Got my nice new Canon 70-200mm f2,8L today, had a little play at lunchtime...



[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8206119357/[/url

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8206119357/Young Whooper Swan[/url by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/big_graeme/G and J Photography[/url, on Flickr



[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8207209360/[/url

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8207209360/Stooshie[/url by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/big_graeme/G and J Photography[/url, on Flickr



[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8206119529/[/url

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8206119529/Squarking Gull[/url by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/big_graeme/G and J Photography[/url, on Flickr



[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8206119635/[/url

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/big_graeme/8206119635/Little Gull[/url by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/big_graeme/G and J Photography[/url, on Flickr

When I shot film with a Canon EOS650 and EOS600 the consumer version of the 70-200 was by far my favourite lens and it looks like the pro version has continued to set the bar very high.



I don't know if this is 100% of the capture or whether it's already been cropped but, resolution permitting, I'd love to see a crop showing just the bird taking off in (roughly) the centre of the frame with all other distractions either cropped or cloned out.

Only slight cropping to remove a fence so I'll have a go at that tonight

[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20434270[/url

Damn interesting little article about Lomography, which I hadn't heard of. Any Lomographers on here? And I do love the image with the car headlights.

I've had a play with the Lomo-ish editing tool on the latest version of Picasa, not the same I know but you can get some reasonable results.

That's opened my eyes to a whole new level of taking pictures. I'm not keen on instagram and things like that, but I love film. I have a Canon A1 and I also have my FD lens mounted to my A series Sony DSLR.



It looks like this may be my new obsession - GoPro can step aside for the time being.

Out of interest, which Go Pro you on, I'm waiting for my 3's to arrive...

Quote ="Ferocious Aardvark"[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20434270[/url Damn interesting little article about Lomography, which I hadn't heard of. Any Lomographers on here? And I do love the image with the car headlights.'" There's a pretty well established Lomo scene in Manchester, and a Lomo Wall art installation opened this year: cityco.com/initiative/lomowall-manchester/ I've got one of the lomo cameras that takes 4 images on the same photo, with a slight time lapse, and have been tempted to get a standard lomo or holga camera, but the cost of film and processing has been a put off.

Quote ="Ferocious Aardvark"[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20434270[/url Damn interesting little article about Lomography, which I hadn't heard of. Any Lomographers on here? And I do love the image with the car headlights.'" There's a pretty well established Lomo scene in Manchester, and a Lomo Wall art installation opened this year: cityco.com/initiative/lomowall-manchester/ I've got one of the lomo cameras that takes 4 images on the same photo, with a slight time lapse, and have been tempted to get a standard lomo or holga camera, but the cost of film and processing has been a put off.

Ah, processing. I remember that. Nowt quite like processing. Spent many a brilliant hour d&p-ing snaps onto Kodak paper with wavy edges and a linen sort of finish, talk about nostalgia

I've got the Hero2 - had it just over a year. I have pretty much every mount, the wifi-backpack and the dive housing for it. I really wanted to buy the 3 black, but I can't really justify another one yet.



My Hero2 is looking a little battered though, but it still works perfectly so I might wait for the Hero4 (which will probably be next year, if other product releases are anything to go by!)



It does look amazing though and it shoots 4K.. annndd 1080/60..



Arghhh.. I don't need one.. I don't need one..

If you send me a PM with your email address I'll send you a link to the various skiing videos that have been done, the slow motion (even on the HD2) that my mate has done is immense, the HD3 will be even better!



Since when did you have to need something to buy it???

PM'd.



For all the equipment I've already invested in the Hero2 - it's not really in my interest to be spending another $400 on something that is better .. but not ground-breaking better.



I travelled for 10 weeks across America with my GoPro and filmed a variety of different shots - mounted on cars, jet ski's, speedboats, wakeboards .. everything and anything and my slow-mo looks slick enough to me.



Whilst it would be a nice accessory to have, I don't think I can justify the $400 it costs over here - When the Hero4 comes out, I think that's my time for an upgrade - so much more to get out of this one yet.

From Man to Rorschach in, erm, 19 steps.



Handsome looking fella.







The mask (available online somewhere in America) makes all the difference. Shot with a Canon 7D, 28-105mm F/4L lens and two 580EXII strobes against a green screen.







Extract the background in Photoshop.







Drop over black.







The mask is temperature sensitive and shifts with each breath. Unfortunately the ink is just a bit too light. Fixing this in photoshop and getting the shadows somewhere close was the biggest ballache of the entire project.







A large-scale moody background I grabbed off the internet.







A smokey pattern used as a colour overlay in Photoshop







A few masking tweaks and we're up and running.







Add rain (several layers for perspective) by creating noise, motion blurring and a blend mode.







Drop subject into the background.







Add detail to costume.







Blend lighting so colours match with costume (especially light falling on the face). Add fake splashes to the water with brushes.







Add text (Watchmen font) and Smiley







Print on Roland Versacamm at high quality







Back vinyl onto foamcore.







Finished product.







Satisfied punter.

Only downside i can see is the 50-60 minute battery life (Even less if you turn wifi and the like on)

best be quick www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl ... _36781.htm

best be quick www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl ... _36781.htm

Starling.

The shoulder-charge is alive and well ...







Nikon D600, Nikkor 80-200mm, f/2.8, 1/1000s, ISO 800.

[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20958659Jessops go into administration[/url

I happened to go past a branch this afternoon, the Vultures are circling already, mind my credit card is primed and ready.

looking at the Jessops website now it seems they have left their customers with a giant "f'k you", vouchers will not be honoured, orders will not be honoured, academy courses (pre-paid) will not be honoured.



The only redeeming factor I can see is that D&G are honouring the product cover.

I'm looking for a (cheapish) macro lens for a Nikon D90. Something I can use close up - I already have a Tamron 70-300 with macro. What would anyone recommend? What do you use?

Quote ="West Leeds Rhino"I'm looking for a (cheapish) macro lens for a Nikon D90. Something I can use close up - I already have a Tamron 70-300 with macro. What would anyone recommend? What do you use?'" tinyurl.com/a5ceymj I have the Canon version, very very good lens for the money.

Quote ="West Leeds Rhino"I'm looking for a (cheapish) macro lens for a Nikon D90. Something I can use close up - I already have a Tamron 70-300 with macro. What would anyone recommend? What do you use?'" tinyurl.com/a5ceymj I have the Canon version, very very good lens for the money.

Opened my camera bag for the first time in a while today and had a play with some water drops.



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[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/blueskyxiii/8396248942/[/url

I am struggling to get decent pics at night without the use of a tripod ( and lugging it around with me wherever I go! )?



I have a Nikon D5000 - what are the best settings to use in order to let enough light in to get the shot, but not have the shutter open too long that me holding the camera makes the picture blurry? Apeture or shutter priority, or should I go manual and set both myself??



Or do I really need to have a tripod to avoid blur??

my brother took this at Scarborough mere