Well done to Ann Dickson, assistant tutor in the Going Digital – East of England Region who made a successful application for her Licentiateship to the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS).

Ann Dickson

She is an accomplished Landscape and Wildlife photographer and has produced many winning images in local camera clubs and competitions. She has worked hard to produce her panel of ten images for the RPS and received the award at the Birmingham NEC on 5th March 2012.  Here’s Ann’s panel of images:

I spent a week in Paris in early September and have placed a gallery on my own  Northern Light Photography site to show some of the images I captured there.

Some have you have asked about the lenses used and the best camera for the job and the short answer has to be – whatever suits you.  However, there is some wisdom in using a fairly small camera that can be easily concealed to allow for discreet shooting.  There’s nothing more likely to scare off your quarry than the appearance of a huge SLR with a 500mm lens.

The Rolls Royce of street photography is the Leica M series rangefinder and unless you are lucky to get a second hand one at a good price (as I did) you may have to sell your home, or one of your children to buy one.  An excellent alternative is one of the Canon G series (Currently at G12)

They’re small, classed as a Bridge camera, but have all the same controls as an SLR and offer excellent image quality.  You can pick up a good secondhand one for around £300.00+ at Ffordes on line.

An alternative might be one of the range of smaller cameras offered by Sony or Fuji.  They have interchangeable lenses and superb image quality.

As for lenses, it is indeed tempting to shoot from afar using a long lens, but traditionalists would have it that a shorter (35mm / 50mm) lens is ideal for the job.  Plus it makes it much more of a challenge to get in close and the perspective of a shorter lens often makes for a better image.

With regard to the Paris trip, I began (as I so often do) looking out for real street /homeless people and very quickly found that the streets are simply overflowing with the homeless.  Whatever their reasons for being there, it takes a hard heart not to be moved by their plight and whilst I have taken several shots – I gradually tailed off and moved to other subjects.

There is nothing illegal (or immoral) about Street Photography and Google is afloat with info. and articles on the subject.  have a look, get familiar with the techniques and do some research.

It does take some nerve to get in close, but there’s a real buzz in capturing what Cartier Bresson called the Decisive Moment.  He also said – “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”

Happy Hunting!!

You can buy the vouchers from £5.00 to £95.00 and redeem them against the cost of any Going Digital workshops, in any region.

Payment can be made securely using PayPal and your voucher will be sent by return email.

The  Vouchers can be redeemed:

• against any of our 21 workshops for beginners to advanced or one-to-one
  tailored training
• at over 100 venues in England, Wales and Scotland
• for 9 months from the date of purchase (the workshop booked can be after the
  expiry date)

A great gift for the photographer in your life!

Have a great Christmas

A Wedding workshop at Burghley House

The wedding season is now in full swing and perhaps you’ve given a thought to trying your hand at shooting images at a friend’s, or even a paying wedding.

Wedding photography is an area of photography where you can supplement your earnings in your spare time, have a good day out and raise your profile as a photographer.  Why not join us at Burghley House on 26th & 27th April 2011, learn the skills necessary to get those professional looking shots and enjoy a two day workshop, packed with theory and practical sessions.

Two days of wedding photography !

This popular workshop is aimed at anyone who is already confidently shooting in Aperture priority and is considering photographing a wedding.

During the workshop, you will learn all the essential camera skills required on the big day and if you are already contemplating professional wedding photography – these workshops will teach all the practical camera skills you’ll need before you progress to a higher level course.

If you would like to take professional-looking wedding shots of your friends or family, this two-day workshop will give you all the skills you need.
You will learn how to:

• Plan and prepare for the event
• take correctly exposed shots
• take photographs – without flash in low-lighting conditions, e.g. inside a church or registry office
• use fill-in flash indoors and outdoors
• take portrait shots of the bride and groom
• take group portraits
• make minor adjustments to your images on computer
• put together a portfolio of ‘essential shots’

Throughout both days you will have the opportunity to put theory into practice with practical exercises, and several opportunities to review your images as a group.

