The Author – Bart Busschots
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Oct
25
Photo of the Week 134 to 141 – Allison & Steve Visit Ireland
Filed Under Photography on October 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment
If you’ve been wondering why I’ve gotten so far behind with my Photo of the Week, the simple answer is that I’ve been ill. To cut a long story short, viruses are evil, and modern medicine seems powerless against them. I’m determined to get back on track with this series though, so this is an 8-photo bumper edition! Just before I fell badly ill Allison & Steve Sheridan (of the NosillaCast Podcast) came to Ireland for a short visit, so I’ve chosen my favourite 8 shots form their stay for this instalment. (You can see more shots form the visit on Flickr)
On their first full day in Ireland we went for a drive around the Wicklow mountains. We started off at the lakes in Blessington, then crossed the Wicklow Gap to Glendalough, and returned home by Military Road and the Sally Gap.
I did take some shots in Blessington, but I didn’t think any of them were worthy of a Photo of the Week spot, so the first picture I’m posting was taken at the top of the Wicklow gap looking east towards Glendalough.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/160 sec
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Focal Ratio: f/11
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Processing: tweaked a little using the Topaz Adjust plugin
The second shot I’ve chosen was also taken at the top of the Wicklow Gap, and it’s my favourite shot of Allison & Steve from the trip.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/400 sec
- Focal Length: 30mm
- Focal Ratio: f/11
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
The third shot I’ve chosen was in Glendalough. It’s undoubtedly a clichéd shot, but I like my take on it all-the-same. The light was very poor, with a massive dynamic range, so I opted to shoot in RAW, tonemap, and then convert to a very dramatic monochrome to really emphasise the textures. By using the channel mixer for the conversion I was able to make the building really stand out by pushing the red channel very high, and taking the blue and green channels down low.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/200 sec
- Focal Length: 26mm
- Focal Ratio: f/11
- ISO: 400
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: -1.0ev
- Processing: first tonemapped the original RAW with Photomatix Pro, then tweaked a little using Topaz Adjust plugin, then converted to monochrome using the Channel Mixer brick in Aperture.
The fourth shot I’ve chosen was from the end-point of our walk in Glendalough, the shore of the Upper-Lake. Just as we were about to turn around and head back to the car a small patch of blue sky passed over giving us a momentary burst of sun.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/640 sec
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: -1.0ev
- Processing: first tonemapped the original RAW with Photomatix Pro, then tweaked a little using Topaz Adjust plugin, before giving it some final tweaks using Aperture’s Dodge & Burn plugin.
As we were walking back towards the visitor centre from the Upper Lake we had some fantastically good luck, just as we had a perfect view of the round tower, the sun picked it out perfectly, while leaving the mountain behind it in shadow. The result was to make the tower appear bright white against a deep green background.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/250 sec
- Focal Length: 35mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: -0.7ev
- Processing: first tonemapped the original RAW with Photomatix Pro, then tweaked a little using Aperture’s Dodge & Burn plugin.
Having come back from our walk we headed over to the ruins of the monastic village before heading home for the day. We were lucky enough to get a few more breaks in the clouds which made this shot of the round tower possible. I’m really happy with the composition I managed to pick out with the the little winding path leading to the tower.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/400 sec
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 400
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: +0.7ev
- Processing: first tonemapped with the Topaz Adjust plugin, then tweaked a little using Aperture’s Dodge & Burn plugin.
The last two images I want to share from the visit were taken on Al & Steve’s last day here, when we visited the Hill of Tara on a beautifully sunny but rather blustery afternoon. Through pure luck we arrived just in time to catch a falconry demonstration! The bird was really loving the strong winds, and the sky was quite dramatic, so I was able to get some nice shots of her flying. This first shot from Tara is my favourite of the inflight shots I got.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 55-200mm
- Exposure: 1/3200 sec
- Focal Length: 200mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 400
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: -0.7ev
Finally, the last picture for today’s bumper post is a view from the top of the Hill of Tara out across the Irish midlands. The stone in the foreground is the so-called Stone of Destiny, where the Irish High Kings were crowned.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/1000 sec
- Focal Length: 23mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 400
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Processing: first tonemapped the original RAW with Photomatix Pro, then tweaked a little using Topaz Adjust plugin.
Sep
5
Photo of the Week 132 & 133 – The Royal Canal
Filed Under Photography on September 5, 2010 | 3 Comments
There’s been a lot of double posts of late, and this week is no exception. Last week I happily entertaining Allison & Steve from the Nosillacast on the Irish leg of their European tour, so I didn’t get a chance to post. As always with double posts, I’ve chosen two related photos, in this case both of the Royal Canal. The vast majority of my insect and flower shots, as well as many of my train shots, are taken along a 10 mile stretch of this canal from Leixlip to Maynooth to Kilcock. Despite sharing lots of shots taken along the canal, I hardly ever share any shots of the canal, so I thought I’d correct that oversight this week.
