2017 Project 52 - 4th quarter by Geoff F

[Geoff F]

As with previous years, I will be showing various landscapes, people and events from around the area where I live; but my additional challenge this time will be to experiment with different size ratios and where possible to avoid my most commonly used sizes of 3 x 2 and 5 x 4

The previous 3rd quarter is here

2017 Project 52 - 3rd Quarter by Geoff F

Week 40. More autumn scenes from the cliff path. A bit tricky to find interesting scenes from this path which had many impossible light angles.

Salcombe Harbour. The returning fishing boat is named Davrik.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/320 F11 Iso 200.

Looking down Starehole Valley with Bolt Head on the right.



1/500 F11 Iso 400. I could probably have got away with Iso 200 but I was experimenting with different camera angles which required various exposures and finally decided this one looked the best of several alternatives. I had climbed on top of a rocky outcrop looking for an improved scene instead of shooting straight from the path.

[Cantab]

I like both photos. The first one works especially well; the visually small fishing boat gives a sense of scale to the image. I don't have access to gps locations on my iPad but this long inlet looks like it's probably one I've looked at previously when looking at gps linked photos on my desktop computer.

I'm curious about the somewhat higher than usual shutter speed on the second photo. Was it to freeze any wave action? My recollection is that you (like me) do not like smoothed over water. Or perhaps you were standing insecurely on the rocky outcrop?!

[Geoff F]

It was partially both of those considerations on the second image, Bruce, but my Iso was chiefly not chosen particularly for this shot. There was movement from the boat and people walking so I didn't want to risk too slow a shutter.

I was looking at different angles and amounts of zoom with some requiring specific exposures. For example when I included the sky and those shadow cliffs, so 400 seemed right for them and this shot was the first of several from this angle. I did switch to 200 for some other shots but eventually decided that the subtle camera angle variations of this particular scene was the best of the bunch.

With the first image, this scene shows the town end of the harbour and just around the far corner there are a number of small creeks with the largest one running about 5 miles inland to the town of Kingsbridge. I knew that boat was passing and frantically moved around to find a suitable angle which placed it in a suitable position, before it disappeared from view.

[Shadowman]

Week 40, nice efforts. That first shot would have been interesting to see if shot wide open, I say so because the background is so far away you have achieved a nice aerial perspective with camera settings used.

[Wavelength]

Excellent images

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

Week 41 - Stormy Day. A bit breezy but nothing like the weather which has affected Ireland and West Scotland. The day started very dark with a strange light then around 10 am an oddly red coloured sun was just peeping through some gaps in the passing clouds. Looking more like the moon.



7D with Canon 70-200 lens. 1/1250 F11 Iso 400

It eventually became sunny, so in the afternoon I had a look at that nearby cove; but not a lot of surf.



7D and 70-200 lens. 1/500 F13 Iso 400. Should have been F11 so I must have accidentally knocked the adjustment while searching for suitable angles and waiting for the best wave action.

A few people were watching the waves.



I still hadn't realised I was on F13 which was giving a slower shutter than I would have liked. But this seems to have worked out OK.

It wasn't long before the clouds appeared again and this angle meant shooting towards the available light so I had to slightly over expose for the foreground then recover what I could from the other areas.



Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/200 F11 Iso 400 which is getting dangerously slow for the shutter speed on a subject with movement, but I was worried about excessive noise if I increased the Iso to 800 or higher.

[Geoff F]

Week 42. The gales gave way to mist with rain but today there was an unexpected calm and bright morning, although everything was completely saturated. When I went shopping I knew I was going to visit one store on the town edge, beside this creek; so I grabbed a camera just in case . . .

Looking down the estuary.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens 1/200 F11 Iso 200. All images are a merge of two Raw conversions from one shot.



1/100 F11 Iso 200



I increased the Iso to 400 because of the subject movement, but that did add a bit more noise in the shadows. 1/500 F11 Iso 400.

A bit further up the creek, looking in the other direction



1/200 F11 Iso 200

[Cantab]

Geoff, I like them all but #2 is my favourite. It leapt out at me, possibly because of the rich colours and wonderful reflection in the water.

We've had a lot of wind in the past week. Its brought down many leaves but I see most of your deciduous trees still have green leaves. Are they oaks?

[Geoff F]

There are certainly a lot of oak trees surrounding the creeks, Bruce. Apparently they were planted like that for the boatbuilding industry. When felled they would fall into the water where they could be towed to the yards.

In some places there are also a few chestnut and beech. Unfortunately, now as old trees fall they are just left and self sown sycamore tends to replace them. Not really the same though, as far as I am concerned.

It has been mild so far this winter so most trees are slow in shedding their leaves.

[Geoff F]

Week 43 - late wild flowers. With the weather remaining mild, although damp at times, there are still a few flowers appearing long after they would normally be finished. I actually started out in sunshine looking for late season insects but it soon turned cloudy so I went looking for fungi instead, then found these blooms. A little bit of fill flash used to compensate for the overcast conditions.

