The Power of Failure
In this blog post, I tell you why I had to ditch a mornings work because I failed to check the setup of one of my cameras. It was a tough lesson but one I will learn from.
Not What I Had Planned
In this blog post, I was originally going to tell you about a new video I was making for my YouTube channel and how I got on when I visited my first location for the video. However, not only did the photography not go exactly how I hoped, but I also made some mistakes with shooting the video.
With my planned blog post not looking worthwhile, I was going to bring forward next week's planned blog post to this week. Then this morning I accidentally deleted a folder full of video and it got me thinking about mistakes and failures. We all make them but what is important is that we learn from them. So in this blog post, I'm going to tell you about my mistakes and what I've learnt this week.
Check Your Camera Settings
So this week I was going to tell you about a new exciting video project I was working on. It involved visiting a number of great locations where I would shoot some video, take some photographs and hopefully inspire you to visit these locations. As you'll read though, the shoot at my first location, The Cobb in Lyme Regis didn't exactly go to plan.
Let's start with the photography. The forecast and tide had looked promising, but as most landscape photographers will tell you, that doesn't necessarily mean that's what you'll get or that you'll get a good image.
At The Cobb I generally prefer the morning sun to come from the side, but on this morning it was rising directly in front of me. However, the forecast said there would be a bit of cloud about and I hoped the rising sun and clouds would mix to give me a beautiful sky.
Unfortunately, it didn't quite happen that way as you can see from the image below, which was probably the best of the morning.
So while the image itself isn't one for the portfolio, together with the video I was shooting it still would have told the story that I needed it to.
As I started to edit the video from The Cobb, something quickly became apparent. It's wasn't the shots from the DSLR, or the video from the Sony RX100M4, or even the audio from Zoom H1. What I had failed to do was to check the settings on my DJI Mavic Pro. All the video I had shot with the drone was low resolution and at the wrong frame rate. The drone footage was very important in showing the viewer more about the location. Unfortunately, the drone footage would not work well with the other video I had captured.
I'm not entirely sure why the drone camera was configured incorrectly, but that isn't really the point. I should have checked the settings before I started shooting. I always check the camera settings on my DSLR and Sony RX100M4 so why on earth wouldn't I do the same for my other cameras!
I like to put out quality work, and while the still image I captured was suitable, when I had realised I had made a mistake with the video I decided I would rather go back and shoot the whole thing again. I've been working hard to increase the overall production quality of my videos so I wasn't willing to let this pass quality control.
So what have I learnt? I need to check each and every camera I use, each and every time I use it! I put a lot effort in my content, and the time I have to do it is very limited, so I need to make sure I don't waste time by not checking all my cameras on each shoot.
I will of course not let this little setback deter me from making the planned video!
I Just Deleted All My Video Content
This morning, while cotemplating this particular blog post, I decided I would "tidy up" some of my unused, but still potentially useful, video clips I have. Trouble was that I deleted all my current video content, including some highly valued footage!
Here I have some good news though. I run a rigorous and regular backup process so while the deletion of the data was a drag I knew I could restore it quickly enough. Sure enough, I just inserted the hard disk with my last backup and restored the data with one click. My backup routine is far more extensive than a single hard disk so if you are interested in hearing more about it let me know in the comments below.
So do you check your settings before each shot? Have you taken a bunch of photos with camera incorrectly setup? Let me know in the comments.
Prawle Point with a Point and Shoot
Can you shoot good seascape images with a compact camera? In my latest blog post and video I go out to explore the coastline around Prawle Point in south Devon to capture some seascape images. I also leave all my DSLR gear at home and decide to shoot only with a compact camera. Read more to see how I got on!
Packing Light and Exploration
I've photographed Start Point <insert link to previous blog post> on the south Devon coast a few times but I've never really ventured further west towards Prawle and Salcombe. My father-in-law had suggested a few times that this area of the coastline was worthy of investigation, so when a free Sunday morning came up I decided to do just that.
Summerleaze beach in Bude. The manual controls on the Sony RX100 M4 allowed me to create this long exposure.
After deciding that I would go to Prawle Point I also considered if I should pack all my DSLR gear and go for a sunrise shoot. I have to admit that going somewhere new and trying to find a composition for sunrise was exciting, but my head overruled my heart. The weather forecast was for high winds and 100% cloud coverage so I decided I would take a more leisurely approach and have breakfast first and go out after sunrise.
I already knew the conditions weren't going to be ideal for seascape photography but I didn't want to go out with no camera at all so I decided to go out with my light weight setup of my Sony RX100 M4 and Manfrotto BeFree carbon fibre tripod. The Sony RX100 M4 looks like a point & shoot camera, but this little compact camera can be a real powerhouse. It has lots of manual controls, and while it does have it's limitations, it is capable of capturing some wonderful images.
So with a new area to explore, and very lightweight setup, I decided to make a video to see if I could capture a good seascape image while out exploring Prawle Point. I was going to test the theory The Best Camera is the One That's with You. Check out the video below to see how I got on.
Results and Conclusions
As I said in the video I'm certainly not about to give up all my Nikon gear but that's not to say that I can't capture good images with a compact camera. Yes, I was off to a little bit of a head start with advanced capabilities of the Sony RX100 M4 but it is more about understanding your gear and having a good technique that allows you to get results.
Sony RX100 M4, 8.8mm (24mm @ 35mm equiv), 1/4 sec @ f/11, ISO 80, in-camera ND filter on. Processed and converted to black & white in Lightroom CC.
