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Tag Archives: Macro

The importance of finding time when there is none.

May 29, 2020
Advice, Macro, Opinion
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Life is so full of distractions that it can be difficult to see what is truly important.

At almost 50, you might think I would have a better idea about life. Certainly I can say I have experience. I have a whole heap of experiences. Some good, in fact lots good, some bad and some just…meh!

In this I am no different to anyone, in this we are all united. I used to be comforted by being so busy. It used to make me feel like I was becoming better at things, at life, at work. I was progressing for sure, but was I getting better?

One of the most important things I have learnt in recent months is that we owe ourselves some time for us. We need to be able to look at our situation in the silence and contemplate what really is important to us. Prioritisation is perhaps one of the most important things we should do for us and it must be honest. Making these decisions in and around the busy day at work or the frantic home life is very difficult, almost impossible.

You need to find your own method, but the first step is to make the time. I try to meditate for 10 mins a day in the morning. I don’t make it every day though. I try to exercise for 30 mins every day, but not always. I write down what I’m thinking about. I am better now at planning my following day and better at sticking to it (I will cover this in a later blog). I’m not perfect though. I still make mistakes and think I always will.

I am better when I find the time to evaluate what has gone on, put it into perspective and decide where things sit on the importance scale, the REAL importance scale, because I find we tend to put too much at the top of this scale that leads to distraction, confusion and ultimately failure.

What is important to you? Well my friend, only YOU can answer that and only YOU can give yourself the time to answer that. If I have one piece of advice though. Don’t always expect an easy answer. It can take time to get to the truth…

If only our lives allowed us the single mindedness of the bee.

Award winning, does it really make a difference?

October 12, 2012
Military work
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I write this blog in somewhat of a state of shock.  I have just been told that I need to get myself over to London next week to pick up a couple of prizes from the Army photographic awards. This image was taken at 0500 using available red light on a high ISO and shows us packed like sardines into the back of a Chinook about to go on an operation.

This year was only the second time I have entered in ten years for one thing or another, and after being runner up last time, the improvement was great. This macro shot was taken with a macro lens and was supposed to be an observation of religious prominence within the military and more so with the Americans.  What is does not show however is the levels of religious diversity that we have now. 

If I am totally honest, I didn’t really hold out much hope as much of the last 12 months was doing video, and if I am even more honest, not to a great standard. Military equipment – this was one of my favorite portraits from Afghanistan, it shows an attitude and toughness that belies the old equipment they operate with.

So back to the competition.  I am obviously very pleased for the recognition, but I really don’t think it means all that much at the end of the day but what we can do to raise the profile of our small group of individuals who work hard to show our colleagues at their best.  This is not down to me being disrespectful to the other entrants in this particular competition, just the fact that winning competitions may be a skill but also requires a lot of luck.  After all three judges look at the images subjectively and pick their favorite and on another day with different judges, the results would, I am sure, probably be very different. This military portrait taken in the studio is intended to show a diversity within the whole port folio.  It is a standard portrait with a little twist.

I had no idea who was judging this competition, not that knowing that would have made any difference.  The simple fact is that photography is purely subjective and what one person loves another simply can’t stand… the Marmite thing I suppose. In the absence of a perfect boxing or skiiing shot (not much of either in Afghanistan), I wanted to demonstrate a little bit of the British soldiers sense of humour… unfortunately there was no lake in sight.

So what did I win?  Well rather surprisingly, the Professional port folio award and the best Professional image.  Wow, now I am speechless. From the harshness of Afghanistan to the grandeur of Hannover town hall for the Queens birthday celebrations, a city that has close ties to the royal family.

The port folio was a simple case of choosing eight images, each one fulfilling a single criteria.  Operational image, Sport, Macro, Black and white, portrait, military equipment, Interior and Public relations image.  So the portfolio was always going to be a mismatch off images rather than a coherent collection of images to support a narrative.

Which ever way you look at it, there will be controversy and disagreement, as everyone will see different things from the images submitted.  So there we have it for another year, I only hope that we as a photographic trade can make the most of this and promote ourselves as the self motivated, professional individuals we are.

The image selected by the judges as the winning image, taken just before the officer at the front of the picture screamed at me for not being where I should be.

 

A change of perspective and the search for a new presentation.

May 1, 2012
Development, Opinion
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A change is as good as a rest, so they say.  I am leaving video behind at least for the time being and as I look to get back with my beloved stills camera, I have been trying to work in ways I do not normally.

Out came the 60mm Macro lens and on a perfect morning in England with dew sitting on the foliage I experimented.  I have shot macro before but it is not really something that a do much of, neither is the nature shot.

I was lucky also to find a couple of bugs (this now seems to be what my kids now call them), crawling around.

I have also been looking at ways to present images better than just straight edges.  A part of me is reluctant as I do feel that in many ways these presentation methods are employed too often to make mediocre images seem better than they are.  This also goes for some of the post production so many photographers seem to be using now.

The search was down to looking for ways I could present some of my Afghan work in a book or for an exhibition.  So I looked for a few choices and have so far settled on the ‘Photoframe’ software that integrates with my Adobe software so well.  I am using it on a trial basis and at this stage I think it’s important to make visual mistakes, so there are a couple of frames that I don’t think work, or I don’t like.

I hope you like the images.