tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15320244533719606692011-10-02T10:46:29.532+01:00My blog about photography, techniques, equipment and tutorials<br />photographs &copy; Caroline Mockett ARPS all rights reservedCaz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.comBlogger641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-88745245643623234662008-06-13T19:41:00.006+01:002008-07-07T14:31:11.230+01:00

It's always been my ambition to get my various blogs integrated properly with their relevent photographic website. And whilst I've enjoyed being hosted with Blogger for the past couple of years, now I've finally managed to get everything set up properly on my general photography website.The main site lives at cazphoto.co.uk and you can now find this blog migrated to the site too, with a properly

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-90292702023905745772008-04-06T00:19:00.001+01:002008-04-06T00:29:42.367+01:00

March seemed to fly by. We had variable weather - some days were a complete washout, but others gave us a bit of sun; then we had snow on Easter Sunday! Early in the month, I inviested in a new lens, which I've been using whenever possible since. I'm pleased with the resutls so far. And mid-month, I had the pleasure of meeting two of my 366-buddies when I visited Sussex for a conference. Great to

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-40021925194842330872008-03-05T19:20:00.009Z2008-03-05T19:35:11.098Z

I took a long, critical look the other day at some of the photos I'd recently taken with my Canon 17-85mm lens [left]. It's built for digital and as such, can't be used on any 35mm or full-frame censor CCD cameras (such as Canon's 5D - not that I have one!).I've had it a couple of years, bought as a replacement for the original 18-55mm kit lens which came with my EOS 300D in 2004. That lens was

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-41100256728689544662008-03-02T18:28:00.002Z2008-03-05T18:39:05.670Z

February was of course longer than usual this year, but us 366 folk didn't get a day off! I've still kept up the photo a day discipline quite easily. And I think my "mundane" days have been more interesting than those during January, so maybe I'm learning!I'll kick off with some "near misses" that almost made it as shot of the day during February:[Millennium Window - the lovely new stained glass

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-39236309736957049092008-02-22T23:38:00.006Z2008-02-22T23:47:21.642Z

I was idly fiddling with Photoshop CS3 this afternoon and thought I would have a little play with the Filter Gallery. I'm not normally one for over-using filters with my images, but I wondered if some shots could be improved with a little creativity. Here are three quick recipes for cooking up some interest in your pictures, even when they might seem pretty uninspiring to begin with.Delicious

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-33592175227231793342008-02-02T10:58:00.000Z2008-02-10T01:09:22.919Z

I've managed to keep up the My Year In Pictures project throughout January without too much trouble. They're not all masterpieces by any means, but I'm pleased with most of the shots. Some days it was a quick grab shot with my compact camera, others I managed to get out with the DSLR specifically to take some shots (and get some exercise!)First, I thought I would show you some "near misses" that

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-13819676417549940652008-01-29T19:06:00.000Z2008-01-29T19:13:07.339Z

I've often seen other people's photos of water splashing into a surface and thought I should have a go at it myself. With the My Year In Pictures project, I've kept a list of subjects I should try, to give some inspiration on days when it's not nice outdoors or I just can't think what to take.Today, I had a go at some macro shots of water splashes. It's harder than it looks! You need a fast

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-13606744366788197392008-01-22T13:18:00.000Z2008-01-22T13:26:25.734Z

Since the beginning of December, I've had an exhibition of my rugby photographs at The Castle, a gastropub in Battersea High Street.Last Sunday I invited a few friends over to have lunch and admire the pictures. The pub has recently been refurbished, and the pale wooden frames suited the new decor. Apparently the pictures are popular with the locals too!Here's a few shots of how they look hanging

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-68467171945842884552008-01-19T13:03:00.000Z2008-01-22T13:05:33.773Z

After my enforced rest with my broken elbow/bashed knee last year, I decided that I would try to keep a photographic diary of 2008 - taking at least one picture every day, even when I'm just slogging away with work and not going anywhere interesting.So far, I've managed to keep it up. I'm not sure they will all be masterpieces, but it's an interesting challenge to keep the momentum going, and not

