Photoclub Alpha

YOU MAY want to learn exactly how I shoot the product photographs which appear in my own articles here at Photoclubalpha. I use a studio light table with an opal plexiglass transilluminated scoop. This is the method I have used now for over 25 years and it’s saved me a lot of time, and earned me a lot of money.

THE LENSBABY was a novelty item when first introduced as a low-cost meniscus lens mounted on a flexible concertina tube with an SLR mount-fitting at the other end. Like the Diana or Holga cameras sometimes used by professionals to capture a feel of post-modern grunge, it used aberrations creatively.

TESTING the flash options most widely sold for the Minolta/Sony unique hot shoe system became a necessity after the launch of the Alpha 100. Despite the reliability of automatic TTL off-the-film flash metering ever since Minolta first introduced it with the Auto Electroflash PX series in 1981, things began to go wrong with the shift to digital SLRs.

I CARRY a camera everywhere, because you never know when a good photograph is round the corner. I also just grab the camera from my office, and rarely think to check the settings. Today, I managed to shoot everything with Super Steady Shot (Anti-Shake) carefully switched off on my Alpha 100.

NORTHUMBERLAND AND THE BORDERS
Hotel based, 7 nights
Free minibus travel to & from destination
Saturday 10 November to Saturday 15 November 2007

During this week we will explore the superb coastline and inland landscape of unspoilt Northumberland. The beaches on the north east coast are some of the loveliest in the U.K., but as well as these, there are the Cheviot Hills, Roughting Lynn waterfall and several castles. The week will include a visit across the causeway to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) and either Les Mclean, or David Lane will lead a landscape workshop on one of the days, as well as giving an evening talk. There will be plenty of subject matter to photograph, and the evening social activity will, as with all Quest trips, include showing and sharing our own work.The minibus will leave Sussex early Saturday morning, and will collect passengers en route where this is practicable. This may be at your home or nearby, but if you live far off the route, special arrangements will be made.

Price £645, single supp. £50. (deposit £100), 8 – 10 places.
Price includes full board accommodation, with packed lunch. Price is based on sharing a twin room. Single room accommodation is available but a supplement of £60 is payable. If you require a single, you must make this clear when booking, Minibus travel is free from pick up, put down, and for travel during the week.

A review by David Kilpatrick from Photoworld Spring 2007 with additional updates

MY SONY Carl Zeiss 16-80mm “superzoom” arrived from Warehouseexpress - the best price I could find and one of the very best dealers in terms of service - packed rather minimally for a £465 purchase.

Shortly before the June 6th 2006 worldwide launch of the Sony Alpha digital SLR system the European press learned that major title editors would meet in Marrakesh for the unveiling of the Alpha 100. No-one anticipated being driven miles into the desert-like countryside of Oued Nfis for the experience of a night under canvas after witnessing feats of Berber horsemanship and a massive pyrotechnic intro! Read David Kilpatrick’s original report from the Summer 2006 edition of Photoworld magazine.

An old Japanese folk-tale, discovered in a book of oriental myths and legends, and translated from the original Ancient Sumo script by David Kilpatrick.

THERE WAS once a beautiful Geisha called Minolta (here real name was Chiyoko but she adopted the stage name of Minolta once her fame spread abroad). She had many rivals, and was courted by many suitors.