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Post by John Parry on Sept 22, 2010 19:03:06 GMT -5
Dave - the most famous ship launched at Lairds (Jonathan Lairds in those days) was the Alabama. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it!
Peter - Always nice to hear from you again old friend. The 'other' Lanc was at Hamilton when I saw her, and when my Dad went aboard. I know the flight engineer is a Hamilton businessman.
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Sept 11, 2010 8:46:10 GMT -5
Capturing practically anything in flight that isn't at infinity is a massive challenge for any photographer. To give yourself any kind of a chance, you need the brightest possible conditions to give yourself the maximum possible DOF, pre-focus, and - guess!
I've done a little work with hunting birds in a public display. They were trained to fly between two perches so the conditions were ideal. You know the distance from the camera to the flight path. The light is reasonable, so you can close the lens right down, so you're all set up for some awesome in-flight photographs providing you can just get the bird in the centre of shot, right? Wrong. Hunting birds don't fly straight - they'll move off the line by a couple of yards. The only decent shots I got were at take-off and landing.
Mickey - hoverflies are true flies that have adopted the protective coloration of a wasp. Dave's right - they are ideal subjects as they can hover in exactly the same spot for minutes at a time. But as Dave says - not only are you wrestling with the photographic challenges, but also with supernatural ones too. They have ESP and know exactly when you are going to press the shutter. As soon as you do, they are hovering beautifully a foot away from their original position.
Dave - the Yashica 300AF has a function giving just what you are looking for with your infrared idea. You can set it all up ready, and as soon as something is detected in focus in a sensitive zone of the field of view, it takes the picture. Trouble is, I've never managed to get it to work - something in the background is detected as being in focus and 'click' - an empty picture.
Bats are another subject offering endless hours of fun for the intrepid stalker - not only are they unbelievably fast, jinking more quickly than any bird or insect, but they have the added advantage that you can't see them coming.
All these techniques have one thing in common - they use a lot of film. I mean a LOT of film. Maybe if I ever get the LCD display fixed on my Pentax digital (so that I can make adjustments with some sort of confidence that I won't lose track of where I am and never be able to get back again), I'll take up in-flight photography again.
Meanwhile, I try not to think about it too much.....
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Sept 9, 2010 20:19:45 GMT -5
Mik
You write it, we'll make sense of it! Not sure it's a good idea to come on here hoping to brush up on your English - we can't even agree how to spell colour!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Sept 9, 2010 19:49:42 GMT -5
The Hexanon 200 is a beautiful lens. Why not get yourself an AutoReflex T3 and have fun with it! The later electronic series (FS-1, FC-1, FP-1 or FT-1) also take the AR lenses, and they were seriously good cameras in their day (the FS-1 was the first 35mm SLR in the world with an in-built motor drive - get a late Serial No. one if you can, or better still the FT-1). Still are, although I wouldn't recommend an FP-1 unless you are thinking of building up to a full set!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Sept 1, 2010 15:43:50 GMT -5
Check out this article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11137903They turned it into a South Sea Paradise, right? I called there regularly in the 60's and 70's and it was just barren rock. Maybe there'd be a wisp of cloud on the topmost volcanoes but the whole island varied between black (the mountains ) and light grey (beach sand). Green was a colour notable only for its absence... I think they got it mixed up with Mauritius! Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Sept 1, 2010 15:20:10 GMT -5
The head brewer for one of our many 'micro' breweries is a friend of mine. (scoff if you like!). They moved their brewery from Wasdale (home of the deepest lake in the country, although they took their supplies from a local spring-fed well) to a local town. The water there is hard (compared to the rest of the Lake District), and heavily chlorinated. My friend said it's the best move they ever made - because the water supply is now dependable, they can soften (not too much - they do brew bitter), and filter it, and he no longer lies awake worrying that the well will run dry.
Anyway Bob - wish you could have a few of our 'showers, merging at times to give longer periods of rain' What a bloody copout that is! Good luck.
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 29, 2010 17:45:37 GMT -5
I remember Lee Remick from the British film 'Loot'
It was written by Joe Orton, and was memorable for the fact that none of the characters had a single redeeming feature about them.
I particularly liked the Police Inspector (Truskett of the Yard - Richard Attenborough) when he cautioned his suspects:-
"Anything you say will be taken down, twisted round, altered, and used in evidence against you"
Happy days!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 26, 2010 16:08:50 GMT -5
Peter
I've got a lovely photograph somewhere of my great-grandfather and great-grandmother (Nana and Papa) boarding a DC3 at Ringway bound for the Isle of Man. Their expressions were so smug - "Look at us" LOL
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 26, 2010 16:01:31 GMT -5
I spent my first five years in Pendleton Wayne. Doesn't matter - it was all demolished in the slum clearance progam!
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Post by John Parry on Aug 25, 2010 16:18:22 GMT -5
Left my computer at home, and didn't go back for three weeks.
You'd have enjoyed our result on Monday...!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 25, 2010 16:01:50 GMT -5
Saw this guy on my sidewalk today. Andy That was me going to work - you never asked me to sign a disclaimer... Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 5, 2010 15:52:10 GMT -5
Doug
I used to smoke Park Drive Tipped, but they withdrew them. Now I don't know who to sue!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 5, 2010 15:45:43 GMT -5
Wayne - Ha!
You didn't recognise them at first glance as we Brits did !!
You had to Google it!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 5, 2010 15:25:54 GMT -5
I'm trying to work out what comes 9 months before early August, but no - that's unworthy! Anyway Happy Birthday to paulatukcamera, Budzeetl, peedee, and johnc2wa.
Many happy returns Paul and Bud. Not sure that I've heard from peedee or johnc2wa too much - but happy birthday anyway!
Regards - John
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Post by John Parry on Aug 4, 2010 16:23:03 GMT -5
Hunyah hunyah hee...
It's currently pouring with rain here, has been for the last month, but there's still a drought order in force and they've just closed down 60 miles of one of our nicest canals because there isn't enough water to top it up with.
As I've mentioned before, it's 'their' water now, but it wasn't 'their' water when everybody's living rooms were full of the stuff last winter...
Sorry Bob - it's a sore point in the Northwest of England - but I hope it rains for you - and it doesn't flood you out of house and home!
Regards - John
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