Clunk-click

 

From around 1929 to 1933, this Kodak camera was made specifically for Scouts in the States as well as the UK where this particular model was aimed  in paft to popularize photography and tying in with awards you could earn.

It's hard to see if today a modern version using silcon chips rather than roll film would be made just for scouts to use.

The classic Autumn.

 

As all of last weeks rain starts to receed with all the delays and closures to road and rail transportation at least we have the classic autumn copper leaves a;though shots like this require an increase in exposure to overcome the background lighting.

In the old days I'd typically set a +1.5 ev on the Minolta XD7 or X500 if I didn't use a seperate exposure meter and grey card to set it manually.

At ease

 

It's been pretty mild lately and while out I caught these two ducks having a playful swim in the local canal when sat, taking a rest.

Scouting and Photography do have a history together, for one thing Eastman-Kodak did market a series of cameras for Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts in the early part of the last century.

This one uses the no longer available 620 roll film, has a carrying handle around the film advance knob and the shutter release on the right.

Maybe that picture is Badge worthy?

Alternative things to do when it rains

It was a rather wet and windy weekend which did limit my movements somewhat  so while catching up on what's going on in the World of Scouting,I did notice the odd squirrel about  and the start of the birds gathering together before thy fly off to other climbs.

I was experimenting with another camera as one learns to find all the settings and get used to the electronic viewfinder on it which does make for quieter operation although there's a 270 degree moveable viewing screen looking at the minimum focusing distance.

l decided to take a picture of this flower  that I'd had for a few days in the window sill where it lives in a crystal glass vase.

Although that distance does alter depending on the focal length which is not uncommon on wide ranging zoom lenses which you have to bear in mind, it does allow for good close ups which is handy or say insects on a flower.

Out in the wood

 

As we come out of Spring and touch wood are able to do a bit more after a rather wet and windy week here's a nice example of foliage along a stem that has buds.

The flowers on things you just might walk past looking for more immediately impressive sights can be rewarding although taming the background was a challenge taking a few attempts to find a view with undergrowth less intrusive. 

Having had a dedicated Micro lens for my Minolta XD7and X500 film cameras, when I bought my Nikon DSLR I bought one for it that allows for easy manual focusing and with the DX sensor in it effectively makes it, a 90mm lens a 135mm in film terms allowing you to fill the frame at a a bit more of distance that helps with small creatures as if you get near than the distance they feel comfortable, the picture is lost as they flee.

The optical quality of a fixed length lens tends to be better for having simpler designs with less elements fitted than zooms too.

Bank Holiday in the woods edition

After marking this blogs 600th post and a couple of special entries we resume this spring bank holiday with the sights of our local wood.

Here we have a group of wild Bluebells, one of several  that had come out in the last few days that I spotted.

The uncultivated has always fascinated me so these small delicate looking flowers held my attention as the insects were flying around (and I was making sure I wasn't their dinner!)

I just adore cherry blossoms and this was an attractive branch I spotted carefully softening the background to enable this branch alone to stand out.

Tree canopies are something I find interesting with their twists and turns and foliage

All but one picture was originated on my Nikon Dslr using the Tamron 90mm F2.8 fixed focal length lens using aperture priority auto exposure.

Late spring blossoms

 

Blossoms have always fascinated me and in the last few days I noticed a few more out as the weather is improving and this was one I really liked  taken along the way to a field using the close focusing end of the telezoom.

Absolutely no additional processing used.

Shapes in the ground

 

Continuing on from Wednesday's theme we look across from that side of the canal to an area that is undeveloped due to it being unstable.

The meandering nature of the stream can be seen looking towards the bottom of the valley where we are fortunate to see much wildlife on a regular basis and where wind damage impact upon the fencing is in evidence.

Spring has sprung

After Monday's entry finally spring has sprung with much activity in the woods such as the Pigeons and Sparrows sorting out their differences as there had been a noisy dispute about who could have what tree with the sparrows showing some aggression.

On Monday I saw a baby grey squirrel playing about on the ground before exploring a tree.

After a bit of wait, the daffodils have come out on the green - surprisingly those in peoples gardens came out first - and here's a picture of them.

