The AGM for our club season was held on Monday 14th March 2011. This was the final meeting and we were in buoyant mood after what was a good day for us at Hailsham and the Sussex Federation Print Competition [see last weeks posting]. It seems we only just missed out on the trophy for the most improved club too!
I managed to come 5th this year in the league print competition. My score was 111 out of a possible 120 which doesn't seem too shabby. However I have a sneaking suspicion that I also achieved the same score last season but came 11th. Next year I will be able to refer to this posting to see it I have improved!
We now have the summer months to get the vital photo's for next seasons campaign. As always there is a Natural History Competition so I will be on the look out for a suitable wildlife photo. This year I have given myself the challenge of finding the proper name of the subject of my photo, including the latin version, as I would have to do this in a professional competition such as the Royal Photographic Society.
There are the normal two open competitions where you can please yourself as to the subject of the photograph.
The second competition of next season has the title 'Red'. My mind has already been working on this looking for possible scenarios. Should I try a black and white of say flowers with one red flower showing, or a lighthouse with a red band type of thing. How about a shot full of red flowers [I know just the ones that come out around June] or perhaps I should try to stage a photo. The latter being slightly more ambitious if I can think of a great layout. Thinking cap time.
Another competition has the title of 'Movement'. So I guess that will either be a photo with a blur passing through to show something moving, or a sharp shot of something/someone in the middle of a moving act. I never like my attempts at a blur. Maybe I could try panning where the background blurs and the object is sharp.
The final subject is going to be really interesting, LRPS, as it is linked to one of the talks we will be having on gaining accreditation with the Royal Photographic Society. This will involve us having our version of a very small panel [2 photos rather than 10/15/20] which must somehow be related. It is one of those that I will think about over the summer, trying to anticipate the requirements, however I will need to stay flexible until we have the talk. Though the Royal Photographic Society does have it's own hints on it's website.
As a very small camera club, Lewes is always looking for new members. If you want to join and need further information; our new website is up and running' so please follow the attached link. Lewes Camera Club. Alternatively, if one of the talks we have lined up catches your fancy why not contact us. If you use the club email address they can let you know if there are still seats available and the cost. Don't delay. Go on, give it a go. We get wonderful presenters.
03/10/2011 - Beyond the Basics Photoshop Workshop by Gavin Hoey
10/10/2011 - Natural History Photography/Presentation/Advice by Chris Coates DPAGB
24/10/2011 - Travels with a Camera by Clive Dickson
07/11/2011 - How to take Portraits Without a Studio by James Barry
21/11/2011 - Advice on how to Attain LRPS and beyond by Walter Benzie ARPS
16/01/2012 - Wedding Photography A Professional Approach by Tony Hollman
06/02/2012 - Ballooning in the land of the Thunder Dragon by David Billing
05/03/2012 - Creative Workshop by Jack Casement ARPS
Finally - Tomorrow I will depart for a week, trying to find some photographs for the competitions that the other members won't have, that the judges haven't seen too many times before, that hopefully are a little bit different, and with such great composition and sharpness they can't fail to get me that elusive 20. [I can dream.]
And.......... if all goes well I will be posting the successful photos on future blogs after the competitions take place.
So, another week about photography without any actual photographs. What am I thinking?
Next weeks blog will be late as I won't be back till a week tomorrow.
I may [or may not] let you know how successful the week has been and if I have a possible 20 score in the bag.
Oh, for such confidence.
I will post the promised pictures of Newhaven from the other side of the river.
Think positive thoughts until then.........................................................
Friday, 18 March 2011
Monday, 14 March 2011
Sussex Federation Photographic Competition
No pictures this week. Just photography information.
On Sunday in the community centre at Hailsham in Sussex, The Sussex Federation Photography Print Competition for 2011 took place. Each year a different camera club takes on the role of host. This year it was the joint responsibility of Rottingdean and Lewes Camera Clubs. Lewes [my club] was responsible for the raffle, the door and the refreshments. Rottingdean took on responsibility for the hall and the prints/scoring.
The judge had the prints for ten days to give her time to go through them all [ at least 100 prints] and score them. Technically, there should only be one score of 20, the winner, however due to the high standard she choose 6 x 20 photographs. From these she choose her favourite as the overall winner. Rottingdean, took the prints, collated the score for each section, with a list of the final scores being given to each camera club chairman at the end of the day.
Half time, the chance for a cup of tea/coffee and a biscuit, was after the scores for 3 sets of prints. Then the last 2 sets of prints are shown. Winners announced. Trophies are awarded. The judge thanked and then we end with the raffle. It all takes from 2-30pm until 6.00pm. [Unless of course you were in the vanguard and arrived at 1.00pm]
All the camera clubs in Sussex who are part of the Sussex federation entered 5 prints. Usually what they think is their best 5 prints from the season so far. The prints are then separated into 5 sections, 1 from each club, and at the end of each section, the scores so far are added together, until at the end of the judging, each camera club has an amalgamated score for their five prints. There is an award for the best photo. One for the most improved camera club and of course, a trophy for the winning team.
The 6 photos with a score of 20 were shown together before the judge announced her personal favourite and the individual winner.
Regretfully I have to admit that I can't remember the name of the photographer with the winning picture [sorry], but it was a beautiful photo of a butterfly on a stalk of wheat. I am not entirely sure, however I think the winner was a member of Seaford Camera Club.
The trophy given for the most improved club went to Seaford who I think ended up in third place overall.
Finally, the overall winning team, with the top score for their 5 prints was Rye. They had a very good collection of prints. Which were shown together at the end before the trophy was handed over.
Lewes Camera Club had the highest score they had ever achieved in the competition which placed them in 9th place.
I reluctantly went along to help with the refreshments however I did learn a couple of things.
Before the competition took place I was a little worried on the personal front. I had heard that we had a habit of coming 2nd last. To my mind that meant our photos at the club were not as good as those at other clubs and I personally have been having difficulty achieving a 20. The logical thought with this is that my photos aren't as good as I thought they might be. Having seen the photos at the competition however, I have to say that the top photos in Lewes Camera Club are just as good as the ones on show, and 9th place is above half way. I managed a couple of 19 in the scores this season so in a way my fears are allayed. [Though I didn't have one good enough to be placed in the Sussex federation Print Competition, yet!]
The other thing I noticed in the competition was there was only around 3 or 4 landscapes. The rest was wildlife, staged photos or record style photographs and portraits. The record photographs, even with local competitions, tend not to get the winning score, whether it is a building or a gate or whatever. There was also a couple where the judge felt the titles did not match the photographs [one of my bugbears] and they did seem to catch a lower score. The landscapes did not achieve top scores either, and to be honest, most of the 20's were excellent wildlife photos.
Maybe I am actually trying to take photos of the wrong thing for the competitions. Tonight, at the last meeting of our season at Lewes Camera Club [AGM] when we get a draft of the next seasons schedule and its competitions, I need to think a lot harder about what to take rather than letting fate decide [which I normally do]. It is very hard to take a landscape where the camera shows the wonderful scenery you actually see. I know that it is important to get the right light with just the right scenery etc. However a couple of the photos in the competition were really good. I need to think carefully before putting forward entries in next season. Perhaps I need to think about trying to stage some photographs - flowers or still lifes, or try out some of the techniques I keep reading about. Making up compositions or adding or deleting to the photos, or making a photo with a difference. I need to find something a little different so it is something they haven't seen a lot of before! Better still, some really great wildlife photos.
It's a bit like the secret of the black magic box isn't it. You can't have the answer until you actually manage to crack the code.
Wish me luck.
On Sunday in the community centre at Hailsham in Sussex, The Sussex Federation Photography Print Competition for 2011 took place. Each year a different camera club takes on the role of host. This year it was the joint responsibility of Rottingdean and Lewes Camera Clubs. Lewes [my club] was responsible for the raffle, the door and the refreshments. Rottingdean took on responsibility for the hall and the prints/scoring.
The judge had the prints for ten days to give her time to go through them all [ at least 100 prints] and score them. Technically, there should only be one score of 20, the winner, however due to the high standard she choose 6 x 20 photographs. From these she choose her favourite as the overall winner. Rottingdean, took the prints, collated the score for each section, with a list of the final scores being given to each camera club chairman at the end of the day.
