Flashcandles

Settings: Aperture Priority, 50mm, f/4.5, 1/60sec, ISO 200

I know this isn't the best photo ever, but it's the first output from using my new Nikon SB-600 Speedlight. The difference here of course is that the flash is off-camera, being controlled remotely through the d70's i-TTL wireless flash commander mode.

Absolutely fantastic, and opens a whole new set of techniques that can be used - for example, sitting a portrait subject by a window and using the off-camera flash as a fill light.

I also have a Sto-Fen Omnibounce diffuser (not used in the pic above) which really softens the light source. Great for indoor portraits.

Really exciting!

Heather and Graphite

Settings - Auto, 70mm, f/11, 1/500sec, ISO 1250

Not posted a picture for a while, so here's one from a previous trip to Scotland, where my parents live. I like the contrast of the vibrant colours of the heather and the industrial greys of the car.

I've actually added saturation to the background, and somewhat desaturated the lights of the car as they were a bit distracting. Also, the camera was left on 1250 ISO by mistake, so the car needed some noise reduction with Neatimage to get it looking good.

Geese on Derwentwater

Settings - Aperture Priority, 130mm, f/4.5, 1/25sec, ISO320

I hoped to get loads of landscape pictures today, after visiting Keswick in the Lake District. Unfortunately, my meeting finished about 10 or 15 minutes too late, so the sun was already dipping below the mountains. The jetty into the lake also faced due West - directly into the sun - so exposing the dark side of the mountains and the bright sky was almost impossible.

So I took off the 28-80 and put on the 70-300 lens, and concentrated on the wildlife instead... it was still hard to get sharp photos due to the lack of light. This one was taken in burst mode off a tripod. It's still a touch soft, I suppose. Not too bad though.

Hangar One

Settings: Aperture Priority, f/10, 1/320sec, ISO200, RAW

This is Hangar 1 of the Royal Air Force Museum at Cosford, near Telford in Shropshire. It's an enormous building full of decomissioned planes and exhibits about the RAF and the Cold War.

I didnt spend all that long here as it was a work day, but I was very impressed - by the arcitecture of the museum as well as the exhibits themselves. Seeing a Vulcan Bomber suspended from the ceiling with its bomb doors open was rather cool.

Anyway, this photo is fairly simple in terms of the capture, but it was the composition, textures and angles that I liked.

Below is an example of one of the exhibits at this museum, which is free and really worth a quick visit.

Nature vs. Industry

Settings - Aperture Priority, 60mm, f/8, 1/160sec, ISO200, RAW

This is The Iron Bridge in a town called Ironbridge, near Telford in Shropshire. The script on it reads

"This bridge was cast at Coalbrook-Dale and erected in the year MDCCLXXIX" (1779 AD)

It is one of the most famous relics of the industrial revolution, and sits across the River Severn. Rather than just take a fairly standard picture of the bridge, I thought it was a bit more interesting to use the gaps between the grey steel, and contrast it with the lush greenery at the river banks.

Good thing it's outside!

Settings: Auto - 48mm, f/5.6, 1/125sec, ISO 400, RAW

This little bastard is right outside our lounge window - in fact this picture is taken from inside the house, as it gives a more interesting background than from outside in. Good bokeh!

I'd like a proper macro lens soon, because it's damn hard taking macro photos with this setup... it would probably be easier with the tripod out and the 70-300 lens, but I couldnt be bothered!

Road Closed

Settings: Manual - f/4.5, 1/2000sec, -0.33 exp, ISO 200, RAW

This entertained me, saying "road closed" instead of "no access" - as if it's usually open to the public?

I like framing and the depth of field in this shot, particularly the sharp contrast between the top left of the sign and the road.

I dont like the burnt sky in the top right... I tried pasting in other skies, burning it, filling it with another colour... but nothing looked right. My photoshop skills are lacking here!

Misty Dawn

Settings: Manual - f/29, 1/3s, ISO 200, 90mm focal length, RAW

Another early meeting, another slight detour off the M6 to take some snaps and try to get used to the controls and settings on the D70.

This time, there was a low fog hugging the ground which looked fantastic in the breaking sunlight. You can just about see the fog between the trees here, but really the sky is the star.

Lucca's napkin

Settings: Auto - f/4.2, 1/25, ISO 1600, +0.33 exp, RAW

We met a friend after work in a local bar/restaurant, and he brought his son, so I thought I would take a few snaps. I had the 70-300 lens on, it was handheld, and light in the bar wasn't great - so many of the pictures were too blurred to use. In fact, the one I have chosen is still very soft.

I think the expression and framing is good, though.

First shot

Settings: Manual - f/3.3, 2s, ISO 200, +0.6 exp, JPEG

Out early for a meeting, I stopped on a quiet motorway bridge over the M6 near stoke to try out the camera in low light, and to get some long-exposure pics.

The best of the lot (which isn't saying much, I guess) is this one. I like the sky, I don't like the sodium glow of the streetlight just off the left hand side.

Kit

Nikon D70
Nikon Nikkor 28-80 G
Nikon Nikkor 70-300 G

Bought second hand from eBay in late September 2007, for £325 total.

Wish list:
Nikkor 18-200 AF-S VR
Speedlight flash