# data[].attributes.body
Frasier Crane is an ornament we have in the apartment, it is made of wood and stands about 100cm high.

I experimented with some lighting arrangements using Frasier as the model, so backlit, side lit and front lit. Below are the best shots (cropped) from the shoot.

Note there are spots on lens which to-date I've been unable to remove.

# data[].attributes.body
Nothing really special about this image however I do like the hidden figure behind the banister and the fact that they reduced the seating capacity of the café by 50%. I'm assuming this to try and keep customers downstairs and make life easier for the staff, I must aske next time I'm in.

# data[].attributes.body
The decoration in the café consists mainly of prints or small originals (some with the Biz-R name incorporated). This poster is the only framed decoration of its type in the café, and advertises events in Chester-Le-Street back in the early 1960s. I think it is a quaint nod to times gone by.

# data[].attributes.body
This is the only internal table which offers a view of the riverside and the castle. In warmer weather there is outside seating which provides better views, but in winter this would be my favourite location.

# data[].attributes.body
This shot is head-on to the counter and shows Andy looking for something below counter level. Andy is my go to guy in the café and always has a cheerful greeting.

# data[].attributes.body
As you enter the coffee house, you see the counter on the left hand side along with various menus on the wall. There is a cool display unit housing cakes and ready made sandwiches, well placed to attract customer attention.

# data[].attributes.body
This is quite a versatile lens however not so good in dull light situations as its highest aperture setting is 3.5. I used it when shooting in Biz-R to try and sepia kind of atmosphere, however in the end I used the editing software to create the effect.

# data[].attributes.body
Biz-R is a coffee house in Durham on the banks of the River Wear. It is situated in the "Gates" complex and its outdoor seating area has an excellent view of the castle on the other side of the river.

I was looking to recreate the smoky (not allowed) dim atmosphere that coffee houses were famous for. The lighting wasn't particularly good in the shop so the images were quite dark, however I decided to use the editing software to create a stronger sepia effect

# data[].attributes.body
This is the other exit/entrance from the indoor market to the market place. The focus of this image is the statue of Poseidon in the market place.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a photo of one of the alleys in the market. I like the colours and the shapes in this image, with the disembodied hand of the bookseller in the foreground.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a butcher's stall in the market, with customers just leaving after buying goods. I like the dark coat of the first lady contrasting with the colours and shapes in the rest of the image.

# data[].attributes.body
I like this image for its simplicity and that fact the landlord still feel it necessary to have a "no smoking" sign in an enclosed space surrounded by flammable objects.

# data[].attributes.body
Once inside the market this is the scene that greets you. The first stall you hit is a linen stall, with a coffee stall to the right and the café on the mezzanine floor

# data[].attributes.body
This is the main entrance to the market, with a drop in level from the market place to the floor of the market hall.

# data[].attributes.body
Durham Indoor Market is a covered market located off the Market Place in the City of Durham. The new Market Hall was part of the site of New Place, the former palace and gardens built in the Middle Ages for the Nevilles of Raby and Brancepeth, the Earls of Westmoreland.

In May 1851, The Durham Markets Company Act was passed for establishing new Markets and Market Places in the City of Durham, for abolishing the Corn Tolls and "for regulating the Markets and Fairs within the said City and Suburbs thereof and for other Purposes. In 1996 the market went through a major refurbishment, and the new Market Hall opened for trading from Monday to Saturday in November 1996.

# data[].attributes.body
I have learnt a number of lessons on this course, including but not exclusively:

Lighting - Lighting is everything in photography, good light is preferred but you need to be able to deal with poor lighting situations. Lighting can be creative with long shutter speed shots in dark situations and creative lighting sources for objects and people, good lighting can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Difference between Manual and Automatic - Up until this course I had almost exclusively shot in Automatic mode and hadn't really thought much about Manual mode. Now that I understand the benefits of Manual and the control it gives you, I'm not sure why I ever shot in Automatic (probably for speed of shot). I find it more difficult to use Manual but I'm sure in time it will become easier.
Raw v JPEG - Similar argument to above, I'd always shot in JPEG because the photos were easier to manipulate. I never gave much thought to the editing and post processing process. I now shoot in Raw because it gives me that editing capability.
Right equipment - Previously I thought I had the right equipment for photography, but the course and talking to other participants has shown me that I need to be more selective in what I buy in future.
Every picture tells a story - As well as being a Rod Stewart album title, I've learnt that a photograph should make you think and pause for thought.
Fill the frame - I often have too much background and not enough subject, Simon was very clear that I should fill the frame with the subject and cut out the "noise" in the background.

# data[].attributes.body
All 3 cameras take micro sd cards with adaptors, the mirrorless cameras take a standard sd card while the a700 takes a pro duo adaptor. Micro sd cards are easy to process with an adaptor and because most cameras use this format are a cost effective way of storing information.

