martin stainsby photography

Vegetarian Food - Flat Bread, Bruschetta and Waffles

2012-02-04T10:06:00.000Z

I spent another enjoyable few hours at the Dandelion and Burdock vegetarian restaurant in Sowerby Bridge adding a few more shots to the collection for David Wilson's new cookery book. Here are a few of the photo's. You can see more about Martin's food photography here Food Photography by Martin Stainsby or click the Food Label in the right hand column

The Chefs Clock

Spinach for Spinach Flat Bread

Cutting the Spinach up

Mixing the flat bread mix

Finished Spinach Flat Breads

Egg Plant Bruschetta (1)

Egg Plant Bruschetta (2) with a different background

Vegetarian take-away. Meatless loaf, sweet potatoe mash, red onion gravy, peppers and green beans

Blueberry Waffles

martin stainsby photography - food photography in Yorkshire

Blueberry Waffles - Food Photography

2012-02-03T20:12:00.001Z

martin stainsby photography - food photography in Halifax West Yorkshire A few photos of David Wilson preparing Blueberry Waffles at the Dandelion and Burdock restaurant in Sowerby Bridge. You can see more of my food photography either here here Food Photography by Martin Stainsby , or by clicking the Food label in the right hand column.

Abandoned Mill Stones at Stanage Edge in the Peak District

2012-01-27T14:59:00.000Z

Stanage Edge, or simply Stanage (from "stone edge") is a gritstone escarpment in the English Peak District, famous as a location for rock climbing. The edge is the longest in the peak and is generally 15m to 20m high but some of the climbs are up to 30m. For centuries the millstone grit was quarried and used to make mill stones. At the Northern end of the escarpment there many abandoned mill stones scattered about.

These photos were taken on a day of hiking in the Peak District along Stanage Edge, with a visit down to Hathersage and then a return route over Higgar Tor and along Burbage edge.

Abandoned Mill Stones at Stanage with the Stanage Edge escarpment running into the distance

The same abandoned Mill Stones at Stanage lying directly below the crag at the Northern end

Stoodley Pike Monument in the South Pennines

2012-01-23T19:40:00.000Z

I had a hill run this afternoon in very mixed weather on the local South Pennines and took a camera with me (Lumix GF1 with 14mm and 20mm lenses). The run went over Withens Moor and Erringden Moor and I managed to get a few shots of Stoodley Pike. There was a decent view from Withins Gate early which is quite close to Stoodley Pike Monument so I have included that as well to give more of a picture of the local scenery.

Stoodley Pike Monument on the Pennine Way in the South Pennines looking North with rain clouds fast approaching

Stoodley Pike is a 1,300-foot (400 m) hill in the south Pennines, noted for the 121 foot Stoodley Pike Monument at its summit, which dominates the moors above Todmorden in West Yorkshire. The monument was designed in 1854 by local architect James Green, and completed in 1856 at the end of the Crimean War. The monument replaced an earlier structure, started in 1814 and commemorating the defeat of Napoleon and the surrender of Paris. It was completed in 1815, after the Battle of Waterloo (Napoleonic Wars), but collapsed in 1854 after an earlier lightning strike, and decades of weathering. Its replacement was therefore built slightly further from the edge of the hill. During repair work in 1889 a lightning conductor was added, and although the tower has since been struck by lightning on numerous occasions, no notable structural damage is evident.

Close Up of Stoodley Pike Monument on the Pennine Way

Stoodley Pike Monument viewed from the East showing the a typical derelict stone wall and boggy Pennine moorland.

Running with a Camera

2012-01-20T17:06:00.003Z

I enjoy fell running (also called hill running or trail running) and I often like to take a quality camera with me. If I don’t, I can guarantee that I will regret it. I don’t often get stunning images out on runs but I usually get one or two 'keepers'. Even if they are of no interest to others I often like to look back on them, just one picture can remind me of the day and every aspect of the run. Several years ago I started carrying a SLR and then a prosumer Canon DSLR with a L series 17-40mm lens and made a bubble wrap bag for it to sit in securely, which in turn fit snugly into a light rucksack. This very light Camelback bag had sternum and waist straps and I was able to make it really hug my body so that there was no bouncing when running. This proved to work fine and protected the camera very well but it was inconvenient to take the rucksack off and remove the camera then repack it to continue. When I am running, especially in cold weather I only want to stop very briefly. In September 2010 I moved to my first micro 4/3 system which has proved ideal and provides a very high quality systems with low weight and small size. It is the Lumix GF1 and when running I attach the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 prime lens and have the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 lens in the bag (2 oz !). The Olympus Pen would be an alternative camera in terms of performance and size. My preferred bag is a Lowepro Apex 100 AW with which I just sling the strap over my shoulder and across my chest and the bag sits comfortably on my back without swinging and it gives excellent protection to the camera. On longer runs I also have a small bumbag for car keys, hat gloves etc., and I fasten this through the straps of the camera bag so that it sits comfortably on top of the bum bag, behind me. It is then very easy to swing the bag round, get the camera out and put it back.

On a profile like this the camera needs to be light and the bag very comfortable!

As an example, these are a few photos from a short run yesterday in the Cleveland Hills, an old favourite. It was 6 deg C but with a strong wind feeling quite cold, so all these pictures were taken very quickly. It was only 7.15 miles but had 2,500 ft of steep ascent. This run goes from the car park at the top of Clay Bank and follows the Cleveland Way Footpath over Hasty Bank, Cold Moor and Cringle Moor to the Lord’s Seat cafe area on the Carlton to Chop Gate road then back. When time allows I like to go onto the summit of Carlton Bank and Carlton Moor and onto Scugdale, which makes it quite a bit more challenging. There is scope for varying the route in places.

The Sphinx Rock at The Wainstones

The Wainstones on the Cleveland Way on top of Hasty Bank

The Wainstones being approached on the return along Cleveland Way on the final climb

View from Cringle Moor showing the penultimate climb up and over Cold Moor with Hasty Bank just visible behind.
You can't see it here but the path is about to drop very steeply.

Memorial to Alec Falconer on the top of Cringle Moor with stunning views.

This plaque shows the various points of interest in the distance. This route lies along a large escarpment with stunning views below. On a clear day you can see as far as the Penshaw Monument near Sunderland 40 miles away and Cross Fell in Teesdale, as well as many other distant places.

What you can see - click on photo to see large version

View of the Hasty Bank and The Wainstones with Broughton Forest on the left of the forest track.

Photo of Back Tor in the Peak District on Derwent Edge

2012-01-15T18:31:00.000Z

After some dismal weather in the early part of January we suddenly got some bright cold weather which just coincided with being able to get out to the Peak District for a day on Friday 13th. It was also an opportunity to try my new boots out. I had the last pair for 11 years and it is amazing to think where I went in them, I wonder how far I will get in the new ones?

We started at Strines Bridge and went up to Back Tor on Derwent Edge then did a loop down to Howden Reservoir and back up Howden Dean then along Cartledge Stone Ridge back to Back Tor before returning to Strines Bridge. It was a fine bright day and I got several colourful photo's of the scenery but this is my favourite photo, taken late afternoon as some clouds were forming over Back Tor. It doesn't show a lot of scenery but the Gritstone typifies the 'Dark Peak', where I have often enjoyed rock climbing on the numerous Gritstone crags.

