Dave Johnson's Photography

Photos & Thoughts

Category Archives: Travel


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Flying High

In November, Louise and I took a trip to Chicago and NYC. Before we had even left Manchester we were told that due to a particularly strong jet stream we would be diverting to JFK (NY) to refuel. Whilst this wasn’t a major issue, it did mean that by the time we landed at JFK, got refueled, and airborne again, we were going to be arriving into Chicago a few hours later than scheduled. However, since we did not have kids in tow on this trip we didn’t need to stress about how we would entertain them for the extra few hours! The plane we were on, crappy as it was, had amazingly clean windows which meant that I could get some good shots during the flight. The shots posted are a mixture taken not long after leaving Manchester Airport, and arrival and take-off from JFK. I particularly like the one that gives the full view of Long Island.

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Super Wide

As promised, here is a collection of shots taken with the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 super wide angle lens. This lens has been designed solely for use on dSLR bodies that use the APS-C size sensor and so the viewing angle is exactly what it says on the tin- 10-22mm! Before I bought this lens I had never used a super wide angle and it took a while for me to get used to the distortion such a wide lens produces, especially at the sides of the frame. I’ve managed to produce shots where people appear to have morphed into elves with nice, large, pointy ears!

Where the lens works best is for landscape shots, especially shots that have clouds in the sky. The result is a photo that feels expansive and has atmosphere- coupled with front to back sharpness (if set up correctly!). I’ve only posted a few shots here but feel free to view my set on flickr that contains many more shots taken with this lens.


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A collection of sorts


I’ve been playing around with the smart albums function in Aperture a lot recently, and one cool thing that you can do is generate albums based on all sorts of weird and wonderful criteria. I’ve been making albums of shots taken with specific lenses and it has amazed me at the variety of photo that you can get with a single lens. The shots above and below were all taken using the Canon 24-105mm f/4L lens mounted on a Canon 30D. The previous post was photos taken using the Canon 50mm f/1.8, and when I get time I’ll post a few taken with the Canon 10-22mm super wide angle lens. Enjoy!

For more of my photos taken with the 24-105mm lens check out my flickr site.

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Vermont


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Road to No Where

During the summer of 2005 Lou and I had this fantastic trip planned that included New Orleans and exploring the Deep South. Before we even got to the part of booking flights and hotels we found out Lou was pregnant with our first child! Although we decided not to go on our Deep South trip, we planned a road trip to Shenandoah National Park staying at various campsites along the way. On the face of it this sounded like a good idea, but unfortunately we forgot about the intense humidity which made the tent into a personal mobile sauna!

Despite the mileage we covered, starting in NYC and going as far south as Tennessee and Kentucky, it was one of the most relaxing holidays we have been on. The only downside was the everyday occurrence of loading and unloading the car. However, to make up for it we often went to bed early, followed by a lazy morning enjoying the peace and tranquility of being in the great outdoors.

If you haven’t had the chance to visit Shenandoah NP and the surrounding area then I would definitely recommend a visit. I imagine it is a magical place in the autumn when the bright, bold hues of red orange and purple leaves transform the landscape into a striking colour splash!

Road to No Where

Round the Bend