Shrewsbury Revisited

After my workshop on Saturday, there was a problem with my camera so it has had to be sent away for repairs for anything up to 4 weeks!! So I am feeling completely bereft and don't quite know what to do with myself. Photography has been the key behind the brand new adventurous me and I really don't want to be without it for long.

So, time to resurrect my old point and shoot camera that I used before I got a "grown up" camera. It has the enormous aperture range of 4.2 to 7.3, won't shoot RAW and doesn't have a viewfinder, only a live view screen. However, I thought it would help me to focus on the composition, knowing that there was little I could do with the camera to change things.

Still it's better than nothing, so out I go again. The idea is to retrace the route Richard and I took on our workshop. However, easily distracted by something shiny, saw the following in a field on the way in.

Please forgive the quality of the pictures, as it really is a very basic camera.

So I get to where we met up and followed our route, except that I didn't because I got completely lost. I can only explain it by the fact that I was listening so intently to what I was being taught that I didn't pay any attention to where I was going. I may have mentioned it before, but navigationally challenged is in the title for a reason!

I ended up crossing a fabulous toll bridge that I hadn't seen before. This led up a hill into a lovely posh residential area with some very pretty houses.

It was actually really nice just to wander around not really knowing where I was but having every confidence that I couldn't be too far from town and if the worst came to the worst, I could always just retrace my steps.

Funnily enough, it was actually quite liberating knowing that I couldn't do anything to the camera. I put in on auto (yes I know, I'm sorry) and let it sort itself out. I then had to get myself lined up properly and visualise how the picture would look. I think we can get so wrapped up in shutter speeds, apertures, ISO and everything else you can do that it is easy to forget composition. Unfortunately my screen on the camera isn't very good, so many of the pictures were a bit pot luck, and quite a few won't make it past Lightroom!

Normally when I go out photographing I have my 10lb backpack with spare lenses, filters, tripods, cleaning equipment, remote and all the other bits and pieces you need. Today, I put the camera in my pocket!

Eventually found my way back to known territory and walked along the river.

I have noticed when looking at the photos that I haven't done an awful lot of "thing" photography which was what the course was about. I think that is a mindset that I still haven't got into yet. I am hoping when Bob (my youngest named the camera) returns, I can have another go as I really want to be able to do that. Most of the photos I took are the type of thing I typically take, but a couple are a bit different, so baby steps!

Lessons Learned: It was a valuable lesson to be out and about without my Canon and what did I learn from it? That I don't want to be out and about without my Canon!

Diet Diary: How can I think about dieting without my camera, can't you see I'm upset and cake is the only thing that helps with the pain.

Shrewsbury - experimenting

So I did it. The hair is now pink and when I get a better picture than the selfie I put on Facebook, I will show you. Now I feel different inside and look different outside. Its been good for me I think, as I have found that I have had to dig deep and bring out some self confidence to pull it off! I'm walking tall and I'm done apologizing for who I am!

OK, so deep philosophical stuff out the way, back to the important stuff, photography!

I am pleased with how my landscape photography is progressing. I feel that although I am not there yet, I am heading in the right direction and have a general idea of where I need to improve.

However, I am clueless when it comes to more detailed photography. Taking photographs of "things" and making it interesting. I arranged an afternoon workshop with a fabulous local photographer Richard Hammerton (see my photographers who inspire section for a gallery of his work).

We walked around Shrewsbury and Richard encouraged me to look at things in a different way. Whereas I tend to shoot the whole, straight on and stepped back, he suggested I look at things from a different angle and to focus on the texture and interest in the detail.

It certainly changed the emphasis of the walk, I found I was looking at things a lot more closely, and elements were registering that I would simply have walked past before.

He taught me that there are 3 basic elements to look at to make a photo work: light, subject and composition. If 2 are right chances are it's a good photo, if 3 are, it has the potential to be a great photo. 

Rather than just point and shoot, it made me think more about what is the focal point of the picture, where is the light coming from and what effect is that having on the subject and the background. How do I want my subject to sit in the frame and how important do I want the background elements to be.

Now I know that these aren't great photos, I have a long way to go before getting there, if I ever do, but I am enjoying the learning curve of trying something new. So thank you Richard, for an enjoyable and very informative workshop.

Lessons Learned: You can miss so much beauty and drama in this world by only looking at the "pretty" stuff. Take time to really look at what is around you.

I Love Pink Hair!!!

Diet diary Ok, so back on track now.
Camera bag 1: 6 1/4lb down, 3 3/4lb to go
Camera bag 2: not started yet

Ellesmere

Maisie, my youngest daughter, has singing lessons in Ellesmere for half an hour on a Monday evening and I usually sit in the car outside with my Kindle. However, the light was completely perfect and I was only a hop, skip and jump away from the Mere, so I decided to see what was happening there. I decided to travel light and only took the camera.

Any darker and I would have needed the tripod, but I think I just about got away with it, taking the ISO up to 800.

The Mere was covered in gulls of some sort. I really can't tell the difference between birds which I think comes with being brought up a Townie. Now that I am all "outside with nature" I really should learn a bit more. However, I do know that that is a swan in the foreground!

Whenever I plan a trip, I am always heading out for the mountains, or the coast and it is sometimes easy to forget what is on the doorstep and Ellesmere is truly beautiful.

Lessons Learned: There's no place like home, there's no place like home.