2. Lockdown

365 days

The impact of lockdown since March 2020 has been challenging. With challenge comes opportunity. This gallery is a combination of 365 days (and beyond until UK is fully open) . All photos captured throughout the year from my own garden gate in South Leicestershire, East Midlands.

The Lockdown gallery is a combination of straight forward photos alongside a few more challenging. For information on how I captured some of the more technical images I have put together a number of useful 'how to' guides. Do check them out - https://www.markhumpage.com/How-to-guides

Lockdown commenced on March 23rd 2020 (UK), a date I won't forget, as it also coincides with my daughters birthday!

The gear list:

Cameras: -
Olympus OMD, EM-1 mk3 (most work)
Olympus EM-1 mk1 & EM-5 mk1 (some night work)
Lenses:
300mm pro
100-400mm
12-40mm pro
7-14mm 4/3
8mm 4/3

Stay safe everyone and see you on the other side!
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  • April Supermoon mono

    April Supermoon mono

    This amazing image captures every moon phase (from crescent to full) over a 2 week period in April. Amazing because I have never achieved this before due to cloud/weather. The first waxing crescent was captured on 14th April and the final full Supermoon (Pink moon) captured on 26th April. This is the monochrome version. Gear: Olympus EM1 mk3 100-400mm lens x2 tele-converter (few of crescent shots) Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount Tripod with ball head & Move Shoot Move head Remote cable shutter release. All the individual images were put together in this final composite.

  • Early evening moon 98% 25th April 2021

    Early evening moon 98% 25th April 2021

    Early evening blue sky waxing gibbous moon 98% captured on 25th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens Settings - f6.3, 1/500s, ISO 250

  • Gibbous moon 93% 24th April 2021

    Gibbous moon 93% 24th April 2021

    93% waxing gibbous moon captured on 24th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens Settings - f6.3, 1/640s, ISO 200

  • April star trail

    April star trail

    Captured at home on evening 23rd & 24th April 2021. Lyrids meteor shower is peaking and I had 2 cameras shooting all night. Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-5 mk3 Lens: 7-14mm This is a 6 hour long exposure star trail. Using the Olympus OMD, EM5 in M mode, 7-14mm, set to 15s exposures, f4 over approx 1500 exposures. Star Trail put together post processing in software (Starstax). BEHIND THE LENS Camera:- Olympus OM-D EM-5 Lens: Olympus 7-14mm Mounting bracket fixed to fence. 15s exposure time. F4 ISO 500 I mounted the camera on a tripod in the garden and set up the composition using a 7mm focal length composing the camera with horse chestnut tree in frame, looking due East. I added a few touches of light in front and behind the tree by shining the torch for a few seconds, which adds a nice lit touch. The resulting shot reveals 6 hrs of Earth spinning above the conker tree with a few Lyrids.

  • Moon Kiss 22nd April 2021

    Moon Kiss 22nd April 2021

    Waxing gibbous moon (78%) capturing its setting via multiple exposure captured on 21st April 2021. This is a five number multiple exposure with a 1.5 min interval between shots to achieve kiss effect. Here's how I captured this shot all in-camera using the Olympus OM-D, E-M1 mk3. Olympus OM-D, E-M1 mk3 100-400mm lens f6.3, 1/640s, ISO 250, spot metering Tripod. In camera menu2 select Multiple Exposure - Number of frames 2f - OK and then composing the crescent in top left of LCD screen I took first shot. Using a timer I waited 1.5 mins and then I took the 2nd photo. Once done the camera will process the multiple exposure (2 frames or 2 moons in one image). Thats the first part, now to get more moons in a single frame go back into menu2 select Multiple Exposure again - 2F and also Overlay to On. When you switch overlay on the LCD screen shows you existing images taken. Select the first image of 2 moons - OK. Keep the timer running and after another 1.5 mins take another image. This time the camera will overlay the double moon with the new image making 3 in total. (Repeat the same process for more multiple shots). Each image has to be manually captured and ensuring focus remains consistent is a challenge! A fun project, all done within camera.

  • Lyrids Meteor

    Lyrids Meteor

    Close up of meteor captured on 19th April 2021.

