Paws in the Sand
Paws in the Sand (Buy as a print or greetings card)
Here is another shot from the cove at Dunstanburgh in beautiful Northumberland. Surprise surprise there are also some paw prints in shot. I’m sure I’ve said before how much I love watching the sun rise over the sea but I’ll say it again 
The dogs seem to quite like it as well.
On another note I’m sorry I’ve not posted much the last 2 weeks but I’ve been really busy taking shots. I’m also in the final stages of finishing off my first ‘proper’ time lapse video which I’ve had a blast making. I’ll post it up soon for you all to see. Meanwhile I’m off to edit some more shots.
Aday Part 1 : Glassware
Glassware
Earlier this year I took part in the ‘A Day’ project which was a huge amount of fun. The basic idea was to take shots of my day and select 10 to share as part of the project. Thousands of other people did the same and the whole worldwide thing turns into a time capsule for the future.
Well one of things I’ve done recently is to go back through my directories on my photography hard drive, and make a list of stuff which I’ve still got to process. It was a surprisingly long list and included shots from the ‘A Day’ shoot. I’d simply looked through and picked out my ten shots and left the others. So anyway I decided to process them and thought I’d post one each day this week here on the blog.
This shot was taken in my break at work in the storage area. As a photographer if someone says ‘glassware’ I naturally think of my lenses. As a scientist I tend to think of stuff like this. On a personal level I decided that with this project I was only going to use my 50mm lens and severely limit post processing. So all of these shots are pretty much straight off the camera with perhaps just a tweak in levels or something like that.
Sunset Walkies
Sunset Walkies (available on Redbubble)
During the summer I was out taking sunset shots just north of Bamburgh in Northumberland, naturally I had my two dogs with me. I mean how could I go walking on a beach without them? As you’d imagine they tend to run about and frequently get in shot (or muck up the sand before I can get a shot, or shake themselves dry all over me and the camera, or knock me flying by running into me – remind me why I take them again?), normally I just ditch those shots but this one caught my eye.
I’m not 100% certain but I think that is Pebbles mooching into shot and I really love the blurred form with it’s reflection. In particular how her legs and the reflections form a sideways heart.
Through to the light
![through to the light watermark](<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/61863848@N04/8073380234/" title="Trough to the light by Mara Acoma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/8073380234_2955db147a.jpg" width="500" height="331" alt="Trough to the light"></a> "through to the light watermark")
Through to the light
A couple of months ago I was out wandering round the local town of Hadleigh in Suffolk with a friend. We had our cameras and were on the hunt for interesting things to shoot. Eventually we ended up down by the river and this bridge. I immediately wanted to get down into the water with my tripod – but since I was in regular shoes and didn’t have a tripod with me that wasn’t going to happen. So instead I hand held a set of 3 brackets and combined them afterwards.
Maybe at some point I’ll get to go back with my tripod and a willing victim, sorry model, to do a ghost shot under there.
The Carousel
Last weekend I went with my good friend Miss K to Henham Steam Rally in Suffolk. I’d never been before but she assured me that I’d have a great time, and she was right. Of course she also ended up with lots of embarrassing photos of me and it started to be a bit of a game coming up with inappropriate captions…..
My favourite bit however was the magnificent old carousel. Complete with organ playing oldies like ‘I do like to be beside the seaside’ and wooden horses straight out of a child’s nightmares. Not only did I want to take it’s photo, I also had to have a go. Perhaps I shouldn’t worry about becoming middle aged or growing old while I’m still getting so excited about something as simple as bobbing up and down on a wooden horse which is going round and round in circles. Either that or I’ve skipped middle age and gone straight into being senile!
Just Mooching About On The Beach
Well we’ve had sunrises, motorbikes and tea shots recently but no doggie shots, I thought I should rectify that. So here is one of Jake taken on the beach between Bamburgh and Seahouses earlier this summer. It was a beautiful summers afternoon and we weren’t the only ones to decide a trip to the beach was a good idea. There were loads of people there and the atmosphere was fantastic with adults, kids and dogs (not just mine) all running about and taking a splash. Jake in particular loves the beach, I just wish they wouldn’t track most of it back into the car… 
The Ruin
The Ruin
Sometimes your brain doesn’t work very well when you get up early for a dawn shoot. This happened to me recently up on the Northumbrian coast where I planned to shoot a ruined castle. I was feeling a little flustered as I arrived at my destination later than hoped, leaving little time before the sun would creep above the horizon. Despite planning ahead and even scouting, things were not going according to plan.
