However after trawling the interweb I discovered that the same roof tent was available from various suppliers, basically the same tent from the same factory supplied by different brands.

I settled on the Direct4x4 version thats called the Clamshell 2, slightly bigger than the Tent Box Cargo and much cheaper.
I had to watch the overhang on my van as it is wider and longer than the Tent Box Cargo, the length didnt really matter on my LWB van.

I built a small shelf that basically sits on the roller accessory that came with the Kammbar roof rack.
So the roof tent sits on x4 bars on the roof rack, is slimline compared to others on the market and so quick to erect and fold down.

Looking forward to getting out more next year on our paddle boarding adventures and ultimately doing the NC500 and the Wales Way.

Direct 4x4 Clamshell 2 Roof Tent.The Clamshell 2 roof tent on my VW Caddy Maxi LWB van.
Ready for paddle boarding adventures.

Direct 4x4 Clamshell 2 Roof Tent.The Clamshell 2 roof tent on my VW Caddy Maxi LWB van.
Ready for paddle boarding adventures.

Direct 4x4 Clamshell 2 Roof Tent.The Clamshell 2 roof tent on my VW Caddy Maxi LWB van.
Ready for paddle boarding adventures.

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Woolacombe Sands

Woolacombe SandsSurf on Woolacombe Sands beach lead the eye into the distance and Woolacombe village itself.

I guess the wind took it due to its massive canopy.

Fallen TreeThe massive tree that recently fell during storm Aiden. This tree was so big that it pretty much towered over the area. To give an idea of scale the small beach are next to the weir can be seen bottom right.

Looking for different compositions but ended up with the usual comp under different conditions.
Would love to actually capture the castle with a thick low lying mist with St Marys church tower and castle popping out above the mist.

One day :-).

St Marys & Totnes CastleA misty morning in Totnes, sun rising over the town with St Marys Church and Totnes Castle.

Obviously when you do something over a period of time you get better at doing whatever it is. My ability has improved over time and this plays out in the quality of the photos on this website.

I tend not to delete any photos in the galleries, I sometimes alter the position they might appear in a gallery or collection. Edit_ I also keep the RAW files, as processing skills develop over time, pun intended, you can always go back to them, as I often have.

I have 4 different levels that I attribute to the images ranging from free to download, subject to a link back to this site, to high tier images that I consider to be in the higher end images I have shot and made available for sale as a print or framed print. I offer a range of different prices to images between the high tier to free categories so there is always something available to fit any given budget.

Point I am trying to make is that I will not delete an image I considered to be OK to load into these galleries simply because my ability to take better photo's over time increased with experience, everyone has to start somewhere and my journey continues.

Date taken:8-Feb-14 14:19
Sennen CoveAtlantic rollers pound the cliffs surrounding Sennen Cove on the North Cornwall coastline.

Date taken:27-Oct-13 11:29
Sennen CoveSennen Cove, Cornwall.
The storm approaches!
The largest storm to hit the UK for years starts in Cornwall.

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Looking forward to conditions similar to these from a few years ago, just enough snow but not too much to allow access onto the high moor.

This shot of Nuns Cross at Nuns Cross Farm is near to Princetown where it pretty much always snows first.

The conditions can change very quickly so you also need to think about your plans very carefully to avoid getting trapped in your vehicle on the moor as the roads become impassable.

A great location to visit anytime of the year, having shot the farm previously in moonlight, it is not to difficult to get to but it does involve a short walk along a path.

I once sold a print to a lady who claimed her grandmother was born in this remote farmhouse, this building is now a hostel that can be rented for group stays from DNP.

A cross is thought to have existed here since 1240 and a fantastic historical reference to Nuns Cross or Crux Siwardi Cross can be found on the Legendary Dartmoor Website, follow this link to read more on their website.

Shot with my old Nikon D300 using my Nikkor 14-24mm lens, both of which I still have, but tend to use my D800E now, which itself has been replaced twice over now.

I have been back here many times since, but unusually without the DSLR mainly for walks across Armyr Cove.

Two wonderful beaches that are fairly easy to get to, I would recommend stopping at the National Trust car park at Ringmore and walking down to Armyr Cove and across to Westcombe if you wish but that does include a fairly steep ascent/descent.

We visited both beached just yesterday and when I got back home thought I would check my back-catalog of images to see what I had shot before.
I hardly ever delete any shot, I even have shots from my very old Nikon D80, but that body has been passed on.

Both Beaches very much worth a visit with or without a camera.

Westcombe BeachThe otherworldy Westcombe Beach on South Devon coast.

Second shot below is of Armyr Cove.

The CoveA fantastic cove on the South Devon coast.

Striking rock formations on the beach.
I liked how the cloud followed the profile of the large rock on the beach.

Autumn WhirlpoolA long exposure captures 2 swirls beneath autumnal trees.

A long exposure captures 2 swirls beneath autumnal trees. One of my last shots of Autumn 2015.

River Dart as it passes through Hembury Woods near Buckfastleigh.

Primarily a bit of fun but this short video is a brief introduction to devonshots.com.

Milky WayThe Milky Way.
Dartmoor National Park, UK.

Combined with a little light pollution!
Couldn't remove it so worked with it :-).

]]> (Lloyd W.A. Cosway Photography) dartmoor milkyway astrophotography astro https://www.lloydcosway.com/blog/2014/9/milkyway-over-dartmoor-national-park Fri, 26 Sep 2014 07:26:12 GMT https://www.lloydcosway.com/blog/2013/5/macro/micro-world I have recently got my hands on the superb Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF VR Micro Lens.

I have always had an interest in the macro world but never really had the correct equipment to do it any justice.

Macro is quite the reverse of large wide angle landscape/seascape photography but is nevertheless a landscape of its own.

I always said I would never photograph bugs, but it is their landscape and I think is is now inevitable!

I will certainly enjoy experimenting as I continually improve my technique.

Primarily I want to use this site/account to ensure I have quality/secure backups of my videos, at the moment they are strewn across various different hard drives. The process will allow me to collect them all up into an organised file structure at the same time.

The process will most likely be slower than I had anticipated!!

At the same time I make the videos public for all to enjoy, if you went drop a comment in if you wish, I spoke to someone last year who was actually stood right next to me at a Raconteurs gig. Incidently there are some great videos of the Eden Sessions on Vevo, especially the one where you can make me out as I was on the barrier right at the front at that one, fantastic gig.

Kaiser Chiefs "I predict a riot"

link to video captures gallery

Storm Clouds over Dartmoor

Panorama Drama

I have been running through my hard drives to check on photoshoots that I have been out on over the years and I found this panorama.

