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Sutton Warrior

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Everything posted by Sutton Warrior

  1. For the fun of it . . . Here is a sequence that as anglers you might like. I was fishing on a friends boat as a guest, we had a group of guys who had chartered the boat for the day to go Tope fishing in June 2006. It was to be my last feature article for the fishing magazine media. For those that are not sure, Tope is a shark, teeth and all!!! native to UK waters, rod caught record is about 80 something pounds, 82lbs I think. Bigger have been taken in the past couple of years but were released . . . 90 something? These pictures were taken by John Hanks on his mobile phone . . . it might have been a compact? I was otherwise occupied with the fishing rod The head appearing on the right . . . see next picture We had not got a net big enough to land it! So this brave soul, hung over the side, 4 guys hanging on to his legs The Tope went 38lbs . . . the fat lump wearing the silly hat goes considerably more than that . . . !!! That was 2006 . . . Just to prove the point, this is the same, not so fat lump, same smock, but hat less, last year . . . I have lost a lot of weight! The fish is a 7-8lb Thorn Back Ray, 'Roka' in these parts and 'skate wing' in the chippy. I am very grateful to John Hanks for the watery Tope shots, far from perfect photographically, but give me pleasure every time I look at them, they are in my 'special memories' category. Non of these are master pieces, but in my book there is more to picture taking than perfection? You may have a view . . . Please enjoy them with me, for what they are . . . SW OFC
  2. Hi Mick, I think your post says it all, you are so enthusiastic about the way you are going. Personally, I am equally 'unenthusiastic' from my point of view. I dont want to be condescending, if thats how you see my comments, I apologise? . . . but I do need, and am entitled to express, why I dont like something with equal enthusiasm HDR, PhotoShoping, Strobe, Computer Art, etc., yep, they are all here and here to stay, you like it, you go for it mate. I'm a simple soul, and getting on a bit these days so there is lots about the 'old ways' I like as much as you young'uns like modern technology, neither are wrong, but we both must be able to have our view . . . and live together OK, so I don't much like HDR 'HB style', (although I do apreciate the artistry in your minds eye) however, does the 'Strobe' make it better . . . or different. . . . ??? I can accept some messing about, 'solarised' a couple of photos for my mate of his yacht the other day, they are posted on here, he loved them, the original were a tad bland, a tweak on the 'S' colour curve, would have fixed that, but he liked the 'Solarised' shot. He is going to have a big one done, so I have to do him a full pixel CD. It will be interesting to see how your strobe work pans out Mike . . . Not guaranteeing to like it though . . . SW, OFC (old farts club)
  3. Keith, dont you worry about the camera, Janets winning picture this month was taken with a modest Sam-sung compact, top result. I have often used a Canon Compact to good effect and a number of regular posters use compacts. The main fact for the comp., the picture must be current, taken in the month of the competition. But pictures of interest posted on threads can be any age. SW
  4. 'Image', thats the word Steve, 'Computer Art Image', perfect description. Its great, if you like that sort of thing, but does it last in the mind . . . ? SW
  5. As you say mate, all down to personal taste, to that end, its how I see things in my mind . . . I have my feet firmly 99.9% in the 'old farts' natural look camp . . . but you have your style and "direction", go for it, there are artist who were poo-hoed, these days their work fetches millions. I will never be a millionaire thats for sure SW
  6. All been said, just mark the topic 'AN Photo Competition, May 09', the regulars know where and how, but it helps the casual interest. Nothing wrong with the occasional register, we all do it on all sorts of Webb issues, fleeBay is classic! As for help Steve, my name has been mentioned as has been the expressions 'time poor' and 10-12 hour working a day. . . Thats besides my poor grasp of computer button pressing due to not being the sharpest knife in the draw in some areas. I'm a follower . . . even have to be dragged kicking and screaming sometimes, no,no,no. SW
