"watch IT and C"

Blog archive pages

Monday, 9 February 2015
Member Update following PECKFORTON CASTLE. 
Group Photo Outing-Saturday 7th February 2015.


Photo by Mal Wetton
GHOST IMAGES for FEB 2015 member photo presentation.


Photo Cliff Astles
Any photos of our feathered friends for the Feb 2015 member photo 
presentation


Photo Cliff Astles- Any photos from Peckforton
Birds either STATIC or FLYING.

Following an extremely good afternoon at Peckforton Castle, Cheshire, 
members have already provided to me probably the best response to date,  
for member photos from a photo day out.

Have now completed the first part of the Group Members Photo Presentation 
for the Group Monthly evening of WEDNESDAY 18th FEBRUARY, BUT still have 
PLENTY of ROOM for MORE PHOTOS. Please get these to me ASAP.

NEXT Saturday evening being the CUT OFF time for photos to me, so I have 
time to include them into the presentation, without ANY pressure to 
complete :(

TOPIC REMINDER for FEB :- GHOST pictures, as per the sample below. 
Peckforton Castle photos, plus if you did not manage to make the day out, 
ANY you have of our FEATHERED FRIENDS, birds from anywhere, land, lakes, 
gardens etc

Still LOADS of space left in the MS PowerPoint Presentation for more 
photos,  just as long as you keep photos sent to myself 500K in size, 
or less. 250 K size is OK as well.

Why do we have this kind of photo display at meetings, with peoples names 
against their photos ?

We have had this from the beginning of the group and is intended for 
members to view their own photos, from either group outings, or the group 
topic for the month. By doing this members can compare their own photos 
with other member photos and see just how well they are progressing, when 
the Monthly Topic is the same for all. Also, when out on photo outings, 
we are also looking to get the same kind of shots, without it being a 
COMPETITION.

e.g. At Peckforton we were looking for photos of STATIC BIRDS, plus BIRDS 
FLYING. The subject was the same BIRDS, but the camera settings were 
different for the two different "poses".

BUT, apart from individual photos which members also wish to take, we 
were ALL looking at taking the same photos, with the same or very similar 
camera settings. That is the teaching / training aspect of our photo outings.

Our group is all about members learning how best to use their own cameras, 
and at the same time getting FREE help from other members to improve as 
well, along with the technology for all other aspects of placing photos 
onto the Internet, of which there is a lot to learn.

With the NEW Web Page Gallery Photos (when Melody has completed her work 
on the Member Gallery Photo Albums), it is being planned that you will be 
able to run your computer mouse OVER each photo, and see the members 
camera settings for each photo, when provided by the member. You can then 
use this technical camera info to try out the same camera settings with 
your own camera, to hopefully get the same results, and improve your own 
photos, in your own time.

ie NO PRESSURE from ANYONE :) Just enjoy your photography, whilst taking 
many more photos as you do so and you will improve, very quickly.

IF in doubt about any aspect of photography (until the Web Page Forum is 
available) you can either place your question onto the groups Facebook 
Page, or send a message to MAL WETTON or myself with the requested info, 
and we will try and answer any query as quickly as possible.

REMEMBER Questions NOT ASKED can NEVER be answered :) :) :)

Cliff Astles

Saturday, 7 February 2015
Group Visit to Peckforton Castle-Cheshire- Birds of Prey Photo Outing.







WOW-WOW-WOW.... What a truly FANTASTIC way to spend a Saturday afternoon 
with the 21st Century Technology & Camera Group. 
We had some 20 people turn up for quite a chilly afternoon at PECKFORTON 
CASTLE (well it is quite high above the Cheshire plain wink emoticon).
I took some 350 photos, yet to be properly viewed and post processed, but 
I have NEVER EVER had the opportunity to be up close and personal with 
birds that normally live in the wilds, in various parts of the world. 
Must be one of the BEST PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES for camera lovers EVER.
The bird handler was most experienced, very knowledgeable and made it very 
easy for Barbara to enjoy her outing with wild birds that she has waited 
for, for a very long time.
The GROUP will no doubt be going to this wonderful place for photos at any 
time, but with the BIRDS. JUST WONDERFUL and so real.
Here are a few of the ones I took for others to enjoy, and I now look 
forward to seeing the TOP TEN of all the members who took time out to 
have just ANOTHER GREAT DAY OUT with the 21st Group (smile emoticon)
 
Thanks to everyone that turned up, and hope you have now thawed out 
(smile emoticon)

Looks like SUNDAY is now BIRDS of PREY Processing Day :) :) :)

Cliff

Friday, 6 February 2015
Flying High 2



NEW Group A5 Size Flyer
Hopefully, we will have the above A5 size flyer for member use, and will 
be available for the Group Meeting at the Willowmere-Middlewich on the 
18th February. They will also be circulated to many public places in 
Cheshire, as well as on-line in order to gain more members to the group.