This pano has been processed before but I am not sure I ever posted it. The sky was one of the best local moody skies I had seen that seemed to hang over the tor. for some time. Incidently the photo of me on my "about me" page was taken by my brother Andy on the same evening as the sun was setting.

I have spent many hours visiting Combestone Tor and it is very easy to access with a car park just 50yds or so away. Some lone trees are in the vicinity and it is good for either a sunrise or a sunset.

This shot on a sunset with the sun setting behind me, a not so common composition of this tor as I wanted to ensure the cloud structure was included in the composition.

This panorama is made up of around 10 portrait exposures that would have been taken with an ND grad to hold the sky in and expose for the foreground.

I keep all the RAW fles of my expeditions out with the cameras over the years and have a catalogue of terrabytes worth of data, with backups of backups. I revisit these files from time to time and often reprocess them as my experience and skills of working with Photoshop increase. I rarely delete files from my hard drives, I also tend to upload final images to my websites as soon as they are processed as this is an additional backup of completed files.

I tend to attempt both a portrait and landscape format shot when I am out on a photoshoot and I have posted both from this visit below. However I think this looks much better in "landscape" format.

Shot, as always, on a Nikon D300 using my 24-70fx lens. I was desperately trying to maintain the sharpness and exposure so you could read "Grand" down the right hand side of the building.

The Grand - Torquay The Grand Hotel

The image itself is a crop from a landscape format shot of Emsworthy Farm on Dartmoor National Park.
This shot & composition appealed to me because of the framing effect of the tree and the leading lines of the branch in the foreground. The bluebells are in full bloom and I particularly composed the small bunch of bluebells in front of the rock to grab the attention of anyone initially looking at the image, from there the eye is naturally drawn into the image through the bluebells and upto the barn itself. I was also pleased with the detail that is captured on the old corrugated roof of the barn.

Click images to open the full size version in the main galleries.

The Red Barn The Red Barn

Emsworthy Farm "Red Barn" Dartmoor National Park.

Starting with a late call from good friend Mark Lakeman enroute to location, I had noticed the sun was just starting to make an impression on the afternoon and was just thinking on where I could venture?

The sea conditions and tide were perfect for the location.

I wandared over to some seaweed that was protuding from the sand on one side of the beach, the patch seemed unusual and alien, almost animate!

A memorable shoot where we met fellow tog Gary Maunder.

 surfs up! emergence alien seascape emergence

Will visit again in fairer light.

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- Posted from my iPhone

Looked promising and didn’t let us down, some nice vertical god rays and high cloud were just a part of this shoot.

Yet to process the images, they are downloading to PC as I blog this.

This pano taken on iPhone 4s using video pano app and processed using nick softwares Snapseed app.

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A very wet and pretty cold Combestone Tor, using the iPhone 4s to grab some shots between the rain showers.

Before Snapseed App

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Some nice light in the underside of the clouds, some spectacular cloud formations about.

- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Combestone Tor

Extremely easy to use and one of the best editors in the store IMHO.

£2.99 for the app that currently has a 5 star review with 54 reviewers!

Before Snapseed

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If you would like to know more about any of the apps listed below drop me a line.

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The improved onboard camera now boasts an 8 megapixel sensor, up from the 5 megapixels on the 4 along with an f/2.4 aperture lens for improved low light shooting. An advanced hybrid infrared filter has also been included, promising to boast more accurate and uniform colours.

In built HDR that you can see is hard at work in the following shot.

Some text in this blog was narrated using Siri.

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Location:Shot from Westonbirt

Rain this morning clearing this afternoon equals a quick trip to Spitchwick.

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Location:Station Rd,Totnes,United Kingdom

Quite fortunate as there appears to be a bit a political argument over their fees at the moment.
Due to this “spat” registered users have been given a £50 discount on the top level account??
Not only for this year but as long as you maintain this account, I was only registered as free trial account but still managed to get the discount, even after my trial account expired??

Now things would be a little quicker if BT would upgrade my broadband to 21CN??

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The site is quick, secure has a great deal of scaleability, backed up, unlimited uploads and doesn’t look to bad either.

A few niggles along the way that were soon ironed out, the templates can be changed and I will be looking at that once I am OK with everything else.

lloydcosway.com

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DEVONshots.com Blography.
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Looking for £900.

Also for sale, used:
Nikon D80 and big grip.
Sigma 10-20mm
IPAQ 3715 x2

All above includes boxes etc.

Few long exposures in the bag with the trusty ND110 10 stop filter.

Bumped into a friendly group of photographers who were just packing up. Seemed to be having a great time on the moors having a photography workshop run by Nick Jenkins of Freespirit Images.

Take the plunge and visit DZP, you wont regret it.

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The presentation focussed upon the local area of Devon and Cornwall mainly with pointers for locations, composition and processing.

It’s the second time I have seen a Mr Clapp presentation and was very pleased I went along as he is clearly a passionate photographer.

Great fun had by all, a busy event, friendly club members.

A good friendly, active camera club.

There is so much to shoot at Thurlestone with it’s rather iconic Thirled Stone and river/stream on the main beach. There are x3 other beaches that have there own character and are still well worth a visit.

The main beach is split into two by the stream that runs straight through the middle of the beach, with Milton Sands on the left with the National Trust car park and Thurlestone Beach on the left with a car park on high ground overlooking the bay.

The stream offers great opportunities for composition when it cuts through the sandy beach and meanders down towards the sea. When this happens the high tide becomes even more interesting especially if it coincides with a sunset.

Further round the headland towards Bantham there are more beaches and vantage points. The various beaches all lend themselves to great wash on the beach when the sea has a good swell.

Car parking is easy enough on either side and access is pretty good.

Easy steps on the right and a gentle slope on the National Trust Side of Milton Sands.

A super location on the South Devon coast.

Spectacular location, shooting le again with the intention of exposure fusing shots together.

Shot below of current set up.

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Trying a long exposure blend with a normal exposure, got 33 seconds with the ND110.

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Not really dense fog but low lying and super sunrise.

Yet to be formally announced in the paper, I have been informed that the shot was chosen by a panel that included a judge from Nikon.

The photo was finally selected from a final panel of 26 that will all be included in the Western Morning Calendar for the coming year.

Look out for the publication sometime next week.
Following the formal announcement of the winners I have been invited up to their head office in Plymouth to collect my prize, a Nikon D7000 and 18-105mm VR kit worth over £1000!!.
A further article will then appear about me collecting my award.

Completely thrilled about this, image below.

