Someone hand Katie a tissue.

Had a quick practice doing Lizzie's prom make up this afternoon and then some pics.  How beautiful is this girl?
















Katie is Lizzie's mum, she cries for England but most especially at photos of her kids, god love her!

Off camera flash course

Had a brilliant day yesterday on an off camera flash course - it started the day as a studio lighting course, which we got through in the morning so the off camera flash element was added in the afternoon - considering these are usually two seperate courses it was great that Gary, who was taking the course, was flexible - and generous - enough to tailor the day for the two of us taking the course.  And what's more he served as our model all day, poor sod!


This was taken using "proper" studio lighting, a blue gel and a honeycomb to create the "halo" of light effect.  





Still in the studio.


Then the studio went walkabout!  The one above and the rest are all taken with off camera flash - bloody brilliant results given the comparitive cost of the kit used, if you have a flash, some triggers, a tripod and, vitally, a light meter you could take these pictures.  I have now added a light meter to my shopping list.  I have secretly also added a Canon 5d and a 70-200m F4 to that list, but at around £600 for the camera and £400 for the lens I might have to wait some time for those sadly.


These last two are Gary's secret weapon in his wedding photo armoury!  Done well this effect is breathtaking - these photos really, really don't do it justice.  Am going to have to practice this.

Summertime!

No blue skies and strawberries here sadly!  Mind you if you go down the "every cloud" route it's not all bad.  This was great fun and I got to stand inside in the warm to take them - result!
















This last one is my absolute favourite.

Foxglove, hosta & geranium

Ten minutes with the camera; the perfect antidote to a stressful weekend.

More of the same tbh

This time I had a play with the light, bounced some flash off of coloured card and through coloured glass to see what would happen - this is what happened!









 

 

 

I reckon that was £3 well spent in Co-op on the saddest little bunch of gerberas you have ever seen!   As for the £540 lens that I got used for £226, seriously the best money I have ever spent.

That said most people buying a macro lens are using it to take a bugs eye view of things.  This is the reason I am not.
 
Lol, how crap is that!

Gerbera on a coloured background

Bored yet?

 


 

Enough already! I am off now to buy some sweets.  To photograph.  Watch this space for a million irritating close ups of Skittles.  Bet  you can hardly wait!

Lily May Smith

We had a visitor this afternoon!
 

Ness - you were my excuse today!

Possibly not quite what you meant when  you said you wanted a pic of a foxglove!!







I'll take plenty more over the weekend!

Macro test

Literally out of box and onto camera, no tweaking in Lightroom, I love this lens!  That said lots of learning to be done and cracking out the tripod is looking like a must too.

 

 











Cant wait to have a proper play with this when I have more time!

It's an hour later and I am back!  Basically if it's not really ugly, can't run off and wont swear at me it's getting photographed! 
 











These are the sort of photos I have wanted to take since I got my camera; the sort I'd buy printed onto a nice big canvas.  I am GIDDY right now!