Decaying Petals

I managed to get out for a walk today so I went to the same place as the other day. It was really nice there and I thought I should go back there again. So I took the camera out with me for my wander.

While I was there today I saw a small group of white flowers, one of them was starting to lose it’s petals. I thought it would make an interesting and different photo. So I used a moderate aperture of F8 to ensure the whole flower was in sharp focus but the background was suitably blurred. There was enough light around so I managed to use a low ISO, this meant that all the detail has been retained. And I didn’t need to use flash.

While editing the photo I decided to crop the photo to put the flower into the bottom left corner of the frame. Also I increased the contrast because I thought the photo could do the contrast being increased. I left everything else as it was, because I like the effect of the photo.

I’m glad I got a chance to go out for a wander today, I really like this spot I’ve found. There always seems to be something different going on.

Mat

Fly Away

I attended a friend’s wedding recently, and of course my camera came with me!!!! Although I was taking pictures of the happy couple, I couldn't help but slip a few arty shots in along side!

The theme of the wedding was based around birds; it was mostly white and cream with roses, white birdcages and doves as decorations. They were stunning and really caught my eye (and my camera…). As we walked out of the ceremony, I noticed that at the tables, paper doves were perched on each glass with a name written on it, which served as a place setting.

It caught my eye because it stood out; all the paper doves were placed on the same side all the way around the table, with white roses in the middle. I decided to take a close up of the glass to focus on one dove. I used a wide aperture to get a shallow depth of field so that the glass and the dove were the main focus of the picture.

I love the opportunities that are presented with different types of events. I’ve done a lot of event photography recently and the opportunities are endless!

Bex

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Seaside Takeaway

Because of the fantastic weather we’ve been having Bex and I decided to go on a trip to Weston-super-mare. We caught the train down for the day, walking around the beach and pier soaking up the sunshine.

We had just finished our lunch, and I was taking some photos of the statue when I noticed that a young boy had left his chips on the side. There were hundreds of seagulls flying around impersonating vultures, waiting for their prey below (this being an odd chip left behind). When they saw a box full of chips they all dived down to steal the leftovers!

I thought I couldn't miss this opportunity. Fortunately the camera was already in continuous drive mode, so I simply selected a fast shutter speed and took as many photos as I could before the buffer filled up! I ended up with around 15 photos looking very similar. After looking through them I decided that this was the best. It clearly shows the seagulls fighting each other for the food and flying off after they had got some.

The photos had been taken in a hurry so they needed some editing in Photoshop. I cropped the photo to remove the over-fussy background. The photo was slightly over-exposed so I darkened the highlights to try and gain some detail back into the white areas.

I think the photo looks a lot better after being edited; it brings back all the good memories from the trip- a very enjoyable day. I hope that we can go back again soon, if we do then I’m sure there will be many more photos for us to upload.

Bex is currently on holiday; she is having a great time and wishes you all well. She also says that she’s missing you and the blog already! As she is away I have been left in charge of the blog for the next week. I will carry on as normal with a different and (hopefully) interesting upload every day!

Mat

Rather Odd

While out on a wander today I spotted this really odd plant; I think it was a flower but I honestly have no idea what it is but I thought that it would make an interesting. Fortunately, Bex had let me borrow her camera today- I took well over 200 hundred photos!

I thought the best composition for this photo was to have the flower right in the centre of the frame, with the background out of focus. I also used the flash to highlight the green parts and to increase the reflection of the rain drops. I boosted the green and red slightly in the camera so that the flower would look more colourful.

After I uploaded the photo onto the computer I decided to improve it in photoshop. I tried a few different techniques but none of them worked successfully; so I asked Bex to have a go at editing. She cropped the photo and increased the contrast, while decreasing the brightness. I really like what she did, the effect that she gave it was much better than any of my other attempts!

I really like this photo, the camera did a good job using the correct exposure, and Bex made it even better with her amazing editing skills. The effect is exactly what I wanted when I took the photo and I really like having the background blurred with boosted reds and greens.

Mat

Facing Fears

I will freely admit that apart from the odd wander with my camera, I’m not the sort of person who relishes time in the outdoors, and I fear almost anything with the ability to fly, sting or walk on 6 or more legs.

I went for a walk through our local nature reserve today, but to a part that I don’t often visit. There is a small man-made pond in a field on the outskirts of the reserve, which has a wooden platform at the edge. I sat on the platform for a rest, watching the dragonflies and pond skaters, before I noticed a small spider at the other end of the platform. I got about 4 inches away from it and managed to take this picture before it ran away.

Later, I increased the saturation in Photoshop and sharpened the whole image. I’m really pleased with this picture (and only partly because I managed to hold my nerve long enough to take it!). Maybe facing your fears is good for photography too…

Bex

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Lovely weather we’re having, isn’t it?

We were blessed with a brief spell of sunshine yesterday, but today was back to stereotypical English weather. It’s been one of those days where I haven’t known what to do with myself, so I grabbed my camera and went for a wander.

