The Smirkonian Sightseer

2014 Stan Siejka Cycling Classic

Although the weather didn’t play nice, I was excited to attend the 2014 Stan Siejka Cycling Classic in Launceston on December 7th. Took my D610 along with me and managed to get a few decent captures out of about 700 exposures. I guess that’s a reasonable ratio when the shutter is set in a continuous shooting mode. I had to re-exposure some images in Lightroom as I’d bumped a setting somewhere that made them 2 stops underexposed. Anyway, follow this link for some of the better shots.

Deviot, Tasmania

Westwood Sunset, Tasmania

Tasmanian Apple Blossom

West Tamar Photo Shoot

Last week we had some beautiful, still winter days here in Tasmania. I took the opportunity to take some photos around my favourite scenic drive along the western banks of the Tamar River.

These are just a few of the images taken. View more on my Flickr or 500px pages.

 

The Shambles

With the Tour de France starting in Yorkshire tomorrow, I thought I’d dig out this photo of the York Shambles I took in 2010.

Samaria Gorge

Seven years ago this week I experienced one of the most exhilarating walks of my life, trekking through Samaria Gorge in Greece. From the White Mountains, it's a 16km trek that descends 1250m to the Libyan Sea on the southern coast of Crete.

Not only a national park but also a World Biosphere Reserve, the beauty of this gorge is its ever changing scenery, evident in the image sets I've recently reprocessed.

The most famous part of the gorge is the stretch known as the Gates where the sides of the gorge close in to a width of only four metres and soar to a height of 300 metres. Samaria Gorge is a refuge for the rare kri-kri (Cretan goat) as well as many species of flowers, birds and some amazing geology.

136 images now on Flickr
https://t.co/FQdriqP2Qu

Tamar Photo Shoot

Last Tuesday I decided to grab the cameras (iPhone, Nikon AW100 compact and Nikon D5000 DSLR) and find a location nearby that I hadn’t photographed before. Useually this mean being around the Tamar Valley. So I didn’t take long before I found myself clicking away at Gravelly Beach and a few locations in the Swan Point/ PaperBeach area.

Here are some of the better images from the DSLR...

 

All images are offered for sale on 500px and RedBubble

An afternoon photo drive through Flowery Gully

Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost 

Over the new year period I spent a few days at my brothers house in Beauty Point. Although the views there are outstanding and the atmosphere very relaxing, I started to get restless. Having all my camera gear handy I decided to go for a drive through Flowery Gully. Having driven past the turn off for decades, I have always wondered where the road leads to. 

In recent years Flowery Gully became known as the home of Tasmania cycling royalty - it’s where Matt Goss and brothers Wes & Bernie Sulzberger hail from. So I was intrigued to know what this special place looked like. 

I drove along the Flowery Gully Road, seeing fields of freshly cut hay, grazing cows, growing crops and lovely rolling hills with scattered light from passing clouds. I went as far as Winkleigh and turned back, stopping every few hundred metres to snap a series of photos.

The image below would be one of my favourites from the afternoons shoot. You can see more on my Flickr Photostream

It's stopped raining

Liffey Falls

I took this image a few months back. Processed it in Lightroom today with a 32bit HDR plugin. One thing I try to avoid when using this HDR technique is over-cooking the shot. I try to keep the image as natural as possible.

My year on Twitter

Just made a movie of my #2013memories on Twitter: https://t.co/yJyXh3PvJV What's yours look like? #Vizify

— Andrew Shepherd (@SmirksTas) December 31, 2013

My first year on Instagram

I joined Instagram back in April. Here are the top 5 most popular likes for my first year. Thanks everyone.

Picking a winner

A few weeks back I posted my top twenty picks for Greeka.com’s annual photo competition where members can vote from the top 100 entries picked my Greeka staff.

The results are in and here are the top twenty most popular pictures based on votes received from Greeka members.

