Paula Davies Photography

Project 365

2012-02-02T13:52:00.002Z

Rather than post a picture a day on the main page of my blog I have made a new page 'Project 365' which can be clicked on (See panel on right).

365 Project

2012-02-01T19:26:00.003Z

I decided that I should join a 365 project and being the 1st of the month, albeit not January, today seemed to be a good day. I struggled a bit to find my first picture, especially as I didn't start looking until after 4pm. Here is my first offering, some peachy pot pourri.

Next Stop Worcester

2012-01-15T12:16:00.000Z

More catching up from last year. Almost immediately after our photographic week in the Lake District we travelled to Worcester for a short lecture tour. Because we had two talks and all our Permajet items in the boot there wasn't room for our full photographic kit. I just took my Panasonic Lumix GF1 and two lenses in case there was time for some photography. Manage a few snaps along the canal in Worcester. As usual I was attracted to the graffiti, reflections, rust and peeling paint. Thank you Tessa and Jim for your wonderful hospitality.

Friday - The Last Day of our Short Break in the Lake District

2012-01-07T14:15:00.001Z

Friday was an extremely dull day and probably not the best day to choose to try our the Nikon D70 which has been converted for Infra-Red. I wanted to get the colours which can be achieved by Channel Swapping in Photoshop. My attempts were not really successful probably because it was such a dull day.

We started the day at Blea Tarn. Not the best weather for open landscape but good for recording the colour in the trees. I did take one shot of the tarn as a 10 shot multiple exposure to smooth out the water in the absence of a big stopper filter.

Later we walked to Slaters Bridge and on the way found the wonderful pollarded tree. Was it snowing? You can decide.

The three versions of Slaters Bridge show the Channel Swapped effect with the converted camera, then the same file with Topaz BW Effects and also a picture taken as seen with the Nikon D300. I prefer the Mono but it's good to experiment and I will have to remember to get out with the converted camera on a bright sunny day. It was almost dark when these pictures of Slaters Bridge were taken - it always amazes me how much light digital sensors can pick up. Had we been using film we would have given up at least an hour earlier.

Thursday in the Lake District

2012-01-06T16:56:00.000Z

Thursday was a brighter day and we spent most of the daylight hours around Crummock Water. As usual the sunlight brought out the autumn colours.

The Lakes Day 3

2012-01-05T14:00:00.000Z

Back to catching up today.

By Wednesday the weather was more overcast and we spent the day walking to and through Manesty Woods. The picture of Derwentwater was taken with a borrowed 'Big Stopper' Lee Filter. I had been planning to buy one but when I tried to place an order last month discovered they were not being made at present because of production problems.

Agates

2012-01-04T12:53:00.001Z

Instead of spending time catching up on recent photographs I spent yesterday morning photographing part of a friend's polished agate collection. Thank you Paul for allowing me to take the photographs and David for the use of your copy stand and light and for everything else you did to help.

I have quickly processed two of the many shots which I took so that I could post them today.

Loweswater and Home Wood

2012-01-02T14:19:00.002Z

The weather wasn't so bright and sunny on our second day in the Lake District so we spent most of the time in Home Wood around Loweswater. The autumn colours were just right. I also spent some time on intentional camera movement while photographing the trees. One of which, when turned into a landscape format, makes an abstract sea and skyscape.

Next stop the Lake District

2012-01-01T14:28:00.001Z

We spent a week in the Lake District at the beginning of November 2011. The first day was cold and crisp with some wonderful light. I couldn't resist trying Pixelbender on the frosty leaves.

Liverpool

2011-12-31T13:44:00.000Z

At the end of October Stokesley PS, along with Northallerton CC, represented the Northern Counties Photographic Federation in the Print Championships at Connah's Quay. After the event we had a day in Liverpool where I enjoyed 'people watching' especially as they were walking up and down the magnificent spiral staircase in the new Museum of Liverpool.

There was also a very nice tapestry in the modern Roman Catholic Cathedral which caught my eye.

Hillier Arboretum

2011-12-30T09:40:00.000Z

As well as the bark of the Himalayan Birches and Eucalypts I enjoyed the colour in the bamboo stems.

I don't know what the pink flowers are.

A Visit 'Down South'

2011-12-29T13:28:00.000Z

In October we visited friends onHayling Island. The main reason for our visit was to help judge theHavant Open Exhibition and to give a talk to our old camera club,Havant. It's always a pleasure to visit friends and we had a goodweek but not a lot of time for photography. We did manage to get toWest Wittering, something we never did when we lived on the southcoast. The wind had blown the sand up the beach which gave andifferent view of the beach huts.

