From Freezing Cold To Red Hot

Hello again pop-pickers!

Last night I trudged up Penshaw Hill to take some low-light shots of the Monument with my Canon 7D and wide-angle lens. The new lens got a run out at the same location recently, but that was in broad daylight.

The steep steps on the hill were covered in ice so I walked up the grass verge instead, not wanting to go 'Arse over tit' like the last time I was there. During the climb, I only stopped for breath on twelve occasions, which is a record these days, he he. Glad to reach the summit, I stopped for a few minutes and caught my breath back, whilst taking in the view. Another photographer passed me, saying 'Allreet mate' as he went. A Nikon user, by the look of things.

I set my gear up and raked in the side pocket of my bag for the remote control unit. Silly bugger has left it in the house, hasn't he! Oh well, self-timer here I come...six and two three's. Running off a dozen frames or so, I quickly packed up and headed back down the hill. I was bloody numb from head to toe!!!! Was it all worth it, I asked myself. Seems like I got some decent shots, so maybe it was worth it after all.

Back into the car and off to collect my pre-ordered Indian takeaway from nearby Shiney Row. Soon back in the house and sat down with Chicken Vindaloo, plus all the trimmings. From being half frozen I was now sweating profusely. Jesus H - maybe I shoulda' played safe and opted for a Kurma instead, he he.

As I write this blog entry, the morning after, I'm still suffering. Aye, it feels like someone has given my backside the 'Once Over' with a frickin' blowtorch!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well, I hope you like the photo. Must dash, another 'One foot plunge' beckons!

Ash

My First Shots Of 2011 - Newcastle Quayside

Happy New Year!
As we enter a new year and a new decade I hope to bring you more photography from the North-East of England, a place that's full of opportunity behind the lens. Being born and bred in Sunderland, and a keen supporter of the 'Red And White Army', my affinity with Newcastle is almost non-existant, especially where football is concerned. However, as an amateur photographer who partakes in plenty of low-light photography, Newcastle Quayside is one place that is hard to beat when it comes to subject matter. Directly opposite, on the south side of the River Tyne, is Gateshead Quay's, which also offers an abundacnce of photo opportunities. It is on this side of the water that you'll find the Baltic Arts Centre & Sage Gateshead. Looking up the River Tyne you're presented with a series of bridges, which include the Tyne Bridge, Swing Bridge, Redheugh Bridge and Railway Bridge.

Arriving at the Sage car park at 4.20pm, I was set up a few minutes later near the Baltic Arts Centre. The sun was down but there was still plenty of colour in the sky, just where I wanted it, behind the imposing Tyne Bridge. From here I took this first shot of the Millennium Bridge, glowing red before it changed colour every few seconds. The sky was just right - something that's been lacking these past few nights.

It wasn't long before I was standing on the Millennium Bridge and photographing up stream, towards the Sage Gateshead and Tyne Bridge. A four second exposure captured this second shot (shown here), with a brilliant sky offering the perfect backdrop. I really like this shot, as the subtle colours in the sky sit nicely behind the silhouetted Tyne Bridge. I purposely lost some of the sky and water in post-processing to give a tighter crop, which improves the overall image. The shot is now finished in a panoramic format and looks much better than the original uncropped composition.

As my first shot was taken at Gateshead Quay's, followed by one in the middle of the river (on the bridge, I hasten to add), there was only one place left to photograph from. So, my third and final shot in this blog entry was captured across the water on Newcastle Quayside, near the Pitcher & Piano pub. The Millennium Bridge was now changing colour every ten seconds or so, on a repetative loop, from yellow, green and blue, through to purple and red. After a few repetitions it then changed to a variety of colours, in a kind of 'Rainbow' formation. Each colour was thrown out by separate spotlights at the foot of each side of the Millennium Bridge. It certainly made for a great shot!

This place has plenty to offer the photographer. I intend to revamp my 'Newcastle Quayside At Night' page on my website in the next two or three weeks, as I intend to replace some of the images on there with brand new ones. The new stuff will be photographed very soon, as I'll be making a few more journey's to the Quayside in the next few days. This will be all low-light work, although there's a possibility of some daytime shots thrown in for good measure.

And that's about it for now, folks. I hope you like my latest shots, I'm very pleased with them myself. The Canon wide-angle lens comes up trumps again! Thanks for visiting my blog, and don't forget to bookmark my web site, where I will be performing the usual regular updates.

Until the next time, night night all!

Ash

Last Shots Of The Decade!