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A great beach that is way off the beaten track. A refreshing change.
Bumping into more togs than I do usually on more accessible beaches!!

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Rough seas and a great sunset.

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Now just listening to Martin Bailey Photography Podcast, iPad Special.

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Scrambling down the rocks to reach our location.

Great light and not a bad sunset.

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A wonderful clear morning with just a little cloud to add some detail to the sky.

Starting off the far side of the Tor looking up and down the adjacent valleys, working around to the Nose itself as the sun moved around.

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Great value.
Check out Sports Direct, got mine through Amazon, delivered next day.

Fully waxed up and ready to roll.

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This seems very well made and extremely light and portable.

Sunngas Alpine Stove.

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New lightweight tent just delivered, just in time for next year!!! though sure I will use it a few times this year before the weather closes in. The tent only weighs 2.5kg.

If anyone needs new walking boots you could do worse than the Karrimor boots I got from Amazon for just £30.00!!!, do a search, they were supplied by Sports Direct.

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Looked very promising with some great high level cloud formations that were forming a kind of rippling/wave pattern.

The sunset was uneventful but had a great time wandering around Tor pointing out a few landmarks here and there.

Great views towards Haytor, Saddle Tor and the tree!!

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A little windy and it is a relief to take shelter behind a large rock and soak up some of that sunshine…..and relax.

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Andy (andycoswayphotography.co.uk) had rattled off a few shots and the weather was fine, after checking out the various angles on the local cross and outbuildings I got my camera out and almost immediately a few specks of rain started to fall. This quickly developed into a 10 minute downpour that ended the Nuns Cross shoot.

Went on to north Dartmoor as the weather appeared to be clearing but to no avail.

A good day out and spirits kept high through the usual banter of shooting technique, locations and planning the next visit somewhere.

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Behold….

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Not much light about, plenty of contrast in the sky though for some long exposure work.

Current setup below.
Poloriser, nd110 and nd grad.

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Not quite, ideally one should be able to set the time to check the direction of the sun but it appears this must be done manually at the moment.

Worth checking out nonetheless.

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Great company, Mark, Glen and Taryn and what is a fantastic location, transported to another planet for a couple of hours, in my element.

A single shot from the shoot uploaded into the gallery so far.

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This time the tide was out and we were not sure what to expect but pleased to say there were quite a few features to grab some foreground detail. So if you intend to visit just make sure the weather is good as there is alsways something to shoot during the sunrise at St Mary’s Bay.

A little unusual was the almost constant drone of music on the beach that was coming from the clifftops above. Not that I object to the music at all.

Well another great morning out, planning to get out for the sunset too.

Posting one shot below for starters with more to come later today.

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I know it’s going to be coastal and in Devon.

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Parking is free and very close to the beach, about a 10 minute walk from the nearest car park. Steep steps lead to the beach.

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Great light and well planned visit for some great shots that I intend to upload during the course of today.
Click the image below and it will open up in the gallery.

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Super morning out with Andy, leaving at about 4am and back by 6.30am.

Just going to process some of the shots, cut the hedge and watch the footy later.

Cmon England…..don’t make me regret taking the day off!!!

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A beautiful  evening worthy of a walk around the beach.
Quite busy this evening with a good number of surfers around.

Found this spot at the base of the cliff face where someone had built this stone pillar.I spent quite a while here using different settings and angles etc. Finally settling on the shot below for now.

Sun Rises: 5.03
Sun Sets: 21.29
Daylight Duration: 16h26m

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Love the beach and surroundings around the area, the tide was high and the evening had all the markings of a super sunset.

Drove down with my brother [Andrew Cosway and he drove] about  6pm getting on location about 6.45pm.
The beach was practically deserted on arrival and I spotted more photographers than surfers albeit it was flat anyway.

Did bump into Mark Lakeman [Lakemans] towards the end of the shoot, its great to meet up with fellow togs with an equal passion for photography. I like Marks style and his  philosophy.

I have loads of shots to process but just love getting out there in these long summer evenings.

A couple from yesterdays shoot.

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The cloud cover looks better than last night, looking forward to getting some good shots and spending more time on the beach.

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I bumped into several other photographers most just walked straight by within a few feet without saying a word??
I did say hi, very unusual tbh. Another tog did come and chat but I didn’t get his name, if you do drop by here send me an email.

The light was harsh on arrival and I was experimenting with the ND110, 10stop filter then working around the beach attempting to catch the light on the rocks whilts the waves came crashing over them. The surf was pretty much at its predicted 2ft courtesy of Magic Seaweed.

The sunset although not spectacular did produce some lovely sky tones that was reflected of the sea.

As the light waned I put the ND110 filter bag in the camera bag and started moving about a little more quickly to get different angles. I almost lost my camera bag when a larger than normal wave almost swept it away from where it was perched, a lucky escape, the side of the bag was slightly wet but no other damage I am pleased to say.

I have got quite a few shots to process and have just processed the one for now, may work on others tomorrow evening, unless the sunset looks promising where I will more than likely make my way back to Bantham, Hope Cove or Thurlestone.

One from tonights shoot

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This shot is a square format crop from a much wider image.
I do like the square format an use it from time to time.

Click the resulting image below to view the tech. information.

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The time of year calls for setting the alarm clock for stoopidoclock, this time around 3.30am to allow us to leave about 4am to get on location by 4.40am sunrise on this shoot was 5.03am. During the drive we were beginning to think we had not left early enough as the sky started to fill with colour and we were 20 minutes away from our planned location.

Hallsands is very easy to get to and very accommodating with free car park practically on the beach itself.
The beach is shingle and falls quite drastically to the sea, at least at higher tides, not too sure what its like here when the tide is right out.

Lots of small boats to use that are left on the beach but not too many features at high tide in the way of rocky outcrops. You can get around to another photogenic stretch of shoreline at the far left hand side of the beach, worth checking that out for shore…(deliberate spelling mistake icon_smile )

With good light and a nice cloud cover you should be able to get some good shots from the area, the sun rises from the direction of the sea and will afford you to get the long trail of sun across the sea.

Better still dont forget your tripod and shoot longer exposures to obtain shots like the following.

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Check further blogs below posted live from location.

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Shooting long exposures using ND110, ND grads and polorising filter.

Using wide angle 10-20mm and 24-70mm.

On location with my bro and got here about 4.40am.

From Hallsands plan to go to the lighthouse.

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Resulting Shot

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Trying some longer exposures again with the ND110.

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The light was not too good this morning.
The light was better earlier in the morning but I just couldnt get there in time, must admit I was slightly jealous after bumping into fellow photographer Chris Clarke who had been on location for 3 hours.

