1 flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

This is just a short story about my one year experience with the Nikon 1 series which is the company's first mirrorless interchangeable-lens compact camera. In the classic and controversial film "One flew over the cuckoo's nest" Randle McMurphy played by Jack Nicholson entered the mental institution and challenged the controlling and rigid order of the day. Similarly the Nikon 1 offered a refreshing new take on spontaneous photography but alas as in the film the rebellious star ended up losing his mind quite literally after being cut down to size by the head nurse Ratched. The film scooped an amazing five Oscars but unfortunately the Nikon 1 while not exactly a box office flop didn't quite do the same.

My two slightly used Nikon 1 cameras

I received a Nikon J1 with 10mm lens as a birthday gift from my brother and was over the moon. It felt solid and well built yet compact and within minutes of opening my gift I was shooting away. I had recommended the camera to my brother who was looking for a camera for his daughter and she was delighted with her pink J1. Ironically I never personally considered the 1 series as most of the internet reviews including DPREVIEW weren't favourable especially regarding the small 1 inch sensor.

Myself and son Jude Nikon J1 1/125 s at f/4.5  ISO 100  Aperture Priority 10mm lens

One of the first shots taken the day I received my Nikon J1 and perfect for a great father and son family shot as captured by a friend. The super quiet electronic shutter and the high frame rate were great features to be explored. I walked to work and tried some street photography and using the high speed frame rate even managed to capture a Cartier-Bresson decisive moment (except it doesn't quite hold any water!)

Bethlehem   Nikon J1 1/50 s at f/8.0 ISO 400 Shutterspeed Priority 10mm lens

Bethlehem   Nikon J1 1/800 s at f/3.5 ISO 100 Exposure mode Auto High Speed 10mm lens

The next step in my 1 series journey was acquiring the 18,5mm f1,8 lens. Even though it is a fast lens the anticipated shallow depth of field is no where near it's equivalent 50mm focal length in 35mm format due to the smallish 1inch sensor. This lens is a real gem and still small enough on a J1/V1 to carry in a big pocket. The J1 became a regular accompaniment to the workplace which is a hospital theatre. On one occasion I took a small cheap white umbrella and used a secondary Nikon SB800 flash attached to a drip stand to shoot some nursing colleagues. The soft light was beautiful but the 1/60th shutter speed on the J1 is a bit slow nevertheless we made some great memories.

Theatre Sisters   Nikon J1 1/60 s at f/5.6 ISO 100 Aperture priority 18,5mm lens Nik Processing

After a few months with the Nikon J1 it had become a constant companion but the the Nikon V1 with it's higher flash sync of 1/250th plus the fact it uses a much bigger battery the same size as my Nikon D600 made the V1 more enticing. The Nikon 1 series was launched late 2011 and two years later it did not appear to be a commercial success in South Africa and it seems in many parts of the world. I managed to pick up a secondhand Nikon V1 with 10-30mm, 30-110mm and SBN5 flash for a much lower than original launch price and the fun continued. The small SBN5 flash with its swivelling head was a great idea and although Nikon's amazing wireless CLS flash system is not utilised in the 1 series it was possible to use the fully tiltable flash to trigger other flashes.

Ronnie Recovered    Nikon V1 1/160 s at f/5.0 ISO 100 Manual mode 30-110mm lens at 80mm equivalent 

The 1 series smallish sensor size and subsequent noise at higher ISO has been heavily criticised and yes it is no low light marvel but for casual shots it is still usable. I photographed my two mates who happened to be positioned beneath two loving birds in church and was quite surprised at the quality at ISO 3200.

Danie and Johan      Nikon V1 1/40 s at f/5.3 ISO 3200 Shutter Speed Priority 30-110mm @ 90mm equivalent 

Fellow photographers are not always the easiest or most willing to be photographed and that is the convenience of a small compact camera where one can steal a shot or three without being too intrusive! Here I photographed Glen Green in his green Landy the day I received the J1, Lawrance Brennon whilst visiting him in Underberg and Bill Burger outside his home in Bethlehem. These photographs are probably cheeky and maybe even sneaky but great keepsakes. 