2010 came to a close and I was in the city of York once again, just like last New Year's Eve. A part of the afternoon was set aside for another visit to York Minster, which is a photographer's dream. The interior achitechture is every bit as stunning as the exterior, plus there was the added bonus of staying warm indoors! A typical winter day outside, so a few layers kept the cold at bay once again. I still had my entrance ticket from last year in my camera bag, so I dodged the £8 entrance fee as the ticket ensured free entry for a full year. Just one day left on my ticket, so in I went.

Now, this is one venue that I couldn't wait to visit again, especially as I was fully equipped with my new Canon wide-angle lens. This lens is tailor made for places like this, so I wasted no time in putting it to the test. I kicked off proceedings by setting my gear up in the Nave, next to the main doors. Out came the Manfrotto tripod, followed by the attachable ball head grip. I set up the 7D and got to grips with the settings before running off a few test shots using the remote control. The lens was right back on 10mm, super wide mode, giving an excellent preview through the viewfinder. There were a few people walking past now and again, but this didn't affect the finished shot, provided they kept on the move.

The lens pulled in some great shots, around thirty in total, which were quite different from the last lot I took in York Minster. With columns at every turn I was expecting some distortion when using the super wide-angle setting, but none was present and the shots couldn't have been better, to be honest.

Just how this place was crafted all those centuries ago is anyone's guess. Who needs modern technology? Naturally, any photographs taken in this building will be packed with detail, and the shots I've uploaded here are no exception. To say each shot is 'Very busy' is an understatement. I was very pleased with these shots as they succeed, in some small way, in demonstrating the sheer scale of the cathedral. The size and ornate detail of the interior is quite awe-inspiring. For me, the best thing about York Minster is that photography is allowed inside. Many churches and cathedrals hold a strict NO PHOTOGRAPHY policy, which is understandable, especially during service hours, but for me this is a perfect opportunity to capture and archive York Minster in photographic form. You just never get sick of looking at this type of photograph. Of course, there's so much to see in the Minster and I feel that I've merely 'Scratched the surface' during this recent visit. I dare say I'll be back quite soon, to explore the Chapter House and other area's of the Cathedral that I never got to see. Who knows, I might even have a dodge up the tower!

Ash

(Click an image to reveal extra large version)

An Angel At Christmas Time

I don't know what it is that draws me to the Angel Of The North. I usually get edgy when heading down the A1 towards Newcastle, especially if I've forgotten to get my jabs off my GP beforehand, he he.

This location is the gateway to the North-East of England, as thousands of motorists pass through it each day. Since spreading its wings in February 1998 Antony Gormley's Angel of the North has become one of the most talked about pieces of public art ever produced. Rising 20 meters from the earth near the A1 in Gateshead, the Angel dominates the skyline, dwarfing all those who come to see it. Made from 200 tonnes of steel, it has a wingspan of 54 metres. Getting up close and personal with the Angel is an experience you'll not forget in a hurry! Apparently, the Angel is as tall as four double-decker buses and its wingspan is as big as a jumbo jet. Ah well folks, ya learn summat new every day, eh.

Anyway, enough of the details. Today I made the relatively short journey to the Angel with my son Christopher, who is 9 years old. We done a bit of sledging at the site as the sun was about to set. A good laugh was had. It was back to the car for a quick snack in front of the heaters before returning to the Angel for some photography. The little fella shadowed me as I ran off a few frames, but I wasn't expecting much patience from him in such freezing conditions, so it was 'Job done' and back to the car once again.

This was my first crack at the Angel with my new wide-angle lens. Great stuff once again! The whole wide-angle effect is shaping up very nicely, ta. Some nice colours in the sky shortly after sunset, which gave me an opportunity to grab some nice shots with visitors in the frame. As cold as it was, it's always worth waiting for people to enter the frame as this lends a sense of scale to the whole 'Angel vs people' scenario. Also, I was metering off the highlights in the sky, which in turn threw the Angel and people into silhouette, which finished the shot off brilliantly...in my humble opinion, of course. The second shot (illustrated here) shows my son posing in an angelic fashion, he he, which is something he is very good at...but only on request! Anyway, you get the general idea of scale with this shot.

And that's about it for now folks.
I'll be back soon - Thanks for visiting!
Ash

Penshaw Monument - A Wider Perspective

More recent shots in the snow. Canon 7D, armed with a 10-22mm wide angle lens - ya know...the one I've been prattling on about for the last week or so. How about this for a dramatic angle - this first shot, taken from a position in one corner of Penshaw Monument, with big elevation to capture the columns like never before. When seeing this through the viewfinder for the first time it really does give an insight into exactly what kind of shot this lens is capable of producing, and I'm already acknowledging the fact that it has been money well spent. Attached to the lens is a Hoya 77mm Circular Polarizing filter, which was bought with the lens, and this will play it's part in pulling in new landscape images.

