Sometimes I set out without a clue what I’m going to shoot. I pick a destination, pack my camera bag with a selection of items I hope will cover most eventualities, and head off not knowing what I’m going to find. I’m also sure I’m not alone in this and those of you that keep your (hopefully smaller and lighter) camera in your bag at all times are probably very familiar with this.

Over the recent long weekend I was determined to get out for a wander somewhere. Most of my friends were busy or not interested so I headed to a familiar haunt - Thruscross Reservoir, near Harrogate in the UK. Its a large body of water and it takes a solid two to three hours to walk the full circuit. My favourite part is about half way around when you move into the woods. Many other reservoirs seem to have cleared much of the forests around them but Thruscross still has some nice woodland.

I had no idea of what to shoot when I arrived. As mentioned its somewhere I’ve been several times, in good weather and bad, and morning noon and night. Its also somewhere that has always surprised. One of the last times I was there, I narrowly managed to avoid a massive rainstorm, but it made for some great photos. As I walked around this time, and particularly when I started to enter the more heavily wooded areas, I noticed a great many mushrooms had sprouted. Unfortunately a large number had been kicked over or damaged but there were enough to decide that this would be my theme for the day.

Annoyingly I’d forgotten to bring a mat, and following recent rains the ground was wet and pretty muddy. Of course for the best shots of mushrooms you need to get down nice and low, which did provide a bit of a challenge. However despite not being able to lie out on the ground with my camera, I still managed to get some nice shots to build up my existing mushroom collection.

So ultimately, even if you have no specific objective in mind, I would still always recommend you take your camera with you. You never know when inspiration might strike and what you might find.

I know it was only a few posts back that I last mentioned a Craft & Vision book, but these guys are extremely productive and have produced yet another eBook. (You know I wouldn’t mention them if they weren’t any good!)

This time its the third in the Black and White series by Andrew S Gibson. I mention in my original post on Craft & Vision the first two in this series and regular readers (you know who you are) will know that I’m very fond of monochrome photography. In the first book Andrew talked about understanding what will and won’t work in monochrome, and in the second book covered techniques to help with post-processing your B&W shots. This time he brings it all together showing you some quick ideas on how to get creative with setting yourself photography briefs/challenges and then going into detail on how he processed nine of his photos, with step by step guides you can apply to your own images.

Those that are already comfortable with Photoshop may not find as much value from this third book as you might from books one or two. Its also debatable whether or not the techniques mentioned really apply to B&W or more generally to any photos (Andrew usually does most of the processing in colour before converting to B&W). However, if you often shoot with a final B&W image in mind, you may find some creative ideas in this book to help breath new life into your work and take it beyond basic monochrome conversion.

As always there’s an offer with this release! If you use the promotional code WHITE4 when you checkout you can get The Magic of Black & White (Part 3) for only $4 OR you can use the code WHITE20 to get 20% off when you buy 5 or more eBooks from the Craft & Vision collection. These codes expire at 11:59pm PST August 22, 2010 (check your timezone here).

Obviously its unlikely you’ll want to take everything with you. However pack too much and you’ll be carrying a heavy bag of equipment that provides no use other than improving your fitness and stamina levels! But pack too little and you risk leaving behind something essential that you find out you need when arriving at your destination. So here’s my handy packing lists broken down by (i) a weekend away, (ii) short haul/short break and (iii) long haul experiences.

A Weekend Away

When you head away for a long weekend, you generally know where you’re going and what you’re going to see. Its likely you’ll be staying within a reasonably small geographic area and a little research should provide you with a fairly accurate forecast of the weather. As such you should be able to pack light and keep your kit to a minimum.

