SOMERSET LEVELS 339 – MOTORCYCLIST (MONO)

 

 

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Standing on Long Moor Drove, looking at anything and everything, when a motorbike shot past me.  Like many of the little roads (droves) around here, this one has minimal foundations and, because of the wet, unstable clays underlying it, its often prone to adopting convolutions and textures quite of its own choosing – that’s what I like, individuality!!!

The camera’s autofocus caught and stayed with the bike, and I filled the foreground with the characterful road.  The surrounding vegetation was lush with the hues of spring, which are a distraction here; black and white concentrates more on the textures and the bike.

Click onto the image to open another version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further.

Technique: Z 6 with 70-300 Nikkor lens used in DX (= APS-C) format to give 450mm; 1000 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid V2 picture control; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the High Contrast Green Filter preset and adding a moderate coffee tone; looking east along Long Moor Drove, on Liberty Moor, south of Mark, on the Somerset Levels; 3 May 2019.
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SOMERSET LEVELS 324 – FLOODED ROAD (MONO)

 

 

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Exploring out on Queen’s Sedge Moor, not far south of the tiny city of Wells, in filthy conditions – rain falling from grey overcast, lots of surface water and simply heroic amounts of mud.  And then onto this little single track road heading for the tiny village of Barrow – when a van, obviously driven by a local, someone who knows the place – rounded a corner and came straight at me at speed.  There was no danger, this image was taken with a 450mm telephoto, which gives x9 magnification, and so it was still quite far off – but it put on speed through the surface water and spray flew everywhere.

Lots of familiarisation with this new camera paid off: I just had time to engage Continuous Autofocus, focus onto the number plate, hold down AF-ON and start firing – three frames and then the vehicle was on me and I was off into the (very soggy) roadside grass.  But, as is often the case down there, a cheery wave from the driver – after all, if I choose to stand in the road, its my lookout!

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further – recommended.

Technique: Z 6 with 70-300 Nikkor lens used in DX (APS-C) format to give 450mm; 1600 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Neutral V2 Picture Control; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Dramatic preset; Queen’s Sedge Moor, south of Wells, on the Somerset Levels; 5 Apr 2019.
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OUTER SUBURBS 100 – YELLOW TAXI CABS

 

 

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A little flavour of the USA in south Bristol, and some colours fairly comfortable with one another.

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 53a 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further.

Technique: TG-5 at 25mm (equiv); 800 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid film simulation; south Bristol; 29 Jan 2019.
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OUTER SUBURBS 96 – PARKED CAR 2 (MONO)

 

 

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Walking the outer suburbs, this time somewhere a little closer to the city, this time somewhere a little more affluent.

Lots of cars like this, but the tree caught my eye – something almost Oriental here, something natural and graceful overlooking the sleek, manufactured metal – something natural completely at ease alongside the machine’s designer styling.

There is an earlier parked car image here: 1 .

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 53a 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open another version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further.

Technique: TG-5 at 46mm (equiv); 1250 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Monotone film simulation; south Bristol; 28 Feb 2019.
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OUTER SUBURBS 93 – CAR TRANSPORTER (MONO)

 

 

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I’ve always wanted to photograph cars on a transporter, I think I’m fascinated by the unreal angles and attitudes the cars adopt when they are packed on board – in a way I think, to me, such images are reminiscent of scenes of mayhem, carnage or destruction.  And the cars are always lashed tightly down, adding further to the feelings of harshness and unreality.

However I seem never to be in the right place at the right time to capture these images – but this passed me as I was walking the Outer Suburbs’ streets and I turned and fired at it, a single frame – not what the TG-5 is best at, but here it is.

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 53a 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open another version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it.

Technique: TG-5 at 25mm (equiv); 800 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid film simulation; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Dramatic preset and adding a light Selenium tone; south Bristol; 4 Feb 2019.
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OUTER SUBURBS 90 – RAINY NIGHT

 

 

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In my opinion (with which you may not agree), this is a picture to look deeply into, to get right in there with the darkness, the rain and the bright lights.  Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further.

