JACK'S PHOTO BLOG

18th January 2009 - Cumbrian Flood Recovery Fund

In my hectic schedule I managed to find time to make this short film. It's to help raise awareness of the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund. As you all know, this area suffered terrible damage last November in some of the worst flooding ever seen in the UK. It's o longer in the news but the fight goes on to get this area back to normal. We are still a long way away and people affected are still struggling.

You can help too! Please post the link to this video on as many sites as you can. The more people see it, the better. This is not a commercial venture, it's for a good cause. The direct link to the Youtube video is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCxr0JfLEv0

If you are on Facebook, please consider posting the Youtube link on your page as this will be the quickest way to help distribute it. The more people who are moved by this film, the more people will donate to the fund.

For the techies out there, this was shot entirely with the Canon EOS 5D MkII and was complied in iMovie on the Mac. Big thanks go out to Moby who kindly allowed me to use his music free of charge on the film.

16th January 2010 - Protect your gear with a gun!

Have you ever had your photographic valuables lost or stolen when travelling by air? There's a new way to guarantee total protection of your belongings and it's FREE!

That's right... pack a gun in your bag! Wait, this is serious...

A few professional photographers around the world who got tired of having expensive equipment lost or stolen from their hold luggage have discovered a new way to eliminate their past problems. They went out and bought a handful of cheap starting pistols and now pack a pistol in each one of their camera cases.

Airlines freely allow the carriage of firearms but stringent security checks are put in place. For example, in the USA, the TSA (Transport Security Administration) must be informed of all firearms to be checked in on any flight. They then send one of their officials to personally secure and monitor the luggage until it reaches its destination and is back in the hands of its rightful owner. There's no way on earth the security services are going to be held responsible for the loss of a weapon, even if it is a starter pistol. Best of all, you don't need a gun licence for a £15 starter pistol!

18th December 2009 - Amazing tilt/shift video

I came across this stunning piece of work this morning on the internet. This video looks fake at first but it is all 100% real footage. The camera operator used a tilt/shift lens which allows the photographer to adjust the focus plane. This reduces depth of field and therefore renders the background and foreground out of focus. As you can see, it makes normal lifesize obects look like miniature models. The creator also used a frame dumping technique during editing. This gives the speeded up jerky result like the stop-motion effects used on old movies like Jason and the Argonauts, King Kong etc.

I think you'll agree that this is a superb piece of work and it makes me want to rush out and buy a tilt/shift lens. Unfortunately they start at around £1000.

12th December - Cumbrian Floods

I am sure most of you watched the news last month and saw the terrible flooding here in Cumbria. We are based in Maryport which is between Workington and Cockermouth. Workington and Cockermouth were devastated by the floods but, luckily, Maryport was untouched.

Nevertheless, the budding journalist in me set out to photograph some of the worst affected areas after the floodwater had receeded. All my photos can be seen here but here's a selected few:

This farmers outbuilding now lies on a small island after the whole landscape was changed by the floodwater during the disastrous flooding.

This shed used to be quite a distance from the river. Now it stands on it's own small island with water around it.

Strobist info: Canon 580EXII flashgun in shed triggered remotely by ST-E2

This old Victorian railway bridge provided the only vehicular access to the church at Camerton in West Cumbria. The power of the River Derwent was so great at the peak of the flooding that the river actually changed course, travelled across a field and brought down this bridge. The church can now only be accessed on foot.

Members of 3 Armoured Squadron - Royal Engineers, Workington, December 2009.

These army boys arrived here to erect an emergency footbridge across the River Derwent in Workington after 5 bridges in the town were taken out of action by the recent devastating floods. These gentlemen certainly know how to work hard.

Northside Bridge, Workington. November 2009.

Flowers left by relatives and friends of brave policeman PC Bill Barker who was on the bridge when it collapsed. His body was found 11 miles away on the beach at Allonby.

This bridge was one of two main road bridges joining North and South Workington.

3rd December 2009 - New Cullmann Vehicle Mount

We've just tried something new. We made a short video to advertise one of our new products. Yes, it's a little bit cheesy but as a first attempt at a home made advertisement we don't think we did too bad. If you've any comments or criticisms please let us know.

12th November 2009 - The Importance of Photography

Have you ever deleted a batch of images or videos that you thought were poor or uninteresting? Next time, think again. In 10 years time would those pictures still be boring? What about in 50 years time? The older they get the more they generate interest. With film you have to physically destroy or throw out your photos. It feels worse to actually take something and put it in a bin or tear it up. In the digital age, destroying images is so easy that we do it without thinking. Have a look at this wonderful colour film taken in London in 1927. It's far more interesting to us now than it would have been in 1927. So, think twice before you delete anything in future. Your image or video may not be a masterpiece but what would your grandchildren think of it in years to come?

1st November 2009 - Remember film?

