November 2011  Photographers Resource - Monthly  Edition 95

Photos for Christmas and Fireworks

adding to what they have already. They say it redefines photography and is an intelligent photographic system bringing new levels of speed and simplicity to capture you favourite moments both as still images and video clips. They are DSLR cameras as they have interchangeable lenses, currently 5 new ones have been developed, and with a special adaptor you can use some of the exiting AF-S Nikon lenses. There are initially 2 models. The J1 which like compact cameras has a built in flash and uses the back LCD screen as it's viewfinder, and comes in 5 different colours. Then there is the V1, available in black or white only, which has a back LCD screen but also has an electronic viewfinder and a multi accessory port for adding items like a small new flash system or a GPS unit. They both have other new functions such as being able to shoot slow motion video, HD video and it can take still images and video at the same time. We have downloaded the manual and it looks good, and will have one shortly, so keep an eye out in this magazine for details coming later. In the meantime if you want to find out more Nikon have produced an interactive brochure. Take this link to have a look.

Feature

Using Photos For Christmas

At this time of year we are all starting to think about Christmas and what gifts we are likely to get for various individuals of our family, friends and work colleagues. Of course we could go down the same old route and hope that we don't get the same thing as we did last year, as many of use don't keep lists and our memories are not that great. If you have been lucky enough to get out and about in this country, or abroad or even just attended family events and met up with those you haven't seen for a while, then hopefully you took your camera with you to capture those special moments, dramatic scenes, one off experiences, or once in a lifetime moment. Christmas is a time when you could share some of these moments with others, and I don't mean putting an album together and boring them to death over Christmas when you meet up with everyone, but to create some special, something individual that could only come from you.

There are many potential photo gift opportunities from the lower price bracket to the expensive, and the sorts of things you could consider include:

Today the list is endless, and can be picked up on the High Street from places like, Jessops Photo, SnappySnaps or even your local supermarket like Tesco's. All of these places have websites where you can select what you want, and it can be posted to you or you can collect it from your local store. Take a look online at some of the many websites that offer this type of service and you will see the array of what you can do with your images this year. 

customers, staff and suppliers. But can be produced in smaller or even one off's for individuals to give to family and friends. The advantage with a calendar is that it gives you the chance to show off more of your great images, with the ability to have a different image for each month. There are a number of ways of producing calendars from creating something from scratch, through using templates which you can then print out yourself at home, or using templates on calendar printing websites. They can be produced in all shapes, styles and sizes, from wall calendars in typical sizes of A3, A4, A5, square, slimline, and double A4, but also specialty designs such as a CD case, Desktop, Booklet and more. We have put together some calendar templates to give you an idea of what you can do.

We also have an article on how to go about producing calendars at home and one on printing calendars that takes a look at what options are available and what sort of quantities you can have produced, from the single one off copy to many. Calendar further information has links to some services available online, but remember to get your order in, in good enough time so that they can have a good chance of getting it to you.

Another gift which can use many of your photos in one gift are Photo Books. These can be small compact sized books with a few images, something Grandma might like to carry around in her handbag and show off the grandkids to her friends, or a full blown coffee table book A4 or A3 in size with large full page images of say wildlife, landscape images from your holiday, or something that tells a story. Printed books are available economically now from a single copy, and in the article 'making your own photography book' we look at the process and generally at this approach. Photography book suppliers is a listing of producers of photo books we have identified, with links to their websites. There are many online sources as well as a few in the high street. Alternatively you could print a book yourself using double sided paper that will go through your photo printer and a system that allows it to be bound into a book. These kits are available as A4 and A3, producing attractive books, with a higher quality finish and generally a higher cost than the photography books talked about above. While you could produce multiple copies this would be very costly and time consuming compared to the printed route.  We have produced a listing of suppliers of print your own books, which tells you what kits are available and links you to more information on this method.

The other items mentioned in the list above can be produced as one off's and you could customise each of the items to suit individual recipients, which makes it both more personal to them and makes them feel that you put the effort in to produce something special for them. Whichever item you decide to choose as the gift, there are some things you will need to do and prepare in advance for. Once you have decided which gift, then you need to find the photo from your vast collection, you will also need to research the various suppliers and work out which one you want to use and take a look at their technical specification on what you need to supply, as well as delivery times etc. Generally the images will need to be good quality JPEG images, and don't forget to do any necessary editing like sharpening and using colour management tools to make sure your photo ends up the colour you expect it to be.  If you are printing your own products using your photo printer then profiling the printer is important.

If you decide this is too big a project for this year after reading all this, then why not consider it for next year and think ahead about what images you could collect over the coming year. Or if creating something as gifts is not your thing, then you could consider creating a Christmas Keepsake Photo Book for this years event and produce it in the New Year.