Glen Green   Nikon J1 1/125 s at f/4.5 ISO 100 Aperture priority  10mm lens cropped

Lawrance Brennon   Nikon J1  1/50 s at f/2.8  ISO 400 Aperture Priority  10mm lens

Bill Burger   Nikon V1  1/160 s at f/4.0 ISO 500 30-110mm lens @123mm equivalent

The high frame rate and excellent auto focus is great for photographing children as it often takes many shots to get that one with a beautiful smile.

Beautiful niece Sanchia     Nikon V1 ISO 100 1/1000 s at f/2.0 18,5mm lens 

While recently visiting in Rosendal a street parade ended up in the township and there were images everywhere. The speedy and fairly unobtrusive V1 allowed for some interesting shots like these two ladies with a cat above them.

Rosendal   Nikon V1 1/50 s at f/3.8  ISO 720 30-110mm lens 81mm equivalent

My father in law Mike and mechanic friend Les in his workshop in Johannesburg and an impromptu photograph of two great characters.

Mike and Les     Nikon V1 1/100 s at f/2.0 ISO 800 18,5mm lens 

Driving in the centre of Johannesburg as a passenger I was able to photograph freely and when I saw this lady crossing I had the V1 on its high frame rate and out of nine frames this image emerged.

Johannesburg Central       Nikon V1  1/500 s at f/2.8 ISO 110 18,5mm lens

As an anaesthetist witnessing numerous babies being born by Caesarean section in theatre I have been able to photograph and experiment with a few camera setups. Recently I had the J1 and V1 placed on small table top tripods in theatre were they weren't that obvious nor able to capture any inappropriate images. I was using the Nikon D600 as my primary camera and had a helpful nurse press the Nikon ML3 infrared remote to trigger the J1 and V1 as I asked her too. The delivery happens so quickly and it worked out quite well to have more than one angle. This facility on the J1 and V1, which has an infra red sensor on the back too is most useful as is the quiet shutter of the 1 series in this setting. Below are three closely taken images of the birth with two from the J1/V1 captured at the same moment.

Caesarean birth      J1 1/125 s at f/3.5 ISO 200 10mm lens
V1 1/200 s at f/3.5 ISO 400 18,5mm lens
D600 1/160 s at f/5.6 ISO 800 16-35mm lens @ 16mm cropped

After a year I can emphatically state that these two small cameras have been such a pleasure and have added another dimension to my photography. Nikon probably missed the mark in the marketing, the pricing and the crazy additions of two useless modes motion snapshot and smart photo selector on the mode dial. Despite these oversights bordering on lunacy these cameras offer new creative opportunities and I would say are one of the best kept secrets out there. Let's hope Nikon produces the 1 that we want and not the 1 that never flew!

Dear Nikon - We are not the crazy ones!

Need to Breathe

Need to Breathe

That clingy barrier of religious Glad Wrap

Separating us from them

The function of which is to preserve the insiders

Seal us from the perceived threat of the outsiders

Made see through for all the world to see

Made impervious for all the world not to smell, touch or taste

Easy to apply and wrap around

Difficult to remove often requiring a leading edge

Freely available at all leading religious franchises

Ready perforated for rapid covering of large numbers

Plastic perfection endorsed by respected organisations

Need to Breathe

Need to Breathe

Oh Lord rip this suffocating veil from our face

Expose us for all the world to see

Shatter our rigid, frigid facade of religion

Revive us oh God

Blow us away with your Goodness

Breathe on us and inspire us

Fill us to overflowing

Release your Spirit on All Flesh

The new NEEDTOBREATHE album Rivers in the Wasteland is just phenomenal. I enjoyed their music before however this new album is musically just so richer but it is the inspirational lyrics that are just out of this world. Today a random phrase "the Glad Wrap of religion" just popped up and I started writing a few words and the next moment I had the idea to quite literally wrap the sticky cling wrap around my head. My obliging wife photographed while I breathed through a tiny hole and fortunately this didn't last long as that stifling sensation is rather unpleasant. Used the Nikon V1 with 30-110mm lens with sbn5 flash and a homemade softbox with two Nikon sb26 flashes in slave mode. Had fun with Nik software especially Analog Efex Pro. 

