- POTD 1 Jan 2007: New Year Revolutions 1 January 2007
Christmas in ManchesterI’m trying to start the year with some good habits. Posting my picture of the day regularly is one. Trying to make sure I read at least a few verses from the Bible each day is another. Trying to keep my desk tidy… that sort of thing. What I call my “New Year Revolutions.” I tend to call them that because the goals I set in January usually involve upheaval and the overthrow of the old regime. Oh yes and like a revolving door they tend to come and go all in the same action!
When I checked my ‘account’ with Alamy this morning I discovered I’d had another sale. It’s today’s POTD the fifth different version of Christmas in Manchester that I’ve sold. Look at the sale details: For my previous sale I sold a camel to an Arab – this time I’ve sold a Christmas tree to Norway!
Country: Norway
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Usage: Editorial
Media: Consumer Magazine
Industry: Health & Beauty
Sub-Industry: Miscellaneous Beauty Aids
Print run: up to 10,000
Placement: Inside
Image Size: 1/2 page
Start: 30 December 2006
End: 30 January 2007 - POTD 2 Jan 2007: Camel 2 January 2007
Camel at Ain Moussa – the Springs of Moses in Sinai, Egypt.I use a bit of software that changes my PC’s background wallpaper. Yesterday it selected this photo of a camel for me. I took the photo a couple of years ago while following the route of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the promised land. This camel is at Ain Moussa – the Springs of Moses on the Sinai peninsula in Egypt.
Now is it just me or does this camel look as though it has a very smug grin on its face?
Continue reading → - POTD 3 Jan 2007: Ships of the Desert 3 January 2007
Ships of the Desert, Camels at Ain Mussa – the Springs of Moses in Sinai, Egypt.This is the same camel as in yesterday’s photo. I’ve posted it to show the context of the shot. The stretch of water in the background with the two tankers on it, is the Suez canal.
So this really is ancient and modern desert transport.
Continue reading → - POTD 4 Jan 2007: Merry Christmas 2007 4 January 2007
Christmas tree decorationsLet me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas for 2007!
Every Christmas I say that I must take some photos of the decorations on the Christmas tree to sell as stock photos. Finally this year I remembered to do it before the tree is packed away again.
Continue reading → - POTD 5 Jan 2007: The Star of Bethlehem 5 January 2007
Christmas tree decorationThis is another photo from yesterday’s Christmas tree shoot. This is the star we have on the top of our Christmas tree. I purchased it in Bethlehem on one of our trips to Israel. It is carved from olive wood from the Holy Land, and since then that time we have used it to ‘top off’ our Christmas tree each year.
Continue reading → - POTD 6 Jan 2007: Fungi 6 January 2007
FungiThis shot was taken on Christmas Eve durring a walk in Marple. Not quite as sharp as I would like (a touch of camera shake) so it is unlikely to get submitted to any libraries. Which only goes to show that even pros make mistakes sometimes.
Continue reading → - POTD 7 Jan 2007: What ewe looking at? 7 January 2007
A RamAfter church this morning Ann and I went over to Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire. There was a “Wedding Fayre” going on and we wanted to see how Photographers at the fayre set out there stalls. As we were leaving we saw this magnificent ram in the grounds of the hall. I couldn’t resist stopping the car to get a few photos of it.
Continue reading → - POTD 8 Jan 2007: Capesthorne Hall 8 January 2007
Capesthorne HallThis is Capesthorne Hall where yesterday’s ram photo was taken. I’ve been experimenting with a particular type of post processing. Its a form of sepia tone but with a hint of colour.
What do you think?
Continue reading → - POTD 9 Jan 2007: Say Cheese! 9 January 2007
My Cheese PhotoBack in May I reported that I had sold a photograph to Tesco. Towards the end of last year we finally found the cheese with it on. If you compare the original photo with this one you will see that it has been extensively modified for use on the cheese wrapper. The actual location on the sign has been removed and replaced with the name of the region the cheese came from.
Continue reading → - POTD 10 Jan 2007: Doing the Accounts 10 January 2007
Monopoly Money and playing piecesIt’s that time of year again. I am spending my time getting all my accounts up to date so that I can submit my tax return.
Continue reading → - POTD (8 years ago today) 11 Jan 2007 : Interogation 11 January 2007
Stockport Garrick – Taking Sides – RehearsalOn this day in 2007….
I was at Stockport Garrick this evening taking cast and rehearsal photographs for their next production (27th January – 3rd February 2007). The play is called “Taking Sides” by Ronald Harwood. This is how the play is described on the Garrick website:
Ronald Harwood is one of the country’s leading playwrights, and an Oscar award-winning screenwriter for ‘The Pianist’.
