Visitors

Jan 25...It was a day for visitors.  The morning started out with a visit from an unknown cat.  He/she just wandered on into the house and began to investigate.  It was a beautiful animal, and very skittish but I had a short space of time to snap a couple of shots.

Images taken with my Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

F2.8, 1/500s, 70mm, ISO 100.

 

My friend Mystic and I were expecting friends in the afternoon and when they arrived we headed down to Mt Huxley and the Bird River.  These beautiful places are south of Queenstown, the Bird River is inside the World Heritage Area.  

At one part of the river a branch of a tree crosses from one side to the other.  I snapped a few shots of it from different angles to see which one would be better.

 

F8, 1/6s, 32mm, ISO 100.

 

F8, 1/6s, 24mm, ISO 100.

F8, 1/6s, 24mm, ISO 100.

I think my favourite would be the third one.  I like the rocky foreground and how it directs the eye further into the image.  I also like the way the branches bend over the top, in all three, making a triangle shape.

Contrasts

Jan 24...This tree has grabbed my attention every time I wandered past it and I have tried a number of different angles but still haven't got the shot I wanted.  I like the contrast of the colour and the textures.

Images taken with my Sigma 24-70 DG EX

F9.6, 1/15s, 70mm, ISO 100

Again with this next shot the colour contrast, lines and textures drew my attention.  I particularly liked the bright pink of the flower.

F9.5, 1/125s, 70mm, ISO 100 

Busy, but catching up slowly

I've had a busy few days and haven't had a chance to post my shots of the day...actually I'm still processing images from a couple of days ago.  I'll post them as soon as I have finished.

What a way to Start the Day!

Jan 23...Ok...maybe not the most spectacular sunrise, but I think subtle sunrises are much more pleasant to observe.  It's not often I see the sunrise so I had to catch this one.

Image taken with my Sigma 24-70 DG EX

F8, 1/8s, 24 mm, ISO 100.

There was a fog starting to roll through the valley and it settled like a blanket across the town.  But it didn't last too long because the day really started to warm up.

Image taken with Pentax M 1:3.5 135mm Prime

 

F8, 1/8s, 135 mm, ISO100.

 I really like this shot.  The way the fog is hanging just above the house, the colours, the house itself.  For me this is a very peaceful image.

Up Close

Jan 22...It was a really nice day, warm and dry, sun shining down.  I wasn't really sure what I wanted to shoot, but I'm like that most days, so whatever catches my eye I will attempt to shoot.  I tried capturing many things from bees to birds, mountains, people...the attached shots would probably be my favourites though.  Both shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX.

F8, 1/180s, 70mm, ISO 100.

I just had to play with this first shot, something about it said duo tone...not sure though if it has really worked.  I do like the colours of the original, but wanted something a bit different from the image.

F8, 1/500s, 70mm, ISO 100.

I was lucky to get this second shot.  The wind was blowing, and the bee was flying around the flower, not settling for too long.  I think I need to reduce the colours of the background a bit to bring the bee and flower in to more focus, making it the main subject.  The colours of the background seem to overwhelm.

Bit Rushed

Jan 21...Sometimes it feels like things are piling up around me and I get rushed and don't seem to have enough time to get things done and they don't appear to be done to the best of my ability.  At these times I like to get out and about and try to refocus my energy so I can do what has to be done in a more proficient manner.  This day was one of those days...

Shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

 

 

I'll add the settings a bit later...seemed to be rushed again.

Disappointment...

Jan 20...It was one of those days where I just didn't seem to like any of the shots I took, but here's a couple that I did take.

Revisiting the Wall

Jan 19... I decided to take another wander down to the wall at the train station to see what difference a change in perspective would make to photographs of it.  I took quite a few shots from different angles and heights and they all seemed to have a different effect on the image.  I can't decide which one I like the most.  I suppose another thing to try would be changing lenses, but I'll leave that for another time :-)  Below are 5 shots that I took.

Shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

f9.5, 1/160s,36mm, ISO 100.

F9.5, 1/90s, 36mm, ISO 100

F9.5, 1/90s, 39mm, ISO 100

F8, 1/180s, 48mm, ISO 100.

F8, 1/125s, 53mm, ISO 100.

On a Wander Down the Hill

Jan 18...I put the walking feet on today cause I needed to do a few things in town.  The clouds looked ominous and I thought I should take some protection for the trusty K20D.  I had to wait for something in one shop, so I went for a stroll down to the train station. They have some nice flowers and textured woods.  The combination of the two made for a really nice shot.  

Shot taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

F8, ISO 100, 1/60s, 60mm.

While looking at this shot, I am wondering what it would look like from a lower angle???

On the way home a dandelion caught my eye.  It was wet from rain we had earlier in the day.  I really like the way the bits, for want of a better word, stuck together and held the drops of rain.

Shot taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/30s, 70mm

I decided to get some closer shots of this dandelion so went and grabbed the reverse lens adapter and my Pentax-F 35-80mm 1:4-5.6 lens.

F4, ISO 100, 1/125s, 80mm.