  7. Have not been a fan of HDR, but the 'Cave' and particularly 'Boathouse' I like very much. Its has to be said, the examples that are shown by Hellbelly, for me, have the hint of a 'pastals artist drawing' the way highlights are applied in such a medium? Leaving me with a slightly flat, 2 dimensional, drawn 3D, all most comic strip image in my mind? . . . Mmm I have said it before, 'computer artistry', love it or hate it. I tell you what, it don't matter a fig if its commercially salable, go fill the boots SW
  8. You know 'Jedibond' those first two pictures would not look out of place in the 'AN Photographic' section, in the monthly competition even!!! Why not drop down and have a look in . . . SW
  9. ISO is about the sensitivity of the 'film' or in modern digital terms sensitivity of the sensor that now replaces the film. Low ISO = less grain on film, in digital talk thats 'noise', you will have seen the examples in camera reviews, when the talk about and show how increasing ISO increases noise and how well noise is controlled by a particular camera as ISO increases. The higher the ISO the lower the light levels a picture can be take in before flash is required or you give up So you get better sensitivity with highers ISO figures at the cost of increased 'noise' or in old terms 'grain'. The amount of the available light that reaches the sensor is controlled by shutter speed and aperture size. So high or low ISO is not a direct function of 'dull looking images', its the aperture and shutter, they control light. Thats the simple explanation in my book? anyone want to take it to another level? SW
  10. This is a thread worth looking at in the 'AN course fishing forum'. I am impressed with the quality of some of the phone camera pictures I have seen, a couple by 'jedibond' are really note worthy. Not for the purist . . . ? but we ain't purists are we! I've said it before, let us all see what you are about . . . great stuff, camera in the pocket all the time http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/camera-...s-t1529416.html SW
  11. Westie, sorry to hear you are not 100%, explains why have not see much of you recently. Look forward to seeing more of your valued input soon, which means you will be on the mend I understand the F8-F11 setting on lenses, but it was when I started to combine F8 with ISO200 on the Nikon 18-200VR super zoom, thats when I started to notice every thing coming together consistently well. As I have said previously, super zooms have long been put down for their compromise in performance. Pixel peepers will always find something to criticise, thats what makes them happy But as a hobbyist photographer, I am finding great satisfaction recently in being able to extract good results from a relatively economic setup. Thats, economy and quality by my relitivly simple standards of course, the camera is doing its bit, all I have to do is get my act together Thanks for that link Hellbelly, I will give it a proper read later, off to B&Q for an hour, need some stuff for the garden, then back in time for a bacon sarnie and glass of cider in front of the TV watching the Spanish Grand Prix . . . tough life . . . SW
  12. A Virgin customer for many years, I have just had my download rate changed from 2Mb to 10Mb . . . They increased the monthly rate by £2, knocked of a pound for email billing and gave me the higher down load. A bit side ways I suppose to grab another quid, but my computer screen is really JUMPING now . . . OK, a fair trade? SW
  13. Mmm, if its made you feel queasy Janet . . . perhaps it has achieved the objective, 'you are at sea?' . . . "Ooooo, a life on the ocean waves . . . . . " 'Hair shirts' in my book are more into the 'everything manual', use either prime or best quality professional zoom lenses, do things the hard way and big bucks . . . ££££££? I wish. They seem to be quite happy after promoting the 'old fashioned', retro, 'steam operated' way? They are then quite happy to dive into all sorts of modern skulduggery in PhotoShop . . . isn't that a double standard? I'm happy to get the settings right in the camera, with a minimum of post processing in PS. However, to have a little fiddle some times is fun dont you think . . . The owner of the boat loved the Solarised pictures. Only my humble opinion SW
  14. I have two tripods and a mono pod. The first one I ever bought is very much on a parr with the one you have Janet, great for compacts and modern light DSLR's with a standard lens. These days one has a Manfroto 55, support the world! it will, but heavy . . . !!! I also have a Manfroto Mono pod, great general purpose mobile compromise, but for long exposures it has to be the full Tripod. Looked at the carbon fiber tripods, expensive and not as light as one would think, its the head, thats still heavy. Pity some one does not make a 'walking/hiking stick', carbon fiber mono pod, that would be perfec, no heavy head required? Unless some one knows different? SW
