Nic Nac's

Woooooooo hooooooo i think i found the backpack i want ...... ok ok ok i know it's not new technology but it carries all our new tech stuff so i reckon it counts and it's even got wheels for those of us that get tired and sore shoulders ..... Oh i wouldn't wheel it everywhere cos i really don't think that the camera lenses and bodies would like all the bouncing around too much but hey what a way to give your back and shoulders a bit of a rest when needed .....i think this is definately going on my wish list LOL :)) and there is also a click on thing for your tripod sooooooo free hands everyone.What more could a photographer want ? Don't answer that i can think of hundreds hehe !!!

http://www.tamrac.com/

With a unique combination of wheels and a backpack harness, this versatile rolling backpack is ideal for getting around town or traveling around the world. 

Whenever possible, you can roll your heavy photo gear on smooth ball-bearing wheels.  The telescoping handle opens and closes with the push of a button.  The bottom compartment holds a DSLR with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached (up to 8”), several extra lenses and a flash.  A Windowpane-Mesh™ pocket inside the front panel keeps accessories like memory cards and batteries organized and visible. 

The top compartment is completely foam padded with adjustable, removable foam-padded dividers that hold a second camera with a 6” lens attached and two small lenses.  With the dividers removed, the top compartment provides storage for personal items.  A Windowpane-Mesh™ accessory pocket inside the top lid keeps small accessories within easy reach.  In the back of the top compartment, a foam-padded pocket holds up to a 15.6” screen laptop. 

On the front, Tamrac’s Quick-Clip™ Tripod Attachment System carries a tripod securely.  Two mesh side pockets hold a water bottle, maps or other necessities.  Each side also features a zipper-closing accessory pocket to keep small items organized and secure. 

The Tuck-A-Way™ harness system keeps the backpack harness straps tucked away inside the padded back when used as a rolling bag.  When the road turns rugged, the padded harness with expandable sternum strap can be removed and worn, providing comfort and stability.  A removable rain cover is included for extreme weather. 

The History of Photography .... William Henry Fox Talbot.

The History of Photography

William Henry Fox Talbot

William Henry Fox Talbot was born on February the 11^th 1800 in Melbury Sampford, Dorset, England. Talbot an English chemist and pioneer in photography developed the calotype also known as the talbotype in 1840, an early process that improved on the daguerreotype. It involved the use of a negative from which multiple prints could be made. In 1835 he published his first article documenting a photographic discovery; that of the paper negative.

The pencil of nature was the first book with photographic illustrations which he published in 1844 -1846.Talbot also published many articles on mathematics, astronomy and physics.

©1994-2011 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.  www.britannica.com

An Introduction to the calotype process

Having had some success with his photogenic drawing, sometimes placing an image directly onto his paper and photographing it with one of his small wooden camera’s in the mid 1830’s, he turned his attention to some of his other interests. It was not until Daguerre’s process was announced in 1839 that he seriously decided to try and find an improved process of the daguerreotype.

The attraction of the calotype process was that it allowed a latent image on the paper to be turned into an actual image after the paper had been removed from the camera. The calotype used much shorter exposure times than the photogenic drawing that required an exposure of an hour.

Throughout the 1840’s, the processes used were daguerreotype and calotype, but by the 1850’s most photographers were using the newly introduced and patent free wet collodion process. However John Dillwyn Llewelyn, married to Talbots cousin continued to use calotype for landscape photography believing that it produced better results.

The Calotype process

The Calotype was not Talbots first photographic process (introduced in 1839) but is the one for which he became best known for. Talbot developed the calotype in the autumn of 1840, he perfected the process by the time it was made public in mid 1841. It was then patented but the patent didn’t extend to Scotland.

The base of a calotype negative was high quality writing paper, carefully selected to have a smooth and uniform texture. The first stage was to prepare what he called his iodized paper. The paper was washed with a solution of potassium iodide for 2-3 minutes, rinsed and dried again. As long as the paper was stored carefully it could be kept for a long time, so it was prepared in batches ahead of time. Before taking a Photograph, a new solution of gallo-nitrate of silver was made. This solution was equal quantities of silver nitrate and gallic acid; the solution was unstable and had to be used immediately. In dim candle light, a sheet of iodized paper was coated with this solution, left to sit for about 30 seconds and then dipped in water.

Then partially dried in a dark room often using blotting paper. The calotype paper could be used completely dry, but was more sensitive when it was still moist, in either case it had to be exposed in the camera within a few hours of preparation.

William Henry Fox Talbot Died September 17^th 1877 at Laycock Abbey near Chippenham Wiltshire.

Three Calotype Images

Tid Bits

Hey Guys if you're into wildlife photography here are some great little gadgets , you just set them and they do the work while you sleep/hide or whatever the case may be :)
Here are a couple of links if anyone is interested:

http://www.wildguard.com.au/      http://www.trailcameras.com.au/
http://www.trailcampro.com/

The History of Photography ..Louis Daguerre and the Daguerreotype Process

The History of Photography

Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre

The Daguerreotype Process

Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre also known as Louis Daguerre was born on the 18^th of November 1787 in Cormeilles France. A professional scene painter for the Opera with an interest in lighting effects began experimenting with the effects of light upon translucent paintings in the 1820’s. He regularly used a camera obscura as an aid to painting in perspective and this led him to think about ways to keep the image still. In 1826 he discovered the work of Joseph Nicephore Niepce and in 1829 began a partnership with him.

Niepce produced the first photographic image of nature in 1826-1827; however they faded quickly, were of poor quality and required roughly 8 hours exposure time, the process Daguerre developed required only 20 to 30 minutes. After Niepce’s death in 1833 Daguerre kept experimenting and developed a more convenient and effective method, naming it after himself.

www.biography.com

Da-guerre-o-type

A photograph taken by an early process using iodine sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapour.

Daguerre experimented with copperplates coated with silver iodide to produce direct positive pictures. He discovered that the latent image on an exposed plate could be developed with the fumes from warmed mercury. The vapour meant the images could be produced in 20 to 30 minutes. In 1837 he found a way of “fixing” the image with a solution of common salt. Two years later he followed the suggestion of Sir John Herschel (1792-1871) and used hyposulphate of soda (now thiosulphate of soda) as the fixing agent. He began using this improved process from 1837 and on the 19^th of August 1839 the Daguerreotype was revealed to the world. No negative was produced; copies could not be made so each image was unique. In 1839 Louis Daguerre and Niepce’s son sold the rights for the Daguerreotype to the French Government and published a booklet describing the process.

www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk

Louis –Jacques-Mande-Daguerre died July 10^th 1851 in Bry-Sur-Marne in France.

Three examples of Daguerreotype images

First of many

Hey folks out there in the big wide world of blogging, i am new to this but am looking forward to meeting all you bloggers out there ...... you will probably find me a little bit random at times but thats all good eh ! I am a pretty keen photographer so you will probably see some of my work on here and maybe some interesting things about all the bits and pieces that come with photograhy. Please feel free to drop by and have a sticky or leave a comment or three. :))