The Day Off that wasn’t! (with comments!!)

May 28, 2013Andrew 17 Comments

To be honest I am struggling to remember this morning but I do have some recollection of this afternoon. We went out delivering prints to the people we have photographed in the last 2 or 3 days. It brings a huge smile to the face of both giver and receiver when the photos are handed over. Such excitement! Far better than only storing them on a hard drive. It meant we did little ‘serious’ photography today but we are back in harness tomorrow. My afternoon task was to use only my 24mm Summilux. This is not the first lens I reach for in my bag. In fact it is probably the last of the four. All the more reason then to learn how to get more out of it.

If the internet allows me to post this you will see one image appears in both colour and monochrome. I am interested in views on which is the stronger image.

The Laughing Muslim Man

The Monk and his Growling Dog

Children in the Muslim Village

Children in the Muslim Village – monochrome

Ladies who have lunched

Naga – the seven serpent heads

Tomorrow we check out and head South on the next phase of our adventure workshop. We are all keen for new experiences and culture shocks to stimulate our photographic juices. I still have a lot of work to do with my 24mm lens. So farewell to Phnom Penh.

Apologies that the comments box is not showing. I have spent ages trying to work out why not but so far without joy. Comments are enabled so I am not sure what has happened.

Clicking into Cambodia gear

May 26, 2013May 27, 2013Andrew 35 Comments

As I thought, time has resolved the hardship of returning defeated. We had an extended session this morning in a local village. We arrived by 7am and might try an even earlier start tomorrow. Friendly people, busy shops and small markets, good light, all of these meant excellent opportunities. The children here have virtually nothing – some literally have no clothes. They run around and play alongside the chickens scratching in the dirt, the cats stretched out on the tables, dogs sniffing and growling for snacks (all fresh, no Kibble here) and lots of busy parents and grandparents. Some children had, I suspect, never seen a Caucasian face before. Remarkably they screech and laugh and rush you, eager to have their photograph taken, showing every sign of a happy childhood, unspoiled by computers, smart phones (surely an oxymoron?), PlayStations, or indeed any toys as far as we could see. The most obvious possession seemed to be the bicycle. Teenagers and adults were playing a Sunday game of volleyball, burning off what seem to be unlimited reserves of energy. We were stopped by a couple of Indians who were visiting a nearby mosque. They spoke no Khmer but were similarly enjoying the ambience even without a camera. We had a most agreeable chat before we each moved on.

Here then are some of the images from today. Maybe not prize winners but I was happy to be getting more familiar with my 24mm Summilux and shooting wide-ish and low at times. The X100s also had a bit of an air. The first 2 images are pre-breakfast and the rest from the village.

Girl and Scooter in the dawn light

Staring Eyes

Portrait of Girl

The Cat’s Carers

Woman and Child

We produced our first video presentations this morning and several of these went into to my 12 picks for the first 4 days. Selectivity is key to quality – without it the workshop loses its purpose. Tomorrow the F8 team has an official rest day. So the plan is to go out early before the rest day starts!!

Cambodia………. progress report

May 26, 2013Andrew 24 Comments

Well we are coming to the end of day three in Phnom Penh and soon we will be heading South. We are well settled in our hotel and making the most of the long days and dry weather. Humidity is not a problem here but hydration is essential. Lots of water is being drunk to keep us going. I always find I have to shoot myself in on these workshops. I can not flick a switch and see beautiful images in my mind. The first few days I have struggled to get what I want but not for the want of opportunities. Watching the experts shoot much of the knack is anticipation, getting in the right place in good time. Like birding, sometimes you wait for the picture to come to you. Slowly you get into the habit of looking all around the frame for incongruities, things that don’t belong in a strong image. The light can be challenging as the day wears on. Harsh sunlight creates strong contrast and dynamic range that will blow you either end of the histogram if you are not careful. Shadow becomes a prize.

Although I have not yet produced an image I am happy with I will offer a few shots that wriggled through the reject filter. I hope you find something to enjoy.