September 2018 – Contribution to my 10,000 Hours Photography
Purpose of Journal
This page is part of the actual record of my 10,000 Hours Deliberate Practice Fine Art Photography carried out in September 2018.
Hours 1,155 to 1,274
30 September 2018
Hour 1,264
Up before dawn shooting sunrise over the Craigielaw Golf club near Edinburgh – beautiful links course; beautiful sunrise. Then processing images from the last few days in Scotland.
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Abstract triptych of golf flags at dawn.
29 September 2018
Hours 1,271 to 1,273
First hour: up before dawn and shooting the sunrise (such as it was) and other pre-dawn landscapes.
Second hour processing images taken, including converting the shot below to B&W using the Standard Film Grain Style in Capture One Pro., and updating this journal.
Third hour: more image processing later in the day.
28 September 2018
Hour 1,270
Process images from yesterday dawn shoot and update this journal.
27 September 2018
Hour 1,369
Half an hour pre-dawn shooting. Half an hour watching Ted Forbes YouTubes about the street photographer John Free.
- Seek excellence – create images that move people emotionally
- Study how scenes unfold, are created and what happens next
- Look for set combinations: Two of a kind, three of a kind, etc.
26 September 2018
Hour 1,268
Reading Amateur Photographer and contemplating the article on composition for maximum impact.
Think about:
- the abstract aesthetics of the image:
- leading lines – dynamics and sense of movement
- frames within frames
- visual weight of elements and balance within the image, positioning on thirds, etc.
- what is the photo trying to say. Many photographers think of the title of an image before they make it, specifically to shoot on purpose.
- how do the compositional elements support the story telling of the image, i.e., how is the eye directed around the image and kept in the frame.
25 September 2018
Hours 1,262 to 1,267
Two and a half hours shooting the restoration work carried out by W.G. Carter at Worcester College, Oxford. The rights to these images are controlled by the University. So please see below some clouds I shot for replacement purposed later in the afternoon.
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An hour starting to process both clouds and college photos.
Two hours at the Stoke Poges Photographic Club.
24 September 2018
Hours 1,255 to 1,261
Five hours processing the images from Sarah and Dan’s Wedding.
Two hours at the Amersham Photographic society.
23 September 2018
Hours 1,251 to 1,254
Half an hour starting the first cull of images (from the first disk 699 exposures).
An hour and a half as the official photographer for the post-wedding pizza lunch.
An hour finishing culling yesterday’s 699 to 49 candidate exposures (state goal is to produce 10 “good ones”; however this level of refinement is probably unrealistic).
Two hours working on the 432 further exposure on a second disk, some from yesterday but mostly from today.
22 September 2018
Hours 1,247 to 1,250
Prep for Sarah & Dan’s wedding (I’m the “unofficial” photographer).
5 strategies for increasing creativity from the “Mastery” book by Robert Greene (recommended to me by Sean Tucker):
- culture a state of negative capability, where one becomes comfortable observing a phenomenon without understanding it
- increase serendipity – think more broadly, read as widely as possible particularly authors with whom one disagrees
- practice “the Current” – constantly seek examples that support (or contradict) a new theory or idea. Applied to photography, this means constantly implementing and testing all ideas of good composition and technique
- change perspective – move to a different mental position
- think more primitively – use visual and other non-verbal notes to express ideas.
3 hours shooting the wedding, out of the 12 hours the event lasted for; over 700 exposures made.
21 September 2018
Hours 1,244 to 1,246
Two hours updating the “Learning Architectural Photography” post. Half an hour looking at images that could be useful for the Worcester College shoot and another half updating this journal.
20 September 2018
Hours 1,240 to 1,243
An hour’s shooting Stoke Park at sunrise (such as it was).
Half an hour updating this journal, mainly with notes from yesterday evening. Half an hour creating the Bell Hill Composite below.