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-26159078504483406342007-11-12T20:59:00.000Z2007-11-12T21:18:34.661Z

I have already talked a little about the effects of high ISO noise in a previous post. And one of the reasons I wanted to upgrade from my Canon EOS 300D to my new 30D was it's alleged better performance at high ISO settings, plus the ability to choose ISO 3200 in really dark situations, whereas the old camera would only go up to ISO 1600.So I thought it might be useful to take a closer look at

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-37644540441114684312007-10-26T23:27:00.000+01:002007-10-29T22:51:23.365Z

I'm not a great proponent of formal portrait for adults, let alone kids. They rarely sit still and pose how you'd like, and I find the pictures usually end up looking stilted and a bit false. I admire photographers who can get good results from the studio, but I prefer a more candid approach.Here are a selection of pictures I've taken of friends' kiddies.[Alexander in front of a window, natural

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-75264106659384590242007-10-25T19:55:00.000+01:002007-10-29T22:03:14.217Z

A Photo Essay is a set of pictures which tells a story. It need not be about anything profound, but the images must tell the story with little textual explanation. As you can see, each individual image is no masterpiece, but taken together they form a coherent set which fit together well.For a bit of fun, I decided to photograph the story of my lunch a while ago. I used my Canon IXUS 850 IS,

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-63353883929509294602007-10-21T20:43:00.000+01:002007-10-24T20:51:55.826+01:00

After five weeks of frustration, hobbling and a sore elbow, I'm finally able to get about a bit better now, and spent a lovely morning wandering round Galleywood Common, close to where I live.The autumn colours were in full force [left, Autumn Oak leaf] and the sun was out, with a blue sky all round. It was a bit cool, but I didn't mind.And despite living close by for 4+ years, I'd never set foot

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-75852334285681254122007-09-15T16:41:00.000+01:002007-10-24T16:42:51.686+01:00

Not sure when I'll be out and about to take photos again - I've had an accident which has bashed up my left knee and broken my left elbow - so holding a heavy SLR is out of the question at the moment!I'll just have to stay at home and watch a bit of rugby - there's plenty on the telly at the moment...I've even watched the reruns of the two Rugby World Cup games I saw in France. Here's a shot from

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-71632068308478695022007-09-10T16:18:00.000+01:002007-10-24T16:26:43.531+01:00

I was lucky enough to take a trip to the Rugby World Cup which started in France on Friday. I was on a tour which took in the Opening Ceremony, first game with France vs Argentina in Paris, then England vs USA in Lens the next evening. The trip was a lot of fun.The links above give you photos from the two games, but I also took some shots in and around the ground to illustrate the ambience and

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-16247467656426528792007-09-02T22:41:00.000+01:002007-10-24T15:51:58.783+01:00

The Rugby World Cup has rolled around again pretty quickly, and I was in Regents Park this afternoon for the Scrum In The Park event. The fans were able to see the England Rugby team training some lucky kids, there was a double-decker bus to sign with good wishes, and a Military Band provided the music to send off the team in stirring style. You can see more photos of the rugby-related stuff at

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-4012348729450097302007-07-08T11:59:00.000+01:002007-10-24T14:09:33.702+01:00

For years, I've been meaning to get along to the Ingatestone Jazz Concert which is held in the grounds of the Elizabethen Ingatestone Hall in Essex. This year, I finally managed it, after being invited along to take some photos for the local Rotary Club.It was a lovely summer evening, and I wanted to capture some of the atmosphere of the open air picnics as the audience listened to the music.