Half time, the chance for a cup of tea/coffee and a biscuit, was after the scores for 3 sets of prints. Then the last 2 sets of prints are shown. Winners announced. Trophies are awarded. The judge thanked and then we end with the raffle. It all takes from 2-30pm until 6.00pm. [Unless of course you were in the vanguard and arrived at 1.00pm]
All the camera clubs in Sussex who are part of the Sussex federation entered 5 prints. Usually what they think is their best 5 prints from the season so far. The prints are then separated into 5 sections, 1 from each club, and at the end of each section, the scores so far are added together, until at the end of the judging, each camera club has an amalgamated score for their five prints. There is an award for the best photo. One for the most improved camera club and of course, a trophy for the winning team.
The 6 photos with a score of 20 were shown together before the judge announced her personal favourite and the individual winner.
Regretfully I have to admit that I can't remember the name of the photographer with the winning picture [sorry], but it was a beautiful photo of a butterfly on a stalk of wheat. I am not entirely sure, however I think the winner was a member of Seaford Camera Club.
The trophy given for the most improved club went to Seaford who I think ended up in third place overall.
Finally, the overall winning team, with the top score for their 5 prints was Rye. They had a very good collection of prints. Which were shown together at the end before the trophy was handed over.
Lewes Camera Club had the highest score they had ever achieved in the competition which placed them in 9th place.
I reluctantly went along to help with the refreshments however I did learn a couple of things.
Before the competition took place I was a little worried on the personal front. I had heard that we had a habit of coming 2nd last. To my mind that meant our photos at the club were not as good as those at other clubs and I personally have been having difficulty achieving a 20. The logical thought with this is that my photos aren't as good as I thought they might be. Having seen the photos at the competition however, I have to say that the top photos in Lewes Camera Club are just as good as the ones on show, and 9th place is above half way. I managed a couple of 19 in the scores this season so in a way my fears are allayed. [Though I didn't have one good enough to be placed in the Sussex federation Print Competition, yet!]
The other thing I noticed in the competition was there was only around 3 or 4 landscapes. The rest was wildlife, staged photos or record style photographs and portraits. The record photographs, even with local competitions, tend not to get the winning score, whether it is a building or a gate or whatever. There was also a couple where the judge felt the titles did not match the photographs [one of my bugbears] and they did seem to catch a lower score. The landscapes did not achieve top scores either, and to be honest, most of the 20's were excellent wildlife photos.
Maybe I am actually trying to take photos of the wrong thing for the competitions. Tonight, at the last meeting of our season at Lewes Camera Club [AGM] when we get a draft of the next seasons schedule and its competitions, I need to think a lot harder about what to take rather than letting fate decide [which I normally do]. It is very hard to take a landscape where the camera shows the wonderful scenery you actually see. I know that it is important to get the right light with just the right scenery etc. However a couple of the photos in the competition were really good. I need to think carefully before putting forward entries in next season. Perhaps I need to think about trying to stage some photographs - flowers or still lifes, or try out some of the techniques I keep reading about. Making up compositions or adding or deleting to the photos, or making a photo with a difference. I need to find something a little different so it is something they haven't seen a lot of before! Better still, some really great wildlife photos.
It's a bit like the secret of the black magic box isn't it. You can't have the answer until you actually manage to crack the code.
Wish me luck.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Newhaven Fort and Final Lewes Camera Club Competition 2010-2011 season
More pictures with dull grey skies I'm afraid.
I have been thinking about this blog and I'm disappointed that I have strayed from the my reasons for the blog by what seems to me, a very wide mark. I go out every week to make sure I have pictures to put in the blog, however they are not necessarily the kind of pictures I actually meant to put in the blog. The blog is driving the photography rather than the other way round - if you get my drift. So I am going to try and go back to my aims of taking great photographs rather than giving you a tour of the Sussex [or otherwise] countryside. So in the future you may log on to a good photo, or you may log on to me raving and waffling about how my photography went that week or a great photography book or idea I have picked up. Wish me [and you] luck.
I have been thinking about this blog and I'm disappointed that I have strayed from the my reasons for the blog by what seems to me, a very wide mark. I go out every week to make sure I have pictures to put in the blog, however they are not necessarily the kind of pictures I actually meant to put in the blog. The blog is driving the photography rather than the other way round - if you get my drift. So I am going to try and go back to my aims of taking great photographs rather than giving you a tour of the Sussex [or otherwise] countryside. So in the future you may log on to a good photo, or you may log on to me raving and waffling about how my photography went that week or a great photography book or idea I have picked up. Wish me [and you] luck.
Newhaven Fort.
When you drive in to the upper car park [advisable if you don't want a steep climb] and walk towards the fort entrance you are met by bollards that look like large black shells and the above striking silhouettes. I loved these. They reminded me of the cartoons and posters I used to see in the comics and books about the war. They appeal to my childish side I guess.
I recommend a visit to Newhaven Fort if you are in the area. I took my mum and dad a few years ago and they enjoyed it. My mum however did find some parts a little too realistic. They have an imitation shelter you can enter to gain a sense of what it was like to be in one of these places during a bombing raid. As you come out you walk through an area of bombed buildings. While we were waiting and looking around the exhibit, the siren sounded for the start of a raid and to call people into the shelter. The dismal lighting and siren noise brought memories back for my mum and she couldn't quite bring herself to enter the shelter. From the outside we could hear the sound of bombs dropping and rattling so I guess it was quite realistic inside. There are lots of exhibits and information and a cafe for refreshments.
The kids will love it.
This is a picture of the fort entrance with Newhaven pebble beach in the background.
Regretfully from the car park for the fort, you can see a dismal sight of Newhaven which is in the beginnings of a regeneration. On the dull day I took my photos it looked, on the whole, quite neglected. Especially when you consider its near neighbour Brighton just a few miles further down the coast. On one side of the river Ouse there is the newly focused Marina with it's new flats and townhouses. This area has brought Newhaven into the 21st Century and is attractive to visitors. On the other side there is the terminal for the Dieppe ferry and, not even 20 yards along from it, what can only be described as a scrap heap. So tourists coming in on the ferry will have a different view of Newhaven depending on which side of the ship they sit on!!
Despite lots of demonstrations to try and stop it, the town has been chosen as the site for a new waste incinerator being built. I know someone has to have it in their back yard however I am not sure the people of Newhaven understand why it has to be them. Being honest, as you drive towards Newhaven from Lewes it looks like they are building a very impressive building, Almost space age. You can forget for a moment it's true purpose. It could be a modern Tate or a wonderful new station for the Euro Train. It is big and dominates the skyline. Lets just hope that when it is finally turned on, the claims of its owners are fact and not fiction. Visitors coming off the ferry don't want to be met with smog and smells. Not if we want them to come back that is!!
There used to be a lovely sandy beach in Newhaven, just around the corner from the fort. One of the few sandy beaches in the area [if not the only]. It is owned by the French company who also own the Ferry Terminal and surrounding buildings. Locals used to flock to the beach in the summer, in spite of the hazard warnings. You see, somewhere along the line, the sea walls and steps in this area fell into disrepair and became dangerous. This was not necessarily the French Companies fault as it has taken quite a few years for it to get into this state, however as they now own it, the local council have tried to get the French Company to repair it. The area it is now closed off with a monstrous great rig of some kind stuck there. Originally, there was a lot of posturing going on about this beach area, with the French threatening to throw their toys out of the pram, up sticks and leave Newhaven with no further investment. Have they now shot themselves in the foot by putting the rig on the beach area which adds to the very industrial, neglected look of the port. You can hardly miss it as the ferry comes in towards the harbour. Guess it will depend on the rental fees they are getting from the rig owner.
Am I campaigning [or possibly complaining] - no. I don't live in Newhaven and therefore don't have to see it every day. Next week I will add more pictures from another side of the beach that has a lot of history. Just to even it up a little!!
and...................... a lot of coach visitors to Newhaven visit the wonderful Paradise Park.