Trig Point on Top of Back Tor in the Peak District - click for larger image

Panasonic Lumix GF1 and Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.8

2012-01-04T12:57:00.000Z

I have been using a very old Olympus OM 50mm f1.8 on an M4/3 adaptor on the GF1. It was good fun and I got some nice results but I found the manual focusing too slow for taking photographs of people or anything moving. I had considered the Leica/Panasonic 45mm f2.8 Macro but it was too expensive for me and in any case my other legacy lens, the Olympus OM 50mm f3.5 Macro, does everything I need 'macro-wise' on the GF1 with an adaptor and I don't need auto focusing for macro. I read some interesting reviews of the new Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm f1.8 M4/3 lens and noticed that the price was considerably less than the Panasonic/Leica. I eventually bought it in late December 2011.

It seems to work perfectly with the GF1. I have only been doing test shots with it, including some portrait shots. I am pleased to say that it seems to do everything that I was hoping for - fast focusing, shallow depth of field, lovely bokeh and very sharp. In fact the depth of field is shallower than I had expected on a M4/3 camera, which is a really nice surprise, it is very light too at 116 grammes. Despite being a plastic body it seems well made with a metal mount. The only disappointment is that the lens does not come with either a pouch or a lens hood. When using it at wide apertures I set a single focus point as small as possible to help get the focusing spot on when working with a shallow depth of field. There is no Image Stabilisation (IS) in the lens and the GF1 body doesn't have it like the Olympus Pen bodies but I am quite happy to use the GF1 at ISO 640 or ISO 800 so I should be able to get some nice natural light shots with it indoors.

I will eventually post some photos taken with the lens on this blog and on My Flickr Olympus 45mm f1.8 Photo Stream as I start using it properly in the New Year. (These 2 photos of the GF1 were taken with Canon 5D with 24-105 L lens and two remote 580 EXII flashes).

Using the Canon Speedlite 580EXII Flash on Lumix GF1

2012-01-01T14:24:00.003Z

The built-in flash on the GF1 is only rated at 6m at ISO 100. It can be useful if there is nothing else but it is obviously very limited. There are various Olympus or Panasonic flash systems available as well as third party units such as Metz etc, but I already own two Canon 580 EXII Speedlites for my Canon 5D system and I fancied using either one or both of them with the GF1. I have found a few different ways of using them.

One 580EX II on camera left in large soft box and one 580 EX II under table with blue gel firing at black card.

Canon 580 EXII mounted directly onto GF1

Method 1) 580 EXII mounted on GF1 hot shoe The 580 EXII works perfectly in Manual mode as I suppose a great many other flashes do when fitted to the GF1. It is a very large flash and is not ideal for carrying around on the camera but is absolutely fine for the occasional photo or if you have the GF1 set up on on a tripod. When hand-held I find that I grip the camera flash assembly as well as the camera body. The power of the 580 EXII gives you a lot of opportunity to bounce the flash or diffuse it, even when on the camera. I often use a single flash like this with a Stofen diffuser fitted or a Rogue Flash Bender or one of my own home-made flash accessories. You cannot use the 2nd Curtain Sync or High Speed Flash and you also lose the ability to use the GF1's LVF.

Taken with the GF1 in-built flash.

No problem with power because subject is close,

but harsh light, even when turned down.

580EX II on camera, Bounced above to hand-held reflector,
giving much softer lighting.

Method 2) Using the GF1 on-board flash to trigger an external Canon 580EXII using an Optical Sensor

Sonia Optical Sensor

I bought a small ‘Sonia Wireless Optical Slave For Digital Flash’ for £9.99 on ebay and decided to try it with the GF1, although I had read somewhere that this won’t work with the GF1 because of pre-flash. When it arrived I fitted it to the PC socket on the 580 EXII and it worked perfectly. When fired like this via the PC socket you cannot use the Speedlite as a master. You can just turn the GF1 built-in flash down as far as possible (-2EV max) if you don’t want it to have any effect or use it turned up a bit for some fill-in flash. The big advantage of this set-up is that you can leave the LVF on the GF1 and have a much lighter camera to work with. It is ideal if you can get your lighting set-up then want to move around with the camera as required. However, you must make sure that the sensor on the 580 sees the direct light from the GF1 flash. If it is not lined up well enough the Canon Speedlite will still fire but have no effect on the photo, appearing that it is not syncing properly. With the rotating head of the 580EX II it is easy to position the flash body so that the optical sensor is facing the GF1 and then rotate the flash head as needed. This works well indoors but I haven’t tested how far you can push the distance between the GF1 and the remote Speedlite yet or how well it works outdoors. Update 11/01/12 - this only seems to work up to a max of 3m between GF1 and Speedlite!

Sonia Optical Sensor fitted to PC socket on 580EX II

580EXII remote triggered by optical sensor.
GF1 flash set at -2EV, Grid attached to Speedlite on camera left.
Reflector on camera right to soften and fill slightly. 1/160sec @ f8 ISO 100

Method 3) One 580 EXII on GF1 as a master and one 580 EXII controlled remotely as a slave. This is ideal if you have two flashes and want to control the remote ‘Slave’ flash from the ‘Master’ flash fitted to the camera. This saves you going backwards and forwards to adjust the slave since you can adjust each flash from the master to get the balancing right. You can also turn the master flash settings on the camera right down if you only want the light from the Slave. However, you must make sure that the slave flash sees the light from the master flash although this often works with reflected light when indoors.

View of Master flash on GF1
showing Slave (B) adjusted to 1/2 -0.7

View of showing Master flash fsetting (A)

Method 4) Using Seculine T2D Triggers I have a set of these relatively inexpensive radio/infrared triggers which include a small transmitter fitted to the camera and a receiver fitted to the flash. I bought them for the Canon system a couple of years back because I couldn’t afford the other well known but expensive triggers. I have found them to be reliable and useful. A disadvantage with the GF1 is again that you cannot use the LVF since the transmitter is mounted n the GF1 hot-shoe although the transmitter is small and light. The significant advantage is the range of signal possible and the placement of the flashes, since you do not need line of sight. The speed link flashes can be in different rooms, or hidden behind furniture etc. You can also use one 580EX II's triggered by the Seculine receiver as a master and a second 580EX II as a slave, so you can then adjust both flashes from the master. This would mean that you only need one transmitter and one receiver for 2 flashes. I use 2 receivers, one fitted to each flash, when I haven’t got good line of sight between the flashes.

The transmitter is quite small and very light with a small ariel

One 580EX II on camera left in large softbox. One 580 under table with red gel firing at black card.
1/160 sec @ f8 at ISO 100 using radio triggers.

Summary If you don’t mind working with manual flash there is no problem with the EX 580 II except for the physical size of the flash. The Canon 580EX II is a very versatile tool and you can use the master /slave facility to good advantage. Whilst it is well know that the GF1 will fire the Nikon SB900 Speedlites I was certainly under the impression that it wouldn't fire the Canon 580EX II's so it was a surprise that you can do this with one very inexpensive optical sensor since it is a great way of getting the 580EX II off the camera, even if it is only 2m away. The more expensive option is to use something like the Seculine radio transmitter/ receiver system for maximum flexibility with placement of the flash units.

Documentary Photography at Union Rally in Halifax, Nov 2011

2011-12-01T15:30:00.001Z

I was taking photographs on the 30th November for the Calderdale NUT at Halifax, outside the Town Hall, at the rally against the government spending cuts. The rally was supported by several unions and was well attended by an estimated 400 people. I took many photographs over a couple of hours for the NUT, focusing on the people, speakers and unions. Here are just a few of my favourite personal shots that I squeezed in, not so much about the rally and the various people and organisations involved but simply about the situation outside the really stunning Halifax Town Hall on a bright cold morning.

The speakers addressed the audience from the 'Town Hall Steps'. I like the shot because the people look as if they are engaged with the speaker and they give perspective to the towering building. To me, the cobbles also say something important about the character and history of Halifax.