‘Taking Sides’ defies its audience to take sides as Harwood presents in all their complexity the reasons why conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler was both wrong and right to stay in Nazi Germany.
Harwood pitches Furtwangler, the voice of culture, against the philistine Major Arnold in this tense adversarial drama
The rehearsal photograph above shows the two main protagonists during an interview which more closely resembles an interrogation. If you are in the Stockport area, this play, is certainly worth going to see.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a source of free photographs.
This photograph is (c) Ian M Butterfield. All rights are reserved. No use Is permitted (including non-commercial use) without prior permission. If you wish to use any of my photographs please ask first.Image Reference: EZ0111B-E00125
Continue reading → - POTD 12 Jan 2007: Random Photo 12 January 2007
The Lighthouse on St Mary’s Island, Tyne and Wear, UKSome days it is difficult to find a photo for the POTD. Today was one of those days. I’ve not been out of the house, I’ve spent most of the day battling with my accounts so nothing really seems appropriate. So I’ve looked through the database and found this picture of St Mary’s Lighthouse, Tyne and Wear. Just a random picture.
For the photographers who read this POTD: to get this effect, I’ve used a tobacco graduated filter combined with a sunset filter. Then in on the computer I’ve digitally removed the orange cast from the sunset filter which leave the foreground very desaturated. (Before anyone comments, yes I have been told that tobacco graduate filters is very 1980s – but I still like the effect!)
Continue reading → - POTD 13 Jan 2007: Guess why? 13 January 2007
Document FolderI’ve taken a handful of shots today. They are rather unusual ones… a series of brown folders with assortments of papers in them. Today’s picture is just one example.
Now here’s the question? Can anyone guess why? Post your suggestions by clicking on the “Add a Comment” link below. I’ll reveal the answer in tomorrow’s POTD.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a source of free photographs.
This photograph is (c) Ian M Butterfield. All rights are reserved. No use Is permitted (including non-commercial use) without prior permission. If you wish to use any of my photographs please ask first.Image Reference: EZ0113A-E00172
Continue reading → - POTD 14 Jan 2007: Garrick Cast Photos 14 January 2007
Taking SidesThe answer to yesterday’s “Guess Why?” image is that the photos form the backgrounds for the cast photographs for Stockport Garrick’s production of “Taking Sides.”
Today’s photo is one example of what the finished photographs look like. For the photographers reading this blog, here’s the technical information:
The blue background was selected and converted to grey (I didn’t have grey sheet of paper so I used blue with the knowledge that it contrasted from the brown of the folder so I could easily select the background).
The typewriter font was a free download from an on-line sourse. The text was then just superimposed on the image.
The paperclip was ‘cut round’ in photoshop and duplicated on to a higher layer so that the image which formed the photograph could be placed underneath it.
The original cast photo was colour. I converted it to black and white using a “gradient map” in photoshop. The white border and the drop shadow were added to the photograph layer using layer styles.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a source of free photographs.
This photograph is (c) Ian M Butterfield. All rights are reserved. No use Is permitted (including non-commercial use) without prior permission. If you wish to use any of my photographs please ask first.Image Reference: EZ0113A-E00164
Continue reading → - POTD 15 Jan 2007: Photoshop 15 January 2007
Tramway Museum / Village, Crich, DerbyshireThis evening I ran a session for a local photography group on photoshop techniques. First time I’d done anything like this, it was interesting and it those taking part appeared to find it helpful.
Today’s photo is one of the example images I used durring the training. At some point I must type up my notes and post the tutorials on-line. But before that…. back to the accounts tomorrow! :-(
Continue reading → - POTD 16 Jan 2007: Monastir 16 January 2007
The mausoleum of Habib Bourgiba, Monastir, TunisiaThis is another image I used in yesterday’s photoshop training. This was used to demonstrate colour correction, and correction of converging verticals.
Continue reading → - POTD 17 Jan 2007: Archway House 17 January 2007
Archway House near Sherwood ForestThis is yet another image that I used the Photoshop training on Monday.
In responce to the comments about the correction of verticals in yesterday’s image. Yes, I do tend to leave a very slight convergence to the verticals in some of my images – it all depends on what looks right. I had intended making that exact comment durring the training but overlooked it. (Sorry guys). I didn’t leave any convergence on this image nor with the Monistir image. I with the Monastir image a slight conversion does help the “funny tops” problem and to my eye looks like there is still a conversion.
