Focus – The Inkwell

Out of Focus

Salford 19th June 2017

in response to wordpress photo challenge Focus

Here’s a Pic of A Greek Chapel, in Crete taken during a recent family holiday.

I played around with the depth of field in this shot – concentrating the focus on the chapel and the bench outside.

Being a chapel – I couldn’t take a shot of the inside. So i concentrated on the area around it!

Camera used was my Trusty Digital Stills Camera from Sony, additional tweaks to the Depth of field was done using Adobe photoshop elements.

And for those who wanted to see the original pic of the chapel – here it is….

Bokeh and Scotch Pancakes

Salford, 25th February 2017

I’m feeling rather happy today.

There’s a reason for this. As people know, I’ve been participating in photography classes whilst I get back on my feet

The classes take place at the Brain & Spinal injury centre off Eccles New Road, close by to the Neurological wing at Salford Royal Hospital (Hope)

Subject of the day : One China Cup – Soon to be lit up

I used my Sony Cybershot in the session – and the class put together a series of shots which (I thought) would look good on the screen.

Some came out blurry, whilst some – didn’t come out at all

I did this test shot, to make sure my camera was working with the lens filter. I quite like it, as it looked like it was snowing indoors!

eventually though – the lights began to appear through the lens. Having thrown the image off focus – the effect was finalised using a photoshop filter – glowing edges which created the colourfully lit bubbles rising from the teacup.

I was looking for rainbows today – and they appeared – thanks to a little bokeh magic.

I celebrated my achievement with a plate of scotch pancakes….but there will be more like this soon, so watch this space.

Lightlit Bubbles - Bokeh.jpg — Rainbow lights from a teacup – B.F Kirkham

Composing a Photo

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Ready, Set, Done.”

Ten Minutes to create the perfect image ?

There’s a couple of schools of thought on that one

The first – is the instamatic brigade – the point and shooters, take the shot there and then

– no messing with messy things like composition.

Click – Flash – Bang – and the photos taken

(and if you have a Polaroid camera – the print is pretty instant too)

The second – is the purist brigade – scenes have to be poised, framed and timed

The subject matter has to be just so – and the lighting positioned just right

Colours work wonderfully when they’re perfectly staged

but perfection takes time…if you sneeze (or your subject moves)..

That’s it – the frame of film’s been exposed to light – its gone

That’s probably why I like the digital age so much

You see I grew up with film – the point and click – and the 35mm crowd

afternoons stood outside Boots waiting for the pics to be developed

and the joy (or disappointment) of seeing those results

with Digital – i’m the processor! –

made a slip ? If i’m in the right mode – I can get that back

(so long as I press the right button)

So it might matter for a moment

Auntie Maud has the dog in her face that second

he’ll be gone in the turn of a dial..