In conversation with... Colin Southern

To follow-up, why are you using an independent light meter vs you cameras? Do you typically look for scattered cloudy days to shoot at dusk to aid in the color saturation or do you just shoot every day and compare the results. Basically, is your shooting schedule mapped out or is it just whenever you can make the time? Do you drive around looking for places to shoot during the day or are (for the most part) these places you go to already familiar to you?

There's still more... :o

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Originally Posted by RonH

Just to say Colin that for a Kiwi you scrub up real well

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I've been told that by many girls, but that's the first time a bloke's said it! :)

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Originally Posted by Peter Ryan

One question about your long exposure. You mentioned in another post you do a number of short exposures when doing star trails. Do you also use a number of shorter shots to reduce noise on your longer exposures our just one 40 minute exposure?

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Hi Peter,

I normally just shoot a single frame, but to be honest, I really don't think it would make a lot of difference. It's really comes down to how confident one is with the exposure. Noise isn't normally an issue.

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Originally Posted by hoffstriker

To follow-up on Peter's question, or do you often use your camera's long exposure noise reduction?

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Hi Chris,

No, not usually (a) I don't need it (b) it means I have to wait and wait and wait to see if I have a good exposure, and (3) I've had it do funny things (misinterpreting stuff I want and removing it).

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Originally Posted by hoffstriker

To follow-up, why are you using an independent light meter vs you cameras?

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The camera won't expose over 30 seconds. It's possible to increase the ISO - meter - then extrapolate the exposure out, but when light levels get low even that doesn't work well. Plus, it's all about getting the lighlights exposing correctly so I spot meter the highlight (brightest portion of the scene) (which returns a value to expose it as a midtone) - up-shift the exposure by around 2 stops (allowing a "fudge factor because with a sunset the light level will drop during an exposure); spot-metering with the camera would mean having to move the camera, and then it would be hard to recompose as it's often too dark to be able to see (I set the composition when it's still light, and leave it there).

For shorter exposures I'll just use the camera though (through to several minutes).

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Do you typically look for scattered cloudy days to shoot at dusk to aid in the color saturation or do you just shoot every day and compare the results.

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My first preference is for stratoform type cloud that's high enough for the sun to hook under (thus turning them pink / red). Often we have cloud banking up over the mountain ranges, but most of the time they make for a lousy photo :(

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Basically, is your shooting schedule mapped out or is it just whenever you can make the time?

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No - it's pretty "ad-hoc"

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Do you drive around looking for places to shoot during the day or are (for the most part) these places you go to already familiar to you?

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Ah - the $64,000 question. Basically "always think photography" - so I might anticipate something - I might see potential in an area at some other point - or I might just turn up on the spur to see what I can find. Most times I seem to stumble across a keeper.

Next please :)

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Originally Posted by wilgk

And you succeed! - every day
Both directly in 'actual lessons' and indirectly by your answers to questions from others and by what you post yourself.....

A 'good bloke' as they say around here :D

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I second that

Delboy.

As we continue, do you clean your sensors or have a shop do it for you? At what intervals is this done or is it on a perceived need? What types of classes/seminars have you attended with regard to photography or has everything been learned from books and trial/error?

How do you convince you significant other into allowing you to purchase such expensive equipment??? :D

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Originally Posted by hoffstriker

As we continue, do you clean your sensors or have a shop do it for you?

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I've always done them myself, except for one occasion where I mucked it up beyond belief, and Canon had to bail me out (and even they had to order special fluid AND remove the sensor twice to get it right)!

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At what intervals is this done or is it on a perceived need?

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When I get sick and tired of healing dust bunnies :) I used to try and keep it spotless, but it's a losing battle - especially in light of the fact that I change lenses in the field quite often.

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What types of classes/seminars have you attended with regard to photography or has everything been learned from books and trial/error?

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Books, videos, self-taught

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How do you convince you significant other into allowing you to purchase such expensive equipment???:D

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I don't - the company buys them.

PS: I just happen to own the company :)

Hi Colin,

One more question for you.

When setting your exposure times for long exposures do digital camera sensors suffer the same reciprocity failure as film did with exposures over 1 second?

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Originally Posted by Peter Ryan

Hi Colin,

One more question for you.

When setting your exposure times for long exposures do digital camera sensors suffer the same reciprocity failure as film did with exposures over 1 second?

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Hi Peter,

Not that I've noticed ... it's pretty hard to tell though because (a) 1 stop of latitude either side of ideal equates to a huge amount of time, and (b) if it's a sunset then the light decreases considerably over a long exposure anyway so it's hard to tell just how inprecise the exposure was, and even harder to tell if any compensation was for reciprocity failure or decreasing light levels.

Having just said all that though, it's generally considered that digital sensors aren't subject to reciprocity failure, but they are subject to increasing noise.

Thanks Colin.

Beautiful images, Colin, here and on your website. I'm happy to get to know you a little better and greatly look forward to learning from you as time goes on.