The first shot I’ve chosen is taken from Chamber’s Bridge just east of the 15th lock looking east towards Dublin. In the foreground you can see the jetty where boats can tie up while waiting to pass the lock which is directly behind us. The boat tied up at the jetty is a very special boat used by Waterways Ireland to keep the canal clear of too much plant growth. You can also see a guy fishing from the boat, and an evening express train to Sligo passing by on an embankment above the canal.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/800 sec
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 400
- Camera Mode: Full Manual
- Processing: This image was tweaked a little using the Topaz Adjust 4 plugin in Photoshop Elements 8.
The second shot was taken on the other side of the 15th lock, also looking east. Although the canal has been fully restored around the Dublin area, it’s still a work in progress further west, which means there isn’t much tourism on the canal yet. One of the few places you do see signs of tourism is here at the mooring place just west of the 15th lock. Lets hope views like this become more common all along the Royal Canal.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/500 sec
- Focal Length: 55mm
- Focal Ratio: f/11
- ISO: 400
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: -0.3ev
- Processing: Generated by tonemapping a single RAW image with Photomatix Pro, and then tweaking the result with the Topaz Adjust 4 plugin in Photoshop Elements 8
May
4
Photo of the Week 114 & 115 – Sunsets
Filed Under Photography on May 4, 2010 | 2 Comments
Since I was away in Belgium the previous weekend, this is yet another double post to get caught up. Again, double post means a single theme for both images. Inspired by all the talk of ash clouds leading to nice sunsets, I’ve picked two of my recent favorite sunset/dusk shots for this post.
The first shot was indeed taken while the recent volcanic ash cloud was making a nuisance of itself over Ireland. It was taken from Jackson’s Bridge (located between Maynooth and Kilcock) looking west along the Royal Canal. In the foreground you can see the 14th lock. 13 Locks to the east of here the Royal Canal starts at the old docks in Dublin, and 32 locks to the west it enters the river Shannon.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/500 sec
- Focal Length: 38mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Full Manual
- Processing: This shot was generated by tonemapping the original RAW file with Photomatix Pro, and then tweaking the resulting image with Topaz Adjust 4
The second shot I’ve chosen is a little older, and pre-dates all the ash-cloud excitement. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s of a train, in this case an evening Commuter service from Maynooth to Dublin looming into shot out of a spectacular sunset.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 55-200mm
- Exposure: 1/400 sec
- Focal Length: 120mm
- Focal Ratio: f/5
- ISO: 800
- Camera Mode: Full Manual
- Processing: This shot was generated by tonemapping the original RAW file (first converted to 16bit TIFF) with Topaz Adjust 4, and then tweaking the resulting image with Aperture’s Dodge & Burn plugin
Mar
28
Photo of the Week 108, 109 & 110 – The Big Freeze
Filed Under Photography on March 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Due to a few busy weekends in a row I’ve gotten very behind again, so I have a triple post this weekend to get caught up. As usual when I do a multi-week Photo of the Week, I’ve picked a theme that relates the photos to each other. In this case, they were all taken during the abnormally long and harsh cold spell at the start of January this year (you can see all my best shots in a Set on my Flickr stream).
The first shot I’ve chosen is of the College Cemetery in St. Patrick’s College Maynooth (SPCM). This cemetery is almost like a secret garden, hidden away behind some lovely old trees near the back of the grounds. It’s always a wonderfully peaceful place, especially in the snow. Fr. Nicolas Callan is buried here. He was a great scientists who worked in SPCM and is most famous for having invented the induction coil.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/60 sec
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: +0.7ev.
The second shot I’ve chosen was taken on a ground of Carton Estate just outside Maynooth village. I’d been cycling along the Royal Canal where the sun was beaming down and it was just a truly beautiful clear day. Then, the moment I left the canal and entered into Carton estate it was like I’d beamed to another world. There was this thin later of dense mist hovering just above the ground. Above that layer it was still a beautiful day, though clouds were starting to roll in. The layer of mist gave the whole place an ethereal feel. I’d honestly never seen anything like it. To be honest none of my shots did the scene justice, but I still really like this one.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/60 sec
- Focal Length: 19mm
- Focal Ratio: f/8
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Aperture Priority
- Exposure Bias: +1.0ev
- Processing: This shot was generated by first applying the Topaz Adjust 4 filter to effectively tonemap the image, and then tweaking the result a little in Photoshop Elements 8 to selectively brighten just the snow.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, I’ve also chosen one of my train shots as one of my favorites. This shot was taken as the day was ending and the sun was getting very low in the sky. It shows an Irish Rail InterCity services making it’s way from Dublin to Sligo as it approaches Jackson’s Bridge just beyond Maynooth. From Jackson’s bridge you get a view of both the railway and the Royal Canal which runs next to the track for most of the way between Dublin and Mullingar.
- Camera: Nikon D40
- Lens: Nikon DX AFS 18-55mm (D40 kit lens)
- Exposure: 1/320 sec
- Focal Length: 18mm
- Focal Ratio: f/3.5
- ISO: 200
- Camera Mode: Full Manual
- Processing: This shot was generated by tonemapping the original RAW file with Photomatix Pro, and then tweaking the results a little using Aperture’s Dodge & Burn plugin.