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.

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.

Street Photography

As I was wandering around Birmingham on Saturday I thought I'd try my hand at some street photography, shooting off the hip, not looking at what I was snapping at. I never imagined it would be so difficult.

All my images pretty much turned out like this. I'm not liking any of them. I think it's safe to say I need a lot more practice with shooting off the hip. 

It's focusing that seems to be letting me down. Do I focus manually and just hope everybody is at the right distance or do I use autofocus and hope the camera picks up the right things to focus on? Do I stand still or do I carry on walking as I take the image, relying literally just a fast shutter speed to capture it all. 

Updates!

As you know the end of last week was pretty busy, especially with shooting two events in one day. I'm still weaving my way through some of those photos. Which with an extra shoot on friday for my project and the family down to visit this weekend takes longer than usual. And the blog has a new look if you hadn't noticed already.

However, we all know about the crisis with Redbrick, well that's finally come to an end. I got my apology in an email and I got a published correction.

I still don't believe it should have taken them as long as it did but we got there eventually.

 

I also found out yesterday the final amount raised by the Big Pink Predrinks on thursday night, an impressive amount I must say.

But that is all for now, I shall leave you with a quick photo... It's an old one of my baby cousin Menna.

You like? She's a cutie.

 

I'm off to Manchester tomorrow for a few days so I'm not sure when I'll next be able to blog. I have an election to fight, Welfare Zone Committee... please vote for me?!