Time to change

For as long as I have been shooting with digital cameras, I have used photoshop or lightroom for my editing needs, the familiarity of the workflow and the editing tools make the editing process much easier, however, the seeds of change have come to fruition since the subscription only models with the more popular software names.

While I appreciate that the monthly subscription will work for many, I am a bit of a dinosaur in that I like to pay a one off fee and know I have a perpetual licence.
Yes, support for that particular software may dwindle after a time, but I will more than likely still be using the cameras I had when I bought that version at the time.

It is not just the issue with the subscription that has made me look at alternatives, as a long time Fujifilm camera user, there have been known issues with the way that lightroom sharpens Fuji’s X-Trans files.

Over the last few months, I have trialled a few different alternatives and have found two I really enjoy using.
Alien exposure 4 and Capture 1 Fuji edition.

While I like Alien exposure for its many film simulation presets, I like capture one for its in depth editing of colouring and powerful but intuitive masking tools.
Youtube has provided some superb tuition to make the learning curve less steep, so that today, for the first time I have not edited any photos in Lightroom….

 

I still have much to learn from both editing suites but I do find myself using capture 1 more and more, as I find it more intuitive, with much more online tutorial content available.

Lyme regis revisited

The Easter holidays now over, the dress rehearsal for the summer season is done, a perfect time to revisit one of my favourite destinations, Lyme Regis.

Known as “The pearl of Dorset” along the Jurassic coast, it is deemed a world heritage site.
The sea wall or cobb, has been used in both film and literature, Jane Austen’s ‘persuasion’ and John Fowle’s ‘The French lieutenants woman’.

From the car park, 114 steps lead down to the main footpath alongside the beach, the tide is well out, revealing algae covered rocks which will be concealed as the tide makes its way in once more.

The algae ciovered rocks

rocks and reflections

Sea defence

Heading away from Church cliffs along the path towards the town, a few day trippers, dog walkers and photographers have already arrived, making the most of what is a lovely sunny day but with a keen wind.

It is still just mid morning, the seaside cafes and restaurants are already doing a good trade, customers sipping coffee or tea while sat under brightly coloured parasols, the excited laughter of children dipping their toes into the cold sea, or making sandcastles with brightly coloured buckets and spades.

The long stretch of beach

Love this view

Just pink

Enjoying the views

Pastel coloured beach huts

I always enjoy a walk up to the famous cobb, plenty of industrial fishing paraphernalia to be photographed, the usual colours, textures and rust that appeal.

 

Being midweek, there is no feel of hustle and bustle, the cafes are busy but not to the weekend or high season extremes, numerous opportunities to chat to fellow day trippers enjoying the day.

On the steady walk back to the car, there is ample time to dart in and out of the various back streets of this charming town, a chance to find hidden cafes and gardens or those random things that catch the eye.

Vibrant colours always appeal

Still life

Along the sea front

Ammonites on the path by the museum

The church of St. Michael the archangel

Contrasts of colour

Had a chat with the Axe Valley pedallers

A tribute inside the church

The green machine

Dartmoor days

As I write more blogs of my photographic outings this year, it will become evident that Dartmoor is featured in a good percentage of them.

At its best, Dartmoor is simply beautiful, at its worst, it can be a forbidding place, where many have fallen foul of its ever changing moods.
I have lived near the moors all of my life, yet it is only within the last five years that I have come to explore the moor in detail and to appreciate its wonder.

Some like to explore the moor by bike, others will climb the iconic Haytor or Hound tor, others may seek the fast flowing River Dart for kayaking while walkers and photographers seek their pleasure at a more leisurely pace.

I fall into the latter 2 categories, where my camera will be with me on any walk, always looking for the next photo opportunity.

Of all the places I have been on Dartmoor, Foggintor remains a favourite, the Quarry was decommissioned some 80 years ago, but granite hewn from here was used to make Nelsons column and London bridge, as well as more locally, Dartmoor prison in Princetown.

The quarry now lies still, a desolate reminder of Dartmoor’s recent industrial past, over these years, nature is reclaiming it once more.

Just a few yards away, lie the remains of what were quarry men’s cottages, perfect subjects in texture, light and shadow.

One of the things I like most about Dartmoor, is its ability to throw up the odd surprise, my last visit to a well known venue for bluebells was a little premature, yet just mile or so along the path was the most magnificent display of spring this year ….

I always marvel at the myriad of dry stone walls around the moor, an art that like so many may be forgotten in time, their resistance is testament to the craftsmen who built them.

For all the appreciation I have of the man made, it is always nature that prevails, those solitary trees amongst the rock, will always be a photo opportunity I cannot resist.

All images taken as part of my one camera, one lens project (Fuji X100F)
Images post processed in Lightroom, shadow /highlight adjustments and cropping, apart from the sketch look to the bluebell image, which  is a photoshop workflow I have developed myself.

Local photo walks

My work rota works in such a way that I will sometimes have a couple of days off together, other times it will be just a single day.
On the days when I have consecutive days, I plan my photo walks in advance, often to the moors, sometimes seeking out special events, or to the seaside.

It is easy to forget what is on our doorstep, so I try to get out for shorter, more local walks on those single days off, where I have less time to cram in all I want to do.

Exeter is not a big city, this for me is one of its appeals, from the high street to the river is less than a 20 minute walk, going from hustle and bustle to peace and quiet in a very short space of time.

As the summer months approach, the city is often given a lift with coloured umbrellas, bunting, and hanging baskets, always adding a little more colour to an already picturesque city.

Here are just a few of yesterdays shots from a quick couple of hours around my home town.

In search of bluebells

A photographers repertoire will always have a number of ‘stock’ images within its pages.
Coloured beach huts along the sea shore, long exposure river and sea images,  autumns wonderful palette of colours and bluebells in spring.

One of the most popular venues in spring for the latter, is Hemsworthy barn, just a mile or two away from Dartmoor’s Haytor, so this was yesterday’s destination but not before a cuppa and breakfast at a local farm shop cafe on the way!

After the promise of warm weather that Easter gave us, this bank holiday weekend starts off with a cold wind and temperatures in single figures, but the sun gives a very good light, not too harsh.

With the car parked up nearby, the walk to the destination takes about 25 minutes, a slow amble as always taking in the scenery along the way.

I love the texture and character of the many dry stone walls on Dartmoor, admiring the craftsmanship of their construction, this accentuated by the brightly contrasting gorse, Dartmoor never fails to please in its splendour.

As I get ever closer to the barn, the hoped for blanket of blue is not there, yes, there are a few sporadic patches but it appears my visit  is a little premature but there is still plenty to find to photograph.

My approach to the perimeter of the barn is welcomed by the sound of a cuckoo, the first I have heard this year, just another reason why Dartmoor is so popular.

The absence of bluebells is made up for with some lovely light through the trees, dappled patterns painted on rocks, which also have a verdant coat of moss and lichen, that topped with the rust red corrugated roof of the barn, perfect!

I liked the shadow of the tree against the roofing

My shot of the day

More shadow and light

I love solo trees, stood like sentinels

I may not have ticked another box on my photographic bucket list, but the enjoyment of being on the moor again is always enough.
I will just have to visit again…..