Scout Images

I was up well before dawn this morning, chasing the sunrise. This took me to Long Reef on the Northern Beaches where I joined a small gathering of photographers out on the rocks amongst the waves. What does one take on an expedition like this?

Clothing wise, dress for warmth. I go with layers, and lots of them, thermals, cotton T-shirt, jumper and then a waterproof jacket.  Footwear wise I went with my battered Nike Free runners, but I really should invest in some surf boots as these would keep my feet much warmer.

Why am I talking about clothing when your all probably more interested in the photographic gear used? In short, you want to be mobile so therefore you will need only the bare essentials. In my case it is the Nikon D300 + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, tripod and Grad ND filters. I chose to use my Lowepro Inverse200AW so I didnt have to take off my bag to get to my gear. My Tokina 10-17, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 and Tamron 70-300mm also came for the trip but weren’t used.

I have had a very busy, but enjoyable weekend highlighted by not one, but two days spent hiking and the final night of Vivid Sydney 2010.

First off it was off to Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park for a day of light hiking. Having just written a post about going back to basics I was feeling a bit guilty about that poor D300 sitting around not doing too much so I lugged that and a few lenses for the day. Also in the bag for the day was my reliable Tamron SP 17-50mm f /2.8 as well as a few other lenses. Most importantly I decided to grab my Cokin filter set (ND Grads). We did two hikes, neither being very long, but the most rewarding photographically was the short 1km walk down the America Bay, where we were treated to a spectacular view that is not typical Australia.

The next day, instead of sleeping in and resting we headed out to La Perouse, to explore Bare Island and then headed onto the Henry Head Scenic Walk. I am less happy with the photos from the day, but it was still great to get out there and take pictures. I took the D60 and the 16-85mm VR with the Cokin filters (which I didn’t end up using) and didnt actually feel like I was restricted at all. In many ways I feel that I am now more in tune with the D60 than I am with the D300.

By this point in time, any sane person would be headed home to rest before having to go to work the next day, but not me. I got a call from a friend who had not been able to get out to Vivid Sydney, and it was the last night of the festival, so I could not refuse the invitation. Now I have mentioned Vivid Sydney a few times, but have yet to share photos. In short I have been collecting my photos from the festival until the end before bombarding you with a few of my favourites. As a whole I have to admit that the festival was not as good as it was last year, but it did have some highlights for me. Over the last year I have managed to accumulate a few lenses that and skills that I didn’t have last year so the pictures are not at a loss. That Tokina AT-X DX 10-17mm Fisheye certainly has proved its worth.

Waking up well before dawn, when it is freezing cold, heading to a beach, then rock hopping in the dark whilst carrying a tripod and a bag full of camera gear does not excite many. The early start, the chill and the stumbling around in the dark would put off most, however this morning I headed out to Clovelly in the company of two friends with one thing on our minds. SUNRISE.

Like most landscape photos, it is the ones that are off the beaten track that look the best, so the rock hopping is mandatory. With the tide due to come in, our window of opportunity is tight. The conditions were not perfect, but being there was worth it.

So what does one take on a sunrise shoot? I took my Nikon D300, Tokina AT-X 10-17mm Fisheye, Tamron SP 17-50mm f/2.8, Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Manfrotto 055 ProB + 322RC2, Phottix Cleon, Phottix Geo One, Cokin ND filters, C-Pol filters and most importantly my Wolfeyes Defender 260. Despite all the gear, it is the torch that is probably the most vital, it is the one that will light your way in the dark, it is the one that will help people see you if you run into trouble.

The pictures? The experience? PRICELESS. There is a sense of satisfaction gleaned from the early morning, the cold, the wet (I soaked my shoes and pants in a rockpool) when you get to see nature at its best.

I was recently up in the Blue Mountains, with a few intentions. To get away from reality, to get out there and take in some of the beautiful landscapes that are so close to us here in Sydney, and to try to re-shoot some of my lost photos (refer here).

So what does one bring on a trip like this? I didnt actually think too hard but settled for a quality over convenience kit, which in many ways I probably regret (the weight made me not so happy whilst we were hiking).

• Nikon D300
• AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8
• AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR
• AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8
• Tokina AT-X 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 Fisheye
• Nikon SB-400
• Phottix Geo One
• Phottix Duo Cable
• Cokin P-Series ND4
• Cokin P-Series ND8
• Lowepro Fastpack 350

Some Panorama action (Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8 + Cokin ND4 + Cokin ND8)

Some HDR action (Tokina 10-17mm, 7 frames)

I had an interesting day photographically. This morning I headed over to a friends place to have my widened by the many different coffee’s available. Being an occasional coffee drinker, I knew there were different types of coffees but didnt realise how different they are.

Much later this evening I shot my friends car. This car has been his pride and joy for the last 18months slowly being converted from a stock standard Peugeot 206 to a mean little show car with a bark and a bite that he has dubbed the “GTX”. However he is moving on and will be selling the car to finance something a bit larger and more practical to his changing needs. For these photos I used a variety of lenses (AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, Tokina 10-17mm fisheye) on my Nikon D300. Lighting was provided by my trusty Wolfeyes Defender 260 and my SB-800 and SB-600 speedlights.

It has been a while since I have uploaded anything (well 9 days in fact) so I thought I would share some of the adventures that I have been up to.

Yesterday, I headed to the Australian Museum to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, which included an interactive photo studio component this year. Armed with my Nikon D60, Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.8 and Sigma 180mm f/3.5 Macro I headed in. A prime kit? Between these two lenses I have everything I want, from close focus ability to candid captures, throw in the SB-400 and the Phottix Duo Cable I am ready to take on anything.