  15. I've had my suspicions for a few weeks, that there is an ideal . . . perfect . . . general setting on my Nikon D80/18-200VR combination? also seems to extend to the Sigma 10-20 as well? Been hosing around recently with gay abandon, having found the pleasures of 'Center Weighted metering', histogram confirmation and colour curve adjustment. With the superb weather, I started to play with ISO settings, ISO200 in good light seems to promote F8-F11 aperture and a shutter speed from 125th up to 500th. Thats set on 'Auto P', fixing the aperture at say F8 for general walk about photography seems to get good results. The reason I have finally decided that there does seem to be a sweet spot. I have this morning gone through the photographs I took on my friends yacht last week, about half were taken using the Nikon 18-200VR super zoom the rest, taken with my Sigma 10-20. Sharpness and colour were excellent, requiring minimal post processing to send a set of 10 via email to Harmony's owner. Super zooms are not noted for their sharpness, and although light conditions did change through the day, I was able to compensate easily with the help of the histogram, requiring F1/3-F2/3 minimal changes. Even the less than perfect shots were not so far off as to be unretrievable had I not got 'F' compensation right. I presume it is me, and the penny is finally dropping on this photography thing . . . or is there a settings 'sweet spot'? Its strange, when I used to take pictures for my magazine articals, back in the days of film, I always, as did the magazine, prefered the Fuji ISO200 film . . . ? Nikon have often favoured ISO200 as the minimum speed setting on its modern DSLR's . . . ???? SW
  16. When I first joined the AN Photography section . . . . XXX years ago, afraid the memory fails me on dates, however, there was a good nucleus of experienced photographers, plus plenty of would be photographers with questions. We had our ups and downs, but things went on swimmingly, a few members went and were replaced by new blood. As an Angling based forum, the od fishy picture appeared, lots of wild life and waterscapes, as well as the more usual efforts from enthusiastic amateurs. Encouragement was dolled by the ladle full, along with help and loads of banter. Steve Randles handed on a healthy Forum to the late, Mr Wiggly. Wiggly became a friend to us all, how you do that over the Internet I have not got a clue, but he did it. Enthusiasm, advise, encouragement and a whole load of commitment and work behind the scenes, was the Wiggly trade mark, sadly Mr Wigglies passing has left a gap in every ones life that he touched. He would be devastated with what has happened to our vital and thriving forum in the space of 6 months. We hade a unique Photo Forum, in my humble opinion. We were not high and mighty, think we know it all, pro and anorak based self opinionated hair shirts. We accepted photography for its own sake, not trying to impress with how much we had spent on a particular brand. Janet has given you a a shake up, Delia fashion ; . . . " where are you . . . lets be having you". Looking at the reaction since then, Janet's words seem to have hit a spot? You only have to look at this months competition entries and picture viewings, standard is good, and the viewings are excellent, which, one assumes, means the voting will be good as well Forum chat has gone up, threads are interesting, if they don't float your boat . . . get in there and post a thread that does! Its a start, but the forum needs to be moving back to 'Wiggly style' days, comment, chat, banter, information. Continue the 'anything goes' theme on equipment, £100 compact or a £1000 DSLR, its the eye behind the camera that makes the photo, not a fat check book in the pocket! Lets be seeing some of those early simple, 'AN style', watery, fishie and wildlife pictures that were the trade mark of 'Anglers Net Photography'. There are the threads of a start, a spark of enthusiasm. The weather is good we are in for a Bar-bi-que Summer, so the weather man and woman 'political correctness' say. No excuse, get out there and lets see what you are up to. Never mind the fancy PS'jobs, lets have some real life and how you live it. SW . . . Some of my pleasures in similes; PS, any vistors reading this, get you kit off and 'come on in' . . . PPS, sorry, my spelling is a bit off I think??
