Photography kit

the right kit for the job

or, you don’t have to spend a fortune to produce a work of art. What is remarkable about this photo? Is it the composition? Is it the quality of the print? Is it the extraordinary subject matter? The excellence of the digital manipulation? – apparently a factory was removed, as was a man with his…

What camera?

What camera should I buy? is one of the most frequent questions I’m asked. To be frank it’s a bit like asking someone ‘what car should I buy?’ or how long is a piece of string? As a general rule I suggest that if you already have (or can borrow) a reasonable digital camera with…

Smoke

Want to add a bit of atmosphere to your pictures? Then you could add a bit of smoke. One way is to hire a smoke machine but a more economical way is a simple bee-gun that bee-keepers use to get into their hives. This burns hessian rags or better still in my opinion, incense, which…

Filters

Filters in the digital age. Filters are still useful. Although the effects of filters can be duplicated in Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture etc there is a strong case for creating the effect during the shoot. I use the following: Soft, neutral grey gradual, polariser, neutral density. Soft focus filter. A soft focus filter will push the…

Film?

Noblex Oblige (or is it worth using film?) Here is a short film from Blurb, the online book publishers, about a young photographer who prefers to use 35mm film. Watch. If you want my opinion I think 35mm film is a waste of time, but as I used to teach film and old processes until…

Panoramic Heads

Panoramic tripod heads In these days of miraculous stitching software is it worth investing in a geared panoramic head? Well I think so. I use a Manfrotto 438 ( €55/ £50/$75) levelling base, and a 410 geared head(€200)- plus the indispensable hot shoe spirit level (about €5 from eBay) The levelling base allows you to start and finish your…