Photosmudger.com.

Oh yes, grumpy and tired, that's me. I hear you a...

2010-02-22T07:58:13.091Z

Oh yes, grumpy and tired, that's me.

I hear you about the hotel - we had almost exactly the same problem in the Canaries. Hotel was packed, and one of our group got food poisoning (from hotel food, no less). When we asked if she could stay in her room until right up until the point we transferred to the airport, rather than be kicked out at about 8am, we were told this was

Mmm Tom you do sound grumpy! Could be worse, you c...

2010-02-22T00:41:00.114Z

Mmm Tom you do sound grumpy! Could be worse, you could be in a pretentious hotel in Manchester trying to sleep but the noise from traffic on the busiest junction in the world is keeping you awake and the concierge claims that they cannot move you because the hotel is full.
Ah well just six hours until I have to get up anyway.
All this just so I can run a camera course!

Cheers Callum, yup, I'm aware of the SunSniper or ...

2010-02-07T22:00:10.117Z

Cheers Callum, yup, I'm aware of the SunSniper or whatever it's officially called. Basically the same thing, and I quite agree - I'd be very quick to spot my camera missing!

Anyone spots any more bits to make this work better, let me know.

Thanks - I'm a little too long in the tooth to eve...

2010-02-07T17:59:01.953Z

Thanks - I'm a little too long in the tooth to even think about changing careers - more like looking forward to retirement but I do appreciate that to try to make a live as a professional takes a lot of courage, hard work and skill. I'm only too pleased there are people out there who are prepared to help us amateurs. Going to carry on reading your posts now. I will drop in again

Happy birthday young 'un ;) Improv strap is a goo...

2010-02-07T16:55:46.925Z

Happy birthday young 'un ;)

Improv strap is a good idea.
Liking the look of the blackrapid double harness and the ulility belt bits are nifty.

I sometimes use a SunSniper which is basically the same system, but has a built-in shock absorber (aka stiched in elasicky bit) which makes it very comfy.

They

Likewise Tom. I already thought of a possible smal...

2010-02-07T11:17:58.096Z

Likewise Tom. I already thought of a possible small
improvement to this attachment. Adding a single clip ( just like the strap ones) with it's own rotating base would to plate first and then attaching actual shoulder strap to that. This should eliminate any presure on plate screw.

What do you think?

No need to apologise, if you've read through much ...

2010-02-07T10:59:05.174Z

No need to apologise, if you've read through much stuff on this blog you'll realise that being a professional involves and awful lot of hard work, and can sometimes be very tedious indeed. Far better to be an amateur and be able to enjoy it than a professional struggling to survive like many are!

Enjoy your course.

Sorry - it is a vocational course. I have no towa...

2010-02-07T10:56:07.237Z

Sorry - it is a vocational course. I have no towards becoming a professional photographer which is where the course is directed but just want to be the best amateur that I can.

Blimey, that's a lot of letters and numbers!

2010-02-07T10:48:30.081Z

Blimey, that's a lot of letters and numbers!

Hi - the essay is for the 211 Presentation Module ...

2010-02-07T10:45:46.249Z

Hi - the essay is for the 211 Presentation Module of a L.2 C&G photograpy course at Chelmsford. This essay is part of the homework set by our tutor.

My pleasure Glen, glad it's of some use - what's t...

2010-02-07T09:54:55.318Z

My pleasure Glen, glad it's of some use - what's the essay for, where are you studying?

Let us know how you get on Dan, good to meet you y...

2010-02-07T09:54:14.704Z

Let us know how you get on Dan, good to meet you yesterday.

Thanks for your useful comments. I am required to...

2010-02-07T08:12:07.179Z

Thanks for your useful comments. I am required to write a short essay on the purpose and presentation of a portfolio and your words have really helped.

This is good stuff, got two of those plates and be...

2010-02-07T00:30:38.804Z

This is good stuff, got two of those plates and been looking around for a longer strap, this seems perfect.

I also want to reassure Paulo these manfrotto plates are well solid and do screw on time.

Cheers Paolo - just a card will be fine! I know w...

2010-02-01T22:15:13.247Z

Cheers Paolo - just a card will be fine!

I know what you mean, but as I've already mentioned to a guy on Flickr, the plate is on so tightly, plus it would need to do quite a lot of unscrewing that I'm quite confident it'll do the job.

Hopefully.

Happy Birthday. Don't worry you won't get the sa...

2010-02-01T21:05:18.565Z

Happy Birthday.

Don't worry you won't get the same birthday gift as DH!

I was thinking about doing something similar. The one thing that worries me is that the plate could work loose. You could probably attach the d-ring to one of the camera strap lugs just in case.

See you Saturday

Don't mind if I do! Ta

2010-02-01T13:52:09.333Z

Don't mind if I do! Ta

Thank you very much. Cake?

2010-02-01T12:20:37.602Z

Thank you very much. Cake?

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAP...

2010-02-01T12:13:13.483Z

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PHOTOSMUDGER . . . all together now . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

great idea 'blackboxing' might have to start my ow...

2010-01-11T22:11:04.522Z

great idea 'blackboxing' might have to start my own this year! All the best for 2010.

hahaha brilliant, and i think i know exactly who y...

2009-12-01T16:57:20.147Z

hahaha brilliant, and i think i know exactly who you are talking about!

Well i can safely say im beginning to find my feet, and getting a few jobs here and there, making the most of the 'strobist' movement, last job involved lighting pole dancers with multiple speedlights, what can i say its a tough job, but sadly one which has to be done!

I have also finished

Hey Andy. I hear you re: lazy students, and know ...

2009-12-01T16:30:28.394Z

Hey Andy.

I hear you re: lazy students, and know only too well that there isn't work for everyone at the other end anyway. The lecturers all know this as well, and if I'm honest, I've known it since I was at college myself! It's just a little disappointing when you stare out across a sea of blank faces, or hand out assignment info, and people never come back!

cant believe, thats another road show been and gon...

2009-12-01T15:50:24.904Z

cant believe, thats another road show been and gone, doesnt seem like that long ago i attended one at reid kerr in 2008.

Heaven forbid you touched the projector! i nearly lost my hand for that one!!

Dont be put off by the lazy students, as they are the ones who probably dont want to take it further, or will only truly see the value of the road shows once they have left

Well it looks like someone enjoyed it then! Cheer...

2009-12-01T08:33:07.927Z

Well it looks like someone enjoyed it then! Cheers Tom.

My main thought about what to change has been to try and get more involvement from the audience - to try and overcome some of the apathy I was moaning about in the post. Any sort of demo or step by step stuff would be good for this I think.

I suspect, as you mention, that actually putting together a shoot during the

Hi Tom, I thought the roadshow was awesome and it...

2009-11-30T23:31:48.779Z

Hi Tom,
I thought the roadshow was awesome and it is such a great experience for photography students. I found your talks both inspiring and motivating. I thought that the challenge was REALLY good. It was refreshing to have a project that actually simulates the photographic industry and that pushes you to think on your feet to get work ready in time. Plus a really good constructive crit at