People gathering for the 10:00am start. Bright sun and shadows on the buildings and the sky was just right for me on this one.

Martin is based in Halifax, West Yorkshire covering Commercial Photography, Wedding Photography and Lifestyle Portrait Photography

martin stainsby photography

Moody Landscape Photos in the Hambleton Hills

2011-11-21T19:27:00.000Z

These were taken whilst walking in the Hambleton Hills on the edge of the North Yorks Moors. We started at Kepwick and did a favourite circular walk over Black Hambleton. The weather was fine and bright but not ideal for the sort of photo's I like to take. Although I took many they lacked atmosphere and just recorded the views in a postcard sort of way. As we neared Kepwick towards the end of the walk the sky really clouded over to the West and looked threatening. However, the sun was very low and just burst through the clouds at times. I was lucky to just be in the right place as the sun lit up this hill called 'Nab Hill'. I rattled off a few shots as I walked across the field. No tripod, no filters just the Lumix GF1 with the 14-45mm kit lens. The little camera never ceases to surprise me and although I usually use prime lenses the Panasonic 14mm-45mm is very sharp and contrasty.

Nab Hill in the Hambleton Hills

When using the GF1 I have to be careful with the exposure of highlights and I just about managed this here. When using the Canon system I can usually recover about 1.5 - 2 stops over exposure but not with the GF1, the highlights have to be right.

This was taken 3 minutes later just looking to the right of Nab Hill as the sun makes a spotlight on the hillside.

Cottages in Kepwick

On returning to Kepwick about 20 minutes later the sky is even more threatening, but we didn't get wet!

Cottage chimneys in Kepwick. Looks like something from years ago.

See more landscapes at Martins Gallery

Wedding Photography at Holdsworth House Hotel, Halifax

2011-11-14T22:09:00.003Z

I was delighted to be the wedding photographer for Amanda and Adam in early November at the Holdsworth House Hotel in Halifax, West Yorkshire. Amanda and Adam needed some formal group photo's but predominantly wanted relaxed and informal photo's taking throughout the day. They had seven young children amongst the guests and the couple particularly wanted some nice informal shots of them. A small selection of the photo's from the day are shown below.

martin stainsby wedding photography I am a wedding photographer based in West Yorkshire within easy reach of Halifax, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, Manchester, York, Sheffield. I also travel in the UK to Cleveland, North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.

Review of Hama Canberra 90 Bag for Lumix GF1

2011-11-14T12:00:00.000Z

This is a short review of a Panasonic Lumix GF1 Case, the Hama Canberra 90. The camera bag is quite inexpensive but gives good protection to a small camera. It is available from Camera Bags who supplied this bag. The Lumix GF1 has interchangeable lenses and when I am using it about town or travelling very light I usually have the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 lens fitted to the camera and carry a wide angle Panasonic Lumix 14mm f2.5. I also carry a spare battery, spare memory card and a rigid lens hood.

The bag has an adjustable shoulder strap. There is no shoulder pad on this model but it is not a problem with such a small and light bag. There are small splashes of colour on the outside and the brightly coloured inside has nice soft surfaces so that nothing will get scratched. The Panasonic Lumix GF1 fits snugly with the 20mm lens attached. The 14mm lens gives slightly more room and the GF2 and the GF3 should both fit well since they are slightly smaller bodies.

An adjustable strap

Lots of colour and soft surfaces on the inside

The bag also has a belt loop for use without the detachable strap. There is plenty of storage room and I got everything I needed comfortably into the bag. I stowed the spare battery in a side pocket and the wide angle lens in another. The rigid lens hood and spare memory card went into the from zippered pocket with some room to spare.

In use the bag is light and gives reasonable protection from knocks and bumps. It is easy to access the camera and the various accessories. The strap is long enough to wear in various positions and easily adjustable. The only flaw is that the design of the snug waterproof cover means that you cannot use the strap. So it is not a bag for going out with in heavy rain, you would need to carry the bag in your hand or stow the bag somewhere else for protection. If out hiking it would not be a problem to put it into even a small rucksack because it is quite compact and around town it would fit into a small bag. I got caught outside in town in a downpour with the bag so I just positioned the bag inside my coat. For an inexpensive bag it is quite useful, looks good and does the job.

The lid fastens with velcro and has small gussets which keep things tucked-in.

The small splashes of colour on the compact bag are effective

The bag has a useful zippered front pocket for accessories

There is a belt loop on the back of the bag

The rains cover is a snug fit so won't allow the use of the straps

This is the kit that I comfortably fit into the bag.

The wide angle lens is shown stowed in the side pocket.

Review of the Capdase 180A MKeeper with Lumix GF1 System

2011-11-13T15:47:00.000Z

The people at LoveCases.co.uk sent me a Capdase 180A MKeeper bag for me to test and review with my Lumix GF1 system. There are full specs for the bag here. When the Lumix GF1 has a single prime lens attached to it it is very small and I usually carry in a small bag with a spare battery and spare memory card. However, the GF1 system is very versatile and a major benefit is that it has interchangeable lenses. I now do a great deal of my landscape photography with the system and use several lenses. I needed a bag or case that would take most of the gear I need on a hike or scramble that I want to keep handy and not in my rucksack.

My wife trying the bag out - it goes just as well with outdoor gear as well as with normal clothes. It looks bigger than it actually is here - see photo's below for size comparisons.

This bag proved to be great outdoors. I use the camera with the Electronic Viewfinder and a small tripod plate permanently attached. This makes the camera a bit taller. I often take with me two prime lenses, and a zoom or a macro lens. With the zoom attached to the camera is quite a bit bigger. As well as the lenses I always a carry a polarising filter, a couple of lens adapter rings, a spare camera battery and memory card. I manage to fit them all neatly into the Capdase 180A MKeeper with room to spare in the pockets.

GF1 with zoom attached. 20mm f1.7 on left with 14mm f2.5 and battery below it.

Same lens on camera but in different position

Camera with 20mm lens fitted and zoom on the left with 14mm lens and spare battery below it.

Gear in bag - 20mm lens, 14mm lens, Lumix GF1, 14-45mm lens, spare battery, spare memory card, polarising filter, 2 lens adapter rings, electronic viewfinder and tripod plate, lens caps and pouches.

The Capdase 180A MKeeper arrived neatly packaged in bubble wrap and looked very smart, a modern design in grey with a nice detail on the front flap. The bag certainly looked the part for around town, travelling, weddings or social do's etc. but would it work for me in the outdoors? Well it is a bit different to my usual bag, it is more oblong and has a flap that goes over the top and down the front which I wasn't sure about. My first couple of trips with it included some rock scrambling and same wading my way along a stream with a series of waterfalls up a nearby 'clough'. I am pleased to say the bag proved to be ideal and will now be in frequent use.

It's about the size of a medium sized loaf of bread

Another shot against a magazine to give an idea of size

The flap turned out to be an excellent feature. Normally, when I am putting the camera and bits in and out of a bag I tend to leave it unzipped. When scrambling around or bending over sometimes I have had things drop out of a bag with no flap, but the flap on the MKeeper stops this happening. You lift the flap to get into the bag then it automatically falls into place and attaches itself to the bag with the Velcro. So while you are working with the lid unzipped there is minimal chance of anything falling out.

I thought the oblong shape might not work for walking long distances and scrambling but I found it sits perfectly and comfortably in position even when scrambling on all fours - it is after all still a very light and compact bag. The shape of the bag also makes it stable when you stand it on something and less liable to roll down an embankment than a taller narrower bag. It has two large plastic strips on the bottom surface to protect the base from wearing.

