Archive for August, 2008
All Work and No Play?? Not Me!!
Due to my current position with the Tasmania Fire Service, I am given regular opportunities to get to some of the most beautiful, untouched and inaccessible parts of the state to carry out our work.
Places such as Millers Bluff in the Central Highlands, Mt Arthur in the North East, Mt Owen – overlooking Queenstown in the West and even atop the mountains surrounding Hobart.
Needless to say that my camera gear is one of the first things packed, and yes it does have “official” uses, taking pictures of our equipment and modifications and maintenance we have been doing. But it does also get a chance to capture some great scenery aswell.
Recently i had a trip to the top of Mt Faulkner, above the Northern Suburbs of Hobart and Derwent Valley to help the local electricity suppliers do their job (read the meter!!). Getting there consists of a fairly rugged 4WD track and a short walk to the top.
Here is the view of Hobart from Mt Faulkner
Hobart City from Mt Faulkner
This shot was a 9 Shot stitched panorama taken with Canon 400D and Canon 28-135mm lens and tripod.
Some of out other sites are accessible by Helicopter only, and if the weather is agains us we have to hike in, with tools and heavy equipment (generators, fuel, etc)
We recently had a trip where the weather closed in so fast that it was unsafe to fly the helicopter off the mountain. So the pilot had to tie it down and sleep in the Aircraft for the long cold night, while we hiked down in zero visibility on an unmarked track!! Good times!!
My Vintage Camera Equipment
Approximately 10 years ago my father was given an old (1950′s I believe) professional quality film SLR, buy his uncle.
We used it on a trip to Bathurst in 1997 and it took some amazing quality shots, for a man and his son, not knowing anything about photography, and also being unsure of the physical condition of the camera itself.
Since taking up photography as a more serious hobby recently, I have begun a process of teaching mself the finer points of using this piece of photographic history, and also shooting with film. somthing i probably haven’t done for 10 years.
The camera itself is an Exakta Varex VX (unsure of what series) built in East Germany, post WWII.
It also has a range of Carl Zeiss Lenses
-35mm F4.5
-50mm F2.8
-135mm F4
as well as Macro extension tubes, light meter, and different (interchangable) prism eyepiece.
Over the next few months, I hope to get my hands on some decent quality film and see what I can do with it.
But for now I’m just running off a few random shots on cheap film to get a feel for the settings and the machine itself.
I’ll keep you posted with the results when I have some that are worth sharing.
Candid Photography
I was at dinner over the weekend for a family-friends birthday, and of course i had the camera sitting on the table amongst the food.
Both myself and another guest are camera nuts, and we’ve both recently purchased new gear. I’ve got the Canon 400D and he’s got a larger and newer Olympus E-3, so we had a bit of show and tell amongst ourselves for the majority of the evening, and it was mosy enjoyable taking some great candid shots of everyone else.
I find great pleasure in taking “random” or “candid” photo’s at gatherings of family and friends, and having good equipment makes the task so much more enjoyable when you see nice sharp images that aren’t washed out, as you tend to find when taking photo’s with a point and shoot.
It just gives a nice feeling in a few months/ years time to look back on the images and remember what a great time was had.
One memory from the night, was our other photo-nut, trying to teach my (relatively) technologically-illetirate (de-facto) father-in-law how to use his new E-3, and a little about the basics of aperture settings and shutter-speed, and their effects on an image. All of this after a few glasses of “fizzy cordial” and during The Rolling Stones, rocking on in the background.
Here’s one of my fav’s from the night
With the DSLR market becoming much more affordable and easier to use with the introduction of very basic DSLR’s such as the new Canon 1000D which have a lot of the “gimmicky” features of point and shoot cameras, but they still give you access to the brilliant quality and speed of SLR lenses for every possible occasion.
This, accompanied by prices for a basic package that are equivalent to the top of the line point & shoots, means that it’s even more accessible to more people to be able to take great pictures, to make the memory of the event even more special.
And finally, another one of our new “pro”
All images shot with Canon 400D and 50mm F1.8
My Other Hometown
Since I can remember, my family has been holidaying and living at Eaglehawk Neck (Near Port Arthur) on the Tasman Peninsula, in SOuth East Tasmania. Apart from the usual tourist attractions, it is one of the most beautiful parts of the state, and I feel lucky to ahve a lot of frinds and family in the area.
However, I have never really taken a lot of photographs of the area.
Being somethng that you see frequently, you tend to take it for granted. However I do have a couple of images i’d like to share, but rest assured, I intend on bulking out this part of my portfolio in the coming months!!
Sunset Reflections over Norfolk Bay (South East Tasmania) Shot with Canon PowerShot S3-IS
My Hometown
I was born in Hobart and have lived here all my life,
so it seems fitting that i should share some of my photography from the local area.
I hope you enjoy viewing them.
Hobarts Bowen Bridge and it's reflections across the Derwent River at sunset. Shot with Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm.
Another angle of the bridge from the same day, looking south towards Hobart City.
Hobarts Bowen Bridge, reflecting the orange sunset glow. Driving home from work I was presented with the great colours and reflections, and as always, the camera was “riding shotgun”. Shot with Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm
Sunset on the way home from work one evening, shot looking North West of Hobart from Bowen Cove, site of the first landing by white settlers into Hobart in 1801.
Shot with Canon 400D, Canon EF 28-135mm
A shot steam being ejected from the “Zinc Works” zinc smelter on the banks of the River Derwent.
Shot with Canon PowerShot S3-IS, 30 Sec exposure, tripod, remote release
Thought i might add another one that I shot today before heading off to work.
Mt Wellington, capped in snow, as seen from Geilston Bay foreshore.
Shot with Canon 400D, EF28-135mm, tripod