Two hours updating portfolio images following feedback from yesterdays APS PIC group. Now much happier with the layout
19 September 2018
Hours 1,235 to 1,239
An hour working on the “Learning Photography in the Summer” post. Need to prevent replication in my Flickr account (at the moment I have new versions of images in the Best of Summer 2018 album, whereas it would be much tidier to have the originals, which would also have their notes, tags, etc.) – this has taken an hour of non-qualifying time, but I feel happier for it.
An hour processing the following into mono, and watching the YouTube “Black and White Conversion in Digital Photography” by my current favourite vloger Ted Forbes.
Two hours at the Amersham Photographic Society’s PIC Group where I presented my L-Panel, below, soliciting the following feedback:
- not convinced about the tight crop on the portrait (image 4)
- also portrait too dominant in the panel – move to the edges
- image 1 is a natural centre-piece
- “Think in pairs of images and the panel usually hangs itself.”
- did not believe the colours of the sky in the dog image (5)
- nasty colour cast on the boardwark (7) – purple shingle
- overall print size too large.
Suggested new hanging plan below:
18 September 2018
Hours 1,226 to 1,234
An hour updating the “Learning Architectural Photography” post.
An hour drafting a “Learning Photography in the Summer” post. Half an hour working on the following image that I found from the RPS Street Photography course I did with Simon Elingworth of the Amersham Studios on 20 July.
Two further hours on each of the above posts in the afternoon. Including, identifying the summer top ten.
Half an hour updating this journal.
Two hours at the Stoke Poges Photographic Club, “G” competition into which I entered the following.
Joint third place.
17 September 2018
Hours 1,221 to 1,225
Morning dog walk at Langley Park carrying a lot of heavy camera equipment was just that – no meaningful photography occurred in the sense of deliberate practice.
Two hours working on the W.G. Carter images – trying to get even lighting across a series of images where the weather changed from rain to bright sunshine in the period of about half an hour, and populating the banner to give an idea of how this can be used.
An hour reviewing the images of Dave Mason (who spoke at the RPS yesterday) and updating this journal.
Two hours at the Amersham Photographic Society. PDI competition, very high standard of submission in all categories. Arranged for my L-panel to be reviewed by the PIC group.
Tip from one of the leaders: whilst A3 prints can work in a panel using 40x50cm mounts, he usually suggest A4 as the images, having more space between them, interact less with each other, and any technical issues tend are less obvious.
16 September 2018
Hours 1,213 to 1,220
Half an hour updating this journal, followed by another half shooting the next in the “View from the Third Post” series Big Field Stoke Poges, where unfortunately the farmer has removed the posts!
Five hours at the RPS Thames Valley Digital Imaging Group meeting, lecture by Dave Mason: “I Shoot People Amongst Other Things.” Dave is a spectacular street photographer and a hilarious speaker; pretty much kept us in raptures for 5 hours, images here.
Two hours working on the W.G. Carter group portraiture images.
15 September 2018
Hours 1,208 to 1,212
One hour, initial processing of yesterday’s W.G. Carter corporate shoot:
- Elimination of test shots and others of obviously no value
- RAW processing – highlight recovery, check white balance
- Processing the majority of images to TIFF files on a memory card for loading into Lightroom on my main computer.
One hour, first draft of activity analysis below.
Three hours working on the images in Photoshop:
- Merging images to achieve a version where all subjects are at least looking at the camera
- Use some of Sean Tucker’s processing techniques as first discovered on 18th of July.
14 September 2018
Hours 1,203 to 1,207
Two and a half hours creating parking plans for the company vehicles and other documentation for today’s W,G. Carter corporate shoot.
Two and a half hours on-site shooting.
- 3m scaffold tower effected specifically for the shoot
- Camera tethered to laptop running Capture One Pro
- 24-70mm lens shot at 24mm
- Big outdoor flash on maximum to counter the sun – with a 36 inch hexagonal softbox – on stand attached to the scaffolding, 6m high
- Fill-in flash with shoot through umbrella on tripod at ground level
- triggered by pluto trigger from iPhone.