Photographing Fireworks

November the 5th is bonfire night, and this year is a Saturday, so there are many events taking place all over the UK. As well as very large bonfires appearing on village greens, in parks and other venues in towns and cities it is also the night of fireworks. Many will be having small displays in their gardens with family and friends, while others will attend large organised events in their local community. To help you find a Firework Events near you we have created a list of those we could identify.

From a photographers point of view this is a challenging photographic assignment. For a start you are photographing in the dark, and light levels from the bonfire or fireworks are low. The you have the added complication that at organised community events there are loads of people about, so it may not always be possible to get the best position, and pushing and shoving by others can cause camera shake. However with a little forward planning and having a read of some of the low level light articles we have, you may be able to take some fantastic shots you will be proud of.

Photographing fireworks with a professional standard DSLR camera, for really good results, needs you to use a tripod, because the Exposures required are long and it is not possible to hand hold the camera without getting camera shake. Some may think that using a stabilised lens will get over this but it won't, and in any case if you are using a long lens the weight of it will also mean you move before the exposure is finished. The length of exposure you need will depend on the amount of spark you want in the photo.

Be aware though that even using a tripod you don't avoid camera shake, as when you press the shutter release the camera can still potentially move. Therefore another way to avoid camera shake is to still have your camera on a tripod and use a remote cable  or sometimes known as a cable release, to take the image. These attach to the DSLR and can be on a long cable or can be infra red controlled, although this second option won't work as well in a crowded place or in the dark. Once you've worked out what exposure you want you then need to set the correct Aperture and Shutter Speed. An aperture towards f2 will give you fat tracks and little detail, while at the other end towards f32 you will get very fine lines and every single spark. Also the ISO that you choose will allow you to select the ideal combination of shutter speed and aperture without what available light there is lighting up the background. The photo on the right was taken with a camera ISO of 100, aperture at F11 and an exposure of 2 seconds. If you use a compact that allows you to manually set up these settings then you should be able to achieve the same. However most later compact cameras have a firework setting within their standard set, so all the settings are

Photographing fireworks

worked out for you, but you still have the potential for camera shake before the photo is taken, so stand as still as you can.

November through to the end of the new year is a period where there are a large number of firework opportunities, from bonfire night to other celebrations that are marked with Fire Festivals and Fire Events. And for more help and advice, as well as some practical examples, on how to go about getting some great firework images take a look at Photographing fireworks.

November the 5th is also the time of year when the largest illuminated carnival takes place in Somerset, Bridgwater Carnival. As over more recent years it takes place on the Friday nearest the 5th November, this year it is on Friday the 4th. This event originates back to the 1605 Gun Powder Plot, when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. It was Kings James I who decreed that November 5th should be celebrated by the lighting of a bonfire, and so on November 5th each year the residents of Bridgwater did so. Newspapers did not come to Bridgewater until the mid 19th century, the first newspaper account of the carnival being in 1847, when the people built a huge bonfire in the centre of town and the townsfolk would parade to the bonfire dressed in costumes and masks. If you want to find earlier reports of what took place in Bridgwater then you need to look in the parish records, and as an example in November 1716, when John Taylor and his two children were killed in a gunpowder explosion in their home, believed to be when they were creating the unique Bridgwater firework called the Squib, these are still a part of the carnival tradition today. Over time the event has evolved and grown and today the procession through the streets is a parade of over 100 large vehicles up to 100ft long with up to 22,000 light bulbs each, and is watched by around 150,000 spectators each year. The carnival procession takes at least 3 hours to get through the streets and afterwards in the High Street there is the Squibbing event, when 150 squibbs (special fireworks) are lit and paraded.

If you are intending to visit Bridgwater this year or any other similar illuminated carnival then you may find our Carnivals and Illuminations list a useful starting point to find something near you. Please do check locally before attending though as we haven't had time to update the list this year.

Don't forget it is also the closing week for Blackpool Illuminations so if you haven't had a chance to visit so far this year and you can brave the weather forecast this week, get there before the 6th November which is the last night and the lights are switched off and special trams put away for another year.

You may also find having a read of the following articles looking at different types of low level light photography in the dark, may also have some useful tips on the best way to get good night time photography:

• Photographing illuminated carnivals 

• Photographing Street scenes at night 

• Photographing coloured lights in forest/woodland settings 

• Photographing fun fairs

The December diary is now in the 'next month' slot with November moved to in the 'this month'. Both months have a lot of opportunities for everyone.  Some highlights that are of particular interest are:-

November is when the sparks fly, off bonfires, from fireworks, and other fire festivals start. November 5th is the traditional firework celebration and this year falling on a Saturday means there are loads of events that you can attend, some of the larger more spectacular, such as the Sparks in the Park in Cardiff combining a large bonfire, with on-stage entertainment, fun fair rides and a pyrotechnic display, are listed within our events diary.