It is a garden centre with a difference. A cafe, with the usual garden centre bits and pieces, great variety of gifts to take home to the relatives, and a long standing dinosaur exhibit. Great for the little explorers [though small and nervous children can find the moving dinosaurs and their roar a little too life like - I quote from first hand experience]. There is a play centre with activities for various ages, a lovely garden with small, medium and longer walks. Fountains and a small train for both adults and children to sit in and enjoy. [Believe me, I have pictures of one of my friends from a couple of years ago, smiling and waving as the train goes past , along with the child she adopted for the day!!] All in all, it makes quite a nice afternoon out for the family.
The Competition..................
It is time for letting you know how I fared in the last competition of the season with Lewes Camera Club. I have not been setting the heather alight with my performance this year, though I think I have managed a couple of scores of 19. My aim to get the ultimate score of 20 is alas still a dream. This is my 3rd year of trying to reach the holy grail and what makes it worse is that a new member has attained at least 3 of them in their first year. I tell myself its because she knows what the judges are looking for rather than taking better photographs. [she does have an expert in the family]. Jealous? In a word - yes!!
The competition was 'Being Creative'. Though as the judge said, being creative means different things to different people. He gave us a presentation in October to try to explain what he was looking for. I took away the challenge [rightly or wrongly] to put in a picture I normally wouldn't consider.
This was my first. Sunrise.
For which I achieved a mark of 16.
The creative part for me is that normally you would break the composition of a picture into thirds. Perhaps a foreground, the main object and then the sky. Or it would be broken into thirds in some other way. In this case the picture is mostly of sky and breaks that rule. I adore the different colours in the sky with the sun just starting to pop up. The downs are a silhouette and just a fraction of the scene. I wish I could remember a lot about the thought process that went into taking this, however I really don't think there was that much. This is one of the scenes I can see from my bedroom window. I have a problem in that all my bedroom windows open up the wrong way [or to the wrong view for a camera]. So I had to stick the camera through a gap or under the window, try to hold it steady, get the right exposure and then click. You also have to be quick as the sun can rise quickly and you lose the colour that first drew you to the scene. So the only thought process was to try and grab the scene before it disappeared into the light.
He thought it very pleasing, however when looking at the other entries I can see that it was not quite as creative as some of the others.
My second entry
The Stranger in the Lift.
Achieved a mark of 19.
He really is a stranger and he didn't know I was taking this. So if you are out there sir, I would love to give you a print of this in the hope that you like it. I am personally really proud of this photo.
The judge was a tall man and found this photo unsettling and a little intimidating. [I am short and I am used to people being taller and sometimes a little intimidating.] I find it great that it had the effect I was trying to get over. I received a 19 instead of a 20 as the area under the chin is dark and could have been lightened [Photoshop]. From my viewpoint, I was in a lift with a stranger, trying secretly to take the photo [I think people are much more natural when they don't know you are taking a shot of them], it was one of the last pictures I took that day, and the lighting was what it was. I wasn't in a studio set up [don't have one anyway]. My photoshop skills are not ideal - though I might have managed to lighten it if I had thought about it - and I am still stuck in the thought process that the photo I take is the one I want to show. I am learning - slowly.
[Very slowly].
I should add for the record that this guy was with a blonde lady and a small girl, whom I assumed was his partner/wife and daughter. So he really wasn't intimidating as such. The lift in question [in Eastbourne] was a little depressing and dark and since has been upgraded. I would quite happily put this one in my make believe coffee table book.
and that is a very good place to end this week!!
Monday, 28 February 2011
Ditchling Common
Hi there,
Have to say this blog was almost completed by Friday, but I still wanted to have a final proof read before posting. So while I am late, it isn't as bad as it first looks......................
We are all probably getting a bit tired of the gloomy days and looking forward to when we will be seeing a bit more sun. On a Monday I check the weather forecast to see when the best day will be so I can go out and get some pictures, it nearly always seems to be at times when I have other commitments. How does it know I wonder?
This week the forecast indicated that Tuesday and Thursday would be best [same forecast] so out I went on Tuesday putting on my walking boots in anticipation. As soon as I got out the car at the common I realised wellies would have been much more sensible [don't think I claimed to have common sense though]. There I was tip toeing about in ankle deep mug, [the dog walkers I met were all sensibly attired of course] trying not to get myself or particularly the camera too muddy. Then in the middle of trying to take shots of some swans, it started to rain. What happened to the sunny breaks I ask? Particularly as Thursday turned out to be glorious. Weak sun [or otherwise] coming through the mist would have made a really good photo. Ah well. they say that photographers are always complaining about the weather!!
Despite having seen me at several spots round the big pond on the common [more like a lake to me] one of the swans decided to get out of the water and come straight towards me. Nobody believes how big it looked. I can't move very fast at the best of times, so trying to move swiftly backwards with a tripod, 2 cameras and bag, through the mud, could not have been an elegant sight. Have to say the swan was not so elegant out of the water either, but definitely a faster mover than me.
Back to the subject matter. Ditchling Common is famous for its bluebells however we won't see them until later in the year. [The common was also in the national news in an unsavoury murder case a few years ago] . So hopefully I will take a trip back there at a relevant time and bring you pictures of the common covered in bluebells. It is spectacular and previous photos I have did not [in my eyes] do it justice, but if at first you don't succeed.......
At present however, it is covered in the warm brown of dead ferns. The common consists of a walk round the 'big pond' [still think its more a lake] complete with swans, ducks, moorhens, fisher persons, a huge variety of dogs and owners and in the summer there are various birds, butterflies and insects [who are probably still there now - just not so visible]. I had to pick some photo's that were typical of the common, so on this occasion you will not so a close up of my chasing swan, however if there is ever a week I can't get out for a photo and have to resort to previous weeks outings, I will consider adding it to the blog. I promise.
Have to say this blog was almost completed by Friday, but I still wanted to have a final proof read before posting. So while I am late, it isn't as bad as it first looks......................
We are all probably getting a bit tired of the gloomy days and looking forward to when we will be seeing a bit more sun. On a Monday I check the weather forecast to see when the best day will be so I can go out and get some pictures, it nearly always seems to be at times when I have other commitments. How does it know I wonder?
This week the forecast indicated that Tuesday and Thursday would be best [same forecast] so out I went on Tuesday putting on my walking boots in anticipation. As soon as I got out the car at the common I realised wellies would have been much more sensible [don't think I claimed to have common sense though]. There I was tip toeing about in ankle deep mug, [the dog walkers I met were all sensibly attired of course] trying not to get myself or particularly the camera too muddy. Then in the middle of trying to take shots of some swans, it started to rain. What happened to the sunny breaks I ask? Particularly as Thursday turned out to be glorious. Weak sun [or otherwise] coming through the mist would have made a really good photo. Ah well. they say that photographers are always complaining about the weather!!
Despite having seen me at several spots round the big pond on the common [more like a lake to me] one of the swans decided to get out of the water and come straight towards me. Nobody believes how big it looked. I can't move very fast at the best of times, so trying to move swiftly backwards with a tripod, 2 cameras and bag, through the mud, could not have been an elegant sight. Have to say the swan was not so elegant out of the water either, but definitely a faster mover than me.
Back to the subject matter. Ditchling Common is famous for its bluebells however we won't see them until later in the year. [The common was also in the national news in an unsavoury murder case a few years ago] . So hopefully I will take a trip back there at a relevant time and bring you pictures of the common covered in bluebells. It is spectacular and previous photos I have did not [in my eyes] do it justice, but if at first you don't succeed.......
At present however, it is covered in the warm brown of dead ferns. The common consists of a walk round the 'big pond' [still think its more a lake] complete with swans, ducks, moorhens, fisher persons, a huge variety of dogs and owners and in the summer there are various birds, butterflies and insects [who are probably still there now - just not so visible]. I had to pick some photo's that were typical of the common, so on this occasion you will not so a close up of my chasing swan, however if there is ever a week I can't get out for a photo and have to resort to previous weeks outings, I will consider adding it to the blog. I promise.
Not many people out enjoying the view apart from a fisherman and dog walkers.
and to prove there were swans!!
Now I have a bonus track - so to speak.
