farmer from Cheshire. We had a lovely chat and here is one of my photos from the afternoon with her.

The youngest calves on the farm

Sally is captured above during feeding time.

Secondly, on a similar noted in fact. Tractoring photos are now back from the darkroom...  I have around 20 photos to scan in on Monday. I'm also intending to get the last of my negs sent to be devv'ed on Monday as well. 

 I expect Monday afternoon could be a long one.

Finally, I got myself some assisting work over the Easter holidays - I forget if I've mentioned this before or not? Either way I was asked to photograph behind the scenes as well. The photographer, Ian Thraves has now published images from the shoot on his blog, available here.

Made even better by this...

One of my images from the day that is also featured on Ians blogpost.

Also you should really check out White Eskimo, the band we were photographing in the studio!

I will be posting more images from this day soon.

I will be posting more images from all of these three things soon even.

CVTEC Working Day

Cheshire Vintage Tractor and Engine Club hosted their annual working day last week. I headed down armed with my Canon camera and a Hassleblad and shot some working images and some portraits. Unfortunately at the moment I can't show you the portraits as I am awaiting them to be developed. However I can show some of the working shots I was able to grab at the event.

Newbies and visitors were also encouraged to have a go.

In all honesty I am pleased with these shots but just wish the sky had been something more on the day of the event as many of my images as you will see below are lacking sky detail. This is something I have tried to make up for in my framing. 

Interiors

Not my usual style however our house has just been put on the market and my Mum was keen to make sure in the Estate Agents photos our house looked tip top. This meant following her round with my camera yesterday and taking lots of photos to tell her where some items needed to be hidden or just moved slightly.

Basically, what all this means is you get to see the inside of my house. It's lovely.

Our living room, complete with sleeping cat.

The kitchen which everybody always comments on being "different". Complete with lens bag.

The living room again... with two cats this time.

My flowery bedroom... complete with sock monster.

Brothers bedroom... filled with lots of tractors. Dressing gown should have been moved.

Does it make sense to you, having seen these few images why I don't want to move house? I love it here. But ah well, new beginnings I suppose. 

Shooting on the Streets

You might know that at the moment I am working on a portrait project that involves photographing people on the street. When I was in Birmingham I found this group of musicians entertaining shoppers and could not just walk past.

There is a lot of energy in this image, particularly for the chap playing the accordion - with his bright red jeans that match his instrument.

Since shooting the streets digitally, I have now taken to using the Hassleblad to get portraits. A camera which gets many peculiar looks when I'm out shooting with it but also a good conversation starter. Unfortunately the turn around for the images will take longer but it will be well worth the wait when we get to see what they have come out like.