Thanks to one of Graham Colling’s blips I learnt that Olympus’s marketing team run photo walks. So to Bristol today for an excellent afternoon. Six of us assembled in the London Camera Exchange shop where Jez allowed us each to pick a lens to borrow. I’m frustrated by my all purpose zoom lens going down to only f4 so I picked an f1.8 75mm prime. Wow! I loved it. What a good bit of marketing!

As well as the techniques Jez had planned to show us (selecting options in-camera to minimise post-processing, using neutral density filters, keystoning, light painting) he was also happy to answer absolutely any question without making me feel the ignoramus I am. And he slowed down to show me how to do the things I had no idea about.

It was billed as a walk that included light painting which doesn’t really interest me very much, but in fact it was great fun. I had no idea that the bike light in my pocket could be so useful.

I don’t remember everything I learnt but I know now that my camera can do a whole lot of things I’d never even thought about, and some of them will be very useful.

Then I set off on my own personal photo-walk to a club in south Bristol where son and his band were filming their next video. My camera was definitely not needed there but... 

Foot-weary but such a good day.

Extras: a stampseller in the market, a late cafe, The Swinghoppers