Anyways I tried to make the best of what I could with the available light and shot the following.
I was told of some wild orchids on the lower pasteurs when I got back to the carpark, but I will leave thos for another day.

Actually going back with my bro Andy Cosway for a sunset soot later today.

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Unfortunately I could not get to location for the sunrise and due to other commitments cannot stay for the sunset. I have not been here before and after the first couple of shots will take a slow wall around looking for good vantage points.

I have missed the best light this morning and tbh it looks as though we could be in for a shower.

Going to attempt some long exposures to get cloud drag, not ideal conditions but will try to play with what we’ve got.

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I forgot I shot this panorama at Holwell Lawn on Dartmoor, that’s Haytor and Saddle Tor in the distance.

Now going to look for the shots and process the panorama.

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Well here goes!!!!

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Success. Just gotta check FB and Twitter.
The image above is hosted on flickr not on my primary hosting account as the main gallery is..
The shot is of a great wonderful product taken yesterday afternoon whilst sitting in the garden.
The other is my shiny new ipad, displaying my website splash page.
[edited on WordPress after uploading from iPhone]
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Its Working!!!!
Finally managed to reset my iPhone Blogpress App with a new flickr account so I do not have to upload my iPhone shots to my DEVONshots.com Pro flick account.
Not such an easy task as you might imagine, finaly I deleted the Blogpress App from my phone and reset everything, the problem was that it seems once you set up a flickr account you cannot simply change it, you have to delete the app to add the new account details…..then it works.
The shot below is Ciaran, not so commonly known as Strawberry Boy due to his insatiable appetite for strawberries!!!

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Edited in WordPress.

This shot taken from my beast of a tripod, as most of my shots are, using the Sigma 10-20mm.
A 5.5minute exposure at iso  250 -.03EV, I often blog while taking shots like these but didnt have my phone with me after rushing out to capture the sunset.

I did however check the alignment of the sun with my proposed location before going to ensure of getting the  optimal position. I use the “Sun Seeker” app from iTunes App Store. [I have blogged about this app previously].
I will blog an image of the app and location shortly.

The resulting image below is a single exposure of 5.5minutes to obtain the drag effect of the clouds that I also wanted to capture that drag reflection in the water that was also moving. The wind was non-existent lending very well for capturing the framing branches as sharp as they are.

You can see the difference of a blended shot in the previous blog and the long exposure including the cloud drag from virtually the same position and setup.

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I have not taken many shots in Totnes for a while and figured I may focus on Totnes over the course of this weekend, depending upon the weather.

This particular shot is a blend of two images to allow for the correct exposure of both foreground and the background, highlights and shadows.

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Decisions????

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Amazing sight, though with the sun as it is some are looking a little wilted and could do with some rain. However with no rain due untill the end of the week this may well be as good as it gets.

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Got in about 11pm, AA couldn’t find me initially and I had to help guide the breakdown truck from standing ontop of Bell Tor just outside Widecombe.

I could see the truck driving around Widecombe looking for me.

Car now in garage getting new oil sump.

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Freezing after sun goes in. Can’t move as I will lose signal!!!!!!

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I have been looking to get a panoramic shot of bluebells and long shadows of the trees with dappled sunlight streaking through picking up the bluebells and creating a contrast of shadows and bluebells.
[Too many bluebells in that sentence]

Anyway it was a pleasant evening and I got out later than I had anticipated due to the arrival of upgrades in the form of a new Lowepro Vertex  200AW backpack style camera bag. I will post my thoughts soon.

After setting the tripod up to get it level I took about 12 shots in total which I will probably split for 2 panoramas. The shot I take are about 15degrees difference between them.

Now shooting with the ND110 for longer exposure.

Set up for the ND110 below.

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This particular composition only includes for half the stone circle.

Now trying a portrait exposure of approximately 240s.

Plenty of time to write the shoot blog at these exposures. Just hands get a little cold, surprisingly cold on Dartmoor this afternoon.

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I plan to get some long exposures using the ND110 10 stop filter.
Just run off a shot at about 200s @f18 iso 100. I will also use my polorising filter to add more time to the exposure and to warm the shot up slightly.

I want to achieve alot of cloud movement in the final shot that I keep, there appears to be plenty of contrast in the sky to get the streaks of grey.

Shot of initial setup below and area of map location.

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These things tend to happen when you are least able to be able to do anything about it, like out on a photoshoot at 5.30am.

Hopefully this post will work and the shot will load but I will not upload gps data as now I’m not on the shoot!!!

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Posted from my iPhone.

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Posted using Blogpress & iPhone
Lloyd W.A Cosway BSc
DEVONshots.com

The end result from the above shot.

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Met a couple of togs from Bovey Tracey, so hi to you if you drop in.

Sunsets about 8.30pm and it looks like it should be worth staying out.

I have been out since 5am and estimate getting back for 9pm.

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Shot below of my bro Andy setting up his gear. andycoswayphotography.co.uk

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Only just got back in from Mansands Beach at 7.30am following a 5.15am start with sunrise at 5.44am.

Shot below is with sunseeker app. at Mansands Beach.

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***************************************
Posted using Blogpress & iPhone
Lloyd W.A Cosway BSc
DEVONshots.com

Not sure if the shot below is going into the right folder on flickr.

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I have not blogged for sometime.

Partly due to work where I have been very busy and partly due to my drive to just get out and shoot.
If I am not out shooting somewhere I am processing shots.

Recent shoots include Dartmoor (Various), Thurlestone,  Bigbury-on-Sea (twice) and Brixham.
There are more but I just cannot remember.

Most disappointing visit was probably to Hope Cove where the light just is not that good and the tide is not favourable at that time.

The weather has been great recently, not too much cloud around at times but some super tones.
The latest export from Iceland appears to be doing quite well as a ND Grad.
Over the past couple of nights as the sun gets quite low the normal glare of the sun has been seriously reduced.
Im still using my ND Grads but the sun is most notably different.

I have been using my B&W ND110 10 stop neutral density filter more often recently and pleased with the results that it provides for. The filter has been in the bag for sometime after purchasing it from Mifsuds (Brixham), about 6 months ago. I went for this filter following a visit to a presentation by local (international) photographer David Clapp. My work processes have been finely tuned for this filter and I am more confident of using it now than I was. This will be verified by my recent uploads to both my flickr site and DEVONshots.com gallery.

Ill finish with a few recent shots taken with the ND110 filter.

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I have not been out as much as I would have liked recently partly due to the weather, work commitments  etc.

