Eye see you

Hello Misty!

Returning to blogging a lot has changed, what with all these new share buttons, Facebook, Twitter, Google + etc it is going to be a while to get my head round this new virtual world. Pleased to see some things have not changed, like Saturday is still the day to see animals of all shapes and sizes around the world at the click of a mouse. Obviously not a real mouse, life hasn't changed that much or advancements in technology taken us to another level completely. So for now, I give you virtual world, a close up, natural, shot of a Donkey's eye, keeping an on those blog stats and audience and as Facebook says "viral reach." Normally, I would opt for black and white for a close up like this, but I went with the colour just for the touch of reflected blue in the eye, which was my T. shirt. Obviously if this was Facebook, I'd now be tagging it and telling you to inbox me.

For more of my photography, see my Facebook page here

For other critters around the virtual world see here

MY RAMSEY POSTCARD?- SKYWATCH

Wish you were here?

Skywatch

This definitely wasn't today but a recent image. Sometimes the blue skies benefit from cotton wool clouds. This is one of the harbour from yesterday photographed further out standing on one of the two jetties. I photographed it with the bench slightly in and not tucked into the corner to show you perspective and scale.Wish you were here don't you. On a day like this I'm glad I'm here. What do you think of this as a postcard? It just has that kind of UK seaside look. I may keep this just for me though. I just like it. Simple as that.

So I promised to reveal all today. I was at the Manx Super Third Thursday meeting of the Social Media club concerning the new Social Networking site manxgraduates.im. In a nutshell (Babooshka speak to you) it's place for Manx graduates and Isle of Man employers to find each other and encourage islanders ( think just left University or working in the real world) back to the island for those prestigious jobs. What has that got to me with me, well nothing but the blog is a great vehicle, as it's become so popular, for letting Manxies abroad know they are needed back here. So that's why I had to break cover. You try explaining to people you are Babooshka and no that's not my real name and glaring at the photographer( hypocrite, how bad am I?) for taking your image. Very naughty I took my name off for the photos. At least he had a Nikon. Weird to have people say they follow your blog in person, even weirder telling people not to reveal who I am. It would be easier being a spy!

Anyway I'm back undercover tonight. Many thanks goes to Sherrilynne Starkie from Strive Notes for organising the hoopla and the invite. What you don't know folks is Sherrilynne has been a huge supporter of the blog for a while and it was about time I showed my face at one of these functions. The lure of strong black coffee was all it took.

So safely back home and back to the job in hand of sifting through the images. I'm trying to decide what image to have as a new business card. Also maybe branching out into ghost writing other blogs, paid of course which I've been approached to do. Not sure about this and wondered if any of you writers out there do this at all or know someone who does. Don't even get me started on Consultancy fees. All new to me, how about you? Advice always appreciated.

Skywatch watchers can be found here. Many thanks to Dot for the inspirational idea, Tom for the first care taking and the My world gang for looking after skywatch now.

Babooshka ramsey daily photo http://dalyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/

THE MATRIX- (OR WHY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY ARE PRETENTIOUS)

What lies beneath?

Down on the waterfront, it could have a contender for the "Cult of Babooshka's Ramsey Swing Bridge" but nah it's an offer I could refuse. Today we have instead an image that has perplexed me possibly as much as it will you. Why the hell did I take this. Simply an exercise in colour, light, texture and geometry.

It's taken of course on the edge of the harbour walkway, looking directly underneath The Ramsey Swing Bridge entrance. The first thing that struck me was the colour of the metalwork. It's a faded red and matt compared to the images you've seen before above which are deep red gloss paint. The bolsters underneath are covered in verdigris and rusting creating these green, gold orange tints. The moored boats blue and white bounce the light hitting the other side of the bridge rendering a slight purple tinge to the water in the right hand corner against the the true colour of the water in the top left corner which is barely blue. The criss crossing metal work creating form a strange matrix of lines encircling the cylindrical bolster. Each of those sections created by the grid of lines has caught it's own level of light and enhanced, trapped or obscured light to cast differing colours onto the water. No two sections therefore are the same colour. The swan bright white caught centrally has a ring of light water around it due to the light bouncing off him.

