This morning I was patiently waiting for the sun to rise in a cool location.
Here was the view behind me.
10 points if you can guess where i am....
Hope you have a great day.
Lee
Patiently waiting.
in London
Polarising Filter.
in Tutorial
Hi,
Today is just a quick post, but wanted to try and show the importance of using a circular polarising filter. Here you can see from a shot of London from the View at the Shard, i had to shoot through a window.
This image you can see the reflections in the glass from inside of the building.
By using a polarising filter, it is not perfect, but seriously cuts out the reflections and so saves you much more time having to edit less.
Like always if you have any questions please feel free to post in the comments.
Hope that you enjoy the rest of your Sunday...
The above image would not have been able to been created so clean without a polarising filter.
Please feel free to share this post on your social media, giving credit to the photographer Lee Ramsden www.leeramsden.com
Thanks
The view from the Shard London HDR image break down.
in Tutorial
Hi, hope your keeping well and have had a good weekend.
Here are some images from the previous London landscape image that i have posted.
I wanted to show the images used to create the final image.
I clamped the camera down to the handrail using the Manfrotto Magic arm and using a cable release i rattled a few bracketed frames.
I have included the metadata on each image, but other then converting to jpg, they are straight from the camera and in the order the camera took them and i added to Nik softwares HDR efex pro 2.
Here is the first base image. In face i quite like this exposure but i personally prefer having the extra range to play with.
And finally this is the out put from the software. As you can see it has little punch, no halos. or even much contrast going on. But the key is to get a nice base to start with, and then bring this into photoshop and make it your own.
I have tried many different HDR software on the market and not one will you be able to click process- done.
But i do think that this is a good thing, no 2 images will ever be processed the same and so this way it makes you take your time and make something unique and more realistic.
Here is the final image.
Thanks.
Lee
The View at The Shard London photography tips.
Photographing The Shard Viewing Gallery, London
The Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom, standing 309 metres above London Bridge at its tip. Designed by Renzo Piano and completed in 2012, it's become one of the most recognisable additions to the London skyline in a generation. The viewing gallery sits across floors 68 to 72, giving unobstructed 360-degree views across the city.
I visited specifically to shoot the transition from sunset to dark — the window when the city starts to light up while the sky still holds colour. Getting that timing right requires some planning. The booking system lets you choose your time slot, so I researched the sunset time in advance and booked accordingly. The weather cooperated, which after a prolonged cold spell felt like a result in itself....
Practical Photography Tips for the Shard Viewing Gallery
A few things that made a genuine difference on this visit:
Tripods are banned, as they are at most tourist viewing platforms. The workaround I used was a Manfrotto magic arm and super clamp, which attaches to the barrier rail and gives a completely stable platform for long exposures. Security observed me using it and raised no objection — it's discreet enough not to interfere with other visitors and doesn't technically break the no-tripod rule.
Shooting through glass always risks reflections. A circular polarising filter cuts through most of this.
I was using a Hoya 52mm Pro-1 Digital CPL, which handled the glass cleanly and brought out the contrast in the city lights below. Without it, the reflections from the interior lighting would have competed with the view on every shot.
The Nikon D700 was the body used here — one of the frames in this set was actually pulled from a timelapse sequence. I had changed the ISO to 3200 mid-session and forgotten to reset it, but the D700 handles high ISO well enough that the image was still usable. A lesson in checking your settings between sequences.
The Building Itself
From street level and from a distance, the Shard reads as a glass spike — almost impossibly thin against the sky. From inside the viewing gallery you get a different perspective on how it sits within London, with the Thames directly below and the city grid spreading out in every direction. Canary Wharf, St Paul's, the Tate Modern, and Tower Bridge are all visible simultaneously, which gives you a sense of the scale of the city that's hard to get anywhere else.
For more of my London and places photography, visit the Places gallery.
Amsterdam canal by boat.
in Amsterdam, Netherlands
As followers of this blog will know i head over to Amsterdam at least twice a year,
It is such an amazing city, spilling out at the seams with art and design.
