New Work For Major Project Part 5.

Below are a few more images for my section focusing on the local River.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/8

Expo- 160sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 55mm

This photo again focuses on a problem area on the river where you can see how tree roots in the water get coated in a gunge that slowly builds up coursing blockages to form. What actually produces this build up I don't really know but my theory (probably wrong) is that there's the local sewage works located on the banks of the river and it could be produced from run off from there. Its a good image, again it's a little abstract but it doesn't  really work that well for me.

 Tech Details

F-stop- f/11

Expo- 800sec

ISO- 1000

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 300mm

I've looked at how messed up parts of the river are but what I also wanted to show was it isn't all bad new, on the section that runs through the actual village there's still plenty of life present and in the above and below shot's I've tried to capture this. In the above image I capture a Moorhen and its chick, not as easy as you think as there easily scared so it was more a case of sitting very still and waiting to see what came along. Its not the best wildlife shot I've ever taken but it capture the idea well, in a ideal world I would've loved to get a lot closer but this just wasn't going to be possible.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/5.6

Expo- 400sec

ISO- 1000

Expo. Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 300mm

I stood for a while watching the fish swimming around in the shadows near one of the bridges that cross the river when I noticed this one fish that was very interested in a fly that had landed on the water, as fast as I could I set my self up for the shot you see above which isn't half bad but there are a couple of issues I have with it. First in my haste I didn't quiet get my focus right so unfortunately the fly is in focus but the fish below the water is just a little out. My final problem is that maybe it would have been better if I'd actually captured it striking out to catch the fly. Its not perfect but it's not bad I suppose for the hast I composed and took it in.

 Tech. Details

F-stops- f/32

Expo- 13 sec

ISO- 400

Expo. Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 85mm

I wanted a good reflection shot but with something a little different about it, here with the added rain drops covering the scene I think I found it. The only problem I have with the end results is that again I've struggled to get the focus right, yes I've captured the reflection well but I also wanted the patterns formed by the rain drops to also be in focus which sadly on closer inspection it just isn't. This seems to be an area where I could do with some more practice at this stage because I don't seem to be able to find the happy medium with the focus in these kind of shots.

The photos that follow are ones taken and added after reflecting on Tutors comments for my 5th Assignment.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/9

Expo- 200sec

ISO- 640

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 22mm

With this photo I wanted to focus on the bank erosion, what I think this image does well is that it clear shows the degradation of the bank but it also gives insight into one of the reasons for this problem with the clear footprints left by cattle in the forground.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/8

Expo- 200secs

ISO- 640

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 24mm

I think this is one of the better photos illustrating the problems along the river because in it I've capture two of the main factors in the erosion and lack of up keep of the banks and at this time of year especially the clogging up of the river with fresh reed growth. Its a good image for these reasons but also with the reeds in the river being flatten in flow of the water it also gives a sense of movement without the use of a long exposure.

  Tech. Details

F-stops- f/10

Expo- 200secs

ISO- 640

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 37mm

Here I simply wanted to focus on the reeds that grow and block the river during the summer month increasing the risk of flooding, again as above I feel there's a sense of movement created by the direction the reed is being forced in but also I liked the added reflections giving another layer of depth to the shot.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/7.1

Expo- 160sec

ISO- 640

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

Above I wanted to illustrate how the village being so close to the river can produce issues, here you can clearly see that the flood plain of the Swarbourne has greatly been reduced by the fact that development has been aloud to take place on it. The majority of this has happen in the past 50 years or so when less concern to these kind of problems were ever given but now we have to live with the problems created.

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Major Project Part 5- The River.

The Swarbourne River runs right through the heart of Yoxall as it makes its way east to join the Trent on the very out skirts of the village, on its way it passes through many of the areas I've already covered and effects the landscape in different ways as it makes this journey. With this section I didn't really know how I was going to approach it in the beginning because I new that I didn't want to go down the path of just looking for scenic river view because the area doesn't lend itself to that kind of photo so I took a little time to walk the area well and get an idea of what the personality of the river was.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/6.3

Expo- 125sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 21mm

The first thing that became plainly apparent to me was the fact that the river desperately needs some TLC, an example of the kind of problems I came across can be seen above in the shape of a cattle bridge that is beginning to crumble and collapse. What amazes me is that this bridge is used nearly everyday yet you can see the lumps of brick lying on the river bed and the way the whole structure is covered in ivy which can't be helping the problem. Its a good shot because it highlights the problem well but I like the way it also shows how nature can taken hold in a very short space of time. 