 

The largest illuminated carnival in the UK also takes place on Friday 4th. With the main streets of Bridgwater in Somerset being taken over by very large illuminated carnival floats. Bridgwater Carnival is a colourful procession of over 150 vehicles with many thousands of lights, also pulling their own generators, with people providing animated displays which have taken nearly all year to create by the many carnival clubs in the area. As well as the illuminated vehicles there are also many people dressed up on foot and in all it takes about 2-3 hours to complete. It is spectacular and although I haven't visited for a while I still remember the impact it had on me and the many photo opportunities it gave.  As well as the main procession at 10.45pm the High Street is lined with around 150 squibbers who simultaneous light their squibs, these are a large firework strapped to a cosh, and hold it at arms length above their heads. The evening finishes off with a fireworks display.

Bridgwater Carnival Squibbing Make Warren  Click on image to see larger version

The Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels in Devon also takes place on the 5th, where the barrels are soaked with tar and lit and carried on peoples back through the streets. Starts late afternoon, around 4.30pm with the junior barrels, progressing on through the evening with the size of the adult barrels growing until the final enormous one is carried as Midnight calls, the evening is completed with a gigantic 30ft bonfire and fairground also included.

 

The following weekend is Remembrance weekend and events take place all over the UK to remember those that have died or been injured during past and present wars. It starts on the Friday the 11th, when we will all be asked, where ever we are to pause silent for two minutes at 11am as a mark of respect. For 2011 only the day is special in that it falls at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month of 2011 and to mark this special event the Royal British Legion will be planting cardboard poppies in an 11-11-11-11 formation at the memorial garden in Lydiard Park, near Swindon in Wiltshire. If you want to have a poppy included then you should take a look at the British Legion website for more details. The largest and televised event takes place at the Cenotaph on Sunday 13th in London where wreaths of poppies are laid at it's base headed by the Queen.   If you are in London for the weekend then you could go along to the Lord Mayors Show on the Saturday 12th. This is a street parade which starts at the Guildhall at 11am, this is watched by the new Lord Mayor from outside of Mansion House. The parade includes about 200 horses, 60 floats, 200 motor vehicles, 20 marching bands and 23 carriages. It takes about one hour to pass. The Lord Mayor follows at the end of the procession in his golden coach. The procession travels past St Paul's Cathedral and ends at the Royal Courts of Justice in Aldwych. At 1.00pm the procession returns, starting near Temple tube station, and following Victoria Embankment and Queen Victoria Street back to the Guildhall, finishing at about 2.30pm. In the evening this is followed with a firework display of more than half a tonne of giant fireworks shooting over 600ft into the sky before exploding.

Lord Mayors Show, London 2006     S Pakhrin

 

Winter Wonderland Hyde Park   Garry Knight Click on image to see larger version

This month also sees the start of the Winter Wonderlands and Winter Ice Skating rinks for the Christmas and New Year period in many large towns and cities across the country. Cardiff opens their winter wonderland on the 17th, with an ice rink, heritage fair ground, large ferries wheel and firework display. Whilst Hyde Park in London starts on the 18th, with London's largest outdoor ice rink, toboggan slide, traditional German Christmas market. On the wildlife and nature front, the 18th of November sees the start of Floodlit Swan Feeds at Slimbridge Gloucestershire, where thousands of Bewick's Swan who have flown into winter on Swanlake take an evening feed. This event takes place on weekends right through to the end of February, and as the season progresses the numbers of swans increases. The 26th is the start of National Tree Week when local communities are encouraged to do something positive for their local treescape. There will be many activities put on by the local Woodland

Trusts, local Community Woodlands and the Forestry Commission. In Northern Ireland the Forest Service provides a list of its 124 state forests useful for identifying which you want to visit.

Staying with trees the 25th November sees the start of the National Arboretum's Enchanted Christmas near Tetbury, Gloucestershire  where every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the 18th December the arboretum is open from 5pm so that you can walk through an enchanted wood lit up and children can visit Father Christmas.

There are still a couple of country shows taking place this month, but it is now winding down for the winter but if you want to grab the last chance of 2011 then there is the Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show on the 12th and 13th November in Nottinghamshire and the Oxfordshire County and Thame Show on the 30th November.

Whatever you decide to do this month, there is more listed on our diary page.

With autumn now in full swing and many trees having turned their autumn colours as the days and nights get cooler many will start to shed their leaves and create carpets of browns, yellows, oranges and gold's upon the woodland floor. One tree which puts on a particularly good show this month is the Oak Tree, with it's golden leaves and showers of acorns as they fall to the woodland floor, a popular food source of Grey Squirrels. The crisp crunchy leaf matter under our feet provides great habitats for insects, bugs, hibernating hedgehogs, fungi, mushrooms and toadstools. So while out walking amongst the woodland look our for some of these fungi, such as the Puffball where a single drop of rain can create a cloud of dust/spores, spreading their offspring ready for next year. Towards the end of the month when the leaves have left the trees rookeries become more noticeable as communities congregate in the tops of trees.