They will be placed in the coffee / tea area with the group business 
cards, where members can take few to pass out to friends and their own 
local shops to encourage new members.

A similar format, but different design in A4 size, will be completed soon 
by our group member Mr Antony West, who has agreed to take on the job of 
flyer design for the group. These will be used to market the groups 
monthly meetings, topics, photo outings etc.

Cliff

Thursday, 5 February 2015



Flying High! (Peckforton Castle-Camera Settings)
Photo by Ken Rane
 

Photo by Andy Boardman

This next Saturday afternoon, 7th February, the group have arranged for 
something quite different for the "Instructional Photo Outing" and with 
the weather being light cloud, and NO RAIN :) we are likely to get some 
very good photo opportunities. NO MATTER WHAT CAMERA YOU PLAN TO USE :).

Anyhow, from about 2.00 / 2.15 pm Barbara Astles will be seated in the 
centre of the grassed  inner court yard of Peckforton Castle, hoping to 
get some training on being a bird handler with a number of different, 
and perhaps large hunting birds. 

This will the time for group members to get their own ACTION Photos as 
Barbara does her bit for England with these birds perching on her arm, 
flying to the Castle Ramparts / Walls, and with luck, flying back down 
again to rest on her arm.

I will be in attendance (close to) with Barbara to try and get some close 
ups and action shots as the birds do their bit. IF, you also wish to be 
a "spectator" eg closer to the action, this will cost you £ 5.00 per 
person, and you are all welcome to do this if you wish. You have to pay 
your £ 5.00 at the Bird Centre before 2.00pm. Otherwise, you can still 
get some good shots of the birds from the edge of the grassed area and 
this will not cost you anything :).

Basic guide for hand held Compact Cameras.
This type of camera will get you very good shots of the birds when they 
are static, ie sitting on Barbara's arm, or there will also be some at 
the bird resting area at the rear of the grassed area.
For any action shots, ie birds flying you will need to set the camera to 
SPORT mode, or similar. This again will get you some good shots of the 
birds flying. Take as many shots as you can, some will be good, some 
great and some you will delete. But all good fun and experience.

Basic Guide for the BRIDGE cameras.
Bridge cameras are so called as they are between the Compact Camera where 
you view the shot from the rear screen, and the DSLR camera. With the 
Bridge camera you look through (normally) the camera view finder to get 
the photo. There are very many different types and makes of Bridge 
cameras, and the more you pay for these, the more options you get, from 
say fully auto mode to being able to set the camera to MANUAL. Mainly, 
use TWO settings, one set for SPORT mode, for the birds when they are 
flying, and one for say PORTRAIT photos, for close up shots. If you have 
manual available to you, then the settings below will best fit the 
subjects and day (cloudy, no rain).

Basic settings when you have a fully MANUAL camera available to use on 
the day.
Firstly, you will have on the camera a SPORT or ACTION setting on the 
camera, and this will do for MOST of the photos you can take on the day. 
The lens on DSLR cameras tend to be better than the two types above, but 
not always :(.

Anyhow, this is how I will have my Canon camera set for taking shots of 
the birds when flying.

Shutter speed......1/1000 sec.
f setting..........f 5.6 or lower if you wish. (A lower f will blur out 
                   more of the background).
ISO setting........As it will be cloudy (no sun about) I will set this to 
                   ISO 400. or AUTO ISO as the 
                   birds will be set against the sky, or 
                   sometimes with the castle walls in the 
                   background. Hence Auto ISO.
Focusing...........Now this will be IMPOSSIBLE for any manual focusing 
                   when the birds are flying.
                   Set this to AUTO Focus. It will also do when taking 
                   static shots as well.
Focusing points....When doing this type of photography I ALWAYS USE the 
                   CENTRAL SPOT, in the CENTRE of the viewing area of the 
                   camera. This is done so I ONLY get shots properly 
                   focused on the BIRD, not the surrounding trees and 
                   castle :)
Focus moving objects..The Canon has a setting called A1 Servo and most 
                      DSLR cameras have a similar setting, not A1 Servo, 
                      but a similar name. Anyhow, it is MOST IMPORTANT 
                      that you use a setting of this nature when taking 
                      photos of moving objects.
                      Why?  A1 Servo keeps focusing (with button fully 
                      pressed down, and taking shots) and RE-FOCUSING as 
                      long as you keep the moving object selected in 
                      the centre of your view finder.
Shooting, slow / fast..Set the shots per second either at SLOW CONTINUOUS,
                        or FAST CONTINUOUS. Use what best suits the camera
                        technology, the type of memory card being used etc 

Note:- The faster the memory card, eg bits per second, the faster the 
image shot will be transferred from the camera to the memory card. 
CHEAP memory cards of all types, will be SLOW bits per second. 