A fantastic two day workshop, packed with ideas and activities.

Contact Rod for more information on up and coming wedding workshops at Burghley House (07751 745245) or click to visit the  Going Digital site:

Being a Street Photographer is something akin to being a shark – once you’ve spotted a likely prey, you stalk them, line them up and then catch them!

Clearly there are good and bad hunting grounds and London is possibly one of the best.  It’s difficult to imagine a day when there is no one to photograph.

For my own part, I find that Wardour Street, Gerard Street (in Soho) – Camden Market and the South Bank offer a wide range of useful and easy prey.  Look out for people dozing, eating, talking – in fact doing everything that people normally do in the street.

During my Going Digital Portraits, Family and Friends workshops, I outline the skills and techniques used in candid photography and ten . . . . in the  workshop’s practical sessions, we go out to put these skills to good use.

Some tips on equipment / techniques

I tend not to use an SLR camera, they’re large, noisy and attract too much  attention.

Leica M8

The old Masters of street photography used the early Leica rangefinder cameras and today’s M series Leicas, the M6 film, or  M8 / M9 digital rangefinders lend themselves to unobtrusive shooting, but are quite pricey to buy.  Alternatively a Compact or small bridge camera (Canon G12) make for an excellent alternative

There is always some debate on the best focal length to use for your Street Photos, I like to use a 50mm or 35mm.  The latter offers a wider angle of view and gives more chance of catching the Subject in the frame when the shot is snatched.  Plus, the added depth of field in a WA lens aids sharpness and ease of focus.

To freeze people when they walk past (depending upon their speed) you’ll need to be shooting at least 1/125^th sec.  If on the other hand you want some blur as they pass, go down to 1/30^th or 1/60^{th. .}

Some tips on catching your subjects

• Pre-focus your camera on a point you reckon to be about the same distance away from you as your Subject to give the impression that they aren’t the centre of your attention.
• Try not to look at your subject too much, they will get suspicious.  Look at the buildings or the trees above and around them and when they strike the pose that suits your needs – your pre-focused camera will capture that sharp image.

How to find Subjects . . . .

• Walk through parks and be on the look-out for people sitting on benches.  Midday is a good time to hunt and the public make great targets as they read papers, sleep or eat food
• When in a city, look out for human statues / street performers, they make for  interesting shots and it does no harm to drop some cash into their collection tins by way of a thank you
• Be a little wary of down an outs, they can be quite touchy and unless you’re willing to strike up a conversation and buy them a coffee, you may a) not get a shot or b) suffer some abuse
• Look for interesting backgrounds and just wait for the right subject to pass in front of them

Links to a few articles on Street Photography:

http://photo.net/street-documentary-photography-forum/002kze

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/apr/18/street-photography-privacy-surveillance

http://photo.net/learn/street/intro

ABOVE ALL BE PATIENT!!

Have you ever wondered how your portraits could be improved to achieve that professional – studio look? Look no further, Going Digital offer Going Digital off portrait lighting workshops using a range of home studio lighting.  The workshops are run at a number of venues where you’ll have the opportunity to try out studio lights during hands-on  photographic sessions using your own camera, coupled to strobe / flash and continuous lighting systems

Studio flash equipment varies tremendously in price, but in recent times – studio kits have dropped in price to a much more affordable level.  The kits usually include two flash heads, two stands, two brollies or soft boxes and a carry case.  Fundamentally, the heads are large flash units, usually mains powered and they incorporate a (switchable) modelling light to allow the user to pre-visualise the fall of the shadows during set up.  Here’s your chance to work with studio lighting and have expert help and advice to hand.

During the workshop, you’ll have a chance to use:

• Strobe flash heads
• Brollies
• Softboxes
• Infra-red and wireless triggers

Once you have attended a Studio Lighting workshop, Going Digital can arrange the purchase of two different makes of flash kit (Dorr & Elemental) – one with a cash discount, the other with a free softbox.

