The 17th UK South-East "The Summer of Awesomeness" Thread (All Welcome)

souporman wrote in post #16487771
I bought the exact same charger from 7dayshop a couple of years ago. I used it about 3 times and on the final time it ruined one of the batteries it was charging (it was leaking everywhere). Beyond that, it's worrying how hot the batteries get while charging, and it was really noisy too. I now have a pair of 8x chargers (I can't find them online anymore, but they look like this) that work great. Your experience may vary of course

Ditto as well, lovely shot.

I'm surprised you're having shutter speed issues with the dogs Penel, you're using flash right? If you cut out the ambient light the flash should just freeze everything happily in place regardless of the shutter speed.


Is anyone else up for the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park on the 14th? I was thinking of meeting up around 2-3ish, taking a few photos before it gets too dark by 4:30 and then having a beer or two. I suspect it will be hellishly busy though...

I"ll be dog training on the 14th til about 4pm I think

Hmm re the flash, I've had this discussion with Rob as well. I have window light - should I cut that out then? am using two speed lights - shutter speed is about 160, f8, ISO 320 I think? it seems different with the 5D3 than the 7D. Definitely not freezing stuff - had problems with some cats a few weeks ago too.

Thanks Linda and Kev and Fuzz

Fuzz - those images are super - you're so good at that kind of thing, really great.

OK I'll have a think about the super fast charger… to be honest I"m on the verge of getting some mains powered lights as I seem to be having more dogs in the studio lately….

Penel I normally shoot f8 1/30 ISO 100 with my speedlites and don't have any problems with movement etc, though this is with people mainly, but I have shot dogs on the same settings with no problem the flash should freeze the subject so I'm not sure what going on either.

FuzzSummit wrote in post #16487813
Went down to the South Bank Christmas Market last night with my son after school. Lots of yummy looking and smelling food + drinks.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/fuzzsummit/1111​3788506

Lovely stuff, the last one is definitely my fave though.

Gundogs wrote in post #16487818
I"ll be dog training on the 14th til about 4pm I think

Hmm re the flash, I've had this discussion with Rob as well. I have window light - should I cut that out then? am using two speed lights - shutter speed is about 160, f8, ISO 320 I think? it seems different with the 5D3 than the 7D. Definitely not freezing stuff - had problems with some cats a few weeks ago too.

re: window light. I suppose it depends on the look you're going for. If you can achieve the same thing with just the flash, then I don't see why not. Without using your flashes, just dial your settings up until you get a black or mostly black image (without exceeding your sync speed) and then just add the flash back in, increasing the power till you get the look you're after.

Mains lights will definitely make this easier

Some great images again everyone. I haven't had time to do any of my photos.. I have a good'un of the Iron Bridge to put up when I get 5 mins.

Also, I really want a SX50HS - having seen these photos and a few more, I'm sold! http://www.flickr.com …on_tsao/with/11​112804094/

Hi all

Sorry long time no posting...............​plenty of lovely imagery to see so too many to single out but suffice to say congrats to Dom for the exhibition success, see we said you were good

@ Penel ~ what I know about using speedlites would fit on the back of a matchbook but as you say the 7D and the 5D3 are behaving differently have you by any chance set the offending body to 2nd curtain sync rather than 1st curtain sync??? Though I cannot see the streaks normally associated with the 2nd curtain setting...........just a question/suggestion

'Talk' to you all later...............pr​omise

David Stallard wrote in post #16484623
Some fantastic work as usual here, not had much time at all lately to do anything other than work [Sigh].

Not sure if you have all seen / heard about this yet:

Wolves at Colchester Zoo. . . . . HEART BROKEN!!!!!!

'somehow' the fence got damaged yesterday and 5 of the wolves escaped, one returned on it's own, one got tranquilized but 3 were shot.

I am welling up again just typing this, Cory and I are both huge wolf lovers and have spent many an hour sat by the enclosure taking photo's.

Our thoughts go to the keepers who must be devastated. (and the wolves of course)

.DAVID.

yes I've read a lot about it, terrible tragedy. It's going to take a lot of questions to find out what exactly happened. Although I have to say I am really not a fan of wolves in captivity at all, I just hope they don't replace them. A zoo is not a place for most animals let alone predators that would naturally cover so many miles a day and have huge territories.

Gundogs wrote in post #16487818
OK I'll have a think about the super fast charger… to be honest I"m on the verge of getting some mains powered lights as I seem to be having more dogs in the studio lately….

Depending on which speedlite you there are external power packs that fit some models

Box Brownie wrote in post #16488056
congrats to Dom for the exhibition success, see we said you were good

Thanks Laurence, lets hope you have as much luck with your exhibition next year.

Pen - I know what your saying BUT Cory and I have looked into this for years and to be honest the breeding programme that the likes of Colchester / Whipsnade / wolf sanctuary etc are involved in is phenomenal. Plus - without them we would never get to see them up close (or at all).

