The Cotswolds – Gypsy Horse Fair, Stow-on-the-Wold, 2009

This ancient gypsy horse fair has, since 1476, attracted hundreds of Romany Gypsies to the small and idyllic town of Stow-on-the-Wold, in the Cotswolds.

The fair is a bi-annual one day event, which takes place on the nearest Thursday to 12^th May and again on the nearest Thursday to October 24th. These dates were decided upon by charter, the feast of Saints Philip and James in May and the feast of St. Edward the Confessor in October.

Although horses are still traded at the fair the emphasis these days tends to be more along the lines of a meet and greet affair. The people are friendly and very approachable; many will happily chat and pose for pictures – if you ask them nicely.

Special thanks to Rob who did all the driving on the day and to Bob & Peter for giving us a MasterClass in Photography. T’was a pleasure to watch you work, hope to do it again sometime.

Shooting Infrared images with a Nikon Coolpix 995

Having decided not to go to the expense of having one of my DSLR’s converted to shoot infrared, instead, I decided to have a go at doing a conversion myself. The camera I had chosen to convert was the Nikon Coolpix 995. Although these cameras were quite expensive in their day you can pick them up relatively cheaply on e-bay. Because I’d never attempted anything like this before, I was reluctant to pay too much for my 995. I set myself a messily budget of just 50 quid, not a lot of cash granted, but enough if it all ends up in the dustbin! Like I said, I’ve never done this before. . .

Copyright © John Powell BPE3 . All Rights Reserved

The Coolpix 995 I won on e-bay set me back just over 30 quid and to my surprise was in pretty good condition. It came with 2 new batteries, a leather case and the manual, none of which I was expecting for £30.50 pence! In fact, it was in such good condition it was a shame to dismantle it.

The reason for dismantling the camera is to remove the infrared blocking filter, known as the hot mirror. With the hot mirror removed the CCD inside the camera will be sensitive to light-waves up to about 900nm. Because Infrared wavelengths start just beyond the deepest reds of the spectrum at 700nm we need to block out all light-waves below that figure. To do this we replace the hot mirror filter with a 720nm infrared filter. Once this has been done the camera will be just as sensitive to IR wave-lengths as it was to normal light before.

Copyright © John Powell BPE3 . All Rights Reserved

Dismantling the camera is pretty straight forward, once you know where the screws are! In fact, only eight screws hold the body casing together with only another two screws holding down the circuit board, located just above the sensor.

The hot mirror is held in place by means of a square rubber grommet, you will need to remove the hot mirror and use as a template to cut your IR filter too. Note: your new IR filter must be the exact same size as the hot mirror filter it is replacing. Once this has been done re-assemble the camera in reverse order and make a few test shots to see if all went according to plan?

Copyright © John Powell BPE3 . All Rights Reserved

Now! All that sounds pretty straight forward, but it did take me almost four hours to do my conversion, simply because I had no previous experience. If I had to do another 995 conversion I reckon I could do it in under an hour, no sweat!

As for the results, well they’re pretty amazing too. By setting up a custom white balance in camera you will remove most of the red cast caused by the filter and your images will become almost monochromatic, reminiscent of those taken on high speed infrared film.

Copyright © John Powell BPE3 . All Rights Reserved

The beauty of digital infrared is that you can process them in many different ways depending on your mood at the time. However, the best thing for me is I now have a full converted IR camera, which cost less than 50 quid and I don’t have to carry a tripod around with me every time I want to shoot IR.

Copyright © John Powell BPE3 . All Rights Reserved

Just one word of warning! If you decide to have a go and convert your own digital camera don’t blame me if it goes horribly wrong! I took a risk and it paid off. Nevertheless, if you value your camera and you don’t want to lose it, have it converted by a pro!

Larger and more detailed images can be seen by visiting my Flickr Photostream . .