• Your camera!
• A good zoom lens (for a city break you might consider something around 18-55mm)
• A reasonably sized (4Gb) memory card + spare (just in case!)
• Lens cloth/Small cleaning kit
• Small daypack/rucksack

Short Haul/Short Break

Heading somewhere slightly further afield, for perhaps up to a week, needs a little more thought. Its likely you’ll be exploring a range of locations and as the forecast won’t be as accurate over longer periods you’re more at risk from the weather. You’ll probably be taking more photos as well so extra memory is important as well.

• Your camera
• A couple of lenses (I’d suggest the 18-55mm mentioned before and something with a larger zoom)
• Lightweight tripod (this depends on what you may be shooting)
• 3-4 memory cards (4Gb or 8Gb)
• Lens cloth/cleaning kit
• Filters (definitely a polariser and perhaps others)
• Remote release (especially if you take a tripod)
• Spare batteries
• Rucksack

Long Haul Experiences

As the trips get longer, there’s a good chance they are more likely to become special places you’ll not return to often (if at all) – and so the ability to capture your experiences becomes more important. The equipment you take with you needs to reflect this and you don’t want to miss a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because you didn’t bring something to get the shot you wanted. The longer you’re away, the need to be able to back up your images securely also becomes a core requirement. The last thing you want is to return home and find you’ve lost or damaged a memory card!

• Your camera
• Wide angle lens and zoom lens (plus prime 50mm)
• Lightweight tripod
• Filters (polarisers, ND graduated filters plus holders)
• Flashgun
• Spare batteries and charger
• 4+ memory cards (preferably 8Gb+)
• Laptop and card reader, or memory card backup device
• Remote release
• Lens cloth and lens and sensor cleaning kits
• Large rucksack

Of course these are just suggestions and your own requirements are going to vary depending on where you’re heading to. If you’re going somewhere very cold – take extra batteries as they won’t last long. If you’re going to be around water (rain, on rivers, the sea) -  include waterproofing. But as a rough guide to get you started I hope the above lists prove at a minimum something to serve as a base to work from.

Slightly off topic post today, but its still art related!

Yorkshire seems to becoming a mecca for lovers of sculpture. We already have the fabulous Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield, and the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds and from Spring 2011 we will have what promises to be another great venue – the (Barbara) Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield.

Designed by award-winning British architect, David Chipperfield, The Hepworth Wakefield will show for the first time a unique collection of sculptures by Barbara Hepworth – one of the most important sculptors of the 20th Century, who was born and raised in Wakefield. As you can see above the building itself, set on (or more correctly in) the River Calder has a stark and functional design. Now the shell and much of the inside are complete the gallery is beginning to open it doors for select events and pre-opening talks and tours.

The shot above was taken during a recent Wakefield Artwalk during which the gallery loaned Hepworth’s “Mother & Child” sculpture to Westgate Artists Studios for one night, and hosted various pieces that formed the artists responses to the work. I’m not able to publish any interior shots prior to the architect’s official unveiling, however take my word for it when I say the gallery space is huge and its rumoured none of the rooms contain 90° angles (I pity the poor builders!).

Look for the grand opening in Spring 2011 and if you’re in the area before then I would strongly recommend visiting their website to see if they have any special events planned so you can have a look around inside!

Within Chasing Reflections, Eli Reinholdtsen shows us a unique and skilled approach to reflections. The clever juxtapositions between the real and the reflected force you to look deeper at the image that you might normally and create unforgettable photographs. In this latest Print and Process book Reinholdtsen shares a selection of her recent shots and ways to scout, setup, and shoot complex reflections yourself. As with the other two Print and Process books, the first half is pure portfolio. The second part of the book includes descriptions on the techniques required to capture movement, timing, and contrast while dealing with the challenging constraints necessary for reflections to occur in the first place.

If you like inspirational portfolios and fancy photographing reflections then this is well worth the $5 price tag. As usual, if you order Chasing Reflections before the end of this month you can use the promotional codes REFLECT4 to get it for just $4, or REFLECT20 to get 20% off when you order 5 or more Craft & Vision books (check out my previous article for suggestions!). These codes will expire at 11:59pm PST August 1, 2010 (check your timezone here).

