Photography For Enjoyment. Hints, tips and explanatory videos about improving techniques, searching out inspirational subjects and analysis of images. The intention is to encourage viewers to make use of whatever equipment might be in their bags, to appreciate that good photos can be made on ANY equipment, regardless of age and cost. Many of my images can be seen here on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/alancphotography/
Hi Alan , I think you have a great format, photography and history go well together, I subscribe to loads of photography videos which I watch at ramdom, yours is the only channel where I actually look forward to the next video published, I don't mind indoors or outside, the variety of content keeps it fresh, when we are outdoors with you It feels like we are on a photo walk, on photo walks we take photos, chat about cameras, the weather, history and even photography. Great stuff, Take care, Alan.
Hi, Alan, and another quick update, today my wife took a tour of the radio tower, I told her she could get some nice pictures from up top and forced her to watch this video for tips, 😂, anyway she enjoyed it. So what did she think of those three photos you took where you ended up converting the final one to black and white because you didn't like the results in colour? Well she said she liked the ones in colour better, so there you go. I think it might have been a dull day today which might help with the reflecting glass problem? She's up there with a Olympus camera with a 12mm to 200mm lens.. Cheers Alan.
I hope your good lady got some good shots from the tower, that 12-200mm lens would be ideal for the job! Just as an aside, I have often found that people in general are so used to seeing images in colour that black & white ones look 'odd'; maybe its just us photographers that go for them in this modern interconnected world?
I do think portraits can look great in B/W but sometimes find it difficult which to decide when dealing with other subjects, like you say we could be conditioned from our childhood memories of B/W photos, much like many of us say we like the look of the older colour photos from from the days of film, perhaps our vision is clouded by our nostalgia for those days of our youth. Perhaps in the future sometime you could give us your take on getting the best look from B/W photography. Cheers Alan.
HI, Alan , a quick update, recently i have been Visiting Chester frequently, I search the tube for information tips history of places I am going to visit, did a lot of Chester history searches, loads of results some good some bad, it then occurred to me why didn't your channel pop up in my searches, I knew you had done this visit so I tried to find it with the search, only when I put in Chester and photography did it pop up, maybe you need to put history in your keywords as well ? Your channel is far more informative than some of the other quite amateur results that were offered to me and i think it deserves to be seen by a wider audience. Cheers.
Videography over photography hasn’t ever happened to me. Seems like both are of the same importance. If I’m being honest, (in my opinion) your channel has changed from when I first started watching it. It’s more a history channel theses days, with photography tossed in here and there. I’m pretty sure the history you show and tell holds more interest to viewers on your side of The Big Pond than it does here, understandably so. 😎💜😎 Who is/was Heath Robinson? As a Navy Submarine Veteran, your piece regarding the sub was very interesting. 👍🏼👍🏼
I try to vary it TC. What I don't ever want to become is just another "Why you should buy this/use that camera" kind of channel. My aim is to get people out using their gear. Sure there has been lots of history lately but I always try to give hints on actual photography along the way; you have only to look back at my vintage lens video, or when I went to the boat museum with the Sony A7 to find actual photographic opinions and advice. Next week you will see me out at night with zero history!
Another very enjoyable video Alan, don’t stress over the channel's format, your combination of history and photography is absolutely perfect and the two definitely go hand in hand in my opinion. As far as the cannon at 1:00 PM goes, I don’t need one, because that’s exactly when my mother-in-law raids the liquor cabinet. By the way, great images. Be well.
I think the naval saying is "If the sun is over the yard-arm, then its time to break out the rum". Your mother-in-law sounds like she's got it right! Thank you as always Enrique.
another fascinating chat Alan. you get the balance between history and photography absolutely spot on. on that 1pm gun, I would imagine there are fastidiously kept records / logs of its operation going back many, many years, no doubt signed and then countersigned by a superintendent, and then further checked by someone!! I remember when I worked in the Audit section of the old City Treasurer's Department in Swansea Council, back in the 1980s, finding old record books in our basement from the days when absolutely everything was journaled, etc. wonderful old stuff from stuffier times of the old clerk, and a succession of line managers!!