The more you pay for the memory cards, the faster they perform particularly
when you need it :(

Make sure batteries are ALL FULLY CHARGED (TRISH )so you will not be 
disappointed on the day.

The more skilled photographer using a DSLR camera will no doubt have 
similar but slightly different settings.

Hope all attending have a GREAT DAY OUT !!!

IF in doubt about your own camera, make sure you ask, or you will NOT 
get the shots you wish for.

Cliff


Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Member Info Update.


Photo by Cliff Astles
View across the Cheshire Plain towards Liverpool, Pierhead
and Docks beyond
 

Photo by Cliff Astles
Cliff View side of Beeston Castle-just as the morning sun
hits the sandstone cliffs
 

At this next months meeting I have arranged for all members, when signing
in at Willowmere Reception, to place a small stick-on "Name Tab" label to
their lapel, and somewhere similar suitable for ladies. There will be 
marker pens at reception for members to place (in large capitals please) 
their first name onto the label. 

We have arranged to do this as we are very fortunate at having many new 
members joining the group. It is intended to help all members to at least 
when being introduced, to note member names without the need to keep 
asking.

When the group has sufficient funds it is intended to provide all members 
with a more professional name badge, so in the meanwhile we would like all
members to use the new labels, please.

Cliff


Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Member photos for the Feb 18th Member Photo Presentation.





We are now getting quite a number of member photos coming in to myself of 
the TWO photo topics for the Feb Group Meeting, as you can see from the 
examples provided above. 

Top one GHOST pictures and the bottom one is for our FEATHERED friends.

Make sure you let me have your own contribution, before SATURDAY evening 
14th Feb to give me sufficient time to get them all into a MS PowerPoint 
Presentation. Please keep them less than 500k in size.

Cliff


Monday, 2 February 2015
Group Monthly (February) Photo Topic Update





Hi, realised, hope not too late, that my photo Topic for the month of 
February is somewhat MUCH TO EASY for members to test out their own new 
found photography skills and improvements L

GHOST images are not too easy to find in Cheshire, with all the new 
building that has taken place, and when members find them, it is much 
too easy (photography wise) to get a clear shot of them.

Therefore,  to ensure that members are more taxed at using their new 
found skills, I have decided that as well as GHOST images for submission 
of photos to myself for the FEB Member Photo Presentation, we should 
extend this to cover “BIRDS of the FEATHERED VARIETY” as well as the 
GHOST ones.

The bird photos can be of ANY kind, i.e. close ups in your garden, which 
are not too easy to get, but would much prefer to get members to get 
photos of BIRDS FLYING, as well as those just sitting, or paddling, or 
even DUCKING below water. You will see these in all of the local ponds 
and lakes, with Shakerley Mere being locally and of note. Great crested 
GREBE, there are a few, but single HERON and Seagulls are in a plenty.

So there you are GHOST, and BIRD shots a plenty to me ASAP, no more than 
500k in size, and no more than 3 to 5 photos. Send more if you cannot 
chose which are your best, I will select the best 3 to 5 for you.
These will be placed onto the MS PowerPoint-Member Photo Presentation as 
normal and the Photo.

Presentation for the Group Meeting, Wednesday evening, 18th 
February-Willowmere-Middlewich.

This meeting is quite an important one for the group, as all being well 
and no sudden calls from HMG we will have the Middlewich Town Crier in 
attendance, in FULL LIVING COLOUR (nice for photos, so please bring your 
cameras), the Middlewich Town Council Mayor, and Consort, and the MP for 
Congleton Mrs Fiona Bruce.

All surely impressed with what we have achieved in such a very short time,
as a NEW Cheshire Community Group, with now more than 100 plus, group 
members. We can impress them even more if we manage to get as many 
members and visitors as we managed at the last group meeting (more than 
30 people).
Therefore, please make sure you get ALL of your photos to myself before 
end SATURDAY 14th Feb to ensure I have time to put a decent presentation 
together for the night, and place your name down on the Facebook EVENTS 
for that night so we can also ensure of correct staffing (particularly at 
brew time) so my wife and her helpers can get the tea and coffee hot and 
steaming to you ALL.

Unless, I am helping L as she said last time 'we manage much better 
without you being involved', just hope she means the tea time L, but you 
never know L

We need to make the right impression, so numbers involved are important, 
and with Owen Lloyd, of Owen Lloyd Photography showing the way ahead, 
with his presentation on the basics ( and much more) of creating GREAT 
PHOTOS we will again have a GREAT NIGHT for members and friends.

As ALWAYS, HELPER and CARERS attend for FREE. Both at meetings and 
member photo outings.


Cliff.