A Frustrating Development

So the other day I took a gentle stroll to a cove near to home with my camera at sunset. I was set to creating some photos taking advantage of the colour and light of the setting sun. There were numerous scenes that I wanted so I methodically went about setting up my tripod, the hot shoe bubble level for my horizon and for each scene I adjusted and readjusted the compositions until I was happy. At this stage of each respective scene, I was now ready to attach a graduated and a standard filter and set my camera for some long exposures. 

After a few shots I would naturally check my capture on the rear screen and by and large I was pleased with them. It was only after I'd uploaded them to the laptop did I see the problem.

Review of my captured images showed that one of my filters (later determined to be my standard filters; 0.6 and 0.9 ND) had physical blemishes that well and truly showed up on the images.

Not a happy bunny. 

Despite my near-obsession to maintain and properly store my filters it seems that these two had somehow been overlooked and ended being scratched and pock marked. 

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16-85mm @ 16mm, 0.8s @ f11, ISO 100

 

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16-85mm @ 22mm, 13.0s @ f22, ISO 100

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16-85mm @ 16mm, 10.0s @ f4.5, ISO 100

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16-85mm @ 16mm, 25.0s @ f5.0, ISO 100

The upshot is that I'm now looking to replace those standard filters and upgrade my landscape kit. So staying positive. 

Shades of Grey: Part Three

While the term "the other day" can be used in reference to anywhere within the last 18 months, in this instance I do actually mean in the last two or three days. I had been wondering where I could go on my day off (precious and few that they are) and was suggested to try a place called Dodman's Point south of St Austell, Cornwall.

So I did. I drove there, without my Sat Nav on this occasion as I'd lent it to a work colleague, parked and went wandering.

Gorran haven is a quaint, little fishing village with a private, working harbour. When I arrived the tide was out and families were out on the harbours' sandy beach and harbour wall. A collie dog was chasing a toy across the sand and returning it up the harbour wall steps to where an elderly woman and a young girl sat. Elsewhere on the wall an old couple walked towards me.

Nikon D7000, Tamron 70-300 @ 210mm, 1/50s @ f10, ISO 100

Nikon D7000, Tamron 70 - 300 @ 70mm, 1/40s @ f10, ISO 100

Walking towards the wall I spotted a couple of fishing boats sitting at the bottom of the stone steps. There were a couple of guys working on them, but this was the best image and sadly does not include them. You can see the collie racing from the lower stone step though. 

Nikon D7000, Tamron 70 - 300 @ 125mm, 1/15s @ f10, ISO 100

Standing atop the harbour's stone wall, I looked around and found a family down on the beach, one of the children playing in the surf.

Nikon D7000, Tamron 70 - 300 @ 70 mm, 1/400s @ f5.6, ISO 125

Leaving the harbour for the Coastal Path, the sun was slowly on its way down but I still had time. There was little of interest for a good part of the way until I came upon a large white mushroom. Continuing on towards the next beach there was a pole fisherman standing out on the rocks. At the end of the path before the next beach I saw the headland opposite with a bank of fog shrouding the top. The low sun was partially hidden by cloud cover and it looked spectacular. 

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16 -85 @ 85mm, 1/80s @ f8, ISO 125

Nikon D7000, Tamron 70 - 300 @ 220mm, f16, ISO 125

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16 - 85 @ 16mm, 1/40s @ f10 ISO 125

After a while I'd returned to Gorran Haven through the harbour and found the tide had come in. The same two fisher boats, moored to the wall now floated (obviously) over where they previously sat in the sand. Every one seemed to have gone in with the cold weather and so I headed back to the car and drove home. 

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16 - 85 @ 35mm, 1/8s @ f8, ISO 125

However on my way back the setting sun offered some attractive opportunities, so pulling up in a lay by I strolled over towards some small farm buildings. On the way I stumbled and nearly crashed into a spider's web. In the end, I switched my settings back to colour for the warmth of the setting sun. 

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16 - 85 @ 85mm, 1/13s @ f11, ISO 125

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16 - 85 @ 85mm, 1/80s @ f16, ISO 125

Nikon D7000, Nikkor 16 - 85 @ 16mm, 1/40s @ f7.1, ISO 125