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/32

Expo- 2sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 75mm

Here it's the contrast between the smooth fast following water and the rough wall of the bank that create a interesting view, I used long exposure and a grad filter to create this shot because I really wanted to use the water in some way to once again create something a little abstract. Although it doesn't really fit into the theme of the river being in need of some attention it does highlight the nature of the river in a different respect because the movement makes it feel far more alive.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/10

Expo- 320sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 21mm

Moving back to the main theme here I wanted to show the opposite to the above rushing water but at the same time how natural factor are effecting the river. Here you can see the beings of a bend forming in the river, this makes the water slow and increases the lightly hood of flooding in the area because the increased water can't flow away quickly as it should. In this case the bend has been formed as animals (mainly cows) come down to drink at the same spot over and over again flatting the bank down into the river thous forming an ingress into the water and a bend forms. This is a problem for the farmer but what they don't seem to understand is that as they slow the river water beyond the village it forces flood water back up stream and increases the chances of flooding within the village itself.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/9

Expo- 250sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

This next shot actually shows a section of the river within the village that has been partially blocked dew to fallen tree branches and general rubbish that's found its way in over time. These kind of blockages seem to take for ever to get sorted because there's continual arguments between the landowners the river is running through and the Environment Agency about who's responsibility it is to clean these areas up.

  

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/9

Expo- 320sec

ISO- 100

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 18mm

The final shot in this section shows the end results when these factors I've talked about aren't addressed, I took this the other year when last we had a lot of rain in the area that resulted in flooding. It didn't actually this time reach the village but you can see the effect its had on the surrounding farmland beyond all because what you'd consider the simple task of keeping a stretch of river clear and able to run wasn't kept up.

I'm really happy with how this section is shaping up because it highlights an issue there is within the area, for many people living here it isn't that major a concern but I live in an area that the last time it did flood majorly the water was lapping up the fence panels at the side of the house and we did worry for a while that maybe for the first time ever the water might just reach us. Changes were made straight after this to the section running through the village to make it flow better like deepening and clearing it out but now as the years have past its starting once more to fall into the state you see above and you just have to wonder why doesn't anyone seem to care and will it only be a matter of time until history repeats itself (that's of course if we don't have a major drought this summer which at the minute is looking like it could be possible).

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New Work For Major Project Part 3.

Below are some new images for Part 3 of my Major Project which is focusing on the Agricultural aspects of the landscape surrounding my home.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/8

Expo- 640sec

ISO- 400

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 230mm

At this time of year one farm in the village becomes particularly busy, this is because its Lambing season. I wanted to stay away from the kind of photos you find alot of on this subject, this beginning the kind of stuff where there's groups of lambs skipping and jumping around a field or lying in a load of daffodils. What I wanted was something a bit different and in the above shot I think I found just what I was after, what I like is the way the mother seems to be keeping a watchful eye on her lamb from a distance.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/13

Expo- 400sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 47mm

They've started planting Potatoes now in a few spots around and about and these fields always offer up some good shots because you can make use of the long straight parallel lines that are produced as they plant. In the first image above I've avoided looking straight down the rows but instead position myself at a bit of an angle because you get a feel for them slopping away downhill in this position while at the same time capturing some of the surrounding landscape. Add to this the good sky and I've got a very useful final image.

Tech. Details

F-stops- f/14

Expo- 500sec

ISO- 500

Expo Bias- 0 steps

Focal Length- 47mm

The second image is taken from the same field but with the framing altered to take in a different aspect of the area. Here I liked the curving nature of the field lines but at the same time the way I could include a small area of the village making a visual connection between the two parts. I really like the way that by a simple change of position these two images can feel so completely different but be taken in the same place.

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Major Project Change Of Plans.

I'd originally planned to look at the village at night as a section in my Major Project but over the past week I've come to discover that I'm not happy with how my work on this subject is progressing and I'm now at a point where I'm questioning whether it's the right chose as a subject because I don't want to end up with a part of my project that brings down the hard work I've already put in. The problem that I discovered is that I couldn't come up with the variety that I found in my other sections, the images that I found work best were all along the similar idea of how buildings and areas of the village appear under the different light conditions you find at night. The best two being the images you see below.

Both are reasonable photos but everything else I tried just seemed to be repeating the same kind of views over and over and not really expanding on the subject. So after a short conversation with my tutor I've come to the decision that I'm going to scrape this idea and use a back up theme that I'd come up with in case this kind of problem arose. The changes I'm going to make are as follows-

1. The first section in My Major Project called By Day I'm now going to rename The Village and include what few images I've produced while trying to work on my Night section. I think this is the best option as it means that I haven't wasted my time on what work I've already produced and it'll expand my first section still further.
2. To replace my Night section I'll now be working on a section under the title of The River.