It had just stopped raining as I was walking down the gravel path in our local nature reserve. There was a lot of grass either side, and I noticed that droplets had settled on some of the larger blades. I took this picture in macro mode but increased the green on the camera before I took it. I love how the detail of the grass can be seen through some of the droplets. I think this turned out really well.

I must apologise for not posting recently, but as Mat said, I have been having trouble with my internet connection. This is where working as part of a team comes into it’s own. Thankyou Mat!!

Bex
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A Lone Daisy

This is another photo from yesterday’s short wander. It was actually taken about 50 feet down the path from yesterdays upload!! I noticed how the water droplets had settled onto the daisy; I really liked the effect that it created on the flower.

I thought I should put the camera onto a portrait format; I did this so as to only show the daisy in the centre, it also focuses the attention onto the head of the daisy. I used a large aperture to blur the background so as to not distract the attention away from the daisy. I preselected the white balance to make sure that the daisy petals came out a really clear white against the green background.

After putting the photos onto the computer, I used photoshop to edit them. I reduced the colour temperature to make the white petals even whiter; I also tuned the shadows down a little so as to keep the interest on the flower itself.

I really like how the photo has come out, with the detail of the water droplets and the detail in the petals. Hopefully the weather will make a turn for the better so that I can take some sky shots. Bex and I have been making the best of the bad weather with our photography. Have you been making the most out of the wet weather too?

Mat

Small reflections

This morning, Bex and I went for a walk in our local wood. It had been raining and had just stopped when I saw this piece of grass with the fresh rain dripping from it, and thought it would make a good photo.

I cropped it to focus the attention on the droplet itself. When the taking the photo I used a large aperture to blur the background and keep the attention on the grass and the rain droplet. I love how the reflection is really clear on the raindrop with the reflection of the grass.

I know this is very similar to one of Bex’s earlier photos, but I really like the effect of the water droplet so I thought I would ‘reflect’ Bex’s idea in my own shot!

I really like going for walks after it has rained in the morning because of how the grass and the trees reflect light off of them. When is your favourite time to go for a walk, morning, afternoon, or evening?

Mat

Thorns between Roses

I hope you have enjoyed reading the blog this past week, and haven’t got too bored of me. I’ve tried to make things interesting with some different photography styles but, for my last post before I have to share the blog again, I’m returning to my favourite style- macro.

The weather was stunning today; in contrast to the week of rain we’ve been experiencing, so I donned my shorts and went for a walk. I saw some roses while walking, but I decided that I should choose to focus on the thorns, as roses are played out.

I used a large aperture to get a shallow depth of field and increased the contrast on the camera. I think it’s nice to focus on something that’s always ignored as it gives things originality.

Bex

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A chapel from far away

I’m back!!! Sorry I haven’t been around as much this week as I have been previously; I have been incredibly busy with coursework and upcoming exams.

This isn’t a very recent photo (about a month old). This picture is from a holiday in Woolacombe, Devon. There’s a small yet lovely chapel that Bex likes in the area and she decided to show me; I’m glad that she did because it really is beautiful. I borrowed her camera and took quite a few photos, but I think this one came out the best. I changed a few settings in Photoshop as ever, this time I increased the pink tint, I think that this worked really well and looks quite vintage.

I really need to get out and take some more photos, but what of?? I think that I should take some pictures of either macro nature shots, wildlife and animal shots, or industrial and building shots. What to take? You decide.

Mat

Swaying in the Trees

There has been a lot of miserable weather recently, and I would really like to inject a little sunshine into your day. I took this last week, on one of the only days over this last month that it’s been sunny.

I’m not sure who put the bracelets there to start with, but I love how unexpected it is. The colours of the bracelets blend in to the blossom on the tree, so I didn’t notice them until the wind made the branches shake.

I put the camera in macro mode and added a light red filter. I used a larger aperture to get a shallow depth of field, as I only wanted the front branch in focus.

Hopefully there’ll be some more sunshine soon!!!

Bex

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The calm after the storm

I had an incredibly busy day today, so I only had the time for a short walk around my local area. The weather has been rather miserable, and I was lucky enough that I was free and could seize the short dry spell we had this afternoon.

It has also been very windy today, so I didn’t find many good photographic opportunities. I had been walking for about 20 minutes when I saw this lone dandelion, which caught my eye for the simple fact that it was one of the only plants left with seeds in tact. I put the camera into it’s macro mode to try and capture the most detail of each seed.

Later, I cropped the image to remove some of the background as there was nothing behind the dandelion, and to remove some blades of grass caught at the bottom of the photo. I also converted it into black and white and increased the contrast. I love the depth of field in this picture, as the background looks much better blurred. I think this works really well as a portrait shot, and it draws attention to the amount of detail.

I may try some more effects in the future, just to see what happens.

Bex

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Sweet!

