Monday 25 August 2014

What's left of the DFV factory, Holbeach

I remember buying a hockey stick from here when I started 'big' school.

2008, the site had been left empty for a short number of years before someone decided to have a little fire in the month of August, it must of been a cold summer to need to light a fire. Since 2008, the site has been left empty still with the scarred remains of the buildings that once were.

I've been thinking about taking a look for a couple of years now, so my usual free time of a Saturday morning in the month of May was the date and time for the trip. Hardly a trip, its only about 10 miles from my house.

Its easy to get into, just climb over a mound of mud used to block the entrance to the site. Once over the top your met by a larger building to the left that is still intact and a building to the right that is a pile of bricks and charred wooden remains.

The larger building to the right seems to be either home to tramps or a den for youths as there is graffiti on the walls, make shift seats/beds, a fire pit and empty bottles of White Lightning cider everywhere.
ISO 100, 86mm, f4.5, 1/400
ISO 100, 200mm, f3.5, 1/1250
Inside the skeletal remains of the other building were some great textures of the burnt wood and as you push your feet around the debris on the floor you find remnants of old hockey balls, sticks and goal keeper pads.
ISO 100, 105mm, f5.0, 1/60

ISO 200, 9mm, f5.6, 1/25
ISO 500, 105mm, f5.6, 1/25
ISO 100, 105mm, f7.1, 1/100
ISO 100, 24mm, f6.3, 1/400
ISO 500, 105mm, f/5.0, 1/25
ISO 100, 80mm, f5.0, 1/200
ISO 100, 200mm, f5.0, 1/200
ISO 100, 200mm, f5.0, 1/2000
Look closely and you'll see that a fly is hard at work typing
ISO 100, 200mm, f4.0, 1/500
ISO 100, 70mm, f4.0, 1/800
Fancy a seat?
ISO 100, 128mm, f4.0, 1/800
ISO 100, 70mm, f3.2, 1/250.
Anyone got any bog roll?
ISO160, 200mm, f2.8, 1/100
Great light.
This foliage covered the floor of the larger building.
When leaving the site a lady from across the road came out to speak to me. Warning me of the dangers of entering the site; falling debris, glass on the floor etc. She said kids are always playing on the site and that she has seen/heard people in there at night, which backs up my idea on the den/home. She did also say though that deers and foxes are quite often seen in the early hours.


Monday 11 August 2014

Shooting in the walks, Kings Lynn, with Taj

I text Taj saying I was going to the Walks in Kings Lynn to take some shots. He was supposed to bring his camera too but he forgot......oh well, that gave me something to take photos of; Him.

Before I met Taj I had 10 minutes or so of time to myself so I strolled around and got one of my favourite shots that ive taken recently.

This guy was walking about 10 steps ahead of me and then sat down on empty bench listening to his tunes with his legs crossed. I see Taj arrive as I walked behind this guy on the bench and gave him the shush signal. I new I couldn't be long and mess round with trial and error of exposure settings, I decided on my exposure and took the shot.

24-105L, 70mm, F5.6, 1/80, ISO160
I love the posts sticking up on the left of the image balanced by the guy on the right.

Maybe I should of tapped him on the shoulder and said "alright mate, I just took a picture of the back of your head".

But I didn't.

So Taj and I went over to the red mount to make the most of the textured bricks and doors as backgrounds.

As always, these days, my Sigma 70-200 was the lens of choice and I also attached a Nissin di866ii flash for some fill light in the shadows and catch light in the eyes.


70-200, 91mm, F5, 1/100, ISO250

Ever the cool dude
70-200, 70mm, F5, 1/200, ISO800
70-200, F5, 1/640, ISO1250

My favourite shot of Taj, I like the grain added by choosing a higher ISO, the tilt (gotta love them tilts) and the pose, although Taj did complain that it wasn't comfortable.
70-200, F5, 1/200, ISO400
70-200, F5, 1/200, ISO400
70-200, F5, 1/80, ISO160

Ive had an idea for a little project of frame filling face portraits, here's my first.