It's been a long time, a very long time... but recently I tried my hand at shooting a few rolls of film again. It brought back all the memories and it was tremendous fun. I was in Sweden for a few days and I didn't fancy carrying the heavy artillery (Canon EOS system) around the pubs at night. So, I loaded my little Olympus MjuII compact camera with some high speed Ilford Delta 3200 black and white film and popped it in my pocket.

When I got home I developed the rolls myself using one of our developing tanks and some Kodak D-76 developer. I was surprised at how good the results were. Considering I used such a high speed film in a cheap compact camera I think the photos I got were great. Here's a couple of examples:

Space Capsule - National Museum of Science and Technology - Stockholm

Stockholm City Centre

So, why not dig out your old camera and have a go yourself? I will definitely be doing more of this from now on. Ahh... the smell of those darkroom chemicals... *hic*

22nd October 2009 - 5D Campaign Success!

Hooray! ...and a huge thanks to those of you that actually made the effort to call Canon about the 5D MkII firmware update. Canon have just issued the following press release:

9th October 2009 - Join the 5D MkII Campaign!

If, like me, you're the proud owner of a Canon EOS 5D MkII camera you will be aware of it's sensational HD video capability. This camera has been a sensation among amateur (and professional) movie makers since its release. However, unlike the newer EOS 7D, the 5D MkII is hampered by its fixed frame rate of 30fps. The industry is crying out for Canon to issue a firmware update to include the standard 24fps. It's not that Canon can't do it, it's simply that they won't do it, unless... enough of us complain! A large campaign is mounting for 5D owners to call Canon to voice their frustration. Why should the cheaper 7D camera offer a variety of frame rates when its full frame brother doesn't? According to some well placed sources, this campaign is starting to have an effect. Canon may be starting to listen.

If you're in or around the UK, call Canon on 0844 369 0100

US customers, call 1-800-828-4040

This is a wish list of what we would ideally require. Some things are easy to fix, some things may be a bit more challenging.

The 5D Mark II is already capable of many of these functions but Canon simply chose not to implement them in the original firmware. Adding them would be a relatively easy job for Canon. Indeed some of these functions have already proved to be possible thanks to the excellent work by Magic Lantern.

The video clip below demonstrates some of the excellent advances thay have achieved without any assistance from Canon.

Now you've seen what can be achieved by an independent company, just imagine what Canon themselves could do if this campaign becomes successful. It would be so easy for Canon to do it and it would surely be good business sense as it would make their consumers happier. The camera was initially shipped without any manual control during movie mode. After an outcry by owners of the camera Canon updated the firmware to include full manual control of aperture, ISO and shutter speed during filming. So, if you own or want to own the 5D Mark II, please take a minute of your time and CALL CANON TODAY.

For more detailed information about the campaign for 5D Mark II improvements, please visit 5dmark2.wordpress.com

18th September 2009 - Squirrel Attack!

I thought I'd share this one with you. I took this shot a while ago but I came across it today and burst out laughing. I know it doesn't look like a real photo. It looks like it has been Photoshopped or altered but I promise you this is a genuine unedited photo of a wild red squirrel. I was in my usual squirrel location in the Lake District and after getting the shots I wanted I thought I'd try something a bit unusual. I attached a couple of shutter release extension cables so that I could sit 3 metres away from the camera. I plonked the camera on a mossy mound, scattered a few tempting hazelnuts in front of it and waited. My idea was to get some wide angle shots of squirrels close up.

At first the squirrels were very nervous of this new black plastic thing that had invaded their nut store. But, after half an hour or so, the smell of Tesco's Finest got the better of one particularly hungry rodent. He approached the nut stack with caution... he slowly picked up a nut... squirrel tooth connected with nutshell... and I fired off the first shot. Upon hearing a click from the mysterious black plastic invader, the squirrel went absolutely beserk! Instead of scurrying away it grabbed each side of the camera lens, started screaming squirrel profanities and was shaking the living daylights out of 350D with attached wideangle! The only way I could shift it was to fire off 5 or 6 shots rapidly to scare it away. This was the first of that sequence of shots:

7th September 2009 - FREE Photo Magazines!

I am a subscriber to Photoicon magazine. It's not like your usual photography rag. There are no "how to" sections and it's not full of advertisements like most magazines. It's a very high quality publication dedicated to photography as an art form. You won't find it full of traditional photographs like pretty landscapes and family portraits. Photoicon is full of contemporary photographs from famous and up and coming artists. They are all certainly unusual, some are shocking, some are cool and some are downright weird. It's a love it or hate it magazine.

Anyway, I have just discovered that you can download all the issues to your computer for free - including the current issue. It costs £5 per copy if you find it in the newsagents so this is a bargain.

So, instead of sitting at work doing graphs and sending emails, go to PHOTOICON and have a good read.

