Portland - Jeremy Walker / Robert White Photographic Lanscape Workshop

Simonhi

Simonhi

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Simon
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A couple of months ago I booked a landscape photography workshop with Jeremy Walker through the Dorset based photographic specialists Robert White.

The day was attended by five including myself which gave great one-to-one time with Jeremy Walker and Stu from RW Photographic. Tuition and guidance was given on the use of filters and there were also a whole bunch of Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses on hand to test.

I've fallen for the Zeiss lenses in a big way :love: !!!

With the workshop starting at 09.30 I decided to get an early start which had me heading to the only place to be for a sunrise on Portland, the Lighthouse. I arrived a little late but the cloud on the horizon afforded me the time to find the classic shot and I was rewarded with huge seas and fantastic light.

The was the best of a bunch before my filters got coated in salt spray.

Nikon D700, 24-70 at 24mm, ISO 200, F18 for 1/4 sec, Singh-Ray reverse 3 stop GND.

Portland Lighthouse Sunrise.



Following on from my sunrise shot at the Lighthouse I headed to the hotel to start the workshop. After a brief introduction and discussion on filters we made the most of the changeable conditions and headed out. Our first shooting location was Chesil beach.

I try to simplify my compositions and keep things out that don't add to the image. This was a change of shooting or me whereby I normally only go out for sunrise and sunset shots. I have now realised that if conditions allow, i.e. very grey and overcast skies, you can shoot all day long.

Nikon D700, 24-70 at 24mm, ISO 200, F16 for 15 sec, Lee "Big Stopper" and 2 stop hard GND.

Chesil Beach



Mid afternoon was spent shooting a series of images at Ope Cove on the beach below the church ruins.

I am often guilty of over using the ten stop filter but I find it allows to simplify the image creating something that would otherwise not be seen.

During the workshop I learnt so much about "working" an area to get the most from it. I spent an hour and a half making images within a small area of the beach.

My first shot with the Zeiss 21mm Distagon, wow !!!

Nikon D700, Zeiss ZF.2 21mm f2.8 Distagon, ISO 200, F11 for 10 sec, Lee "Big Stopper" and 2 stop hard GND.

Ope Cove.



I found this rock that looked a bit like a Nike "tick" logo.

The lines running from the stone towards the sea stood out and led my eye thorough the image.

Nikon D700, Zeiss ZF.2 21mm f2.8 Distagon, ISO 200, F11 for 20 sec, Lee "Big Stopper" and 2 stop hard GND.

Just do it.



To end the workshop we spent the time at the Lighthouse shooting into some amazing light.

This next image was made from the rusty crane / derrick area of rocky outcrop. We were able to shoot directly into the light as the clouds were naturally filtering and spreading the strongest tones and softening the brightest light.

Due to the wind and spray it would not have been possible to have shot from the other side towards the lighthouse so we stayed here almost until it was dark.

Nikon D700, Zeiss ZF.2 21mm f2.8 Distagon, ISO 200, F11 for 30 sec, Lee "Big Stopper" and 3 stop hard GND.

Lighthouse Sunset.



The final image of the day.

Whilst the classic sunset shot was not available to due to wind and sea spray this one was too good to miss.

Ten minutes after the sun disappeared behind the clouds on the horizon behind me we were treated to this light show.

It's amazing what the camera sensor can record, long after the eye has turned everything to dark tones.

This shot reminded me to keep shooting until the sky is black !!!

Nikon D700, Zeiss ZF.2 21mm f2.8 Distagon, ISO 200, F11 for 1/3 sec, Lee 2 stop hard GND.



A great day out, well tired by the time I got home, only started processing these last night and this morning, never so many keepers in one day. Hopefully these six give a feel for how the day went.

C + C greatfully received.

Cheers,

Si :)
 
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Must admit I'm not much of a fan of beach/long exposure shots but the lighthouse pics are simply stunning (y)
 
Love the shots - seems to have been a very good day, nice to have feedback on how such days go, it can be an expensive business. Did you feel it was worth the cost?
 
addick56 said:
Love the shots - seems to have been a very good day, nice to have feedback on how such days go, it can be an expensive business. Did you feel it was worth the cost?
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I really enjoyed the day, got so much from it, mainly o the use of filters and shooting all day to make the most of the even light.

Was really lucky with sunrise and sunset.

I would say the day is well worth it, considering that a discount is offered I will probably get the cost of the workshop back on what I may be spending on Zeiss lenses !!!

I've got another workshop coming up in December on the Isle of Skye and after doing this for one day I really can't wait.