The rain cover is very easy to put into position and worked. In very heavy rain I would usually just put the whole bag into my rucksack since it is quite small but even so, a decent waterproof cover is essential.

All in all it seems a very handy and good looking bag at an attractive price.
Use this link to see Panasonic Lumix Case and many other cases here Camera Cases

A few shots from the first couple of outings with the Capdase 180A Mkeeper

Fungi in Hardcastle Crags taken using Macro lens (Olympus OM 50mm f3.5 Macro)

Rock Pinnacle on the top of Hardcastle Crags

Wood Shed in Hardcastle Crags

Water fall - an experimental shot not using the tripod!

Another experimental shot without the tripod

You can see more of my landscape work at Martin's Gallery

Review of Panasonic Lumix GF1 After Using It For Over A Year

2011-11-12T21:00:00.000Z

Well I have never taken so many photographs as I have since I got the Panasonic Lumix GF1 fourteen months ago. The small size and weight means that I can always have it with me and it is great to use. I bought two small prime lenses to go with the 14-45mm kit zoom (which is 28mm - 90mm focal length in full frame terms). They are the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 and the Pansonic 20mm f1.7 (28mm wide angle and 40mm standard on a full frame sensor). These are both stunning quality and tiny, so ideal to carry anywhere. I often have the 20mm on the camera in a small bag and the 14mm in my pocket, it weighs less than 2oz! Both the primes are very nice and have many good reviews but the kit zoom with Image Stabilisation shouldn't be underestimated.

Selection of photos taken the Panasonic 14-45mm lens.

Selection of photos taken with the Panasonic 20mm f1.7

Selection of photos taken with the Panasonic 14mm f2.5

The Panasonic 14mm f2.5, the 20mm f1.7 pancake lenses and the 14-45mm f3.5/5.6 zoom with IS

The Lumix GF1 wit the Panasonic 14mm f2.5 and LVF fitted

To complete my lens line up I wanted a large aperture medium telephoto lens and a macro lens. Panasonic Leica do a 45mm f2.8 lens that does both but it is expensive, so I looked at alternatives. I have an old Olympus OM 50mm f1.8 lens that I got off ebay for £16. I purchased a micro four thirds lens adapter (M/43) to fit it to the GF1 for £12. On the GF1 the OM 50mm lens becomes a 100mm f1.8 lens - you double the focal lebgth because of the sensor size. I had read reports of the excellent results obtained with this lens and so far it is looking good. You have to manually focus but this is not a problem unless people are moving about and then it is difficult at wide apertures. The Olympus 45mm f1.8 for M4/3 cameras is just becoming available with excellent reviews so I might save up for that. In the meantime I am really enjoying using the old 50mm f1.8. (added note 15/12/11 - just ordered the M.Zuiko 50mm f1.8 !)

The Lumix GF1 with the Olympus OM 50mm f1.8 fitted using an inexpensive M4/3 adapter

A photo taken with the OM 50 f1.8 on the Lumix GF1 below and a few more here

Taken with the Olympus OM 50mm f1.8

For the macro photography using the Lumix GF1 I bought a second hand Olympus OM 50mm f3.5 Macro for £105 in mint condition. This works on the GF1 with the M4/3 adapter as a 100mm f3.5 Macro lens, giving 1:1 magnifications and excellent results. I even bought a cheap Olympus Extension Tube off ebay for £12 that increases the magnification even further.

The Lumix GF1 with the Olympus OM 50mm f3.5 Macros lens on a M4/3 adapter

A photo taken with the OM 50mm f3.5 Macro on the Lumix GF1 is shown below. Here are a few more

One of my first shots with the Olympus Macro lens fitted to the Lumix GF1. Water droplets trapped on sheeps wool that was snagged on barbed wire.

LV Finder - I read some negative reports about this but I personally find it invaluable, especially in bright conditions. I think it is too expensive for what it is but for me it is essential. I use it outside for landscapes or any photo taken when the light is bright.
Tripod - I bought a Slik Sprint Mk II. It is half the weights and size of my regular tripod but fits inside even a small rucksack and is light enough to take on any trip. It is a bit limiting in terms of height but is perfect with the GF1 system and I usually get it to position the camera where I need it, I manage to use the GF1 hand-held for an awful lot of photo's though.
Flash - I rarely use built-in flash but the few times I have used it on the GF1 it worked quite well for fill flash. I have also used it for close-ups of fungi and plants, usually setting it to between -1 Ev and -2 EV. A few shots using the built-in flash are below.
Aspect Ratio - I just love the 4:3 Aspect Ratio. I always enjoyed this ratio when using my Mamiya 645 Medium format camera. I am now starting to feel quite uncomfortable with the 35mm aspect ratio of 3 x 2 found on DSLR's , including my full-frame Canon 5D. The GF1's 4:3 crops very nicely to 5 x 4 or 4 x 3 when necessary.

20mm lens ISO 400, 1/50 sec at f1.8. Aperture priority with fill flash

20mm lens ISO 100, 1/50sec at f8 Aperture priority with flash at -2EV

Generally, if I want to carefully control the flash I use one or two Canon 580 EX II flashes using radio triggers with the flashes set to manual and with the camera in manual mode.

This photo was taken with one remote Canon 580 EX II Speedlite

Lumix GF1 camera in manual mode with Olympus OM 50mm f3.5 Macro lens. One remote Canon 580 EXII Speedlite fired by a radio trigger

Dynamic Range - With the Canon 5D I can get away with about 1.5 stops overexposure in the highlights then fully recover the highlight details by using the RAW convertor in Aperture then working the image in Photoshop. This also keeps noise out of the shadows and results in a photo with quite a wide dynamic range. However this doesn't work with the GF1 and when the highlights are blown they are blown. So I always have the screen set up to blink if the highlights are overexposed and set the exposure to keep the highlights safe. This can make the shadows dark but they usually process surprisingly well, in fact the RAW images from the GF1 process very well.

Filters - I use filters sometimes and found no problems mounting the Lee Filter Holder onto any of the lenses using a couple of adapters. I also use a 58mm polarising filter and use a couple of different adapter rings for the different lenses.

Actually using the GF1 in the field - I soon got used to all the buttons and knobs and find that I can adjust most things easily whilst looking through the viewfinder even with thin gloves on e.g. ISO speed, manual focusing zoom, type of focus point, aperture/shutter speed, exposure compensation, ISO speed. About 90% of my photo's are taken in Aperture Priority mode but even in manual mode I can still adjust everything easily without taking my eye from the viewfinder. I only resort to the menus occasionally. I understand that in later models some buttons and knobs have been removed and the functions put into the menus which doesn't appeal to me at all.

I like the knob and switch on the top that gives you different modes. It also gives you the self-timer and exposure bracketing. I often use a remote control chord to fire the shutter when the camera is on a tripod with subjects that might move but most often I just use the self-timer with it set to 2 seconds - it works work great, is very easy to select and you are not waiting for ages for it to fire.

I take all my photo's as RAW images and the majority are processed in Lightroom. I like Aperture, particularly the RAW engine in it. I have a great Lightroom preset that I obtained here that gives the same result as the GF1's Black and White setting by Garrett LeSage. He commented on an excellent blog article on the GF1 by Bert Stefani

Things I Would Like To See Improved

Well there is not much I would change really, so far so good. A wish list would have a higher spec video and stereo sound but only without losing any of the existing controls switches and knobs, so I don't think the next models , the GF2 and the GF3 would interest me at all. (note aded 15/12/11 - just found out about the new GX1. I won't upgrade to it t but if I should need a replacement then that could be it).
I managed for a few weeks just using the LCD screen whilst waiting for the Live View Finder (LVF) to arrive. Generally it was OK but outside in bright light I was aometimes guessing at the composition of hand-held shots. Once I started using the LVF there was no going back for outside work in bright light. I would like to see it with a higher resolution and a lower price.

