Reflections

In my Reflections 05 I mentioned that in order to achieve greater sharpness in images I needed to take greater care during capture.  I said that I had a tendency to use a low ISO to avoid noise and f16 and f22 to achieve sharpness but sometimes forgot that this entailed a longer exposure and often lack of sharpness, especially with hand held shots.  Recently, in a drive to ensure sharpness, I have been using my tripod more and have invested in an electronic release which I use in conjunction with mirror lock-up.  I have also stopped using f22 as I wonder if the performance of my lens falls off at this aperture.  I now restrict myself to f16.  I have also taken to using live view to aid composition.

Having not written an academic essay for almost 40 years, I awaited the return of assignment 4 with some trepidation.  I was delighted, therefore, when I read my tutors comments which were by and large good and very encouraging.  I finally plumped to research and write about Ansel Adams and, in tandem with the essay, I have been collecting suitable images to use for assignment 5 - photographs in the style of Ansel Adams.  I have written my thoughts in detail on the relevant section of my blog where I have also included my shortlisted images.

My portfolio is also coming together and I shall shortly be narrowing down my shortlist of pictures,

Progress on the Projects.

Project 29
I thoroughly enjoyed this project and elected to rephotograph a Joe Cornish image of the abbey steps at Whitby with the harbour and town beyond.  This presented me with a range of challenges that were totally unexpected which I have written about elsewhere.

Project 30
I enjoy photographing wide angle views and had a good selection of pictures to choose from.  Perhaps, also, this is why I was drawn to Ansel Adams for Assignments 4 and 5.  I have, in fact, just bought a sigma 10-20 lens and am awaiting its delivery.  I look forward to trying it out.

Project 31
Despite being a wildlife photographer and using long telephoto lenses up to 500 mm much of the time, a longer lens is not something I turn to naturally when taking landscapes.  I did, therefore, really enjoy getting my 100-400 lens out for some landscape work last Autumn.  I must remember to make the effort more often.

Project 32
Again an interesting exercise.  There are many scenes within a landscape.

Project 33
I am making much more of an effort to use a tripod for my landscape work as well as my wildlife stuff.  In fact, I have also begun to use mirror lock-up and an electronic release in conjunction with the tripod in order to achieve sharpness.  Using a tripod, mirror lock-up and live view also slows me up and makes me concentrate more on composition.

Projects 34 and 35
I do tend to use ND grads and the polariser a great deal so perhaps these projects were a bit of an academic exercise.  I do know, though, that I have a tendency to overuse the polariser and have recently not used it so much.  This project did bring home to me that at wide angles the effect can be uneven and is best kept to standard or telephoto focal lengths.

Project 36
I found it interesting researching other photographers and looking at individual styles.  There are many more out there.

Project 37
Really enjoyed looking through my library for the different ways that I have managed to dramatise landscapes.  I notice though that this year's overall winner of the Outdoor Photographer of the Year Award is of a 'quiet' non dramatic scene.

Projects 38, 39 and 41
Although working digitally I really enjoyed completing these projects.  It made me realise that old style darkroom techniques can do have their digital equivalent.

Project 42
Again I enjoyed looking through my images for examples of man-made landscapes.

Now that I am nearing the end of this module it is time to complete assignment 5 and my portfolio and tie up all the lose ends in the course.  I have registered for a July assessment but as I shall be away from 24th April and all of May on a road trip to Umbria and as Assingnment 5 is not due in until the 5th April I feel that time may be too short.  Reluctantly I may request to change to the November assessment.  Although it will mean that I shall need to start my next module before I receive the results of this assessment, it does give me more time to tidy things up.

I have and continue to thoroughly enjoy this project and I look forward to starting my next.  Unless I change my ,mind I am looking towards 'Progressing with Digital.