I have recently had a few shots used by Dartmoor Magazine on both their website and in the latest edition of their quality magazine.

www.dartmoormagazine.co.uk

Hope to get out more in the future and focus upon the coast and Dartmoor.

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 - Used in Magazine.

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– Used on website, amongst others.

Happy New Year to All

Looking out of the window at 5am I could see some stars so I figured at least we are going to get some broken cloud.

After setting off at 6.10am I was driving out to Dartmoor and thought I had left things a little too late to go where I had initially planned. It was getting light I could easilyy make out the cloud cover and things were looking really good for a great sunrise.

I had to change plans to ensure I could capture the sunrise in time that resulted in another visit to Combestone Tor.
Combestone is so easy to shoot because, as I have blogged before, it is so easy to access. The car park is just 50yds from the Tor and its all pretty level. I use it because of the time factor more than anything else.

However many times I have visited the same Tor I can always find new compositions, the sky and light are always changing and lend to building different compositions on each visit.

I got to the car park, the only other vehicle was a huge campervan that seemed very quite, it was clear no one was stirring on HMS campervan. I almost wanted to knock on the campervan door to make them aware of the awesome sunrise, not sure how that would turn out so needless to say I didnt pay any further attention to the campervan.

Rushing to get ready I prepped the camera on the parcel shelf of the car, adaptor rings went flying as I struggled to get the polarising filter set up. Oddly enough when I went back to the car  to get something I found my 67mm adaptor ring in a puddle behind the car, good job it was only the adapter ring and no further damage to report to that.

Anyways a great visit to a familiar location with wonderful light and cloud cover.

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HDR

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BLEND

Ciaran has been wanting to visit Jay’s Grave for a while after reading about her in one of his books.
I figured we could also visit the Dartmoor Chair, Giant’s Chair of Natsworthy to be precise.

The shots were OK considering the amount of mist on the Moors, we had planned to stop at Hound Tor on the way back but Ciaran started to feel uneasy around Jays Grave so we came home.

Certainly worth a visit in this area, there is so much to see in such a small area.

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DEVONshots.com Events Calendar

Dont overprocess, simple as that.
Check out the following two images, both following the same work-through but both with a startling finish.

What I thought looked pretty good at the time is really quite hideous, I just couldnt see it!!!.

Same Routine – More Complementary Post Process.

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Same Shot – Too Harsh Post Processing!!!

I have ported this from YouTube.
This was shown in a single episode on BBC a few years ago and I remember being completely fixed to my seat from beginning to end, an amazing production superbly narrated by Satish Kumar.

PART 1 [10 Minutes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6de9FjR40g0

PART 2 [9 Minutes]
Wistmans Wood at 1 Minute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrIBmJdTBsc

PART 3 [10 Minutes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Fw_ZQFbdA

PART 4 [9 Minutes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOkHaxLvpVU

PART 5 [6 Minutes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdq3xtk6AEo

PART 6 [6 Minutes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfIcKDNnRgM

These have not been active since almost the initial opening of the Gallery due to abuse etc.

Please feel free to add comments as you see fit.

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I have started reworking a few shots to get a much better finish.
These shots will gradually be replaced in the gallery and those that I am not happy with overall will be deleted forever!!!

My ability to process shots in photoshop etc. has been finely tuned and I have gradually become acustomed to not overprocessing photo’s.

My tip for today is less is often more, particularly where post processing is concerned.
Dont overprocess your shots, your learning curve may well be less than mine if you can adopt this philosophy.

Old Processing Technique

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This shot will receive the reworked treatment and I will possibly leave this raw image in place to prove my point.

New Processing Technique – Less IS More

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The problem has been fixed, I do not want to elaborate more than that but it has been a learning curve to say the least.

So if you have used the “search” before this blog and found it did not work correctly please try again.

DEVONshots.com Search

My lust for new glass has been temporarily satisfied with a recent hit of Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED.

This lens has had so many positive reviews and is suitable for Landscape and Portraiture.
The investment was not made lightly, I had considered the Nikon AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, but decided against this lens for now for no particular reason at all. Upon reflection I perhaps think I bought the wrong lens but think at the same time I would feel the same had I bought the other lens first.

As for the reviews of the lens I can sell you the premium youve been looking for if you are considering this purchase for yourself. The glass is quality, boosting sharpness, natural tones and no fall of of light or much barrel distortion at wide open. The “keeps” ratio has gone through the roof with this lens attached and it has not been removed since it was attached.

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Above are just a few images that I have taken with my D300 &  Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED combo.
This lens is designed for the FX format, meaning D700 and above, I do plan to upgrade my camera body to at least a D700 within the year so figured it makes sense to begin buying FX format kit now. The DX crop factor with this lens results in an effective equivalent: 36-105mm. I am sometimes wanting this extra width on the lens but this is far outweighed by the quality of the glass and suits my personal upgrade path for the future.

Key Features
24-70mm zoom range (DX equivalent: 36-105mm).
Nano Crystal coat reduces ghost and flare.
Slim, durable and lightweight barrel.
SWM (Silent Wave Motor) for whisper quiet and fast autofocus.
ED glass to minimize chromatic aberration.
Closest focusing distance: 0.38 m (at 50 mm).
Rubber mount seal.
Instant manual focus override (M/A).
Detachable hood and soft pouch CL-M3 included.

Specifications
Focal length 24-70 mm
Maximum aperture f/2.8
Minimum aperture f/22
Lens construction 15 elements in 11 groups (with 3 ED glass elements, 3 aspherical lenses and one Nano Crystal Coat)
Picture angle 84° – 34°20’ (61° – 22°50’ with DX-format camera)
Minimum focus distance 0.38 m/1.2 ft. (with focal length 35-50 mm)
Maximum reproduction ratio 1/3.7
No. of diaphragm blades 9 (rounded)
Filter/attachment size 77 mm
Focusing Internal Focusing (IF) system; autofocus with a built-in SWM and manual focus
Diameter x length (extension from lens mount) Approx. 83×133 mm/3.3×5.2 in.
Weight Approx. 900 g/31.7 oz.
Supplied accessories Bayonet Hood HB-40, Semi-soft Case CL-M3

Set off from home at about 6.30am, I intended to go via the Aveton Gifford tidal road but completely overlooked that the tide was high, something I had checked the night before btw!!!.

After I replanned my route through tomtom it did not take long to drive through the winding lanes, virtually no traffic around this time of the morning.

I took a few shots from the car park before venturing any further as it was still pretty dark at the time.

Anyway I got quite a few shots of the area but did not get time to wander much further than the main beach/causeway.

Some keeps are below, tech info. in the gallery.