My favourite way to view this city has to be on the canals by boat. Im very lucky that my cousin and her fella have their own boat.
Grab some beers, head out and enjoy the diverse and interesting sites of Amsterdam!
Long exposure using Lee Filters.
With recently purchasing some
i wanted to get out and have a play.
My mate Phil and i, headed out to London, i wanted try a show movement of people, and rush hour in London is ideal as its full of hustle and bustle.
These images were shot at f16 with a 5 second shutter delay. Using ND filters they help you to achieve the long shutter speeds required for a shot like this.
I used a .09 ND filter for these images but i do also own the Lee 10 stop Big stopper. Which is an amazing filter used to achieve really really slow shutter speeds.
Many thanks
Lee
Facial Hair.
As a lot of you guys will know, i have just turned 30 yrs old.
While i was away offshore with work it dawned on me that since i have started shaving (from about the age of 6!) i have never gone longer then 4 days without being clean shaven. With spending a month away at work i decided that i would not shave.
Here are a couple of images of me playing around with some face hair.
Here is me going from a hairy creature to a clean suited individual.
Life on a rope.
Here are a few images recently taken from a trip offshore with my little GF1.
Its was over 40 degrees in heat and hanging from a rope out in Azerbaijan in the Caspian sea, on the BP Shah deniz Gas rig.
My Volvo V50...
December i bought i brand new Volvo V50.
the previous car was a guzzler and so was fed up of paying through the nose to keep it on the road..... Que the volvo... and being an estate car its a true family work horse, loaded to the hilt with gear and getting away for weekends is fantastic.
Here are a few images of the car on a great rough location 50 metres from the house, plus some detail images.
These two images are a mock advert that i made.
A Brett Harkness training course.
in Tutorial
Recently i attended a Flash lighting training course ran by the talented Brett Harkness.
I throughly enjoyed myself and walked away with a head full of gold and things to try out to my own images. Here is the
There are heaps of amazing courses to choose from, i can see where a lot of my future pay cheques are going.
Brett's bio -
"I have been a professional photographer in the uk now for over 10 years, previously working in the USA in Miami as a cruise ship photographer. In my eyes I am a photographer. I don't see it as a job, but who I am. I could be seen as the "go to" guy for all things people! I love to take photographs; whether it is a wedding, family shoot, commercial or travel assignment, fashion campaign or whilst teaching on one of our many courses."
I booked onto this course as i was blown away by Brett's images, if you want to be the best, then you learn from the best.
There are so many tutors out there at the moment, who are offering high-end wedding training, and they have never done a high-end wedding -
Where as Brett does day in- day out...
-The following images were taken on a course, Lighting positions, models, outfits, locations all chose by Brett and his team. -
A couple of days in Amsterdam.
in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Once again i headed over to Amsterdam to catch up with my family and friends out there for the Queensday celebrations.
Here are a few images from the couple of days i spent there.
Street performers in the main square.
Have you picture taken.. and a beer all for €4.. bargain! Thats where wedding photographers are going wrong, they dont include any beer in their packages...
One busy party Canal.
This lady is having a good time.
Orange!
They say you dont get anything for free...
Street party.
My aunty and cousin rock and rolling.. I love the smile on my aunts face, it shows how happy we all were to be there.
A Bouncy Castle, a Lion and an African DJ... only in Amsterdam..
Night Shift offshore.
Here are some images taken at night while offshore at work. These images believe it or not are taken with the Lumix GF1, i would never have been able to have taken these with the Canon G10. The quality is superb!
A self Portrait.
An Edit from Glyn Dewis course.
in Tutorial
With having a couple of images, one of Dave above and Steve below taken in a studio, i wanted to play and create something a bit different. The lighting and images of the guys were taken on a Glyn Dewis course, but these edits are made up of my own ideas and my own stock images.
Attending a photoshop based course, you learn techniques, and tips on how to improve.
