CAPTURE NEW HORIZONS

Tonight (Tuesday 28 July) at 6pm UK time I will be spending an hour with fellow X Photographer Paul Choy for the final part of a series of interviews with some of the UK X Photographers, talking about the photographs we take and a deep dive into what makes some them special to the photographer who takes them. Once I have done the interview I will post the images that will be featured on tonights programme (see images below). The programme can be viewed on the Fujifilm South Africa Facebook page in full  HERE One last thing, Paul is working on a project called Walk Mauritius, which he is working on while the island is in lockdown.  Go and check the website out via the link here -  https://www.walkmauritius.com - there is some great images to view. Eau Rouge - Fujifilm X-T1 + XF10-24mm f4 - 1/350s @ f14 ISO 200 Sebring - Fujifilm X-T3 + XF10-24mm f4 - 1/20s @ f22 ISO 80 Le Mans Podium - Fujifilm X-T2 + XF50-140mm f2.8 - 1/1000s @ f2.8 IS...

I have just got back from the South of France where I have spent the last week at the official press season test and opening round of the European Le Mans Series at the Circuit Paul Ricard near Le Castellet. One of the things I have been doing during the Covid19 lockdown it to increase my skill set with regards to video production.  In 2019 I really started to shoot more video content, especially on the FIA European Historic Sporting Rally Championship, so I took a couple of online courses on video editing and production and last week was the first real chance to be able to put what I had learned into practice. Because the event was held behind closed doors and the number of media attending the event was reduced significantly, one of the goals for communications during the ELMS week was to increase the number of video interviews we produce so that the fans and the media had more behind the scenes content. One of the focus of the communications plan was the inclusion for t...

As you may have seen a few weeks ago that I tested the Haida Filters M10 system and I really liked the quality and the usability of the system.  Since my glowing review Haida asked me if I would like to work with them as a Co-Photographer / Ambassador and I said 'yes'. So today I am pleased to announce this partnership and HERE is a link to my profile page on the Haida Photo website. I am currently in France at the Circuit Paul Ricard for the two day pre season test and first round of the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup. I have been using the Haida M10 0.9 (3 Stop) and 1.8 (6 Stop) Neutral Density filters for shooting videos at the track. Here is a the video interview with the crew of the no50 Richard Mille Racing Team Oreca that we did yesterday evening and then shot the track footage earlier today.  I used the two Haida ND filters to allow me to use a wider aperture in the sunny conditions here at Paul Ricard.  The final video was used on ...

Fujifilm X-T4 + XF10-24mm f4 - Haida M10 1.8 ND + Red Diamond 0.9 ND Grad 1 second @ f11 ISO80 Last week I ran my first Black and White Landscape workshop of the year.  Like many businesses the Covid19 pandemic caused me a bit of a headache and I had to put my photo workshops on hold for three months.  The clients who had already booked workshops were offered a refund but I was happy when they said they would be OK to postpone and wait until I could rearrange the bookings with them.  The first workshop was a 1-2-1 with a client who was returning for her second one day MacLean Photographic workshop.  Fujifilm X-T4 + XF50-140mm f2.8 - Haida M10 1.8 ND 1/6s @ f8 ISO250 The workshop was held at Barns Ness and Tyningham, demonstrating the techniques on how to 'see' a landscape in black and white and expose the image accordingly.  This something I have learnt from experience and I now endeavour to teach my clients during the one day workshop. The...

My favourite time of the day to shoot landscapes is dawn, I just love being out in the fresh air and watching the sun rise above the horizon.  At this time of year in Scotland sunrise is round 4:25am, which means a very early start to get in position. Luckily, I have plenty of beautiful locations to visit here in my home town of Dunbar and Barns Ness Lighthouse, which is only five miles from my front door, ranks as one of the very best. So I checked the weather forecast, set my alarm for 3am and packed my camera gear ready for a very early start. Luckily the forecast was correct with high clouds and the potential for a fiery sunrise so I got in the car and head out to Barns Ness to set up. I was trying out a brand new tripod on this photoshoot, a recently purchased 3 Legged Thing Punks Billy carbon fibre tripod.  This was replacing my sturdy, but weighty, Manfrotto 055 aluminium tripod, with an option ball grip head.  The 'Billy' was almost the same height...

Sunrise over Hiroshima Bay GFX50R + GF100-200mm f5.6 - 1/250s @ f5.6 ISO100 One of the joys of my job is the bonus of travelling to some fantastic destinations.  Of all the countries I visit Japan is by far and away my favourite and I have been lucky to have visited the Land of Rising Sun nine times since 2012. I usually fly to Tokyo and spend a few personal days travelling around the city or in the area to the north or south of Tokyo, but in 2019 I decided to fly to Osaka and spend some time in the south of the country.  I also decided to take the medium format Fujifilm GFX50R, along with the GF32-64mm f4 and the GF100-200mm f5.6 zooms, to see if this was going to be my ultimate travel camera outfit. TWO DAYS IN HIROSHIMA I flew into Kansai International Airport and, after collecting a hire car, I drove 230 miles west to Hiroshima for the first stop on my itinerary.  As a student of history I have always wanted to visit the Peace Park and museum in Hirosh...