# data[].attributes.body
I had never really used a tripod until the assignments for this course. I'd bought one from Amazon a while back and not knowing any different I got their basic tripod.

When I started using it, it soon became apparent that it wasn't really suitable for basic tasks. It is very light in construction and doesn't provide much stability. In addition most of the working parts are made out of plastic and when any camera is attached there is movement at the head assembly.

So another learning from this course is to invest in a half decent tripod, which I shall be doing, and I'll use this tripod as a mount for lighting if required.

# data[].attributes.body
I think was a kit lens with either the a700 or a previous analogue camera I had. With an aperture of 1.4 this prime lens provides excellent portrait and fixed object shots. I have used it a couple of times during the course but will use it more in the future.

# data[].attributes.body
The a700 is an older DSLR model from Sony however it is a much more solid performer (with heavy lenses and tripod) than the mirrorless cameras. It has less megapixels than the a5000 or a6000 however it does produce crisper images in poorer light conditions. I also find that the chunkier build is easier to use, with dials for the exposure triangle settings as against some digital settings for the mirrorless cameras.

In summary I find the larger body of the a700 more comfortable to use, plus it has functionality not found in the newer mirroless cameras.

# data[].attributes.body
This is the entry level to Sony's family of mirrorless cameras, it is small. light and easy to carry. Combined with the Sony 16-50 lens it is a very competent point and shoot camera and my intention is to use it in that mode in the future.

# data[].attributes.body
This lens came with a5000 when I bought it. It is not particularly sophisticated with a minimum aperture of 3.5 but under the right circumstances it is very useful.

It is a very compact and light lens and so is very suited to the Sony mirrorless cameras. I used it on the a6000 when I did the Graffiti shoot in Newcastle and it performed very well under those circumstances.

# data[].attributes.body
This is an excellent lens for landscapes and broad urban views, unfortunately I didn't get much opportunity for this type of photography during the course. Like the Tamron this lens is quite heavy for the camera and needs decent light to avoid camera shake.

# data[].attributes.body
This is the lens I generally have on the a6000, it has a good focal length range with a minimum f-stop of 2.8. It is quite heavy for the camera and needs relatively good light for a decent shot as it has no image stabilisation built into the camera.

# data[].attributes.body
For most of the course the a6000 has been my go to camera, however I started to notice issues with low light shots with camera shake and blurring. Looking at my rig, i think this was a combination of no image stabilisation in the camera, relatively heavy lenses (see below) which unbalanced the camera and a cheap tripod (see below) which had too much movement when the camera was attached.

In decent light with a fast shutter speed the a6000 performs well, so I think I'll restrict its use to those conditions, as it is very light and versatile given the right circumstances.

# data[].attributes.body
Over the duration of the course I have used 3 x cameras - Sony a6000, Sony a5000 and a Sony a700. I have mainly used the a6000 however I've found that it struggles with low light shots because of its small size and lack of image stabilisation. I used the a5000 as a point and shoot option, and am now using the a700 to hopefully improve my low light shots.

One very practical outcome of the course was it caused me to think on how I wanted to use my cameras. As I mentioned above I have 3 "DSLR" type cameras and I essentially treated them as interchangeable, however after using them during the course, I know now they are each suited to specific tasks:
a6000 - Use in good natural lighting where you can achieve a high shutter speed.
a5000 - Best used as a point and shoot option
a700 - The best of my current cameras for general use

# data[].attributes.body
Chris Brown, married, semi-retired living in Durham. Have taken photographs since the late 1980s however never really took it to a level beyond holiday snaps. I've taken a few good shots in my time but never quite sure why or the science behind it.

When lockdown came along, my wife, son and I used to go out walking (family bubble) and I introduced my son to basic photography by giving him a point and shoot camera. As lockdown dragged on we became more and more interested in photography and went out most weekends looking for  specific shots. Now I have more time in my hands I have the opportunity to look to further my knowledge and skills around photography.

We also have an apartment in Spain, which has much better natural light than the north-east of England and I'm looking forward to shoots in the sun over the coming years.

# data[].attributes.body
Gil Scott Heron is an American musician, poet and activist. The piece of graffiti appealed to me because I hadn't thought that Heron was well known in the UK, and to see a portrait of him on the banks of the Tyne was a bit of a surprise.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a carving of a Chinese Mandarin I bought in China about 20 years ago. It is mage out of cedarwood and when it was relatively new gave off a pleasant smell.

I like the imperious look on the carvings face, probably reminiscent of the time this statue depicts

# data[].attributes.body
This was also bought in KwaZulu at the same time as the Zulu Warrior.

It is essentially a piece of tourist carving made out of wood, but nevertheless an interesting ornament. I like the way the focus on the head is sharp but the image blurs as you look towards the tail.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a small crystal ornament from Lalique, a renowned French designer of Jewellery and ornaments.

Like the previous image I have carried very little post processing as I like the subtlety of the natural light and shadows.

