iPad 3 for Photographs

There are many ways to show or display one's photographs. I make prints, publish images to my website, make folio presentations, make Blurb books, make PDF presentations and slideshows. I've just taken delivery of a new iPad (3) in order to explore its potential. The superb screen resolution offers a wholly new medium for presenting and publishing photographic material. I've now to start finding out how best to use it.

Why blog?

I’ve been giving some thought to why I’m publishing this blog. There are many potential reasons why others may do such a thing – but why am I doing it? Is it because I believe there are some who might be interested in what I have to say or show? Is it because that’s what is expected these days in the newly connected world? Is there a vanity which I’m seeking to burnish? Is there a commercial motivation – print sales for example? I’m sure there is wealth of motivations that might apply.  But I’m more sure than ever that the reason I’m doing it was revealed to me when I decided to produce my photo blog of the Cotswold Way (now at www.thecotswoldway.blogspot.com) over a six month period starting in May 2009. It became a seriously motivating driver to keep going; to not fail part way through; to encourage me to keep up the momentum. It was not as if I expected anyone to follow my progress, and indeed hardly anyone did on a subscribed regular basis. But the very fact that I exposed what I was up to was a spur to keep going. The fact that I’ve now resurrected this blog which originally carried my Cotswold Way progress is at least in part because I want what I’m doing to be ‘out in the open’. In the same vein I’ve started another project blog to record my photography year on the Malvern Hills (www.malverns.blogspot.com). As a photographer it’s all too easy to take pictures and then show them to no one – or to just a small group. And I could easily do that as I take photographs entirely for my own interest.  I enjoy the whole process from end to end.  Through the planning and preparation right through the travel, the capture, the processing, the assessment and then the final presentation, whatever forms that takes. But, the periodic posting of new work and the occasional feedback it prompts is reward enough for me. I know I would do this even with the thought that no one may ever see what I do.  There is still the discipline of assembling my thoughts and material and attempting to make a good job of publishing it – albeit as a blog. I’ve thought about using facebook to communicate my photographic activities but I am not prepared for the gross intrusions and openness that is a part of the whole social networking scene. I have allowed myself a twitter account (@virtuallygrey) but that is strictly used in close association with this blog for the purposes of making known what I’m up to photographically. So, even the act of writing this entry helps my photography.

Garlic Crop

Last year I grew garlic for the first time.  So easy - this is the crop from just two bulbs, or around 20 cloves, laid out to dry.  By the way, a "garlic crop" isn't a new approach to trimming photographs.

Drying Garlic

Moonset at Yankee Boy Basin

I've worked on most of the images from last year's road trip in the US.  This is probably the last to be added to the portfolio from that trip - linked here.

Moonset at Yankee Boy Basin

One more from Oxford Cathedral

I didn't think much of this when I saw the negative.  But, at a second look I changed my mind. The six from the Cathedral are posted here.

Cathedral Entrance from Christ College Quadrangle

Tony Kuyper's Photoshop Actions

Over the last two years or so I've been using some of the Photoshop actions created by Tony Kuyper.  They are tools that allow the 'enhancement' of images for luminosity and saturation - and several other aspects of image realisation. The actions build on Photoshop's masking capability to selectively work on image areas to such an extent that they bring a whole new level of control to the image maker.  They can be used at the 'strength' chosen by you - so an image can be subtly enhanced (the way I work) or grossly enhanced if that's what you want (not my style).  I'll make no attempt here to elaborate - I simply encourage you to go to Tony's website - here - and see what he has made available.  His actions are available for a small charge - and worth every penny.  I've posted this after seeing his latest tools which include a Custom Photoshop Panel which brings together many of his actions into a much more accessible way.

Two Foggy Trees

I took these two foggy tree photographs in November 2010 but have only just got around to producing them. They are consecutive pictures from a walk in Evesham Park with my 5x4 film camera.

Avenue in Fog

Weeping Beech in Fog

I'll add them to my web site in the next few days.

Closed blog on my web site. This is now it.

I will no longer be posting to the blog on my web site.  This is now my only Virtually Grey blog.

New Photographs from Oxford Cathedral

By prior arrangement I visited Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford at the end of January 2012 to continue my Cathedrals of England project.  I took a total of 12 pictures with my 5x4 film camera.  The best 5 are in the New Images section of my website - here, and are the first 5 images in my Cathedrals Gallery - here.  And this is one I particularly like ...

Henricus Aldrich