UV filters ARE worth something!

A lot of photographers are under the impression that UV filters are useful for protecting the front lens element. I used to subscribe to that, but they eventually just become dust collection filters on my desk, so I have finally found a use for mine. At one time I had a 55mm threade lens that I could use my Cokin filters on, but it came to a demise fitting with my careless attitude of equipment (I tend to drop my stuff). So, I've had these filters and the holder that would only fit on a 55mm lens and no lens to use them with. 

Lately I've been infatuated with my 50mm 1.8 Canon lens that has 52mm filter threads, and have been shooting more black and white film. I really wanted to use my filters, so I've been on the hunt for a 52 to 55 step-up ring for the Cokins. I know I can order one online, but I don't like waiting (even though I could have had it two months ago) and it's much more satisfying to build a tool out of the detritus of a messy desk.

With that in mind today, I gathered together my two VERY worthy UV filters and a hammer. I then took these outside with the full intention of breaking the glass out, which I did very successfully. I would like to recommend using safety glasses of some sort, eye protection is great, especially if like me, you use your eyes for photography.

After the breaking of the glass and making sure the slivers of UV glass in my eyes were not serious enough to warrant a visit to the emergency room, I cleared a space on my desk to begin work, which is placing an old film envelope from the local one hour lab on my laptop keyboard.

This is a very critical point. Take time to be sure that the threads you will screw into the lens are not the threads that you put super glue on. Luckily I didn't make that mistake. Although I did glue my finger to my coffee cup. That isn't such a bad mistake, I like my coffee. Once I had the right sides glued, I place them together and waited a bit for the glue to cure. I don't know if the vapors from drying super glue can harm a lens element, but I didn't want to take that chance. Seriously.

I also don't know how long the glue will last, so eventually I will get something better. There also seems to be some light leakage between the metal rings. That may or may not have an effect on the pictures I take, probably not. I think it won't matter as my photography isn't in any class that requires perfection yet.

I took my camera out today and shot a roll of Ilford Delta 400 (about a week from now I should see results) with the red filter I have. I shot a roll of the Ilford c-41 film, just to see how it performs and a couple rolls of cheap Kodak 200 iso that the local one hour lab gives me with every processing order.

When I get results back I will post along with a shot of my now useful UV filters!

 

Procrastination. Back from South Africa now for a couple months and it's about time to post some pictures. As this blog only let me upload these (could it be Safari?) I'll keep trying to load more. The warthogs were interesting, always putting their elbows on the table. I see sheep doing the same here in Wales. The baby hyena was a treat, it just layed there in the morning sun not caring one way or the other that we were 3 yards from it. An old bull elephant reaching up into a tree for some tasty treats and the morning pachyderm, our first morning in the park we took a drive with park rangers and were treated to this beautiful sunrise photo op. The leopard was by far the most exciting sighting. At this point the cat had come down off a large rock where it was trying to beat the midday sun. It walked within three yards of our rental car. So close my auto-focus quit working on my camera.

Going to South Africa

I'm heading off to South Africa in a few hours, so there won't be any posts for my non existent faithful readers for some time. I'll leave with a few pictures from the trip to Scotland last week.

On going saga of moving to Wales

So, I've been out of touch from the online community for over a month and more on this blog, I suppose a little catching up is due. AKZ and I made our trip over the pond and are finally settled in to our new flat, which is beginning to come together.

We spent the first two weeks in a caravan park in a trailer that had no hot water, a communal shower and bathroom that had hot water when every one else had gone to sleep or was too early for them to wake. The stove top worked, but the oven did not. And it rained nonstop until we moved to the flat down town. The good thing about the park is we had a great view of sheep and other caravaners.

Sadly no sheep in this picture. As you can see AKZ has nothing but full love of our temp home:

Now that we've redone the floors and walls there is no more smell of an old wet dog. Even the bathroom smells fine, though it is still a bit grimy. I won't share any pics of that as of yet. I still awake at night and start trembling from the thoughts of what lived under that mess.

I'll continue catching up now that we have the interweb going. It's quite strange that we can get braodband from a phone line that works just as good as a dedicated line...

Cheers!

AKZ and I took our Buffalo canoe out on Lake Wilson yesterday, we used it as an excuse to drink a few cheap beers. As it turned out AKZ caught herself a few limbs and a largemouth bass (of which I have no picture).

Because I always have my camera with me, I'm always taking shot of AKZ while she isn't expecting it. I've now been instructed to let the ladies know if I am aiming the camera anywhere in their direction by yelling out "Camera ladies!" with a slightly effeminate tone in the style of one of the participants on a Bravo TV show. Yet, even with this fantastic preparation, I still manage to capture the "ladies" in bad form (in their opinion) with the inevitable response of "I look fat!", or "What's wrong with your fucking camera, asshole!". 

So, in celebration of the "ladies" here is a perfect photo from the float out on the lake.

It's been a few days since my last post, but I haven't done anything or thought of anything worth mine or any one's time. Until this past weekend. I went canoeing with AKZ, Colin, Faith, their demon son Kirin (that's for you Faith) Jessica and Tato. Everyone wanted to fish, and when i say everyone that means Colin. The original float was planned for the Buffalo, but supposedly there are no fish on the Buffalo. So we went to the King's and of course got there around 2pm the day we planned on floating. Then we had to wait for a freak storm to pass by. No drownings or electrocutions here. So the float began around 3pm or so. A few strokes downstream I noticed a jeep on the riverbank. Either some idiot decided he could drive across the river or it was washed down after a huge flood.

Fish were caught and beer was drunk, though for some odd reason there were more fish being caught than there were beers being drunk. I think maybe as we all get older the more we hate feeling like crap. So a sober day on the river and then the storm hits us. I could see ten feet in front of the boat it was raining so hard. AKZ brought her rainjacket, so she was comfy. Just as the rain started to intensify, i noticed large plops in the water that looked like fish jumping. My infinite knowledge of fishing shows itself. It turns out we were being bombarded by hail the size of golfballs. Sorry no pictures of that, I brought my dive camera with me, which is film, so after using one roll and rewinding it i forgot that i was using film. I think the pro film people are correct in assuming that digital cameras dumb down the average photographer. So, no shots of monster iceballs from the sky or heavy rain. Just some fish and the people who caught them.

Amanda and I went for a hike on the Buffalo River Trail this week. We spent Monday through Wednesday on the trail and covered a bit over 26 miles, most of that during the first two days. Wednesday was a leisurely walk of about 2.5-3 miles. For a more technical look at our hike check out AKZ's blog. 

I spent most of the time shooting pictures and playing catch-up to Amanda. For this hike i took my EOS 30D and the 50mm 1.8 lens. No tripod, which shows on some of the shots, I'm trying to travel light these days. 

The views could have been more majestic, but we got on trail about one week too late. The trees have all leafed out, blocking most of the river and bluff views. The view of Steel Creek though was fantastic, and little hints of the river from above were beautiful. There were so many flowers in bloom; dogwoods, trillium, May Apple, columbine (red & white), and many that I don't know. So goes my education in plant identification. It looks like a trip to Dickson Street Bookstore.