Add caption

We also paid a visit to the Hillier Arboretum near Romsey to see the autumn colour. We were perhaps alittle early for the acers but there was a lot of lovely bark topoint our lenses at. Here is a taster.

Time for an Update

2011-12-28T11:40:00.001Z

It has been so long since I postedanything here that friends are beginning to wonder where I am. Ithas been a very busy since the summer but at last I have managed tocatch up.

It started in September with the UPP (United Photographic Postfolios) Convention weekend near Birmingham. There was an exhibition to seeand lectures to attend and then before returning home a visit to theAvoncroft Museum. It was a dull day but the collection of oldtelephone boxes was interesting as were the insides of the oldcottages.

We found out where Dr Who parks his Tardis between recordings.

The Tardis

And were reminded of when we had to Press Button A before you could talk to the person at the other end of the line. If there was no answer you pressed Button B to get your money back. I can't remember how much it was to make a call.

Press Button A

Although I can remember the old telephone boxes I can't remember cottages like these.

Bedside Necessities

I decided to diffuse the picture with the cot, hopefully to give a romantic feel.

The Cot

A poem as a thank you

2011-09-22T08:55:00.000+01:00

Last Thursday evening Guy and I gave our first talk of the season to Gateshead Camera Club. It was also the first showing of a new talk. Instead of the usual vote of thanks we were thanked with this poem which Irene Britton had written during our talk. I think it was the best vote of thanks that we have ever received.

"Double Act" the premiere

We're the first to view

So many differennt prints to see

On our new print stands too.

Paula likes to work a theme

Some birds and stones and water

She demonstrated well tonight

Her pictures, as she oughta

Her abstract shapes and colours

Reflections, tone and mood

Paula's photographic eye

Is easily understood

The Davies are well travelled

Near and far afield

Berlin, Bath or Stockton

Whitby, Harris or South Shields?

Guy says he's a landscaper

With shots from the U.S.A.

His images are "canyons"

As we Geordies say

Water seems to feature

The river and the sea

Some lovely moments captured

I'm sure we all agree

You sometimes break the rules you say

Photography must be fun

You've certainly shown us that tonight

I think our hearts you've won

We've seen some stunning images

Such variety and imagination

Some images so high key

Others full saturation

As a "double act" from Stokesley

You both perform real well

You certainly know photography

As all your pictures tell

Drive home safely southwards

We so enjoyed your show

If other clubs ask about you both

We'll certainly let them know

So thank-you Guy and Paula

Your words and pictures are

So very very watchable

I'm sure you'll both go far.

An even smaller success in the NCPF exhibition

2011-09-15T09:46:00.001+01:00

I only managed one acceptance in the PDI section of the NCPF exhibition last weekend and it's not even with a new title. As I am now at the Galaxy stage in the PSA star system for CPID I have to get 25 titles with 3 acceptances each for the 1st Galaxy. So far The Long Wait has achieved two acceptances in CPID.

A little success in the NCPF International

2011-09-06T11:39:00.001+01:00

It's September and life has got busy again. I was helping with the print judging at the NCPF International last weekend and pleased to say that I managed three acceptances.

Stokesley Snapshot 2011

2011-08-14T14:08:00.000+01:00

Stokesley Photographic Society is running a project to record the life of Stokesley in 2011, encouraging members and non members to photograph people, places and events in Stokesley and the surrounding area. My first picture with this in mind is a patient's eye view of my dentist.

Dales Workshop - Day 2

2011-08-14T14:05:00.000+01:00

Hellifield Station - Looks abandoned but isn't

Hellifield - The subway into the station. Not really as dark and menacing as it looks

Janet's Foss

Seedhead - wish I could remember the name of the plant.

Pixel Bender

2011-08-14T13:59:00.000+01:00

I've just downloaded the Pixel Bender plug-in. It looks like fun and may make up for the fact that Fractalious isn't available for Macs.

Ribblesdale

2011-07-18T13:06:00.000+01:00

Stokesley Photographic Society recently held a workshop in the Yorkshire Dales led by Leigh Preston. We all had a great time and managed to fit a lot into the weekend. Weather was mixed but we were only caught out in one sharp shower, with hailstones, when we were on the limestone pavement above the Ribblehead viaduct.

