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Photography. Thoughts On

Some years ago, I worked for a well-known photography retailer.  As an avid photographer, this seemed a dream.  But the mixture of low-pay and having tasty gear waved in front of your face all day long took its toll.  I left and stopped taking photos as I felt my kit was not able to replicate the image I saw in my head.

I have since realised this is not true at all, having enjoyed using a few different iterations of the iPhone to take photos.

But 2 years ago, now in a position to do so, I bought myself a Canon 70D.  I use a mixture of lenses: 

Canon 50mm f/1.8 
Canon 24mm f/2.8
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5

Canon 70D with Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5

The big advances have been in the way the photographer can edit and share their photos.


So here is a list of my favourite apps for editing photos (all on iOS, not sure about Android!)


--- Darkroom | Lens Distortions | Lightroom | Photoshop | Mextures ---


I tend not to use any filters available on Instagram.  It's the premier photo-sharing app, of course, but the filters feel over-used, and very fake! 

Generally my work-flow for photography is...

Take the photo
Import to my iPhone using the Canon Camera Connect app
Lightroom App - adjust levels, crop and strighten
Use Lens Distortions to add light flares 
Darkroom (premium) has some fantastic filters to add quick "moods" 
Share on Instagram (@thelifeofthefuneral) 

I like using filters to create a uniformed look to photos.  

On to sharing...

Instagram is the obvious one here, but I also use EyeEm as they have a market place feature that adds your photos to Getty Images for purchase.  As yet, no sales, but you never know.  It's a very saturated market! 

St. Paul's from One New Change | Canon 70D, 24mm f/2.8
So that's the vaguely techy bit over.  Why do I enjoy taking photos so much? 

I think I have always been jealous of people who could draw.  They can take a blank piece of paper and turn it into an amazingly intricate drawing.  I love technical drawings, sketches of projects someone is working on, all of it.  But I can't do it.  I have no ability to replicate depth, perspective, dynamics, detail and contrast.  But with a camera I am able to do these things, I can compose a shot, take time to ensure all the elements are in their right places, the light and contrast is fine, the subject is interesting.

I like taking varied photographs.  I love portraits of my fiancé (not allowed to post them here though!), of my cats (see below) I love taking pictures of architecture and nature.

Annie.  Canon 70D, Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5

I feel photos convey what a drawing or painting cannot.  With a drawing or painting, reality can be bent to the point of surrealism, such as the work by Salvador Dali, but with a photo, reality is being highlighted, accentuated and replicated.  It can be flexible, but the honesty of photography is it's beauty.  Some subjects need time to get the perfect shot.  The photo of my cat Annie above sums her up - she's silly and funny.  For me, a well-planned, thought-out and executed shot is just as good as a "happy accident" shot that happens as just the right moment to pull out the character of the subject perfectly.

I also really enjoy shooting on an iPhone - it's quick, it's easy and, using the apps above twinned with the high-quality camera on the phone produces great results.  I especially love the Moment app as it allows some flexibility whilst shooting over exposure, focus and temperature! 

That's it for now...I will try to add photos regularly. 

Happy Weekend! 
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