Sitting in my car, waiting, a little nervously I suppose.  I mean, there may be people like me about.  And its just before dawn, on a rainy night.

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 53a 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Technique: TG-5 at 61mm (equiv); 6400 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid film simulation; south Bristol; 16 Jan 2019.
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OUTER SUBURBS 75 – WALKING, JUST AROUND DAWN (MONO)

 

 

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If you want to be out there on the cold street in the early morning, click onto the picture to open another version in a separate window and click onto that image to enlarge it further.  On the other hand, you may find cold, early morning streets of only limited appeal, and I can live with that … 🙂 …

Walking the winter streets, just around dawn.  Streetlights and shadows, and – at the day’s start – the first lights coming on in the houses.

And dark it was – even at 6,400 ISO, the little camera was working at 1/60th second, wide open at f2.

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 53a 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Technique: TG-5 at 25mm (equiv); 6400 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid film simulation; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Yellowed 2 preset and adding a light Selenium tone; south Bristol; 22 Jan 2019.

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STANTON DREW 60 – FROSTY MORNING

 

 

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Early morning in the village.

Already posted images from this early morning shoot are here: 1 (with context) 2 3 4 5 6 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open another version in a separate window, and click onto that image to further enlarge it.

Technique: X-T2 with 55-200 Fujinon lens at 300mm (equiv); 1600 ISO; Lightroom, using the Velvia/Vivid film simulation; Color Efex Pro 4; rotated; flipped; Stanton Drew, in the Chew Valley south of Bristol; 14 Dec 2018.
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OUTER SUBURBS 54 – JAGUAR (MONO)

 

 

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An up market car, a Jaguar, in the soft dew of the early morning. 

Or, then again, car porn, the type of image used to make us buy cars, or cameras, or whatever commodity is being marketed.

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a  larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to further enlarge it – recommended.

Technique: TG-5 at 74mm (equiv); 6400 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid film simulation; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Film Noir 2 preset and adding a split tone; south Bristol; 22 Dec 2018.
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OUTER SUBURBS 50 – FROSTY MORNING 2 (MONO)

 

 

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So, the 50th Outer Suburbs post, not sure I’d thought I’d get this far with this series.  And also still not sure where (if anywhere) this series is going.  But then, taking the larger view, why does it have to be going anywhere at all except, possibly, onwards?

This series has had a fairly wide diversity of subject matter so far, it has had many parts really, which I suppose sums up my photography – I tend to point the camera at whatever I think might make a good picture.  One thing, I think, is that this series and this little camera encourage me to take more unconventional (aka weirder!) and spontaneous images, which stretches me a bit – but then I’ve always liked to push the envelope a bit.  I have a feeling that some of these pictures may be a bit too unconventional for some tastes, but then I’m doing my thing, and seeing where it leads.

But I do like carrying the little TG-5 camera in my pocket on my long suburban walks and I am impressed with its abilities – although the time may come when I take the Fujifilm X-T2, if only to see what difference it would make to the types of images I end up with.  I also like the relaxed nature of this photography – no pressure, if potential images appear they do, and if they don’t then they don’t … but then, thinking about it, this is true of most if not all of my photography.

And some very basic advice re photography, as I see it?  Well, go for it with your heart, and with your gut feelings too.  Be yourself.  By all means look at others’ pictures, therein lies valuable learning – but learn from them, don’t copy them.  Do your own thing.

Do you have any comments on this series, any views?  I’d like to hear anything that you’ve got to say.

The first frosty morning post is here .

The first image in the Outer Suburbs series, with context, is here: 1 .  Subsequent images are here: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 .  Each will open in a separate window.

Click onto the image to open a larger version in a separate window, and click onto that image to enlarge it further – recommended.

Technique: TG-5 at 74mm (equiv); 250 ISO; Lightroom, using the Camera Vivid film simulation; Silver Efex Pro 2, starting at the Dark Sepia preset and adding a light Coffee tone; south Bristol; 3 Oct 2018.

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