Berlin Buildings

2011-07-07T20:01:00.001+01:00

Berlin must have been a beautiful city before World War 2 when it was almost completely flattened. Some of the present buildings were only built at the end of the 20th Century but they are copies of the originals. Both the French, Huguenot, Cathedral and the German Cathedral in the Gendarmenmarkt were originally built in the early 1700s.

The French Cathedral which was built for the Huguenots in the
early 1700s was rebuilt from 1977 to 1981

The German Cathedral also built in the early 1700s was rebuilt
in 1996

What remains today of the Anhalter Bahnhof

The Brandenburg Gate which did survive

The famous Quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses driven by Victoria the Roman goddess of victory, which Napolean famously took to Paris.

The Reichstag. You can just see the famous Norman Foster dome, which we
had hoped to visit. Be warned, if you want to go inside, you need to apply
beforehand and it takes 3 days to process after which you are sent dates and times to choose. This can only be done on the internet - no other way!

Schloss Charlottenburg, one of the lovely buildings which did
survive the bombings

The Soviet War Memorial in the Tiergarten. Built to commemorate
its war dead, particularly the 80,000 soldiers of the Soviet Armed Forces
who died during the Battle of Berlin in April and May 1945.

Checkpoint Charlie is still in place but the soldiers don't look very authentic!

There is no danger of going hungry when visiting Berlin with plenty of restaurants and cafes of every international cuisine. Currywurst is a Berlin speciality fast food snack. This delicious one was found in the Gendarmenmarkt.

4 Days in Berlin

2011-07-04T09:48:00.000+01:00

We had a short city break in Berlin last month. Not a lot of photography but plenty of history. The Berlin Wall is the biggest tourist attraction but there is not a lot of it left.

The East Side Gallery at 1.3 km is the longest stretch of preserved wall with large paintings which were original done around 1990. A lot of these were re-painted in 2009, either by the original artist or as a copy by another artist.

I liked this one which clearly depicts Japan

A lot of the paintings appear to be either surreal or political

The 'coach party' tourists love to have their pictures taken by the wall

I was surprised to find that the wall wasn't particularly thick
and that it was a lot shorter in height than the wall in Israel/Palestine

More remains of the wall at the Topography of Terrors

This part of the wall shows how it looked when it started to come down.

Where the wall has completely gone a double row of
slabs marks the route it took

It's not only the 'Berlin Wall' that gets painted. This is
on a block of flats

Another memorial. This time on Platform 17 at
Grunwald station, notorious as being the place from
where the Jews were sent to the concentration camps

The very difficult to photograph Holocaust Memorial

A few more to follow soon I hope.

The Himalayan Garden

2011-05-14T18:19:00.001+01:00

Together with Stokesley U3A Garden Group we visited the Himalayan Garden at Grewelthorpe, near Masham. The magnolias were past their best but I did manage one bloom which I thought might be worth working on. The rhododendrons were fantastic.

Adding Textured Layers

2011-05-05T11:30:00.002+01:00

I have been playing around with textured layers and this is my first attempt. After some comments on Flickr about the sky in the first one looking like a wall I have made two other versions. Version 2 shows more sky and Version 3 with the sky in Version 1 desaturated.

More of Arizona

2011-05-04T14:19:00.002+01:00

I have been working on a few more pictures from our trip to Arizona in January.

Closed for Winter - A store on Route 66

South Rim, Grand Canyon from Hopi Point

South Rim, Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point

Road Closed - Three Sisters, Monument Valley

Phoenix Library Reflections

2011-04-26T14:25:00.002+01:00

When we were in Phoenix in January we were taken to the central library. I am ashamed to say I only took one of the very abstract pictures without the letters. I would love to go back again and take more.

Flowing Sands

Fun with a Fish Eye Lens in Cambridge

2011-03-30T12:42:00.000+01:00

We spent a very enjoyable day in Cambridge on Monday of last week. Thank you Ann for the grand tour. I really appreciated Ian lending me his 5D with 15mm fish eye lens (now I want one for my Nikon) so thank you Ian as well.

The lens was good for the inside of King's College Chapel but, as we couldn't use a tripod, no chance of doing and HDR image. I might try making 5 differently exposed TIFFs from this one image and see what Photomatix produces.

This picture of the staircase makes me think of Alice Through the Looking Glass.

The bicycle with flowers attached to the basket is one of my favourites. Should I straighten the uprights on the door in the background?