# data[].attributes.body
I bought this statue in what is now KwaZulu in South Africa. It depicts a Zulu Warrior and is made out of stone.

Apart from compensating for the lens and cropping the sides, I didn't do any significant editing as I thought the natural colour and shadows looked good.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a reproduction of a Tang Horse, which I bought off eBay around 20 years ago. It is made out of a ceramic material stands about 30cm high.

# data[].attributes.body
I bought this statue in Penang, Malaysia, it depicts a warrior firing a bow. It is made out of metal and has some interesting patterns and colours caused by ageing.

# data[].attributes.body
As it was another miserable, damp and overcast day I decided to try my hand at photographing some objects indoors using natural light. Most of the objects are ornaments we had gathered over the years and were on display in the apartment.

My idea was to create a bland background using a sheet and photograph with a narrow depth of field, focusing on the object in question.

# data[].attributes.body
This photo was taken while we were experimenting with lights during our session on 28th February. Its a fun photo and the first time I'd tried a long exposure indoors with this kind of lighting.

# data[].attributes.body
This was the last garage on my walk down the hill. Unlike all the other garages, access is relatively easy and this is shown by the fact that garage seems to be in regular use by its owners.

# data[].attributes.body
This shot was taken half way down the hill and shows the layout of the garage doors. with Durham Cathedral in the background. The road is actually quite narrow and doesn't lend itself to a garage entrance/exit, makes me think that many of these garages have been added at a letter date to cater for modern day preferences.

# data[].attributes.body
Interestingly this is the door next to the previous image, yet despite its unkempt appearance no graffiti artist has used it. Maybe the wooden design doesn't lend itself to paint in the way a metal doors.

# data[].attributes.body
I think this is a great example of an urban garage door, it looks ignored and unused, and some graffiti artist has taken that as a signal to use it as a canvas.

# data[].attributes.body
I like this door because of the material and its construction. It is obviously a newish door but someone has decided to replace the original with a wooden door rather than metal. I also like the horizontal construction rather than the standard vertical slat design.

Most doors on this hill are different in their design and construction which makes the views all the more interesting.

# data[].attributes.body
This was the first door I came across on the hill. I like the structure of these doors, made out of wood not like modern garage doors. Not sure what the opening to the right of the door was for, maybe a window at some time?

# data[].attributes.body
As the name suggests, this road lies behind Western Hill in the north end of Durham. It essentially consists of garages and garden entrances to the houses on the western side of Western Hill.

The day was overcast and when I started to shoot it began to drizzle, this was quite apt as the colours on this road are relatively drab, so it seemed fitting.

The following photos follow my walk down the hill towards the centre of Durham.

# data[].attributes.body
For this photograph I swapped cameras from the mirrorless a6000 to the full-frame a700, this was to try and eliminate camera shake.

The subject is an ornament we have on our bookshelf and the effect was to try and capture the cat with a strong bokeh background. I used a 50mm prime lens at relatively short range. For editing I made corrections for the lens but other than that what you see is the natural shot.

# data[].attributes.body
This shot was taken on our balcony in relatively poor light. I was trying to focus on the daffs in the centre with the rest of them providing a blurred edge to the photo.

# data[].attributes.body
These are photos taken from a number of shoots and which don't fall into one of the previous categories.

# data[].attributes.body
I wanted to try a light trail shot and this was the best of the bunch. Again even on a tripod there was camera shake which caused blur, however first attempt and there are lessons to be learnt.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a portrait of my wife Lynne. She agreed to do it on the basis that it was a shot of her back and that the end product would be in B&W.

Although I used a tripod the photo still had camera shake, so it is a bit blurry however this was the best of the bunch.

# data[].attributes.body
This sculpture is my favourite, but again it was very popular with passers-by and difficult to photograph in isolation.

# data[].attributes.body
This photo encapsulates the essence of the display, families come out to see the sculptures and children get to see and touch the ice. By accident I also caught separated flames shooting off into the air from the brazier.

# data[].attributes.body
Probably the most popular ice statue, on Framwellgate Bridge. It's not the most interesting photo so I added some colour and contrast during post processing, so more of an exercise in editing.

# data[].attributes.body
A lot going on in this photo; It's taken in front of Moon in Silver St. and their display is always interesting. You have the ice statue itself and then you have a notice advertising Ukraine Help point (the lady who owns Moon is Ukrainian)

# data[].attributes.body
As you can see this statue is very popular with passers by, I waited for several minutes to get a shot without interlopers but unfortunately it never happened.

# data[].attributes.body
The Durham Fire & Ice display is an annual event, this year's having a Steampunk theme. There are 14 ice statues scattered around the town. most of them guarded by tall fire braziers.

It was a damp, cool and overcast day, with little decent light. In retrospect I should have taken the shoot early in the morning when there were fewer people around, but it was a spur of the moment thing.

# data[].attributes.body
The settings for each photo were similar.