Shooting Infrared with a Nikon Coolpix 700

My interest in infrared photography goes back a fair few years, having shot my first roll of Kodak High Speed IR film some 20 odd years ago. My results back then were pretty much unpredictable, but today things are quite different. You can, with practice, get a very good indication of how your images are going to turn out, just by looking at the screen on the back of your camera. However, not all cameras are equal! In fact, some are down right useless!

Much has been written over the past few years regarding the suitability of digital cameras for infrared photography. One particular make and model that stands head and shoulders above all others is the Olympus C-2020, which has a Sony a 2.1 mega-pixel sensor.  What a lot of photographers don’t realise is that Sony also made the same 2.1 mp sensor for other companies too.

Nikon fitted this same sensor to some of their early digital cameras; notably the Coolpix 700, 800 and 950. Sony also placed this sensor into their S50 too. As you would expect the results from these cameras are pretty much the same. The only difference you’ll find is in the price! Because the C-2020 has risen to world wide acclaim for being the most sensitive digital camera to IR light so too have their price. Expect to pay around £100 for a good working model, but remember, you have to add one the cost of your lens adapter and Infrared filter too.

The shelf life of most digital cameras is around 2-3 years, after which most people either don’t use them any more or they stick ‘em on e-bay! After a fair amount of searching this is where I found my Nikon Coolpix 700. I paid – believe it or not, just £7.20 for it! OK, It came with a busted battery catch, but a phone call to Nikon soon put that right.

The lens on the Coolpix 700 has a filter thread of 24mm, finding an IR filter that small is pretty much impossible so be prepared to improvise! Because I’ve been shooting IR for a long time I have several IR filters in a number of different sizes. The smallest of which is 58mm (750nm) filter, which for my trial shots, I fixed the filter to the camera using 2 small rubber bands! Not the most aesthetic way to approach the matter, but it worked all the same.

I have since made a custom filter holder out of a round plastic bung, the type used for plugging the ends of those round photographic tube mailers. Believe it or not, but he finished item blends seamlessly in with the Coolpix design!

All the images shown here have were taken, hand held, using a Coolpix 700 and a 750nm Infrared filter. The resulting .jpeg files have been processed in Photoshop using auto levels, a medium contrast curve adjustment, followed by some selective dodge and burning.

By using a 750nm filter, instead of the more popular 720nm (R72), almost all normal light-waves have been filtered out, rendering the image, virtually black and white. By adding a touch of grain and/or a small amount of diffused glow the resulting 10” x 8” prints are pretty much indistinguishable from the infrared prints I used to make back in the eighties.

If you like you’re infrared images with a blue sky (channel swapped) I would recommend you use the R72 filter instead as this filter isn’t strong enough to block out all normal light-waves. These jpeg files take on a brownish tinge. By swapping the red and blue channels in Photoshop you end up with a blue sky. However, depending on the amount of Infrared light around at the time you take the shot, more is better; channel swapping can leave your foliage looking slightly magenta! Personally, I like my Infrared to have that authentic moody, grainy – slightly out of focus look about it. In fact, you can process your digital infrared images in any way want, who’s to say what’s right and what’s wrong?

Happy (IR) Snapping . . .

John is the founding member of the Infrared Photographic Society (www.irps.org.uk). The society is free to join and is open to all interested photographers the world over.

Tough Guy – Nettle Warrior, Perton, Wolverhampton

Having covered the Tough Guy competition back in January, as a photographer and not runner, I couldn’t wait to go back and have another crack at it. I managed to achieve two award winning images from my first visit, not sure if I could top that again this time, but I was more than willing to give it ago! The day started off with a drizzle of light rain, just enough to wet the course, but no where near enough to dampen our spirits!

For those of you who haven’t heard of the Tough Guy Challenge, I’d best explain.

The phenomena, which is Tough Guy has now evolved into cult status with mythical legends to a world wide audience. Competitors from every continent come with the intent of finishing the course, some do, but many leave a shivering wreck!