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-28408648563839035102007-06-18T00:13:00.000+01:002007-10-21T20:47:32.891+01:00

Novice photographers are often disappointed with the shots they get from their cameras at concerts and other low-light situations. This is usually due to the fact that, if left to it's own devices, the camera will decide what ISO speed to use, and can also insist on using on-camera flash.If you're at a concert, using flash can be enough to get you thrown out of the venue (to say nothing of it

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-45606321258542168472007-06-01T15:22:00.000+01:002007-10-21T15:46:10.466+01:00

I take a lot of photos at rugby matches, but sometimes during the break or after the game can provide some really interesting subjects, not just the players on the pitch. This is particularly true when it's a big Cup Final game.On 19th May, I saw Bath vs ASM Clermont-Auvernge play the European Challenge Cup Final at Twickenham Stoop. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, and by the time the game

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-71770377404779315322007-05-06T21:57:00.000+01:002007-05-07T20:00:35.219+01:00

Although not strictly part of my "Coast & Cornwall" trip, I took the opportunity to stop off in picturesque Wells, in Somerset, on my way back home, via a stop in Wiltshire to visit friends. I'd seen the Cathedral on a previous trip, but I had never visited the Bishop's Palace Gardens, which are well worth a visit:[The Bishop's Prison is in the garden, tucked away in a shady corner]You can wander

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-3638794636037971632007-05-05T22:50:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:09:36.307+01:00

I set off from Padstow this morning with a hazy sky above, but by late morning it had burned off a bit. I had a look around the ancient village of Tintagel and King Arthur's alleged castle. It's a stiff climb up the cliffs but the views from the top are worth it:[View from high up on the cliffs at Tintagel, with ruins and the rocky cove below]My next stop was just a few miles up the road, to the

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-22596638166583593352007-05-04T23:52:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:09:00.103+01:00

lMy first stop after leaving St. Ives was the Lappa Valley Steam Railway, a few miles south of Newquay. They have a narrow gague track which was running a lovely little engine called Zebedee today:[Lappa Valley Railway No. 1 "Zebedee" chuffing off from East Wheel Rose station]I drove through Newquay, but didn't see anything which inspired me enough to stop for pictures. After some lunch at a

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-78122272880462876662007-05-04T00:07:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:08:23.632+01:00

Another stop-start day, with a bit of driving followed by a break for pictures.My attention was attracted first off by the ruin of an old mine near Cripplesease, as I was heading for Penzance & Newlyn. Both had lovely harbours, but Newlyn's was a little more picturesque:[Float My Boat - just how many fishing floats does one boat need?]I moved round the coast to Mousehole around lunchtime, but

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-28811323957181826902007-05-02T23:38:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:07:49.313+01:00

My first stop of the day was at Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station, where visitors can see lots of the dishes and even get a guided tour round one. I guess the old engineer in me never dies! Here's a shot of Arthur, built in 1962 to track the fast-moving Telstar satellite - apparently it can do one full azimuth revolution in 3 minutes![Arthur, the oldest dish at Goonhilly, and you can tour round

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-48453573042531094702007-05-02T00:30:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:07:05.547+01:00

Quite a few short stops today, with plenty of variety of things to see. I started off with a short detour off the main route between St. Austall and St. Mawes to visit the peculiar round houses in Veryan. I didn't know they existed until I saw them on a local postcard last night in Mevagissey - it's always worth looking at postcards for inspiration of places to visit! Here's one of my efforts:[

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-75717563246014335352007-05-01T00:30:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:06:20.220+01:00

I thought the day would be quite disappointing when I woke up to grey clouds and a forecast for heavy downpours. But then it occurred to me that being inside a massive greenhouse was probably the best place to be during the rain, so I headed off to the Eden Project mid-morning.The first Biome I visited was the tropical one - bad news for photography because as soon as you enter, everything mists

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-34509009553993357912007-04-30T00:17:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:05:40.753+01:00

Lots more driving today, from Weymouth to St. Austell. I did a little detour for lunch in Teignmouth and found a pleasant little town with a picturesque bay:[Rowing Boats beached in Teignmouth Bay]It was late afternoon by the time I arrived in St. Austell, and I was in need of a cuppa and a cream tea - so headed to the Lost Gardens of Heligan just in time for last entry at 4:30pm. Having

