Homemade Camera Rig

For work recently, the copywriter and I went to Woodrow Pilling Park in Norwich to test out a "Geyser Car" - a rocket car, which is powered by the Mentos + Diet Coke reaction. You strap a fizzy pop bottle to the car, and pull the plug to release the Mentos, and step back and admire!

After a few successful launches, my mind turned to creating some different shots, in particular, so "in-car" pieces. As you can see from the below, the product lent itself perfectly to turn into a cheap camera rig. The velcro straps kept the camera in position, and a cautious push, got some extra, different shots for the final video, which I've also included in this post.

Lion Wood, Norwich

While spending a lazy day on the sofa watching the "Super Sunday" games this weekend, during half time, I thought I'd get up and stretch my legs. So took a quick stroll to Lion Wood at the top of my road.

I did have it in the back of my mind to try something like this out at the beginning of the day, so planned to go out just as the sun started to set. We get lovely sunsets this time of the year, so that, with shooting through tress gave me some cool effects.

I'd like to think after looking back over these that getting off of the couch is a smart move sometimes...

Aperture gif animation

I was helping my sister decide which lens to buy for her camera the other day, and in going through the different options, I decided to show the benefits of playing with apertures, and what a difference these can make. In doing so, I took a series of shots from f22 - f1.8 (with my Canon 50mm f1.8).

This is a shot set up, with all the same settings, bar the adjustment of the aperture, hopefully this shows how much fun it can be to play with different apertures. I don't know about any other photographers, but my camera is 90% of the time set to aperture priority mode. I think getting the right depth in a photograph, is very often the key to turning good shots, to great shots. I think this also demonstrates how, not only at 1.8, can you knock the background out, and focus on the foreground, but get a totally different shot from f16 - f22, and create the star effect in the streetlights.

I've since turned this little tutorial into a small gif, which hopefully shows how different f stops create these different images:

A short video

A year after going, I wanted to put together a short video of some photos, and film I took while in Iceland on our (mini)honeymoon. We'd love to go back one day.

Diss Town vs Felixstowe & Walton

A good friend of mine was down in Norfolk for the weekend last week. He was here for a friends 30th, and at the same time, had rearranged it, so he could officiate a local game (he's a referee). So I thought this would be a good chance to go and see him in action, I also saw it as an opportunity to have a go at some sports photography. I've done a bit here and there, nothing ever more than casually. The game was between Diss and Felixstowe, so I contacted the home club, who more than happy for me to bring along a camera.

Sports photography has always fascinated me, I find it more and more common for me to watch photographers at a sports game, and see them at work on their laptops, processing images, and sending them off throughout the game, than sometimes the action on the pitch. Things have changed, and through the social world of Twitter, Norwich City send through images of the game for fans to follow as it happens. Luckily, I had a few days after the game to sort through what I shot. I trust my 6D for occasions like this, I have a modest telephoto lens though, so wasn't entirely sure how good my shots would be.

After the game, I sent my images off to Diss Town and Felixstowe & Walton United. They were both very kind and grateful, and even shared my images in their match reports. You can click on the team names to be directed to their websites.

I do think that if ever these opportunities arise again, I would love to go along to these games and shoot away. A thoroughly enjoyable game, and I'd love to photograph this sort of thing more.

Sally and James' Wedding

Sadly, this was our last wedding of the year, but what a way to finish off the year! Sally is good friends with Heather, and also a work colleague. We've been lucky enough to get to know the couple well over the last few years, so when I was asked to photograph their wedding, and Heather was asked to not only make the cake, but to be a bridesmaid, we knew this was going to be special.

A beautiful setting, with the church in the very picturesque town of Bruton, Somerset, and the reception held at Holbrook House, I did have a feeling this may be a very enjoyable wedding to photograph. We stayed in the area over the weekend, so had the chance to do a bit of a recce while we were there.

As always, below are a few teasers from the day, I will share more on here and my website later on. I particularly enjoyed playing around with my flash triggers while we shot some photographs in the evening, think I achieved some nice effects. I can't finish this without mentioning the trip to the dovecot after the ceremony, and trying to keep out the way of the cows!

Paul and Camilla's Wedding

I was fortunate to be asked to photograph a former work colleague's wedding this weekend, for what is to be my penultimate wedding of the year (unless we receive a last minute booking!).

The ceremony took place at Norwich Registry Office, which is at Churchman House, a very curious building, with wonderful detail inside (I will have to ask the wife to look into the history of the building).

A very relaxed event, which I have hopefully captured in the selection of photographs below. The more weddings I'm involved in, the more I enjoy these wonderful days, and they always throw up something I've never witnessed before. For Paul and Camilla's, it was the choice of music for the bride and groom leaving... the theme tune to Indiana Jones, absolutely brilliant!

Paris

Heather and I recently took a trip to Paris to belatedly celebrate her 30th, and prematurely celebrate our first wedding anniversary. We don't have the holiday later on in the year, so had to squeeze it in over a bank holiday.

I've been a few times, but not for a long while, and was great to share this wonderful city with Heather, who'd waited a life time to visit.