You may remember in a pervious blog that I mentioned the RSPB big bird watch. I did dutifully carry this out. We had blue tits, great tits, coal tit, nuthatch, moor hens, pheasant, jay, crows, long tailed tits, chaffinches, robins, blackbirds and a hedge sparrow [I think that was all of them]. Missing that day were our green finches, gold finches and an unwanted visitor the Sparrow Hawk [or rather a pair of them]. The Sparrow Hawk is regretfully a frequent visitor. In any other arena I would want to see it and think about how wonderful it is as it swoops down [sounds like a glider passing over head.]. They are very fast and don't seem to think much about danger from branches etc in pursuit of their meal. However, having enticed all the above wonderful little garden birds to my feeders, I feel a bit guilty about supplying a lunch buffet for the Hawk. Fortunately he/she seems to miss a lot [not for them obviously but for my little friends]. Sometimes I will be passing the window and see it sitting on top of the feeder or the bird bath. Before I can stop myself I bang on the window or yell at it to chase it off and then think, that would have made a great photo.................
Finally, [though regretfully I don't yet have a longer range zoom lens needed to get the close ups,] I did get some pictures. Hope you are impressed. He/she wasn't!!
And where will we be next week [or this week now]?
You'll have to read it to find out,
TTFN
You'll have to read it to find out,
TTFN
Friday, 18 February 2011
Ditchling Beacon
As I didn't have the freedom to get too far this week I decided to stay quite close to home. I have talked a lot about the South Downs, so on route to buying sunflower hearts and peanuts for my garden birds [they eat a lot, so I buy in bulk], I took a relatively small detour to Ditchling Beacon, on the South Down Way. The weather wasn't too bad where I live [and I was going shopping] so I stupidly didn't take gloves and I almost ended up with frostbite in my fingers. I didn't take into account the wind up on the Beacon and in the end had to get back into the car with my very red, sore and frozen fingers, which had nearly stopped functioning, warming them up on the car heater before I could move off. My lesson for the future is no matter what the weather, make sure you have a pair of gloves. Wind chill is painful.
In the summer, when one of us is n the house is feeling energetic, they will get one of the others to drive them to Ditchling Beacon from where they will walk back across the downs towards Lewes. [Alternatively, you can walk in the other direction towards Clayton and the Jack and Jill Windmills, but in our case we would be walking away from home.]
There is a road from Ditchling towards the A27 and Brighton which takes you up the side of the Beacon [814 feet - very steep and winding] and over the top. The London to Brighton Bike Race follows this route and there are very fit soles who cycle up it, not once but several times in one day, [penance?] and there is a path which partly follows the route of the road, bringing you up from the valley to the top of the downs.
At the top there is a National Trust Car Park [free to trust members showing the appropriate sticker] where you can enjoy the view and get a breath of fresh air, walk the dog, or make it a walkers day out. From the car park you get a wonderful view over Sussex.
The little village of Westmeston can be clearly seen.
The route to Lewes stretches out before you. Or you climb further up the hill on the route to Clayton and the windmills.
In the distance you can now see a structure which has the familiar shape of a sports stadium. The new home of Brighton and Hove Football Club which has been taking shape at Falmer, [I believe it is to be called the Amex Staduim] just outside Brighton. Not yet open for business, however the club are planning a series of events in the build up for the big day [so click on the link if you are interested in the latest news]. I can't say that I was in favour of the new stadium being built there, however it doesn't seem to be quite the eyesore I was expecting. While I would much prefer the scenery the way it was, such is life.
If you have really good eyesight or binoculars, you may also just be able to make out Brighton Racecourse at the top of a hill in the distance. While I have visited the greyhound racing in Brighton I haven't made it to the racecourse yet. Though I have been caught in the traffic jams on Wilson Avenue in Whitehawk, Brighton, when the road is closed due to a race. The circuit the horses take actually crosses public roads and so when a race is due, they stop the traffic until the horses and riders go past. You need to allow a bit of extra travel time on race days. Then you have to drive over the matting and straw laid on the road surface to protect the horses. It can give you a bit of a fright when the car wants to travel a different route to the one you intended.
I am easily side tracked - back to the downs.
If you decide to walk the downs there are places where tracks will bring you down to a village or pub for lunch. Indeed, the walkers of our house may leave the house with the sole intention of ending up at a pub. Sometimes they go by car, walking on the downs following a route that takes them to one of these hostelries, and then they walk off the calories on route back to the car. Alternatively, they may get dropped off somewhere on the route and then be met at the pub by their driver for lunch and a lift home. Lastly, they may walk from the house up on the downs and finally down the the pub where someone will meet them for lunch and then give them a lift home. [You probably get the picture by now]. The only criteria for this is that the pub has to be dog friendly. [One or two favourites have been taken over by non dog - and even non children - friendly landlords which soon leads to them being given a wide berth.], and to have cheesy chips on the menu [chips sprinkled with cheese for the uninitiated.] One country pub which was a favourite for walks in and around high and over and Alfriston, changed their chef. He apparently thought his chips were too good to sprinkle cheese on. This lost the the pub not only our regular trade for cheesy chips [not that it would cause bankruptcy], but also the visiting parent and friend lunches and those warm summer evening meals where you could sit in the garden and watch the world go by [and of course the recommendations to friends and relatives]. Needless to say, we found another pub that was equally dog friendly, had no problem with cheesy chips and was just as pleasant to sit at in the summer evenings. The chef doesn't have to see cheese sprinkled on his chips and we still get the great service and pub grub we like. So everyone is happy - I think.
So, what to recommend in and around Ditchling.
In Ditchling itself there is The Bull. A lovely atmospheric pub, though as it is not on our walking route it is not somewhere we visit regularly.
Ditchling is the home of Vera Lynn [of we'll meet again fame], the forces sweet heart. At least she was until Katherine Jenkins [no relation that I know of] took over that role recently with the troops in Afghanistan. There is a museum which is trying hard to raise money it needs for redevelopment [a pet project for one of our neighbours] so if you are in the area please give it a visit and your support.
It has not one but 2 vineyards that I know of [and there is another at Westmeston]. One is Ridgeview [that was mentioned in one of the first postings and the other is at Court Gardens Farm, Ditchling. I have visited the farm in connection with the vineyard and I have to say that although the farm shop was not open at the time, we were invited in to view its layout etc and were very impressed. I am pleased to see on visiting their website that they have again won awards for their sausages. Just another reason to drop in for a visit. I have not yet had the pleasure of tasting their Sparkling Wine, however, as I know which local winery presses the grapes for them, I think it should be on my shortlist of ones to try. Perhaps yours too!!
Looking for a present to take home. Then perhaps you should consider Ditchling Garden Centre [much more than a garden centre]. With the normal gardening bits and pieces, there is also a pet shop, bird food and anything you could want for feeding your garden birds, books, cafe/restaurant, small food hall for those up market little foodie items, candles and unusual gift ideas. It was the first in the area [and the first one I know of] to start a gardening club with its own cards and discounts. With lots of good offers throughout the year.
However, back to the walk.
When walking between Lewes and Ditchling Beacon, the favourite stop off point is generally the Half Moon Pub. There is quite a big car park at the back and an area to sit out in summer. A childrens play park on the other side of the car park [so it doesn't disturb the diners who want a bit of peace and quiet]. I understand that it came under new management a few months ago and we haven't tried it since then but if you are in the area give it a go. As a word of warning, this is also a meeting place for some of the racegoers for Plumpton Race Course. They are generally easy to distinguish from the walkers due to their attire. However it is as well to check whether you are planning to visit on a race day as you may be advised to reserve a table. Plumpton Race Course is itself a wonderful experience and they also have drive in movies from time to time. Check out their web site if you want to try something a little different.
So, we are almost back on home ground. As you drop towards Lewes, depending on the route you follow, you can of course look forward to visiting either the Blacksmiths or Chalk Pit Inn, Offham, mentioned in my Offham posting. Both personally recommended by myself.
I was once talking to a friend who had a second job working behind a bar further up country. [Why I am not giving more details will be apparent shortly!!]. We were talking about walking and cheesy chips and she offered the opinion that many walkers were a real pain. On further discussion it turned out that some walkers have a habit of going into hostelries, muddy boots and all, they order a half pint of their favourite tipple, and then sit for ages nursing the drink, taking up room and if you are lucky order a sandwich between them. [Please note - this was not my comment.]
