Video : Dovedale, See the Stepping Stones like never before. Beautiful Derbyshire Peak District.

August Update blog post : Stepping Stones Heath and Safety gone mad.

Here is my latest video promoting the local area. I dare say that if you are from Derbyshire then Dovedale Stepping Stones will be somewhere that you will have visited at some time. Its a great place to visit, perfect if you are looking for somewhere to visit in Derbyshire while the weather is nice. This tranquil and beautiful place is a "must see" place.

This video came about because I actually visited Dovedale one Friday in order to take lots of Panoramic photographs, while there I took a few short video clips too. When back to Derby  I looked at the videos and wished that I had recorded more footage. My answer to this problem was some clever software called  Pano2Movie as it allowed me to create video-like pans and incorporate them into the real video footage.
The first pan starts at 0:30, the sun rays which start at 0:45 I created using the "Light Rays" effect on the timeline in Sony Vegas 9 Pro to give the illusion of the Sun through the trees.

The sequence that starts at 4:17 shows what you can do using Pano2Movie as this kind of movement would not be possible with a video camera because I am panning to the ground while standing on stepping stones that are in the middle of the river Dove!

At 4:33 I used the FOV markers in Pano2Movie to zoom in, as you can see this made a very odd effect which makes it look like we are moving in mid air.

Anyway enough of the techincal stuff sit back and enjoy my video of Dovedale. This video is best viewed in 720p HD and fullscreen.

My video of Dovedale Stepping Stones.




My original source video that was uploaded to YouTube was 474Mb and took over two hours to upload!

Map of Dovedale Stepping Stones.
If you have never visited Dovedale Stepping Stones then here is a detailed map of this area.
I have marked the exact position of Dovedale Stepping Stones along with where you park etc.


View Dovedale, Derbyshire Peak District in a larger map

If you want to take the map with you then click the link above so you have a large version you can print out.
If you zoom out a bit you will see I have even marked on useful bits on the road to the car park.



Hope you like my little video of Dovedale.
Andy

Mercia Marina, World Wide Panorama - Willow Tree Tea Rooms VR Photograph.

My latest entry on the World Wide Panorama website which has just gone live. The theme for this panorama event was Food so as always wishing to promote Derby and Derbyshire things with my panoramic photography I decided to capture the Tea rooms at the Mercia Marina complex at Willington.


Here is my entry:

Willow Tree Tea Rooms at Mercia Marina, Willington.
Once you have clicked on the link above wait for the interactive panoramic photograph to load in
It is best viewed in Fullscreen Mode.
In case you have never heard of The World Wide Panorama:
The World Wide Panorama began in March 2004 and has become an ongoing series of events. Photography takes place on the solstices (longest and shortest days of the year) and equinoxes (day and night of equal length). There is also a "best of" each year.
I have contributed 19 360 degree panoramic photographs over the years.


A VR panorama (VR for virtual reality) is a specially created computer image that goes all the way around the viewer. It is a revolutionary way to document a particular place and time – the next best thing to being there.

VR panoramas are interactive - Use the mouse to rotate the panorama, use Shift and Control to zoom in and out.

Take a look and explore the world through VR photography.

Hope you enjoy
Andy

Heage Windmill, My Virtual Tour wins a Judges Special Award at Renaissance Heritage Awards 2009

Since 2007 I have been working with the volunteers at Heage Windmill to help promote the great work they do by using my panoramic photography skills. Back then it consisted of just two 360 degree panoramic photographs taken inside the cap of the windmill where people can not go due to safety reasons. This mill exhibit was popular with visitors and in 2008 I offered to take some new 360 degree photographs for them. What started off as a simple idea soon became a major project consisting of 26 full 360 x 180 degree (spherical VR) photographs all linked together by hotspots.
This allows disabled people or anyone that is not able to climb the mill stairs the opportunity to take a really good look around the windmill. I designed the virtual tour for them so that when you hover the mouse over areas of interest then it tells you what the various parts of the workings are used for.
Because my VR tour encompasses the entire windmill site it is also useful if you visit on a rainy day.

In July, Heage Windmill won the Judges Special Award in the Renaissance East Midlands Derbyshire Heritage Awards 2009 (see photograph of the plaque) ...
"For an innovative solution to providing access to the mill, delivered by volunteers, to a very high standard."

As well as creating the high resolution full virtual reality tour at the windmill I also created a reduced mini vr tour for their website which you can take a look at here :
Heage Windmill mini Virtual Reality Tour.

Heage Windmill is open every weekend from April to October, why not go along and see this great windmill in action. There is nothing quite like seeing the only working 6 sailed STONE tower mill in Britain turning around in the wind.

For more information please visit their website :
Heage Windmill website.

You can even buy Heage Windmill Flour from Belper Farmers Market. The market runs from 9am to 2pm on the second saturday of every month and takes place on Belper Market Place.

To see a list of the other winners see the website:
Renaissance East Midlands Derbyshire Heritage Awards.

My interactive map for Heage Windmill:

View Heage Windmill in a larger map

I have also created a driving video of how to get to Heage Windmill from Belper :
Belper to Heage Windmill video.


Thanks
Andy