I went there with dreams of colour and life... but its was SOOOOO Hard to shoot there! Any of you that have been there, know that taking pictures in Marrakech is far from easy... and not the romantic holiday destination you would think of ... so armed with a hulking great big Nikon DSLR and a long lens, i hardly blended in... and these people are hyper sensitive to cameras! You either get a "NO PICTURE" and a hand raised over the face, or a hand out asking for money the second they see you!! So ....with only being there for 2 days I had to adapt quickly, and learn to be very quick to seize any picture opportunities ... Its still a great place to go to though if you like a challenge!! ;)
Enjoy, share and rate please :)
London Landscape Photography
This is why I LOVE my job! My brief - 'Shoot some Iconic London Landmarks and Cityscapes along the London Soutbank'. NICE DAY AHEAD! Although i had to rise at 5am to get down to Tower Bridge to catch the sunrise, it was worth it! Every time I have to do a job which involves getting up and out in the dark, I am reminded that there is nothing better than being in London as the sun rises. it really is the best time of day to be in London! Still, calm and truly beautiful ... until the hoards arrive and the buzz takes over again. So, as I was going to be walking around all day long, I didn't want a trailer load of backbreaking gear with me, so opted for my evermore popular choice of kit - my Fuji X-Pro 1 ... in a tiny bag with 3 lenses and a spare battery, a very small Manfrotto tripod and I'm done! LOVE IT! discreet and light allowing me to crack on without feeling depressed each time I know I have to pack up and move on! I started by shooting east towards Butlers Wharf from St Katherine's Dock at sunrise and then spent the day strolling and exploring the Soutbank from Rotherhithe to Westmisnster Bridge...
I'd never been up the OXO Tower and had this in mind for the end of my day. It was thoroughly worth it. I was a bit worried about rocking up there in my jeans and North face photographer kit! ... but the staff were very lovely and guided me to their free public viewing balcony outside - where I was able to wait for the light to drop and the magic of the city lights to come to life! I wasn't sure how the Fuji X-Pro 1 would cope with long exposures on its small sensor ... but i am very impressed with its clarity and low light noise levels. Not to mention again its sooooooo small! Chuffed!
I hope you enjoy the images as much as i enjoyed my day taking them! :-)
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New Year visit to the Seaside
Ok, so Christmas has come and gone again .... and the New year is here... After spending a lovely time up in North Yorkshire with my family, I got back to London on New Years day. My lovely lady and I decided to make the most of the last day before 'normality' kicked in again, and after seeing the sun shining brightly that morning, decided to jump in the car and head for the seaside!
We didn't have too much time, so it had to be somewhere around an hour away.... a quick buzz up the A12 and we were in Frinton on Sea. The weather was absolutely perfect! Clear blue sky, sunshine and a crisp breeze.... perfect for a stroll along the seafront! I was only armed with my little Lumix Snapper and my iPhone, but as some of you will already know, I'm a big 'Instagram' fan so was quite excited by the landscape and colours leaping out at me. My iPhone died a rather quick death (the battery doesn't last long at the best of times but with the cold hitting it, it was like watching an egg timer go down!) so I reverted to my Lumix at the end when we took shelter in a small pavilion on top of the green, overlooking the sea. Here we met the loveliest old lady. She was 92 and as bright as a button. I unfortunately didn't ask her name. Some people really do show their character in a picture, and i think she does to a tee... there is a cheeky glint in those eyes ;) What a great day! :-)[gallery]
Iphoneography
As most of you who look at my blog will know, photography has always been firstly my passion and secondly my job. I count myself very fortunate to be paid to do something which gives me such pleasure - no matter what the subject. Photography takes me on a different journey each time I pick up my beloved Nikon D3 and D700. Whilst I'm out on my jobs I often come into contact with other enthusiastic photographers who often dismiss their abilities based upon having a cheaper camera!? To this I always laugh... as a picture is not just about it's technical brilliance... It's about the subject and the moment! The energy and the feeling. What might be nothing to someone else can mean the world to you in a picture, and Vice Versa! A photograph does not have to be taken on a £5k super shooter to still make a person stop, look and ponder.
To that end, I lead onto my new love for my IPhone and the amazing 'Hipstamatic' and 'Instagram' apps. These fantastic little snapper enhancements are the perfect way to catch a moment whilst out and about.
So.. I thought I would share a few of my snaps from my Iphone with you, and hopefully inspire you all to do the same :-)
Enjoy!
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Venice at Dusk
This is one of my favourite landscapes i had the pleasure of producing. Such a beautiful place, and standing waiting for the light to drop was a lovely peaceful time. I hope you enjoy... and remember if ever you visit there, be sure to check the tides or you will need your wellies!![caption id="attachment_2091" align="alignnone" width="1024" caption="Resting Gondolas on Venice's Grand Canal"]
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Pic of the Day - Beggar in Venice
Pic of the Day
I have decided to post a 'Pic of the Day' from now on .... randomly taken from within my library of images ... This first shot is of a Nun i saw travelling on one of the river boats in Venice ...