Subscribe with Bloglines Greg's Photo Diary - the 365 project: April 2010

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Day 92:365


Day 92:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Was meeting up for a coffee with a friend and had a few minutes to spare on the way there. A new building had been built and I liked the angles.

Borough Tube 91:365


Borough Tube 91:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
On my way home from basketball on the bus and realised I had not had a chance to take a shot at the courts.

I think I may start a series on underground signs.

Bubbles 90:365


Bubbles 90:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith

Dumbbell 89:365


Dumbbell 89:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Just a quick shot taken at work!

Street Art day 88 alt


Street Art day 88 alt
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
I still find it amazing the quality of the street art around the Brick Lane area!

This is painted on someones door!

Streaming London Sunlight 88:365


Sunday upmarket light 87:365


Sunday upmarket light alt 87


Sunday upmarket light alt 87


Sunday upmarket light alt 87


Jelly Babies 86:365


Jelly Babies 86:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Take with my D90 and 50mm 1.8. SB600 fired off camera to the right with a big white canvas as a reflector.

Bokeh 83:365


Bokeh 83:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Had some very poor photography days.

See my flickr account to see the bad ones!

Bokeh Day 83 alt


Bokeh Day 83 alt
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith

Sunday 11 April 2010

Johannesburg Freeway Light Trail 81:365

As the light faded, I took the opportunity take some light trail shots on the freeway. I was minus a tripod so had to set the camera down on the overpass and used a really long shutter speed.

I really like the car's indicator light as it changes lane.

The sunset was beautiful, but the framing was lacking an interesting subject, hence why I am not using them as my shot of the day.

Joburg Sunset Day 81 Alt


Joburg Sunset Day 81 Alt
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
I flew from Durban to Joburg on the way to London and had a 6 hour stop over in the airport.

Thankfully, Steve came and picked me up and we went back to his house for dinner. Before we ate, we grabbed our cameras - he has a D5000 and went and took some shots of the sunset.

The sunset was particularly beautiful, however, our viewpoint did not have an interesting subject to shoot.

I decided to try and include part of the sunset and a passing car. No tripod, so this is shot handheld and kind of like the result. Could maybe do with a bit more of the car, but without having a full lighting setup, that was not going to work.

Lion Fish day 80 alt


Lion Fish day 80 alt
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Gave this Lion fish a go and was surprised at how well it came out. Through thick glass and only ambient light, I think this has quite a bit of detail!

Jelly Fish 80:365


Jelly Fish 80:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Walking around Ushaka aquarium - well worth a visit if you are in Durban, and saw these baby jelly fish and had to give them a go.

Not completely upset with the results. Did merge two pics in CS4 to get a better more interesting picture.

I love the colour, which is pretty much what the eye saw.

Dave And Shell 79:365


Dave And Shell 79:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Had just fired up the braai and we were sitting on the verada enjoying the lovely weather.

Just took this quick snap of my Brother-in-law, Dave and my niece, Shelley-Ann.

Hornbill 78:365


Hornbill 78:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Tried to visit the Umgeni River Bird park on my trip home, but it was closed to the public. It was laways a place worth a visit, but they decided to close it last year. Thankfully someone bought it to reopen, but I think they have to restock - they sold the birds initially.

Anyway, I was told that a new one had opened further inland. Went for a drive and found it. Not on the same scale. They have some really cute parrots, including one called Snowy who says hello a lot and dances for you.

There was not a lot of photo ops. I did manage to get a few of a Knysna Lourie in flight, but it was on a background of wire, so did not bother posting them.

See my alternative for today to see a Lourie standing still.

Knysna Lourie


Knysna Lourie
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
At a loss for words. Lovely bird! What more can I say!

Strobist Horse Soft light Day 77 alt

Taken on my d90 and nifty fifty. Sb 600 fired off camera with a yongnuo digital wireless controller.
Flash fired through a white shirt to the left.

Strobist Horse hard light 77:365

aken on my d90 and nifty fifty. Sb 600 fired off camera with a yongnuo digital wireless controller.
Flash fired from above.

Friday 9 April 2010

Dragon fly 76:365


Dragon fly 76:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Wrote a whole long description about this picture using iphoto. Then did some editing in CS4 so lost the info, but luckily save it onto a word doc. When I uploaded it, I cut and pasted it into this space and saved. However, when I opened the pic it was gone.

