Some time in Hertford on my birthday

[[Geoff Slocock]]

The weather was mostly sunny, although at this time it had been raining. This result is some what beyond my wildest dreams. The location is known as Castle Weir.



I have stacks more of serviceable shots and it's going to take time to go through them. The ISO was at the lowest setting below 200. Shutter 1/160 aperture f 4.8. I think a really low shutter speed would not have really worked so well in this shot because there is a texture that might have been lost in the "ectoplasm".

[Spike]

(12-01-2012 10:17 PM)Geoff Slocock Wrote:  The weather was mostly sunny, although at this time it had been raining. This result is some what beyond my wildest dreams. The location is known as Castle Weir.

(Duplicate of earlier image automatically replaced with url, in this instance.)

I have stacks more of serviceable shots and it's going to take time to go through them. The ISO was at the lowest setting below 200. Shutter 1/160 aperture f 4.8. I think a really low shutter speed would not have really worked so well in this shot because there is a texture that might have been lost in the "ectoplasm".

Really nice shot Geoff, I like that a lot.

[[Geoff Slocock]]

In the Hertford Theatre foyer, I asked permission and took copies of all the prints on the wall. The top right hdr (or tone mapped version) is the scene I was shooting. Also, they have the desirable vantage points for shooting, beside the weir. Since last Summer I have visited this location several times. I used to think too it would be nice to get back in winter, when the river is in spate.

So I have spent time thinking and researching to fulfil a sort of personal ambition.

Yes, Spike, I could not believe my eyes when I developed it a moment ago. Somehow, I have captured the frothing or boiling of that water.

I moved backwards and forwards taking shots of the weir and in the foyer, drinking my coffee. The skylight caught my eye...



I must say this compares favourably with sweating over a red hot server, back at home!!

[[Geoff Slocock]]

I have made maybe five visits to this locality since about February of last year. Many of my tries at shots have involved me in improving technique. The high vantage point over Castle Weir have involved perspective adjustments, for example. Partly because of knowledge of the locality and prior awareness of the photography opportunities I took about eighty shots, even after removing the duds.

I got my first serious digital camera, a S960, four years ago. And I reckon this last year has been the year when my technique has improved the most. The Nikon D90 deserves some of the credit... it is a highly acclaimed camera and is acknowledged to be a camera that makes learning that little bit easier, because of ease of use.

[[Geoff Slocock]]

[[Geoff Slocock]]

So this is a closer shot of the reference picture of Castle Weir, hanging in the wall in the theatre foyer.

You can see the mound of the early Norman mott and bailey castle. This is a brooding interpretation; and I didn't have many clouds on that day. This was also taken at a slower shutter seed than the shots I took. A noticeable amount of pin cushion distortion and my 18-105 lens can do that!

[[Geoff Slocock]]

This work is by Nigel Lomas. I suspect very much that he overlays these dark brooding skies... but very effective art it is!

I think the location is in The Bull Run; next time I'm in Hertford, I will try to find it! Or I guess I could ask one of three girls that work in the theatre foyer! Some sort of fancy coffee, it was... oh, yes, a cappuccino!

BTW. I've just read the display card on the earlier picture... a Nigel Lomas, too. I am even more sure the skies are added in as layers and blended in.