Hesters Way, Take Two/Three

Do you remember my first shoot at Hesters Way? The one that went a bit wrong and was really rubbish? No, well you should see it here. I've been back twice since then, one of those times I didn't have my laptop so you'll just have to have two updates at once about this project.

#1

The depth of field on this image makes the patch of grass in the background seem very large and empty.

Slightly underexposed but that's why I like this one as it starts to look over the estate. 

Gunna take my flashgun back with me to get this shot again, make the colours "pop".

If I slightly crop in to this shot I think it will be better as I'll make it more symmetrical.

This photo isn't very good but I have to go back and take my flash gun with me to get a photo of the trolleys a bit closer up.

#2

You can't really see it in this photo but in the top left windows of this house there is a line of knitted dolls. I used to have a clown made just like these. 

It's wonky but I like it and with a little straightening I think it will be fine. 

I really like the way the sign stands out here without the use of flash because of the white line surrounding it.

How warm and autumny do these trees make this shot? I think the colours are lovely. 

Now I just have to find time to go back with my flashgun.. and a bodyguard.

UOG Rag Society Big Pink Pre-Drinks

Another post about yesterday, after I had finished at Stow I came home to upload, shovel food down and head over to the FCH campus as RAG were hosting an event in the Student Union Bar there. The Big Pink Pre-drinks event was to raise money for Cancer Research, a very worthy charity.

Group shot of the Rag society.

Raffle prizes on offer

Summer ball ticket available for auction.

Enjoying the atmosphere of the evening.

First music act of the night, Steven on guitar.

Goodies available at the tuck shop. 

Pool competitions were ongoing throughout the night.

One of the barmen also picked up the guitar to entertain the audience.

Strong turnout!

RAG President and Deputy

Bar shot!

Watching the human auction.

Rob Tidey, SU President was one of the people to be auctioned off - offering to cook a meal for the lucky bidder.

SU barman was offering to cross dress the Wednesday night shift in the bar next week, this went for £50, which went up another £30 when Rob Tidey (above) agreed to do it with him.

RAG president offering to be a slave for the night for the lucky bidder.

Enjoying the music.

Auctioning off multiple prizes, members of the RAG society.

Strawberry and cream flavour vodka went for £14

Auction viewers and bidders.

Taking donations from the attendees, RAG Deputy President.

It was a very interesting night which everybody seemed to enjoy, with two auctions, one of which was for people, a raffle and a tuck shop. I'm very glad Space asked me to cover this. 

Lighting Session #1

We had a lecture today introducing us to working with different types of lighting. I found it really interesting and whilst image wise the photos aren't amazing, I was surprised by the different effects you could create - although we didn't delve too much in to that this today.

Natural light, next to a window.

Natural light, next to a window with some reflection from white wall opposite.

Channelled natural light through the window using a black board.

Flash gun, two stops over what would be required for this distance usually. 

I want to start using my flash more, getting to grips with bouncing the light off of other subjects and so on. I really enjoyed today's session, I found it really useful.

Mugshot

So we all know that a few weeks ago I went and photographed Tewkesbury Mop Fair, (if you didn't you should click here). Well there is a portrait from that night that I keep noticing. I didn't include it in my final edit because it's a little grainy, despite shooting 400 ISO, I'm not sure why this is but it can't be changed. Sadly. But anyway, it's this one:

I love it, I didn't even need a flash to light her face up. 

On another note I'm still having trouble with Redbrick, the student newspaper at Birmingham uni. They don't seem to want to give inabout crediting me. They've now got it in to there heads that because they posted the article online with another of my photos it's okay and that should be enough for me. Well they are wrong. (Oh yes, article available here). If printing my work was going to be such an issue for them they never should have - that's how I see it. Correct me if I'm getting this all wrong.

A Cheeky Edit

Photoshop is not my strong point and nor has it ever been. Today though I spent some time playing around on CS6. I spent most of the time stressing out because I couldn't get the image how I want it. It still isn't how I want it. However, I am still liking what I have managed to get.

As you can see, contrast has been whacked up to emphasise the shadows on the stones and some of the saturation has been taken out as well. Ideally, I'd like to be able to pump some of the yellow back in to the photo. 

I'm not usually a fan of hugely edited images (although, this isn't thaaaat huge), what are your thoughts?

To be able to get my head round this newer version of photoshop, I'm going to have to play around a lot more, so expect more posts like this one. Maybe. 

Pittville - Test Shots

A project I've recently started involves exposing Cheltenhams grotty side. Everybody thinks it's such a posh place and all lahh de dahh but I don't. I'm not sure if it's because of where I'm living in Pittville halls or if I'm just so used to the cute little village of Davenham it all seems so big and I've become aware of everything.

Anyway, to start my project off and help me to determine the style of images I want to use I headed out, round my campus to start taking photos. These are some of what I got.

This is my favourite shot from the shoot yesterday, I love the slight vignette around it. It took me ages to get and I probably looked like a bit of a fool sat on the floor by the smoking shelter/bike rack taking photos of the bottom of the bin. 

Look at this great dirty stain, this is what I can see out my window, just below the pigeon spikes. It looks even worse here on a close up photograph. 

How did that chair get up there? I would love to know. 

I'd prefer this image if I cropped the top a little, it's a bit too overexposed for me, that or a black line to mark where the image starts and ends if it was being printed. 

Spare scaffolding? I think that's what this is. I think this image is quite peaceful somehow, all the smooth lines with only a few rougher textures. 

This shoot went much better than I expected and I got a whole range of images from it. I don't think there is going to be a specific something I look for in my shoots, I'm just going to see what I find and shoot. Lots. 

Bedroom View

My view out of my window isn't dreadful but it could be a lot better. I think it's made worse by the spikes that are on all the windowsills to stop pigeons landing there. They aren't pretty. Although I much prefer them to pigeons (I hate pigeons). I just can't get used to looking out the window and seeing big metal spikes. 

This photo doesn't really show them to the full extent but it does a good enough job. 

On another note, I went to the archives at the university today looking for some books on the history of Cheltenham, or Gloucestershire as a whole. It could be a place I spend a lot of time.