Filling the Frame: Continuing Adventures in DSLR

Down by the Canal (well, River)

Last Thursday I wrote about my first real efforts to get out there and make real my New Year's Resolutions on photography. I'm pleased to say, nearly a week later, I've managed to keep hold my resolve, despite the inevitable dip that comes from re-joining the ranks of the so-called strivers in January.

So what have I been up to, I hear you ask? A couple of things, mainly. Firstly, I've brushed off the metaphorical dust from my Canon DSLR user manual and got re-acquainted with its many, many features. I now realise I've only using a fraction of what the camera has to offer. I now realise I definitely need to put away the flights of fancy I have every now and again about upgrading my camera until I can actually get the most from the equipment I've already got.

Importantly for me, I've also been making a conscious effort not to over-think my photography and instead put that time into practising taking shots. Hardly radical thinking but it's amazing how easy it is to get caught up in the detail and lose sight of why you actually wanted to take photographs in the first place.

Indoor Photography Master-class

It was with this thought in mind that I started taking some shots inside my flat last Friday afternoon, just as the sun was beginning to set.

The first few shots I took were simply of an assembled Ikea chair, with a reggae poster on the wall and, rested up against the wall, a still to be assembled chair in a box lurking in the background.

Shooting on Manual, I chose a very shallow depth of field (f1.8) and focused on the chair before re-composing so that the subject would not be slap-bang in the middle of the frame. After reading the manual, I had a clearer idea of how the controls worked and was to adjust the shutter speed in order to ensure the shot came out properly exposed.

Portrait of an Ikea chair

After getting a nice result with this shot I then had another play at re-arranging the scene to bring one of the frames on the wall into focus. Again, I chose to work at f1.8 and then re-compose. While I'm pleased with the shot I got I am not entirely clear whether 1.8 was a 'good' option. Over the coming year I hope to get a better idea of when to choose a very shallow depth of field and when I would be better off selecting a smaller aperture.

Roots of Reggae in fine focus? Possibly not

Down by the River*

As fascinating as the Ikea chair was, I knew that if I am to actually develop my photography this year I would have to step outside of my flat. This startling revelation led me to bring my camera to work on Tuesday and take some photographs down on the canal close to the convention centre.

As luck would have it, Tuesday wasn't the most photogenic of days. That didn't stop me getting a few nice of narrow boats while on my lunch break. After seeing the boats lined up in a row I saw an opportunity to test out different depths of field and shifting the focal point to get a different look.

f 2.8 with a focus on the purple narrow boat

f22 this time, again focusing on the purple boat

Back to f2.8 but with a focus on the furthest away boat

* technically a canal.

Next Steps

Overall, I'm pleased with the progress I've made so far in taking my photography more seriously. Through the shots I've taken over the past week I've proven to myself that I can take shots on Manual mode and, with a bit of perseverance, get them to come out looking quite respectable.

Next up, my challenge is to get more comfortable adjusting the camera settings and to start to get a better idea of how I decide which settings work best in particular scenarios. I hope to get the opportunity to take some photos this weekend as currently my calendar is looking less than crowded. I will let you know how I get on.

As ever, comments and suggestions are most welcome. A big thanks to Karen Strunks last week for the encouragement and tips. If you've not come across Karen's work in photography and social media you can check out her website at:: http://www.karenstrunks.com/

Dial M for Manual: Adventures in DSLR

I read on Twitter this afternoon that if you stick to something for more than 13 weeks it's likely to be a long term habit. This really made me think I've got to work at making photography my habit if I'm to have any chance of realising my New Year's resolutions in this area. Spurred on by this unsettling thought, I set out this evening after work on my quest to become Birmingham's answer to Henri Cartier-Bresson.

No Sleep 'Til Birmingham

My new city showing some pride

 It's become a bit of a cliche/increasingly trite opening (delete according to your disposition) for me to start off any post with an apology for not keeping my blog up-to-date. You'll be pleased to know I'm not going to go down that route today. Instead, I'll like to tell you a bit about what I've been up to over the past couple of months.

