Failed recordings

 It's only when you return home and start uploading the photos and videos that you find what you didn't record for one reason or another. In bright sunlight, it can sometimes be challenging to read the screen clearly. Perhaps we need to return to the days when photographers had a black cloth over their heads, allowing them to see the image.

Relaxing in the safety Boat

 There is nothing better than relaxing in the boat, the helm Don, taking a break from boat building and building a new Wherry - a large industrial sailing boat for the Norfolk broads See his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@buildingladygarnet

Don is working on two boats , the tender for Lady Garnet, which is approaching completion and starting to do the lofting for Lady Garnet. We plan to visit Don at the boat yard where he works when the first parts of Lady Garnet are laid down,

Start Sail

 We all went out on a Start Sail Course Today trying to improve our boat handling. learning to take our time in tacking so that everything went smoothly. And learning to sit as far forward as we can to make the boat go faster.

Batteries nearly full by 9am

 It's not every day we have this problem. 60% battery overnight, and now 88% and it's not even 9 o'clock yet. The 50KW batteries are nearly filled, and everyone is working on their computers. We may be exporting a lot of electricity today.

VST on the OAX 800

 Looking at the VST Settings - the virtual wiring on the Wersi OAX 800. The interface allows the output of different VST devices to be linked to the required output so that sounds can be suitably processed before we hear them.

Best suction Cup?

 Testing different suction cups on the smooth boat surface to determine which ones work well. So far, we have had quite a few failures - either they break or can't withstand the conditions on the boat as it rolls around.

Capturing the moment

 Working on the sailing video, capturing the moment when the rope snapped. We had a camera on the right part at the right time, so we were able to capture the exact moment.

Safety Boat Crew

 The Safety Boat Crew for the Relay Race. Dressed as a 1800s Royal Naval Captain, Guy and I took to the safety boat to keep the Relay racers safe. When there wasn't enough wind to push the boats along, we used water pistols on them (and they on us) to encourage them to go faster.

Hairy Moment

A very hairy moment as the line holding the mast snaps, and for a few moments, the boat is out of control as Paul at the Helm recovers the boat.

 

Teaching Math and Science

Teaching Maths & Science—whether online or in the classroom—means real experiments in the lab, not just theory! Hands-on learning deepens understanding and sharpens exam skills to boost those grades. #STEMeducation #GCSE #ALevel #ScienceTeaching #Mathstuition

 

Fixed or Zoom Lens

The age-old question of whether to choose a fixed focal length lens or a zoom lens remains relevant. Generally, fixed focal length lenses have larger apertures, although advancements in zoom technology have made this less common. Using a fixed lens often requires you to move the camera more, which can lead to better photographs rather than just casual snapshots. 

Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle

Spotted this stowaway on my boat by the Thames — a Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle!  Not the crew I expected, but definitely one with attitude. Raises its tail like a scorpion and smells worse than wet socks when annoyed! #RiverThames #BugLife #RoveBeetle #SailingSurprises

The insect in the photo is a Rove Beetle, likely from the Staphylinidae family. One commonly seen species along rivers and wetlands in the UK is Ocypus olens, also known as the Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle.

Key Features:

• Long, slender black body

• Very short elytra (wing cases) exposing most of the abdomen

• Prominent pincers or mandibles at the front

• When threatened, it raises its abdomen like a scorpion and may emit a foul smell

Habitat:

• Common across the UK, especially in damp environments like woodlands, meadows, compost heaps, and riverbanks.

• They are predators, feeding on other invertebrates.

Caution:

While they don't bite humans often, they can pinch if handled and may secrete a smelly fluid as a defence.

Ace Pro

Two distinct advantages of the Ace Pro are its long recording time and a long-lasting battery. Together, these allow longer recordings to be made, which is ideal for a boat race. 

Downwind sailing

Having spent ages sailing upstream and watching all the other boats disappear into the distance, turning at the mark and coming back downstream and downwind, we could keep up with the fast Phantoms.
 

The return of the Black Pig

 The Upper Thames Sailing Club Relay Race. The Race is on to recruit the crew and get my new uniform ready in time. My wife is working on a 1800s Royal Navy uniform, complete with hat, vest, breeches, waistcoat, and this frock coat, which is nearing completion for the 21st of June.

Last year the crew of the Black Pig came in an excellent third place.

This year, with better uniforms, we will do better.

Arpeggios

 Creating a rhythm using several different arpeggiators on the Wersi Vision system. With this, we can have different instruments playing different rhythms together to create an interesting rhythm section.