Its the time of year when hedgehogs are starting to think about hibernating for the winter and they will be out and about looking for a suitable habitat. If you have an area within your garden which is a bit messy or a corner which has been doused in leaf matter from a tree then consider leaving it for this little creatures to spend their winter. Also be aware that with Saturday being bonfire night, if you have been building a bonfire in your garden, this is an attractive hibernating spot for the hedgehog so if you can check it out before you light that match and make sure one hasn't set up home inside. Also remember that although we enjoy the 'big bang' of fireworks many animals including our pets do find them frightening so do what you can to minimise the stress for them, keep your pets indoors, wild birds will find somewhere else in your neighbourhood to hold up for one evening.

The hedgerows are full of blackberries, elderberries, rosehips, haws and sloes which offers a plentiful food source for birds, and in the countryside mixed flocks of finches, such as goldfinches, chaffinches, and greenfinches will be searching for them as they are a good source of food. The black bryony threads their stems, covered in poisonous red berries in clusters, through the hedges. The Old Mans Beard is also finally opening its fluffy seed heads. The evergreen Hollybush will be starting to produce their traditional red berries a favourite for many next month as a Christmas decoration. Another traditional Christmas decoration is the Ivy which is coming into flower providing a late source of food for insects.

In our gardens, especially if you have a bird feeding station, you may see the colour Goldfinch or queues of small flocks of greenfinches, chaffinches and sometimes sparrows as they take turns at the feeders. Also Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes will be on the lawns looking for worms and fallen fruit, but also in song on the warmer days. If you have an apple tree or two or even an orchard you may be tempted to tidy up and remove the rotting apples then you may find Fieldfares on the ground feeding off the rotten apples.

In rivers around the country Atlantic Salmon and Sea Trout, have been migrating back to the gravely shallows up stream to give birth to their next generation, and November is the end of the leaping salmon spectacle as they swim against the current and leap to get over weirs and low waterfalls until next May. Some good places to see this include the River Tyne and River Beamish in the North of England. While in Scotland the River Tweed is probably one of the best places to see migrating Atlantic Salmon. You can also see them on the River Ettrick tributary where there is a viewing point, and live feeds from underwater cameras at Philiphaugh Salmon Viewing Centre. The best time to see them leaping is after a dry period followed by heavy rain.

Leaping Salmon on the River Ettrick Sani Thomas Click on image to see larger version

Upon on the mountains the landscape is also changing and you will find Red Deer, Grouse, Ptarmigan and Mountain Hares foraging for food, whilst in the North of the UK stoats will be moulting and taking on their winter white coat.

Being an island the UK is a good resting place for many seal populations and this time of year Grey Seals are giving birth to pups around our west, north and north-eastern coastlines. They only come to shore for extended periods at this time of year while they are giving birth.  They will feed their pups with milk for three weeks and it is during this time that their white fur changes to grey. Once it is old enough, the mother will visit the sea to feed and while visiting the pup back on land they will take the opportunity to mate again for next season. So as well as the pups there will also be the large bull seals competing with each other for the right to mate, the largest of which usually winning and taking a harem of up to 10 females. Half the world's population of Grey Seals live around UK shores. The largest populations found on the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast, Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland and off the Cornish Coast, where if you're not up to braving the cooler sea temperatures to see the wild ones you could visit the National Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, Cornwall and take a peak at those they have managed to rescue and are working on to get back into the wild.

Mountain Hare in Winter Coat John Johnston

For more details of what wildlife is about during November take a look at Wildlife photography in November.

Grey Squirrels

Fieldfares

Red Deer

Grey Seals

Wildlife photography in November

Bewick's Swan

Photographing fireworks

Photographing illuminated carnivals 

Photographing Street scenes at night 

Photographing coloured lights in forest/woodland settings 

Photographing fun fairs

Exposure

Aperture

Shutter Speed.

ISO

Remote cable 

Producing calendars

Calendar templates

Producing calendars at home

Printing calendars

Making your own photography book'

Print a book yourself

Colour management

Profiling the printer i

Carnivals and Illuminations

Firework Events

Fire Festivals and Fire Events

Calendar further information

Photography book suppliers

Suppliers of print your own books

Bridgwater Carnival, Bridgwater, Somerset

Farne Islands, Northumberland

National Seal Sanctuary, Gweek, Cornwall

Ottery St Mary Tar Barrels, Devon

Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire

Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland  

Westonbirt Arboretum - Enchanted Christmas, nr Tetbury, Gloucestershire