The lesson here, if you are a walker, is not to outstay your welcome and give us all a bad name. Though I am sure that this does not apply to any one of you reading this article!
- hope to be talking to you next week.
In the summer, when one of us is n the house is feeling energetic, they will get one of the others to drive them to Ditchling Beacon from where they will walk back across the downs towards Lewes. [Alternatively, you can walk in the other direction towards Clayton and the Jack and Jill Windmills, but in our case we would be walking away from home.]
At the top there is a National Trust Car Park [free to trust members showing the appropriate sticker] where you can enjoy the view and get a breath of fresh air, walk the dog, or make it a walkers day out. From the car park you get a wonderful view over Sussex.
The little village of Westmeston can be clearly seen.
The route to Lewes stretches out before you. Or you climb further up the hill on the route to Clayton and the windmills.
In the distance you can now see a structure which has the familiar shape of a sports stadium. The new home of Brighton and Hove Football Club which has been taking shape at Falmer, [I believe it is to be called the Amex Staduim] just outside Brighton. Not yet open for business, however the club are planning a series of events in the build up for the big day [so click on the link if you are interested in the latest news]. I can't say that I was in favour of the new stadium being built there, however it doesn't seem to be quite the eyesore I was expecting. While I would much prefer the scenery the way it was, such is life.
I am easily side tracked - back to the downs.
If you decide to walk the downs there are places where tracks will bring you down to a village or pub for lunch. Indeed, the walkers of our house may leave the house with the sole intention of ending up at a pub. Sometimes they go by car, walking on the downs following a route that takes them to one of these hostelries, and then they walk off the calories on route back to the car. Alternatively, they may get dropped off somewhere on the route and then be met at the pub by their driver for lunch and a lift home. Lastly, they may walk from the house up on the downs and finally down the the pub where someone will meet them for lunch and then give them a lift home. [You probably get the picture by now]. The only criteria for this is that the pub has to be dog friendly. [One or two favourites have been taken over by non dog - and even non children - friendly landlords which soon leads to them being given a wide berth.], and to have cheesy chips on the menu [chips sprinkled with cheese for the uninitiated.] One country pub which was a favourite for walks in and around high and over and Alfriston, changed their chef. He apparently thought his chips were too good to sprinkle cheese on. This lost the the pub not only our regular trade for cheesy chips [not that it would cause bankruptcy], but also the visiting parent and friend lunches and those warm summer evening meals where you could sit in the garden and watch the world go by [and of course the recommendations to friends and relatives]. Needless to say, we found another pub that was equally dog friendly, had no problem with cheesy chips and was just as pleasant to sit at in the summer evenings. The chef doesn't have to see cheese sprinkled on his chips and we still get the great service and pub grub we like. So everyone is happy - I think.
So, what to recommend in and around Ditchling.
In Ditchling itself there is The Bull. A lovely atmospheric pub, though as it is not on our walking route it is not somewhere we visit regularly.
Ditchling is the home of Vera Lynn [of we'll meet again fame], the forces sweet heart. At least she was until Katherine Jenkins [no relation that I know of] took over that role recently with the troops in Afghanistan. There is a museum which is trying hard to raise money it needs for redevelopment [a pet project for one of our neighbours] so if you are in the area please give it a visit and your support.
It has not one but 2 vineyards that I know of [and there is another at Westmeston]. One is Ridgeview [that was mentioned in one of the first postings and the other is at Court Gardens Farm, Ditchling. I have visited the farm in connection with the vineyard and I have to say that although the farm shop was not open at the time, we were invited in to view its layout etc and were very impressed. I am pleased to see on visiting their website that they have again won awards for their sausages. Just another reason to drop in for a visit. I have not yet had the pleasure of tasting their Sparkling Wine, however, as I know which local winery presses the grapes for them, I think it should be on my shortlist of ones to try. Perhaps yours too!!
Looking for a present to take home. Then perhaps you should consider Ditchling Garden Centre [much more than a garden centre]. With the normal gardening bits and pieces, there is also a pet shop, bird food and anything you could want for feeding your garden birds, books, cafe/restaurant, small food hall for those up market little foodie items, candles and unusual gift ideas. It was the first in the area [and the first one I know of] to start a gardening club with its own cards and discounts. With lots of good offers throughout the year.
However, back to the walk.
When walking between Lewes and Ditchling Beacon, the favourite stop off point is generally the Half Moon Pub. There is quite a big car park at the back and an area to sit out in summer. A childrens play park on the other side of the car park [so it doesn't disturb the diners who want a bit of peace and quiet]. I understand that it came under new management a few months ago and we haven't tried it since then but if you are in the area give it a go. As a word of warning, this is also a meeting place for some of the racegoers for Plumpton Race Course. They are generally easy to distinguish from the walkers due to their attire. However it is as well to check whether you are planning to visit on a race day as you may be advised to reserve a table. Plumpton Race Course is itself a wonderful experience and they also have drive in movies from time to time. Check out their web site if you want to try something a little different.
So, we are almost back on home ground. As you drop towards Lewes, depending on the route you follow, you can of course look forward to visiting either the Blacksmiths or Chalk Pit Inn, Offham, mentioned in my Offham posting. Both personally recommended by myself.
I was once talking to a friend who had a second job working behind a bar further up country. [Why I am not giving more details will be apparent shortly!!]. We were talking about walking and cheesy chips and she offered the opinion that many walkers were a real pain. On further discussion it turned out that some walkers have a habit of going into hostelries, muddy boots and all, they order a half pint of their favourite tipple, and then sit for ages nursing the drink, taking up room and if you are lucky order a sandwich between them. [Please note - this was not my comment.]
The lesson here, if you are a walker, is not to outstay your welcome and give us all a bad name. Though I am sure that this does not apply to any one of you reading this article!
- hope to be talking to you next week.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Birling Gap - Surfs Up!!
First of all, I had my first comment listed on the blog last week from FP.
Many thanks for taking the time to not only read my posting, but also for logging the comment.
It has been a busy week. I lost a day for editing due to our electricity supplier renewing cables which resulted in having no power for almost a full day. I have somehow managed to tweak my hip which then resulted in chronic back pain for the last couple of days and a trip to the chiropractor for an adjustment. [Jenny Layton, Lindfield Chiropractor]. However for my subject this week, I decided to go to Birling Gap. I carefully looked at the BBC advance weather forecast and plumped for the one sunny day - Tuesday. Grateful that the sun and my schedule managed to coincide for once. Just as well, as it seems to have rained every other day.
I have passed Birling Gap often, usually on my way home from Eastbourne, when I take the scenic route round by Beachy Head. In the summer this area is usually very busy. Despite having several overflow car parks, parking isn't always easy. So, it you are not on a tight schedule, try visiting during the week. Alternatively, you could try parking in one of the car parks on the way to Beachy Head and walking over [very hilly]. Or indeed, parking somewhere in Cuckmere and walking from the other direction. [Again hilly]. Remember to have enough time on those parking machine tickets though.
While Birling Gap is busy, the visiting tourists and walkers tend to go about their business quietly and respectfully. The age range of visitors is also very varied. From elderly relatives being taken out for a breath of fresh air to youngsters being encouraged to investigate the rock pools, and all ages inbetween.
Some visitors come to enjoy a cup of tea at the cafe, maybe sit at the outside tables and enjoy the sun [we do seem to get more than our fair share of this commodity on the South Downs]. Others to walk along the top of the cliffs enjoying the far reaching views, getting sea air into their lungs. Some people just want to stroll along the bottom of the cliffs, along the beach, [please check for high tides before the latter,] enjoying the salty breeze or bird watching. Others come to enjoy the sea itself, sitting on the beach, watching the tide go in and out. Whatever your own personal choice, it is definitely worth a visit.
Birling Gap is now owned by the National Trust. Quite a recent acquisition in the scheme of things. When I visited this week the small cafe was open for snacks and drinks, however I believe there are plans to redevelop part of the existing buildings for a shop and hopefully a bigger cafe. Birling Gap is part of the seven sisters, the famous chalk cliffs. Erosion from the sea is slowly eating away at the chalk, redefining the outline. Why not check up on the latest news at the National Trust Link.
For the energetic
You can walk from Birling Gap to Eastbourne [and back].