We currently offer Portrait Studio Lighting workshops in the Going Digital East of England Region at:

Anglesey Abbey; The Maltings at Ely; Wimpole Hall; Wicken Fen; Burghley House and  Stanwick Lakes

For most digital users, dust on the camera sensor is one of the easiest things to acquire and probably, the most annoying to live with.   There are variety of solutions but perhaps the best starting point on this topic is . . . . . prevention.

From the moment you remove a lens from a camera body, every grain of dust in your region will be rushing toward your sensor, at least that’s how it seems.  A few simple precautions will minimise the dust problem and thwart the dust’s ambitions.

Removing lenses:

• Try to swap lenses as infrequently as possible
• Try to remove lenses with a smooth action, any grinding of the lens mount against the camera body will create small metal shavings – these will head straight for the sensor
• At the risk of stating the obvious, change lenses out of the wind and away from dusty areas
• Switch the camera off for at least 10 seconds before removing the lens.  This will turn off the sensor and allow some of its static charge to dissipate.  Remember . . . static and dust get on well together
• Point the camera at the ground when removing the lens, you’ll then have gravity on your side with regard to falling dust
• Before fitting the new lens, blow gently across (not into) its rear elements to dislodge any existing dust
• Adjust zoom lenses gently.  Any rapid pushing and pulling of the zoom mechanism turns the lens into a giant piston and in its travel from wide angle to telephoto, it can suck dust into the lens cavity
• Fit the new lens and store the original lens in your camera bag, with body and lens caps fitted and then . . . . switch on.

If you have dust spots on the sensor, they will usually show up more starkly at small apertures (e.g. f16, f22 etc.) usually along the top edge of the image and in the sky areas.  Their removal is a three step process and with luck, you may see them off at step 1.

Step 1 – The Rocket Blower

Before you begin, consult your camera manual to find out how you can lock up the mirror for sensor cleaning.  In this mode, the camera’s mirror will flip up, the shutter will open and once the lens has been removed you will see the sensor which at this stage, will be turned off.   Ensure that you have a fresh, fully charged before using the mirror lock function. If the battery power is too low, then the mirror can lock itself in the up position and the camera will need to be returned to a dealer to reset the mirror.

You will now need a acquire blower which will a) give a good blast of air and b) have a filter in its base to prevent dust being sucked in between puffs.  I would recommend the Giottos – Rocket blower (cost around £10.00), it meets both of the above requirements.

Place the camera on a tripod with the lens facing slightly downward and ideally, work in a dust free area (the bathroom – following a bath or shower is often ideal).  Select the Menu option to lock up the mirror, carefully remove the lens, place the blower’s nozzle in the mouth of the lens mount and give several fast puffs of air.   Once done, lower the mirror and replace the lens.  To test the success of your blowings, take a photograph of a section of clear blue or white sky at around f16 or f22.  You may have to use manual focus, given that most autofocus systems won’t focus on blank areas – then examine the test image on your computer to check the sensor’s surface for dust.

If the dust is still evident . . . . . . .

Step 2 – The Arctic Butterfly brush

If the above hasn’t cleared the dust, then you will need to resort to one of Visible Dust’s products – the Arctic Butterfly brush. Available from Clifton Cameras for around £70.00

The brush is statically charged and comes mounted on a battery driven spinner handle.  When the brush is spun between cleanings, any dust is spun off and the bristles become re-charged with static.  To use the brush, repeat the above steps to lock up the mirror, then very carefully wipe the brush in one direction across the sensor.  Withdraw it, spin for 30 seconds and brush once more.  Drop the mirror, replace the lens and test as above for spots in the image.

and finally . . . .

If dust still remains lodged on the sensor, then wet cleaning is the final step.