  17. It certainly makes sense Janet, whether one can get that enthusiastic??? Time, creativity, the real world, as you say, an ordinary picture . . . Ordinary pictures can be boring, the real world is boring . . . I live in the real world ............ whew, does that make any sense? I accept life as boring with punctuation marks!!! Down hill all the way . . . ???? SW
  18. Complete flook Janet, had the original in 'Levels' I slid the left hand and centre slider to far to the right, thought that looks interesting, see what happens? . . . kept sliding, "simple's . . . " Got some Hawthorn and Cowslips today, classic session on my way round the lanes, 50 mile trip to Cambridge, only a parcel on board going to Addenbrookes Hospital, no pressure, know the road well, watched as I passed known vantage points, found a rape field on the side of a hill, parcels are great, they don't complain . . . watch this space? SW
  19. No bluebell woods, but I found some daisies today . . . SW
  20. Hay Janet, hear what you say, if I try to level it up you loos so much of the photo? Might have another look later? Off to my boat now, see if we can catch a few early season bass on the new flood tide that starts at 3pm? Note, on the original I had cropped that bit in the corner out. Hard to make much more of the standard picture with out a full fish eye lens or change my initials to 'JC' and walk on water I suspect there is a cleaver way to straighten the horizon??? but I have no idea how? Good case for an excuse to go out on another fishing trip to re shoot SW
  21. Well now . . . I have been and surprised myself!!! I've been playing 'silly buggers' mid morning, not touched a drop of the hard stuff . . . looking at the sailing. Then I came on these two, total by chance the shot was taken at an angle, the camera was playing up!!! actualy finger trouble But the result was the shots leaning over, I think they get a sence of speed with the mast over like that, despite the horizon falling of the picture as well? However, the picture as was, was still bland, spice it up with a little adjustment in 'colour curves', down hill from there . . . one of the style options was 'Solorise'; these are the results after a little trial and error. I am not a fan of unnatural pictures, however, the angle of the boat and the colour combination, the sun ahead and amazing sky colour, in my humble opinion put a zip in to the shots? 1 Original picture with a high (standing) lens position with some basic pp work 1a Solorised 2 Original picture with a low (grovel ) position and some basic pp work 2a Solorised So finger trouble at the camera end and my wandering about in the computer menu produced interesting results . . . IMHO Do you like the strange angle, is the high or low lens position better, does the solorising work for you, do the pictures work at all? . . . agree, disagree? open to you comments. SW
  22. As this is essentially an angling site with Photography tagged on these days? I thought this report, that I put up on another sea angling site, of which I am a member, might be of interest? Obviously the pictures element is for this site. Taken within the confines of the boat Harmony, I used the wide angle of my 18-200VR for the cod picture and the 10mm focal length of my Sigma 10-20, for the sailing shot, which I thought, in view of circumstances and wanting a picture under sail for the owner, turned out well enough? It also follows on from an earlier thread; I am using 'Center Weight' metering almost exclusively these days, to very good effect. Perhaps I will post a few more of the session that I think might be of interest, composition was a real problem, both in terms of confinement, as was the case with the sail shot, not falling over board, and the sun being almost dead ahead!!! If you want some more, please indicate within your comments, other wise I won't boar you any further with my sailing exploits 5.40 . . am! the late spring cod are calling, engines fired up and Harmony gingerly locks out of Shotley Marina, she is a tight fit with 3 feet per side to spare. A steady steam with the tide had us bearing down on our mark in surpisingly quick time? or is it when you are having fun time passes so quickly? Then a brief look at the bottom, to asses what we have, this was a new mark, recommended to Colin, Harmonies owner by a friend. Anchor down, and commence some serious fishing, we had unwashed squid, black lug, ragworm and peeler on board. Covering basses with the bait variety, as this time of year, various species could be out there, bass, smoothound, roka, as well as cod. First fish came at 8 o'clock on the dot, I had swapped to my light 12lb Abu Suveran rods for the summer, and what a great fight they offer against the tide and a 9lb cod! I have said it before, The 12lb Suveran blank is awesome, light and sensitive and yet, as the pressure is applied, it steps up to the mark with power in hand as the medium to through action takes hold!!! First cod, at 9 pounds a good omen, one rod was fishing with crab, the cod came to steady old uw-squid Cod number 2 was Colin's, and thats how it went. Colin boated a 10lb+ fish which caused a bit of celebration, bit like scoring the magic 100 at snooker. In these parts 10lbs+ is a target!!! Eight cod from 4lb to 10lb+, we had a smattering of other species, a couple of small smoothound, a pout and the tiniest of roka, of course the local dog show was in full swing. Tide went slack, we decided to wait for the flood tide, gave it an hour, nothing, zilch Colin asked the question, I agreed . . . yes I'd love a cupa, let these baits fish out, if nothing head for home. We were running with the flood tide, 10-15mph wind blowing from, SSW. Put the sails up and go home in 'style' Well, I have never been under sail before, not on a proper boat, other than a short stint on a Thames barge a couple of years ago. I could get used to the life, with the time required to go with it, lovely. The results of a very pleasant relaxed days fishing, cod and chips twice please Hazel. SW
  23. I certainly am Janet, you know me, anything goes, sign of spring approaching . . . yes, mmm and a sign that I'm a rubbish gardener, I have a great crop in the law this year . . . another sign; the lawn now needs mowing every week!!! 4.30am! . . . there is only one reason to be up and awake this early, off to catch some late season cod, keep the fingers crossed for an early bass . . . try to get some thing more than snapshots to post for the days efforts? . . . "watch out you coood" shhhhhhh!!! SW
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