In this new section called The River I'll be looking at the River Swarbourne which runs right through the village and joins the river Trent near the southern boarder of the village. Its know great river but it still forms part of what makes the village what it is as it runs through both the urban and rural areas effecting them both in its own ways, plus with the lack of rain throughout the country of late (although as I write this its throwing it down outside) its running at a lower level then normal which again makes it an interesting and relevant subject matter at this time.

Hopefully these changes can only improve my Project at a time when I was beginning to be concerned about the route my work was taking. I'm feeling alot happy about the final sections now and can't feel and see the whole project coming together as I approach the final stages.

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Project 9: Change Second Attempt.

When I first attempted this project a while ago now my tutor wasn't convinced by my approach and recommended that I have another think on it and try and use it to build on my work for my Major Project in some way. Because my Major Project is kind of evolving into almost a study of change in my home village it seems a sensible step to take so below I've produced some images where this idea was in my mind.


To start with I thought about looking at the same scene during the day and then at night to see how the change effected it, to be honest this is a similar idea to what I originally set out to do looking at seasonal change in a landscape but in this case I've focused it on the same lines as my Major Project to make it more relevant

.

What you see above are two near exactly the same view of one of the local pubs, the day view seems quiet dull and uninteresting in the fact you could almost believe the place has been abandoned, while the night view by the simple act of turning the lights on makes the place seem much more alive and functional. In truth when I first considered this idea I'd imagine that come the night view there'd by far more a presents of people being there's only two pubs in the village and they still make up a focal point of the community but I was a little surprised to find this view isn't strictly correct. Time and again you hear about how drinking pubs are slowly dying out with cheap booze available everywhere and more and more people choosing to stay at home and do there drinking. I never imagine this was true here but as you can see in the night view although the place seems more alive at the same time it looks completely deserted. It's worrying but like the local farming as I've already seen diversification is the only way to survive, in this example at least the pub is slowly becoming more reliant on the food it serves and on the bed and breakfast it offers while also using it's prime location in the heart of the village to it's advantage in gaining passing trade. Will both pubs survive in the long term? I highly doubt it but only time will tell.


Another example of change in the village that is possible more appropriate to look at is one I'm covering more closely in my Major Project in which farm land is being given over to the National Forest Project (see relevant Major Project section for more detail), this is possibly the biggest change facing the area today so it makes it a obvious choice to look at.

What you see here is a fairly familiar view to anyone from the area in that what was prime farmland 5-10 years ago has fallen out of use and now past into the hands of the National Forest Scheme. I don't want to repeat myself as I've already gone over this point in my Major Project section but what I haven't look at is whether I agree its the right thing to do. This area shown was once farmed by my Grandad and Dad as a child but over time it passed on to other local farmer and became less and less used. If left to itself it'd just end up as a mass of scrub land of no use to anyone so in this case the scheme can be seen as a rescue to land that otherwise would go to waste. Its also good because it encourages wildlife back into areas where modern farming methods had driven it away but I'm still left with the feeling that with a growing population throughout the country losing valuable farmland that isn't going to be available for use in a hurry isn't maybe the best idea. I think at this time its the best option but I fear in the long run we might regret not helping the farmers financially, to carry on might have been a better course then planting trees. 

Major Project Planning Part 5- At Night.

For the second to last part of my Major Project I wanted to look at how the village appears during the hours of darkness, when I first came up with this idea I felt it'd make a good contrast against the daytime images and would give a stronger feel for the area.Then I started thinking in more detail about what I'm actually going to do and I'm beginning to have a few creative problems because what else is there to look at other than how say an area or building is lit during this time. When you have a look about at what other people have created using a similar theme you find a lot of what I would call light trail images, these being long exposures capturing head/tail lights of vehicles as they pass by. Another thing you find a lot of is star trail views where some one has taken a particular scene where they can capture a large section of a clear night sky and then using again a long exposure    capture the movement of the sky this way. I like these kind of images a fancy having a crack at something similar but at the same time I'd like to think that I'll be able to create something original along with it. I'm starting to get the distinct feeling this is going to be the most challenging section to get my head into and be able to come up with work that is as good as I've already produced will really push me. This isn't a bad thing but I worry if I don't get it right it'll have an effect on how the whole project will appear.


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