23rd August 2009 - Flickr

Well, after years of putting it off, I'm finally on Flickr. For those of you that still don't know what Flickr is all about I suggest you have a browse. It's basically a monstrously huge library of people's photographs from all over the world. Great for when you're bored. My main purpose for becoming a Flickrite is to give me more inspiration to get out there with my camera. Running this business takes at least 200 hours in a week of only 168 so spare time is virtually unheard of in my household.

So, if you haven't done so already, join Flickr. It's 100% free. Perhaps you would consider adding me as a contact and we can comment on each other's photographs. If you want to have a look at my own efforts please click here.

I'll see you there!

7th August 2009 - Video on a DSLR

Video on a Digital SLR camera. What are your thoughts? Is it a gimmick that'll never take off? Or is it a serious tool that professionals can use?

Perhaps this video clip will make up your mind. It was shot entirely on a Canon DSLR with the Live View/HD Video function. Now, where's my clapper board...

Solitude
A universal feeling

A long journey in solitude searching for hope.
A film that communicates in a esthetic pictures poetry and emotion, to explore a new experience in Cinemato Graphy.

Created and directed by Robin Risser
www.robndesign.com

Entirely filmed with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II

If you aren't already aware of the Strobist phenomenon, it has taken off over the last few years and has a massive following. Strobism is simply the art of using a flashgun (or many flashguns) off-camera i.e. not attached to your hotshoe. I have been trying my best to cater for Strobists on Jack the Hat Photographic by stocking as many useful items as I can find. Cables, diffusers, umbrellas, brackets etc etc. We have just started stocking the Nissin SC-01 fully dedicated off-camera flashgun cable and I wanted to try it out for myself. I have always wanted to try Strobism but I have never had the time. After my first attempt I am now addicted.

The shot below is of my eldest son. It literally took just 5 minutes to set up my gear and take the shot. It was so easy it was unbelievable. My son had been sporting a fake tattoo for a few days and refused to wash it off. He is also obsessed with spiking his hair! I saw him without his shirt on and I thought "My God! You look like a right little hooligan!". So I dragged him out into my back yard and used a pebble-dashed wall as the background. It was bright daylight outside. I used my Canon 580EXII flashgun and connected it to my camera using one of our new Nissin SC-01 ETTL cables. This means that your flashgun can be used up to a metre or so away from your camera but you still retain 100% automatic flash metering. No messing about with flashmeters and exposure calculators... just point and shoot. I also stuck a Lumiquest Softbox on the flashgun to diffuse the light. I held the flashgun in my hand at my son's waist level and dialled in -2 stops of exposure on the camera. That meant the daylight in the shot would be underexposed (i.e. darker). I left the flash exposure on fully automatic. The result was fantastic. It's a very moody shot with slightly sinister lighting which suits the hooligan appearance of my boy. To finish it off, I desaturated the colours in Photoshop to give it a cooler, meaner look.

Such a great shot and so simple to do. You could never get a result like this by using on-camera flash. So, why not consider becoming a strobist? There is a huge following on Flickr, see here.

By the way, if you can guess the age of my son, I'll give you a 25% discount off your next order! If I get more than one correct answer I'll put the names in a hat and draw out a winner. Closing date: 31st July 2009. Email your answer to:

6th July 2009 - Glorious Iceland!

Sorry it's been a while since I updated the blog but I have a good excuse... I have been busy in Iceland. And what a fantastic place it is, especially if you enjoy photography. (Un)fortunately for me, it was mostly a beer testing holiday with a mate who holds little interest in the photographic side of things. My photos all had to be grabbed "on-the-fly" so to speak. No time for tripods, filters and flashguns this time.

The photographic opportunities in Iceland are endless. The landscape is incredible. Mountains, glaciers, geysers and waterfalls abound. The capital city, Reykjavik, is very photogenic and is full of interesting people doing crazy things. The whole country has roughly the same land area as the UK but the total population is just 320,000. In the UK we are stuffed with 62 million people! It's beautifully quiet, virtually free of crime and has friendly and intelligent people. If I wasn't married with two kids I'd move over there tomorrow (not sure what I'd do about Jack the Hat Photographic though!)

Just last year, a pint of beer in Iceland would have cost you £10-£12!!! It was an expensive place to go. But, thanks to Icesave, Kaupthing and Landsbanki it's now no more expensive than the UK. The poor financiers in Iceland are suffering terribly, the Kroner has collapsed and no-one can afford to leave the country. For us Brits and Europeans though it's a different story. Beer is now £3-£3.50, petrol is 85p a litre and the food is delicious and reasonably priced. So, if you've ever fancied Iceland, now is the time to go.

Here's a few snaps... not exactly masterpieces but with lots of beer on board and limited time what more do you want?

Minke Whale

Big Geyser (Very hot!)

Beautiful Hot Spring - Amazing Colours!

Iceland's Famous Blue Lagoon

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