Made a variety of exposures, firstly with just the men from the sites, then the management and office staff, and finally a few with the directors holding a large reflector onto which the company logo can be superimposed.
| Event Analysis | |
| Went well … | Improve next time … |
| Use of raised platform, using 3m scaffold tower | Take an assistant to act as a second pair of eyes, review the images as they are coming in |
| Shooting into the sun with a big outdoor flash with hexagonal softbox modifier up high, and standard flash with shoot-through umbrella at ground level | More coordination of people – spend more time posing people |
| Planning the layout and marking on the grass with the temporary paint | More variations, e.g., people in hard hats and high visibility jackets |
| Getting there the day before to set-up | Check the size of vehicles – ask for an inventory from someone who knows – spend longer with the office manager who was organising where to send people |
| Giving the guys parking plans as they arrive | Tethered shooting review could have been better. |
13 September 2018
Hours 1,198 to 1,202
An hour setting up the full rig that I plan to use on Friday’s corporate shoot in the garden and practising on a group of Canadians (friends/ relatives) that we currently have staying with us. Very bright conditions. so a challenge for the lights. Followed by another hour processing these images and transferring to my main computer and Lightroom Catalogue.
Two and a half hours on site at W.G. Carter setting up for tomorrow’s corporate shoot. Needed to move the entire scene closer to the platform.
Parking places marked out using a temporary paint – warning the cans run out very quickly.
Half and hour updating this journal.
12 September 2018
Hours 1,196 to 1,197
Lots of, non-qualifying, time working on the networking for the time lapse, setting up an FTP server, etc.
Two hours preparing for the Friday corporate shoot, including communication with client and practicing with the lights..
11 September 2018
Hours 1,193 to 1,195
Half an hour shooting the “View from the Third Post” images (right) from The Big Field Stoke Poges – first significant change in months, so very exciting (relatively). Half an hour processing this and other images and updating this journal.
Contrived an entry for the Edith Ward “G” competition at the club next week.
Two hours at the Stoke Poges Photographic Club, workshop on “Camera Basics”, there was an impressive demonstration of LED and other lights Chris Lloyd.
I learned how to use the Eye Focus facility on the Sony 99ii. A function I had assigned to one of the buttons on the back of the camera.
10 September 2018
Hours 1,190 to 1,192
Half an hour’s photo walk at Burnham Beeches – uninspiring light – more of a dog walk carrying a camera. Remainder of first hour processing images and making selections for next season’s competitions.
Lots of time spent looking at technical issues regarding the time lapse project – but this doesn’t count.
Two hours at the Amersham Photographic Society listening to a talk on Landscape Photography in England by Mark Bauer.
9 September 2018
Hours 1,188 to 1,189
An hour editing images from Friday, in particular practising using the pen tool to make selections when removing myself from reflections in the following images, and updating this journal.
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8 September 2018
Hours 1,186 to 1,187
An hour culling (114 to 12) and processing yesterday’s images in Capture One Pro, and exporting to Lightroom Classic CC.
An hour applying Sean Tucker’s portrait editing and B&W conversion process that I first encountered on 18th July to two of yesterday’s images as below.
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7 September 2018
Hours 1,178 to 1,185
Half an hour updating the images taken yesterday, adjusting levels.
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Half an hour updating the Architecture post whist on the train.
7 hours on the second day of the RPS’s Portraiture course – this day concentrating mainly on street portraits.