That's an interesting thought Nick, I guess the records are either up at the observatory still, or more likely stored away in the records department somewhere. I do wonder what happened to the 'operator' if he/she was late triggering the cannon!
I started my photography 'journey' exactly where you were (back in 2015). I worked as a civil servant just off Hamilton Square and would walk round there in my lunch hour. At the time I used a Nikon D1x (doubt I could even carry that thing now, it was a heavy beast lol).
made for wearing on a waist-belt maybe? I've got a Peak Design one (Ulanzi / Falcam make a similar one - and the camera mounts are cross compatible with PD) which I swear by. It is rock solid. Not cheap, but well made and worth it for the piece of mind 🙂
Almost certainly is Nick, I ordered one especially to go with it but it's not perfect; I will clear it all up when I do the longer video. It is rather different to PD/Ulanzi types as you will see (and not better!)
That wasn't me Alan, somehow the word Fireguard has been turned into an affiliate link, please delete if you don't want it, I have no connections to the said item.
Thanks for the review. I've just bought the Pansonic G9 Mark II. I'm dusting off my older micro four thirds lenses that I used to use on the G80 and GX80 cameras. I'm looking for a mid telephoto range lens that is light and this 100-300 mm is a potential buy. Can you confirm that this Pansonic lens' Image Stabilization system works with your Olympus/ OM systems camera's IBIS?
Hello Zoya and thanks for the question. Panasonic lenses on Olympus bodies will not "talk" to each other when considering I.S. Please note this is my own experience with the E-M1ii + this lens and unless things have changed with OM Systems OM-1 and/or Panasonics firmware updates (highly unlikely), then you will have to utilize either IBIS or lens O.I.S. In my case I opt for the lens O.I.S. out of preference, especially when reaching out to the 600mm end of its range. Hope that helps!
Watched from beginning to end,Loved this week's episode, and interesting behind the scenes look at your video editing process , I will definitely look into davinci as It seems to be a much better than what I've been using, thanks again Alan
Oh my Karl, it was a bit 'cobbled-together'. The idea was to hopefully get a few people less afraid of video editing! I haven't used FCP or any alternatives, for my own use Resolve is more than adequate and there are plenty of very good videos taking you through the process (much better than I did!).
Very interesting Alan, you showed some basic tools to put together a video. It looks like you have plenty of tools here in the free version, there seems no point buying the full version until one is proficient using the free. Thanks for the effort here and I enjoyed watching the end results. Anyhow I feel a bit guilty now for previously asking you to provide some extra shooting data on your photos, you do enough work as it is. Just remembered what do we think of your subscribe bit at the end. Why not, everyone else does, it might just remind someone who has watched the video through, I don't like it when the interrupt a video one minute in, at the end is just a gentle reminder for those that that have watched it in full. Cheers Alan 🍻
Thank you Steve. On the 27th of October there will be a 28 minute video where I do put a lot of exif data on screen, and the images stay on screen for longer. It is quite a lot more work, but if people like it then more will follow - as will the 'subscribe' button right at the very end.
Nice to see your video editing workflow Alan. I’m curious to know why you don’t use the right side for the timeline video and the left side for viewing clips?
Mainly TC it's how I got used to it from day one. I have a lot of stills to upload and include as I compile the video, as well as the audio tracks so I just find it easier now to use it this way. As I say, there are probably better ways to use it, this is just how I have got my old brain around it!
Very interesting video/tutorial, I did watch the entire 33.27 to see how you, Nick (and others) put a video together for you-tube, too much work, I’ll stick to photographing iguanas. As far as adding the “subscribe” button and the bell “thing” I believe that it’s a good idea. Be well.
I’d tried Resolve a couple of times but retreated to iMovie. Just downloading Resolve again to give it another go! Can you add the links for the free “add-ons” for still image processing please?
