Dioptre

Candles

2008-03-03T12:50:00.002Z

Candles, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Took me a while to work out why the in-focus candle was so much darker than the others - then I realised it's because it's not side-lit (on my side) by another candle. Obvious really. The top part is illuminated by the light from its own flame penetrating the translucent wax. Makes for an interesting composition though, with the "subject" candle so different from the others.

Magog Down sunset 28

2008-02-27T23:00:00.002Z

Magog down sunset 28, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The sky colour got more unreal the darker it became. The three other photographers on the same hill top had long gone by this time.

Betjeman statue and TV unit

2008-02-27T22:57:00.001Z

Betjeman statue and TV unit, originally uploaded by Pligget.

This photo is made by the low angle and the guy in the suit spotting me as he was talking.

Chiswick cafe view

2008-02-27T22:55:00.001Z

Chiswick cafe view, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of the great things about early evening light.

Beach legs

2008-02-27T22:53:00.001Z

Beach legs, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love these disembodied glimpses.

Cam at night 2

2008-02-27T22:46:00.001Z

Cam at night 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Liquid gold.

Magdelene College at night

2008-02-27T22:45:00.001Z

Magdelene College at night, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The punts are a wonderful mix of colour and surface texture, making a really powerful foreground.

Cambridge Market

2008-02-27T22:43:00.001Z

Cambridge Market, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the sky and Great St. Mary's church silhouetted. A really atmospheric scene.

Shop 1

2008-02-27T22:40:00.001Z

Shop 1, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Interesting framing - with baubles...

Camera shake abstract 2

2008-02-27T22:38:00.001Z

Camera shake abstract 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Some Christmas lights hanging in the escalator well of John Lewis, with a bit of judicious camera-waving. I love the smudged colours of the baubles behind the arcs of the fairy lights.

Greenwich Pier dome

2008-02-27T22:36:00.001Z

Greenwich Pier dome, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I liked the snaking fence.

Greenwich Pier, Canary Wharf

2008-02-27T22:35:00.001Z

Greenwich Pier, Canary Wharf, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Another lighting contrast. I love the gorgeous colours in the water leading down to the stark white of the floodlit ferry pier.

One mercury lamp

2008-02-27T22:32:00.001Z

One mercury lamp, originally uploaded by Pligget.

You'd never guess that the buildings are all the same colour - I love the way the sodium-lit buildings frame the mercury lit part.

Passing ferry lights

2008-02-27T22:28:00.001Z

Passing ferry lights, originally uploaded by Pligget.

More technical thrill than artistic triumph, although the result is satisfying. After a few goes, I managed to time it so that the self-timer opened the shutter just before the ferry entered the shot, and kept it open until it had passed. All you can see of the ferry are the trails of its lights and the reflection off the shiny hull.

In the tavern

2008-02-27T22:16:00.001Z

In the tavern, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the gorgeousness of the interior light contrasting with the dull and slightly worn exterior.

Tavern reflected in puddle

2008-02-27T22:11:00.001Z

Tavern reflected in puddle, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the way the reflection of the Trafalgar Tavern is sharp, but the cobbles framing it are softer - making it feel like we're looking through a torn hole.

Nelson and Canary Wharf

2008-02-27T22:07:00.001Z

Nelson's Canary, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Probably not what the sculptor had in mind when he had Nelson gazing across the expanse of river at Greenwich.

Change

2008-02-27T22:04:00.001Z

Change, originally uploaded by Pligget.

An exercise in graphic reflections.

Sitting on the grass 2

2008-02-27T22:02:00.001Z

Sitting on the grass 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

If only every Sunday were like this...

Blue close-up 5

2008-02-27T22:01:00.002Z

Blue Close-up 5, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Sitting in a shaft of sunlight in an otherwise shady corner, this head of tiny flowers was simultaneously delicate and strong.

Tattooed dad

2008-02-27T21:55:00.001Z

Tattooed dad, originally uploaded by Pligget.

A lovely late afternoon domestic scene, as the family pack up to leave the beach. I got lucky that he turned and squinted into the sun like that. The dark grey of the water really accentuates his skin tone.

Odd feet

2008-02-27T21:51:00.001Z

Deck chair and feet, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of my favourite sightings. The texture of the deckchair and hat make the whole.

Sunset stage 11

2008-02-27T21:48:00.001Z

Sunset stage 11, originally uploaded by Pligget.

This is unusually almost monochrome, and has a pleasing sense of layers.

Tricolour

2008-02-27T21:45:00.002Z

tricolour, originally uploaded by Pligget.

A simple exercise in colour at Luang Prabang's morning market.

waterfall

2008-02-27T21:43:00.001Z

waterfall 3, originally uploaded by Pligget.

