Called a client this morning, just on the...

... off chance they might have some work knocking about. Result! A box of bit and pieces that need simple product shots, on grey and white backgrounds. Plus a new product... Wait for it... A wheelie bin lock! Yes, that's what I thought at first, but it seems lots of kids with nothing better to do than cause trouble find wheelie bins fascinating, almost irresistible. They can think of nothing better than tipping them over or opening them up and setting light to the contents. So this lock stops them opening the bin and it has a sensor alarm that goes off if someone tips it over. When the refuse collection operatives (bin men) come and empty the bins the lock opens when the bin is inverted, clever. Now to start photographing it, first I'll need a wheelie bin, ah, we still just have bin bags, though the council will be rolling wheelie bins out to us soon!

If you want to buy a particular camera...

... or lens, it looks like you might be out of luck! I've just been reading an article on pdn's blog about camera stores in the states not having stock of certain types and models of camera, the Canon 5D MkII, 7D and some Nikon models as well as popular lenses like the new Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II, are all unavailable. So I did a little bit of checking with a few stores here in the UK, same problem. It looks like the production levels in Japan have got a long way to go to meet the demand for these precious items, the tsunami has had an enormous effect on current production models, what kind of delays will it have on the next generation of Pro models that we've all been waiting for from Nikon and Canon?

http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/gear/Photographers-Face-C-2936.shtml

A trip to the woods brings an unexpected...

... chance for a quick snap of my oldest lad. It was shot on my Canon 1Ds MkII with the 70-200 mm f4 L series lens, set at 150mm at f4.5 1/160 sec, though the file info says I'd got my 17-40 mm lens on, not sure what that's about! In photoshop I worked on the colour image then desaturated, lightened the eyes, then the face, but I wanted the eyes to draw you into the picture so I worked on them a little more darkening some parts and lightening others a little more. I like the shot, so does my wife, my son likes it, the police officer who came to talk about the action we wanted to take over our smashed car window liked it to, can't wait to show my Mum and Dad, must get printing now.

I've been wanting to...

... post on my blog for a couple of days, but like everyone else in the Blogger world it's been off-line for a few days. Now it's back, but I seem to have forgotten what I was going to blog about. Ho hum, next time.

I don't want to be a scene of crime...

... photographer, but I've taken on that mantle this week when a school kid threw a handful of stones down our road to try and hit another boy and managed to put stones through my neighbours and my car windows. I'm hoping that it'll all be resolved without resorting to the Police, though they've been informed (another statistic). The photographs are really for my insurance company, if I need them, as well as evidence for the police to use if the case goes further. I'm off to the school later today as the head teacher is very interested in the incident. I'm just relieved that my young boys weren't out in the garden playing when the stones cascaded down, the thought makes me cringe.

Anyone got a dust pan and brush?

It's alive...

Finally got the new site up and running, though I've just noticed that the about page just has a picture of me on it and nothing else, whoops! I'll have to put that right tonight as I've now got to head out into the lovely sunshine and take some photographs, it's a hard life...

Update: 05/05/2011
All sorted, about page has been populated, I do hope that's the right word!