The image is a curio, a passing image that could only be taken at that angle due to the walkway edge. Always look above and below so much going on. Like the Matrix the reality on a cold grey day, poor light would be flat, lifeless and real. On a sunny day, at the tight angle the colours and reality are heightened. Use your illusion.

It's not a wall hanging image. I doubt I would tender for sale or commission for use. However if I did this is the kind of pretentious nonsense above that would sell it. It's all true, but does it need saying? Sometimes you just like an image, sometimes you don't. I do because I like the quirkiness. The reality of photography is this month I should have been photographing corporate images of new registration cars for a dealership. Your bog standard side on, head on shots. Got the text today to say that people aren't buying new cars in droves this month. The shoot is postponed until they do. The reality of photography for most photographers is the next shoot, mundane or creative not long drawn out discussions on the virtue of an image. That doesn't pay the bills. So maybe you understand why I make light of this strange way to make a living and sometimes want to blog about anything but photography!

So how was your day?

VERSATILE SWAN - RAMSEY CRITTERS

Hide, Babooshka is here with her camera again!

Critters Sunday

I know the swan isn't really hiding from me. Well I presume it's not. We have camera show people but not birds, no the swan is of course preening itself. Not for my benefit for the image but I'm sure it did he/she some good. Spent quite a while doing this. On second thoughts maybe it was avoiding me. Of course this was taken alongside Ramsey Harbour again, actually on the Swing Bridge. 

Following on from yesterday another image using light and objects to bounce colour. The blue highlighted in the rippled circles was reflected off  a boat and stands out as the swan is so white. The same image with the swan in the centre of the shot isn't as dramatic, hiding the ripples and the blue isn't as emphasised, which is why I went with this one again a manual. Once you get the hag of manual images they are much sharper than auto. Forgive the next paragraph but going off at a complete tangent to internet thieves who are spoiling blogging..

If this blog page text full, part or images appears on any other site apart from "RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO" then it is being viewed illegally and has been reprinted, copied or fed to a site illegally. The contents of this blog are to be viewed on RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO, http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/ and I will take action if I find this page on any site other  than RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO 

Sorry for the above but some of us have had problems and I will not put up up with it.

For more Critters see Misty Dawn and please leave a comment.

THEME DAY- BEST PHOTO- BERRIED SUNSET

Can you see the berried sunset?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I really have so many excellent photos, well I am a photographer so I should have, that to single out one of another really is fair. I simply chose the image that was taken purely  by chance one evening when photographing an autumn sunset over my favourite part of Ramsey, The Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve. It uses photographers rule of thirds which covers the technical bit and is overflowing with natural colour as mother nature intended, and needing no cropping, no alterations whatsoever. It is also the image that has one of the highest amount of comments and the one I get emailed about the most and is definitely your favourite out there in blogland. Therefore I bowed to readers, followers, passers by wishes and chosen your best image choice.

I am posting early as laptop time is limited and celebrations will ensue later and well I will not be capable by then once the drinkies kick in.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

TO ALL!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH STREAMING LIGHT

I see a teeth and tongue

This is the jetty in Ramsey. As simple as that for a subject. The sun was behind the jetty. The tide as you can see was low. The sun high noon sun shone through the jetty slats bouncing the light on the low water creating a white glow. The jetty slats broke the light as it streamed through creating the illusion of the slats being black. Desaturate the image, so taking any colour out which in this case was a slight blue tinge to the water and there you have it, the above image.


Ok it's not that simple! Firstly you have to spot the potential in the subject in the first place. That is what separates photographers from people who take photographs. Composition. So many potentially good images are ruined by poor balancing or setting of the image. Think before you click. Have you got what you want in the right place. Timing. The light was perfect at this time, but only at this time. To get that slither of white swirling shimmering light was at the time of taking the image or not at all. The ensuing tide would have been too reflective casting a white sheet of colour over the water rather than just that central column with the outer edges silver and the slats jet black. Taken once only and desaturated to a monochrome image. No other alteration apart form re size for the blog.


Now it's your turn. Go on and post your results with no photoshop!


Unfortunately I won't be around to answer to many queries. Laptop time is now down to the bear minimum. Emails are on hold. It's why you have another archive from the real photography section. Not so much whether you like it, but to learn from.