Look for @MrAlexTech channel would be my first suggestion Andrew, he has LOTS of very useful hints n tips videos. I think (hope) the one that highlights the still effects is here; ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--kVbMTG9gGk.htmlsi=o_e86Ss6D5GF3CuB . His free zoom effect one is here; ru-vid.comwj7qejI2d4Y?si=jVon7P6T4jP7DSx9
@@photographyforenjoyment Thanks. Got it. BTW, my view on the "Please Subscribe" idea ... rather than fading to black at the end of the video, fade into a static frame from your title page and the. run the animation for subscribe. It doesn't detract from the main video and, if people have watched up that point, it may be an appropriate time to ask them to subscribe (and for those who don't watch to the end ... they won't see it anyway!). Finally, even short videos from Da Vinci Resolve generate massive files (.MOV or .MP4) ... how big is your typical video for uploading to RU-vid?
interesting insight into your process Alan - even to a non DVR user 🙂 you certainly put more hard work into your editing than I do! I think it's something you have to really enjoy, and while I put myself in that category I only do basic edits in iMovie. I recently subscribed (again) to FCP on my iPad, and now I have a dongle enabling me to connect my iPad to my monitor and connect an external drive to my iMac I need to sit down for a day and get a workflow sorted. on the "subscribe" issue, it's been proven that if you ask people to subscribe then more do!! it's that simple. personally the more subs / views my channel gets the more uncomfortable I become with the whole thing, as along with the nice, decent people and comments comes an increase in the opposite to those 😞 Anyway, I'd be interested in a desk tour and to know how you store your images and video footage - I love that sort of thing!!
Thanks as always for your honest opinions Nick. The editing does take a long time for sure and thankfully it is something I do enjoy. In fact, I find the hardest part when doing a 'location' visit, is actually figuring out what I want to say (to camera) in order to get the story across! If I could organise a storyboard it might help! As for storage, I copied your set-up with (at the moment!) one Seagate Hub, a 500Gb SSD and a 500Gb HDD. So thank you for pointing me at the Seagate Hub, it is excellent!
Great shots Alan. Loving the Cormorant and the diagonals. I’m also a fan of primes and have 24, 35, 45 & 75mm FE full frame modern versions from Tamron & Samyang (great value), which I can also use on my Sony APSC as 36, 52, 67 & 112mm equivalents.
Thanks David, your own selection of primes is more comprehensive than mine, possibly with the exception of the Laowa 6mm which I also use in tight locations.
I’m enjoying your channel Alan, having recently tried film again after c.30 years! I’ve got the Sony a7 mkii & an a6500 so have been enjoying my collection of vintage lenses on FF & APSC for a while. Have also a Spotmatic loaded, which I’m looking forward to testing.
Thank you David, good to hear from another Spotmatic owner! I hope you can find other videos of interest to you, I have done a couple now featuring vintage lenses.
I had one of these years ago, im baffled why people wow about the lens, images taken through it were prone to barreling...fun camera though, it was a cheap way of getting experience with an slr....
I have to agree with you - to a point. The lens has become 'desirable' mainly due to its shortcomings, as shooting with old lenses has become fashionable; it does have a fairly unique way of rendering out of focus backgrounds. As for the camera itself? Well yes, it was/is a cheap way to get into SLR photography and in 2024 there are many old cameras that will give a much more pleasurable experience.
Hi Alan. Looks like you have a really interesting channel. New subscriber! Thanks for sharing. I always like the commentary from ex professionals. Looking forward to checking out your catalogue.
@@photographyforenjoyment I've researched for why this is happening and the answer is simpe. UK people pay more for anything because they can afford to. That's the simple and straight forward answer. I've oreder a manual lens recently from China for £150. In UK it's around £250 for the same lens, so even if I buy only 1 piece from thousands of miles away it's still nearly half the price to get it at my door, it might take longer to get it there but it's outrageous if you think about it.
