Hartland Quay: We all NEED a Special Place

I’ve always felt relaxed when near the sea, and now that we live in Devon I pop to the coast a few times each week, be it to take photographs, grab some video footage, or to simply sit and do nothing.

Every now and again it feels like I can’t stop my mind from racing; too many ‘things’ in there becoming a bit of mush and racing around in my head: things I want to do, things I need to do.

It almost feels like a wheel spinning round and round that I need to stop.

There’s only one answer … the sea.

Hartland Quay

A place I often turn to at times like this is Hartland Quay. It’s an incredible place. When the tide is out, the coastline with its jagged rocks is like being on another planet.

To just sit there listening to the sound of the sea, the sound of the birds and to breathe in the sea air is like medicine. Instantly I feel relaxed, my mind stops spinning and everything starts to slot into place…

“Right…I’ll do this, then I ‘ll do that. Oh now that would be good. Ah right, yeah I’ll do the video like this…”

Hartland Quay

I’d never get this if I sat in my office near my computer or even in my garden.

We all need ‘me’ time.

Life seems to race ahead and we need to find a way to put the brakes on.

Being by the sea is my handbrake.

Quick Tip: Converting your iPhone HEIC Photos EASILY with Mac

Can’t take credit for this great little tip; saw it posted on Facebook by Rufus Deuchler (Director, Worldwide Creative Cloud Evangelism at Adobe)

Up until I saw this yesterday I’ve been opening images from my iPhone into Photoshop, resizing them and then saving them out for posting on my website etc..

No longer going to be doing that from now on though, because of this…

Right-Click on the file then Quick Actions > Convert Image

You can then choose a file format to convert the file to (JPEG, PNG, HEIF ) and an Image Size.

That’s it!

Quick huh 😃

Again, thanks to Rufus for sharing the tip on social media.

Cheers,
Glyn

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I DID IT 🌳 I used my DRONE to photograph this INCREDIBLE Lone Tree (Settings + Editing)

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Using a Drone for Photography is FANTASTIC! So many new and unique compositions!

In this video I finally photograph an incredible tree that would have been impossible to do on foot BUT thanks to my Drone it became possible! I go through the Drone Camera settings and then dive into Lightroom to create a HDR and finally into Photoshop and jump in and out of Topaz Studio 2 to create a painterly effect.

Hope you enjoy it
Glyn

Do you have a UPS? If not then maybe you should!

Without question THE best piece of kit I own is a UPS which stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply , and this morning with power cut after power cut, has made me even more glad that I have one!

Granted, It’s not the sexiest piece of kit but you’ll be so glad you have one if you do ever experience power cuts or power surges; and lets face it…we all do / will at some point.

The one I own is the APC by Schneider Electric Back-UPS BX - BX1400UI - Uninterruptible Power Supply 1400VA , and into this I plug my computer, monitor/s and hard drives … the important stuff.

If a power cut happens it kicks in immediately keeping everything running as normal. You’ll know it has kicked in because you’ll hear a slight buzzing sound, an intermittent beep and a warning dialog appears on the screen to let you know, which you can close and then carry on working as normal.

Obviously there’s a limit to how long it will keep everything running. The one I have has a battery indicator that you can see on your menu bar, and this gives you an idea of the estimated time remaining, which in my case this morning said 42 minutes.

Hopefully power cuts last way less than this BUT if they don’t and maybe you’re not aware it’s happened because you’re asleep or away from the computer, there is built in software that means when the battery levels gets to a certain point, the computer will automatically close apps and safely shut down.

Tempting as it is to buy some of the latest equipment (I’ve got my eye on the DJI Mini 3 Pro at the moment) buying a UPS if you don’t have one already should, in my opinion, be high on the list of priorities.

A few years ago when my computer was updating the Operating System, a power cut occurred and consequently killed the computer with it going off at a critical time in the process; having a UPS back then would have prevent this.

Anyway, just something for you to think about.

