My main computer is a 24" Apple iMac, which I picked up in February 2007.



The specs include a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, and has 3 GB of RAM. I run with dual monitors, the 2nd being an 19" Acer AL1916W which I got dirt cheap on Amazon.



For peripherals I use the bluetooth Apple keyboard, which is much nicer then to type on then I thought it would be. I also have a Logitech MX Revolution mouse, which replaced my Bluetooth Mighty Mouse. I have it running using Steermouse, and configured with lost of keyboard shortcuts mapped to the additional buttons.

For painting and some photoshop work, I use a Wacom Bamboo 'Fun' graphics tablet, which I highly recommend. I use also use a Griffin Powermate, for video editing and last but not least a Pantone Huey for colour calibration between my monitors and printer.

For printing I use a Canon IX4000, which is capable of producing borderless A3+ prints and is a fantastic printer for the price. Just a little on the large side.



On the move, I have my faithful old iBook G4. With its 800mhz processor and maxed out 640mb RAM, it has now become just a little too long in the tooth to process the 10 megapixel RAW images that that my camera throws out.

The sites itself is put together using Rapidweaver. It's a great piece of software, thats simple to use. Perhaps more importantly its also quick to use. I used to do everything by hand until I realised that I just wanted to get my photos on the site presented nicely and not take ages about it. The galleries are provided as part of the .Mac service, and I think that they are a fantastically flexible way of presenting my photos. It's also incredibly easy to upload to as it syncs completely with the iLife suite.

Photos - These are downloaded into Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, where they are then touched up before exporting. I tried Apples Aperture demo before deciding on Lightroom. The two are very similar, but I just found Lightroom a nicer program to work with, and I've no regrets at all with this decision. I have made a small automator action to export selected images from Lightroom and import them into iPhoto where they can then be synched with .Mac. I also have GrapicConvertorX 6 and Photoshop Elements if I need to do any additional tweaking. I find GCX very useful if I need to compress an image for the web.

Video - If its just something quick and dirty, then I use iMovie08. I despised it when it first came out, and I do think that it a set backwards from iMovieHD. But in time I've come to realise that it wasn't designed to be a replacement, and it can produce acceptable results in the quickest time possible. That I don't have to do any file conversion is a massive plus point, as is the synching with .Mac. At the moment, I use iMovieHD for more demanding editing, but now I have a new camera my eyes are firmly fixed on the latest release of Final Cut Express. I also use VisualHub quite extensively, as I need to convert the .avi's that one of my cameras produces to something useable on the Mac. VH does a brilliant job of this and is resonably priced.

Other programs I use include: iStopMotion2, which a stop-motion animation studio. iStablize, which is a software solution to shaky camera footage. This is particularly useful when dealing with impromptu movies taken with a digicam as they have no image stableisation, and for my helmet camera which suffers the same problem.

The vast majority of the photos will have been taken with a Nikon D50. It's a great camera, perfect to learn about photography on. I now use a Nikon D80, which has replaced the D50 as I wanted the higher megapixel count as I sell prints at A3 sizes. Again it seems to be a great camera, although the higher megapixel count does make handholding in marginal light more tricky as it shows up the slightest movement.

My other photography equipment includes :-
Nikon 180mm ID EX f2.8 - My sharpest lens, designed for Sports and Photojournalism I use it for shooting football which I intend to do more of next season, and local birds as you need a fast lens for that.



Nikon 50mm f1.8G - The 50mm prime, something that every photographer is supposed to have in their kit bag - or so I hear. This little lens is incredibly sharp, and with a 1.8 aperture it really taught me about depth of field. I've done a few trips with just this lens now, as the lack of zoom forces you to think more about composition.



Nikon AF-S 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED VR - I've only had this lens a couple of weeks and already I'm very impressed. For the price this is one of the bargains of the year. Nice and sharp with a practical zoom range, it is just a joy to use. What makes this really shine is the VR - I never thought that it would be so effective. The beauty of it is that you don't have to think about using it, as it doesn't impede on normal shooting. I'd have loved the 18-200 to get the extra width, but this is a brilliant 2nd choice.



Nikon AF-S 18-70mm F3.5-4.5G ED - This is a very versatile lens, and has probably been my most used lens since I got it. I lovely wide field of view at the short end, so my best lens for landscapes, and nice throughout the range to the end. This is also the lens I have tended to use when doing my timelapse movies.



I also have a Fuji F31fd point and shoot to replace my aging Casio S100. The reviews rave abut it and I found it at a brilliant price - less then half the RRP. I've been impressed with it enough that I've recommended it to friends, which for me is pretty much the highest praise I can give something. The biggest drawback for me is simply that it is not an SLR. Once I get passed that then you can see what it is - a good little camera, with great performance and exceptional battery life. In fact, when we went camping this year, it was the only camera that I took.



My Sanyo CG65, primarily a movie camera is also capable of taking 6mp stills. I haven't really had too much chance to play with it yet, but I don't think that I'll be replacing my SLR with it!

The majority of videos will have been shot on a Sony DCR-HC18E.



Its very much an entry level camera, but performs excellently. It's nice a compact and has quite a few features you wouldn't expect on a camera in its price range.

I actually use a Sony Wide-Angle lens and Telephoto lens kit with the camera giving a really nice cinema feel when shooting in widescreen. I don't really use the telephoto as I've not really had the need. However the Wide-Angle is never off of the camera.



I also have an Oregon Scientific ATC2k Helmet camera. You can read my thoughts on the camera and how I convert the video so I can use it on my iMac with a sample movie here. I bought the camera to have a little fun with it, in situations where I wouldn't normally take a video camera. So far its survived being strapped to the handlebars of motorbikes and to the roofs of radio controlled cars. Provided you remember this is not supposed to be a replacement for a normal camera, then its well worth the purchase.

I've just bought a Sanyo Xacti CG65 camera, which records onto SD cards. It's small enough to be kep in my pocket and I intend to make a lot more films this year with this little camera.

Well I guess thats me.

The names Neil, but the only person that calls me that is my mother. It's a name that I got in school and has stuck with me through the years.

I'm a fairly normal bloke that falls dangerously close to being a complete geek. But to be fair these days the lines are becoming so blurred its hard to really stand out as a geek!

I'm described as the bastard love child of Cantona and Chabal, which is probably harsh but fair.



So what do I do? Well I take photos, make little videos and put them on here. To escape reality, I'll either be buried on a book or watching one of the far too many film in my DVD collection. I'm a massive Tottenham Hotspur fan, which really doesn't do my stress levels, nor my blood pressure any good. I also follow MotoGP and WSB which makes for a good start to a Sunday afternoon.

If I'm not doing any of those things, then I'll likely just be cruising around on my Vespa Granturismo listening to my iPod or boring my friends with a rendition of the latest cute/annoying thing that my rabbit, Mac has done.