Cheers,

Si :)

ps - I revisited the first image as it was processed a bit flat and washed out.
 
justhitched said:
Some very nice shots Simon. I've thought about doing a Landscape course but really wasn't too sure on whether the cost was worth it. Glad to see you thought so, I may have to investigate this a little further!
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Cheers,

It's been a few days since the workshop and I really can't value the day highly enough.

I found it so handy to have somebody that has "been there, done that" to help with the "silly questions" and point me in the right direction.

We all had our own strengths and weaknesses as well as different backgrounds to photography and I think that everyone benfitted from the day.

Both Jeremy and Stu from Robert White are really nice people and made it a fun day.
 
Nice pictures Simon, I do like them all and well done

Just one or two points if i may:

#1. 2 black dots and a mark in the cloud on left possible needs cloning out and there might be one on the right had side and the colour red on the light house seems smudged or something. The waves at the bottom are alittle to white (giving an over exposed feeling at the bottom compared to the dark rocks at the top)

#5. Would be nice if the red in the light house was a little more bold, it would have made it stand out within a picture that is ment to look dark and moody.

I am no expert you know that so i will not try to say anything other, has i have said at top i like all the images and i hope these little points may help you look at them in a different way and try to improve them. This is the whole point to help each other try to improve our images and if they are constructive comment with possible helping points then we should give them and hope we dont upset in the process

View NX2 has some great tools that may help with the first picture if you have not got it give it a try
 
Lovely set of images there, Simon. It looks as though you had a great day.
 
Some great shots there, we went away the weekend just gone and stayed in Weymouth (a traffic/road works nightmare at present in preparation for the 2012 games).

The sky was very overcast and raining a little so i couldn't take any good shots of Portland Bill but got some good pictures of Durdle Door a little East the day before
 
jollyjack said:
Nice pictures Simon, I do like them all and well done

Just one or two points if i may:

#1. 2 black dots and a mark in the cloud on left possible needs cloning out and there might be one on the right had side and the colour red on the light house seems smudged or something. The waves at the bottom are alittle to white (giving an over exposed feeling at the bottom compared to the dark rocks at the top)

#5. Would be nice if the red in the light house was a little more bold, it would have made it stand out within a picture that is ment to look dark and moody.

I am no expert you know that so i will not try to say anything other, has i have said at top i like all the images and i hope these little points may help you look at them in a different way and try to improve them. This is the whole point to help each other try to improve our images and if they are constructive comment with possible helping points then we should give them and hope we dont upset in the process

View NX2 has some great tools that may help with the first picture if you have not got it give it a try
Click to expand...

The first shot was a complete mare, I had sun spots on the image which I've tried to clone out but think I need to re-visit this one a bit, I think it is a bit oversaturated which is why the water in the very bottom left is looking a bit too green. I'll have another go at it later, I'm sure I can get it better that that.

The fifth shot, I do agree with what you are saying Jon. On this one I tried to desaturate the image a little to grey the clouds a bit and should have selected the lighthouse and masked out the de-saturation. I'll have another go at this too and see if i can improve it a bit. I was worried that I could go too far (as is always the case with my prcessing sometimes) and as the light is coming from behind the lighthouse it could make for a dodgy looking image, but I'll have a play with it later and see what everyone else thinks.

Jon, I could not agree with your last paragraph more, I REALLY want criticism as that is the only way my images will improve. I see no point whatsoever in posting images that I do not expect to be criticised. I am not, and will likley never be, perfect in anything I do and lots of pairs of eyes overseeing my shots is great for me to keep on improving. I will never take criticism the wrong way as is all too often on some forums. If I read something I don't agree with I will explain why it is that I don't agree, but I think both your points above are valid and will improve the shots.

Not tried NX2 before, I know I should as it would save all my settings when importing from the camera. Lately I have been importing into Lightroom to carry out the basic raw editing then if needs be exporting into Photoshop CS4 then applying my favoured luminosity masks.

theMusicMan said:
Lovely set of images there, Simon. It looks as though you had a great day.
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It was a cracking day, don't normally get good sunrise and sunset and whilst sunset could have been better the pink in the sky in the last picture finshed off a great day.

chivers67 said:
Some great shots there, we went away the weekend just gone and stayed in Weymouth (a traffic/road works nightmare at present in preparation for the 2012 games).

The sky was very overcast and raining a little so i couldn't take any good shots of Portland Bill but got some good pictures of Durdle Door a little East the day before
Click to expand...

Cheers, tell me about the roadworks !!! I drove round for half an hour trying to find a way out and that was with sat nav !!!

I love going to Dorset for making land and seascape images, unfortunately living in Portsmouth it is impossible to get any seascapes without having the IOW obscurring the view.

Cheers for all the positive comments guys, good or bad I don't mind either, I can only learn from criticism and certainly won't be offended by it.

Thanks again,

Si. :)
 
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