Tough Guy is open to individuals and teams, set in over 150 acres of fertile land at Perton, Wolverhampton. The challenge is the safest, yet most dangerous and physically enduring event in the world. Tough Guy is mentally demanding, fear inducing and visual spectacular.

After the entrants have signed their Death Warrant! The race starts promptly at 11am, but it’s usually around 12noon before they  make it to the Firey Holes. This is a part of the course where the runners have to wade, repeatedly, through waist high water, reported to contain donkey sewage! And then run the gauntlet of flaming hay bails.

For the photographer, this has to be the best part of the course, but get there early and pick off small groups of runners. Leave it too long and you’ll miss out.

After the flames have died down and last of the runners have gone through it’s off to Stalag Escape. This part of the course is based on the infamous Stalag 17 Prisoner of War Camp, which consists of a twisted, tangled web of barbed wire strewn across runner’s path. The only way to pass is to lay face down in the mud and belly crawl the 40ft under it to (comparative) safety at the other side.

By 2pm some of the tough guys (and gals) are passing the finish line! Me! I’m totally knackered just taking pictures, let alone running the course. Nonetheless. like most of these competitors, I too, will be back next year!

The next Tough Guy Challenge is scheduled to take place on Sunday 31st January, 2010. Don’t miss it! Full details are available from the Tough Guy web site: http://www.toughguy.co.uk

I hope you enjoy the pictures; I’ve posted a few more on my Flickr Account should you wish to see some more.

SVR – 1940’s Weekend, Part 2

For my second assault on the SVR-1940’s weekend I drove to Arley Station, parked the car and make my way to Kidderminster, via the train. Although I’ve been to most of the stations along the route and photographed many of the volunteers’ I’d never actually travelled on the train.

The Station Master ©John Powell BPE3

I made the twenty minute journey to Kidderminster in the first class carriage, not that you would have guessed with all the creaking and squeaking going on! At least I arrived at my destination in one piece, just! Kidderminster station was awash with Germans, French Police, Land Girls and Winston Churchill himself!

Winston Churchill ©John Powell BPE3

Luckily for me, I was born a few years after the war had ended, but I can still remember, with affection, the old Anderson shelter, not to be confused with the Morrison Shelter, which was introduced in March 1941, for people without gardens.

Not only did Kidderminster put on a splendid display of war-time memorabilia, Duty Warden Peter Haskett, seen here with his wife, were dressed to perfection in their original uniforms of the day.

Duty Warden ©John Powell BPE3

It was just is if the entire station had been transported back to the forties, the only tell-tale sign of us being in 2009 was the price beer! £3-a-pint and the £5.50 train fare back to Arley!

Still, it was all worth while and very enjoyable.

Best picture over the two weekends has to be this one, Days of Despair, which is totally a candid shot, but conveys the anguish of a family at war.

Days of Despair ©John Powell BPE3

SVR – 1940’s Weekend, Part 1

For two weekends (June 27-28 & July 4-5^th) the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) goes back in time when it hosts its annual 1940’s weekend. Ironically, it was during the 1940’s that passenger traffic on the SVR started to dwindle, largely as a result of the motor car. However, it was in 1963 that the line was finally closed, with the track north of Bridgnorth dismantled.

Seeing everyone in 1940’s dress really brings the line back to life.

Local Invasion Committee, Bewdley Station © John Powell BPE3

After an un-eventful visit (photographically) to Bewdley Station on the Saturday, I decided to pay a visit to Highley Station on the Sunday.  Not knowing the layout of the station or what to expect when I got there, my only plan of action was to be at the ready as soon as an opportunity presented itself, I didn’t won’t to go home empty handed again.

All American Sweetheart © John Powell BPE3

The good thing is all these people love dressing up and playing the part, if you ask them nicely none of them will decline your request for a picture or two.

Luftwaffe Aces, © John Powell BPE3

If the weather holds well, I’ll be off to Kidderminster Station next, for part two of this report.