Summary of Things I Do Like

The camera just seems to suit the way I work. The controls are where I want them to be and I can see all the information that I need through the viewfinder.
The camera feels great. It is chunky and feels solid. It's much smaller than my DSLR - but not too small.
There is little trade off in quality compared to a larger DSLR for prints up to 19" and ISO speeds up to 800. The dynamic range is not quite as good but I can handle this by either using filters or by more careful processing.
It represents a phenomenal saving in weight compared to my DSLR system. This makes is excellent for hiking, scrambling and travelling etc. I even take it with me running and cycling in a small bag with just one prime lens attached. Generally it means that I always have a quality camera with me.
You can get excellent results with the camera using inexpensive legacy lenses if you are prepared to go with manual focus. Certainly the two 50mm lenses that I have been using are well balanced when on the M4/3 adapter and I think they look good as well!
It makes a handy back-up for my main DSLR system on assignments. It is also useful for doing a recce.
More good M4/3 lenses are becoming available, so it looks like M4/3 might be here to stay for a while.

See more of my landscape work here - Martin's Gallery

Wedding Photography at Holdsworth House Hotel, Halifax

2011-10-22T08:28:00.005+01:00

Some shots of Amanda and Adam from a pre wedding photography shoot in October at the lovely Holdsworth House Hotel in Halifax, West Yorkshire by martin stainsby photography. We had a meeting at the hotel to discuss the details of their wedding in early November, for which I am very pleased to be their chosen wedding photographer. It was a great opportunity to get Amanda and Adam in front of the camera in the gardens, making the most of the fine weather.

Landscape Photography at Brimham Rocks, Yorkshire

2011-08-30T14:53:00.000+01:00

A couple of photographs with different treatments. These were taken at Brimham Rocks in Yorkshire, looking out from the edge of one of the cliffs. There are many strange arrangements of rocks at Brimham but these photographs are more about capturing the general atmosphere as the clouds started breaking up. In the first colour photo I have endeavoured to achieve natural colours and keep detail in the sky and in the shadows in the rocky gully. I used portrait format to give focus to the gulley and the lovely Yorkshire gritstone. The second photo in black and white, is about contrasting fine detail of the foreground rock with an interesting sky.

You can see more of my landscapes at martin's gallery

Wedding Photography at The Tower House Hotel, Halifax

2011-08-26T20:26:00.011+01:00

A small selection from photos taken by Matin Stainsby, wedding photographer at wedding of Jodie and Scott at the Tower House Hotel , Halifax, West Yorkshire in August 2011.

Photographs at The South Gare, River Tees

2011-08-15T18:36:00.000+01:00

After looking at the long exposure black and white photography of Michael Kenna and Michael Levin I decided to try some long exposure photography. I took this picture of an old jetty at the South Gare on the River Tees.

This photo was taken with a 200mm lens, the longest I had with me but I will return and try it with a slightly longer 300mm lens and hopefully a more interesting sky.

The photo below, looking down river, shows an old tree washed up on the river bank with the Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station on the far river bank and in the centre distance there is the oil terminals and on the left the Ore Unloading Cranes for the Steel Plant.

You can see more of my landscapes at martin's gallery

Light & Shadow - Chiaroscuro - Photograph of Bowl in Window

2011-08-01T13:40:00.001+01:00

I was experimenting here with natural light flooding in through a window. I am very interested in chiaroscuro lighting, made particularly famous by Caravaggio. Chiaroscuro is essentially about bold contrast in lighting and I felt that the natural lighting here was giving that effect. This photograph was taken from inside a restored Crook Barn at the Ryedale Museum in Hutton-Le-Hole in the North Yorks Moors National Park. I had originally intended it to be black and white but the rose pink colour wash on the plaster walls and the lovely patina on wood persuaded me to stay with colour.

martin stainsby photography - landscape photography and fine art prints.

You can see more of my landscape work on this gallery Martins Photography Gallery

Roseberry Topping Landscape

2011-06-28T18:02:00.007+01:00

Roseberry Topping on the edge of the North Yorks Moors National Park. This image was taken in a bit of a rush. I used a Lumix GF1 with a 14mm f2.5 lens. No time for tripod or filters. I just managed to get a couple of shots before the sun, which was behind me, dissapeared behind a cloud.

martin stainsby photography - landscape photography and fine art prints.

You can see more of my landscape work on this gallery Martins Photography Gallery

Summer Landscape in Hardcastle Crags

2011-06-24T19:42:00.007+01:00

Ferns on Hebden Water in Hardcastle Crags, near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire

martin stainsby photography - landscape photography and fine art prints.

You can see more of my landscape work on this gallery Martins Photography Gallery

Black & White Landscape Photography in Yorkshire Dales

2011-06-21T18:02:00.013+01:00

A view along the edge of Moughton Scar with the profile of Ingleborough, crossed earlier in the day, on the horizon.

Looking up to part of Moughton Scar when descending into Crummackdale

Looking up to the large Studrigg Scar crag in Crummack Dale near Wharfe with wispy clouds in the blue sky

martin stainsby photography - landscape photography and fine art prints.

You can see more of my landscape work on this gallery Martins Photography Gallery

Photography of Flower Festival in Greetland

2011-06-19T11:58:00.008+01:00

A selection of photographs taken at the Flower Festival at St Thomas' Church, in Greetland, West Yorkshire. The flower festival is one of several events during 2011 to celebrate the Church being 150 years old (1861-2011). Many of the various flower arrangements are based on events during the last 150 years. You can see more photos from the flower festival on this link Flower Festival

The fireworks are a reminder of the Centenary celebrations in 2000

Remembering the War

Nelson Mandela is Freed

A beautiful crucifix and stands that had been disused for many years and have been restored

martin stainsby photography - professionall photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford Leeds, York, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

To enquire about my photography services including wedding photography, lifestyle portraits or commercial photography you can Contact Me Here

Photography of Zumba Instructor in West Yorkshire

2011-06-06T13:46:00.004+01:00

A few photographs of Lauren instructing a Zumba class at 'The Fitness Suite' in Elland, West Yorkshire

martin stainsby photography - professionall photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford Leeds, York, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

To enquire about my photography services including wedding photography, lifestyle portraits or commercial photography you can Contact Me Here

Commercial Photography at The Fitness Suite in Elland, West Yorkshire

2011-05-23T10:22:00.028+01:00

A new healthy living suite in Elland has been opened by Chris Ball called 'The Fitness Suite'.

I have supplied framed fine art landscape prints to the business which are hanging in three rooms and are available to purchase. There is also a rack of mounted prints which are also on sale, which will fit standard frames. The prints are all made individually by myself to ensure they meet my requirements for quality and are on the best quality artist's paper by Hahnemühle.

There are four pictures hanging in the bespoke Fitness Suite which includes: Cardio, Free Weights and Resistance Machines

A further four pictures are hanging in the bespoke studio with poles, boxing bags and more. An ideal facility for Pole Fitness, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga etc.