Finally, the Craft & Vision site has recent had a facelift and if you have an iPad you can also now download the publications as iPhone/iPad apps.

As travel became easier and tourism to these same places took off Travel Photography changed from being a glimpse of the exotic and strange to providing enticing and aspirational images for brochures and travel guides. However until relatively recently it was still the work of a few professional photographers who would head out to locations at the request of tour companies and travel guide publishers.

However in this age of digital photography and cheap access to the technology to take potentially stunning pictures I think Travel Photography needs to redefined again. When many locals in destinations that you or I might visit have access to photography and don’t have to travel anywhere to take great shots of their local area (which they also have a better knowledge of) the core market for Travel Photography becomes saturated with a surfeit of shots. As David duChemin mentioned on his blog a while back:

…the market is saturated, and anyone who wants an image of Taj Mahal can go to Flickr and find 100 photographers who’ve shot the same shot from the same angle on the same camera, and they’ll fight for the chance to give the image away in hopes of garnering a publishing credit.

So what is a Travel Photographer to do? Personally I think there are two options: quality specific shots and photo-essays.

Whilst sites like Flickr might abound with images of key landmarks and locations, a serious photographer is going to look for a different angle on a familiar subject to present it in a new and captivating light. And speaking of light, they are far more likely to work with it. Waiting for the right quality and direction of light. Overall this is hopefully going to result in a far more studied composition; a higher quality image. There will also probably be a fairly specific requirement from a client requesting images of the location in question.

The second option is photo-essays and this is where I now think the more modern definition of Travel Photography sits most comfortably.

By photo-essays I mean a collection of images that have a cohesiveness and tell a story, whether that is about the trip itself, or a culture or its history. A gallery that takes the reader along for the ride. Although you have to be careful that they are creative quality images and not just a collection of your holiday snaps. As a result this means having an idea of what you want the final output to be and conducting your research before going. (However its always advisable to remain flexible to adapt to conditions/experiences on your travels).

Personally, I don’t think the Travel Photography genre is going to disappear any time soon. But it’s clear that from its origins in the mid-1800s its definition has changed and adapted as both the available equipment and ability to travel have improved.

There was an exhibition of medieval arts and crafts at Rievaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire this weekend.

It was interesting to see the artisans keeping these techniques alive and talking to them it was obvious they were passionate, and knowledgeable, about what they were doing.

This mother and son were preparing the lunch (which was cooked traditionally). The wooden boxes are a couple of mice/rat traps. The young boy explained how they worked, but despite setting them last night, he didn’t manage to catch anything (probably much to the relief of his mum!).

The European Court of Human Rights had ruled that police powers to stop and search had ‘not been curbed by adequate legal safeguards so as to offer the individual adequate protection against arbitrary interference’. Or in other words, it allowed the police to pick on whoever they fancied without having to explain their reasons.

Following the ruling by the ECHR, the UK Government disagreed and asked for an appeal to the Grand Chamber of the Court but as of yesterday this has now been refused, making the January judgement final. So can photographers in the UK finally expect to be treated with respect? Unfortunately maybe not!

Amateur Photographer reports that a Home Office spokesman told them: ‘The Government has already committed to reviewing counter-terrorism legislation which will include the operation of the Section 44 stop-and-search provisions.’ In theory this means that police may continue to conduct Section 44 stops for the foreseeable future. Despite the ruling.

That said, the “I’m a photographer not a terrorist” team are holding a flashmob outside New Scotland Yard this coming Saturday. So if you’re in London and fancy joining them to celebrate this victory (and perhaps see if section 44 harassment is indeed a thing of the past) then check out the details here.

It was the Leeds charity Dragon Boat races today. Perfect weather for it and loads of teams having great fun. I managed to blag my way onto part of the marina (thanks Richard!) so managed to get some nice low shots of the teams as they rowed frantically for the finish line.

