2013 365-15

Week fifteen, 100th picture posted on this bout of 365-ishness. It's still up and down in terms of what I'm shooting (as well as where and when) but I'm generally keeping busy and making opportunities for myself. Having a couple of long-term photo projects on the go has also helped and it looks like the old faithfuls (i.e. niche sports) are really the gift that keeps on giving.

8/04/13

This was nearly a defining moment for me. I finally bit the bullet and sprung for a set of dedicated wireless flash triggers with reasonable range. The Phottix Ares transmitter and receivers arrived by post at the weekend so naturally it was straight up to roller derby training to try them out. Their advertised range is 200m+, they have 8 channels (with the option to group flashes) and run off regular AA batteries. They fired every time and also will wake up the flash guns if they go into sleep mode. The fact that company I ordered them from accidentally sent me an additional (un-ordered) set of two receivers was just a bonus. The triggers worked brilliantly and allowed me to use three off-camera flashes to cross-light a very large section of the track and their range allowed me to move around a bit more. The shots I got were crisp and sharp (even at 1/200 or 1/250 shutter speed) and the lighting and colours were dramatic and edgy. I'm so happy with the results I could dance a wee jig.

9/04/13

A strange one this. Not by the side of a road, but along the Comber Greenway in East Belfast. I passed it while out cycling and had to go back today to take a photograph of it. This is notable for a number of reasons. I recall the closure of the Greenway and then subsequently finding out about the suicide of this young man. The memorial itself is situated pretty much directly behind my old house which backs onto the walkway. It’s a permanent memorial, although fresh flowers seem to be placed there regularly.

10/04/13

Yep, one of those "oh shit I need to a photograph days." An empty picture frame, a willing assistant and a small dog.

11/04/13

I ended up spending a hour or so in a furniture shop this evening, in fact it was a furniture shop with no customers, thus making even less interesting. However, I was there for other purposes which greatly lifted any boredom although I did end up wandering around and trying out some macro shots with different bits and pieces in the shop.

12/04/13

Another roadside monument today and like the one above, one with a bit of personal resonance. Ben was a 17 year old pedestrian and a pupil at Regent House Grammar School Newtownards. Ben lived in Donaghadee and was struck by a car while walking home in the early hours of the morning with a friend after attending a Halloween party. This hit a nerve with me, having attended the same school and lived in the same town when I was younger. I'd also walked along the same road after more than one party in the wee small hours of the morning. Coincidentally, a classmate of mine at Regent House was knocked down by a car and killed a little further along the same road while I was at school.

13/04/13

This is the statue outside the Titanic Building in Belfast, and again this is far from original and every togger in Belfast has probably taken a similar shot at some time since the building was opened. It's a noce shot and I suppose the trick was getting the balance right between the detail in the statue and the texture of the outside of the building.

14/04/13

I spent the afternoon with my big son Conor working on architectural photography for his art course. Architectural photography has to be the dullest form of photography ever invented and I can only assume that he's being asked to a module on it in order to put him off photography for life. We did mange to find a rather interesting wall with five of these frames attached to it. See frame, jump inside it, take photo. I can't help that sort of thing. I did not hesitate in pitching this as potential band shoot to a few people. Conor ended up with two rolls of Ilford HP5 film full of abstract shots of various buildings - here's hoping that he has something worth printing off for his course.