New Beginnings

 Recently a friend and wedding photographer Glen Green sent me a link to birth photography. I was unaware of this new field and was under the impression that not too many mothers or fathers would want recollections of what is a rather private experience. It was so encouraging to see the beautiful work out there on the internet and in particular the inspiring work of Marysol Blomerus who also happens to be in Cape Town.The majority of the images I viewed were of natural births however there were many photographs of Caesarean sections too.

In my career as an anaesthetist one is involved with many Caesarean sections and these occasions are certainly very emotional times. As a passionate photographer I could not resist photographing these eventful moments putting aside the intrusiveness and the potential abuse of my position. The contrasty and tricky lighting conditions in theatre were also an intriguing technical photographic challenge. Over the years I have managed to capture a number of images and many have appreciated the record of that day.

The delivery of a newborn at Caesarean section is followed shortly by the presentation of the newest family member to the parents which is similar to that uplifting moment when Simba is presented in the Lion King. The presentation is over pretty soon as the paediatrician is eagerly awaiting to examine and tend to the baby if necessary. The time from delivery until the mother meets her new baby is only a few minutes and there is plenty of activity and a huge rush of emotions.

The majority of Caesarean sections are rather straightforward and routine however every now and then something unexpected does happen. This newborn grabbed the surgical retractor on his way out and it had to be pried from his hand!

The next step is the moment baby meets Mom and Dad where words or images cannot always describe the intimacy and intensity of emotions witnessed. Having seen the great work and service offered out there by the birth photographers it is clear that a well timed image can convey to some extent the beauty of that special birthday. 

In the last year I have intentionally been photographing most Caesarean sections I have been involved with and have been experimenting with a few different setups. What caught me pleasantly by surprise was the fact that unbeknown to me birth photography had become a well established genre with an International Association of Professional Birth Photographers too. The saying "bloom where you are planted" or "blom waar jy geplant is" in Afrikaans has become such a life truth of late. In the theatre tearoom there was a quilt made by the different theatre sisters which served as a tablecloth and the one block with the message "blom waar jy geplant is" always stood out. Little did I realise that your passion could be intertwined with your work/career. We are so prone to compartmentalise our lives into rigid boxes however what an amazing time we are living in right now where those walls are coming tumbling down!

Beware of the Dog/Pasop vir die Hond

In my home town of Bethlehem and the surrounding Free State there are many "Beware of the Dog/Pasop vir die Hond" signs. They are presumably a crime deterrent and may have some legal protection in the event of a dog bite. Many of these signs have been up on their respective gates for some time and although the majority have been bought ready made there are some interesting original home made ones too. These signs on their unique gates with their particular dogs they warn about make for a fascinating interplay and a great series with a local flavour. 

Bethlehem, Nikon V1 30-110mm lens ISO 1600
Beware of Upright Dog

Recently while driving around the old railway houses I saw a rather weathered "Beware of the Dog" sign and stopped to photograph it. This was embarrasingly from the car and I reversed a small bit to align the gate posts with the house pillars behind. Then surprisingly a dog appeared from the stoep and walked over to the gate as if it was a lazy Sunday afternoon which it happened to be. He was inquisitive and suddenly jumped up against the gate making for a great photo. The Nikon V1 shoots at 10fps (can even do 60fps!) and thankfully I nabbed the curious dog in great pose.                  

                    

Bethlehem Hasselblad SWC Iford FP4 film
Scraggly dog investigating photographer - early attempt

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 150mm Fuji Acros
First photographs of dogs doing their thing

Clarens Hasselblad SWC Kodak TMY film
The irony and the beautiful gate

Apart from the opening photograph all the images are in black and white and all except one were taken on b&w film. The advantage is not clearly visible when viewed on the internet however film has it's unique quality. Digital capture is clearly so much easier and the chances of obtaining the subject, the dogs in this case in a unique pose are so much higher. This ongoing series has been a fun departure from chasing more serious landscape images. It has also opened the streets and though these images wouldn't be considered typical of street photography they have been hugely entertaining.