For today’s post, I am admitting to the theft of what seems to be Mat’s current catch phrase!

Today was May Day meaning you might have got an extra long weekend. May Day is the time when we like to welcome in the brighter weather, perhaps with music and fairs in your local area. Where I live is no exception, and each year there is a choice of at least 3 events. However, today tradition was thrown out the window; we seemed to be celebrating the rain that has felt somewhat endless over the last 3 weeks.

I have always gone to a local village to celebrate May Day and even though the sun wasn’t shining as it should be, nobody seemed deterred by the need to take shelter in the marquees.

I always find indoor photography more of a challenge, as artificial lighting can sometimes have a different effect to natural light. I took this picture in one of the marquees with a string of lights overhead. I don’t class this picture as a success in the conventional sense- but I like how the colours have become slightly over saturated; I think it gives a more vintage effect.

I love this picture, and I’m pleased that it didn’t need editing and is different to what I might normally post.

I hope you had a lovely extra day off, and have a wonderful May!

Bex

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Getting close

I didn’t get a chance to take any industry photos today, so it’s more of the nature close ups again!! Today’s subject is a piece of fungus on a fallen log. I got in really close with the macro setting armed and took the shot.

I used aperture priority and opened it wide open to give the shallowest depth of field possible. I think this effect worked really well, and because of the higher shutter speed and taking the photo at a lower angle the shadows became a lot darker. I think this photo worked very well, although I think it may have been a little too dark.

I will take some more industry shots soon.  But what do you think I should do, now is your time to vote: Industry and man-made, or nature and landscape shots? Perhaps tweet us and tell us your favourite shots? http://www.twitter.com/DailyWanders

Mat

Tangled

Today, I went to visit a relative who lives quite near to me in a more rural area. We both have a wood within walking distance of our homes.

I brought my camera with me as always, as I thought there might be some interesting pictures, so that I could deviate from always choosing pictures of my own area.

The wood I visited today is a lot smaller than the one in my area, meaning that an awful lot less people go walking in there and it’s left to grow on it’s own terms.

I spent about two hours walking today, and I was on my way back when I spotted this leaf tangled in a spider’s web. From the looks of things the spider was long gone, but I loved how some dust had stuck to the silk.

I took the photo in macro, and used the flash to try and capture the web with more detail. I think this worked really well, as not only the spider’s web, but the leaves also, have been captured with all the finer details.

I love finding new places to go, as I think sometimes going to the same places too often can become monotonous.

Bex

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Nature's close ups

Following on from yesterday, I thought today's post should be a nature shot. While on a short walk near my house, I spotted this flower next to the path. I was lucky enough that Bex had let me borrow her DSLR a few days earlier so I took the photo in the macro setting to really focus the attention onto the flower itself. It really enhanced the colours, bringing out the greens and making the reflections brighter. Using the macro lens helped by having wide field of view and causing a deeper depth of field.

I’ve done quite a lot of close up nature shots (I’m starting to sound like Bex now!), but I fancy a change, maybe my next upload will be of some sort of industry or another man-made phenomenon. What do you think, carry on with the nature close ups, or go with something new?

Mat

Flutter by

Bex and I went outside of our normal photography area today. We decided to follow a new path, happening to run along the edge of a forest, when we stumbled across an old shed. It was locked and there were no windows so we had no idea what was inside, but in my opinion what was hiding on the outside was of far greater interest to me and the camera! I spotted this little butterfly by chance, just as we were about to move on, so I took a photo before it had a chance to 'flutter by'! It was quite a quick photo, so it needed some editing in Photoshop. After I cropped it and changed the levels some what I think it came out quite well.

You have to be quick to take photos of nature, if your slow then you'll miss some great opportunities. What do you look for in nature, animals and wildlife, or plants and flowers?

Mat

Small details, large effects

I went for a quick wander yesterday with Bex round our local area yesterday. We stopped for a minute so she could climb a tree- not as crazy as it sounds, she wanted to get a good shot. While Bex was out of action I spotted this piece of bark jutting out and thought that it would make an interesting photo. I took it with the flash on, but it was so powerful that the whole background got blacked out!! I’m impressed with this image, and how the bark is incredibly clear and very sharp against the black background. It looks like it's been set up.

I love nature, especially the small pieces of detail that we all miss in our busy day-to-day lives. Maybe we should slow down a little and observe the smaller, finer details of nature around us?

Mat

Start Off Small

Well, it’s day two and nothing broken yet! I must admit, I am the clumsiest person I know. Today, having fallen over (again), I was sat down and noticed the ground had cracked as a leftover from this week’s sunny spell. Sitting on the floor, you begin to notice things that you would normally walk straight past.

Risking my usual clumsy tendencies I balanced the camera on my bag, meaning I couldn’t look through the viewfinder, so just hoped for the best.

They say you need to start off small before you can move on. Perhaps this is what it means in photographic terms?

Bex

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