So, we popped along to an almighty country fair in July - the Welland Steam Rally. It was huge, and quite mad. I've never seen quite so many steam engines in one place.
I popped along to the annual Bristol Balloon Fiesta this year and took my camcorder as per usual. A nice chance to try some nightime shots. The image quality delivered by the 6k pro plus the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 is astounding. The camera does seem to generate noise in the image in dimly lit situtions, quite noticeably. I remedied this in post with the de-noise filter in Davinci Resolve. This uses a LOT of processing power but is remarkably good.
What a glorious weekend we had - the Vintage Nostalgia weekend is a festival in rural Wiltshire, revelling in all things retro and vintage. Music from eras such as the 1920's, 1940's, 60's, and all sorts of wonderful vintage vehicles, clothes and food and drinks. Such a relaxed event, with people of all ages getting into the spirit and dressing up. I've never been to such a lovely, calm and good spirited event. check out their website and social media here. https://www.vintagenostalgiafestival.co.uk/
We spent a glorious week in Cornwall, rather spontaneously booking a little cottage on Monday as the weather looked very promising. It was sunny, cool, and not busy with other tourists! If you're curious about the camera this time, I used a DJI X5 gimbal camera. It's decent gimbal unit and couples to the Oslo handle introduced in 2016, now discontinued. I have a love/hate relationship with it, the 4K resolution is very welcome, and the 4/3 lens is excellent. However, the bitrate is rather low at around 60mb/s at full UHD which is really nowhere near enough, not even for FHD. Also, the dynamic range is questionable, and the mechanics of operating it are a bit of a chore until you get very familiar with it. That's said, if you stick with the highest resolution in post and upload it at the same resolution too, the image holds up pretty well. I ditched the awful D-LOG picture setting as it is simply impossible to get decent results, and I now use 'none' from the list of picture options, and then set contrast, brightness and sharpening all to -3. This provide surprisingly decent starting point for light colouring work.
A short Film.
As always, filmed on my C100 plus outboard SSD recorder, while mooching about with my dogs.
Edited in Davinci Resolve 18.5.
Chapter 33. - The Specksnyder
The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), also known as the spermaceti whale, is the largest of the toothed whales and one of the largest predators on Earth. They can grow up to 60 feet (18 meters) long and weigh up to 45 tons.
One of the most distinctive features of the sperm whale is its enormous head, which can make up one-third of its body length. Inside the head is a large organ called the spermaceti organ, which was historically hunted for the wax-like substance it contains, also called spermaceti. This substance was highly valued for its use in candles, cosmetics, and other products.
Sperm whales have a dark gray or black skin, with a wrinkled texture that becomes more pronounced as they age. They have a single blowhole located on the left side of their head, which they use to breathe air when they surface.
Sperm whales are deep divers, known for their ability to dive to depths of up to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) in search of their preferred prey, which includes giant squid and other deep-sea creatures. They are also social animals that live in family groups, called pods, which can contain up to 20 individuals.
Despite being protected by international law, sperm whales continue to face threats from hunting, pollution, and habitat loss. However, their population appears to be slowly recovering, thanks to conservation efforts and a better understanding of their behavior and biology.
Chapter 31 of Moby Dick is titled "Queen Mab." It begins with Ishmael discussing the power of dreams and their ability to reveal hidden truths. He reflects on the various beliefs people have held about dreams throughout history and notes that, while they can be confusing and difficult to interpret, they can also be incredibly revealing.
The chapter then shifts to a description of a strange dream that Ishmael has while sleeping in his hammock. In the dream, he encounters a fairy-like creature named Queen Mab, who takes him on a fantastical journey through the world of dreams.
As they travel, Queen Mab shows Ishmael various visions and prophesies, including a vision of Ahab's eventual fate. She also reveals to Ishmael that the true meaning of the white whale goes beyond a mere animal; it is a symbol of the ultimate truth that exists beyond the material world.
The chapter ends with Ishmael awakening from the dream and feeling both exhilarated and deeply unsettled by the experience.
Overall, chapter 31 is a highly symbolic and introspective chapter that explores the power of dreams and their ability to reveal hidden truths about ourselves and the world around us. It also foreshadows the eventual fate of Ahab and deepens the novel's ongoing exploration of the nature of obsession and the search for ultimate truth.
Life onboard a whaling ship in the 1800s was harsh and dangerous. Whaling ships were often at sea for months, sometimes even years, and the crew had to endure harsh living conditions and physically demanding work.
The crew typically consisted of several groups, including the captain, officers, harpooners, boatsteerers, and common sailors. Each group had specific roles and responsibilities, with the captain being responsible for the overall operation of the ship.
The daily routine on a whaling ship was highly structured and involved a lot of manual labor. The crew would wake up early in the morning and start their workday, which typically involved trimming sails, repairing equipment, and preparing the boats for hunting whales.
When a whale was spotted, the crew would launch a small boat and pursue the whale, using harpoons to injure it and eventually kill it. The whale would then be brought back to the ship, where it would be processed into oil and other products.
During their time off, the crew would engage in various activities to pass the time, such as reading, playing games, or fishing. However, there was little privacy or personal space, and living conditions were often cramped and uncomfortable.
Whaling was a dangerous profession, with the crew facing numerous hazards, including storms, disease, and accidents on deck. Additionally, whales were powerful and unpredictable creatures that could easily overturn a small boat or cause serious injury or death to the crew.
Overall, life onboard a whaling ship in the 1800s was a grueling and often dangerous experience, requiring physical endurance, mental toughness, and a willingness to endure long periods of isolation and discomfort.