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-29244817388256196752007-04-28T22:35:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:04:53.833+01:00

The weather was a little hazy again today but I did manage to get some quite nice shots. I decided to visit the Purbeck Jurassic Coast today, and started off at the picturesque Durdle Door:[The cliff top approach to Durdle Door]After a couple of hours scrambling up and down the cliffs, I headed off to Norden Station to catch the Swanage Railway to Swanage for the afternoon:[Changing the header

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-25093924340560807242007-04-27T23:55:00.000+01:002007-05-07T18:04:04.082+01:00

Off On My HolsI've taken myself off to the south coast and Cornwall for a photographic trip, and will be blogging my best photos as I'm going along. I spent quite a while driving today, stopping off in Dorchester on the way during the afternoon. But unfortunately, I didn't feel very inspired by the town, and so made my way to Chesil Beach (it's a long drive so I'm breaking the journey at Weymouth

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-50851938887403832142007-03-23T14:05:00.000Z2007-03-23T14:22:07.193Z

BackgroundYou might have heard some lenses described as "wide angle" or "telephoto". This article should help you get to grips with different types of lenses and what they do.TheoryWith a 35mm film camera, a 50mm lens is called a "standard" lens because it shows the same angle of view and perspective as the human eye. It's focal length is said to be 50mm. Using one of these lenses, you will see

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-55814373683814105082007-03-21T16:18:00.000Z2007-03-21T17:09:34.115Z

BackgroundHave you ever wondered why the photos you take indoors sometimes come out looking very yellow? It's a common mistake to make, and this tutorial should help you understand why it happens, and how to get it right!TheoryThe human eye is very good at adjusting to different light sources, and the brain compensates without you noticing, when going from outdoors to inside. If you look at a

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-50243245052893345332007-03-20T16:29:00.000Z2007-10-28T22:23:17.052Z

BackgroundI've already mentioned Depth of Field briefly, in my tutorial on Apertures and F-Numbers. But it's not just the aperture you are using which determines how much depth of field your pictures have.TheoryThree factors influence the depth of field of an image. They are:Aperture of lens - the f-number you use at the time of taking the image Focal length of lens - eg, 28mm for a wide angle,

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-10333482852851750812007-03-19T21:31:00.000Z2007-03-20T16:28:34.557Z

BackgroundI've already explained the basics of ISO speed, apertures and shutter speeds. Now it's time to put them all together and see how they relate to the overall exposure of an image. The EV or Exposure Value for any given scene and lighting is always a constant.TheoryThe correct exposure for an image is governed by a complicated formula. However, all you really need to know is what effect

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-83926612719958751432007-03-18T01:30:00.000Z2008-01-29T19:17:09.346Z

Sheila had a good idea, to collect the titles/links of my tutorials on photography, initially written for BarCampLondon2. I'll also be updating the list regularly when I post a new photography tutorial, so you can easily keep tabs on them.Taking Better PicturesThese were the posts which formed my presentation at BarCampLondon2. They are aimed at anyone who would like to improve their photography,

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-9886510490139012452007-03-18T00:58:00.000Z2007-03-20T16:27:31.920Z

BackgroundThe shutter speed is the amount of time that the film or CCD sensor is exposed to light, also known as the exposure or exposure time.TheoryShutter speeds are normally quoted in fractions of a second, written as eg. 1/30, which would mean one thirtieth of a second. Like apertures and ISO speeds, they normally follow a standard pattern:1/1000th, 1/500th, 1/250th, 1/125th, 1/60th, 1/30th,

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-4891613034299769412007-03-06T14:42:00.000Z2007-03-21T00:46:28.218Z