David duChemin is a well known photographer, best-selling author and teacher. You can find his personal blog over at pixelatedimage.com. About a year ago he self-published an eBook “TEN” which covered (unsurprisingly) ten ways to improve your craft without buying gear. This was a big success and followed by “TEN More”. We’re not talking about a few pages in PDF here. Both books were about 35 pages and nicely laid out with David’s own work illustrating the principles he was talking about (in his usual amusing, but applicable tone). Both were offered for just $5. Outstanding value in my opinion.

Following the success of these two eBooks the concept expanded with the creation of a dedicated site for these publications and Craft & Vision was born. There are now a dozen or so eBooks available on the site (I own about half of these), written by both David duChemin and a selection of other hand-picked authors, all available for just $5. Below is further information on some of the ones I own.

TEN & TEN More

These are the first two eBooks I bought and give you in total 20 tips on how to approach your subject and composing the shot. Each section also includes a creative exercise for you to try for yourself, putting into practice the concepts discussed.

Whilst many of the tips (changing perspective, paying attention to the light, try to shoot in manual, learn digital darkroom techniques) may be familiar to those who have been photographers for a while, new-comers to the field will find the information extremely useful. Even if you are a long-time photographer its always useful to be reminded of these things and I’m sure you’ll find a worthwhile nugget or two you can put into practice.

Below the Horizon

The second eBook I bought was written by Dave Delnea and focused on shooting during sunrise and sunset – or as Dave Delnea puts it “understanding light at the edges of the day”.

This is a superb 42 page book for those wanting to grasp the difference between sunset, civil twilight and nautical twilight and to decide the best moment to take your shots. Again the book is beautifully illustrated with images showing the differences in light and how waiting 30 minutes can drastically change your final image.  We all know that getting up early to catch that sunset, or staying out late to shoot at sunset is not always the most social of experiences but after reading this eBook I’m sure you’ll be inspired to begin experimenting with shots at these times of the day. Learning how to use the light (or lack of) and how it impacts your final shots is both addictive and worthwhile.

The Magic of Black and White 1 & 2

I’ve always been a fan of black and white photography and I’m guessing, like many, started shooting B&W on film and developing my own shots. In fact, go back a few posts in my blog and you can find an article I wrote on just this subject! So the next couple of purchases from Craft & Vision were the Magic of Black & White books by Andrew Gibson.

These two books approach B&W photography from slightly different angles. The first eBook is all about differences you need to bear in mind when taking the photograph. Things that might work in colour may not work in monochrome and if you’ve not shot much black and white you almost have to learn compositional techniques again, understanding how different colours will translate and look more at lines and texture. All this and more is covered in volume one.

The second is more about post processing techniques for B&W shots. Once you’ve got your photos (and rather strangely its best if you still shoot in colour) how best to use the digital darkroom tools at your disposal to convert the images to monochrome in order to get the most out of them.

Venice – Print & Process

My most recent purchase is a slight departure from the “how to” books above but being a huge fan of Venice I couldn’t resist! Instead its almost the eBook equivalent of a small gallery exhibition – a collection of images around a central theme. As David duChemin mentions in the introduction:

The Print & The Process Series was created as a means to show my work and the work of others, accompanied by a discussion of why and how the images were created.

The publication contains some great full-page images and finishes with a section talking about the approach to the project as a whole along with descriptions for each image explaining why they were taken/included.

Today, there’s a new book released – Vision in Motion, by Trevor Meier – which will be especially interesting to all you budding cinematographers. As more DSLRs include the ability to shoot high definition video content, this latest publication provides information and techniques on moving from capturing a moment in time (a photograph) to capturing change through video. Trevor, originally a photographer but who has now made the move into video, provides information on the sort of equipment to use, definitions of new language you may come across and techniques to help build your story and achieve your vision.

Visit the Craft and Vision site today and review the full collection of eBooks available.