From the winners list, there are 7 photos that I chose (highlighted below). It’s fun to know just how good a photographic eye I have when it comes to judging. 

For a closer look, view the Greeka winners page 

Tasmania's West Coast Wilderness Railway

Colours of Greece

Each year, as a member of Greeka, I get invited to vote in the Greeka photo contest.

It’s a real thrill to be a photographic judge. My father has been a judge for a local camera club for over 60 years, so its great I’m given an opportunity to do something similar.

So, from a final selection of 100, I’m free to choose my favourite 20. This year the selection was of a very high standard and most of the entries were outstanding, both in composition and colour. Ultimately, the winner out of all the members 20 choices, has to represent Greece and it’s wonderful attractions.

Here are the top 20 photos I’ve chosen. It will be interesting to see what other members have voted for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies for the thumb-nail pictures being rather small.

Seaport Launceston

Out of 50 or so shots taken around Launceston’s Seaport this evening, this one is probably the best..

graffiti marathon

Sunday Walk

Sunday morning I decided to walk through nearby Cataract Gorge here in Launceston. Starting at Duck Reach taking the main track to the First Basin and return. Here are a few photos taken along the way with the trusty iPhone.

 

 

Instagram spring bunch

What's natural here

This image was used in a blog post titled The Magic of Natural Light: Twilight. 

Natural light my arse. If I saw this I'd be saying 'what the fuck is wrong with my eyes'.

XDcam

 

Rain

Vancouver Panorama

I've been watching episodes of the tv series Continuum and enjoy identifying some of the filming locations around Vancouver. Here's one I spotted the other day - it's at Vanier Park looking across False Creek to Vancouver's West End and Stanley Park.. 

Photo taken on my trip to Canada May 2012. Click on the photo and see the large version on my Flickr Photostream.

Below: screen grab from www.showcase.ca

Day out at Georgetown and Low Head

Tamar River at Gorgetown, Tasmania

 

Tamar River at Georgetown, Tasmania

 

Remains of boat wreckage at Low Head Pilot Station, Tasmania

Panorama taken at Low Head Pilot Station, Tasmania.

 

Panorama of Tamar River at Low Head, Tasmania

 

Low Head Lighthouse, Tasmania

Spectra Dark Mofo Foto

Talking to by buddy Tony earlier on the phone. He was out getting a few photos of Ryoji Ikeda's Spectra light tower. It's part of the Dark Mofo events currently on in Hobart. He was on his was back to the car but couldn't remember where he parked, complaining about the cold and… busting for a pee.

Anyway, despite his discomfort he managed to hold on and relocate to Mount Nelson and take this awesome shot looking back into the city.

(Photo: Tony Gray via Flickr)

Vision is Better - eBook bundle

BUY THE VISION IS BETTER BUNDLE FOR $10 NEW EBOOK / BUNDLE ARTICLES, TUTORIALS, ESSAYS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID DUCHEMIN The VISION IS BETTER series is an epic collection of articles, essays, and tutorials about the photographic life. David duChemin shares his insights on the how and why of photography, visual storytelling, and life lessons learned along the way. Today we're announcing Vision is Better 3: Become a Better Photographer, Make Better Photographs—the latest and largest of this series! Curating the best from his blog, David has put together a fine collection of his written and photographic work (including larger images and new articles). Here's a sneak peak inside the new eBook: Talk about bang for your buck: these three eBooks combined total 300 pages! EachVision is Better volume gives readers a no-holds-barred vantage point of the adventures and creative life of David duChemin, and provides fresh ideas for making the most of your own photographic journey. Note: Volumes 1 & 2 have brand new covers, and the layouts have been updated to display as full spreads instead of the previous two-page view. Purchase Note: We've locked in the savings! No discount code is needed to purchase this 3-eBook bundle for just $10 (that's a savings of $5). Buy Vision is Better 3 Already have the first two? No problem! Add Vision is Better 3 to your digital library for just $5. This eBook gives you offline access to 145 pages of beautifully laid out material, 52 articles—including two previously unpublished articles: "Don’t Get Ahead of the Muse" and "Simplify, Simplify"—and expanded “Postcards from…” features. BUY VISION IS BETTER 3 FOR $5

iPhone view of Launceston

Here are three photos taken today of my home town Launceston, Tasmania.