Not sure which three were 'lost' but doesn't matter, they are / were all special.

Ronin Silv wrote in post #16481397
I did quite well at the exhibition apparently I was the top seller I sold 4 out of 5 frames and a few prints and came away with just over £200 profit who would of though that would happen?

Wouldn't have doubted it for a minute, the start of great things to come!

.DAVID.

David Stallard wrote in post #16488613
Pen - I know what your saying BUT Cory and I have looked into this for years and to be honest the breeding programme that the likes of Colchester / Whipsnade / wolf sanctuary etc are involved in is phenomenal. Plus - without them we would never get to see them up close (or at all).
.

it's not about us though is it Unless the breeding programmes are re-introducing into the wild then I don't see the point. Wolves should not live in captivity. I know people who are very involved at Yellowstone - it's working out ok there but look how much space they have.

Gundogs wrote in post #16487818
Thanks Linda and Kev and Fuzz

I'm not a dog/pet person in general, but you really seem to bring out the animals' personalities in your shots -- very hard to do IMO.

Thanks all for the compliments on the shots. I think I'm going to like my new Sigma 85/1.4 -- very sharp and I really like the focal length (the 50 is too close to the 35 to be that much different).

Read the story on the wolves -- so very sad. Especially since they were just being...wolves. Reminds me of a Chris Rock bit where he talks about how when tigers attack, we shouldn't say "That tiger went crazy", we should say "That tiger went tiger" (although yes, I know tigers don't just attack/kill without need, but you get the idea) -- most of the time we "judge" animals based on our perspective of what's good/bad/right/wrong. In general, I have very mixed feelings about zoos. On the one hand they can be very cruel to the animals, to keep them caged up. On the other hand, many/most people would never get to see these animals otherwise, and how can you get motivated to help save and protect them if you've never "met" them. Not to mention the fact that many zoos do a lot of good work with preservation and learning about the animals to be able to help them better in nature. We used to live close to Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, which does a lot of big ape conservation work.

But when we are destroying their natural habitats an disrupting their lives, it does become about us. Because unless we understand them and the impact we're having on them, we will overwhelm and destroy them. Wolves are a touchy subject in the American west now as well, where their numbers are increasing and they are coming into contact/conflict with humans. A lot of city-dwellers (who often make wilderness policies) see wolves as dangerous creatures that must be controlled or destroyed to save human communities. But many of the people who live closer to the wilderness areas where the wolves, have a different understanding -- the wolves are not in our backyard, we are in theirs.

FuzzSummit wrote in post #16492188
Read the story on the wolves -- so very sad. Especially since they were just being...wolves. Reminds me of a Chris Rock bit where he talks about how when tigers attack, we shouldn't say "That tiger went crazy", we should say "That tiger went tiger" (although yes, I know tigers don't just attack/kill without need, but you get the idea) -- most of the time we "judge" animals based on our perspective of what's good/bad/right/wrong. In general, I have very mixed feelings about zoos. On the one hand they can be very cruel to the animals, to keep them caged up. On the other hand, many/most people would never get to see these animals otherwise, and how can you get motivated to help save and protect them if you've never "met" them. Not to mention the fact that many zoos do a lot of good work with preservation and learning about the animals to be able to help them better in nature. We used to live close to Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, which does a lot of big ape conservation work.

But when we are destroying their natural habitats an disrupting their lives, it does become about us. Because unless we understand them and the impact we're having on them, we will overwhelm and destroy them. Wolves are a touchy subject in the American west now as well, where their numbers are increasing and they are coming into contact/conflict with humans. A lot of city-dwellers (who often make wilderness policies) see wolves as dangerous creatures that must be controlled or destroyed to save human communities. But many of the people who live closer to the wilderness areas where the wolves, have a different understanding -- the wolves are not in our backyard, we are in theirs.

The US has brought wolves back from the brink but now they are having the same problem that led to them being hunted in the first place which was their encroachment into human territory, the same problem we have in this country with foxes, the answer is a properly worked out conservation policy that will keep numbers at a level that is acceptable to the eco system and human needs so they don't need to come into towns and cities and the same as with foxes humans need to be more aware of what they are leaving out as they will scavenge for an easy meal and loose their fear of humans which is what keeps us apart from them.

But this is all part of evolution, some species will go extinct. Maybe we aren't supposed to try and save them all. You're right their environments are disappearing - so if we can't keep them in their natural environments is it right to try and force them to exist in an unnatural / not suitable environment… it's a difficult subject.
But I don't agree with the 'but our kids etc would never see a tiger otherwise' - that's not enough for me - watch a wildlife documentary - see them on tv in their natural environment.

Sorry so off topic. I've been out all day photographing a doggy Gaucho lunch again - was fun, tricky light - the restaurant is mostly black!

FuzzSummit wrote in post #16492188
I'm not a dog/pet person in general, but you really seem to bring out the animals' personalities in your shots -- very hard to do IMO.
.

and thank you it's because I understand them I think (I hope!).