Those of you who know me in real life or from Twitter are probably aware that back in May I undertook a pretty major life change and moved with my girlfriend from glorious South East London to England's second city, otherwise known as Birmingham.

The Tipping Point

Sadly the South Circular did not offer any such reassurance

We decided to make the switch for a few different reasons but probably the biggest one was quality of life. For the past couple of years it has seemed as though every weekend has involved travelling the length of the country to visit friends and family who lived outside of London. After a particularly nerve-shredding trip back along the South Circular after a friend's wedding in Stockton something inside us clicked. Wouldn't we be better off finding a way of living (and working) that didn't so closely resemble planes, trains and automobiles?

It was at this point that we started to seriously consider the possibility of moving out of London. To galvanise ourselves we made a pact; whoever landed a job first would determine where we ended up and the other would hand in their notice. Seeing as I was working freelance at the time I'm not sure it was the fairest of deals. Still, who am I to quibble when it give us the push to start believing we really could get our act together?

By some miracle, in next to no time I saw (well, technically it was Sarah ) a role going at Groundwork, the community charity with the green heart. Located in Birmingham and with the suitably on-trend words Innovation and Collaboration in the job title, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I'm pleased to say I was called for an interview and, on the day, managed to woo the panel with my experience of social innovation and my fondness for all things Web 2.0 (I'm afraid to say I may even have bandied about this term ). All of a sudden, our dream of starting a new life outside of London was actually happening.

Keep It Moving

Moving day in Forest Hill. Note the Sainsbury's elephant bag.

 In the interests of brevity and out of respect for you the reader it's probably best that I gloss over the shenanigans of our move. Sufficed to say, I'm very grateful to my big sister, who also lives in Birmingham, for letting us stay with her while we looked for a flat. I'm even more grateful to Sarah for the amazing work she did researching and viewing flats.

Since I Left You

London 2012 fever hits Birmingham

 So what's been happening since I bid farewell to SE23? Mainly, I've been focused on settling into my new role at Groundwork. I'm still settling in  but overall I love working for an organisation which has such a positive impact on local communities. If you're not a regular Gardener's World viewer (and if not, why not?), I highly recommend you check out the award-winning work superstar horticulturist Chris Beardshaw  has been doing with Groundwork, as part of our Urban Oasis campaign.

Cliff working the crowd at the Olympic torch relay in Edgbaston

Other than work, I've been settling into life in Birmingham and taking advantage of the fact that both my sisters live in the city to enjoy more family time. So far, I'm finding Birmingham agrees with me. I can walk to work in the morning rather than squeeze onto the Overground And after work, I'm but a stone's throw a way from any number of lovely bars and restaurants. And while I'm not going to suggest Birmingham can match London for cultural happenings, I've already been able to get along to see some great live music, attended a design expo and an abstract photography course, saw Cliff light the Olympic torch and,  just last night, an amazing British Reggae evening featuring the likes of Dennis Bovell and Steel Pulse. Not bad for Birmingham, eh?

Part of the Art In The Dancehall exhibition at The Drum in Aston, where I also saw Steel Pulse, Dennis Bovell and Tippa Irie

Looking ahead, I'm hopeful Sarah and I will settle into life in Birmingham and will be able to enjoy a good quality of life while still doing rewarding work. Now that I'm feeling more settled in Birmingham I hope to blog more frequently about the work I'm involved with at Groundwork and life in England's second city.

Life is what happens to you while you're making other plans (to blog about stuff) Pt. 2

Sly and Jasper relaxing on the set of Sly and Reggie's Dub Save The Queen video shoot

Okay, so I realised today that it's been the best part of a month since I last blogged on Intensely Relaxed. Appropriately enough, my last post was about life being what happens to you while you're making other plans (to blog about stuff). True to form, just as things have gotten interested I've gone quiet on the personal blogging front. So what's been happening, I hear you ask?