  • Stars & Lyrids watch

    Stars & Lyrids watch

    Captured at home on evening 21st & 22nd April 2021. Lyrids meteor shower is peaking and I had 2 cameras shooting all night. Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-5 mk3 Lens: 7-14mm This is a 7 hour long exposure star trail. Using the Olympus OMD, EM5 in M mode, 7-14mm, set to 15s exposures, f4 over 1500 exposures. Star Trail put together post processing in software (Starstax). The Lyrids meteor shower is peak and already showing in the night sky. A few nice meteors in this shot at top of image. BEHIND THE LENS Camera:- Olympus OM-D EM-5 Lens: Olympus 7-14mm Mounting bracket fixed to fence. 15s exposure time. F4 ISO 500 I mounted the camera on a tripod in the garden and set up the composition using a 7mm focal length composing the camera with horse chestnut tree in frame. I added a few touches of light in front and behind the tree by shining the torch for a few seconds, which adds a nice lit touch. The resulting shot reveals 7 hrs of Earth spinning above the conker tree with a few Lyrids.

  • Lyrids Meteor

    Lyrids Meteor

    Close up of meteor captured on 19th April 2021.

  • Crescent moon setting

    Crescent moon setting

    Crescent moon (46%) capturing its setting via multiple exposure captured on 18th April 2021. This is a seven number multiple exposure with a 1.5 min interval between shots. Here's how I captured this shot all in-camera using the Olympus OM-D, E-M1 mk3. Olympus OM-D, E-M1 mk3 100-400mm lens f6.3, 1/320s, ISO 320, spot metering Tripod. In camera menu2 select Multiple Exposure - Number of frames 2f - OK and then composing the crescent in top left of LCD screen I took first shot. Using a timer I waited 1.5 mins and then I took the 2nd photo. Once done the camera will process the multiple exposure (2 frames or 2 moons in one image). Thats the first part, now to get more moons in a single frame go back into menu2 select Multiple Exposure again - 2F and also Overlay to On. When you switch overlay on the LCD screen shows you existing images taken. Select the first image of 2 moons - OK. Keep the timer running and after another 1.5 mins take another image. This time the camera will overlay the double moon with the new image making 3 in total. (Repeat the same process for more multiple shots). Each image has to be manually captured and ensuring focus remains consistent is a challenge! A fun project, all done within camera.

  • Stars & Meteor

    Stars & Meteor

    Captured at home on evening 19th & 20th April 2021. Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: 12-40mm This star trail was captured by using the Olympus in-camera function called Live Composite (Setting B on top dial). I chose 15s exposures and set the camera shoot for a period of 6 hours, which is the maximum time setting on the in-camera live composite mode. The final image you see is a 6hrs composite captured in camera or 6hrs x 15s in a single image. The Lyrids meteor shower peaks in a few days and already showing in the night sky. Nice one above the tree, which appears to originate from the Lyra radiant. BEHIND THE LENS Camera:- Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: Olympus 12-40mm Tripod - Mounted in garden 15s exposure time using Live Composite mode in camera. F2.8 ISO 500 I mounted the camera on a tripod in the garden and set up the composition using a 12mm focal length composing the camera with horse chestnut tree in frame. The conker tree has started to flower. I added a few touches of light in front and behind the tree by shining the torch for a few seconds, which adds a nice lit touch. Using the Live Composite mode on the Olympus camera the star trail is all generated in-camera, a very cool feature which reduces post processing. The resulting shot reveals 6 hrs of Earth spinning above the conker tree :-) Stay safe.

  • Crescent moon 36% 18th April 2021

    Crescent moon 36% 18th April 2021

    36% crescent moon captured on 18th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens Settings - f6.3, 1/320s, ISO 320

  • Stars and tree

    Stars and tree

    Captured at home on evening 18th & 19th April 2021. Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: 12-40mm This star trail was captured by using the Olympus in-camera function called Live Composite (Setting B on top dial). I chose 15s exposures and set the camera shoot for a period of 6 hours, which is the maximum time setting on the in-camera live composite mode. The final image you see is a 6hrs composite captured in camera or 6hrs x15s in a single image. There are a few meteors in this pic too, most possibly Lyrids as this shower will be peaking in a few days. BEHIND THE LENS Camera:- Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: Olympus 7-14 mm Tripod - Mounted in garden 15s exposure time using Live Composite mode in camera. F4 ISO 400 I mounted the camera on a tripod in the garden and set up the composition using a 10mm focal length composing the camera with horse chestnut tree in frame. The conker tree has started to flower. There was no moonlight to provide natural light so I light painted behind the tree for a few seconds with a torch. Using the Live Composite mode on the Olympus camera the star trail is all generated in-camera, a very cool feature which reduces post processing. The resulting shot reveals 6 hrs of Earth spinning above the conker tree :-)