My mother (who was hopefully getting some sleep) had eaten something which didn’t agree with her and so neither of us had much sleep. As a result I left later than planned and to make matters worse, for some inexplicable reason, I hadn’t factored travel time correctly. So as I headed through the gate from the car park with my backpack, tripod and dogs all I could think about was making sure I got a shot, any shot.
As the target of the excursion, Dunstanburgh castle, came into view my legs simply started moving in that direction while my eyes scanned for a suitable place to set up. Not far from the path on a beautiful piece of grass there was a lovely view so I quickly headed over and set up my tripod ready for that magical light that accompanies dawn. The time was now 4.30 and there is a nagging voice at the back of my mind. Something was wrong. After a few moments I spotted a pole just to the left of the ruined tower. Grumbling to myself under my breath about why on earth anyone would put a pole in the middle of nowhere I started looking round for an alternative composition. Spotting another angle I liked the look of, I was just about to move when I saw another pole. Then a third pole and this one had a little flag on top.
Through the tired fog of my mind it slowly dawned on me that the grass had been cut and there were small areas of sand cut into it. I was stood on a golf course! Panicking in case I was about to get into trouble I looked around to see if anyone has spotted me, although I have no idea who I thought would be there at that time, and also check where the dogs were. Pebbles was still happily running round in circles but Jake, well he was ahem, being a dog in one of the bunkers. Time to beat a hasty retreat.
(Oh and yes, I did clean up the mess in the bunker before I left…)
At the end of the day
At the end of the day
I actually took this shot earlier this year in springtime, but it’s never felt like a spring shot. Looking at it makes me think of Autumn so I guess it’s appropriate to share it now we’re into September. This shot nearly didn’t happen as I’d been out walking the dogs and testing out a new piece of kit (which I ditched as I didn’t like it in the end). We’d wandered about in the woods and along the shore of the River Orwell, one of those wanders where you suddenly realise your legs have taken you much farther than you thought. So by the time we walked back and made it up the hill in the woods I was feeling rather tired. Even Pebbles the dog was a bit worn out and her constant mad running had slowed to a trot. So I’d like to say that when I saw this scene behind me I immediately set up and shot away – except in reality it was merely an excuse to catch my breath.
On another note like many other photographers I received an email from Smugmug on Saturday morning informing me that they are changing their prices which will lead to a huge increase for the service I currently subscribe to. There has been a lot of debate in the online communities about this and I decided it was time to look at other options for selling online prints. Enter Redbubble. I’ve signed up and started uploading images which you can purchase as prints or greeting cards. One thing that I do like about Redbubble so far is the way you get your own little online shop in a similar way to Folksy and Etsy. Anyway why not take a look and maybe treat yourself (hint hint hehe)…
Where peaceful waters flow…
Where Peaceful Waters Flow
The English Lake District is a wonderful place if you love photographing landscapes. A few weeks ago I’d arranged a few days away all to myself. Ok myself and the dogs, the cats were staying with my mother. When we arrived at the site where we were staying I couldn’t believe my eyes. Right behind our pitch was the most picturesque stream imaginable. The dogs went potty to be allowed in for a splash and I felt very mean stopping them. However one of the site rules was dogs on leads and I didn’t fancy my chances of controlling them both in there on a couple of leads.
Of course that didn’t stop me going in once we were all set up! A couple of pairs of hand knit wool socks and some wellies kept my feet warm and dry and the trusty tripod took care of the rest. If you like doing the types of photography where you often end up with cold feet I can’t recommend some hand knit socks enough. You won’t believe how much warmer they are than shop bought. If you have any knitters in the family bribe them with whatever they ask for to make you some – I promise it’ll be worth it. It’s so much easier to concentrate on your photography when your feet are warm and dry…
Lighting the way home
I’m suffering from a bit from an odd problem at the moment. I have so many shots to share with you I simply don’t know where to start! Granted it’s a nice problem to have, but it’s frustrating as well. I have loads of shots to process and share but where do I start. If I do them chronologically then you will get lots of images from the same location and probably get sick of them. However, if I dot about the different locations I get all flummoxed on where to start and which shot to do next.
So all that said I thought I’d share a more peaceful shot with you today. As part of my travels I recently visited beautiful Northumberland, specifically Bamburgh. I know shoreline shots of the castle are a bit of a cliché but hey, most clichés are exactly that for a reason. We arrived on the Monday evening and I couldn’t wait to get down to the shore. I decided a scouting outing was in order for dawn the following morning when I hoped the get a beautiful sunrise.
