I had liked the light in Lorna’s office when I had been in for meetings but when I went in this time it was pretty dismal. I ended up getting her to stand on the window ledge (on the inside!) The next obstacle was that she kept laughing – maybe…
Category: Photography
100 Portraits: Graham
The dreek weather and short days continue. This shot was taken at 1:10pm and that is a South facing window! I decided to use the interal lighting in the library rather than the window light and stood on a kick stool to try and get some light on Graham’s face….
100 Portraits: Elspeth
The light over the last week has been really rubbish. Although most of the shots I have been doing have been indoors it is surprising how dreek weather can also ruin the window light. I tried photographing Elspeth at her desk under artificial lights but the shots just weren’t working….
100 Portraits
Continue Reading
100 Portraits: David
David is leaving to work at another institute at the end of the month so was in a hurry to put things in order. I’m beginning to notice that when people feel rushed portraits don’t work so well but I’m really pleased with this one. You need to step outside…
100 Portraits: Stephan
I had warned Stephan I might catch him for a photo and he was very relaxed about it. He seems comfortable in his own skin. Stephan’s office is quite narrow with a massive North facing window so the contrast was low. This B&W conversion was done in Silver Efex. I…
100 Portraits: Louise
I was looking for David but found Louise – someone I had wanted to photograph but not warned yet. She has been getting into photography so was keen to be a victim. I dragged her away from her desk in a cluttered lab into the herbarium for a few minutes….
Old Bakehouse Ghosts
[php] wp_enqueue_script(‘ghost_fader’, ‘https://www.hyam.net/blog/wp-content/ghost_fader.js’); [/php] I’ve been having fun this weekend with a postcard that was posted in 1925. I think the image on the card was taken quite a bit earlier maybe even at the end of the 19th century. The scene is of Old Bakehouse Close, Edinburgh, off…
100 Portraits
Continue Reading
100 Portraits: Jimmy
I finally managed to get talking to Jimmy when he was free and I was free and the light was OK. We stepped outside to a covered area with soft light. Still a bit top heavy but not bad. I took about ten shots. There were two shots I liked,…
100 Portraits
Continue Reading
100 Portraits: Tamsin
I’m really pleased with today’s photo. Tamsin comes along to the meditation group on Fridays and for breakfast after. The room has two story South facing windows. At this time of year we finish up soon after dawn so the light can be really variable but is often incredible. I…
At Auchmithie
At Auchmithie, a photo by National Galleries of Scotland Commons on Flickr. I find this shot from the National Galleries collection strangely moving. It was taken in 1881 up the coast from Dundee. The older girl (a working women really) is wearing the apron of someone who processes fish (probably…
Edinburgh
Continue Reading
First attempt at rephotographing St Giles
This is a lovely postcard combined with a quick snap. I’ll have to go back when the Christmas lights are down and it maybe isn’t so crowded. I also need to find historic images in which people figure more prominently. It is people who are interesting after all!
Goal setting is good – even when you ‘fail’
[column-group] [column][/column] [column][/column] [/column-group] These are two photographs from my series of 100 Portraits in 2013. Sheila, my mother-in-law, is 86 years old and Mary, her granddaughter, is 18. These were among 48 portraits I made in 2013. I failed to make it even half way to 100 portraits but…
Rephotography – Making a Start
I have not blogged for a while. I’m not sure if the urge has left me or if I just haven’t found time. There seem to be too many words in the world so I’d like to move to doing more visual stuff and this tends to be sucked into…
When did you stop thinking you were beautiful?
After I photographed Morag she sent me this video clip. First time I have emedded an advert – but I think the message is good… you just don’t need too much soap! Cannes Gold Lion Winner 2013 Ciclops 2013 – Gold for Direction Kinsale Shark awards 2013 – Gold Directed…
Mark The Gingers Man
I’ve know Mark through work for years. He is a botanist working on Gingers (Zingiberaceae). He came into the office to ask for something and I asked in return if I could come up to his office and take his photo. The herbarium offices have big windows with blinds which…
100 Portrait Photos
I love my photography. Although I enjoy making close-up and landscape images what fascinates me most are portraits of people. I’d like to concentrate on this kind of photography from now on so, as an ice breaker, I have set myself the goal of photographing one hundred different people by…
Seton Collegiate Church
A Historic Scotland Property. Good For Learning about the history of the area – battle of Preston Pans is not far away. Also good to stop on the way past. Could form part of a walk up from the coast. Not So Good For A day out. There isn’t that…
Biodiversity Informatics
Continue Reading
Twenty Years And At Least Twenty Pounds Lighter!
A friend just sent this photo of me collecting Rhododendrons in SW China in 1994 – as good as twenty years ago. Looking in the mirror I think I need to loose some weight. Thin suited me better!
Nikon D80 Spotty Sensor
A couple of weeks ago I got my gorgeous Micro-Nikkor 55mm f2.8 serviced so that the diaphragm works again. A.J.Johnstone in Glasgow did a really nice service. I used to use this lens a lot for plant portrait work on Fuji Velvia. Some people say that 55mm is too short…
Mindful Portrait Photography – A Manifesto
I would like to reconnect with my photography but I would like to do it in a way that is informed by my Buddhist practice and that becomes part of that practice. This topic has been in the back of my mind for some time but has now crystallized into…
China 1994
These are the photos of my trip to China way back in 1994 that are hosted on Flickr. [AFG_gallery id=’1′]
Time Lapse – First Attempt
I spent several evenings last week trying to make an interval timer for shooting time lapse movies out of a Lego Mindstorms robotics kit. This involved several trips to Maplin and some soldering as well as learning to program in the weird drag and drop enviroment. I’d nearly finished when…
Blipfoto.com – Looks Like Fun
I have just been introduced to blipfoto.com. A photo journal where you upload an image a day. It has re-kindled my desire to take photos. It will be interesting to see how long it keeps my interest. There appear to be quite a few people who are addicted! I have…