Here we are in Yorkshire for a change...a holiday up to the delightful Howardian Hills to stay in a gorgeous stone farmhouse...fields, woodlands and streams supply the inspiration for work and up until today the weather has been kind...
It's a great time of year - Spring - I genuinely feel sorry for those of you out there who live in countries where you don't see spring...I remember when we lived in the UAE that spring was marked by the weather getting hotter...nothing to compare with the first blossom...or the bright green of the first leaves...the dawn chorus...or any number of signs that the winter is leaving...sure it can show its head now and then...but it is on its way out...
alkanet...
aubritia (for my Mum...!)
blossom...
sweet rocket...
gorse...
hart's-tongue...
moss...and dew...
moss...
opposite-leaved golden saxifrage...
rose leaf and thorns...
barren strawberry...
spring woodland with wild garlic or ransoms...
It maybe poring it down at the moment but when the sun comes out spring is a delightful season...
So the gear spot this week is on camera support...tripods, mono pods and bean bags...I use all three...
My tripod is a Manfrotto 055 PROB with matching Manfrotto ProBall 308RC head...both Italian made. Not the best in the business by any means but still they do the job for me...they are well over 15 years old; bought new and still going strong
As you can see I use a quick release plate to allow ease of changing lenses etc in the field and most importantly the legs fold out flat to allow low-level shooting - great for plants etc...The drawback is the weight...it's aluminium as opposed to the more popular carbon fibre...seeing as the stability of a tripod is based on the weight as well as the build quality it is a price that needs to be paid...carbon fibre is easier to carry but the compromise is the cost... My set up is relatively well priced...£200 for the legs and separate head...buy the legs and choose your own head and the price will change...
As you can see I have removed the centre column...I have never met a pro who uses the centre column...they introduce instability to the shoot and really should not be used...honestly...if you are buying a tripod forget about anything concerning the centre column...once you have bought a tripod - remove it...attach the head directly to the legs... if you can't do this with a particular tripod...don't buy it... For this reason when choosing a tripod make sure it extends to eye-level without using the centre column...
In addition to the tripod I also own and use a monopod -the Manfrotto 479 PROB...also about 15 years old it has been used many times...especially when a tripod is too cumbersome...events, photo-journalism shoots etc... I don't use a head on my monopod but prefer to screw a lens or body directly on to the plate...
Here it is with my Nikon D2Xs + 300mm lens attached; a weighty combo that the monopod handles with ease...
Finally bean bags...an always carry for me...clipped to my gear belt or backpack...absolutely brilliant for support work in hides (blinds), from a car window or crawling on the floor...
The one I use is from Camerabeanbags - and I can't recommend them highly enough...
Well, after the gear bit...here are few more pictures from the week...just to show I do get out and work occasionally!!!
blackbird...
gate bolt...
domestic chicken...
King Alfred's cakes...
dandelion...
dry stone wall...
flowering current...
ivy...
roof tiles...
Of course I have continued to update my Flickr page.... where you may find different pictures to the ones above...and also my Facebook page - if you are feeling generous give a me a Like there please... And if you want to buy any of my work...you can find my portfolio here...
I had great fun in the wet woodland this morning... dirty knees and wet trousers...
more dog's mercury...ancient woodland indicator is certain places...
an elder leaflet...blooming in spring...
yellow brain fungus...
one of the many liverworts...
habitat portrait of alternate-leaved golden saxifrage...
hart's-tongue thyme-moss...
woodland stream...
and finally the woodland in all it's wonder...wild garlic dominating...the smell was a joy...as is the bird song...
Let that be all for this week...I hope you can find time to join me next time...after another week up here in the Howardian Hills...I hope you all have a good Easter if you celebrate that...
TTFN
It's a great time of year - Spring - I genuinely feel sorry for those of you out there who live in countries where you don't see spring...I remember when we lived in the UAE that spring was marked by the weather getting hotter...nothing to compare with the first blossom...or the bright green of the first leaves...the dawn chorus...or any number of signs that the winter is leaving...sure it can show its head now and then...but it is on its way out...
alkanet...
aubritia (for my Mum...!)
blossom...
sweet rocket...
gorse...
hart's-tongue...
moss...and dew...
moss...
opposite-leaved golden saxifrage...
rose leaf and thorns...
barren strawberry...
spring woodland with wild garlic or ransoms...
It maybe poring it down at the moment but when the sun comes out spring is a delightful season...
So the gear spot this week is on camera support...tripods, mono pods and bean bags...I use all three...
My tripod is a Manfrotto 055 PROB with matching Manfrotto ProBall 308RC head...both Italian made. Not the best in the business by any means but still they do the job for me...they are well over 15 years old; bought new and still going strong
As you can see I use a quick release plate to allow ease of changing lenses etc in the field and most importantly the legs fold out flat to allow low-level shooting - great for plants etc...The drawback is the weight...it's aluminium as opposed to the more popular carbon fibre...seeing as the stability of a tripod is based on the weight as well as the build quality it is a price that needs to be paid...carbon fibre is easier to carry but the compromise is the cost... My set up is relatively well priced...£200 for the legs and separate head...buy the legs and choose your own head and the price will change...
As you can see I have removed the centre column...I have never met a pro who uses the centre column...they introduce instability to the shoot and really should not be used...honestly...if you are buying a tripod forget about anything concerning the centre column...once you have bought a tripod - remove it...attach the head directly to the legs... if you can't do this with a particular tripod...don't buy it... For this reason when choosing a tripod make sure it extends to eye-level without using the centre column...
In addition to the tripod I also own and use a monopod -the Manfrotto 479 PROB...also about 15 years old it has been used many times...especially when a tripod is too cumbersome...events, photo-journalism shoots etc... I don't use a head on my monopod but prefer to screw a lens or body directly on to the plate...
Here it is with my Nikon D2Xs + 300mm lens attached; a weighty combo that the monopod handles with ease...
Finally bean bags...an always carry for me...clipped to my gear belt or backpack...absolutely brilliant for support work in hides (blinds), from a car window or crawling on the floor...
The one I use is from Camerabeanbags - and I can't recommend them highly enough...
Well, after the gear bit...here are few more pictures from the week...just to show I do get out and work occasionally!!!
blackbird...
gate bolt...
domestic chicken...
King Alfred's cakes...
dandelion...
dry stone wall...
flowering current...
ivy...
roof tiles...
Of course I have continued to update my Flickr page.... where you may find different pictures to the ones above...and also my Facebook page - if you are feeling generous give a me a Like there please... And if you want to buy any of my work...you can find my portfolio here...
I had great fun in the wet woodland this morning... dirty knees and wet trousers...
more dog's mercury...ancient woodland indicator is certain places...
an elder leaflet...blooming in spring...
yellow brain fungus...
one of the many liverworts...
habitat portrait of alternate-leaved golden saxifrage...
hart's-tongue thyme-moss...
woodland stream...
and finally the woodland in all it's wonder...wild garlic dominating...the smell was a joy...as is the bird song...
Let that be all for this week...I hope you can find time to join me next time...after another week up here in the Howardian Hills...I hope you all have a good Easter if you celebrate that...
TTFN
No comments:
Post a Comment