I wanted a person walking into the picture and it was surprising how many people walked behind me to avoid being in the picture. I think this version of the wine merchants with the couple drinking coffee next door will go into my 'Taking a Break' series.

The daffodils around the backs were a delight.

Another from the Taking a Break series

2010-12-28T17:17:00.001Z

All Work and No Play

2010-12-27T14:18:00.003Z

All work and no play makes for a dull day. I thought it was time to relax and play a little.

Recent Work

2010-12-27T09:21:00.001Z

Here is a selection of some of the pictures which I have been working on over the last week or so.

Sage in Pastels

The Shard, Imperial War Museum, Salford Quays

The Lowry, Salford Quays

Shop Window, Trebarwith Strand

Rockscape, Sandymouth

Stokesley Pantomime

2010-12-21T17:47:00.000Z

I was persuaded to take photographs at our pantomime yesterday evening. It's all very amateur dramatics and mostly involves children. The whole thing is organised every year by the lady playing the blue fairy. It takes place in the town hall with just 2 matinees, with a party for the kids, and 2 evening performances. At the evening performance you get mulled wine and mince pies.

News Update

2010-12-17T13:38:00.001Z

Yesterday evening I was very surprised and privileged to become an Honary Vice-President of Stokesley Photographic Society.

There hasn't been much time for processing pictures recently but over the next 2 or 3 weeks I will be working on a presentation I am doing as part of the Permajet Lecturers' Day in conjunction with the RPS Central Region which will be held at Smethwick PS club rooms on Sunday 30th January. Hopefully I will find time to put some of those pictures here as I work through them.

A few more pictures

2010-10-31T14:37:00.002Z

I'm not good at remembering to post images here. Time seems to run away with me. Here are a few pictures which I have been working on recently.

We had a set subject competition at Stokesley Photographic Competition which was "Vernacular and agricultural buildings of North Yorkshire". I don't like set subject competitions but like to support the club and enter something. This picture of a barn door tied up with string was awarded 1st place in the projected image section.

This then led to finding two other images of the same door to make a set of three.

This picture of barns at Gunnerside was originally taken in spring when the grass was green. I converted the colour image to black & white, using the I-R preset in CS5. Added some white noise to make it look as if it was snowing. This was printed on a heavyweight textured paper and was Highly Commended.

So a reasonable result for somebody who doesn't like set subject competitions!

We visited Auschwitz a few years ago and I think this will make a good entry for our next set subject competition which is "Roads, railways, tracks and paths".

On the theme of WW2 we spent a day at the North York Moors Railway WW2 weekend earlier in the month and this is one of the pictures which I have processed so far.

This happy couple are members of Normanton Camera Club who enjoy attending 40's events and dress up to look the part. Even the camera is of the right vintage.

The next two images were taken in Charleston Harbour, Oregon, when we were there in 2008.

Finally here are a couple of photos from my eldest son's recent wedding. Unfortunately Guy and I didn't manage to be in the picture which includes both my sons and their families.

A few new pictures

2010-10-03T15:10:00.002+01:00

Not much photographic activity lately so just posting a few random pictures which I have been working on recently.

Trees at The Trundle

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Visit to Bath

2010-08-26T17:02:00.001+01:00

More and more I find that I enjoy wandering around a city or town with my Canon G10 and just taking snaps of whatever takes my fancy. These are from a visit to Bath earlier this year.

Watching over number 41

Is there anybody there?

Alternative Shopping

A helping hand

Infinity Bridge, Stockton on Tees

2010-08-21T18:42:00.000+01:00

We spent a couple of evenings recently photographing the Infinity Bridge at twilight. These are my favourites so far.

Just for a change .....

2010-07-21T17:42:00.000+01:00

As well as working my way through the Farne Island images I have been playing around with a picture of an eryngium, Miss Wilmot's Ghost, taken recently in the garden.

This is the straight shot

A monochrome version

and one which is pure serendipity.

We also visited George Smith's Garden, near York, and I found this head residing in the greenhouse.

The Head Gardener

Probably the last birds for a while

2010-07-21T17:33:00.000+01:00

I have now worked my way to the end of my files from our Farne Islands visit. Here are just a few more of my favourites.

Razorbill

I couldn't resist a couple of portraits of the birds on the cliff edges. Razorbill on the left and Shag below.

Shag

I couldn't resist this one taken from the land side of the fence.

The arctic terns will nest anywhere - these are on some steps.

Just as we were about to get on the boat to return to Seahouses a Ringed Plover was spotted on the beach.

