weekly Southdowns' 52/2012 - Week 52 - Busy SP Posted. Thank You, and Goodnight :)

Here we go then, sweet :)

I found this week quite difficult actually, because there were too many easy cliche's that came to mind. I hope this is different enough to not fall into any of them.


W4 - Strawberry on Chilli 3.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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Well done for a different take.

It feels a bit close to the camera for me, but nice focus and you've done well to catch the motion blur in the sugar.

Cheers.
 
Interesting, cheers Andy. Do you think a wider crop would help, or a different focal point? I didn't get the same feeling, but do see what you mean.
 
Cheers all.

Here are two other versions. The first is the one above at the in camera crop (minus a little lost in straightening it), and the second is from a slightly higher angle. I like the second one, but it doesn't have the nice colours of my original, and no sugar movement.

It's too late to re-shoot because I've binned the chilies now, but I'd love to work out what might have resulted in the ideal shot? :)


Strawberry on Chili 3.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr


Strawberry on Chili 2.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
posiview said:
Focal point is fine for me. Perhaps try F4 and a slightly higher elevation...just my thoughts.
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Cheers. I did try a smaller aperture, but it just looked like a snap shot to me. What I really need is more skill in laying the fruit out nicely in the first place; I think the fact that wasn't how I wanted it forced my hand photographically.
 
Last shot works better for me as I can now see that the chilli is there. ;)
 
Hey Mark,
You have some good ideas for your themes, and try to steer away from the obvious - thats great! Sometimes its easy to concede, but the rewards for trying that bit harder are well worth it.

Some good shots so far keep it up :)
 
Thanks everyone! I think if someone else could set up what I have in my head, I'd be able to photograph it!

OK so one more go. I think the biggest issue with this one is the lighting; lit with table lamps as that's all I have. Maybe would have worked better with a red chilli? Or low key?

Anyway, I call it "Sweet Chilli Sauce", because it's got sweet syrup, a chilli, and it's a little bit saucy :naughty::LOL::LOL::naughty:


Sweet Chilli Sauce.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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I'll stop soon; promise!

Here's another version of Sweet Chilli Sauce, which I think looks better. It's not just a preset applied to the one above, it's starting again from a different raw shot of the chilli (same one of the tongue though).

I know lots of people don't like stuff that's too PP'd, but I think in this case it works to add to the hot and saucy feel, though admittedly not the sweetness!

Anyway, all thoughts very gladly welcomed?


Sweet Chilli Sauce 2.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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Some great ideas for the sweet theme, and really well taken.
Is it your tongue in the last few shots?
 
Cheers Gareth! No, it's my wife's tongue, bless her! She had a very achy jaw after spending half an hour tongue modelling for me!
 
Getting a bit confused on which to comment on there are so many, personally I think it would be best to get your idea and stick with it and get the best picture you can.

You have 2 good ideas and think the 2nd might just edge it,

1st attempt it’s no 3 as you can see what you’re trying to do and it works well. for the first 2 its hard to find the focus point and see the chilli

The 2nd I like the first shot, as you say a red chilli would have been better but I don’t think the green one takes anything away. (y)
 
I like the 1st shot except I'm not sure about the tongue, it's hard to see that it is a tongue, I was wondering a bit lol. Quite relieved to learn it was a tongue and not something else!

maybe it would work better with the mouth/lips in shot too?
 
Cheers Trevor :) I know what you mean about just posting one, but a big part of learning for me (I've only been shooting since just before Christmas) is "is this one any better?". Believe it or not each of those IS the best picture I could get!

Over on the Flickr group, it has been decided to limit it to one shot per person per week, as a showcase of peoples best efforts, but here it's more about feedback I think.
 
sturisoma said:
maybe it would work better with the mouth/lips in shot too?
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Yes, that's how I saw it in my head, but in the event we just couldn't work out how to pose that!

Thanks for the feedback :)
 
heh maybe I just have a dirty mind...
 