I wasn’t planning on taking any shots that evening honest, but when presented with this scene I simple couldn’t resist. With the dogs staring at me grumpily from the back of the car (how dare I go onto a beach without them), I quickly nipped down onto the rocks and took this. The light was fading fast so I needed a long exposure (97 seconds in total) which had the added benefit of giving beautiful blur to the clouds and waves. I’ve seen much more dramatic images of this iconic location, but I quite like the peaceful feeling I get when I look at this shot. It almost feels like the light on top of the castle is there to guide you home to a safe haven….
Flower of Light
Flower of Light
When I was asked if I’d like to go out playing with fire and cameras the answer was always going to be an obvious YES! If you’ve never tried this type of photography then I suggest you do so as soon as possible. Basically you need a suitable location that won’t catch fire, some steel wool to burn and get the sparks, a cage of some sort on something like a metal dog lead (you put the steal wool in the cage) and last but definitely not least protective clothing. I’d also suggest doing it with at least one other person so you’re not trying to do everything yourself and as a safety precaution.
Then get stuck in and have some fun. This shot was taken on Bank Holiday Monday earlier this week and on this particular spin I wasn’t inside the flames. Actually I was stood, exposed, with my back against the wind and rain coming from the North Sea, cold fingers grasped around a cable release as I used my body to protect the camera. It had been wonderfully dry all day but predictably as soon as darkness came so did the rain. Not enough to call off the shoot but enough to make things slightly miserable at times. That said it was still huge fun and with luck there will be a next, and a next, and a next time…..
Back Online and After the Apocalypse
Yay I’m back online, although just as I get that piece of technology working my mobile has to go off for repairs. Not having a lot of luck with kit at the moment am I?
Anyhow this was shot just before I went off on my travels. It was taken as a standard RAW file and then converted on the PC into a pseudo infrared image. I’ve always loved infrared shots and I’m so so happy that they appear to be gaining in popularity again. I’m even thinking of having one of my cameras converted, but then I think why bother when you can get such similar effects using the pc. I have a load more shots to process from this particular shoot but I love the feeling of nature reclaiming the world after the human race has left. Of course that is essentially what is happening at this abandoned site, we might not have had the apocalypse, but perhaps if we had there would be lots of places like this.
Time with my camera
Well even though I’ve been offline I promise I’ve still been taking images. It’s just really hard to share them with you that’s all as it’s blogging from my mobile at the moment. Anyway here is one of my camera set up for a dawn shot recently…
Playing with Fire
Ok so there is a Teacher, a Policeman, an Anaesthesiologist and a woman wearing a wedding dress in a burnt out church….. Sounds like the start of a bad joke doesn’t it. Actually that’s exactly what happened earlier in the week when I was out with my friend Ann for Ghost Project shoot. We arrived just before sunset and were happily setting up when another car pulled up and out jumped another couple of photographers.
We made sure not to interfere with each others shots before joining forces to play with fire. One of the things I always find wonderful about working with other photographers is how in general people are so considerate of each other. The fact that everyone seemed to have the same devil may care dirty sense of humour helped as well.
Naturally we’re now planning the next outing and how we can make it more spectacular without endangering ourselves or our cameras. I came home with 6 burns in a rather delicate place – and a police flat jacket has been suggested as if someone was going to be hit with flying sparks it was always me…
Twin Exhausts
On Sunday I was invited over to a Vintage Japanese Motorcycle show by my friend Miss Heidi. Intrigued I popped my camera in my bag and pootled off for a look. OOooooo serious eye candy if you like seeing engines and things, which I do. Yup I am one of those strange girls who spent a silly amount of her formative years helping her father fix the car. Remember that? Back in the days when dad’s could not only change a tyre but the clutch as well. Of course cars are different now given how reliant they are on electronics, but I still appreciate a beautifully engineered engine.
Here is one of my favourite shots from the day, taken with a 50mm prime. One of the few frustrating parts of shows like this is that you can’t really isolate a single bike for an overall shot. There are usually horrid backgrounds to worry about, other bikes coming into the shot and people walking round as well. So I used the 50mm to get in close for some shallow depth of field images. Cranking the aperture open also meant I didn’t need to up the ISO to much either.
Well I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and Miss Heidi is under strict instructions to let me know when the next one is…
Creeping Towards…
Last weekend I was out mucking about with the sea and my friend Mr P. Unfortunately the weather didn’t co-operate so instead of photographing a stunning sunrise we found ourselves sheltering beneath Clacton Pier. It was still wet (this pier drips much worse than a lot I’ve been beneath) but better than on the beach.
