Bognor Regis | alan frost photography

Posts from the ‘Bognor Regis’ category

Bognor Regis – just being there.

Through my work and therefore out of necessity, I visit the seaside town of Bognor Regis on a regular basis. Situated on the Sussex Coast I have to say its not the most glamorous of resorts. Nevertheless the very fact that I find myself frequently in the town or driving along its seafront, it does provide some excellent opportunities for photography.

The three images which make up this entry were all taken on different days and at different times of the day.

The first image was an early evening shot taken in September of this year with the Olympus OMD EM5. I had just acquired the Panasonic 45 – 200 zoom lens (second hand from a fellow camera club member) and as I had not used it before, I was keen to see how well it paired with the camera and to see the results it produced. Its not every day that the such a beautiful cloudscape will appear in the sky, so I was fortunate to have chosen a great evening for its first outing.

The second image is what I might call a ‘grab shot’. Taken around the middle of the day I had been driving along the seafront when I noticed a rainbow to the north. If I was quick I thought, I could park the car, hurry down to the seafront and take a shot of the beach huts in the foreground with the dark clouds and the rainbow as a backdrop. Unfortunately rainbows go as quickly as they come, so by the time I got to where I wanted to be the rainbow had lost all its intensity, and seconds later was no more. Mildly disappointed at the missed opportunity I turned around and composed the shot below, which in my view was more than adequate compensation. The couple walking along was a bonus, as it takes your eye right into the image. The Olympus E-PL3 with 14 – 42 kit lens worked a treat.

The third and final shot was taken early in the morning just a few days ago. Again the cloudscape was the reason for stopping the car and getting out, but I knew some foreground interest was required. I walked down to the foreshore and captured the image below, again with the E-PL3 and kit lens.

A famous quote attributed to the photographer called Arthur Fellig, better known as Weegee, is ‘f8 and be there’. None of these shots were taken at f8, but the second element is certainly true!

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South coast seafront

I am very fortunate to live and work close to the sea, so the opportunity to take some coastal shots when I have a few minutes to spare are most welcome. A few days ago I took some photos of Bognor Regis seafront, although on this occassion I mainly concentrated on the Pier. Like many in this country the pier is always in need of repair. The constant ravages of the salt water, wind, rain and even the sun, all take their toll as the seasons pass by. From a photographic point of view they also make good black and white subjects.

When I have more time I will take some images of other piers along the South Coast. They are a relic of a bygone era, and whilst many still survive others have sadly been lost forever.

Here are a few shots all taken with the Olympus OMD EM5 and Panasonic 20mm f1.7 prime lens. On this occasion the mono conversion was carried out in Lightroom 4 and not in Silver Efex Pro 2. I have also set up a preset in Lightroom which allows me to quickly batch process a series of images into black and white, using my preferred settings. These are mainly, adding contrast, clarity and sharpening, as I always shoot in RAW.

As it’s the end of October I suspect this may be the last time the ‘Bouncy Castle’ will be inflated this year.

The rain was being blown in from the west….ready to inflict some more damage on the fabric of the pier.

They really are extraordinary structures……………

…..and something has to hold them up.

The caption for this last shot might be……..

‘Only survivors will be prosecuted!’

Olympic Torch in Bognor Regis

16th July 2012 and the Olympic Torch arrives in the seaside town of Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Despite the prospect of rain the crowds turned out of force to line the High Street. The public gathered and waited; the torch bearer getting closer and closer, and so the rain came too and got harder and harder. What a summer! Union Jacks matched umbrellas in number as the torch finally came into sight. The crowd cheered, waved and I stood on a small set of steps, Olympus E PL3 in hand with the Lumix 20mm ready for the flame, still alight – well just.

The whole occasion was a great photo opportunity. The people of Bognor, colour and the sense of anticipation were very evident. I like street photography and this gave me some shots I enjoy. I hope you will enjoy them as well.

Olympic Torch bearer braves the elements

He’s here at last and everyone is soaking wet but enjoying themselves.

Olympus E PL3 20mm f1.7 at f3.5 1/320 ISO 320

Olympic Torch bearer braves the elements

Union Jacks for sale

Selling Union Jacks on the streets of Bognor Regis as the crowd get ready to greet the Olympic Torch Parade. Oh what a happy occasion!

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f4 1/160 ISO 200

The warm up act

The band play rock to entertain the growing crowd in Bognor Regis. The torch bearer is coming!

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f2.5 1/400 ISO 200

GB forever!

A patriotic lady has come fully prepared to enjoy this once in a lifetime event.

The Olympics grab the heart of the nation.

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f2.5 1/1600 ISO 200

No its not Christmas, but people arriving for the Olympic procession

It could only be Bognor Regis…….

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f2.8 1/250 ISO 200

Union Jacks for sale

C’mon buy a Union Jack……..it will make us both happy!

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f2.8 1/640 ISO 200

Will the torch be here soon?

It won’t be long now, we’ll wave our flag and then get a movie for you to watch.

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f3.2 1/160 ISO 200

Waving the flag outside Henry Adams

An estate agent joins in the with the spirit of the event.

Olympus E PL3 12mm f2 at f2.5 1/250 ISO 200

Union Jacks everywhere

This time they have a practical purpose as this couple shelter from the rain.

Olympus E PL3 20mm f1.7 at f2.8 1/250 ISO 200

The flame stays alight

The crowd are loving this; smiles, applause, cheering and waving – if only the sun was shining.

Olympus E PL3 20mm f1.7 at f3.5 1/320 ISO 320

The torch moves on

All over so quickly. An hour or more of patiently waiting as the heavens open and the Olympic torch heads towards its next destination.

Olympus E PL3 20mm f1.7 at f4.5 1/320 ISO 320

Apart from the photos of the torch bearer all the images were captured using the E PL3 and the Olympus 12mm prime lens. So sharp and fast, ideal for the conditions. It also allowed me to get quite close to my subject which is always necessary in a crowded situation.

This type of situation again made me start to think about my camera of choice for the future. The Olympus OMD EM5 would make great use of the prime lenses I already have and if purchased with the standard 12mm to 50mm kit lens, it would offer a weather proof option with even better quality than the E PL3. It would be ideal for situations like these, but then the E PL3 does a pretty good job already. It can be a little difficult to grip at times and the controls are fiddly and easily changed unknowingly but the results are very good for a small and discreet camera. Alternatively do I really push the boat out and just trade in the Nikon DSLR gear and buy the new Canon 5D MkIII with a selection of L lenses? Full frame, great quality images and just about every feature I could ever want. A tough decision, so I shall continue to dither and for now I will just enjoy the images from today.