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My new toy had its second outing today as I returned to a favourite spot to attempt further experimentation with this filter. The filter is extremely difficult to obtain at the moment but I found mine at Mifsuds in Brixham.

The filter has been widely promoted by David Clapp who is an extremely inspiring photographer who breaks all the traditional moulds and gets terrific results.

This was shot on location at Huccaby Bridge near Hexworthy.

I also bumped into fellow photographer David Ellis, good talking to people with a common interest.

Nikon D300
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
Focal Length: 32mm
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 30s
ISO: 200
B+W 77mm ND-110 (3.0) SH Filter
RAW/TIFF processed with:
Adobe Photoshop CS3

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I have photographed this bench quite a few times as its a good vantage point for early morning shots, if I notice a good sunrise and had not already planned to go on location I will grab the camera and go local within just a few minutes drive, or walk.

Nikon D300
Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture: f/8
Shutter Speed:  HDR x9 Shots 1/8s to 15s
ISO: 200
RAW/TIFF processed with:
Adobe Photoshop CS3

Unusually no physical filters used on this shot.

Noise reduced, sharpened , graduated filter used in CS3  to emphasise the sky tones.

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The shots did not appeal to me at first but then during the processing stages I didnt think they were looking to bad.

Both these shots were blended with HDR software and are a combination of 9 individual exposures. If you look at the clouds you will notice they are the same, just set in deffierent compositions.

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The upgrade went super smooth as usual.

I love the anticipation of waiting for the upgrade to complete and the upgraded site to pop into action.

No problems with the templates or various plugins.

If anyone reading this wants a site like this then please drop me a line.

This single exposure was shot with the Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED coupled with the B&W circular polarising filter and Lee .6 ND grad.

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I stripped down the lens and found the loose screw and rescrewed it, no problem. The problem was putting it all back together, not so easy.

This morning I went out to shoot on Dartmoor again.

I have a soft spot for Dartmoor and just love visiting the moors as the weather/light are just constantly changing. At the moment the change to autumnal colours are superb as usual.

Todays visit focused upon Hayne Down, home of Bowermans Nose. It is the only Tor I know of that has its own gate system. Not too much parking though, from Hayne Down at least, I suppos you can walk up from Mannaton but I never leave sufficient time to get on location for sunrise.

If you went you will probably meet the a local walking his dogs. Scare the life out of me first time I met him and his dogs and I have seen the same guy everytime I go the Bowermans Nose early in the morning and I mean from 6am onwards.

It was extremely windy this morning and I had my reservations about the sturdiness of my tripod, I feel an upgrade coming on. I was pleased with the keeps I got.

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This is a test blog to check everything working OK.

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We were in the que for just about 3 hours and it just started to rain when we got to the entrance.
The galleries were superb, due to the staff only letting a few people in at a time you really had alot of space to wander around.

Most of the shots of the Banksy artwork was shot at 1000iso, the D300 copes very well with noise levels at even 1000iso. The D700 fares even better. All the shots were taken with the Sigma 10-20mm wide angle lense. I am impressed at the quality of the images and only applied degraining and sharpening in PS.

A selection of shots are posted below with more in the gallery.

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I will review this category at he end of the years before deciding wether or not to keep it.

However as we were home we did venture up to the town to check it out.

Taking up a good vantage point looking down to Fore Street through the clocktower I was a little surprised to find the carnival coming the wrong way down the High Street. It was no bother bu I had decided to quickly change our position as I wanted to include the clocktower in my shots where possible.

The tempo went up a notch as a small drum troup were delayed right next to us and started jamming and were superb, didnt las long though.

I have posted a few shots in the gallery.

The carnival did not last as long as we remember but it was fairly well supported.

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Although no way near as big as Paignton but bigger in many ways and far more enjoyable, IMHO.

The animals seemed much more lively, the views of the tigers enclosure is awesome and is great for getting some clear shots without the usual wire fence problems.

No elephants or giraffes but three bears in replacement.

A wonderful place that also offer opportunities such as being a keeper for the day, shadowing the experienced keeprs looking after the animals. A photography day is also available, not sure on the details here though but I have enquired and will post a comment when they reply.

Below are a few shots from the keeps selection.

You should consider a visit to this Park, I cannot beleive I had not been before……

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I hadnt wandered too far when I stumbled across another photographer just starting a location shoot with a model on the sand dunes overlooking the beach. As a matter of coincidence I knew the photographer although I had not recognised who it was immediatly as I was keeping my distance.

I have to admit that I do enjoy wandering and checking out the constantly changing landscape in search of any worthy shot as I wrote above. The light can make a such a significant change.

I find that walking about helps to discover compositions that would otherwise remain hidden from the photographers eye. Other compositions are noted and stored into memory to ensure a revisit under better lighting conditions.

Light is everything!!

The shot of the boathouse and fence below are both examples of what I am trying to explain.

From a previous visit to this area the boathouse was not in sunlight at all. On a second, planned, visit when I knew the sunlight would be good/better I made my way back and noted the empty path and sunlit fence that looked extremely photogenic (I had not noted this beforehand).

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We got to the beach quite late as everyone was leaving, parked outside the gates to the car park to avoid having to leave so early.

As people started to drift off the beach was a good start to take some shots.

The following shot with full kit to produce HDR, including tripod [of course], polarising filter, Lee ND grads, with a .9 ND grad for the sky and a .6 ND grad for the foreground to get some movement into the water.

Missed some good light on the shot with the fence having trawled across the length of the beach to take the shot, as when I got to into position the sun went in and never came back out again. I stood for about 20 mins waiting for the sun to come out again but my patience didnt pay off this time.

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I have not been able to get to them as I have been busy in the garden.

I did get out tonight though, but not as spectacular as the past couple of evenings.

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Great place and not too busy when we visited.

Managed to leave my change on the tray that was returned follwing our lunch, about £7!!!, I was willing to give it up as a loss but Mum came to the rescue and challenged the staff and the money I left on the tray had been put in an office.

However, good fun, great house and super grounds/gardens.

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I got to the shoot pretty late really and figured I had missed the best opportunity for a sunrise.
I bumped into another photographer who was just leaving as I was making my way onto the beach.

However once I had set up the camera/tripod got the Lee foundation kit set up and the polorising filter on I managed to get the following shot.

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Got the following when I stopped at Torre Abbey Gardens.

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The following shots are a start where I was fortunate with weather.

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Had a great time looking around the house and especially the gardens.

I have posted a couple of keeps below.

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But this does not mean I have not been out taking shots in my spare time.

