Awaiting the Leica M9
24th November 2009
Leica launched the M9, a full frame 18MP rangefinder camera, on the 9th of September. It is still not readily available in the UK (or the US). Why do Leica repeatedly do this? Is it a subtle marketing ploy - "you want what you can't have", is it because demand exceeding supply helps justify high prices? What other manufacturer could get away with this? Yet, Adrian along with many other photographers will wait. Why? Well perhaps here is the reason: a professional photographer friend of Adrian's for many years, who has used many top DSLR's and wrote camera reviews for a well known magazine, consistently berated the M8. A month ago he purchased one, and since then extracts from his emails with Adrian explain why: "brilliant........ smitten........it has allowed me to re-connect with my photography...........you are right about DSLR's - sold all mine after buying the M8...........whatever the reason, I feel better connected with with image capture". Leica have obviously got something right!!
Images from Assynt
6th November 2009
The weather forecast for the Assynt area of the highlands was incorrect every day! Rain was forecast daily, but thankfully it never happened. There were spectacular sunsets, sunrises and wonderful views through each day. As a result Adrian had a very productive week creating images of this wonderful landscape, some of which will go into the 2011 desk-diary. The moral of the story - ignore the forecasts and go anyway!
Large format photography
10th October 2009
What an interesting few days in the Derbyshire Dales! Adrian spent four days with Joe Cornish, David Ward and a number of other photographers trying out large format cameras (4 x 5). It is certainly a different way to make landscape images, and there is little question that the final product (a 5 x 4 transparency) possesses amazing image quality. Adrian's favoured camera was the Ebony camera with assymetric tilt, which simplifies focussing using movements, and also feels very well built. Will he get one and start using film again? Watch this space!
Images from Argyll
22nd September 2009
Adrian has just returned from a week travelling around Argyll in a camper van making images of the beautiful countryside of the Scottish "lowlands". Travelling alone in a Campervan, with very long days (sunrise to sunset followed by finding somewhere to stay the night) was not only very enjoyable but also very productive. He managed to make sufficient images of Argyll for the 2011 desk-diary, which will contrast the landscapes of Argyll and Assynt.
Delivery of the 2010 Desk Diary
5th September 2009
The 2010 photogaphic desk diary has finally arrived on the "slow boat from China". Over the next few days it will be hitting the shelves of Scottish bookshops. It can also be purchased from this website using PayPal or credit cards - see the "buy" section.
Woodland book
25th August 2009
Adrian has published his first Blurb book. This contains black and white images of taken in the UK's woodlands over the past few years, and is printed in hardcover as a 12 x 12 book. It can be previewed (and purchased!) on: http://www.blurb.com/books/805577.
Wildlife images
9th August 2009
A selection of wildlife images taken in the South Luanga National Park (Zambia) can be viewed in the wildlife section of the portfolios. Although there are no images of a "kill" or "chase", a combination of a good guide and a Canon 100-400mm lens (occasionally with a 1.4x extender) made it possible to get some spectacularly close-up images of the wildlife - at times too close for comfort!
There is also a slide show with these and other images (set to the Lion King music!) on the photodex sharing site. Click on the link: Safari 2010 slide show
If you have not run one of these shows before it will download a small programme to run ProShow slide shows. Once started, if you cursor to the bottom of the slide show window the controls will appear. To the right of the volume bar is a button to play the show on full screen.
A 12in x 12in (blurb) book of the wildlife images is also in the pipeline!
Off to Zambia
16th July 2009
Adrian is off to Zambia and Malawi next week. Although he plans to try wildlife photography, he confesses that the only thing he expects to move whilst he is photographing is the light! So, don’t hold your breath waiting for wildlife images on the web site! However, (whilst the family is sleeping) he hopes to get the opportunity to capture some of the raw beauty and harshness of the African landscape.
2010 Desk Diary
15th July 2009
His next desk-dairy (Scotland 2010) will be available soon (see the 'Buy' section of this site). In the autumn, work will start on capturing images for the 2011 diary. The subject matter will also be Scotland, but hopefully will include landscapes from some of the many beautiful Scottish islands.