You can walk from/to/around Cuckmere and the Snake River and back. At Cuckmere, just on the other side of the valley is the famous and iconic white cottages [one previously owned by Dirk Bogarde I am told].
Or you can walk a circular route from Birling Gap. This takes you through the edge of East Dean and with a little detour you could pop into the Tiger Inn [highly recommended] for lunch, or find a spot with tremendous views and enjoy a picnic [but please take all your litter home].
Birling Gap is on the coastal walk which means that your walk can be as short or as long as you wish. Walk up the hill to view Belle Tout Lighthouse. You can arrange to stay there as part of your visit. Minimum stay 2 nights. You will certainly get some nice views from up there.
The Brighton and Hove Bus Company have a regular service from Brighton to Eastbourne which stops at the Golden Galleon, the Country Park [Cuckmere] and East Dean, and it also has a service which passes along Birling Gap/Beachy Head [sundays and public holidays only until April when new summer timetable is introduced - see attached link].
This area is ideal for the active visitors among you and if a mixed group, there should be something to suit everyone.
Want to surf? - you may want to check out Birling Gap because on the day of my visit, four wet suit clad gentlemen were out enjoying the waves. While the size of the waves were not perhaps equal to the delights of Hawaii, or those found by those dudes in California, that did not seem to be deter these guys.
and....................
On my way home from Birling Gap I was delighted to see Para gliders enjoying their hobby on High and Over near Alfriston and Mount Caburn just outside Lewes. But even more exciting, while parked at the side of the road near Friston Forest, viewing the High and Over Para Gliders, I spotted a Heron fishing. I may not have got the best ever picture of a Heron, as my lens length was too short, [I didn't appreciate the idea of wading out to where it was sitting and I don't think it would have either] however I got 4 photos before it flew off. Job done [I think so anyway!!].
So, apart from maybe thinking I should have called this blog, my travels round Sussex, it is time for this weeks Photos.
Many thanks for taking the time to not only read my posting, but also for logging the comment.
It has been a busy week. I lost a day for editing due to our electricity supplier renewing cables which resulted in having no power for almost a full day. I have somehow managed to tweak my hip which then resulted in chronic back pain for the last couple of days and a trip to the chiropractor for an adjustment. [Jenny Layton, Lindfield Chiropractor]. However for my subject this week, I decided to go to Birling Gap. I carefully looked at the BBC advance weather forecast and plumped for the one sunny day - Tuesday. Grateful that the sun and my schedule managed to coincide for once. Just as well, as it seems to have rained every other day.
I have passed Birling Gap often, usually on my way home from Eastbourne, when I take the scenic route round by Beachy Head. In the summer this area is usually very busy. Despite having several overflow car parks, parking isn't always easy. So, it you are not on a tight schedule, try visiting during the week. Alternatively, you could try parking in one of the car parks on the way to Beachy Head and walking over [very hilly]. Or indeed, parking somewhere in Cuckmere and walking from the other direction. [Again hilly]. Remember to have enough time on those parking machine tickets though.
While Birling Gap is busy, the visiting tourists and walkers tend to go about their business quietly and respectfully. The age range of visitors is also very varied. From elderly relatives being taken out for a breath of fresh air to youngsters being encouraged to investigate the rock pools, and all ages inbetween.
Some visitors come to enjoy a cup of tea at the cafe, maybe sit at the outside tables and enjoy the sun [we do seem to get more than our fair share of this commodity on the South Downs]. Others to walk along the top of the cliffs enjoying the far reaching views, getting sea air into their lungs. Some people just want to stroll along the bottom of the cliffs, along the beach, [please check for high tides before the latter,] enjoying the salty breeze or bird watching. Others come to enjoy the sea itself, sitting on the beach, watching the tide go in and out. Whatever your own personal choice, it is definitely worth a visit.
Birling Gap is now owned by the National Trust. Quite a recent acquisition in the scheme of things. When I visited this week the small cafe was open for snacks and drinks, however I believe there are plans to redevelop part of the existing buildings for a shop and hopefully a bigger cafe. Birling Gap is part of the seven sisters, the famous chalk cliffs. Erosion from the sea is slowly eating away at the chalk, redefining the outline. Why not check up on the latest news at the National Trust Link.
For the energetic
You can walk from Birling Gap to Eastbourne [and back].
You can walk from/to/around Cuckmere and the Snake River and back. At Cuckmere, just on the other side of the valley is the famous and iconic white cottages [one previously owned by Dirk Bogarde I am told].
Or you can walk a circular route from Birling Gap. This takes you through the edge of East Dean and with a little detour you could pop into the Tiger Inn [highly recommended] for lunch, or find a spot with tremendous views and enjoy a picnic [but please take all your litter home].
Birling Gap is on the coastal walk which means that your walk can be as short or as long as you wish. Walk up the hill to view Belle Tout Lighthouse. You can arrange to stay there as part of your visit. Minimum stay 2 nights. You will certainly get some nice views from up there.
The Brighton and Hove Bus Company have a regular service from Brighton to Eastbourne which stops at the Golden Galleon, the Country Park [Cuckmere] and East Dean, and it also has a service which passes along Birling Gap/Beachy Head [sundays and public holidays only until April when new summer timetable is introduced - see attached link].
This area is ideal for the active visitors among you and if a mixed group, there should be something to suit everyone.
Want to surf? - you may want to check out Birling Gap because on the day of my visit, four wet suit clad gentlemen were out enjoying the waves. While the size of the waves were not perhaps equal to the delights of Hawaii, or those found by those dudes in California, that did not seem to be deter these guys.
and....................
On my way home from Birling Gap I was delighted to see Para gliders enjoying their hobby on High and Over near Alfriston and Mount Caburn just outside Lewes. But even more exciting, while parked at the side of the road near Friston Forest, viewing the High and Over Para Gliders, I spotted a Heron fishing. I may not have got the best ever picture of a Heron, as my lens length was too short, [I didn't appreciate the idea of wading out to where it was sitting and I don't think it would have either] however I got 4 photos before it flew off. Job done [I think so anyway!!].
So, apart from maybe thinking I should have called this blog, my travels round Sussex, it is time for this weeks Photos.
If it wasn't for the wetsuit, this photo could have been taken in one of the warmer surfing capitals of the world. I am quite pleased with a few of the surfer pics I took and it was hard to make a choice. This wouldn't get a 20 at the camera club but I love the reflections on the water with the almost silhouette of the surfer relaxing on the sea, enjoying the sun, and waiting for the next big wave to come his way.
Just to prove the above isn't a photo from a previous trip abroad, here are a couple of surfers coming out the sea beside the chalk cliffs of the seven sisters.
A view of the other part of the Birling Gap beach. A bit more majestic with the chalk cliffs stretching into the distance. I have to say the cliffs are not so white when you really look at them, however they are a photographers nightmare, burning out the highlights if you let them. Yes, I did delete a few due the extremely bright whiteness on the wrong exposure.
I have a lot of photos taken from the other side of the water and on a future trip I will introduce you to Cuckmere and the White Cottages [thought the chances are you have already seen many pictures of the scenes] in a later posting. The bench is just waiting for you to visit and take in the view yourself.
It really is a beautiful spot.
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Camera Club
Hi there,
Outside the wind is blowing and the rain is threatening and it has the makings of what we Scots would call a really dreich day. Fortunately, I went out yesterday when the sun was shining [though it was still a little breezy] to get a couple of shots for this blog.
You may notice if you click on the more recent shots in the postings, to get a bigger photo, that they are a bit soft or even hazy - that is because I have reduced the file size. I apologise if I have gone a bit too far however I am trying to find the middle road whereby you can see the photo clearly but it can't be reproduced on a printer unless it is tiny. I haven't quite worked out what size that would be yet. So stick with me on this.
I am also aware that I have not really put any photo's on the blog that you could call awesome. I am caught betwixt and between. Firstly I want to keep the best photo's for entry to camera club competitions and for my website when I get it off the ground. Also, as the weather has not been too brilliant on the days I can get out and about, I have remained local. Not traveling to where the great views can be found. However as we progress through the months and I get more used to blogging, and the better weather lets me out more I am convinced that they will get a little more interesting. Though I would not be so bold as to suggest that I am yet [if ever] at the same heights as some of the photographers I aspire to emulate.