  • Earthshine and Mars

    Earthshine and Mars

    Earthshine and Mars - 27% crescent moon captured on 17th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. Earthshine effect captured by using slow/long exposure (2.5s) which increases detail on the dark shadow side and at same time blows out and overexposes the crescent. Quite a challenging technical shot to master. Mars occultation (when one object passes in front of another - similar to an eclipse) occurred earlier on in the day and too bright to see from here in UK. I was lucky to get the moon and Mars since cloud rolled in early evening (not forecast) and killed the shoot! This shot was captured at 2003hrs. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. This is essential when shooting long exposures of a moving object, especially with high focal length/good zoom lens. It essentially rotates at the same speed as the moon ensuring a sharper image. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens. Settings - f5.8, 2.5s, ISO 320

  • Crescent moon quad

    Crescent moon quad

    Crescent moon quadruple 19% captured on 16th April 2021. This is a four number multiple exposure with a 2 min interval between shots. Here's how I captured this shot all in-camera using the Olympus OM-D, E-M1 mk3. Olympus OM-D, E-M1 mk3 100-400mm lens f6.3, 1/160s, ISO 250, spot metering Tripod. In camera menu2 select Multiple Exposure - Number of frames 2f - OK and then composing the crescent in top left of LCD screen I took first shot. Using a timer I waited 2 mins and then I took the 2nd photo. Once done the camera will process the multiple exposure (2 frames or 2 moons in one image). Thats the first part, now to get more moons in a single frame go back into menu2 select Multiple Exposure again - 2F and also Overlay to On. When you switch overlay on the LCD screen shows you existing images taken. Select the first image of 2 moons - OK. Keep the timer running and after another 2 mins take another image. This time the camera will overlay the double moon with the new image making 3 in total. (Repeat the same process for more multiple shots). Each image has to be manually captured and ensuring focus remains consistent is a challenge! A fun project, all done within camera. Stay safe.

  • Earthshine exposure comparison

    Earthshine exposure comparison

    Captured 15th April 2021 from my home in South Leicestershire, East Midlands, UK. The crescent was 12%. Earthshine is the dim glow on the dark portion of the moon. It is particularly challenging to capture on camera due to the brightness of the crescent (sunlight reflecting off Earth) and the contrasting darkness of the Earthshine. To capture the full array of clarity on both crescent and Earthshine will require setting the camera to different shutter times to account for this variance in brightness. In this composite I have captured the crescent & Earthshine using different shutter speeds, as detailed in the image for each capture. The fastest shutter speed (1/100s) will ensure a clear crescent feature (and subsequently darkening remaining section). The slowest shutter speed (5s) captures Earthshine (but overexposing the crescent) Camera/Settings used Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: 100=400mm f6.3, ISO 320, Star Adventurer tracker - this excellent piece of kit tracks the stars, allowing longer shutter times, without motion blur or trailing. Shutter speeds from 1/100s to 5s So no excuse why don't you give Earthshine a go :-)

  • April Stars

    April Stars

    Captured at home on evening 15th & 16th April 2021. Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: 12-40mm This star trail was captured by using the Olympus in-camera function called Live Composite (Setting B on top dial). I chose 15s exposures and set the camera shoot for a period of 6 hours, which is the maximum time setting on the in-camera live composite mode. The final image you see is a 6hrs composite captured in camera or 6hrs x15s in a single image. The streak of light above the tree is a satellite flare. BEHIND THE LENS Camera:- Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: Olympus 12-40mm Tripod - Mounted in garden 15s exposure time using Live Composite mode in camera. F2.8 ISO 400 I mounted the camera on a tripod in the garden and set up the composition using a 12mm focal length composing the camera with horse chestnut tree in frame. The conker tree has started to flower. There was no moonlight to provide natural light so I light painted behind the tree for a few seconds with a torch. Using the Live Composite mode on the Olympus camera the star trail is all generated in-camera, a very cool feature which reduces post processing. The resulting shot reveals 6 hrs of Earth spinning above the conker tree :-) Stay safe.