A classically pretty shot, with thanks to the camera's VR capability allowing a reasonably long hand-held exposure stay sharp where it mattered.

laundry

2008-02-27T21:40:00.001Z

laundry, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like this composition.

peanuts

2008-02-27T21:37:00.001Z

peanuts, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Strong contrast between the symmetry and pattern of the fenced peanut plot, and the brooding pile of jungle backdrop. Knowing that the peanut field is so transient (during the rainy season a few months later, it will be under at least 5 metres of fast-flowing Mekong river) it signals the vulnerability of the human existence in this part of the world.

village girl with dog

2008-02-27T21:28:00.001Z

village girl 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I adore the pride and love in this girl's face, and the way she's hefting the dog.

moored reflection

2008-02-27T21:25:00.001Z

moored reflection, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the way the misty, almost monochrome light allows the delicate colour of the boat hull come through.

Mekong sunset

2008-02-25T16:33:00.001Z

Mekong sunset, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The colouring of this is as shot, and a close-up of the sun's smudged reflection next to the moored boats has a very impressionist feel.

sunset carving

2008-02-25T16:31:00.001Z

sunset carving, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The intensity of the setting sunlight coming through an open doorway onto this carving is great, enhanced by the fact that it was shot in an otherwise gloomy interior.

monk robes

2008-02-25T16:29:00.001Z

monk robes, originally uploaded by Pligget.

An abstract and vaguely erotic view of a young monk in an unconscious "pose".

gong monks

2008-02-25T16:28:00.001Z

gong monks, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the exuberance on the young monk's face as he drums away.

Puddle

2008-02-25T16:27:00.001Z

puddle 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The reflection is unusually clear in the late afternoon light, and there's just enough of the "dry" in the frame to unsettle the viewer.

bougainvillea horse

2008-02-25T16:26:00.001Z

bougainvillea horse, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I likethe framing of this one, and the slightly sombre colouring adding to the gravity of the statue in the background.

hangover

2008-02-25T16:24:00.001Z

hangover, originally uploaded by Pligget.

A candid shot of a sight-seer at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. The hangover is imagined...

beach sweeper

2008-02-25T14:33:00.001Z

beach sweeper, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The burnt-out sea was necessary to expose the sweeper correctly, but it also serves to pick her out very strongly.

boy & sister

2008-02-25T14:28:00.001Z

boy & sister, originally uploaded by Pligget.

There's something very touching and sad about the boy's care for his baby sister and his weary expression.

Hotel reflection

2008-02-25T14:26:00.001Z

Hotel reflection, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Perching the camera on the edge of the pool for a long exposure shot gives a great finish to the reflection.

Sihanoukville sunset

2008-02-25T14:25:00.001Z

Sihanoukville sunset 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the under-exposure of the boat and the bathers.

Amputee

2008-02-25T14:23:00.001Z

amputee, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Two aspects of Cambodia's history captured in one shot. The morning light added something too.

tourists

2008-02-25T14:16:00.001Z

tourists, originally uploaded by Pligget.

It was great to get this candid shot of the young monks turning the tables on tourists like me!

distant crests

2008-02-25T14:15:00.001Z

distant crests, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Dawn at Preah Vihear, and the distant misty hills add drama to this detail of the temple roof.

family photo

2008-02-25T14:14:00.001Z

family photo, originally uploaded by Pligget.

An elaborate frame for a photo of a family photo in the making.

girls

2008-02-25T14:12:00.003Z

girls, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Another pleasing candid group shot.

moto wash

2008-02-25T14:12:00.001Z

moto wash, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Car-wash Cambodian style. I like the graphical presence of the tree stumps.

mother & toddler

2008-02-25T14:10:00.001Z

mother & toddler, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Snapped while passing in a bus, so not as sharp as I'd like, but a really evocative picure of Cambodian domesticity. This was the family "kitchen/diner".

caretaker

2008-02-21T23:40:00.001Z

caretaker, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the atmosphere of this one.

carving detail with cobwebs

2008-02-21T23:38:00.001Z

carving webs, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the wispy cobwebs, making it look like a set from Alien.

carving detail

2008-02-21T23:36:00.001Z

carving detail, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Amazing texture

Children with satsuma

2008-02-21T23:35:00.001Z

DSCN1837_satsuma, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Probably my favourite photo from Cambodia. Beautiful subjects.

Angkor monks

2008-02-21T23:31:00.001Z

DSCN1686_Angkor_monks, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the contrast between the honey stone and the saffron robes.

Z-shaped naga

2008-02-21T23:27:00.001Z

DSCN1684_Z_naga, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like this composition, and especially the velvet-like texture of the stone.