Catsear.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F14 Iso 400 plus flash

Common Knapweed



With this shot I pushed the Iso to 800 and reduced the flash output a little.

Selfheal



The first 3 were merges of 2 focus points.

Marsh Thistle with Rhingia campestris hoverfly

[Geoff F]

I also had a go with a Herb Robert which is a flower that always gives me problems with the reflective petals which tend to change colour in a photograph.

[Urbanflyer]

I also had a go with a Herb Robert which is a flower that always gives me problems with the reflective petals which tend to change colour in a photograph.

Nicely portrayed with good isolation from background! Interesting that most are plants I find also at our mountain place in the Cascades here in Washington!

[Geoff F]

It is amazing how some plants, and animals, appear in very similar forms at such widely separated places, Judith.

And with international trade now at such a high level it seems likely that seeds, and eggs/larvae, are likely to continue spreading.

Here is another late flowering plant, a Prickly Sowthistle from today.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/500 F11 Iso 400. Did what I could with a rather messy background.

[skitterbug]

Thanks for the comments.

7D with Canon 70-200 lens. 1/1250 F11 Iso 400

It eventually became sunny, so in the afternoon I had a look at that nearby cove; but not a lot of surf.



7D and 70-200 lens. 1/500 F13 Iso 400. Should have been F11 so I must have accidentally knocked the adjustment while searching for suitable angles and waiting for the best wave action.

Currently it is very cold here with rain so not a day to be out trying to find something worthwhile for pics. So yes, I've been cruising around in CiC looking at the wonderful work of others. This one of yours is definitely a favorite!

I also had a go with a Herb Robert which is a flower that always gives me problems with the reflective petals which tend to change colour in a photograph.

Since you already know I like to take pics of flowers, I look closely at the ones others post. I don't know this variety so there would not have been any way for me to know whether the color was correct or not but this is beautiful and from your description, I'm guessing you are happy with the results of the color of the petals.

[Geoff F]

It is one of those plants, Sandy, where petal colour tends to vary with the light angle as well as variations between individual plants. The colour can be a fairly bright red, pale pinkish or slightly purplish. One of those cases where doing a Custom White Balance before shooting can be worthwhile.

[Shadowman]

Post #10, nice captures, backgrounds, and control/quality of shadows.

[Geoff F]

Thanks, John.

Week 44 - Salcombe Fish Quay. Tried to make the most of some short lived bright clear periods by looking at the fish quay from various angles and attempting to show something of the background to put the whole area into some sort of context. Rather busy scenes so I have tried to place the main elements forward whilst retaining a bit of a documentary style by keeping everything else also clear. The sort of scene which will create interest in say 50 years time as viewers examine all the changes that will have occurred since now.

Looking across a small creek.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/320 F11 Iso 200

And looking from the opposite direction.



Canon 70-200 lens 1/200 F11 Iso 200. I originally shot as a 3 x 2 ratio which included all the yacht masts but then tried this panoramic ratio to concentrate more on the main action.

A different approach to include the end of the creek and buildings beyond. With diggers working on a site just past the creek end this scene will soon change again.



Another change of emphasis to show a mix of farming and fishing which at one time were so much more important in the economy of this area.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I enjoyed all four photos but #1 and #4 are my favourites.

Part of the attraction for the first image is that you were fairly close to water level and used a shutter speed fast enough to ensure there would be no wave/ripple blurring in the photo. The clear ripples and reflections work well. Another part of the attraction in this first picture is the nice looking lapstrake(?) (clinker?) wooden boat.

The last of the photos is interesting because of the almost humorous juxtaposition of sheet grazing on what appears to be a steep slope heading straight down to the water, against the backdrop of industrial marine activity.

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff ~ Your series of pics displaying Salcombe Fish Quay are very interesting and of course well done! And then I had to go look for it on Google Maps. I don't know if I ever did find this spot but I sure enjoyed looking at the area sights and considering the yummy restaurants that probably served very fresh sea food!

I don't know if I have a favorite of these four images but I did chuckle regarding the 4th one with the sheep looking calmly over at the hubbub happening on the other side of the water! It's like "past" meet "present"!

Thanks for sharing these and giving us a glimpse of your part of the world!

[Geoff F]

Week 45 - Continuing with the fishing boat theme. At low water I went to that nearby cove (shown in Week 41) and walked out on some rocks to try for some shots of fishing boats returning to the harbour. Only had a limited time before the sun disappeared behind a hill and it was already at a rather awkward and low angle.

Started shooting with my 70-200 lens, at 200, which was a bit on the small size, so I switched to the 150-600 but that one tended to produce out of focus foreground due to the limited focus depth. On reflection, it would have been better to add a 1.4x converter to the 70-200 lens.

Davrik crossing the sandbar.



7D with Canon 70-200 lens 1/800 F11 Iso 400

And entering the harbour.



Sigma 150-600 lens. 1/250 F11 Iso 400

Hustler



70-200 lens. 1/320 F11 Iso 400

Southern Star



150-600 lens at 430. 1/400 F11 Iso 400