As for the strange effects on the column tops on yesterday’s images that was due to the fact that that particular image required a lot of vertical correction. In the training session I’d used this photo over archway house to demonstrait how to correct verticals. The Monastire photo was chosen as a closing exersice because it had multiple things to correct – perhaps I ought to find a better photo for that purpose next time I run a session like that.
Continue reading → - POTD 18 Jan 2007: Windy Day on Briars Mount 18 January 2007
Windy Day on Briars Mount – 4 images overlayed – Tree blowing in the windToday’s photo is a bit of an experiment. Like everyone else in the UK we were getting battered by the winds today. I wanted to take a photo to show the wind. This is in fact four different photographs of the same tree being blown in the wind and then merged together, in photoshop.
It’s not perfect, but given a more interesting subject it might be worth having another go at this some time.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a source of free photographs.
This photograph is (c) Ian M Butterfield. All rights are reserved. No use Is permitted (including non-commercial use) without prior permission. If you wish to use any of my photographs please ask first.Image Reference: EZ0118A-E00220
Continue reading → - POTD 19 Jan 2007: Two Sales 19 January 2007Continue reading →
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- POTD 20 Jan 2007: Another Sale 20 January 2007Continue reading →
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- POTD 21 Jan 2007: Three Views of Stockport 21 January 2007
Winters Clocks and Wine Bar, Underbank, Stockport, CheshireAs I was posting details of yesterday’s sale, it ocurred to me that I had never posted my first ever Alamy photo sale to this photo diary. I have now corrected that oversight and if you look at the entry for 16 September 2003 (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-09-16) you will see that sale on the day it sold.
As I was posting that photo, it occured to me that I had never posted anything for the date on which it was taken. I have now corrected that oversight and if you look at the entry for 15 June 2003 (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-06-15) you will another photo from the same shoot.
As I was posting that photo it occured to me that I hadn’t got a photo for today… so I selected another photo from the same shoot to be today’s POTD.
So there you have it three photos for the price of one!
Continue reading → - POTD 22 Jan 2007: The Last Minute 22 January 2007
The Last MinuteTodays picutre of the day come from a set of images that has done rather well for me over the years. One varient from this set was actually my second ever stock sale.
I’ve posted this image today for two reasons – firstly because I was uploading details of the aforementioned second sale (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-09-19), and secondly a number of people who are reading this blog are reading it to gain hints and tips on photography in general and stock photography specifically. So here is a tip for budding stock photographers. The clock I was photographing has a prominent name on it. I’ve tried to hide name of the manufaturer in this shot by letting it be out of focus. The aim is to make the photo more generic and thus more marketable. In the other photo the name is hidden behind the hands of the clock.
Continue reading → - POTD 23 Jan 2007: Stockport Town Hall 23 January 2007
Stockport Town HallI’m still backloading my POTD with images from 2003. Today it’s the turn of some Stockport Town Hall photos.
This photo is, fairly obviously, several photographs joined together. It was taken back on Friday June 13 2003 (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-06-13). Click the link to see another photo from that shoot.
A couple of months later one of the photos from the shoot was sold on Alamy (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-11-05) and was used in connection with the “Designs on Democracy – reinventing the town hall” competition.
Continue reading → - POTD 24 Jan 2007: Rainy Day on the Manchester Ship Canal 24 January 2007
Man with umbrella at Salford QuaysWhile uploading some more of my old photo sales to this photoblog – namely this sale from November 2003 (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-11-07), I found myself looking at a set of photos taken on a very wet and dull day in May 2003 – actually my 40th Birthday – it was a cruise on the Manchester Ship Canal.
Todays POTD image is one of my favourites from that trip. The whole image is blue/grey tinted except the area of the umbrella which I used a layer mask in Photoshop to permit it to show through in colour.
Continue reading → - POTD 25 Jan 2007: Taking Sides 25 January 2007
Stockport Garrick: Taking SidesThis evening (along with another photographer) I was photographich Stockport Garrick’s production of “Taking Sides”. (See http://www.stockportgarrick.co.uk/plays/07takingsides.html for more information about the play).
Only had chance to have a very brief look at the results – resonably pleased with what I got. This photo is of one of the major protagonists – “Major Arnold”.
Continue reading → - POTD 26 Jan 2007: Taking Sides (2) 26 January 2007
Stockport Garrick: Taking SidesAnother image from last night’s photo shoot of “Taking Sides”. (http://www.stockportgarrick.co.uk/plays/07takingsides.html)
You may recall a few weeks ago I posted an entry describing how I was experimenting with a form of sepia tone that had a hint of the colour showing through. (http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=07-01-8) This production is the reason I was doing that. I wanted to produce the theatre display photos using that techique. You can see the result in today’s photo – a much better subject for the treatment than the previous one.