Three black and white fine art prints from the local area are displayed in the lounge which includes a sports nutrition café.

martin stainsby photography - professionall photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford Leeds, York, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

To enquire about my photography services including wedding photography, lifestyle portraits or commercial photography you can Contact Me Here

Adding Energy to a Flash Photograph of Gym Equipment

2011-05-21T14:25:00.004+01:00

I was doing some photography for a fitness centre and wanted to try and get some interesting and maybe unusual shots. I had several close-up shots of parts of machines and bits of gym equipment and thought I would try something different. I liked the look of some chrome bar bells on a rack and I used a remote Canon Speedlite 580 EX MkII flash, fired remotely and in a 20" soft-box, to get the first shot below. This was taken with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens on a Canon 5D. The settings were ISO 160, f3.2 at 1/160 sec, Auto WB, Manual Exposure mode and no flash compensation. The room lighting was Tungsten spotlights but the flash has completely lit the subject and the auto WB has coped well enough. The depth of field is quite shallow which is what I wanted. The soft-box is behind the weights and to the right, giving some deep shadows. You can just see several small orange highlights from the spotlights. Generally a straightforward close-up shot.

Straightforward - remote flash lighting through a 20" softbox with f4 aperture to give shallow depth of field.

The next shot was something very different. I had been thinking about trying to suggest energy in the picture and decided to have a go with zooming the lens during the exposure. The setting here were ISO 160 , the same as before, the shutter speed was this time set to 0.3 secs with f4 aperture, again using flash. Now the flash has given the basic lighting to the chrome weights but the longer exposure time has had a significant effect on the White Balance. It was still on Auto WB but the warmth of the tunsgten spotlights has completely over powered the initial flash lighting, giving a warm glow. This could be reduced in processing to look more like the first shot but I like the look as it is.

The other feature of this is that by zooming the lens during the exposure the reflections of the spotlights in the chrome weights are now seen as trails of orange light that the longer exposure to ambient light is showing up.

I tried a few different shots and found that generally I preferred them with the warm glow from the tungsten lights. I was limited for time but I may go back and experiment a bit more .

This one has more clarity with a focus on the centre of the bar bells and less zoom. Same camera setting as previous photo.

This one is from a different angle with more zoom, but the same camera settings as previous.

martin stainsby photography - professional photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

Child Portrait Photography in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

2011-04-06T17:49:00.002+01:00

I enjoyed some childrens portrait photography with Dina, in Huddersfield in April. Mam and Dad didn't want to be in the photo's so it was just Dina playing in the garden, with several changes of clothes during the shoot. It was all done in a small part of the front garden so I tried to include some of the lovely tulips in the background to add a bit of diffused colour . It was a cloudy day so that actually gave nice soft light, ideal for portrait photography. The shoot resulted in a couple of large prints and lovely large coffee table book that included 30 full page prints.

martin stainsby portrait photography - lifestyle family portraits in West Yorkshire and beyond

martin stainsby portrait photography

child and family portrait photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

A Simple Flash Set-Up for Food Photography

2011-04-01T18:25:00.008+01:00

I sometimes post a few pictures on this blog from food photography shoots but this time I thought I would show a relatively simple set-up that I used for a couple of the photo's from yesterday's shoot, with a few of the photos shown below. I often use natural light when the light is fairly constant but in this case it wasn't, so I decided to work entirely with flash for some of the shots. This is not my typical flash set-up, I would usually use a softbox or shoot-through umbrella but this set-up proved interesting. More food photo's can be seen here Food Photography Gallery

The set-up for the picture shown below

This particular set-up consists several elements:

1) A Canon full-frame DSLR with a 70-200mm f2.8 lens, mounted on a tripod

2) There is a 9ft cable connecting the camera to the flash gun on the left which is mounted on a lighting stand. The flash is a Canon 580 EX Mk II flashgun and with the cable I have full ETTL metering and control from the camera. The flash has a honeycomb grid attached to it to give a small direct pool of light. When firing the camera a 1 stop diffuser was hand-held in front of the grid just to diffuse the light a bit.

3) There is a silver/white reflector mounted on a light stand in front of the window. This is acting as a shade to stop the variable and uncontrollable light from the window affecting the exposure. The white side of the reflector is facing the table and bouncing light back onto the dish.

4) A second Canon 580 EX Mk II flashgun is mounted on an arm attached to the bracket that is holding the reflector. This flash is triggered automatically by the first 'master flash' and it is bouncing a soft pool of light off the white reflector and back onto the plate. The amount of light from this 'slave flash' is set by a control on the first, 'master flash'.

5) There is a white cable running from the camera body to an Apple MacBook Pro laptop that is just out of the picture on an adjacent table, for tethered shooting. The camera can be fired from the computer or by itself but in either case the picture is immediately downloaded and displayed. This means that the photo can be quickly checked and the effect of any changes to the arrangement, lighting, exposure, focus etc. can be seen.

This photo of chocolate pâté with ginger biscuits was taken with the set-up shown above. I was aiming for a very shallow depth of field with nice details in the biscuits and soft shadows.

This photo of Beetroot Bread with White Bean Roast Garlic Dip was also taken with the same set-up. Slight changes to flash intensity and camera settings give a much more contrasty look to the picture with a lot more depth of field giving fine detail in the bread and the basket.

This photo of Vegetarian Sushi with Soy Sauce, Pickled Ginger and Wasabi was taken using only the one flash on the left with the honey comb grid fitted. This was set-up like this to give it some shadow and a feeling of depth whilst keeping the background very dark.
martin stainsby photography - food photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire
If you would like find out more about my food photography visit
martin stainsby food photography or contact me here Contact Page
If you would like to see more of my work visit
Martins Gallery

Flower Photography Prints available at Emotions Florists in Halifax

2011-03-07T17:27:00.022Z

I have recently linked up with 'Emotions Florist and Memorials' of Halifax who are selling my flower prints. A selection of my prints are on display for sale at the shop and they also hold a catalogue from which a wide range can be supplied, in a variety of sizes. You can see more flower pictures by martin stainsby photography - Halifax West Yorkshire here Martins Flower Images

A range of prints on display in the lovely new flower shop

A framed print and a framed fine art print on the wall with a mounted print ready to drop into a standard frame displayed in the window

Mounted prints in two different sizes ready for standard frames on the table and framed prints on the wall

A large flower print in the shopwindow with the lovely old buildings reflected in the glass
martin stainsby photography - flower photography and prints in Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire West Yorkshire
If you would like find out more about my photography business visit
martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page
If you would like to see more of my work visit
Martins Gallery

Southern Uplands

2011-02-20T10:40:00.062Z

landscape photography Halifax Yorkshire Three days were spent in the Southern Uplands of Scotland in February.

View to Peat Hill and Whiteknowle Head with the edge of Deuchar Law and the left

Ruined croft at Glenshiels Banks

Loch Eddy

In The Glen looking towards Peat Hill

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

If you would like to see more of my work visit

Martins Gallery

Food Photography in February

2011-02-17T11:39:00.006Z

martin stainsby photography - food photography in Halifax West Yorkshire A few photos from a shoot in February at the Dandelion and Burdock restaurant in Sowerby Bridge. More info about my food photography can be see here Food Photography by Martin Stainsby

martin stainsby photography - food photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire
If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

If you would like to see more of my work visit

Martins Gallery

Documentary Photography of Union Rally in Halifax West Yorkshire

2011-02-12T11:14:00.029Z

Photo's taken at a rally held by various unions in Halifax against the Government Spending Cuts on 12th February 2011. reportage photography by martin stainsby photography Halifax West Yorkshire

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

Close-Up Photography (Macro) by Martin Stainsby

2011-02-10T09:56:00.006Z

A few photographs taken with a close-up lens (macro). These were taken using an old 'legacy' lens (Olympus M 50mm Macro 3.5) on a modern compact camera (Lumix GF1) using a lens adaptor.

These are water droplets trapped in sheeps wool that was snagged on barbed wire. This was taken in very foggy and damp weather.