  • Earthshine 12% 15th April 2021

    Earthshine 12% 15th April 2021

    Earthshine - 12% crescent moon captured on 15th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. Earthshine effect captured by using slow/long exposure (5s) which increases detail on the dark shadow side and at same time blows out and overexposes the crescent. Quite a challenging technical shot to master. This shot was captured at 2109hrs. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. This is essential when shooting long exposures of a moving object, especially with high focal length/good zoom lens. It essentially rotates at the same speed as the moon ensuring a sharper image. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens. Settings - f6.3, 5s, ISO 320

  • Crescent moon 12% 15th April 2021

    Crescent moon 12% 15th April 2021

    12% crescent moon captured on 15th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. This shot was captured earlier on in evening at 2114hrs. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. This is essential when shooting long exposures of a moving object, especially with high focal length/good zoom lens. It essentially rotates at the same speed as the moon ensuring a sharper image. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens Settings - f6.3, 1/60s, ISO 320

  • Crescent moon 7% 14th April 2021

    Crescent moon 7% 14th April 2021

    7% crescent moon captured on 14th April 2021. Single shot, no telescope nor stack. This shot was captured earlier on in evening at 2102hrs. Gear:- Star Adventurer Sky Watcher tracking mount. This is essential when shooting long exposures of a moving object, especially with high focal length/good zoom lens. It essentially rotates at the same speed as the moon ensuring a sharper image. Olympus EM1, (mk3), 100-400mm lens with the X2 tele-converter (MC-20). Overall focal length = 800mm (1600mm 35mm equiv). Settings - f13, 1/8s, ISO 320

  • Heron by water

    Heron by water

    Heron bird standing next to water. Captured on local walk 14th April 2021.

  • Red Kite flying

    Red Kite flying

    Red Kite flying in clear blue sky with wings open. Captured on local walk 14th April 2021.

  • Blackbird standing on fence post

    Blackbird standing on fence post

    Blackbird standing on fence post Captured on local walk 12th April 2021 in Leicestershire.

  • Lambs in field

    Lambs in field

    Lambs staring in field. Captured on local walk 12th April 2021.

  • Chicken close up

    Chicken close up

    Chicken close up. Captured on local walk 12th April 2021.

  • Magpie on fence

    Magpie on fence

    Magpie standing on fence. Captured on local walk 10th April 2021 in Leicestershire.

  • Dunnock singing

    Dunnock singing

    Dunnock perched in hedge singing. Captured on local walk 10th April 2021.

  • Red Kite close up in tree

    Red Kite close up in tree

    Close up of Red Kite resting and perched on a tree branch, captured on local walk 7th April 2021, Leicestershire

  • Hypnotic stars 7th April 2021

    Hypnotic stars 7th April 2021

    Captured at home on evening 6th & 7th April 2021. Camera: Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: 7-14mm Objective with this one was a true hypnotic spin centred around polaris (celestial North Pole star). Cloud cover killed the perfect result but overall I'd give this 7/10. This star trail was captured by using the Olympus in-camera function called Live Composite (Setting B on top dial). I chose 15s exposures and set the camera shoot for 2 periods. The first was 2.5hrs and 2nd for 5 hours, starting at 2100hrs. The maximum time setting on live composite mode is 6 hrs. Anything longer than 6 hrs requires multiple live composites (joined) or firing continuous and post processing. The final image you see is a 7.5 hrs composite made from joining both Live composites captured in camera or 7.5 hrs x 15s in a single image. BEHIND THE LENS Camera:- Olympus OM-D EM-1 mk3 Lens: Olympus 7-14mm Tripod - Mounted in garden 15s exposure time using Live Composite mode in camera. F4 ISO 200 I mounted the camera on a tripod in the garden and set up the composition using a 7mm focal length composing the camera centred on Polaris (Celestial North Star - easy to locate, just follow the last 2 stars on the blade of The Plough). Using the Live Composite mode on the Olympus camera I shot 2 Live Composites. The first was 2.5 hrs and the 2nd was for 5 hrs. Both star trail composite are generated in-camera. A cool feature to reduce post processing. I put both Live Composite images together with software (StarStax) to create a final single composite image. A shame that cloud came along through the 2nd composite - notable in bottom left of image with the light brown colour and a few notable gaps in the startrail but overall not a bad shot. I will try this one again when conditions allow! The resulting wide shot reveals 7.5 hrs of Earth spinning around the celestial North Pole - cool :-) Stay safe.

  • Sunset close up 5th April 2021

    Sunset close up 5th April 2021

    Sunset on a cold Spring day with sun bursting through tree branches. Got close up using the 100-400mm lens & the x2 tc (MC-20). Captured on local walk route 5th April 2021, Leicestershire.

  • Sunset through trees 5th April 2021

    Sunset through trees 5th April 2021

    Sunset on a cold Spring day with sun bursting through tree branches. Got close up using the 100-400mm lens & the x2 tc (MC-20). Captured on local walk route 5th April 2021, Leicestershire.

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