Taken with iPhone 5 and processed in Lightroom 4.

Beginner's Guide To Lens Whacking

Take that lens off the camera and do some freelensing, aka lens whacking. Unmounting the lens can create tilt-shift effects and introduce great light leaks. 

via Phototuts+

New Smirkonian Flipboard Magazine

I've started creating my own personal Flipboard magazine "Smirkonian". It's similar in a way to the old Tweetsheet posts I published on this blog last year. Primarily the Flipboard mag is a collection of articles, rss posts and tweets that I've read and had an interest in.

It requires the Flipboard app for iOS or Android. Download the app and search for Smirkonian.

Available on the App Store

Android app on Google Play

Sneak Peak

Sneaking a peak over the hill at a make-shift drive-in set up showing Ice Age on a warm Prospect evening.

Nikon D5000
Lightroom 4

Tonights Sunset

Tonights sunset... photo-bombed by a flock of birds.

Tasmania's Disappearing Kelp Forests

Tasmania's disappearing giant kelp forests from Rebecca Ramaley on Vimeo.

This video is a tribute to the beauty of these forests in the hope that the attention they are finally getting from the government is not too late to prevent their extinction.

The decline of this kelp forest and numerous others along the east coast of Tasmania include: warming waters, increasing occurrence of invasive species and a disruption of the natural food chain due to overfishing.

As of January 2013, the kelp forest at Fortescue Bay (seen in this video) no longer exists.

The Full Frame revolution

I've just read Ogden Chestnutt's column in the Jan 19 issue of Amateur Photographer. In it, he discusses the sudden popularity of 'entry level' full-frame sensor cameras and warns of "more bad bokeh, flimsy light trails and garish light painting" in the hands of budding photographers.

On the upside, the quality of UFO videos are set to improve!

As more manufacturers introduce full frame cameras to the market, prices will plummet. So now I wait for a price that's appealing as the pictures it promises to produce.

Tonights Sunset

Sunset at Prospect Vale, Tasmania
January 28, 2013 

Nikon D5000 with wide conversion lens
Lightroom 4

Tonight's Sunset

Quadcopter adventures at sea

Emerald Lake panorama

Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, Canada

Nikon D5000
Calico panorama (3 image stitch)
Lightroom 4 with 32bit HDR plugin

Sunset Pano

Another sunset over the back paddock.

Nikon D5000 (5 image capture)
PSE10 Photomerge
Lightroom

Sunset & Smoke Haze

Sunset and Smoke Haze by Andrew Shepherd

Sydney in Tilt-Shift

Toy Boats - A Sydney Tilt-shift Time-lapse from Nathan Kaso on Vimeo.

Stanley Park Documentary in need of finance

Today I made a small contribution to beautiful documentary about Stanley Park. I had the opportunity to visit this amazingly scenic park in May this year and walked the surrounding seawall.

Stanley Park: An Urban Wilderness is a full length documentary telling the remarkable story of Vancouver's iconic park.

As of this posting they had only raise $235 of their $100,000 target with 42 days to go. I'm surprised the local Vacouverites haven't shown much support for a film about their deeply loved 404.9 hectare park in the heart of the city.

Film-makers Adrian Green and Grant Finlayson started the project last year and need finance to finish the documentary off. Please visit their website Beautiful Earth for more information about the film, or drop by the campaign page to make a contribution.

Take a moment to view the work they've completed so far...

Stanley Park: An Urban Wilderness Teaser Trailer from Beautiful Earth Films on Vimeo.

Sandy Photos

Here are a few photos from Flickr taken during and after Hurricane Sandy that got my attention ...