Similar to the above picture but showing a mass of wool and droplets and the barbed wire.

Taken on the same wet and foggy day as the sheeps wool pictures above. This is a close up of droplets of water on the the washing line with next doors house reflected in the droplets.

This is a close-up of a Garlic Bulb.

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

If you would like to see more of my work visit

Martins Gallery

First Flower Photographs of 2011 by Martin Stainsby

2011-02-09T08:55:00.013Z

flower photography by martin stainsby photography Halifax West Yorkshire

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

If you would like to see more of my work visit

Martins Gallery

New Photography Web Gallery

2011-01-31T01:00:00.005Z

I have developed a new Photography Gallery The new site is easier to navigate and is also easier for me to maintain, so hopefully I will be able to add new material on a frequent basis.
The home page shows that the navigation to all parts of the site is on the right hand side of the page. The image on the home page is one of my personal favourites that I will change occasionally.

The 'galleries' page show an overview of each gallery on the site. A gallery can be selected by clicking in the link under the gallery image or on the link in the navigation bar on the right. This 'galleries' page can be skipped because any gallery can be selected directly from the main page.

When you click on an image on one of the gallery pages it pops up in a black box with the web page dimmed out. If you move your cursor to the right hand side of the picture a navigation arrow will appear, similarly with your cursor on the left side you will see an arrow pointing backwards. You can click anywhere on the right hand or lefthand side of the image to navigate forwards or backwards through the images. You can also do this quickly by simply using the left or right arrow on your keyboard.

I have also added a 'info and links' page to the site. This has some basic info about my cameras and links to photographic sites or articles that I have recently found interesting.

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

Updated Wedding Photography Website

2011-01-01T22:08:00.000Z

I have recently updated the web pages about my wedding photography on my website. It has a slideshow with a few pictures on the first page with some useful information about how I approach wedding photography and something about my style. There are a lot more pictures included in a slideshow gallery on the second page with more information about packages available. Click here to go directly to the new page. I hope you enjoy

martin stainsby wedding photography

contemporary wedding photography in Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

Vegetarian Food Photography in West Yorkshire

2010-12-09T17:27:00.006Z

martin stainsby photography - commercial photographer in Yorkshire
I spent an enjoyable day at the Dandelion and Burdock vegetarian restaurant in Sowerby Bridge adding a few more shots to the collection for David Wilson's new cookery book and sampling the delights! This a few of the photo's. You can see more about Martin's food photography here Food Photography by Martin Stainsby

Head Chef

Chocolate and Orange Cheescake

Carrot and Pecan Cake

4 Bean Soup with Sundried Tomato Bread

Bubble and Sqeuak with Chive Sour Cream

Sweet Potato Pie with Minted Marrow Fat Peas

Carrots on Roasting Tray

If you would like find out more about my photography business visit

martin stainsby photography or contact me here Contact Page

Courier Business Awards 2010 - Highly Commended

2010-11-24T09:02:00.001Z

I was nominated by Calderdale Council for a 2010 Courier Business Award in the category of Silver Entrepreneur. This is a category for successful entrepenuers aged over 50 and is sponsored by Calderdale Council. Well I certainly qualify with the 'Silver' and the 'over 50' criteria! The awards were made on Thursday evening at an awards dinner and there were three nominations for this category. I did not receive the award but was nevertheless pleased to be 'Highly Commended'. I am grateful to Calderdale Council for their support and encouragement during my start-up year and specific thanks go to Eric Binns from the Council and Tim Dugdill from the Silver Entrepreneurs scheme.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby .co.uk

Landscape Photography in the South Pennines - Widdop Reservoir

2010-11-23T21:21:00.006Z

I spent a great day on the 15th November walking on the local South Pennines with Anne. It was basically a day of walking in the hills, with the Panasonic Lumix camera system taken along just in case we came across anything interesting. We went through all sorts of weather from thick fog to bright sunshine and I ended up with several photos to add to my fine art landscape collection. This is one of my favourites from the day. You can see more of my recent work on the Pennines (since1st November 2010) here South Pennines My recent Fine Art Landscape collection (since September 2010) is here Fine Art Landscapes And there are more pictures here Martin's Website and here Martin's Gallery

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby .co.uk

Landscape Photography in November in Kirklees and the Yorkshire Dales

2010-11-14T16:01:00.003Z

I love this time of the year outdoors, in fact from October through to May are my favourite months for hiking and running in the hills with the camera in tow. I have pulled together a few photo's from the last few weeks in the local Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales. The following links have a few more.

More Dales Photo's - More Pennine Photo's

Good Bent End on the South Pennines, close to home. Viewed form Nether Lane across Digley reservoir
This was taken during the first 1/2 hour of quite a tough walk on the Pennines in changeable weather. During the first hour the light was superb for photographs but then became flat and it was the end of photographs for the day.

Digley Reservoir

I have often passed Digley Reservoir on my way to the Peak District but have never stopped. This day I was heading off early to the Peak District because the weather forecast said there was a good chance of the peaks standing above the cloud and I was keen to get up on of them early. On the way I received a phone call which changed my plans and only left me with a couple of hours so I decided to explore Digley and Bilberry reservoirs in the mist. I was pleased to get the photo's above and below even though it was misty.

Bilberry Reservoir

Ingleborough taken looking East on ascent from Ingleton

First time out in the snow this winter for me (Wed 10th Nov). One of the those clear but very cold days. I spent 7 hrs walking on Ingleborough, Whernside and Twistleton Scar - more pics here

View across the limestone pavements on Twistleton Scar to Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby .co.uk

A Cloudy Day on Great Gable

2010-10-30T16:12:00.004+01:00

A few photo's from a day going up Great Gable from Honister Hause. Low cloud ruled out any views from the top of Great Gable but added to the atmosphere.

Great Gable Crag taken on the way down at Windy Gap. The scale can be appreciated if you spot the two people (one in red) scrambling up the rocks half way up the picture and a quarter of the way across from the left hand edge

The begining of the walk heading up from Honister Hause with the sun shinining across the Honister Pass.

The dismantled tramway incline from Honister going up to reach the Moses' Trod Path at the begining of the walk.

View to Buttermere and Crummock Water from the Moses' Trod Path. The metal post is an old fence post

View to Buttermere and Crummock Water from Fleetwith with Blackbeck Tarn sitting below Haystacks and High Crag beyond.

View West along Ennerdale from Windy Gap before returning over Green Gable, Brandreth and Grey Knotts to Honister.

Wedding Photography at Simonstone Hall, Hawes, North Yorkshire

2010-10-25T17:27:00.006+01:00

I was delighted to be the selected wedding photographer for the wedding of Katie and Gordon at Simonstone Hall, near Hawes in North Yorkshire on 23rd October 2010. A lovely couple, and a wedding in a beautiful building in a fantastic part of Yorkshire. Gordon and Katie wanted a few photos of them as a couple 'in the landscape' and the wet weather subsided just long enough to allow this. See more about my wedding photography at martin stainsby wedding photography There is a video slideshow on YourTube of this wedding here Katie & Gordon Wedding Slideshow

Vegetarian Food Photography in West Yorkshire

2010-10-18T18:38:00.005+01:00

A small selection from the October food shoot at the Dandelion and Burdock restaurant in Sowerby Bridge. You can see more about my food photography here Food Photography by Martin Stainsby

martin stainsby photography - food and commercial photographer in West Yorkshire

A detail shot that I like, one of a set of three photo's

Butternut Squash on the baking tray

Fennel, Curly Kale, Ginger, Tamari & Cashews

Chocolate Brownie

Apple and Quince Crumble with Vanilla Custard

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

Double Exposure at Dean Clough Viaduct Café

2010-10-18T08:15:00.007+01:00

I am really pleased to have 12 landscape and seascape prints on display at the Viaduct Cafe Bar at Dean Clough, Halifax, from 18th October and through November. There are a couple of prints from the local area but the rest are from North Yorkshire, The Peak District, Northumberland, Glen Coe and the Isle of Skye. All of the framed prints are available for sale and most of them are also available as mounted prints in the Dean Clough Design Shop, where I have a collection of 30 prints for sale. Link to café: The Viaduct Café Link to Design Shop: The Design Shop