On that note I thought I would explain my personal thoughts on the vagaries of taking photographs. I have one or two that friends think are outstanding. However the little voice inside of me knows [thinks?] that it was more luck than judgement [even though I purposely went out to take said photos]. Such is the perils of artistic temperament.
The great landscape photographers plan their photographs in advance. They plan their trip well ahead. They stake out their site, find what they think is just the right spot. Know what time and what direction the sun comes up and then get up before the crack of dawn, so they are there, in that spot, ready before the sun comes up and get just the right light. If necessary, they keep going back to the same spot until they get the photo they see in their head. I am still trying to work out how they get to those spots by torchlight without tripping over a tree root or some such object, and giving themselves a serious injury.
Nature photographers learn all they can about their subject until they know how it thinks etc. They have a good idea of where they will get the best photo, how the subject will behave and what equipment they will need to achieve it. Some sit in hides for hours, days to get that photo. I can't help thinking of the question of toilets when you see these documentaries that have photographers etc. sitting 100 feet up, on a very small platform, in a tree all day/night, so I guess I am not made of the right stuff where that is concerned. [Don't even start on the subject of creepy crawlies!!] I hear sports and photo journalists learn all the ins and outs of their sport/subject to get themselves in the right place at the right time [ as I believe the most ardent paparazzi will also do].
There is a lot of work the professionals carry out before they even get the camera out of the bag. There are also a lot of dedicated amateur enthusiasts who follow the same rules when their day job allows it.
Now I want to take the ultimate photo, but haven't quite got myself in gear. In my case the lack of determination to get out of bed before the sun rises over the horizon is a huge disadvantage. I can, from time to time take good photo's, sometimes very good photo's, but haven't quite crossed into the realm that makes a good photographer great [or that is what my scores at the camera club suggest.]. I have a great admiration for the professionals and dedicated amateurs. In many cases they always seem to have known what they wanted to do. I was never quite so decisive. Perhaps I more fall into the category of the enthusiasts who know that with todays digital cameras and a bit of luck, there is a chance they will take a perfect shot. Be it on the way to work or whatever. They take wonderful shots that I see time after time in magazines and newspapers. Even on the TV weather forecasts. They are content to put it on flickr or facebook or some other sharing site. They don't necessary care if they can repeat the feat, [regretfully I do] but the camera is in the pocket or on a mobile phone, always at the ready.
However, there are also the photos that are taken for the local camera club [in my case anyway]. A whole new ball game. Those wonderful experts who bring out the coffee table books full of magnificent photos might never have become a professional if they had joined a camera club in their formative years. Or then again, maybe they did in spite of it.
Why would I say that?
The photo's that go on show at the camera club have to be technically perfect to get top marks. This is more difficult than you might think. I can now look at those coffee table books and point out wonderful photo's that wouldn't have got the top mark. It is likely that I will agree the picture is magnificent and will probably personally love it, however the question in my mind is how can it be in a professional book when it is not perfect.
Yes, it has to be well composed and thought out, the focus perfect on the right spots, softer where necessary [the right depth of field], with the lighting bringing out the highlights but not burning them out. Fair enough you say, after all if you want to be a photographer you have to know these things [though many cameras now do this for you.] However it must not be just a record of a building or a person or an animal, or a view, but a story, an interest to keep your eye glued to the frame and searching for more. Some judges would even like a curve or line drawing you into the picture to the main subject. But what makes it worth a 20 or not? [answers on a postcard please as I am still trying to get my head round that one.] In addition to the camera skills, there must be nothing to distract you from the main subject [another of my failings] such as a bright flower or object [remove from the scene before shooting or clone out]. You also have to appeal to that particular judges idea of what makes a great photo, so it is also somewhat subjective. Could this adherence to perfection in the camera club scoring have destroyed my ability to just enjoy a wonderful picture? A little.
If you are a purist and just want to take that perfect picture with your camera and not PhotoShop it, the camera club may not be for you. It can be very disheartening to hear the words time after time that you could have cloned that out or toned down the very bright highlight distracting the judge. Then again, I am told that many of those photography icons we revere were in fact also wizards in the dark room much as todays are wizards on photoshop. Your icon may not have taken the perfect photograph after all, but manipulated it just as others do today. They didn't have to deal with hoards of TV aerials or satellite dishes popping up everywhere either. You may or may not agree with Photoshop but it seems that those who do, no matter how reluctantly, have a great advantage over those that don't, in getting to that perfect photo.
Another camera club stumbling block - look out for the photo title. I fall down fairly regularly on that side of things too. Should be simple you might think, not quite. For example my recent 'night' picture of empty station platforms was called The Empty Platforms. I didn't think I could make it simpler and more straight forward. Only to find out I might have received an additional mark if I had thought to call it The Misty Platforms. [I have that picture on my wall as I love it, the judge did rate it enough to give it 18.]. I admit that it was a little misty when I took the photo in the dark early hours of travel. What the judge noticed was that the mist gave the empty platforms a softer edge, which would have been okay if I had included the word misty in my title. Live and learn.
The biggest stumbling block to the 20 however is of course the hugh fact that your photograph is your baby. When you entered it into the competition you thought it was perfect. You liked it. This was your idea of a great picture. You just didn't see the offending distraction, the slightly soft focus, or the lack of story, until it is pointed out to you. Then you can't miss it. Or as in my case, the incorrect title!! Back to the drawing board.
So why do I keep going back? Despite my moans above, the comments are usually informative and it gives me the chance to know what other people think of my photographs. There are good comments as well as bad. The comments on other peoples photographs can also be enlightening. I don't usually agree with the judge on the choice of overall winner, but sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. We also have very enthusiastic speakers from other clubs who come and show their own photographs and presentations from which you can learn a great deal. Including great places to go to get photos that you never thought of.
There is hope for those of my ilk however. Recently, in a talk at our club, a judge, who is trying to change the way judging is carried out, showed us various photo's from magazines and other sources. He encouraged opinions. One, in which we duly pointed out the technicalities that a judge would spot, belonged to photography icon Ansell Adams. It seems that not even the great man himself would have got a 20. [Something which gave me great encouragement]. This particular judge is a bit worried that the creative and emotional element is being taken out of photography in the camera clubs judging system. That we are being pushed down a narrowing corridor and by adhering to all the rules, we are creating our very own photography clones. [I had an immediate urge to be a rebel and trouble maker with my entries in future competitions]. He will be judging our last print competition of the season termed simply 'get creative'. His only requirement - to challenge him as a judge with something different and unusual. So 'get creative' will be my last chance this season to get the exalted 20 marks for one of my photos. I have a couple of pics already in mind but as a died in the wool, would be landscape photographer, I am not going to bet the family fortune on it - yet!!
Now it is time for this weeks photos.
Outside the wind is blowing and the rain is threatening and it has the makings of what we Scots would call a really dreich day. Fortunately, I went out yesterday when the sun was shining [though it was still a little breezy] to get a couple of shots for this blog.
You may notice if you click on the more recent shots in the postings, to get a bigger photo, that they are a bit soft or even hazy - that is because I have reduced the file size. I apologise if I have gone a bit too far however I am trying to find the middle road whereby you can see the photo clearly but it can't be reproduced on a printer unless it is tiny. I haven't quite worked out what size that would be yet. So stick with me on this.
I am also aware that I have not really put any photo's on the blog that you could call awesome. I am caught betwixt and between. Firstly I want to keep the best photo's for entry to camera club competitions and for my website when I get it off the ground. Also, as the weather has not been too brilliant on the days I can get out and about, I have remained local. Not traveling to where the great views can be found. However as we progress through the months and I get more used to blogging, and the better weather lets me out more I am convinced that they will get a little more interesting. Though I would not be so bold as to suggest that I am yet [if ever] at the same heights as some of the photographers I aspire to emulate.
On that note I thought I would explain my personal thoughts on the vagaries of taking photographs. I have one or two that friends think are outstanding. However the little voice inside of me knows [thinks?] that it was more luck than judgement [even though I purposely went out to take said photos]. Such is the perils of artistic temperament.