Can't be bothered to rewrite it, but needless to say this shot's focus is not quite right because I was interrupted by some strange woman who decided to come over and talk to me while I was trying to take the picture. Not wanting to appear ruse I stopped what I was doing to listen to her and when I went back to the shot the dragon fly was gone. So no sharp focus on the eye.

This was taken handheld with mt 120-400mm sigma at 400mm.

Waiting for the calamari! 75:365

Went out in the afternoon with my parents and Mandy to Gateway Shopping Centre and then drove up to Balito to a fantastic restaurant called Mozambik. They do the most amazing Calamari in a garlic and lemon sauce. If followed this with 1kg of Queen Prawns..... needed help from everyone to finish these.

I managed to leave my camera at home and hadn't taken any other shots for the day, so had to take a snap with the old iphone. It doesn't handle the low light very well but it will have to do!

On the right Path 74:365


On the right Path 74:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
Went for a pleasant walk along the beach with the wide Mandy, and friends Jonah and Anne and their daughter Caity.

Unfortunately only had the nifty fifty on me, so was unable to get some action shots of the surfers, so this picture will have to do.

I do not know what is is about this shot but I like it!

Matthew 73:365


Matthew 73:365
Originally uploaded by gregcsmith
This is a picture of my friends really cute son.

I played around with a number of different crops. Please have a look at the one below and tell me which you think is better.

Matthew day 73 alt crop 2


Thursday 8 April 2010

Naughty Cat! 72:365

This is a lovely cat that lives next door to my parent house. In fact it seems to spend so much time at their house, it may as well be theirs. However, it won't eat any food at their house!

I thought she wold make a good subject for some pictures.

Needless to say she was not at all interested and I think I only succeeded in making my wife laugh.... a lot!

A lovely, friendly cat, but it does not like being picked up and wont stay on your lap long if she does decide to jump up, and then she will give you the claw action!!!

Naughty Cat! 2 Day 72 Alt


Leave It! 71:365

Poor Photography day today. Just enjoyed my holiday!

I think I had the +4 screw on lens for this shot. Hand held.

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Champagne Castle Pano 70:365

What a beautiful place. Just popped in here for a drink on the way home. It was worth the visit! Very nice.

Drakensberg Storm Brewing Day 69 Alternative

This rolled in as I was trying to photograph the local birdlife, hence why the light was quite poor!

I love the sky and we also got a few bolts of lightening too.

Double Collared Sunbird 69:365

I am really surprisd at this picture. I did not think that it was going to be this sharp with as much detail.

We had spent a lovely day in the Drakensberg and had done a 3 hour hike around the surrounding mountains. After having a quick nap, then swim in the reservoir and grabiing something to eat I thought I would take a few pics of the birds in the camp.

Unfortunately the light was pretty poor (see day 69 alternative) and these guys don;t exactly move slowly and stay still for long. My Sigma 120-400 is a good lens but not great in poor light!.

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with the result. Please see the other one I have posted and let me know which is better.

Cape Thrush Day 69 alternative


sunbird day 69 alternative


Drakensberg Moon 22nd March 2010 68:365


Drakensburg Moon March 22nd 2010 Day 68 alt


Tuesday 6 April 2010

Day 67 Alternative


What's up Jack! 67:365

Leave me alone..... I want to Pee!

Another Crap day in Africa! 66:365

This was taken on my Best Friend wedding day. I did not take my camera to the wedding, I had more important drinking tasks to do on the day to worry about my camera!

This was taken between the ceremony and the reception.

Africa just has the most amazing sunsets!

Monday 5 April 2010

Stop Taking my Picture! 65:265

A bit hung over today and was a bit busy running around Joburg helping Steve with some wedding tasks.

In the afternoon before we headed out to the wedding venue there was a lovely light coming from the sunset.

Took this shot of my beautiful wife...needless to say she was none too pleased!

Red Pepper! 64:365

Had just arrived in Johannesburg and just checked in to the B&B. It was baking hot so decided to chill out around the pool.

These guys were growing around the pool.

Not the most interesting photo, but I did not take my camera with me to the go-karting and the Stag party. Not wanting any incriminating evidence, however, I needn't have worried as it was a very sedate evening.

Heathrow Terminal 5 Tilt shift 63:365

Only chance for a shot tody was on my way to the gate to get on the plane to JHB!