17 posts tagged “photography”
I'm in the process of relaunching my flickr page so that I can share my portfolio there, particularly as my body of work grows during my studies and future career.
This week I've made the first batch of photos public - a series of shots taken at Castlepoint, here in New Zealand, on Boxing Day (December 26, 2009). I'm working on various older photos and these will also be made public in the next few weeks.
My page's URL is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/iainscott/. Please do swing by there from time to time and have a look.
I now have just seven working days left before saying farewell to a more than two-decade-long career in journalism and embarking on a new chapter in my life. It's getting exciting, and quite intimidating at the same time. But at this stage I'd say the excitement outweighs the nervousness that results from a midstream career change. I am raring to get stuck into my photographic studies.
I received a letter from the head of the photographic school at UCOL at the end of last week impressing upon me the fact that, with 12 papers in the first year, next year is going to be a busy one. Of course, having worked in newspapers for many years, I am no stranger to being busy! And seeing that I did earn a four-year bachelor degree before, I know that fulltime tertiary study is no breeze. But I believe I am ready.
This will probably be my last post for this year, so let me take the opportunity to wish all the readers of this blog a very blessed Christmas. Be safe and remember the reason for the season! See you on the other side.
Here is my current main kit. I really cannot wait to begin the diploma! At this stage, I have 15 working days left, as I leave my job on New Year's Eve. I plan to use the equipment quite a bit between ceasing fulltime employment and the start of my studies on March 1, so hopefully I'll have some good photos to share and also be fully accustomed to the camera by the time I start at UCOL.
I've been getting quite a bit of practice in with my equipment ahead of my studies next year. The lenses are fantastic and I've been getting some rather pleasing results.
Here's a recent shot, of Ainslie Allen, a New Zealand singer/songwriter, who was performing at The Square here in Palmerston North at the weekend. The image here is low-res (I have had photos stolen before, so I've had to take these measures).
Camera: Canon EOS 500D
Lens: Sigma 17-70mm
36.0mm; f4.0; 1/100sec.
This morning I took another big step towards my career change.
During the morning I received notification from UCOL that I had been formally enrolled and was sent the invoice for my first year of the Diploma in Photographic Imaging. So I took the plunge and handed my resignation letter in, informing the company that I would leave on December 31.
In a sense, it is quite a relief now that it is done. It's public now, and my colleagues have been informed. So I can spend the next few weeks without the burden of keeping it secret.
Phew! Things are moving.
Since the photography equipment arrived, I have not had much opportunity to take serious photos because of work commitments, but I have been learning as much as I can about it all and have played around a little to familiarise myself with it all.
I am very impressed with both the camera and the lenses, and what little fiddling around with the flash I have done has impressed me too. I'll post some photos as soon as I have some time to do some serious shots.
In the meantime, I acquired, today, some new photography books I thought I'd mention. They're hardly professional, but they do offer some nice tricks and tips in a nontechnical way. I am looking forward to getting into them. They are a three-volume set by Scott Kelby and come highly recommended.
So far I have just browsed through them, and they certainly look promising - easy ways to get great pics without all the jargon that you read in so many other photography books, of which I have plenty.
I have also taken out a subscription to Practical Photography magazine. Can't do enough reading and learning ahead of the course next year!
Despite the dreadful delays and bad service, my goods arrived this afternoon!
I am thrilled, as you can imagine. This equipment is the seed that will, God willing, grow into a successful photography career once my studies are over.
Here's what came in the box:
I am seriously regretting placing my camera and lens order through this particular company.
Remember, the order was placed on October 18. On Saturday, October 24, the money was deducted from my account. Then, on Tuesday, October 27, I received an email:
I thought I'd better send you a note to let you know where your order is as you may have noticed that we have charged your card. There was a mixup with the couriers so there has been a delay. Your order should reach you in full either on Thursday or Friday. My apologies for the delay.
Kind regards,
S
Notice how the courier company is blamed. The story changes in the next communication. Anyway, Thursday and Friday came and went. No delivery. So on Saturday, October 31, I sent an email asking what was going on and enquiring whether the order had in fact been dispatched.
This came back:
Absolutely, we had a mix up here and between S and I we made an error. The goods were redirected via a very good client of our in Wellington, he is trust worthy and we have paid him the extra courier tickets to send it to you. It should have been overnight. If it doesn't show Monday morning please let me know straight away and I will hunt it down.
Once again, our apologies, I addressed a Canon outfit to a regular at [a company name] and S saw what was in it and presumed it was yours ( it was yours ) I sealed the box up and sent it.
Too many chiefs, not enough indians.
Thanks for your patience.
G
Well, Monday (today) came and went, and still nothing. So this afternoon I sent another mail informing them it had not arrived and asking whether I would get a refund. I just received this response:
The camera is still waiting to be picked up. I've spoken with the Courier company and they are attempting to pick it up this afternoon. That would mean delivery would be early tomorrow morning. Otherwise it should reach you on Weds morning.
Kind regards,
S
Honestly, I should have gone with someone else. Will the delivery happen within the next two days? Time will tell.
The delivery of my camera and lenses was delayed because one of the lenses, the Sigma, has had to be brought in from Melbourne, Australia. I opted to have it all delivered together, so the rest of it has been sitting in Christchurch pending the arrival of the Sigma lens.
But there are signs things are about to happen - the money was deducted from my account this weekend, so I am hoping that means my box of goodies will arrive some time this week.
This morning I placed the order for the camera and the associated equipment - totalling NZ$4,789.
If step one in my career change was applying to study the diploma, step two has been completed.
I'm on my way!