The most recent shoot was taken at Woolacombe in North Devon, we should, and I intend to visit North Devon much more this year. Woolacombe is an exceptional place with a superb beach and surf.

The weather was OK and turned later in the day but we had a great sunset and I was happy that we decided to stay.

I took a different angle to my normal shots by focusing on some street photography.

The landscapes are HDR’ the street shots are single exposures.

We plan to visit Woolcamobe again very soon.

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The resulting slideshows will start to play automatically alongside carefully selected music.

I have concentrated on two separated slideshows at the moment. Totnes Nightscape’s and Dartmoor Landscapes.

Please follow the links below to check them out

Totnes Nightscape Showcase
Dartmoor Landscape Showcase

The image is listed below and depicts the land, sea air rescue day in Brixham during the height of the tourist season.

This particlar shot was taken a few years ago with a Fuji Z4900 digital compact.

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Click on the above shot to be transported to the Gallery  where you will have the opportunity to view it in a larger format.

I have been working on upgrading the script.

The  blog now utilises the latest version of WordPress.

I have even been able to upgrade alot of the addon scripts with very little effort.

There were actors all over the place dressed in super costumes and really playing the part.

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DARTMOOR SHOWCASE/SLIDESHOW

This showcase is presented without watermarks.

NOTE/.. PLEASE USE THE TOGGLE TO TOP LEFT HAND SIDE WHEN SHOW IS RUNNING TO VIEW AT FULL SCREEN

The resulting format will allow for a series of planned slideshows to deliver a multimedia transition from a standard gallery/database to showcase.

The first of these is in the form of a recent nightscape series based in Totnes.

TOTNES NIGHTSCAPES SHOWCASE

Eventually the series of slideshows will include unwatermarked imagery.

With more than enough time to get to Sheeps Tor, find a location and set up for a shot from the top of Sheeps Tor over Burrator Reservoir.

I had hopes for a little more mist over the reservoir, the mist can just about be seen on the small shots in the gallery but need to be viewed large to really appreciate.

With the gear set up I was waiting for the sun to come up. After the shoot from the Tor I dropped down to visit the reservoir. The water was so still at this time of the morning it was like a mirror, reflecting the autumnal colours of the tree’s on the opposite side of the bank.

The resulting shots are listed below and in the main gallery.

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2 of my images entered into a competition have been selected to appear in the Pavey 2009 Calendar.

I have listed the winning shots below.

The calendar is due to be published sometime in November.

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This harbour shoot was extremely misty, I was hoping to get some shots with the sun rays coming through the mist but it was just too think.

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Lukesland is near Ivybridge.
Follow the link to visit their website.

We had a great time exploring the stream and ponds.
I look forward to a revisit later this year when the foliage really turns autumnal.

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We set off a little late really to catch the sunrise but that didnt matter because it was so misty you could not make out the sun.

It was light but no sun rays, that would have been impressive.

However we had to take advantage of the mist and carried on regardless. Visiting the pier and Paignton harbour.

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Standing in the middle of the road, camera on tripod facing the Eastgate clocktower.

Yet another nightshot with the Nikon D300.
[9 shots combined]

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Got the following shot that is a HDR conversion of 9 separate exposures.

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Next on the wishlist is a new lens. I still have my eye on the AF-S 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF VR Micro.

Im also beginning to look at some studio gear, I wanted to build my garage/studio in room above garage first but thats not going to happen for a while.

The following shot is a HDR conversion.

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I frequently visit this Tor but on our last several meetings the area was covered in a heavy mist.

On this particular visit the Tor and surrounding area was very clear.

The sunrise was superb and it was worth getting up at 5am for.

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I got some shots of the church and surrounding area from various different angles.

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With Venford Reservoir just around the corner I decided to walk around the man made lake and dam.
There appears to be some building works going on there at the moment but it didnt get in the way at all. The building works are restricted to a corner of the dam.

Not sure what the building works are for they they look pretty extensive.

Anyway, the walk around the lake is highly recommended, particularly at the break of dawn.

The air was just so fresh and the water was very still, reflecting the trees in the water extremely well and defined.

The shots I got are listed below and linked to the gallery as usual.

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Unfortunately the Abbey was not illuminated, but there were some lighting on around the grounds.

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The series continues with some more images from around the Market Square and Civic Hall area. Primarily being focused around the High Street.

I plan to take some more shots of the town working up around the Narrows over the next week.

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These shots are of The Plains at the bottom of town and Barrel House at the top end of town.

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The shots are mainly black and white conversions but I will be posting some colour shots too.

The most recent uploads are linked below.

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I will be uploading more nightshots from around Totnes over the coming week.

The shots are true HDR [High Dynamic Range], most shots are a combination of 9 separate shots combined with HDR tone mapping software.

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Didnt stay long on location as it started to pour down with rain.
The location is very accessible by car so didnt have far to to go to get back to the car.

I have Photoshoppped one of the shots with an antique process.

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With the, or at least a camera, (the, being the D300) always to hand I shot a few shots when I stopped the car on the road. I didnt even get out of the car, if I did the ponies would have just moved on anyway.

The ponies seemed to turn and look at me in unison when I managed to get the following shot.

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After going through all the shots I took, from a recent visit to St Ives, and checking the strongest composition etc., I start to look at cropping some of those thet were left that seemed to have a generally weaker compostion.

The following is a crop, about a third of the size of the original shot, to creat a much stronger compostion.
Converted to black and white for greater effect.

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Probably the most photographed bridge on Dartmoor.
Also got some other shots from around Chagford.

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It was a great day out, St Ives is such a photogenic resort with plenty of opportunities for some good shots.

I have added a new category in the gallery entitled “Further Afield”.

The shots I got have been linked to the main gallery and posted below.

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If you want to meet up please drop me an email.

See the contact link, top right. Contact me via the form.

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I had to attempt something a little more creative to prevent my last journey being a complete waste of time.

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However we went out for a drive and the sun really came out so we went to a couple places locally to see what was happening.

Caught the following shots.
Still experimenting with HDR and the following are comprised of 9 shots each, 1 stop apart between exposures.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/temra2000

Some of the shots are HDR conversions that were subsequently processed into black and white.

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NIKON D300 BODY
MANFROTTO 190XPROB TRIPOD
SANDISK EXTREME III COMPACT FLASH CARD

The Nikon D80 gear will be retained as a backup camera.

This is the reason comments cannot be left. An attempt to avoid the spamsters

These shots were taken earlier this year.

This shot taken somewhere on Dartmoor.

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This shot taken in Hopecove, South Devon. [Breaking all the rules]

A super speed tester that records and stores your results and a great graphical user interface.