Angkor Wat bas relief

2008-02-21T23:26:00.001Z

DSCN1666_bas_relief, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the way the shiny bits stand out, through centuries of being stroked by visitors.

Police pose

2008-02-21T16:46:00.001Z

DSCN1673_police_pose, originally uploaded by Pligget.

A hurried, candid shot of two offguard policemen and their friend. I like the incongruity of it.

Elliott at the pillar

2008-02-21T16:45:00.001Z

DSCN1664_Elliott_pillar, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the strong vanishing point and the subject halfway in. I noticed the sweeper on the grass on the left of frame, and included her, but the sunlit ground is unavoidably over-exposed, burning her out.

Angkor Wat reflection

2008-02-21T16:42:00.001Z

DSCN1652_Wat_reflection, originally uploaded by Pligget.

An alternative shot with warmer colours

Angkor Wat reflected

2008-02-21T13:53:00.001Z

DSCN1640_Angkor_Wat_reflected, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Not very travel-guide-ish, but I like the texture added by the scum on the water.

Tonle Sap canoe

2008-02-21T13:51:00.001Z

DSCN1592_Tonle_Sap_paddlers_1, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I was lucky to get their faces framed by the paddles in this way, and also their expressions speak volumes about their attitude towards the necessary evil of tourists like us (my interpretation - they may have been really happy to see us, just working hard!).

Cigarettes

2008-02-21T13:48:00.001Z

DSCN1600_cigarettes, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I have to admit it wasn't until later that I realised the child was playing with his mother's cigarette packet, as if he'd just offered her the one dangling from her lips.

Sunset fishing on Tonle Sap

2008-02-21T13:46:00.001Z

DSCN1623_sunset_fishing, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the way the horizon is blurred, increasing the sense of the enormity of this lake.

Elephant finials

2008-02-21T13:44:00.001Z

DSCN1574_finials_2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the pattern created here, although the colours could have been more vivid.

Temple Bougainvillea

2008-02-21T13:43:00.001Z

DSCN1570_temple_bougainvillea, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Trying a bit of DoF.

Dappled wall

2008-02-20T15:41:00.001Z

DSCN1564_dappled_wall, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Very simple and unspectacular, just lovely warm lighting on the trees and the wall.

Carving interlock

2008-02-20T15:40:00.001Z

DSCN1561_carving_interlock, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I love the way these faded carvings hint at former extravagance. The different tones add a lot.

Sweeper in repose

2008-02-20T15:38:00.001Z

DSCN1544_sweeper_repose, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Very evocative for me, but gawd knows why... Nice composition.

Broken posts

2008-02-20T15:37:00.001Z

DSCN1529_broken_posts, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of my first photos at an Angkor temple, but it seems to sum up so many aspects of these amazing places.

Hong Kong group

2008-02-20T15:35:00.001Z

DSCN1477_HK_group, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The movement in the group really picks out the girl front and centre with the red shoulder straps. With one or two of them in focus, the rest can be as blurred as they like without losing coherence.

Hong Kong glass

2008-02-20T15:33:00.001Z

DSCN1436_HK_glass, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Unusual to see such a jumble of shapes in a modern building. and this angle amplifies that.

Kowloon clock tower

2008-02-20T15:31:00.001Z

DSCN1411_Kowloon_tower, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like the weird colours in the sky, caused by the Chinese New Year illuminations, and the depth of contrast with the tower.

Sunset surf

2008-02-20T15:15:00.001Z

Sunset surf, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The sky was a remarkable colour, making the surf appear like snow. The scale would be impossible to judge without the figure standing there.

West pier sunset with seagull

2008-02-20T15:13:00.001Z

West pier sunset with seagull, originally uploaded by Pligget.

It's good to capture a cliché every now and then. The gull is a particularly lovely shape.

Sunrise strato-cumulus 2

2008-02-20T15:12:00.001Z

Sunrise strato-cumulus 2, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of the advantages of living in Cambridge is the size of the sky.

Reflected building at sunset

2008-02-20T15:10:00.001Z

Reflected building at sunset, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The mix of colours and the stripes caught my eye.

Handrail

2008-02-20T08:19:00.001Z

Handrail, originally uploaded by Pligget.

This speaks to me about the weather.

Guggenheim punter

2008-02-20T08:18:00.001Z

Guggenheim punter, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I was pleased with this composition and the attitude of the subject.

Under the bridge

2008-02-20T08:16:00.001Z

Under the bridge, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of the many bridges in Central Park offers a contrast in types of shade.

Under the flag

2008-02-20T08:13:00.001Z

Under the flag, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Great shadows and the flag just filled enough in the breeze.