6 September 2018
Hours 1,169 to 1,177
7 hours on day one of the RPS’s 2 day portraiture course run by Nigel Wilson, who according to Time Out Magazine runs “The Best Photography Courses in London.” Key photographers discussed:
- David Bailey – “Simplicity is the key”
- Helmunt Newton – the photographer’s job is to “work with the subject; seduce, amuse and entertain”
- Dougiewallace.com – “Glasweegee” Britains answer, according to Nigel, to the US’s Weegee – the shocking documentary projects from “Stag, Hens and Bunnies of Blackpool” to “Harrodsburg”
- Gregory Crewdson – huge productions
- Niall McDiarmid – Colour + soft overcast light – cool stuff
- Tan Kraipuk – cool street photography
- Richard Billingham – raw documentary of lower working class family life in the West Midlands
- Yousuf Karsh – often described as one of the greatest portrait photographers ever – notable people including the famous image of Winston Churchill where he took the cigar away
- Robert Frank – Book “The Americans” must read for photography students
- William Eclestone – widely recognised for popularising the use of colour in fine art photography – most famous image is “The Red Ceiling” where the eponemous ceiling contains a dubiously wired light illuminating an ambiguous room with Kama Sutra diagrams on the walls
- Nichola Muirhead – London based urban photographer – gritty working class images
- Bruce Gilden – agressive New York based street photographer best known for close-ups shot with a large flash gun
- Diane Arbus – American portrait photographer best known for images of societal misfits.
Half an hour updating the architecture post on the tube on the way home.
An hour course “homework” selecting and editing the three best images taken today in each of the subject areas:
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Half an hour updating this journal.
5 September 2018
Hours 1,167 to 1,168
Two hours non-qualifying time spend doing the accounts for the Stoke Poges Photographic Club.
Half an hour shooting the next in the series of the “View from the Third Post” in the Big Field Stoke Poges (right), plus a few attempted running dog images of faithful hound; he was too close for my 135mm lens and therefore difficult to frame well.
An hour watching a series of inspiring YouTubes:
- Serge Ramelli: “How to Create Light Rays in Photoshop” including links to goodies to do this
- “10 Tips to Up Your Street Photography Game” featuring my hero of the moment Joshua K Jackson (see notes of our meeting on the 23rd July at the Carnaby Street exhibition of Street Photography). Love his work in general, and diptychs in particular.
- Art of Photography: “Vivian Maier” this is the woman who was the nanny in Chicago who took lots of photos but told nobody. Ted Forbes likes her work but believes that she is under-curated and over-marketed through the recent film and associated publicity.
Half an hour processing images taken earlier in the day, extracting the goodies from the Serge Ramelli YouTube, and writing up this journal.
4 September 2018
Hours 1,163 to 1,166
Lots of time spent on issues that don’t contribute towards my 10,000 hour goal (see “What Counts“) including:
- preparing for this evening’s meeting of the Stoke Poges Photographic Club
- grappling with the technical issues of the IP Camera for time lapse photography.
Half an hour updating an image of friend’s 25th wedding anniversary and sending to GS Photos for printing and framing.
Half an hour updating this journal.
An hour updating the “First Commercial Assignment – Learning Architectural Photography” post.
Two hours at the Stoke Poges Photographic Club.
3 September 2018
Hours 1,159 1,162
Two hour planning and communicating with WG Carter regarding their corporate shoot next week.
Lots of time spent trying to get the Time Lapse camera to work – small steps forward.
Two hours at the Amersham Photographic Club this is a much bigger club than Stoke Poges with meetings of sub groups throughout the week, but helpfully never on Tuesdays when SPPC meets.
2 September 2018
Hour 1,258
An hour processing the sky images from yesterday and updating this journal.
1 September 2018
Hours 1,155 to 1,157
Some mid-day photography of nice Simpsons-style cumulus clouds, to use as replacements when doing architectural shots. Clouds shot from all directions, (north, south, east & west) at both 16mm and 35mm. (Half an hour).
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The horizon for the above images in intentionally placed at the half way point in the frame rather than on the thirds as good composition would dictate (see my post on Composition First Learnings) to match the architectural shots with which they will be paired. Architectural shots using a wide angle lens require the camera to be exactly horizontal to avoid converging or diverging verticals.
Two hours producing a sight plan and updating the posing plan for the WG Carter corporate group shoot.
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Half an hour updating this journal.