Keywords & Captions

Well I have finally gone through all my shots [2450] on Random Photos adding keywords and captions, took me ages!

I guess the good thing is it's now current and as long as I add them as I go now it shouldn't be a big deal again. Also helps people search my shots and find the ones relevant to them. I spent more time captioning the more commonly viewed galleries but they all have something relevant in them now.

Have a look, leave a comment or rate your favourites :)



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Always carry your camera - Part II

So I saw an ad for a Panasonic P&S reduced in the sales and thought it would be a good idea to grab one for those times when I haven't got all my kit with me. Would help me see the potentially lost moments and spur me on to taking my kit out with me.

Was discussing the purchase of this with the missus and it struck me, a while ago I had lent out a Fuji P&S which has never been used. Reclaimed this [they were never going to use it either which annoys me] and I now carry this around with me :) Saved me £100 and if I do use it alot I can either start carrying my full rig alot more or get something a little better :)




h4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Always carry your camera

Easier said than done when the rig weighs like a small car but then I *really* should start carrying my gear. I seem to make excuses like I won't have time to take photo's, or I'm in my suit and can't be climbing over hedges etc etc. In the end I always get home and tell the missus of all the missed shots and wasted opportunities.

I was heading to Hinxley [north of London] on Wednesday via Reading and considered taking my gear. I didn't for the same excuses listed above [the ones I always use] and ended up missing a mass of great shots, shots I could have taken from the roadside or even the sanctity of my car.

The problem is it's always the same, I get home and sulk about it but it doesn't mean I'll take the gear next time so it's a depressing cycle. Next time [hand on heart] I *am* going to take my kit and post some of the shots I would have missed :)






H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

The Sun

No not the national daily, the great flaming gas ball in the sky ;)

Managed to get focused and spend some time out recently, the trouble is I then don't want to spend hours in-doors prepping and preening my shots to post them. I guess it's a fine balancing act and I just haven't mastered it yet.

Will spend some time this weekend running through the backlog and getting them on-line, well it's a bank holiday so it's bound to rain right :(

Will post a few of the best here for your viewing pleasure but don't forget the whole lot will be on www.randomphotos.net in full glorious technicolor for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy your weekend whatever you may be doing and stay safe.



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Rain rain go away - Part II

Well what do you know! The rain has stopped and it was a beautiful night last night. Grabbed my gear and headed around the usual haunts to grab a few snaps while the sun shone. Didn't have long, had to be back before the missus but got an hour out there :)

I hear the weekend will be awful weather again but it will give me chance to catch up on some processing and general housekeeping on machines so I guess it's not all bad.

Have a good weekend all and I'll see you on the flip side.



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Rain rain go away -

And come again another day .... As the old nursery rhyme goes.

I really wish it would, it's been raining for pretty much 10 days solid now and it's May! I haven't had chance to get out there for a while now, my bike is languishing in the garage waiting for a dry day as are my two new lenses. There's only so many things you can photograph around the house before you lose interest :(

I'm hoping the summer shapes up to be alot better than it currently is, emigrating is looking good right now!



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Selective colouring

I have been seeing alot of selective colouring on images recently and thought I'd give it a try with an image I thought would handle it well. It turns out the actual process is very simple but getting the resultant image to look good is very difficult. I think it's more down to the original image than the skills of the convertor.

Have a look at the original:




And the amended version:





For me the resultant image just doesn't look right, it has a blue cast which I need to correct and needs a better grayscale conversion technique and a little more punch. Gives you the idea though and wasted an hour one night when I had nothing else to do :)



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Filters

I've always been a believer in using UV filters to protect my lenses. One of the first things I do when I order a lense is to check the filter size and grab a UV. I have until recently just slapped any old make on the front irrespective of make, my thinking was that it's just a UV what difference can it make. Well ... alot is the answer, I recently had experience with a high street brand name filter which caused a drop in light equivalent to at least one stop!

I am now using Hoya Super-HMC Pro1 filters, they are usually around £50-£100 each for a 77mm but I recently grabbed 2 for that price from a famous auction site ;)

So in short, buy the best filters you can afford it *does* make a difference!



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Project Gixxer

One of the more popular galleries on my new site is 'My Toys', this contains shots of my various cars, bikes and other hobby bits.

I thought I'd share a few shots of 'Project Gixxer' with you though. It's an ongoing project which has recently been stalled due to time constraints but it's getting there.









Enjoy and if you want to know more about the project then check out it's section in my other site www.impecunious.net [impecunious meaning penniless, a side effect of having soo many expensive toys]



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Site traffic

Well it's been up a few weeks now, I forget the exact date, and the site is slowly building traffic with visitors from around the world. One thing I must work on is the amount of people hitting it directly, via search engines etc, as this is low. Most of my traffic comes from the forums I post on and the sites I manage.

I really should get the site out into the ether and ramp up direct visits.

It's been an interesting time though and I hope the next few months continues the trend. I'm looking forward to getting out there and getting some new photographs for the site, roll on the better weather!


H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Changing lenses - Part IV

Well the lenses finally arrived nearly a week late!

I must say although I saved a little cash I will be looking elsewhere when I have another requirement for lenses. I prefer to know the status of my orders, be told when there are delays or when they are shipped etc. I hate waiting and hate not knowing!

But they have arrived safe and well, I haven't had chance to use them 'in anger' yet as it has been raining solid for 10 days now :(



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

Rainy days & Bank Holidays

Well it's time for another bank holiday and as usual the forecast is for rain. It's one of those things you can damn near set your watch to, it's a bank holiday so it will rain.

Means my plans to go out this weekend are scrapped, will be staying in hiding from the rain and doing those awful bank holiday DIY jobs that have been waiting for an eternity to be started [or in some cases finished].



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

I hate waiting - Part II

Well imagine my utter surprise to find my lenses haven't even been shipped yet :|

I had to actively chase the seller to find this out too, in this world of E-Taillers and competitive pricing I would expect an email when [and indeed if] there is a delay. I am of course now in a position whereby they have my money and I have no lenses. I am also out of time now for a delivery in time for this weekend which means I will lose the bank holiday if they don't arrive in time.

To say I am annoyed would be an undertstatement but suffice to say I will not be using this seller again. As I have always said, we all make mistakes it's how we rectify them that counts!

Here's hoping for a speedy delivery.


H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net

I hate waiting

I always have, and always will, hated waiting!

I am one of these people who will happily pay more to have it now. Everything I buy I want now, right now! No waiting!

*sigh* So imagine my distress having to wait for my sparkly new lenses to arrive, it's only been 3 working days but the suspense is killing me :( I just want to get out there and play with them ....



H4rri
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www.randomphotos.net