Double Exposure ! I am also delighted to have a further 8 large photographs of 'Whitby Goths' on display at the Viaduct Café Bar for a couple of weeks, running simultaneously with the landscape prints. They will be on display over the Halloween period, running for a week either side of Halloween. They are from a collection of photographs that I took during the popular Whitby Goths festival in October 2009 and April 2010.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

Easy Rider

2010-10-16T17:55:00.017+01:00

My next door neighbour Brian was cleaning his bike ready to put it away for the winter so I took a brief opportunity to get some shots for him. Great fun for 30 minutes just as the light was going. I deliberately waited until it was dusky. For the photographers who like the details - the blue sky and background was produced by setting the camera white balance to tungsten as the sky was darkening and using orange CTO filters on each of the remote flashes to correct the light on the objects lit by the flash. Canon 5D Camera, 24-105L lens and two EX580 flashes on stands.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

First Impressions - Review of the Panasonic Lumix GF1

2010-10-05T12:55:00.008+01:00

I was looking for something small and light but very capable then I read some excellent reviews about this camera, the Panasonic Lumix GF1. It is not intended to replace my Canon DSLR system for professional work but will be a constant companion when walking in the hills or travelling. I have the 20mm f1.7 lens (shown), and also the Lumix 14-45mm zoom lens. The complete kit with spare battery and a viewfinder all fit into a small bag and weighs only a fraction of the weight of my Canon system that I usually drag around.

My wife treated me to the new system and it arrived just as we were going to Northumberland for a week of walking and photography, so it was a great opportunity to put it through its paces. It's great to use, just like using a professional quality DSLR, giving you total control. The RAW images compare extremely well with those from my Canon 5D Mk I DSLR. In fact I will be including one of the pictures I took with this camera in Northumberland in an exhibition of 12 landscape prints that I have starting in October at Dean Clough in Halifax.

A few of my first shots with the Lumix are shown below. There are a few more from Northumberland here Northumberland GF1 and there are a set of Fungi shots all taken with the Lumix GF1 on Flickr here Fungi with GF1

The small Lumix 20mm f1.7 is a stunning lens and very verstaile.

Another fungus, one of many, this time showing that the zoom at full length is also very sharp (Lumix 14-45mm zoom)

View from the edge of the forest at Simonside (Lumix 14-45mm zoom)

Upper Coquetdale from Barrowburn (Lumix 14-45mm zoom)

Dunstanburgh Castle from Embleton Sands (Lumix 14-45mm zoom)

This is a follow up review after one year of using the GF1

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

Vegetarian Food Photography in West Yorkshire at Dandelion and Burdock

2010-10-04T19:16:00.002+01:00

A small selection from the October food shoot at the Dandelion & Burdock restaurant. David Wilson has put together a great new website for the restaurant, here is the link Dandelion and Burdock . The first two pics below were with the Lumix and 20mm f1.7 lens, the rest were with the Canon system.

A detail shot that I like, one of a set of three photo's

Butternut Squash on the baking tray

Fennel, Curly Kale, Ginger, Tamari & Cashews

Chocolate Brownie

Apple and Quince Crumble with Vanilla Custard

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby .co.uk

Family Portrait Photography Session in Halifax, West Yorkshire

2010-09-17T16:17:00.017+01:00

Just a few photo's from a family portrait photo session with Felicity and Vince with Emily and Isabelle and Murphy the dog in September at their lovely home. They were all great to work with and Murphy was a star.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my lifestyle portrait photography visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

LIfestyle Family Portrait Photography in Halifax

2010-09-14T07:32:00.007+01:00

A lovely sunny afternoon in early September was spent taking some lifestyle portrait photographs of Gayle with childern, Ethan and his twin siblings Elanor and Sam, just before they went back to school. We were in Halifax, West Yorkshire and visited Manor Heath Gardens and Shibden Hall. It was quite a long afternoon but the children seemed to take in all in their stride.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my lifestyle family and child photography visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

Prints for Sale at Dean Clough, Halifax

2010-09-11T10:35:00.025+01:00

I was delighted to recently supply The Design Shop at Dean Clough, Halifax, with 30 landscape prints for sale in their shop. They are all produced by myself on fine art paper and mounted ready for framing. There is a selection in 20" x 16" mounts and a selection in 14" x 11" mounts. There are both open edition signed prints and limited edition signed prints in the collection. Dean Clough is nationally renowned for its commitment to the arts and I am delighted to be able to have work for sale there.

I am also preparing a set of 12 framed landscape pictures for display in their Viaduct Café from October onwards and also a further 8 framed prints of 'Whitby Goths' for a short exhibition in October/November, also in the café - watch this space for more information and details of a private viewing.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk or contact me using the this link Contact Page.

August Food Shoot

2010-08-20T11:24:00.006+01:00

A selection from the August food shoot at the Dandelion and Burdock restaurant in Sowerby Bridge. If any of this looks tempting then call David on 01422 316000 to make a reservation! If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk or contact me using the this link Contact Page.

martin stainsby photography - commercial photographer in Yorkshire

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

Golden Wedding Celebrations in August

2010-08-15T11:29:00.004+01:00

martin stainsby - wedding photographer I was delighted to do the photography for the Golden Wedding celebrations of Jim and Christine in Halifax in July. They asked me to cover the celebrations with 160 guests at 'The Venue' near Barkisland, then to go up to their home to capture a few moments with friends who went up to their beautiful Hall for tea. I was asked to produce a hard-backed coffee table book for them to capture the spirit of the whole day and they were delighted with it. If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit martin stainsby photography or contact me using the this link Contact Page.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby.co.uk

Smithfield Market

2010-08-10T17:57:00.006+01:00

I had a quick recce of the 'New Smithfield Market' in Manchester today with David Wilson, the owner/chef at Dandelion and Burdock in Sowerby Bridge. David wants some pictures of fruit and veg at market for the book that he is putting together. The staff at the market were very obliging and the banter was very interesting to say the least. Special thanks to the owners and staff at R. Noone and Son, I hope to see you again, especially when the Autumn products start coming in. A few photo's below show the variety and colour. Next shoot there I hope to spend more time and use a bit more equipment than this time, I might even get some photo's of the many interesting characters that work there as well !
martin stainsby photography - food photography in Yorkshire

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby .co.uk

Or contact me here: CONTACT PAGE

Wedding Photography at The Venue, Halifax, West Yorkshire

2010-07-31T09:34:00.005+01:00

A few photographs from Martin Stainsby, the wedding photographer at wedding photography at the The Venue, near Barkisland, Halifax, West Yorkshire for Sandra and Ian

Walking Sticks

2010-07-22T20:39:00.005+01:00

After taking a few shots of Brian Mallinson with his hand-made walking sticks at his stand at the Todmorden Agricultural Show in June, (see blog entry below in June), he asked me to do some photographs of some of his sticks to use for an advertising banner that he is having made. It was a pleasure to work with such lovely hand-made objects.

If you would like to see more of my work or find out more about my photography business visit www.martinstainsby .co.uk

Or contact me here: CONTACT PAGE