Jogger from above

2008-02-20T08:12:00.001Z

Jogger from above, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Her arm must have been swinging backwards, so it was stationary above the road. That elbow seems to lock the composition.

MoMA cafe view

2008-02-20T08:10:00.001Z

MoMA cafe view, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of those glimpses that has you thinking "I wonder what's going on over there."

Rockerfeller Centre at twilight

2008-02-20T07:48:00.001Z

Rockerfeller Centre at twilight, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The dark sky was a real bonus, making the building seem much taller.

La Pedrera's loft, Barcelona

2008-02-20T07:44:00.001Z

La Pedrera's loft, Barcelona, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I like this composition, with the window bottom centre adding a little contrast to the precarious nature of the lines.

Sunrise from my bedroom

2008-02-20T07:42:00.001Z

Sunrise from my bedroom, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I have a thing about sunrises and sunsets, and this is one of my favourites for the fullness of it and the seething nature of the clouds. The small amount of light on the rooftop adds a feeling of awakening somehow.

Water-lily, Kew Gardens

2008-02-20T07:38:00.001Z

Water-lily, Kew Gardens, originally uploaded by Pligget.

This is a beauty, with the reflection of the glasshouse roof adding to the geometry of the composition.
There are a few specks in the water which could be touched up, but apart from that it's a very complete shot.

In the Lily House, Kew Gardens

2008-02-20T07:34:00.001Z

In the Lily House, Kew Gardens, originally uploaded by Pligget.

A nice sharp image, and the dark water behind makes it look like a studio shot.

Bishop's Rock Lighthouse

2008-02-20T07:32:00.001Z

Bishop's Rock Lighthouse, originally uploaded by Pligget.

It was tricky keeping the camera level in a speeding boat, but at least I managed to capture something of the ghostly light and the milky water.

St. David's Cathedral, from the Bishop's Palace

2008-02-20T07:29:00.001Z

St. David's Cathedral, from the Bishop's Palace, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Another tricky exposure job. The ruined window could almost be a silhouette of the bishop, complete with mitre, and with the cathedral Photoshopped in.

The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

2008-02-20T07:26:00.001Z

The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The rocks mimic the waves they resist, and it was eerie looking over the edge. They seemed to be moving.

Below the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

2008-02-20T07:24:00.001Z

Below the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Unusual to see regular geometry in a setting like this. The clear water and colours are a bonus.

Gravestone, St. David's, Wales

2008-02-20T07:22:00.001Z

Gravestone, St. David's, Wales, originally uploaded by Pligget.

It looks like the palette for an urban interior design company. I loved the different textures too.

Light through stained glass, St. David's Cathedral, Wales

2008-02-20T07:20:00.001Z

Light through stained glass, St. David's Cathedral, Wales, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I struggled to hold the camera steady in the dim light, so it's a bit "soft", but I love the subtle colours.

Alcazar Real, Seville

2008-02-19T12:47:00.001Z

Alcazar Real, Seville, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I took this as a framing exercise, but I love the detail and texture of the marble floor.

Alcazar Real, Seville

2008-02-19T12:46:00.001Z

Alcazar Real, Seville, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I just rested the camera on the edge of this pool. I like the contrast with the sunlight hitting the grotto at the far end.

Sun and Shade, Alcazar Real, Seville

2008-02-19T12:44:00.001Z

Sun and Shade, Alcazar Real, Seville, originally uploaded by Pligget.

An interesting exposure challenge, but it captures the contrast between the searing sunlight outside and the contemplative interior shade.

Interior, Seville Cathedral

2008-02-19T12:41:00.001Z

Interior, Seville Cathedral, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I loved the way the light dramatised this carving - particularly the small likeness of a suffering Terry Waite on the left hand side.

Fenland Cloud

2008-02-19T12:40:00.001Z

Fenland Cloud, originally uploaded by Pligget.

This reminded me of the mother-ship from Close Encounters. It just seemed out of place.

Luray Caverns Virginia

2008-02-19T12:37:00.001Z

Luray Caverns Virginia, originally uploaded by Pligget.

I saw the face of a bearded cat-like creature here.

Trendy light, with camera shake

2008-02-19T12:30:00.001Z

Trendy light, with camera shake, originally uploaded by Pligget.

Shaking the camera transforms it into something very basic.

Trendy light

2008-02-19T12:29:00.001Z

Trendy light, originally uploaded by Pligget.

One of those crinkled sellophane shades - threw up some amazing colours (as shot).

Restaurant roof, Toulouse

2008-02-19T12:28:00.001Z

Restaurant roof, Toulouse, originally uploaded by Pligget.

The restaurant wasn't very busy...