Wow Mark,

Your enthuasim is contagious, you're just loving this challenge aren't you?
So many photos but a few stood out for me.
Direction:- It's got to be well trod directions, the simplicity appeals to me.
Fear :- I can almost hear those wardrobe doors creak, the shadows and green light work very well.
Sigh:- Sigh of the sea, simple but very effective.
Sweet:- I'm torn with this one, but I do love the strawberries and chillies on the beautiful blue background.

Look forward to seeing what you come up with for week 5!

Carol
 
Hi Mark out of all of your sweet i prefer the 2nd strawberry one, i see what you were trying to achieve with the chilli one, but i don't think you've quiet pulled it off, maybe it is the lighting, but it doesn't look sharp enough for me, these type of photos i think to work well need to be razor sharp, with a really sharp contrast between the background and the object, the pinky one works better
 
Haha great idea for the second one but for me the tongue looks a bit creepy just being there with no lips although I can imagine the difficulties of just getting lips and tongue posed right.

Great ideas. Well done. :clap:
 
cazagee said:
Your enthuasim is contagious, you're just loving this challenge aren't you?
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Thanks Carol. I'm loving it in-between hating it! I do find myself wishing for Saturday to come so I have a new one to get my teeth into!

michael23 said:
2 great versions those, but I do prefer the 2nd one, although the blue is rather cool in the first.
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Cheers Michael! On reflection the ideal shot would have been the second one, perhaps with the addition of the sugar movement; I've set that one as my desktop on my new 27" iMac :)love::love::love::love::love:), and like it more every time I look at it!

lizzy23 said:
Hi Mark out of all of your sweet i prefer the 2nd strawberry one, i see what you were trying to achieve with the chilli one, but i don't think you've quiet pulled it off, maybe it is the lighting, but it doesn't look sharp enough for me, these type of photos i think to work well need to be razor sharp, with a really sharp contrast between the background and the object, the pinky one works better
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Thanks for that; I love getting constructive, specific feedback like yours! You're right; the chilli one was pin sharp in my head, with much less "flat" lighting.

The_Oakster said:
Haha great idea for the second one but for me the tongue looks a bit creepy just being there with no lips although I can imagine the difficulties of just getting lips and tongue posed right.
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Cheers. I see what you mean about the tongue. I couldn't believe how difficult it was to get a pose like the one I saw in my head!
 
Southdowns said:
Cheers. I see what you mean about the tongue. I couldn't believe how difficult it was to get a pose like the one I saw in my head!
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I have that problem every week. I either don't have the skill, the equipment, the props, the setup or the knowledge to get anything that I imagine! I couldn't even find some white paper for this weeks theme!!
 
Like the colour on the last one, maybe a bit lighter :shrug:
 
Really like the fear and sweet shots, not to say the others are not good because they are, its just those 2 sets are my favorite.

Matt
 
Southdowns said:
Thank AgentG. I think I overstepped the mark though with all those extra shots, as no other feedback. My bad, as I didn't realise so many others had yet to post thier first images.

I'll try not to get so carried away next week, but it's so damn exciting doing this!
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OMG....you've sure got the 52 bug bad mister :LOL: Post as many as you like , it's your project !

Sweet...like the 1st 2 strawberry shots as abstracts but struggled to see what they were...the last one though is spot on...possibly a little blown on the sugar but great idea & different so :clap::clap:

The 2nd of the chilli shots works best for me...better focus & love the colors (y)

Sigh of the Sea...like everything about this one...nice low angle....differnt take on the theme...good capture (y)
 
Hi, just seen your thread. Although your links on page one don't seem to have worked :(

I'll jump in with Sweet. I couldn't tell it was a tongue at first, but it makes sense when you explain it. I agree that the addition of the rest of the mouth would help, but difficult to shoot.

Good idea though, very original.
 
Thanks guys and gals :)

(Marsha, the links are working for me; anyone else having trouble with them?)

Sorry I've not been able to comment on many of this week's threads; bloody work :( I'll make a concerted effort to get around a few tomorrow night,

Anyway, here we go for secure; secure postage (that stamp isn't going anywhere!). Hope you like it, and as ever, C&C very very welcome:


Secure Postage.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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my, my, very clever :clap:
 
Ha ha, good option ... stamp not going anywhere ... I like it :D
 
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