Notebook

2026

Roaming from place to place, travelling light, camera in hand, ever on the look out for the interesting and photogenic. Framing a composition, watching the light, judging the moment, grabbing a photo, moving on. These are the scribbles of a walkabout photographer with a snapshot style.

Please feel free to click through and explore the random stuff contained within my journal.


OM-3 Wot No Grip?

07 June 2026

So there are a shed load of M43 haters out there that are desperate for the format to go away and die, especially the various insecure full frame format brand tribe members (you know who you are). Thus when the beautiful retro designed OM System OM-3 arrived on the scene (based on the svelte original Olympus 35mm film SLR the OM-1 of the 1970') one of the main things they latched onto and continue to complain vociferously about is it lacks a grip, of all things, completely missing the point or maybe maliciously choosing to do so! 

 

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Fisheye Fun

02 June 2026

Using the uncorrected non-linear distortional properties of my full-frame 8mm f3.5 fisheye lens to create some interesting visual effects. Just get up close and watch things bend. Such fun!

 

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River River

17 May 2026

There are several rivers in England that are called The Avon which is in many ways strange as, if you believe the etymology (which is complex), the name Avon itself is probably derived from a Celtic word abon meaning river from which the modern Welsh word for river afon is likely also derived. Hence River Avon literally translates into River River.

 

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75

7 May 2026

The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 75mm f1.8; a fast, compact, portable, 150mm crop factor equivalent telephoto prime that is practically perfect in every way, just like Mary Poppins. Simply pop it onto the front of your OM-3 for example and take it walkabout and revel in what it can do for your photography. I decided to do a series of photos on the theme of circles with it on this particular day...

 

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Fisheye

21 April 2026

The (dying?) art of the full frame fisheye; creative, distorted, unnatural, unusual, unconventional, unrealistic and seemingly bizarre images. Used well the FF fisheye can provide an original and fresh take on a much over photographed or clichéd subject, create impressionistic blur, distort tight architectural spaces or make eye catching portraits. Used less well and the fisheye look can seem gimmicky and contrived.

 

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Mysterious Marlow

06 April 2026

Home to The Marlow Murder Club TV mystery series, Marlow is a pretty little Georgian market town on the river Thames in Buckinghamshire. Famous for its landmark suspension bridge that connects it to Bisham in Berkshire on the opposite bank of The Thames, this crossing made it into the very fashionable and indeed photogenic riverside resort it is today.

 

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OM-3 for me

02 April 2026

My OM-3 from OM System has become the camera of choice to carry around on my walkabout mini adventures these days. Ever since its August acquisition last year (2025) I have found myself using this powerful yet elegant little machine mostly to the exclusion of my other cameras, which speaks volumes about its balance of capabilities, usability and portability. It's a great walkabout camera.

 

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Retro

17 March 2026

There is a desire currently for modern digital cameras that have a classical, retro vibe to them that hark back to more authentic times. Cameras with the look and feel of real cameras of yesteryear when photography meant film and film meant photography. Like this latest digital OM-3 from OM System whose lineage clearly stretches back to the original Olympus 35mm film SLR the OM-1.

 

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Ivatt Class 2MT

05 March 2026

41312 LMS Ivatt Class 21MT doing its thing on the Mid Hant Railway aka The Watercress Line snapped on a Sony A6700 with a Sony 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 OSS zoom.

 

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Great Hall

01 March 2026

The Great Hall, one of the finest medieval halls in England, is the surviving part of what was once Winchester Castle which was built by William the Conqueror and was a seat of power for medieval monarchs. It is also home to the legendary King Arthur's round table, well sort of...

 

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Buterflege

22 February 2026

The Old English buterflege meaning butterfly so called from an old belief that the insects stole butter apparently. Weird! Anyway, more examples of super-zoom close-up photography...

 

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Re-enactors

17 February 2026

Re-enactors quite simply are people who act out past events, certainly at the very least in respect to costume/clothing, accoutrements and accessories, with as a high a degree of realism and accuracy to the period being depicted as is practicable.

 

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Orchids

7 February 2026

Orchids are exotic plants with complex flowers that are often bizarrely shaped and that occur worldwide, many of the cultivated tropical varieties of which are kept as hothouse plants as in these ones at Wisley.

 

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Seventeen

4 February 2026

My Olympus M.Zuiko ED 17mm f1.2 Pro is a special lens, well to me at least. It is a super fast medium wide angle prime which provides a crop factor equivalent focal length of 34mm in terms of the 35mm format. It delivers simply exceptional image quality and is built accordingly.

 

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Treetop Walkway

1 February 2026

Whatever your vantage point, it’s a tree-lined path with a twist, offering a glimpse into the secret life of woods and forests. The treetop walkway at Kew Gardens.

 

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Trackside

21 January 2026

I have a perfect lens for use on my OM-3 when photographing heritage steam locomotives trackside. Fast enough, flexible enough, of high enough optical quality, of high enough build quality, yet portable enough to be carried all day as the only lens needed to capture all the action; it was as if it was made for this purpose...

 

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Hi-res

17 January 2026

One of the many computational features of my OM-3 is its capability to produce 50mp images from its 20mp sensor using 'Hand Held Hi-Res Shot' mode where it automatically combines, in camera, multiple images it makes by sensor shifting at the single press of the shutter release. Magic!

 

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Snow on the Line

07 January 2026

Snow on the line. Fire breathing dragons in ice cold air. The best time to see them exuding their power. The sight, sounds and smells of heritage steam in the snow ...

 

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Mist

01 January 2026

The juxtaposition of mist and sunshine early one Winters morn. Weird but extremely beautiful ...

 

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