BackgroundWhat is meant when referring to the "aperture" (or f-numbers) of a lens?Photographic lenses contain an iris, made up of solid vanes, built in a similar pattern to those on the left. The vanes can move in and out, thus making the central hole larger or smaller - and so letting more or less light through the lens. This is what's called the aperture, and is a guide to the speed of the

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-19495659501396149782007-03-05T11:26:00.000Z2007-03-08T15:40:45.927Z

BackgroundIn the early days of film photography, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defined a standard to determine how sensitive the film was to light. This was known as the ISO speed. It is still relevent in digital photography today - the ISO equivalent speed is still a measure of how sensitive the CCD inside the camera is - and thus how quickly it will capture the image

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-30392609723997510552007-02-21T03:36:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:25:22.905Z

As previously mentioned, my new digital compact is a Canon IXUS 850 IS, and having had it for about 10 days, I can now put down some initial thoughts on its features and ease of use.My main reason for the purchase was so that I could take it to the likes of PubStandards and BarCamp, or other conferences, as a lightweight and small alternative to my EOS 350D SLR. Lovely though that is, when I'm

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-78497324202376900572007-02-20T07:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:47:09.597Z

TheoryTry to put the main point of interest in your picture at one of the intersections of the thirds:Or devide the sky/land line on a 1/3rd 2/3rd ratio. Try to avoid putting the horizon half way down the picture.Examples[Over The Rainbow - horizon on the lower third, protruding flower is on the horizontal and vertical third intersection][Sunrise, Calanais - horizon on the lower third, sun is on

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-2659808863052818582007-02-20T06:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:48:31.623Z

TheoryTry to encourage the viewer's eye to go deeper into a picture. Lead the eye around the frame by using:[straight lines, gentle curves][imaginary lines formed by picture elements]Always make sure there is an object at the "stop" point where the line finishes, which reinforces the lead into something tangible.Examples[The Time Tunnel - lines converge towards the figure in the bottom left hand

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-91070676896614303222007-02-20T05:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:50:17.251Z

TheoryThe rule of thirds is useful for many subjects, but not all.If you see a symmetrical subject, it's often better to compoase so that the line of symmetry is right in the middle of the picture.Take care to make sure the symmetrical subject really is in the middle - slightly off-centre and it will look odd.Examples[Transporter Bridge - I stood right in the middle of the roadway (waiting for

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-85334994352577360942007-02-20T04:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:51:42.659Z

TheoryThere are two aspects to framing your pictures:Make sure unwanted things don't cut into the side of your photos - always look around the viewfinder (or LCD screen) to check Pictures can be enhanced by carefully framing the view - eg. with tree brancesExamples[Le Chat Qui Pêche - the foreground path and overhanging trees frame the scene top and bottom, and the leaves cover up some boring sky

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-12221529593403398012007-02-20T03:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:57:13.449Z

TheoryDepth can be emphasised with good lead-in lines.Also, make sure there is something of interest in the three areas of your picture:Foreground [rocks] Middle distance [sheep]Background [hills]It's those thirds again…Examples[Beached Lobster Pot - getting up close to the lobster pot (with a wide-angle lens) made it appear bigger in the frame; the rocks lead through the middle ground to the

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-29500379862953343942007-02-20T02:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:00:49.649Z

TheoryRepetition can be appealing, but too much of the same thing can be boring.Instead, take subjects which show repetition but with a slight difference:Similar objects, of different sizes or focus Similar objects, of different colours Similar objects, in different positionsExamples[Pencils I - the variation here is colour, size and position - the ends of the pencils were all lined up, and the

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-5568089662229066862007-02-20T01:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:03:57.206Z

TheoryNobody wants to play "hunt the interesting bit" with your photos! So get in close, and fill the frame. Remember:"If it's not good enough, you're not close enough"[Good advice for all except war photographers and wild animal specialists]Or, make a point of not filling the frame, but giving the picture some "positive space" - a tricky thing to define, but examples should make things clearer.