Cheers,
Glyn

My New Pen Tablet from Xencelabs

There's always a danger when mentioning new kit that it comes across as a sales pitch or in some way trying to influence others, but I am genuinely excited about using this and just wanted to show it.

I've used a pen tablet from day 1 when I started using Photoshop but very quickly started to use it for everything else...even browsing the internet.

Up until a few minutes ago I was using a pen tablet from Wacom that I was actually gifted (by Wacom) quite a few years ago. It's served me well BUT there's been so much about it that has been both irritating and un-useable, which I know might sound ungrateful but I'll always be honest, and if something adversely affects my work then I'll say so...and vice verse.

With the Wacom being touch sensitive I would constantly end up accidentally moving my cursor or unknowingly performing a keyboard shortcut just by my arm / hand crossing over it.

When recording videos I've lost count how many times the Wacom Menu would pop up even though 'Touch' was turned off, so I'd have to edit it out or re-start.

I had to have it plugged into my computer because the bluetooth was / is nothing short of useless with it constantly dropping out and having to be reconnected by turning the tablet off and then on again.

Being left handed I don't have the tablet directly in front of me but rather off to the side so the function keys would never be used because that would mean reaching across the front of myself with my right hand OR performing an origami move with my left hand whilst still holding the pen.

I am going to do a 'mid-week' video for my YouTube Channel about this new one from Xencelabs very soon (I’ll post it here on my site too) though because it's VERY different. Too much to say here but from now on I know already that working on the computer is going to be much slicker and editing in Photoshop, Lightroom AND also Premiere Pro CC and Audition etc is going to be much more streamlined because of the Quick Keys, which (especially being a left hander) is a GOD SEND

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The Lone Tree and my Drone - An Obsession

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This tree has become a bit of an obsession.

I first noticed it when helping friends move home. They didn’t move far. Just further down the lanes in Mid Devon but to a beautiful new spot. So incredibly peaceful. The silence only broken by the sound of the wildlife and that’s to be relished.

It was when driving through the lanes on the back and forth trips I saw the tree high up on a hill, all alone. Couldn’t decide if it felt proud or lonely. It was screaming out to be photographed though.

With it being across a ploughed field perched on top of a hill in another field and quite some distance from the lane I’d stopped in, there was no way to get close on foot. But then I do have a drone. That could work.

I was thinking of maybe doing a long exposure with the clouds over the top of the tree but I’ve lost count how many times I’ve headed over when I thought conditions were right. It’s only a short drive. Well 30 minutes-ish from home but incredible how in such a short journey the conditions can change. Maybe that’s just a Devon thing.

I tried an evening shot with the setting sun but got there a little too late. Didn’t work out too bad though I guess.

Then followed several more aborted missions.

The other day though things started to slot into place.

Blue skies. Fluffy white clouds. No wind. Well…very little.

Using my DJI Air 2S Drone, I took off vertical from where I’d parked up to make sure there were no livestock over the other side hill. Didn’t want to disturb them or worse still…scare them.

All clear.

Set the drone to take 5 Raw photographs at 5 different exposures. Made a HDR image in Lightroom.

Originally thought about just including the tree and the arc of the hill.

Changed my mind and included part of the ploughed field.

Glad I did.

Edited the resulting file in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Finished off with one ‘look’ using Topaz Studio 2.

Hope you like it.

I’ll do a Behind the Scenes video showing this on my YouTube Channel.

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Talking Gear on the He Shoots He Draws Podcast

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Had such a blast last week catching up with my mates Dave Clayton and Alan Hess on the He Shoots He Draws Podcast talking ‘all things gear’.

We chatted for an hour about the kit we’re using and why, covering the computer, monitor choice and graphics tablet, and with me having had my iMac recently die on me and to be replaced with the new Apple Mac Studio M1 Max, the timing couldn’t have been better.

He Shoots He Draws Podcast

Always great fun catching up with the guys, and as always, even though miles apart (Dave in Swindon and Alan in San Diego, USA) it still felt like 3 mates sat in a bar chatting.

You can catch the episode on all the great podcast platforms.

© Glyn Dewis 2025