Finding a bit of Tassie... Overseas

Back in May & June this year I traveled to British Columbia, Canada. A feature of this trip was a day cruise on the Inside Passage aboard BC Ferries Northern Expedition from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. There are snow capped mountains, waterfalls, whales and other wildlife, all stunning vistas to keep a photographer happily occupied for hours along this sheltered waterway. I'm currently reviewing several hundred video clips shot on my little Nikon AW100 and also capturing a few still frames of scenes I'd missed taking with my DLSR.

On a few occasions while travelling, I come across items that are made in my home state of Tasmania. Below is a video frame capture taken on the cruise and shows a liferaft capsule made by Liferaft Systems Australia who operate out of Derwent Park in Hobart, Tasmania.

I only discovered this today. How did i miss it?

Joey L. - the future of photography

One of my favourite photographers has a new book coming out in December. Although I specialise in landscape and not portraiture, I really like the lighting style of  Joey L . 

Photographing Shadow and Light: Inside the Dramatic Lighting Techniques and Creative Vision of Portrait Photographer Joey L. 

 

Amazon book description:

Aspiring photographers are always looking for that edge, that fresh point of view to add drama to their images. Photographer Joey L. found his vision early, drawing critical acclaim as a brilliant commercial photographer with a distinctive technical expertise for lighting. 
            In Photographing Shadow and Light, Joey lifts the curtain on his dramatic, creatively fearless approach to portraiture, sharing his personal philosophy and a behind-the-scenes look at 15 striking photo sessions—from personal projects shot in Africa, India, and Brooklyn to commercial shoots for 50 Cent, the Jonas Brothers, and Project Runway All Stars. Joey provides readers with a step-by-step description of how he visualized each shoot, formed meaningful connections with his subjects, and “built” his signature dramatic lighting effects—one light at a time.
            Featuring more than 85 stunning portraits, detailed lighting diagrams, and a foreword from industry icon David Hobby (aka Strobist), Photographing Shadow and Light shares the creative process behind one of today’s most exciting photography talents, providing serious amateurs and professionals a fresh perspective on creating compelling, professional quality portraits.
 
“Joey Lawrence is . . . the future of photography. Get used to it.” —David Hobby, from the foreword
 
Get inside the images of commercial and fine art portrait photographer Joey L. with this behind-the-lens guide to his fearless approach, creative vision, and signature lighting techniques.

Also available as an ebook

  

Depth of Field

The Lion City from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

GoPro Seagulls

This is the second video I'm seen of a seagull taking off with a GoPro.

 

And there's the other one, posted about a year ago...

One bike vs. San Fransisco

It's like Parkour only on a bike.

Portraits of Earth

Download David duChemin's latest PDF eBook Portraits of Earth

New PDF eBook  Portraits of Earth, An Introduction to Landscape Photography is an inspiring and beautiful eBook that teaches just about everything David has learned about landscape photography while chasing the light across seven continents. As a landscape eBook for all levels, photographers will find the education and inspiration to make beautiful photographs of their own, no matter what adventure awaits them.  This massive eBook boasts 90 spreads (180 pages if you're still counting the old way) is broken down into sections on Gear, Composition, Light, Land, Water, Snow, and Detail Shots, and is accompanied by large, beautiful photographs, all with complete EXIF data, many of them previously unseen, from travels on all seven continents. There's also Behind the Shot sections that discuss topics like exposure blending, maximizing sharpness, using ND and polarizer filters, and shooting in weather, like fog. Whether you're new to landscape photography or looking to hone your craft this eBook will be a valuable and inexpensive addition to your library.   Download David duChemin's latest PDF eBook Portraits of Earth

Winter Sunrise

Occasionally I forget I've left an SD card in the camera. I discovered this sunrise still on the card taken way back in June.

 

Taken from my back door looking over Prospect Vale, Tasmania at 8.10am June 17, 2012

Nikon D5000
Lightroom 4