I find that it also inspires me to push the creativity and want to make up my own images.
Thanks
Lee
Glyn Dewis Photoshop Course.
in Tutorial
I recently attended a second course ran by
and was thoroughly impressed.
Here are some images that were taken and edited on the day.
Glyn teaches you how to take an image in the studio like the above, and then how to edit to the one below
I have attended a couple of these courses now and throughly enjoy them, No matter what level of "photoshopper" you are, you will learn heaps from the new Kelbyone Photoshop world tutor.
Glyn's style of teaching is fantastic, he has loads of energy and you can feel the passion of what he teaches he clearly loves. I would strongly reccomend a course of his.
At the end of the course Glyn doesnt just shut the door behind you... The majority of the class heads over to the local curry house which is a great way to chill out and chat with like minded people.
The model above is the UK NAPP founder Dave Clayton, who is a great guy. And as you can see likes to dress up and have a laugh.
Cheers Guys, once again another fantastic course, learnt loads, met some great people and had a good crack in the process which is what its all about.
BMW 1200RT
in Portraiture
Here are some images of one of my best mates with his beloved bike.
Bye bye iPhone 3Gs.
With upgrading my phone to the new iPhone 4's. im saying good bye to my 3G's.
I will certainly miss the little camera, which was hard to focus, most of the time wouldn't expose correctly but it certainly was full of character and life.
Reflections.
Hi all,
Here is a quick post to show you some of my thinking.
The above image i really like, it was taken in the cafe in the Tate Modern Museum London.
I am a big fan of reflections and symmetry in images. I really like how you view the image and if it wasn't for the chairs in the foreground and the table of guys in the background you would probably think that i Photoshopped this image. But it was genuinely taken.
Here you can see my thinking behind the first image.
I was sat at the table drinking my coffee and was viewing the scene in front of me.
I found the guy working was distracting and "in the way" personally,
plus my camera bag was in shot - school boy error.
So moving the bag off the chair in the foreground and waiting for the scene to make itself. I was very happy with the final image.
Not always will things work out for you but it is great and very enjoyable to see something in front of you, and you have to wait for the parts to all come together.
GF1 Adventure.
in London
Hello,
I wanted to post some images that were recently taken on my Lumix GF1
I am certainly loving this little point and shoot camera. I have a fixed 20mm prime lens for it, which i find to be a great tool on improving your photography. When using a prime lens you are restricted to compose by using...- your feet!
If you want a tighter crop then walk closer, and so it is certainly making me look at things differently.
Having a little point and shoot on your person is great so you don't miss anything when you are out and about conducting your day to day business.
The Above image is a great example of this, I was out in Cambridge to get a spot for lunch, and walking towards the restaurant we walked past this tiny alleyway. I stopped,
I took a step back and loved how the light was playing a huge part in making the contrast you see. I took a quick shot and off for some grub.
Over time I will be adding some more "snappy" shots that I take with the GF1. I hope that you enjoy it.
Police Composite image.
Recently I have had a play with a large composite.
I have for some time now wanted to have a play trying to blend multiple images into one image.
Now my attempt is not pixel perfect, by any stretch of the imagination,
but it was certainly a great learning curve. And something very enjoyable.
I have previously posted in my blog, it’s a great way to keep up to date with the tools of Photoshop
and to try and keep your work flow fast.
It is amazing how quickly you can get skill fade, and end up doing things the long way round.
Your selections, dodging, burning will come on leaps and bounds the more practice you do.
I have included some screen grabs to show where I started and what I have
added.
A starting place of a background from iStock photo.
Straightened the lines and cloned in more of a foreground.
Started adding some elements to the image, i didn't like some in the end and so didn't make it to the final image.
Happy with the placements of the elements. Added a texture over the ground. Just need to render the image with shadings, colouring and few little bits which certainly take the most amount of time in the whole process.
I have enlarged some of the small details so you can see.
I must of been in a real dark mood when i designed this image ;0)