The Magnificence of Trees

As we make our way into November I think it's a good idea to mark the Magnificence of trees with some pictures I took while out scouting.

The textbook sight of many an English field at this time of your in it's rich colourful glory before the leaves die back for Winter, for me that is so unmissable.

It is interesting to observe just how different leaves on branches turn to a more coppery complexion at different times and that makes for interesting effects.

Perfection, the glory of sunlight coppery leaves taken very much into the light in their magnificence sums up just what is magical at this time of year.

Two modes of transport

After Wednesday blog we return to the same subject but actually going southwards to Kidsgrove and The Potteries in an era I used to explore when I was younger and first got into photography.

Things that have been added is the surfacing on the tow path which used to all grass (and mud in winter) and tidying up the fences that divide fields used by the farmhouse across the road.

This bit of the district is almost but not quite rural while the road on the far left just visible by the street light is more or less typical ribbon development, that road being built in the middle of the last century to overcome a bottleneck, this bit forks off into an area of farms and woodland mingled with parts connected to salt mining.

That's so typical of the North Staffs conurbation - you have a almost rural area with an industrial  past in the middle of it - but the upside as a recent edition of BBC Tv's Country File showed is just how green this area is because of such 'lungs'.

A recent survey showed we had the fifth largest amount of urban green spaces in England and that's before you take in the woods on the fringes.

Framing up a landmark

As I make my way towards a landmark in this blogs history one important feature has always been images, sometimes sadly not always of quality I'd of liked given the vintage sources available.

It is also is entirely fitting this this blog notes that one thing I would of been awarded as a cub back then would of been my photography badge and that there is sufficient proof that the competence would be met by my own photographs on here. 

Photography as people who know another blog played apart in my life, something I learned as a boy in the era of film photography, getting serious with my Minolta X500 and XD7 camera bodies, marque lenses and accessories.

I also learned a bit from from my older brother who was a scout using his equipment as a young boy.

These days I use a combination of a Nikon D3500 digital single lens reflex with a few lenses and a Canon compact for the carried in coat pocket point and shoot pictures.

This life not least the scouting part of it has given me a lot especially since the Covid-19 Lockdown in March helping me as scouting has helped many boys (and girls) during period stay focused,make the most of the situation we are facing learn new things and do what we can waking a difference for the good.

Exploring this week

This week I was out exploring the fields here taking a bit of care as it's harvest time and apart from anything with it being a bit wet, farm equipment does churn up fields which can make getting about more difficult for some of us.

There were patches of clover about of which this one was one of the best, coming up nicely.

I also spotted some Thistles when not being circled by white Butterflies and the odd Red Admiral although I did have to persuade a bee to leave my arm alone.

As I said before it's harvesting time so you do have to be careful not to get in the way of them as they travel across the fields and here it is gathering in Hay which will be tied in bundles for later on.

Farm equipment is fascinating and I like how the greens and blues interact in this scene.

I was exploring with my uniform on under my red waterproof jacket as the weather was very changeable, interacting with the Nursery staff who have plantations on site confidently. 

Getting a record of your activities

Ah the days when I walked with a film Single Lens Reflex camera usually either my trusty Minolta XD7 or X500 strapped to me in the easy release case rather than the big canvas messenger bag which as less fiddly in the field taking pictures with another carrying a bag as trying to stay straight carrying stuff on top of my disabilities isn't easy.

Photography and the Scout

Photography has been in the Scouting Awards for a good while going well back into the period film photograph was the only game in town.

Today of course it is different although there are those who still prefer to use film but one constant attitude you tend to hear is to take good photographs, you need expensive cameras and lenses regardless of media.

This is simply not true although better equipment can afford possibilities not always available on less expensive equipment but take this Scout here for instance.

He is using a fairly simple digital compact camera with a single built in zoom lens highly likely to be one of Canon's which by coincidence I do own although I have a Nikon Digital Single lens reflex camera with seperate interchangeable lenses.

He is quite capable of taking some very good general photographic images with his because I know I have got very good results out of mine some of which are in this blog and others in my main one on what is an inexpensive model.

Most things come down to technique which you can learn and developing an eye for a good picture as you go about such as at camp or whilst hiking.

Just go out there practise and DO IT.