The great landscape photographers plan their photographs in advance. They plan their trip well ahead. They stake out their site, find what they think is just the right spot. Know what time and what direction the sun comes up and then get up before the crack of dawn, so they are there, in that spot, ready before the sun comes up and get just the right light. If necessary, they keep going back to the same spot until they get the photo they see in their head. I am still trying to work out how they get to those spots by torchlight without tripping over a tree root or some such object, and giving themselves a serious injury.
Nature photographers learn all they can about their subject until they know how it thinks etc. They have a good idea of where they will get the best photo, how the subject will behave and what equipment they will need to achieve it. Some sit in hides for hours, days to get that photo. I can't help thinking of the question of toilets when you see these documentaries that have photographers etc. sitting 100 feet up, on a very small platform, in a tree all day/night, so I guess I am not made of the right stuff where that is concerned. [Don't even start on the subject of creepy crawlies!!] I hear sports and photo journalists learn all the ins and outs of their sport/subject to get themselves in the right place at the right time [ as I believe the most ardent paparazzi will also do].
There is a lot of work the professionals carry out before they even get the camera out of the bag. There are also a lot of dedicated amateur enthusiasts who follow the same rules when their day job allows it.
Now I want to take the ultimate photo, but haven't quite got myself in gear. In my case the lack of determination to get out of bed before the sun rises over the horizon is a huge disadvantage. I can, from time to time take good photo's, sometimes very good photo's, but haven't quite crossed into the realm that makes a good photographer great [or that is what my scores at the camera club suggest.]. I have a great admiration for the professionals and dedicated amateurs. In many cases they always seem to have known what they wanted to do. I was never quite so decisive. Perhaps I more fall into the category of the enthusiasts who know that with todays digital cameras and a bit of luck, there is a chance they will take a perfect shot. Be it on the way to work or whatever. They take wonderful shots that I see time after time in magazines and newspapers. Even on the TV weather forecasts. They are content to put it on flickr or facebook or some other sharing site. They don't necessary care if they can repeat the feat, [regretfully I do] but the camera is in the pocket or on a mobile phone, always at the ready.
However, there are also the photos that are taken for the local camera club [in my case anyway]. A whole new ball game. Those wonderful experts who bring out the coffee table books full of magnificent photos might never have become a professional if they had joined a camera club in their formative years. Or then again, maybe they did in spite of it.
Why would I say that?
The photo's that go on show at the camera club have to be technically perfect to get top marks. This is more difficult than you might think. I can now look at those coffee table books and point out wonderful photo's that wouldn't have got the top mark. It is likely that I will agree the picture is magnificent and will probably personally love it, however the question in my mind is how can it be in a professional book when it is not perfect.
Yes, it has to be well composed and thought out, the focus perfect on the right spots, softer where necessary [the right depth of field], with the lighting bringing out the highlights but not burning them out. Fair enough you say, after all if you want to be a photographer you have to know these things [though many cameras now do this for you.] However it must not be just a record of a building or a person or an animal, or a view, but a story, an interest to keep your eye glued to the frame and searching for more. Some judges would even like a curve or line drawing you into the picture to the main subject. But what makes it worth a 20 or not? [answers on a postcard please as I am still trying to get my head round that one.] In addition to the camera skills, there must be nothing to distract you from the main subject [another of my failings] such as a bright flower or object [remove from the scene before shooting or clone out]. You also have to appeal to that particular judges idea of what makes a great photo, so it is also somewhat subjective. Could this adherence to perfection in the camera club scoring have destroyed my ability to just enjoy a wonderful picture? A little.
If you are a purist and just want to take that perfect picture with your camera and not PhotoShop it, the camera club may not be for you. It can be very disheartening to hear the words time after time that you could have cloned that out or toned down the very bright highlight distracting the judge. Then again, I am told that many of those photography icons we revere were in fact also wizards in the dark room much as todays are wizards on photoshop. Your icon may not have taken the perfect photograph after all, but manipulated it just as others do today. They didn't have to deal with hoards of TV aerials or satellite dishes popping up everywhere either. You may or may not agree with Photoshop but it seems that those who do, no matter how reluctantly, have a great advantage over those that don't, in getting to that perfect photo.
Another camera club stumbling block - look out for the photo title. I fall down fairly regularly on that side of things too. Should be simple you might think, not quite. For example my recent 'night' picture of empty station platforms was called The Empty Platforms. I didn't think I could make it simpler and more straight forward. Only to find out I might have received an additional mark if I had thought to call it The Misty Platforms. [I have that picture on my wall as I love it, the judge did rate it enough to give it 18.]. I admit that it was a little misty when I took the photo in the dark early hours of travel. What the judge noticed was that the mist gave the empty platforms a softer edge, which would have been okay if I had included the word misty in my title. Live and learn.
The biggest stumbling block to the 20 however is of course the hugh fact that your photograph is your baby. When you entered it into the competition you thought it was perfect. You liked it. This was your idea of a great picture. You just didn't see the offending distraction, the slightly soft focus, or the lack of story, until it is pointed out to you. Then you can't miss it. Or as in my case, the incorrect title!! Back to the drawing board.
So why do I keep going back? Despite my moans above, the comments are usually informative and it gives me the chance to know what other people think of my photographs. There are good comments as well as bad. The comments on other peoples photographs can also be enlightening. I don't usually agree with the judge on the choice of overall winner, but sometimes I am pleasantly surprised. We also have very enthusiastic speakers from other clubs who come and show their own photographs and presentations from which you can learn a great deal. Including great places to go to get photos that you never thought of.
There is hope for those of my ilk however. Recently, in a talk at our club, a judge, who is trying to change the way judging is carried out, showed us various photo's from magazines and other sources. He encouraged opinions. One, in which we duly pointed out the technicalities that a judge would spot, belonged to photography icon Ansell Adams. It seems that not even the great man himself would have got a 20. [Something which gave me great encouragement]. This particular judge is a bit worried that the creative and emotional element is being taken out of photography in the camera clubs judging system. That we are being pushed down a narrowing corridor and by adhering to all the rules, we are creating our very own photography clones. [I had an immediate urge to be a rebel and trouble maker with my entries in future competitions]. He will be judging our last print competition of the season termed simply 'get creative'. His only requirement - to challenge him as a judge with something different and unusual. So 'get creative' will be my last chance this season to get the exalted 20 marks for one of my photos. I have a couple of pics already in mind but as a died in the wool, would be landscape photographer, I am not going to bet the family fortune on it - yet!!
Now it is time for this weeks photos.
I am starting where I left off last week with a further photo of Hamsey Church. This is a better view taken from a gap in the trees across from the Chalk Pit Inn. It shows the country position of the church much better and that the dark blob in last weeks photo is a tree. It seems such a shame that this lovely old building is closed and locked most days.
This is a lovingly restored old dutch barn belonging to one of the Offham estate owners. It would make a fantastic barn conversion - if I ever win the lottery!!
Just along the road from Offham is the village of Cooksbridge. Beechwood Hall mentioned last week is in Cooksbridge along with a station on the main route to London, a deli cafe at the station, a timber merchants and a junior school. Unfortunately the village pub, The Pump House was taken over a couple of times before the last owner tried to convert it to private dwellings. For some months now it has appeared to be neither one thing or the other so it is hoped that the barriers around it will come down sooner rather than later. It is more or less the very first thing visitors alighting at the station see.
On the far side of Cooksbridge, on the junction of the road to Barcombe is the Rainbow Inn. Cooksbridge residents have the choice of walking in one direction to the Rainbow or the other to the Blacksmiths [see last weeks posting.].
Staying on the main road past the Rainbow Inn you will come to the entrance of McBeans Orchid House. The glass buildings you can see in the above photo. It is somewhere I continually pass and wonder why I have never visited. Unfortunately I always seem to be on my way to an appointment. One day I will pop in to view their magnificent plants. Perhaps you should too.
The whole of this area is peppered with paths and bridle ways for the walker. This one has come down behind us from the South Downs between Ditchling and Lewes and heads off through the farmlands running alongside Novington Lane, towards East Chiltington. Where could it take you? I will leave you to discover that one for yourself.
Lets hope the weather is kinder next week and I can get out to some of our more famous sites.
TTFN
Lets hope the weather is kinder next week and I can get out to some of our more famous sites.
TTFN
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