I was thinking about APPA this year being held in Melbourne and I just subliminally ventured on to some images I had taken there on a previous trip. I know this isn’t my usual fare but it was fun anyway. I went to my first PMA about 5 years ago. This year they have asked me to do a presentation. How times have change for me. Joining the AIPP was the best thing I have done for my photographic career.

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http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/west-perth/digital-cameras/nikon-d700-with-24mm-and-underwater-surf-housing/1001593131

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Now is the time to get in and book. Send me an email to confirm your place christianfletcher@westnet.com.au See below for more details.

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X-Pro 1 with 35mm and 60mm lens.

35mm lens has UV filter

Body has 2 year warranty.

None of the items have been registered with Fuji yet.

Paid $3,100 new

For sale at $2,800 plus shipping (if not pick up in Perth CBD).

Call Gordon on 0427 467 366

I know, he is a crazy man! Still if you can get a good deal, I would recommend it.

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I have a sneaking suspicion he was trying to chat up one of the bar girls on True North with that “she’s lost that loving feeling”, god I hate it when she does that. Anyway me being a bit of a “Goose” forgot mine and missed the shot, but I wasn’t below the hard deck for more than 10 seconds.

Anyway Benno “Slider” Walton from our mates at Team Digital have offered me the ultimate wingman and I don’t  mean “Iceman”, Mr Iceman to you guys. He has promised me that it is definitely Croc safe and will never leave your man. “Bullshit”, I said, but no man he was inverted.

Ok Ok!!!! enough of the Top Gun quotes. Benno is now an agent for these little beauties and I’m going to be putting this weapon to the test. You too can take this thing home or lose it forever! Sorry, Sorry!!!

Stay tuned or else I’ll make sure you’ll be flying rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong.

TVG

p.s. I feel the need, the need for speed…….

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Now the first thing to mention is my new Photoshop Workshops happening in Perth in May. See below for all the details. Make sure you get in quick for these.

Late in May I will be in Melbourne for the APPA judging and PMA. If you get a chance make sure you get along to see all the latest gear and inspiration from the APPA’s. I will be doing a presentation for Phase One and also spending time talking to people about the Fujifilm X-Pro1 at the fuji stand. Come along and say hi if you are in Melbourne.

I mentioned before my new Spyder 4 Elite. I have just got a “New” ipad whilst in Perth. Peter Eastway and I went into the heaving Perth store and both got sucked into buying some gear. You just have to love how Apple does it. I think there must be some allegiance to the devil when you buy Apple gear. It is like the forbidden Apple way back in the times of Adam and Eve. You just want it soooo much. Well at least I do!! Must be the metal I listen too that makes me susceptible. Anyway I can profile my ipad with the Spyder 4 and that will be my task tonight after the kids are in bed.

Don’t forget the other workshops I have coming up with Nick Rains. We have some spots for Port Douglas and Tasmania but our Home Valley Station workshop is now full. I am sure we have a standby list though.

In December I will be running a PODAS (Phase One Digital Artist Series) workshop in New Zealand with Peter Eastway, Jackie Rankin and Mike Langford that promises to be awesome again. Last year it was unbelievable. Can’t wait to get back there.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Firstly I was filming with a brand new camera, the under rated 5D mk3 and secondly I was escorting the man I looked up to as my number one inspiration when I started out shooting video almost 5 years ago, Philip Bloom.

What could be better, having a new camera to play with and rubbing shoulders with a guy who brought along Canon’s flagship Video camera the C300, whilst taking in the stunning Kimberley scenery. It turns out that I got more than I bargained for on this trip but that is another story.

Well I have to say that the Kimberley wet didn’t quite fire whilst we where onboard but it didn’t dampen our enthusiasm for getting the shots. I can remember telling Philip how pissed off I was that we kept getting these cloudless sunrises and sunsets. He looked at me and said it’s beautiful, clear blue skies, what more could you want. It’s obvious he’s from the mother country when blue sky comes around once in a while. Anyway you work with what you get dealt and this is the sum of what we got over the 7 days.

The 5D mk3 was a great highlight for me. Sure the image is soft out of the camera and even softer when you turn off all the sharpening but you can pull back a fair bit of this softness with some post sharpening. Not too much or you will start seeing issues again, but enough for you to realise that the moire and aliasing issues of the mk2 are almost gone. This is the game changer for me struggling to shoot landscapes with DSLR’s. Sure it would be great if it shot full HD 60fps but slow mo is like the new Timelapse fast mo. It’s great to have in moderation but not a whole film of slo mo…

Would I recommend the upgrade to the mk3 if still using a mk2 “Hells Yeah”. I had the opportunity to use my mk2′s in Shark Bay for two weeks whilst I was on holidays and could not bring myself to use them even though we had the most amazing skies. The mk3 is worth the investment for now. Cant say what I’ll be shooting in the future because new cameras are being released at an alarming rate and it looks like Canon have some interesting releases on the horizon. What to buy??

Now I have to mention my new found friend Philip and definitely his wonderful partner Sarah. Actually I’d rather talk about Sarah as she is totally cool and such a wonderful person. Philip is OK but he kept on bragging about how good his C300 was and how it was sooooo much better than the mk3. Well there are about 15000 reasons why it’s a better camera as we all know. It was great sport being looked down on by a man with obvious camera snobbery, actually Philip is quite tall so he looked down on me anyway. He is great fun to hang with and very funny. He doesn’t stop. I thought he was going to sit back and enjoy a bit of cruising but he didn’t stay still for more than 5 minutes. It was tiring just watching him.

The C300 was amazing from the footage Philip showed me and I can see why he had this just took a lolly from the baby look on him when the thing had a power glitch for half a day and was inoperable. He had to go back to the trusty old 5D3 and he wasn’t happy….hehe!!! Anyway he said it’s not the camera it’s the man…too true. OK I don’t actually think he said that.

I had a wonderful time with my new camera, Philip, Sarah, and all the passengers and crew on the mighty True North. It’s well worth the journey if you ever get the opportunity.

Too Philip and Sarah, thanks for making this trip so special for me. It’s not every day you meet your idol’s and they turn out to be really generous nice people. Cant wait until we can meet up again.

Hope you enjoy…..

Special Thanks to Canon Australia, Josh Grapes, Graham Carleton and Michelle Tuddenham for the chance to road test the mk3 in the field. Also thanks again to the owners of True North, Mark Stothard, Craig Howsen and General Manager Peter Trembath for the opportunity for one more trip on their wonderful vessel. (I thought I was done and dusted)

Visit Northstar cruises website northstarcruises.com.au

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Yesterday was the second heli picnic at Melaluka falls. Flying in we spotted this lower falls and walked down to get some shots. It ended up being an epic with water crossings and bush bashing the order of the day. If only we were there at sunset for the magic hour!

At 3pm today we hop in the helicopter again and camp out at a remote waterfall and swimming hole somewhere up the Sale River. Looking forward to being under the stars and getting some awesome light. Clouds are already starting to build up so fingers crossed for an unbelievable sunset and sunrise.

Tomorrow it is Montgomery Reef.

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This was our view last night over Prince Frederick Harbour. Markie and I got a heli to drop us on the highest hill we could find for the sunset. It was smack on 1000ft above sea level. Thanks to Rob for the fancy flying. We are anchored around the corner from this bay in the Hunter River awaiting the mighty Tom Putt to join us. He is going to go nuts when he sees this place for the first time.

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