This was also my first serious camera that I bought from my brother so this was nice walk down memory lane. Thanks for sharing. This camera led me to a Leica M3 with a 1.5 lens and from there to Nikon SLR’s. And yes it was a great camera and I enjoyed it using it very much. Great review. Regards Gerry
Really enjoy your channel Alan. Your channel is for one thing - enjoy yourself. Your not telling us what we are doing wrong, you are not telling us what gear is wrong, your simple message is have fun and enjoy photography. I work overseas but when I am back in the UK I never rent a car and always use public transport. Thank you so much for creating a channel all about getting outside and just stopping to smell the roses. All the best and looking forward to seeing more videos from you. Cheers...Jim
Thank you so much Jim! Before I started doing this I got frustrated that so many photography channels did concentrate a lot on equipment. YT has become a 'reviewers dream' for a lot of manufacturers! So yes, to me its about getting out there with whatever gear you own, looking for photos but also enjoying the environment.
Hello Alan, a nicely paced video, I thought it was just about the right length for the the information conveyed, my only criticism and this is just my slow processor of a brain, I would liked to have to seen the photos at the end for just a few seconds longer and I also like to see the lens, aperture/ shutter information, with enough time to read it, which I think is educational when viewing a picture. Oggie Oggie Oggie, isn't that some sort of football chant, is there a connection to this place? Cheers Alan, keep well..😃
No exact connection to this location Steve as far as I know. It is a chant and it's usually followed by "Oi Oi Oi". I'm considering putting more exposure/lens information up in future videos Steve, maybe not for run-of-the-mill shots but definitely for ones that are more extreme. I will gladly leave the stills on screen for longer (as long as they aren't rubbish!).
No worries Alan, you do your videos as you see fit, in truth if I want to see a picture for longer I can always play youtube at slower speed, I'm probably just slower than some at processing what I see, when my wife looks at the TV guide on TV, I'm sometimes amazed at how fast she can see whats on, I can't keep up with her. 😃 , cheers 🍻.
I usually apply borders using Nik Collection from DXO once I have completed edits. I wish I could tell you the pixel widths but I use image border style 14 and reduce the width by 20%
I tend to edit photos first in either On1 or Affinity to get them the way I like, and then batch process them in Nik Collection to add the borders; I also occasionally make use of other effects filters in Nik and/or convert to mono in the Silver Effects software from the same people.
As you know, I don’t really like Nick, but this time I have to agree with him, the video is too short. Very nice images, you definitely have an eye (or two) for those detail shots, and I like how you got rid of that blue “thing” for the black and white conversion of the bricks. Be well.
I see, you guys are ganging up on me now 😂. "Must try Harder" often appeared on my school report as well Enrique so I will try my best in future! Stay safe and well my friend.
you picked my favourite Beatles song (along with When My Guitar Gently Weeps) so thank you 🙂 fascinating area and I loved the intro where you faded the old into new. it's not changed. also fascinating to hear about salt production in the area. Anglesey (my ancestral home on my maternal side) is now world famous for its sea salt. only one criticism - the video is too short Alan!!
Yet another reply vanishes, wish I knew why! Anyway, thank you Nick. It is an interesting spot and knowing about the salt works came as a surprise to me as well! As for Anglesey Sea Salt, I believe the couple behind that company also started the Sea Zoo, which we frequented a lot back in the 80's when my kids were young.
In my opinion in 2024/5 it is viable only for someone starting out and on a budget. The improvements in every area of camera design (even over the last 5 years, never mind 17!) mean that users will become frustrated very quickly with one of these. Do they still offer the ability to produce good images? YES. Are they fast with good ergonomics? NO.
Good video with some nice comparison photos. I disagree with you re the a7. I have the a7iii and I use it, like you with vintage lenses and I think the focus assist is one of the best. I don’t have much Sony glass as, also like you I use other kit for autofocus shots, mainly Olympus and Fujifilm. So it’s horses for courses and long may all this variety exist. Cheers, Terry.
Well Terry there are big differences between your A7iii and the original, hence my comment about poor autofocus. However, I agree that m/f assist is very good and of course I also agree with you on variety, it is the spice of life after all. Thanks for commenting!