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-3087524619831724162007-02-20T00:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:05:56.260Z

TheoryThe humble triangle can be a useful compositional device to improve your pictures.Upright or inverted, they act as extra lead-in lines or can encapsulate the subject being photographed.The triangle can be formed by tangible straight lines, or objects at each virtual corner.Placing three objects in triangular formation is much stronger than the eye "bouncing" between two subjects - odd

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-7779670542041401512007-02-19T23:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:08:15.371Z

TheoryThe right lighting is vital for conveying the texture and defining the tone in monochrome pictures.Strong side lighting on the subject will create the best emphasis of light and shadow.Soft lighting will lead to a more subdued image with smaller tonal range:Images with lots of dark tones are said to be "low-key"Images with lots of light tones are said to be "high-key"Examples[Cycle Lane -

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-1703927564173799722007-02-19T22:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:19:14.529Z

TheorySelecting subjects with subdued colours, or all from one end of the spectrum, can evoke a particular mood.It can be particularly effective in showing shapes and texturesExamples[Smokey Shed - this is actually a colour image, showing the merest hint of grey/green in the shafts of light and pale pink and blue in the skylights][The Rusty Cog - a combination of browns and oranges show this

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-82128114001074267172007-02-19T21:00:00.000Z2007-03-02T14:21:18.023Z

TheorySubjects with vivid colours have immediate impact.Again, this can be one single colour or perhaps two complimentary colours from opposite ends of the specrum - eg. blue and yellow.For the most vibrant colours, you need good strong lighting - plenty of sun or perhaps flash, depending on the subject.Examples[The Mini Crevass - anything red has an immediate impact, and this macro shot of frost

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-70840198154710603732007-02-14T01:04:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:29:12.205Z

I read with interest that Windows Vista has a bit of trouble with editing digital photo's EXIF data.Basically, if you edit the metadata with the built-in Photo Info tool, such as adding a tag, it destroys the data used by other programmes such as Photoshop. Of particular problem are RAW files from Nikons, which become unreadable after Vista's intervention.Many comments on the aforementioned blog

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-64095965876794564082007-02-10T01:26:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:24:36.245Z

Yesterday we had about 3" of snow down my way, and since I was able to take some time out, I went on a six mile trek with the camera. Here are three of the best images I got from the expedition:[A Transient Visitor - snowman and the cricket pavillion][Heavy Droplets - melting snow on a teasel][Grey Horizons - my favourite shot of the day]You can see some more on my website in the Colour Gallery

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-8638748367065401442006-12-19T23:35:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:16:32.843Z

We're approaching the shortest day of the year, and so the dark days of winter are well and truely upon us. However, providing you get a bit of sun, winter is often a great time for photography. The low light and long shadows can produce amazing views from the most mundane of subjects.This was taken on Tower Bridge on Sunday, during a photographic day out with some friends. I had to wait for a

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-87556749524318693832006-11-10T23:48:00.000Z2007-03-02T13:11:00.636Z

Last weekend saw my camera get a workout on both days. I've taken it to quite a few rugby games recently, but not really done any creative photography since the middle of September - far too long. So last Saturday, I took myself out and about to the local park to photograph some of the sites of autumn. Here's one example:[red leaf and twig]See more pictures in the General Colour - 8 and Mono

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-27701621779651551252006-09-10T07:20:00.000+01:002007-03-02T13:04:33.099Z

I found myself in Brighton for a conference yesterday, and stayed overnight afterwards, so planned to stay in the town until late Saturday afternoon, as I'd agreed to meet up with a friend who was there taking photos of the National Speed Trials down on Madeira Drive. He covers all sorts of classic car, racing and rallying events (you can see some of his pictures at Eric Richardson Photography).