It's very cold at the top of Penshaw Hill, despite the bright sunlight. No-one else around, other than an owld wifey entertaining her dogs with a rugby ball at the foot of the hill. Penshaw Nursery and Tea Rooms look a sorry sight from where I'm standing. The greenhouses are caved in due to the the heavy snow! I spoke to Tony (the owner) a few days ago and he reckons a £20,000 repair bill is on the cards. Oh dear, I might have to drop the prices of my picture frames...then again...(wink)

Hey, fook this for a game o' soldiers. I'm off! Me little toes are numb and I can't be havin' this. Brass monkey weather once again, which, to be quite honest, I'm getting a bit fed up with. Roll on next Summer! Before I head off back home I'm already contemplating another outing today, especially as the sun is shining and the overcast skies of recent days have gone. I'm wondering how the new lens will shape up at the Angel Of The North. More dramatic angles I imagine - who knows...I might even get a nice sky at sunset. Yes, I think I'll give it a whirl later today. Sun sets at around 3.30pm, which is as early as I can remember, so I'll be setting off at about 2.45pm to get there with time to spare. Let's hope the A1
isn't too busy!

Speak soon, Ash

More Wide-Angle Shots

Hello again!

Hoping everyone has had a nice Christmas and looking forward to the remainder of the holiday period. Yes, it's been quite hectic here too and I didn't even get time to post a Christmas message on my blog. I must try harder next year!

While out and about in the region I managed to stop off at a few locations to add some more wide-angle shots to my memory card. Loaded with a blank 16 gig card, I set to work once again at the Copt Hill burial ground in Houghton-Le-Spring. This time it was early morning, shortly before sunrise, and I very nearly missed the action. Upon leaving the house and noticing some subtle colours in the sky near the Copt Hill, I had the task of scraping the ice from my car windscreen before I could even contemplate taking photographs. It took bloody ages to scape the windows, during which time the colours above were glowing even more. Better get a move on...

A kettle full of water later and I was soon driving to my destination. Within a few minutes I was parking up before dashing across the fields like a man posessed. A nearby dog walker looked across and was treated to some impromptu animation as I fell flat on my arse in the thick snow. What to do eh, other than get back up very quickly and pretend it never really happened, he he.

I was soon taking pictures though. A few here and there before the sun came up, then some more as the Seven Sisters were bathed in early morning sunlight. A nice orangey cast across the snow looked even better as it hit the trees in front of me. My new Canon wide angle lens is now giving me a huge advantage over the bog standard 18-135mm effort that I've been accustomed to, so I expect to take my photography on to the next level quite soon. Already this lens is thowing up some big advantages, with tack sharp images at very close quarters. Exciting times for the Mackem photographer!

By the way, I still haven't bagged any wide-angle shots at Newcastle Quayside, as promised last week. What, with one thing and another at this busy time of the year. Rest assured though, as soon as time permits, with suitable weather conditions to boot, I'll be down there as quick as a flash. Now, this is one place I'm itching to get to, with the new lens of course. Sorry for the delay folks, but it's gonna happen soon.

In the meantime, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Ash

Canon Wide Angle - First Test Shots

It's been a couple of days since I first got my hands on the latest kit bag addition - a Canon 10-22mm EF-S wide angle lens. During this time I've been looking forward to getting out and giving the new glass it's first test in the field. Today, Sunday 19th December, I was up bright and early for some sunrise shots, but alas the sun didn't wanna play, so I attempted some mono shots as Plan-B kicked into action.

I stayed local, very local infact, at a location in Houghton-Le- Spring, where I live. A five minute car journey took me to the Copt Hill Barrow, an ancient burial site which overlooks my home town. Here is where you'll find the Seven Sisters - on a mound in the middle of a large field.

It's 8.10am and minus four degrees. Absolutely no colour in the sky whatsoever. Black and White seems the only route to go down, so let's give it a try. I've photographed the Seven Sisters on many occasions, from different angles on this plot. Today I've got the prized wide angle lens on my 7d body and what a dramatic difference it offers. I'm literally standing next to the tree's and as wide as I choose (1omm setting), I'm still filling the frame with my subject. Brilliant!

Great angles - something I've never seen through the viewfinder before. Two minutes in and I'm already loving the new lens and can only imagine what results this piece of kit will yield at other locations. Today's subject isn't the best for wide-angle photography, but I'm already noticing a massive difference between the 10-22 and my 18-135 lens that came with the Canon 7D. Infact, I'm already planning another outing today which will see me testing the new lens on some architecture along Newcastle Quayside. This place is tailor made for wide-angle shots! The results will be uploaded to a blog page near you...soon!

Thanks, Ash