“A” is for AFIAP!

At the beginning of March, 2009 FIAP decided to change the minima required for their AFIAP distinction. No longer do you have to exhibit in FIAP patronage exhibitions over 5 years and collect points from your acceptances, in theory you can now do it in just 12 short months!

The new minima for an AFIAP is: 30 acceptances in FIAP approved exhibitions, using a minimum of 10 different works from 10 different salons in 5 different countries. The PAGB have added the requirement that you gain 1 award.

My initial reaction was one of disbelief!

Under the previous system, the one which I was about to claim under, you were awarded 1 point for a projected image and 2 points for a print. You needed a minimum of 75 points, 15 of those points most come from overseas salons and you needed not 1, but 2 awards.

For me, obtaining your AFIAP was something to be proud of, not something that you could “Knock Off” in 12 months. I was gutted!!

I started entering FIAP approved exhibitions way back in 1990, as a member of Wallheath Camera Club, but gave up photography in 1992, see Introduction Page. It wasn’t until 2007, that I started entering exhibitions again, this time as member of DAPA Group.

My early success had been with just 5 transparencies (Slides), from which I gained 13 acceptances, spread over 4 different countries.

Call it beginners luck, but I gained my very first award, a Highly Commend in the 1990 Midland Salon of Photography with a transparency entitled, Impressions of Spring.

Not only was this my first award winning image, but my very first exhibition acceptance! It would be another 19 years before I gained me next FIAP award!

Part of the requirement, when applying for your AFIAP, is to provide a portfolio of 5, or more, A3 prints, transparencies are no longer accepted by FIAP as part of your portfolio. My plan is to send eight (8) prints, four (4) colour and four (4) monochrome. You also have to donate three (3) or more prints to the PAGB for possible use in future FIAP biennial events.

In addition to your portfolio you have to list all your accepted images and provide printed evidence of them in the form of contact sheets. Listing my acceptances was never going to be a problem as I’ve always maintained a detailed record of images I’ve used and where they’ve been accepted. The problem I faced was finding my 20 years old slides?

30 Acceptances, 14 Images, 13 FIAP Salons – 6 Different Counties

After a few days of searching I finally managed to clear a path to my five (5) missing slides. I found them tucked away in a dark corner of the loft, hidden in a shoe-box, but luckily for me, still in their glass mounts. Now all I had to do was scan them! Which is easier said than done when you don’t own a film scanner!! Fortunately I knew a man who did!  . . .  Thanks Phil.

Setting up the Nikon Coolscan IV ED, (on loan from Phil) went without a hitch; my main concern was in having to produce a decent size print of, “Impression of Spring”, It’s not what I would normally print these days, but as it’s the only award winner in my claim so I’m pretty much expected to send it.

The Coolscan IV ED is a cracking bit of kit, making light work of the 5 slides. Each image was scanned at full resolution, 4203px X 2870px @ 2900dpi, this took approximately 40 seconds per scan to complete.

At Home in the Sun, Scanned using the Nikon Coolscan IV ED, shot with a Nikon FE © 1987

As far, so good – I’ve completed all the pages in the dossier, including contact sheets, A3 prints and having my picture taken for my FIAP Photographers Card. At one time, pre 2004, a photographers card was optional, but not any longer! The total cost of applying for your AFIAP, is going to be around £120, this will depending on the value of the pound in December, when you have to send your application off.

Fingers crossed, I should receive  my distinction around March, 2010. Hopefully by that time I will have fulfilled the criteria for my EFIAP, but more about that nearer the time.

Thanks for stopping by, catch up with again soon.

Puzzled! (updated 30th June, 2009)

For several months now, I’ve been some what puzzled by the interest show on one of my infrared images on Flickr. The image in question was taken back in May ‘08, purely as a test shot, due to me having purchased a stronger (750nm) IR filter for my Canon G9.