Sailing

 Racing in the medium winds at the Upper Thames Sailing Club

Paul Driving Whaly Coyote

Paul driving Whaly Coyote as a safety boat and supporting some UTSC sailors out on the River Thames this morning.  I was in the bow taking photos.
 

Macro Lens

 Get up close and personal!  A macro lens lets you explore the hidden world of tiny details — from insect eyes to circuit board traces. Perfect for science, art, and sparking curiosity of what is that? #MacroPhotography #ScienceEducation #CloseUpMagic

Document Scanner

 The new Czur ET-26 Document Scanner. We have numerous documents to scan in, and this should prove a valuable asset to the company. The initial test demonstrated the scanner's speed compared to a traditional scanner and its ability to handle books effectively.

Making a backing track for the Wersi

 Attempting to create a backing track for the Wersi organ using Ableton, VCV synthesiser, and controlled by a SL61 Mark 3 Keyboard. Although the Wersi is very versatile, there are some things better done outside the Wersi environment.

Endoscope Camera

Occasionally, the most useful camera is the endoscope. In biological dissections, we sometimes use it to examine the interior of an organ, such as the heart, before making any incisions. This allows students to see how the parts fit together and where they are located.
 

Time to fit in the filming

 Trying to squeeze in some more filming whilst on a tight schedule of teaching, exam prep and all the other things that life seems to put in front of time to film.

Learning a new Resolve

 We are having to learn all the new features of DaVinci Resolve 20. Some of the new features are great, but it takes time to learn them and put them into a video. My son loves the Multitext feature.

close-ups

 Setting the camera up with the We-macro stand to take some close-ups of some insects. Using this setup we can achieve a large depth of field to create much better images. The test for today is to look at the feet of insects to see why they can hold onto glass.

Camera Boat

 Using the camera boat to get some action shots of the A-Raters from the River. The drop-down front allows the camera to get right down to the water level, which creates more realistic action shots of the boats as they pass around the mark.

Out in the boat

Having Claudia as our Helm out in the Whaly taking photographs of the boat in the windy conditions. It was a challenge for Claudia in her first trip in the Whaly - acting more like a sail than a boat.
 

Backing tracks

 

More videos being worked on means more backing tracks need to be recorded. Creating original scores that match the video is challenging and time-consuming. It's something that the AI can't do well at present.

Access

 New Pavement creates a few problems with getting the students here today. The workmen are very helpful, so we should manage ok.

working on Sailwave

This is Paul, and I sailing Sailwave in the clubhouse, working out the scores for Bourne End Week . We did manage to get out in the Camera Boat and on the bank taking some 8000 photographs and hrs of video footage recording each of the 36 Races.
 

Bourne End Week

 Getting ready for a big Sailing Event - Bourne End Week, when many of the Thames A-Raters gather together near Marlow to compete for the oldest River Racing Cup - the Queens cup. These A-Raters are the fastest sailing boats on the River Thames and a sight to see.

Cost of replacement cartridges

I can print posters and photos up to A1 size. I haven't replaced the cartridges in a while, and I've noticed that each cartridge now costs about £250. There are 12 different cartridges that I will need to replace over the next few months.

Admin

 Printing out named event tickets on different coloured paper and then sorting them out and putting into envelopes. Admin is sometimes so much fun!

Pursuit Race

In the Pursuit Race. You may just spot the sailing boats in the extreme distance. We weren't chasing them they had overtaken us. We finished a lap down and in last place by a very significant distance.
 

ChatGPT Deep Research

ChatGPT Deep Research: We used the full power of the Internet to gather all the possible information on the A-Rater boats and compile it into a useful reference document. The time taken was 14 minutes, but the time saved was hours—maybe days.

Filming

 I'm out in the Camera Boat on the River Thames, capturing some action as the sailing boats go by. The electric motor cuts down on the noise, so we really only hear the noise of the boat moving through the water.

Portrait

 Focusing too much on the subject and not enough on the backdrop and you notice that the green screen was not entirely flat. The lighting was good for the girl but not so good on the backdrop.

Wedding Season

 The Wedding season is in full swing and couples look for either very traditional photographs or something completely different.​

Positioning Cameras in boats

Placing cameras in boats relies more on where you can put the camera rather than the shot you might like. Using suction fittings and physically tying the camera to the boat in case of a capsize is essential. We use the 360 camera on the boom and others fore and aft.