So as the dogs made it their mission to run a marathon up and down the beach, we set up for some long exposures. The conditions under there were pretty dire for photography in many ways, wet, very dark (making focusing difficult) but with points of extreme brightness and a creeping tide. I’m rather paranoid about tides coming in. I’m obsessed with a fear that I’ll get cut off by the tide while concentrating on a shot. In fact I worry about this so much I won’t even wear wellies normally, preferring to wear hiking shoes on the grounds that even I shouldn’t be able to ignore wet feet while looking through a lens.
One thing that always takes people by surprise is how pier pylons make waves bounce about and strange localised currents to form. I really wouldn’t want to be in that water believe me. In fact a couple of teenagers were killed while tomb stoning off this very pier a few years ago. That said I love the creeping misty effect you can get under there with a long exposure.
Old Triumph
Just a quick post this morning. Here’s a shot of an old Triumph Motorbike which I took recently. I’m sure I’ve mentioned before how much I love being able to see the engineering in man made things. Although you can’t see it very well on this image I adored being able to see so much of this beauties engine. That sounds a bit perverted doesn’t it 
Anyway I’ve got a photography project which I’m just about finished and I’ll tell you all about it probably early next week. So take care and enjoy the weekend with your camera.
Mini Anyone?
Who wouldn’t be enchanted with an old Mini Cooper in wonderful condition? I spotted this beauty in a row of these fabulous cars at the Manningtree Vehicle show last weekend. I’ve never owned a Mini but I’ve always been very partial to them. Unfortunately just after I learnt to drive my friend, who was driving a Vauxhall Nova, smacked into one which disintegrated before our eyes. This planted the seed of doubt in the back of my mind about their safety. I’ve never looked up their safety record and I’d hate to see that happen to a beautiful care like this one, but perhaps I’d be better off buying one of the new ones when it comes time to buy another car.
Some days I love my job.
Today my job was great. Firstly I got to play with a Rubens tube which was probably about 8 foot long. Then I got to photograph it!
For those of you who haven’t come across these fabulous things before imagine a long metal tube which you fill with gas. There is a row of holes in the top from which the gas can escape, naturally you set the gas alight as it’s escaping. Then (and this is the bit I love) you pass a sound wave through the tube. This will cause areas of low and high pressure, if you have your gas flow correct the flames will dance to the music for you. I don’t think I need to tell you anything more for you to work out how much fun I had with my iPod and camera.
The Silver Lady
This last weekend I visited Manningtree Vehicle Show. Can you believe this was my first ever car show? Nope, neither could I. Anyway I had a fabulous time with my camera and I’m sure I’ll be posting lots more shots, but this was my favourite form the day. This beautiful Silver Lady needs no introduction and I thought she was simply wonderful.
I’ve finally done it – Facebook here I come
Regular readers will know normally I’m a bit of a Google+ girlie. I’ve used Facebook in the past but for various reasons my social media time disappeared and I ended up with just Google. However, I’ve decided I need to make a bit more of an effort and as a result I’ve got a shiny new Facebook account. Now as if that wasn’t enough I’ve also got a shiny new Facebook Page for Fantasia Photography, although that’s still being set up. Once it’s sorted I’ll post a link.
I’m still not sure exactly how this is all going to work out, but I’ve been assured by my friend Tom (self appointed sorter outer of my IT stuff) that it’s much easier to manage and link these accounts that you think. I’m not to sure about that but hey – I’ll give it all a go. You never know, I might just end up having fun with it all.
Meanwhile here is another ‘Stone Angel’ shot. This is part of a series that I’m working on which is really freaking out my friend Ann. Every time another image is finished she refuses to look at it – mumbling under her breath about Dr Who 
I just had to go back…..
After playing down the woods with my mobile last weekend I just couldn’t resist digging out my DSLR and heading back for a few shots…..
Stone Angel
Do you like graveyards? I’m one of those people who does. I’m happy to wander around them and the older the better. I even had the freaky experience of accidentally finding my great grandfathers grave once. The realisation of what you’re looking at with a gravestone like that is a very strange feeling I can tell you. Recently on a trip into the realm of the dead I came across this beautiful angel standing vigil surrounded by a halo of light coming through the tree canopy. How could I resist taking her photo.
Nostalgia–Photography style
Over on my crafting blog I shared some photos from the weekend of old sewing machines. So it’s only fair to share some old cameras here…..