And I can't say goodbye to the Farne Islands without including my favourite picture of an Arctic Tern in flight.

More Farne Island Birds

2010-07-12T09:31:00.000+01:00

It wasn't until we arrived on Inner Farne that we saw the Arctic Terns. There are over 2,000 pairs nesting on the island and when we arrived it felt as if most of them were coming to greet us.

As you walk along the path Arctic Terns, with their chicks, are right beside you and the adults soon let you know, with a fierce peck on the top of your head, that they don't want you to touch their brood.

Don't go without a hat!

Once we had run the gauntlet there were other birds to see. More puffins, other gulls (I need an ornithologist with me), guillemots, razor bills, shags and a ringed plover.

The gulls seem to find the most precarious nesting places!

More Puffins

2010-07-09T13:46:00.000+01:00

It was interesting to see on the News yesterday evening that the population of puffins on the Farnes is up 5% from last year. Researchers have been attaching tiny sat nav's to the birds in order to establish where they travel to find the sand eels. Initial results show the birds travel 20 miles out to sea several times a day to feed in sand eel 'hot spots'.

The birds, which mate for life, stuff up to 67 sand eels in their beaks each time just to feed one chick in a burrow. Most of the puffins which I photographed only managed to bring back a few sand eels at a time.

Farne Island Puffins

2010-07-08T12:26:00.000+01:00

On 24th June a group of us from Stokesley Photographic Society travelled north to the Farne Islands. We were blessed with great weather - some cloud cover so that it didn't get too hot and no rain. We had to make a 6.45 am start but it was worth getting up early.

We visited 2 islands, Staple Island and Inner Farne, spending 2 hours on each one.

It will take ages to process all the pictures. I've already deleted all the rubbish and unsharp pictures but that still leaves 265 from which to choose the best ones.

Back to Photography at Last

2010-06-18T16:55:00.001+01:00

We spent a couple of weeks in France where I did take some photographs but mostly we had a relaxing time. Those pictures have yet to be downloaded and catalogued.

However yesterday we had a trip to Rainton Meadows with our local U3A Group and I have managed to download those as there were only a few. I'm no natural history photographer and don't have a long enough lens for photographing birds but I did enjoy photographing the things which I could get close enough to. These are all hand-held shots as it's difficult to take a tripod along when out with a group of (mainly) non-photographers.

Enforced absence

2010-04-14T16:53:00.000+01:00

Things never work out as we plan do they?

The current lack of input here is due to me suffering from a trapped nerve in my neck. This has meant that I have been unable to use the computer for very long at any one time and getting out and about, other than for essentials, has been out of the question.

Hope to be back soon.

Paula

Impressions of Harris

2010-02-20T19:07:00.002Z

I had hoped that I would get out and take lots of new pictures for this blog but it hasn't worked out that way. So, should anybody be coming back for another look, I thought I had better add something.

We had a very wet and windy week on the Isle of Harris last May and I have been working on some of the images in the hope of salvaging something from the holiday.

Harris is a well known spot for tidal patterns but there weren't many to be found while we were there.

More Lupins

2010-01-19T15:35:00.002Z

Lupins

2010-01-19T08:52:00.002Z

Continuing looking through my pictures from New Zealand in 2004 I came across a shot with some lupins. It didn't work as taken but I saw a patch of lupins which I thought might make a picture. An hour or so doodling gave me this result.

No Photography This Week

2010-01-16T11:49:00.003Z

I didn't take a single photograph this week but I have been looking through some old folders on the computer trying to find new pictures to enter into exhibitions.

The first one is from Venice Carnival taken in 2007

The other three are from our visit to New Zealand in 2004.

This was taken on a very wet day at Lake Brunner. I have tried to emphasise the atmosphere of the day by lightening the image using curves in CS3. Converted to mono and added a white layer in Soft Light Mode.

I saw a picture of the Cardrona Hotel in the Travel Section of an international exhibition and it reminded me that I had pictures of the same Hotel. Although it looks like a museum the Cardrona Hotel is still a going concern. It is between Wanaka and Queenstown on South Island, New Zealand.

This is a straight shot but the next picture was taken with a very wide angle lens. I have also used the transform tool to distort the picture even more.

Snowy Stokesley

2010-01-10T15:50:00.004Z

We have had our fair share of snow in Stokesley since 17th December with around 11 inches falling since New Year.

Yesterday I managed to have a walk down to the river.

It was too cold for ice creams