Continue reading → - POTD 27 Jan 2007: Taking Sides (3) 27 January 2007
Stockport Garrick: Taking SidesOne last photo from Taking Sides – it was the opening night tonight.
Continue reading → - POTD 28 Jan 2007: Back in Time 28 January 2007
TARDISRecently I posted some photos of early sales. While I was gathering the information for that I came across a journal I started when I was leaving my IT job to start this freelance career. The journal only lasted (in an electronic form) for a few weeks but it was to become the inspiration for this POTD.
So hop aboard my TARDIS and come back in time with me to see the first two entries to that journal:
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-07 and
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-08Photoshop Info
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For those interested in how I created today’s POTD. I took a photo of an old Doctor Who money box sitting on a bit of white card. In photoshop I was able to ‘cut out’ the TARDIS. Next I created a new layer in photoshop, I then selected two colours a dark blue and a very pale blue and used filter|render|clouds to create a background. I then applied another filter to it filter|distort|spiral – that gave the “time vortex” effect. The image was finished by positioning the TARDIS at an angle. - POTD 29 Jan 2007 : Tardis (police telephone box) shaped money box 29 January 2007
Tardis (police telephone box) shaped money boxPhotograph of a TARDIS money box
For those interested in how I created today’s POTD. I took a photo of an old Doctor Who money box sitting on a bit of white card. In photoshop I was able to ‘cut out’ the TARDIS. Next I created a new layer in photoshop, I then selected two colours a dark blue and a very pale blue and used filter|render|clouds to create a background. I then applied another filter to it filter|distort|spiral – that gave the “time vortex” effect. The image was finished by positioning the TARDIS at an angle.
PLEASE NOTE: This is not a source of free photographs.
This photograph is (c) Ian M Butterfield. All rights are reserved. No use Is permitted (including non-commercial use) without prior permission. If you wish to use any of my photographs please ask first.Image Reference: EZ0129A-E00517
Continue reading → - POTD 29 Jan 2007: More Historical Updates 29 January 2007
Product shot of QuickBooks – Clearly BookkeepingI’ve added two more historical entries from the weeks leading up to me leaving EDS and going freelance.
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-09 and
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-10As to the relevance of todays photo? Well it was taken on 10th May 2003 – the date of the second of those two entries and Quickbooks is mentioned in the entry for the 9th May 2003.
Continue reading → - POTD 30 Jan 2007: Test Pattern 30 January 2007
Test Pattern (size reduced)I recently purchased two new monitors for my computer system. I’ve been having problems with them. Firstly one of them has an ever growing number of ‘hot’ pixels – pixels perminently on. (That is in hand, the manufacturer has agreed to swap that monitor).
Secondly I’m having a terrible ‘interference’ problem. Bands of interferrence moving in waves up the screen. (Not good when you are trying to adjust photos). To diagnose the problem I’ve spent quite a lot of time looking at the above test pattern on the screen today. (Once I got hold of it according to the maual it should be on the manufactures website… it is… sort of… it is generated by a diagnostic program and NOT (as the manual says) a downloadable BMP file)
After running a number of tests I currently believe the interferrence is due to some component within my PC… now all I have to do is work out which one. Ho hum. If you have any thoughts on how to detect a PC component that is generating excessive RF(?) interference please, please let me know.
By a strange coincidence the postings from 2003 that I’m uploading at the momement also deals with PC problems (Ann’s rather than mine) and test images (me trying to upload one).
For those following my 2003 entries you can find those two submissions (and a couple of photos to go with them) at:
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-11 and
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http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-12 - POTD 31 Jan 2007: So how would you pack it? 31 January 2007
MonitorAs I continue to upload the 2003 entries to this journal, I feel like I’m living in two time zones… and in both I’m battling PC problems!
Here in 2007 one of my two troublesome monitors is going back to the manufacturer tomorrow. They asked me to put it back in its box for the courier to collect… problem the base of the monitor is designed such that once you attach it, there is no way it will come off again. As a consequence the monitor won’t go back in the box. My solution… cut two holes (as shown above) to let it stick out of the box!
With regards to the other monitor problem – the interference lines. I had set aside some time today to track down which component is causing the interference. Only to find that the interference didn’t happen today! It’s gone away I thought… only for it to come back this evening after a reboot. Ahhhgh!
Meanwhile the part of me living back in 2003 is struggling with a dead motherboard….
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-13 and
http://www.imb.biz/page.php?pg=diary&d=2003-05-14
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