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This time we wandered off towards Dartington and picked up a trail that runs along the river Dart.

Not too much that really stood out to shoot and it required a more creative approach.

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The shots were taken with my Nikon D80 fitted with the 70-300mm VRII lens.
The images were taken in portrait mode.

The size of this image is reduced to conserve web space and is approximately 100k, the original is 211mb.

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These shots have has been edited.

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The title for the comp was “Doors”.
The total number of entries was 87.

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Only got some wildlife shots, weather was not too good as the sky was very grey.

Got stopped by the police on the way home due to my number plate not conforming with current regulations. Total knobs, the offence was so minor and they acted like real prats, they even had to radio in for the offence code as neither of them knew what the code was for the paperwork??????. The officer explained why the number plate didnt conform and used an adjacent parked van that was also illegal to justify his decision. This guy didnt do anything about the van and was a total knob. I had respect for the law before but they treat you like shit. His manner was extremely condescending.

Anyway, I managed to get at least one half decent shot.

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Taking shots on route and at the Castle itself.
We spooked some deer on the way but I was too slow with the camera.

Berry Pomeroy Castle is supposedly the most haunted in England.

Berry Pomeroy Castle

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Linked directly to FB account.

The Mill is apparently one of the last undeveloped Mills in the country. It is a shame, the place is a tip.

It is in need of development, but which course should it take. I understand the area has been refused planning permission for residential development due to flooding concerns.

I took some shots around the various outbuildings on the site.

All shots taken in this shoot were bracketed either automatically or manually, some shots were taken 7 times with varying degree of exposures.

A few shots are listed below that are in turn linked to the whole shoot in the main gallery.

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I focused upon the river Dart where the mist was not too dense.
The mist is still hanging around, the sun has not come through yet and it has gone 10am.
I may go back out shortly to check if the mist is clearing around Totnes.

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The church is illuminated at night and looks pretty good driving past.

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I use the everyday features I guess most digital photographers are aware of. RAW conversion with the manipulation of individual shots allows for a great deal of flexibility.

http://devonshots.com/photographic/albums/userpics/10001/thumb_DSC_0161.jpg

I plan to focus upon particular themes in an effort to become proficient with the procedures involved with their achievement.

The first effect I want to get right is the lightray effect. I have used this process a couple of times with different success.

I will post these photoshop conversions in the main gallery as I progress.

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The days are getting longer and with the sun still low in the sky the light is great.

I managed to get the shot I was looking for, posted below with a link to the main gallery.
Also posted another converted B&W shot from Bigbury taken last weekend.

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This shot was placed 2nd in the above competition on dpreview.com

The winning shot is absolutely superb as is the rest in the posted top 10 and other entries.

I am pleased with getting a top 10 placement within the competition let alone a second place.

Congrats to the winner and all the other placed entries.

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While he was playing I sloped off to find some photo locations.

I didnt have to drive to far, I deliberately went to the nearby tidal road and was not disapointed.

I did not stay out for long as I went back to the golf club and walked around the last few holes before driving home.

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The form was installed and configured quite easily. I had a few problems getting it to work then realised I had incorrectly placed an address into one of the field boxes.

I am pleased with the look of the form and it integrates perfectly with the current theme.

I found I was doing this quite a bit so I started to catalogue the shots into the online gallery.
Most of the shots are from North Devon area.

I have also been using lightroom to keep tags on my photography collection and I am finding this facility invaluable for both organising shots and for processing in RAW prior to loading into photoshop.

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I have also joined Facebook today, I had not realised the wealth of information and contacts available within the different Facebook networks. I have joined the main Plymouth network and also Totnes and Dartmoor Appreciation Society’

I didnt realise how good it was. Im sure I tried it a while ago but it didnt have as many features then as it does now.

I have downloaded the new Flickr uploading facility and getting to grips with subscribing to specific groups that interest me. I just subscribed to two groups for now, Dartmoor and Totnes.

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My Flickr Account

Presented by Satish Kumar, the 50 minute programme on BBC2 The Natural World is a highly polished piece of work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb7lBdtGBjo

Who is Satish Kumar

I was drawn to the banks of the river Dart opposite the Steampacket Inn where the lights reflected in the river that was at high tide.

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The light was great and the sky was not that bad either.

Used my polariser to enhance the sky.

Most shots taken off a tripod.

Used ND grads to maintain sky detail.

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This new sub-domain is due to the increasing portfolio size that is associated with the Dartmoor section in the gallery.

The new sub-domain is simply http://dartmoor.devonshots.com

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Visiting Combestone Tor, Fernworthy Reservoir, Bellever Tor and Spitchwick.
We stopped off at a couple of other spots in between, including the Spar shop in Chagford.

Managed to test out my new B&W Kaismann Circular Polarising filter on the several streams and rivers we came accross.

Fernworthy was a major letdown as the sky was just a washed out grey. We didnt stay here much longer than it takes to eat a steak pasty. Super colours in the autumn foliage of some of the trees but its difficult to be creative with dull grey skies. Fernworthy is just so open to be photogenic on days such as this.

The suprise stop was at Huccaby, just outside Hexworthy, where a bridge allows for the crossing of the West Dart River.

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Didnt need to leave really early as Dittisham is only a 15 minute drive away and sunrise is getting really late now.

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The workshop was great, the most useful section was working with multiple RAW smart object layers.

I have used raw for sometime now but the added flexibility of being able to redeit RAW shots continually is great.

I have put some shots in the gallery that use smart object RAW conversions.

Found North Sands beach and didnt waste much time getting onto the beach as its is right opposite the car park, just over the main road that passes the beach.

After playing around with the kids I went off in search of anyting worth shooting.

Found several good spots to shoot from.

I have uploaded some shots already into the Salcombe folder under Towns and Villages in the main gallery.

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I wanted to integrate both a photo gallery and a blogging site so as to record my daily rants and photoshoots.

I have incorporated Coppermine Photo Gallery for the Photographic side of things and WordPress for the Blogging aspect.

Both seamlessly thrown together using a ported theme that was originally built for WordPress.

I hope to add a further option of having the ability of a shopping cart using Paypal within the next few weeks.

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This is simply becuase I am currently concentrating on South Devon. My South Devon archives are a little more structured than my shots of North Devon.

Running with the new website will be a painstaking recategorising of photos into a more managable system. As new shots are posted then that will meen further work has been done on my archives.

That said please browse through the gallery and leave comments if you like or dislike any particular shot.

Any guesses?

Comments below please.

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I have found some shots that are worthy of being posted into DEVONshots.

As I find more then more will be posted.

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