That evening I attended the DSLRusers/ex-SURCAS/current SURCAS fire night, an event that I had organised with the help of my friends from SURCAS. Although I was officially there as part of the photographic party, I was too tempted with the thoughts of playing with fire and spent a fair bit of time with the staff in hand. My D300 spent most of the night in the company of the Tamron SP 17-50mm f/2.8 and my Manfrotto 055 Pro B/322RC2 combo. The Tokina 10-17 fisheye and Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR also made appearances.

Just thought I would share some of the dodgy photos I took on New Years Eve and some that I took today whilst at Mamak with my baby Fuji F100fd.

I have to admit that I have often underestimated my needs, and NYE 2009 was just another occaision. I was thinking travel light, travel discreetly, so as a result I kept my gear to the smallest, most unassuming kit that I could. This resulted in:

• Nikon D60 – light and unassuming
• Nikkor AF-D 50mm f/1.8 – small and light, BUT manual focus on a D60
• Nikkor AI 135mm f/2.8 – small and light, BUT manual focus and no metering on a D60
• Tokina AT-X 10-17mm fisheye – small and light, BUT manual focus on a D60
• Nikon SB-400
• Nikon ML-L3
• Phottix Duo Cable
• Joby Gorillapod (Thanks Mr Ken)

With this kit, I assumed that any fireworks images would not be a big problem, unless I wanted a longer exposure to get trails (which you would when your friends are doing so). But this was not my largest problem, whilst setting up for the midnight fireworks down at Darling Harbour, a group of young ladies asked us to take a few pictures of them (using their compacts). After the fireworks we took a few more photos for theses ladies, afterwhich we asked if they wanted us to take some photos for them using our cameras (they will be getting their photos soon). This is when I found myself caught short, really short. The AF-less lenses that I had with me were fine up until that point, but for portraiture they proved to be a nightmare, esepecially since my saving grace (the SB-400 on the Phottix Duo Cable) required a hand to hold off camera. In the end I had to borrow my mates 18-200 and eventually comandeer his D90 (Sorry Mr Jod).

Here are some of my dodgy, hand held fireworks images (I used the Joby for some of the Ferris Wheel shots).

As I have mentioned earlier, I was at Mamak today and took a few images of what I ate. I have to admit that they make a damn good Roti, and I am addicted to their Sambal. These were taken with my now found again Fuji F100fd.

It has been a busy few days for me, with Christmas coming up I have been working more in my retail day job but this has not meant that I have not been able to find time to pursue my photographic interests.

Firstly, I wanted to share some photos that were taken over the last few days, whilst heading into the city and USYD at night and then Mittagong the following day.

After this I swapped a lot of my Nikon gear for some Canon gear (refer here for the status of my kit including loan gear) to brush up on my Canon usage in preparation for some workshops requested by some Canon users. So I was out and about with a 400D and some lenses today.

You may have noticed that I have been very busy and have not been posting much over the last fortnight (until last night that is) so I thought I would apologise once more and share with you images of my recent travels.

Firstly, I headed off to Kanangra Boyd National Park (beyond the Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves) with members of my old lab group from USYD. This was not a photographic expedition, but rather a scientific field trip to collect lizards to continue the work on the evolution of viviparity (live birth) – yes this was the broad subject for my honours year. As it was not a photographic trip, I restricted myself to bringing only my Fuji S5 Pro (the D300 was still with Nikon Australia), Tamron SP 17-50mm f/2.8 and Phottix Geo One.

Soon afterwards (literally a two day break) I headed off to Kiama with some friends for an overnight getaway. However, the weather was not quite smiling down upon me so I did not get a lot of good photos. With me on this trip I brought along my Nikon D60, Nikon F80 (shooting Velvia 50), SB-400, Phottix Duo Cord, Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 as well as the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye.

Then after a single day at home, I headed down to Hobart for a four day trip. This trip was meant to be pretty photo intensive, so between myself and my younger sister we had the entire kitchen sink bringing the, Fuji S5 Pro + Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, Sigma 180mm Macro, Nikon D60, Nikon F80 (shooting Velvia 50 and Superia 200), Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8VR, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Tokina 10-17mm fisheye, as well as the Phottix Duo Cord, Phottix Geo One and my trusty Nikon SB-400. This four day trip can be roughly split between four events:

Mt Wellington – standing behind Hobart, this landmark provides some great views of the city and surrounds

Cascade Brewery – Australia’s oldest continuously operating brewery, a great tour and some great drinks, I really enjoyed their Mercury Cider and the Cascade Lager (only available in TAS).

Bruny Island – untouched wilderness, some animal encounters and a hell of a ride in a 1400Bhp, 14m boat.

Salamanca Markets – a must see, a mix of craft and food and a great way to spend a day

I have only posted digital images taken with the D60 (as my younger sister was using the S5 Pro) with film images from the Superia 200 and the Velvia 50 to come if I have time.

Lastly, I thought I would share a few images from today’s bittersweet adventure where I welcomed back my trusty D300 but my good friend lost her D80.

Just thought I would post a few new pictures. These were taken on my Nikon D60 using my Nikkor AI 135mm f/2.8. This combination results in a lightweight camera with an amazing portrait lens, but you are left without any form of metering. A solution to this is an implementation of the “sunny 16″ rule. In this case, 800 ISO, f/2.8 and 1/100 sec did the trick.

I also reworked one of the fisheye images (from the Tokina 10-17mm) from my last post in Capture NX2 to remove the distortion, just to see how it would looked.