January 30th, 2012
One of the rewarding things about being patient at this time of year is that once in a while a sunny cloudless day will come along. One such day popped up on the calendar at the end of last week.
Days like that really lift your spirits if you have a camera in hand and – although I was lucky enough to have a busy work diary – the locations I was working in allowed me to grab a few minutes to add a couple more shots to my Cambridge photo stock library.
I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve photographed the iconic Cambridge landmark of King’s College Chapel, but I always seem to find yet another unvisited angle for me to view it from … and long may it continue.
Yesterday was January photo workshop and despite the chill brought about by the approaching Arctic front there was a warm glow of friendship as the five participants entered the spirit of the day and threw themselves into six hours of photo talk and practical. We were rewarded by a rather moody sunset pushing its way through very heavy and cold winter clouds and scratching its rays finger-like over the silhouetted wildfowl-covered lake … way to go.
Flicking through my junk e-mails, I see a photo mag is asking me to subscribe … no chance seeing that it is owned by the same group whose local newspapers division is currently trying to force both staff and freelance photographers to sign a rights grabbing contract. Really winds me up … the copyright laws are there to ensure that photographers are able to make a fair income – as such, in my opinion they should be respected by all sides.
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, East of England, Environment, Environmental Photography, Nikon, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photo Lesson, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Professional Photographer Cambridge, Sunlight, University of Cambridge, Weather | Comments Off
January 19th, 2012
In years to come, today may well be recalled as the day that digital photography became of age. The once all-encompassing photographic brand Kodak may well be breathing its last breaths – a giant slayed by the progress of digital. For me there will be a tinge of sadness if Kodak departs from the world of image-making – all of today’s photographers owe a small debt of gratitude to founder George Eastman who made photography affordable for the masses with his creation of the Kodak Brownie.
Prior to its introduction, a trip to the local studio for a formal portrait was the closest that most of our ancestors would have got to a camera. During my apprenticeship it would have been unthinkable that Kodak would ever be in its current predicament.
During the 1980s – a very profitable period for the company – I attended events at the 20-storey Hemel Hempstead office – long abandoned and now transformed into flats – and formed some long-standing friendships among some of the staff, who made up a tiny part of the global 145,000 workforce .
Whilst on the subject of the fast-moving world of digital IT, I’ve returned to Facebook and hope to remain stalkerless this time round .. you can join me there on Philip Mynott Photographer.
Tags: Kodak
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, Cycling, East of England, Education Photograph, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Portrait photography, Press, Professional Photographer Cambridge | Comments Off
January 11th, 2012
Just returned from a photo trip to Asia … it really does appear to be the fastest growing powerhouse of the globe, although it still has a long way to go to catch up with the US. Despite the current problems, the US dollar was the preferred currency in every transaction I had with retail outlets in Hong Kong, Bali and Kuala Lumpur!
The Pacific Rim is a great part of the world to visit with a camera … nobody appears to shy away when you point a camera in their direction, making it a very rewarding destination for street photography.
With the evident current rapid pace of change, it may not be long before a lot of the current charm of the cities will be lost under souless concrete and hidden under a belching air of pollution – this is a personal observation rather than criticisms based on scientific fact.
I took this portrait of a scaffolder working high above the ‘manic’ streets of Hong Kong … I like the contrast between the modern high-rise building environment and the traditional use of bamboo and it appears that “health and safety” is yet to appear in this cigarette-puffing construction worker’s day.
Photography equipment was, depressingly, a lot cheaper in every part of Asia we visited. However, there is the matter of guarantee to consider if the item was to fail, although with the efficiency of digital-based camera gear these days this may not happen, so it really comes down to how much of a ‘speculative’ risk-taker you are. As my gear was already pushing baggage allowance limits and with a number of flights to take, it was a decision that was sadly already made for me.
One of the rewarding aspects, I sometimes take for granted, on returning home from long-haul travel, is the appreciation I gain from knowing how lucky I am to be living in this part of the globe.
Tags: Street Photography
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, Environment, Environmental Photography, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Professional Photographer Cambridge | Comments Off
December 14th, 2011
Here’s a simple composition, which – I think – looks dramatic.
It’s a tightly framed shot of a security detail on a fence – which is tasked in preventing scallywags from trespassing by entering via the brook. The image is given an almost graphic effect by the strong backlit light source. The out of focus highlight of the plants and brook add some depth to the look of the photo.
I do like the almost hidden outline of the dead flowerheads which are in focus (foreground left). This really was a occasion for experimenting with both depth of focus and camera position to exploit the best angle of composition. Usually I want to show as much detail as possible in any black within my photographs – but this is one of those rare times when I wanted to achieve the opposite result.
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, Environment, Environmental Photography, Flora and Fauna Photoraphy, Landscape Photography, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photo Lesson, Photographer Cambridge, Photography, Professional Photographer Cambridge, Still Life, Sunlight, University of Cambridge, Weather, Winter | Comments Off
December 10th, 2011
There is something special about trees, whatever the time of year. I’ve known these giants pictured here since my childhood – and every time I pass them they always look different – and isn’t that the beauty of light? It’s always changing so it doesn’t matter how well you know a location; at varying times of the year you get to see it with new eyes.
I just love the way that yesterday’s winter sunshine emphasised the canopy with its interwoven shadows. Using an ultra wide angle lens exaggerates the scale of tree against the background of buildings and by viewing it from a low angle amplifies the effect – the railings in the foreground, right, add to the effect. I’ve been branching out (see what I’ve done there) so you can follow me as photoCambridge on Twitter.
Posted in Cambridge, Camera Equipment, East of England, Environment, Environmental Photography, Landscape Photography, Nikon, Nikon D3S, Philip Mynott Photographer, Photographer Cambridge, Portrait photography, Press, Professional Photographer Cambridge, Sunlight, Weather, Winter | Comments Off