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-91933001556257868272006-08-29T18:08:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:59:27.771Z

After my informal behind-the-scenes look around the Barbican the other day, I'll be interested to see other buildings which will take part in London Open House weekend 2006. It's the annual opportunity to snoop behind the normally-closed doors of some of London's best architecture. Everything from the London Assembly building (known by some as Ken's Palace) to private houses (like the lovely 9

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-47541707091771178472006-08-29T06:46:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:52:29.977Z

Here's a photographic opportunity for you - the Tour of Britain 2006 Final Stage will be in London on Sunday 3rd September. The route covers Greenwich to The Mall, and you can see more details at the Tour of Britain website.I missed it last year, but did enjoy the day out in 2004 when the stage covered 1-mile laps around Westminster. Here are a couple of pictures I took from that event:[Above]

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-87613161690120815042006-08-04T07:57:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:50:18.582Z

... Wombling free? Not really! But I was fortunate to have a tour round behind the scenes at the Barbican Centre last night, thanks to a friend who works there. We saw everything from the heat exchangers in the basement (below the water table!), exotic plants in the conservatory, the lighting grid in the theatre (38m/124ft above the stage) and finally the roof, looking out over the City and St

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-3004492130759091212006-08-02T08:01:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:47:04.796Z

No, we haven't regressed into the Dark Ages. I'm referring to the fact that my photographic club have their Annual Exhibition starting today in the foyer of London's Barbican Centre Library. It runs until 29th August, and is open during the same times as the library. I have four prints in the exhibition, showing a wide range of my photographic styles:Calanais Sunriseand let thy feet...Twilight

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-66279481152828122832006-07-25T03:11:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:26:39.392Z

I've had a busy week with photography, enjoying a potter round local Essex villages last Monday, an evening stroll with photographic buddies around the Barbican and St. Paul's on Tuesday, and finally a day out to Cardiff Bay on Saturday, to see the National Assembly of Wales and the new Opera House. Cardiff Bay is an interesting development, much akin to London's Docklands, and has lots of

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-4368212943524992542006-07-12T19:25:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:20:24.361Z

My Canon Speedlite 540EZ is now officially a dinosaur. I'd suspected as much a few months ago when I went to use it with my EOS300D and nothing happened. That is, the pilot button on the back would fire the flash when charged, but the camera wouldn't. It was the first time I'd attempted to use it with the digital body, and (stupidly) I'd not tried it out before going somewhere where I really

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-62596311458370091282006-07-11T17:40:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:08:12.634Z

I hope I didn't come across as arrogant in yesterday's post about how much difference a good piece of equipment can make. That wasn't my intention. But further reflection set me thinking that, in these days where consumers expect instant gratification from their purchases, I think it's sad that some people spend an awful lot of money on the best camera and are then disappointed with the pictures

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-37771687561182648622006-07-11T01:36:00.000+01:002007-03-02T12:04:17.633Z

If you read my recent post, Green-Eyed Monster, you might be thinking that I advocate getting the latest gadgets just for the sake of it. And while I think you should always buy the best model you can afford (whether that be a mobile, digital camera or toaster), it's certainly doesn't follow that you will only get the best results from the best kit.As a known photographer amongst my friends, I'm

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-69799213392602251952006-07-05T07:15:00.000+01:002007-03-02T11:57:45.632Z

Envy is a terrible thing!I've had my trusty Canon EOS300D digi-SLR since Feb 2004, and have used it for capturing countless pictures which I'm extremely pleased with. The vast majority of the images on my photographic portfolio have been taken with it, so much so that I haven't picked up my Canon EOS50E film body since going digital. In the main, I've had no complaints at all about the camera,

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1532024453371960669.post-91282368877740396082006-06-22T01:11:00.000+01:002007-03-02T11:50:42.147Z

I've been away for a few days, visiting a friend who now lives in Barcelona, lucky her.It was a nice break for four days (apart from having to get up at a ridiculous time of the morning to get to Stansted for the flight), and what with going to the excellent @media conference, it means I've had about a week out of the office; lovely!If you would like to see a selection of my photos, you can visit

Caz Mocketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10460489611014669888noreply@blogger.com0