This image has now (June ’09), clocked up almost 5500 views, why? By my own admission I’d have to say its not particularly good image, I have much better, on my photostream, so why all the interest in this one?

Day after day, week after week, the views have stacked up, it’s weird! I just had to investigate the matter further.

Well! Once I set my mind to it, it didn’t take me long to find out where all the hits were coming from. I could see straight away that only 50% of all my hits were coming directly from Flickr, 25% from Google image searches and the remaining 25% from e-bay!  . . . EBAY?

I’m thinking, OK, I sell the odd item here and there, but nothing that warrants so much traffic.

It turns out that the fellow in China, who I purchased my 750mn IR filter from is linking his infra red filter adverts directly to my IR Test Shot – Cheeky Bugger!

I’ve just finished mocking up a special, single web-page: http://tinyurl.com/infrared-fotobestbuy so that we can both benefit from it. Him with even more filter sales, me with more hits and perhaps a few Digital Infrared Photography book sales too.

I’ll let you know how it developes. . .lol

P.S. Thank’s to all who voted for my Staffordshire Way (revisited) in the DAPA Group – Perfect Images Competition

It Won!

…. UPDATE …. UPDATE …. UPDATE ….

E-mail from Thomas (fotobestbuys):

Thank you so much for creating the web page for our Suntec IR-750 filters. It will be very useful for those potential clients needing a review. I have added your link in the all related items. As a matter of fact, we are planning to launch a compact camera IR conversion service in the next 2 months. I will let you have more details nearer the time. Here are a few sample images that have been taken with a modified Fuji F30

Thank you for your efforts.
Best Regards,
Thomas
fotobestbuy

Eureka!

Finally, after being accepted in 9 BPE exhibitions and 5 International Salons, Savage Landscape gained its first award in the Glasgow District Photographic Union (GDPU) exhibition.

Savage Landscape, John Powell BPE3*

Although it’s been an immensely popular image on the exhibition circuit it has always fallen short of gaining an award. Although it’s a pretty gruesome shot, I regard this as one of my favourite images. To appreciate it at its best you really have to see the print.

The only other acceptance I gained in the GDPU was Urban Existence, which incidentally picked up a Certificate of Merit from the Southport Open exhibition earlier in the year.

Insert Urban Existence, John Powell BPE3*

Whilst having these two images accepted I still couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated knowing that several other award winning images of mine didn’t even make it into the exhibition.

Notably: The Passage of Time, Another Place & Fire Starter

Yet again this just goes to show how subjective exhibition photography is, some you win, some you lose, it’s not the end of the world! I hope the GDPU exhibition is a great success; sorry I can’t make the awards presentation, maybe another year?

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In the Pink!

Each year Cancer Research UK organise a series of fundraising events around the UK under the banner of, Race for Life. Although it’s not a race, as such, many prefer to walk the 5k circuit, for them it’s not the actual winning that’s important, but the taking part.

Pretty in Pink, © copyright 2009 John Powell BPE3

It’s been seven years, almost to the day, that Wendy, my wife, was told she had breast cancer. The care and support given to her at that time was second to none.  Although Wendy missed out on the 5k race last year, she was determined to take part this time round, not only to raise cash for the charity, but to remember loved ones, who were less fortunate in their battle against Cancer.

Wendy & Lucy with their Medals, © copyright 2009 John Powell BPE3

Wendy was taking part, along with 2000 other women, most of them dress in Pink, in the race at West Park, Wolverhampton. Although the weather was a little unsettled at the start, it didn’t stop any of them from having a good time.

Afro-a-go-go, © copyright 2009 John Powell BPE3

Even though this is a fun event, it’s also a very emotional one too. Some took part in memory of others, some as a tribute to survivors while several were just doing it for themselves.

For Each Other, © copyright 2009 John Powell BPE3

The good news is organisers from the two West Park races are expected to raise £220.000 for Cancer Research UK. Wendy, I’m please to say, raise £200 and is looking forward to doing it all again next year.