Step 3 – Wet Cleaning

This latter stage requires some nerve and yet more money!   It’s as well to approach this stage with some caution because it involves wiping a moistened pad across the surface of the camera sensor and whilst it is wise to regard the sensor as being delicate and easily damaged, it does have a protective window (called a moire screen) in front of its surface and is reasonably robust.

You will need to buy some sensor cleaning swabs and whilst there is a bewildering array offered on line, I’d be drawn once again to Visible Dust’s products.  They seem to be the  market leader in sensor cleaning.  The swabs come either dry, or ready moistened and look rather like little cocktail stirrers.  Check out Amazon or Warehouse express.

They’re packaged in what seem like surgically sterile packs and can only be used only once before being discarded.  You must repeat the steps described earlier to raise the mirror and this time (whilst carefully following the supplied instructions) wipe the swab once across the mirror, repeating the process with new swabs as needed.

In most cases, the dust will be gone and no further wipings will be needed – well . . . . not until next time.  However, if stubborn marks remain, it’s likely that the camera will need to be returned to the factory or service dept.

Have a look on You Tube, where you’ll find hours of videos (usually made by very earnest men) showing how to do all of the above:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sensor+cleaning]&aq=f

I wish you luck!!

What happens at a Going Digital workshop?

In the Classroom

Most of our workshops begin in the classroom, with a welcome, introductions, then a presentation so that you know exactly what you’ll be doing on the day and how to set your camera for predictable results, with detailed handouts for you to take home.

After the presentation we’ll show you how you use the features of your camera and you’ll complete your own ‘crib sheet’ to supplement your camera manual.

Our tutors are familiar with all the popular makes and models of digital camera, so we’ll make sure you know how to use your camera before you begin to take any photographs.

Small Groups

You’ll be part of a small, friendly group with no more than ten students per tutor and you’ll often find you have an assistant to help you out on the day too, so that you have plenty of opportunities to ask for help and advice throughout.

Hands-on Exercises

There will be either one long or two shorter hands-on photography assignments on your workshop, where you have the opportunity to take your own photographs, with the advice and assistance of one of our tutors.  Our Masterclasses consist of hands-on photography for most of the day.

Depending upon the workshop, the location for your photography might be out and about in parkland, gardens or cities, or in the classroom or studio.

You can take home copies of your assignments to refine your skills at home – practice makes perfect!

When and where do the workshops run complete list of dates and venues for the Going Digital workshops

It has been said that the three main rules for landscape photography are  - Tripods, tripods and tripods! To this, I would add my own rule – “Slow down and take your time”

I tend to use Manfrotto and Uniloc tripods for virtually all of my landscape work and recommend the Manfrotto 190XPROB, it’s reasonably light and very sturdy in use.

Manfrotto 190xPROB

To that, I would add a Giottos MH7001-652 Series 1 Ball Head, this features a quick release plate and offers easy adjustment of the camera position on the tripod.  Both of the aforementioned are available at Warehouse Express.

In line with my suggestion to slow down, the use of a tripod encourages photographers to ‘look’ at a scene before pressing the shutter release.  The camera can be left set up on the tripod whilst rubbish clearing, or other site maintenance is carried out just prior to the shot being taken. Peering at a potential image through a viewfinder has never been conducive to ‘seeing’ and often, the odd Coke can, sweet wrapper or piece of unwanted foliage lie unnoticed until after the shutter has been fired.
In the main, apertures should be set to somewhere around f11 – f16 to ensure maximum depth of field in the scene.  This can of course result in slow shutter speeds, but then this is unlikely to be a problem where a tripod is used.  The only time that very slow speeds can be problematic, is where grass, tree branches or clouds are moving noticeably and are likely to be blurred in the final image.

NOTE!!  However, do remember that if you have any dust spots on your camera’s sensor, they will show up as clearly defined bullet holes at small apertures.

For tips on landscape work and image composition , have a look at the following sites:

http://www.photoinf.com/General/Johannes_Vloothuis/landscape_composition_rules.html

http://www.naturephotographers.net/np101/gt0804-1.html