The magnificence of Trees

While I was away a couple of months back I saw this lovely specimen of a tree and although lacking my usual Minolta kit, took this picture using a digital compact camera. 

The mask slips...

A favourite photograph from April 29 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton showing the page boys and brides maids mask of seriousness slipping and reverting to their innate childish state, sharing a joke.

135mm F 2.8

How many variations on theme is something one could ask when it comes to telephoto lenses and even telezooms but the honest answer has to include something like "when each has it's own strength" that is of use in the field.

 

Take this, a example of the ever popular during Minolta's manual focus hayday classic 135 mm lens where I have a mid 70's MC series example in F 3.5 and the later post 1982 type III MD F3.5 with it's minimum aperture lock for the X700 introduced that year.

 This shot of the rear of the lens shows the big difference of this Type II MD F 2.8, that wider aperture that can make focusing a tad easier in gloomy conditions although it comes with 100 gram extra weight. It uses thicker glass that aids the optical quality compared to the last type III version of 1982/3.

 

 The all important Japan Industries quality mark is on - a sign of quality - that aided your confidence way back then and note the focal length is marked clearly in orange. 

The rear showing the automatic diaphragm pin which is sprung enabling  focusing at the widest aperture for rapid picture taking with the camera shutting it to the set value by the camera during exposure.

The meter coupling and minimum aperture pin for the XD5/7 and X700 shutter priority and program modes respectively can be seen.

This lens is one I've always coveted not least having used F2.8 designs before and I'm looking forward to using it soon.

My collection of Beatles records

I do have an actual record collection not that talk a lot about it or music on this blog and one artist I have had a boyhood liking for is the Beatles.

Beatles Singles Collection was a Christmas present I had in 1978 from my parents and I still own the box! The original UK 24 singles as reissued in 1976 but boxed with a short booklet by World Records.

My collection of individual albums took a lot longer to assemble and are mainly British and stereo.

Please Please Me (1982)
Replacement of pre-recorded tape
With The Beatles (1984)
A Hard Day's Night (1980)
Xmas present
Beatles For Sale (1981)
Birthday present that year
Beatles '65 (1983 Capitol Canada)
Beatles VI (1983 Capitol Canada)
Help! (1976)
Bought in Wales August 1978
Rubber Soul (1979)
Revolver (1986)
Replacement of tape
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1976)
Magical Mystery Tour (Sept 2012)
My original was issued in 1976, bought early 1977)
The Beatles (aka White Album) (1979)
Abbey Road (2012 European remaster)
I accidentally damaged my original and this was its replacement
Let it Be (1979 - Capitol USA)

1962-1966
1967-1970
These two were originally bought for me in 1977 as birthday presents but were replaced in 1990 and Sept 1993 respectively by the last original all analogue cut editions.
Rock and Roll Music
Love Songs
Rarities (1980 Pathé Marconi)
Bought in 1986, this is the french edition of the US Capitol lp of 1980.
Reel Music (1982 Capitol USA)
Past Masters
This originally came out on cd in April 1988 and my copy is the Sept 2012 European remastered edition
Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1977)
A Christmas present in that year

Some were replaced due to wear from my original stereo record player which was an auto changer or with one I dropped and scratched it on one side

Thoughts while away

We are just a few months away from the ninth anniversary of this photography blog so during the period where I'll be away to let more of myself out with friends taking pictures, I thought I'd write out a few words about my other interests.
I think one thing is I'm an avid collector of recorded music seeing various formats come and go over the years so to be honest I haven't a real affinity to any one although all around the MiniDisc was my favourite everyday one even though only a small number of pre-recorded titles existed for it and the cd has been on the whole a boon for collectors with many recordings we feared would never be heard beyond the vaults coming out, well compiled with jacket notes.
I think I have over 500 cds in my collection as much as try to avoid duplication -some collectors have multiple copies -  although with popular recordings there are often differences between mono and stereo versions and when it comes to some classical works the interpretations by conductors do vary so there are some titles I may have two versions of even. 
I'm a very tactile person and that also shows in my preference for physical books  over so-called E-books and readers, preferring the feel and smell of paper, brilliant colour illustrations and the sense of handing down a treasured possession although I do for reference material such as manuals the E-book has its uses and perhaps the idea of a download code included in a physical hardback edition would work for those who'd find reading on a train or in hotels on your hols but who also like the actual item rather like some records now have, in effect a portable version included. 

Still life subjects

It's kind of funny really cos one thing I knew people do in photography is posed still lifes of various objects such as cups, pebbles, flowers or even fruit but the one thing I would of loved to had done if I'd of had the equipment I now have would of been to have taken posed photos of my toy soldiers that most days I was home I'd play with.

Unfortunately they got given away when I was about fifteen even though I played with them and had been moving toward the idea of collecting things otherwise I'd do that now.

New Year Reflections

I am going to write a few words today about  me on this note as things have changed quite a lot since I originally started thinking about myself rather than just blogging about photography which I did after my first short lived blog on Friends Reunited in 2005.
I have a different focus running in my life than a good number people, some of which has been hinted at here, others perhaps on other sites in the past and it is fair to say that side of me is very much the prevailing one which has yet to have full expression elsewhere.
When in some ways you are "younger than your years" and that's a central part of you in reality there is only limited scope for much else  and I had found in so many ways there was little to post on this blog to really justify the amount of time a decent blogging cycle for it with it just being photography centred.
I was finding generally the only stuff that was being talked about was how I capture memories of this life as most of my other interests were and are connected more to that younger, more child-like side of me which I can now see is where I always was.
I am beginning to feel like talking a bit more about "the real me" the side that does the things that I document or try to capture to go back to that time in my life because I think to handle whatever life throws at you, you need to feel in control of that sense of you and that's what this years been all about.