Reitz Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMax film
The shadow dog with a spade announcing the owner's retirement

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Unhappy spaniels up the street

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
An alert dog with some flare

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Boerboel with cardboard sign in English, Afrikaans and Sotho

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Aggressive Boerboel making his intentions known

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Large dog taking his role to new heights

When one starts looking there are so many gate variations and the dogs all have their own personality. The majority of dogs took their commission rather earnestly regardless of how shabby the gate or property appeared. The faithfulness of these loyal animals never ceased to impress me and this was irrespective of their circumstances. Although I never crossed the dividing line I am sure I would have borne the consequences. This man made boundary with it's access point to another unknown world is certainly fascinating and the gatekeepers are there to maintain that privacy. One wonders how many people we let into our inner sanctuary?

Bethlehem Nikon D600 16-35mm lens
Angry Bull Terrier up close

Bethlehem Hasselblad Xpan 30mm stitch Fuji Acros
Ossewa Wiele with large Boerboel

Frankfort Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Friendly Bull Terrier

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Big Boerboel doing the sign justice

Frankfort Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Haven't seen that camera around here before

Reitz Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMax film
Faithful terrier with owner on stoep in wheelchair

Tweeling Mamiya 43mm Kodak TMY film
Timid and looking for company

Paul Roux Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Really old and friendly dog

Frankfort Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Wide Awake Sentry

Paul Roux Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Friendly fellow with Huge sign

Bethlehem Mamiya 7 43mm Kodak TMY film
Barking Mad Black Pair

No animals including photographers were harmed in any of these photographs.

Every Dog has it's Day as does Every Photographer too!

On Top Of The World!

On the 1st January 2014, New Year's Day I climbed Mount Horeb which has been a dream for many years. Mount Horeb is an imposing 2449 metres high and towers 600 metres above the town of Clarens below. We were thirteen early birds who gathered at Ettiene and Annali Bossert's place which is the Gourmet Shed at the base of Mount Horeb on the south side.

Mount Horeb Landscape

Mount Horeb with clouds hugging the mountain below in 2010

The Group about to ascend Mount Horeb

Ettiene showing the proposed route

The Steep part up

The walk up was rather steep as we zigzagged to get to a particular ridge. I was huffing and puffing as not exactly physically fit and after what looked like a third of the way up decided rather to take time out and continue at my own pace. Kobus Basson stayed with me and we ended up having a great chat before I got my second wind. The going was slow however we took time to enjoy the views and Martin Fouche spotted a young buck cowering in the grass just below the top of Mount Horeb.

Time Out

Almost at the top - a small buck cowering in the bush

Once on top the views were simply magnificent and we had a clear view of the beautiful village of Clarens below us. We enjoyed some ice cold water and had a refreshing picnic surrounded by endless vistas right round. Whilst looking up we were treated to a beautiful display of storks soaring effortlessly on the thermals of the hot day. As a real treat we saw two large groups join and coalesce into one spiral of a flight of storks. For photographs I took the compact Nikon V1 with the 10-30mm and 30-110mm lenses which made for a perfect hiking kit with excellent results

The View From Mount Horeb overlooking Clarens

On Top of the World!

Storks overhead catching the thermals

The descent was easier for me however the steep downhill took it's toll on many knees. We finally arrived back at the house where Annali had ice cold Cokes and ice cream waiting! A huge thank you to Ettiene for taking us on this hike and for his patience too - it was a memorable day. The hike wasn't exactly a walk in the park for me and it was the dream of getting to the top that kept me going after that first stretch of over exertion. Standing on top of Mount Horeb was an enlightening experience - the higher perspective and the stork party was something else. 

Whilst reading up about the biblical Mount Horeb after which the Clarens peak is named some interesting stories emerged. It was on Mount Horeb that Moses received the ten commandments and it was Mount Horeb which Moses struck with his staff as commanded when the water came out for the people to drink. It was also at Mount Horeb where the Lord spoke to the prophet Elijah in a whisper after a hurricane wind, an earthquake and a fire occurred in which none of which He was present. I can't exactly say that I heard Him whisper on New Year's Day but He certainly was communicating in so many more mysterious ways that particular day. The day's events set the tone for the coming year and holding onto one's dream with a little help from one's friends makes mountains into molehills!