Sony RX100 M4, 8.8mm (24mm @ 35mm equiv), 1/4 sec @ f/11, ISO 80, in-camera ND filter on. Processed in Lightroom CC.
A reference shot facing east from Prawle Point lookout. Taken with my Nexus 6p phone.
While I'm not considering these images for my portfolio, given the weather conditions and the fact it was a new location for me I'm relatively happy with the results. While there is no doubt that my Nikon camera, lenses and Lee Filters provide me with a superior level of control and quality, I'm still confident I could capture good images with my Sony RX100 M4 if I needed to. It's also nice to travel light every now and again!
I'm also very much looking forward to exploring to the east of Prawle Point. The coastline seems more dramatic and there are a couple of very nice looking beaches. Once I've got some locations marked out I'll return with my Nikon and also shoot some video there with the drone.
So, do you prefer to go out with a light weight setup? How important is gear? Is good photography technique just as important as the camera? Let me know in the comments below.
A Technical Footnote
The video I shot at Prawle Point was also an opportunity to test out my new audio/video rig. Audio is a critical component of good video, and I've struggled to get good audio for my videos. The Sony RX100 M4 captures wonderful 4K video, but without a mic input, I've had to depend on onboard audio which isn't great. Now that I'm using an external audio recorder and a lavalier mic I can consistently capture high-quality audio. In fact, I wouldn't have been able to capture good audio at Prawle Point without my new rig as the wind was so strong.
If anyone is interested in the setup let me know in the comments and I'll either do a blog post of video on my personal setup. However, I do have to thank Ted Forbes and his YouTube channel The Art of Photography which originally showed me how I could use a Sony RX100 M4 and an external audio recorder in a single rig setup.
And thanks to Ted, I also learnt how to sync the audio as well.
Please do subscribe to The Art of Photography. It's a wonderful photography channel that discusses so many aspects of photography from technical side of things (as above), to the artistic side of photography.
And of course, don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.
My Favourite / Top 5 / Best Landscape Photography Locations in Devon
In this special blog post and video I take you on a mini tour of my 5 favourite landscape photography locations in Devon.
A Personal Selection
As a landscape photographer living in Devon I am spoilt for choice when it comes to shooting locations. I have access to Dartmoor National Park, large areas of the South West Coast Path, and everything in between. I shouldn't really ever run out of places to shoot.
Even though I have all this variety I can't help but have a few favourite locations. So in this video I'm going to take you on a mini tour of my five favourite locations to shoot landscapes in Devon. I've chosen a mixture of coastal and inland locations as well as choosing to shoot at dawn and dusk. Some shoots were more successful than others but I'm hoping the video will give you some ideas and inspire you to visit and photograph those locations yourself.
So why not check out the video below and let me take you on a tour of Devon...
If you need a little more information on the locations I have visited or just want to see the images in a bit more detail then please do read on!
Dawlish Warren
The groynes along the beach at Dawlish Warren offer some great lines for your composition. Long exposures often work well at this location as well, especially in poor light.
Don't forget to shoot the beach huts.
Venford Falls
Venford Falls as shot on the video. A polariser is very handy to control the reflections.
Spring is my favourite time to visit as all the moss is at its best.
Emsworthy
Both the rocks and the tree are great elements to include in your composition. This location is good to shoot at both dawn and dusk.
Turn 90 degrees and you'll find a few other compositions to shoot.
Froward Point
Shooting at sunset will typically provide the best light but what ever time you visit please be careful on the rocks!
If you've got good light shoot Daymark Tower as well.
Start Point
The classic Start Point composition. Shame about the weather!
Sometimes it pays to hang around a little longer. There is just a splash of colour in the sky in this image.
In Summary
Hopefully this video and blog post has given you a little inspiration to not only shoot these locations, but also the wider Devon. It really is a fantastic part of the country with huge variety in locations and conditions.
So what are you favourite locations either in Devon or further afield? Did you find this video useful or inspiring? Is there a location in Devon or the south west that you recommend I visit? As always let me know if the comments, and remember to like and share this post! See you next time.
Location Scouting in the Teign Valley
In this video blog post I head out to Fingle Bridge and the Teign valley to scout out some locations for an autumn themed shoot.
The Importance of Scouting
The time I spend with the camera is precious. I have a full time job and a family that keeps me really busy so when I do get out I like to make the most of it. Sometimes I just go out to practice with my camera (see my blog post on practicing) or I'll go out to scout out a location. For me scouting out a location can be a really good use of time. For locations such as the upper Teign valley near Fingle Bridge in Devon, having a number of spots already picked out means that when the golden hour comes I'm only worrying about composition and not finding a good location.
In this short video I take you on a recent trip to the upper Teign Valley where I spend some time walking the path looking for locations that I can use for some autumnal shots that I want to take there. I'm travelling light with my Sony RX100M4 and a Manfrotto BeFree Carbon tripod but it allows me to quickly take shots from locations as I move along the valley.
Here's the video:
Mission Successful?
Here are the images that I took from the locations I scouted:
Now I'll be the first to admit that these aren't award winning images. The composition was setup up quickly and the light not exactly at its best but it does give me some really good ideas on where I want to shoot when I do go up there when the autumnal colours are in there full glory.
I also originally had this location down as a sunrise only location but because of this scouting exercise I'm fairly sure I could get images at either end of the day. So was it worth while? Well yes. Anytime with the camera is good but I feel more prepared to shoot this particular location now.
Do You Scout?
Do you spend time scouting out the locations you want to shoot? Or do you just turn up and see what takes your eye? Let me know in the comments.