F4, ISO 100, 1/90s, 80mm

A Bit of Playing

Jan 17...I was lent a reverse lens adapter for the camera.  This little gadget allows you to get really close to subjects and get some nice detail.  You are supposed to use a tripod when taking shots because being so close and being hand held there is some movement in the shots.  I plan on setting up my tripod over the next couple of days and seeing what sort of shots I can get.    For these shots I am using my K20D and Pentax-F 35-80mm 1:4-5.6 lens.  Both shots were taken at 80mm.

F4, ISO 100, 1/45s

F4, ISO 100, 1/60s

And the final shot was taken in the afternoon with my Pentax K20D and Pentax M 1:3.5 135mm Prime

F8, ISO 100, 1/45s, 135mm.

The Clouds Part

Jan 16...Morning breaks and the clouds part shedding light on the ground below.  Love days like this...the light dances and weaves creating awesome shadows across the landscape.  For many hours I sat and watched the natural light show playing in front of my eyes.  

Shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/750s, 33mm.

 

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/45s, 70mm, cropped.

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/125s, 70mm.

Panorama made up of 4 shots.

Dreary Start...Interesting End

Jan 15...The day started out with rain pelting down on the tin roof.  Love that sound.  Wave after wave came in as I watched the landscape beyond my window fade away then return to view.  It was interesting seeing how the rain travelled down the valley.  During the day the showers reduced and I was able to get out and take some shots.  I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to shoot but then the light hit a flower and I was inspired to shoot flowers to start with.  Imagine if you will, wind blowing from all directions, light hitting the flowers, branches and flower heads dancing in the wind and me trying to shoot them.  These conditions really teach you patience and how to hold your breathe long enough to take a shot when the wind wasn't blowing :-)  Talk about a challenge and as you can imagine quite a few blurred shots.

Shot taken with a Pentax K20D and Pentax M 1:3.5 135mm Prime

 

F8, ISO 100, 1/250s, 135mm.

Shot taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

F8, ISO 100, 1/90s, 48mm

 

The last shot of this day has surprised me.  There is just something about it that draws me to it.

Shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

F8, ISO 100, 1/60s, 39mm.

Diversity in Close Proximity

Jan 14...Out with a friend, just driving around.  We stopped at one spot and within a circle of about 1 metre in diameter there were that many species of plants, it was hard to describe.  They appeared to be living in harmony and in fact were probably helping each other to keep living.  The colours were amazing...brilliant reds, yellows and stunning greens. 

My thoughts went to our society and how there are so many different people cohabiting in the same area.  In some areas everyone gets along...in others there is continual friction.  Why do people think that they are better than others when in fact we are all equal.  We all bleed red, we all have skin, we all have hair...they may be different colours but essentially we are the same.  Why can't we live in peace and harmony and help each other to grow?  From meeting people where I live I can say that I live in a community that helps each other grow.

Shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

F4, ISO 100, 1/250s, 70mm.

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/30s, 39mm.

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/90s, 70mm.

No time for Shooting.

13th January was a busy day and I only managed a few shots, with a borrowed camera.  This is the one that I liked the most.  The light on the hill really gabs me, as does the cloud formation.

Shot taken with a Pentax K20D and Pentax DAL 1: 3.5-5.6 18-55mm.

 

F13, ISO 100, 1/350s, 30mm.

 

 

Dark and Moody

These shots were taken on 12 January.  The weather in this part of the world was moody, windy and at times wild that day.  A friend and I went driving and in between showers and wind gusts I grabbed these images.  I couldn't help but process them in B&W.

Shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX.

 

F8, ISO 100, 1/750s, 30 mm.

F8, ISO 100, 1/250s, 24mm.

F8, ISO 100, 1/45s, 39mm.

Slightly different processing with this last shot.  I used the infra red filter in Photoshop and reduced the opacity of the layer to bring back some colour.

Catching up

I've been in the midst of moving house over the last week and so haven't been able to post.  I have managed to get out every day though and take some shots and will post them when I have resized the shots.  Stay tuned :-)

Different Perspectives

Yesterday I was looking around for things to shoot and these flowers caught my eye.  I was trying to shoot them in different ways to see which ones I preferred.  The attached would be my favourite.  Apart from shooting from different angles, I also post processed them in different ways.

Both shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX.

 

F4, ISO 100, 1/500s, 45mm.

 

F4, ISO 100, 1/180s, 60mm.

Aimlessly Wandering

When I went out yesterday, I had an idea that I would shoot the colour green, but it didn't end up like that...I started out shooting leaves and grass and green paint but then I was awestruck by the colours of flowers and bugs and buildings and lizards...in the end I was just wandering around aimlessly shooting whatever took my fancy.

All shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

F8, ISO 100, 1/30s, 30mm

I also like to play a bit in photoshop and this one called out for a bit of treatment...

F6.7, ISO 100, 1/180s, 70mm

F9.5, ISO 100, 1/30s, 33mm.

The Simple things in Life....

Sometimes the simple things are the most beautiful, and also intriguing.  They do make for interesting photographic subjects.  I try to get unique perspectives, sometimes it works at other times not.

All shots taken with a Pentax K20D and Sigma 24-70 DG EX

 

F2.8, ISO 100, 1/180s, 65mm.

 

F4, ISO 100, 1/20s, 70mm

F2.8, ISO 100, 1/180s, 70mm, flash