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

I quite like the angle, but any looking up the stairway?

Thanks Andy. No other angles I'm afraid as it was peeing it down and I'd had enough! Might have worked, but most of the interest was in the tiled pattern and the shape of the staircase.

A wider angle lens might have been interesting too: I was using the widest I have; 18mm; 27mm equivalent.
 
I really like marmite Mark, so its #2 for me (y)

The high contrast adds to the feel of the photograph.
Good choice of composition too, I like the leading lines through the image. I think this would be worth a revisit in better weather to explore further opportunies in shooting. This strikes me as a subject that could through some interesting shadows in sunny/brighter weather. Iain
 
Cheers Iain!! I might well go back, as it's a nice place to shoot in anyway. Have you sent me my wide angle lens yet though??? ;)

Collecting my print of Flight V1 tonight; can't wait to see it. Stand by for either screams of joy or sighs of disappointment!
 
Hey Mark, you've not scared me away! In fact I'm convinced I'd posted on your flight shot, but must have balls'd it up somehow:bonk:

I love number one, the vignette, the crop and the B&W, superb! I hope it looks good in print!

I'm not convinced on number two! Nice composition, just not sure on the colours:thinking:
 
Hi Mark, you've not scared me off either!! You don't get away with it that easy!!:):) This poor lady has been tied up with housekeeping duties - it's built up alot since starting 52!!:LOL::LOL:

#2 of flight, I can't stand marmite but I do I like this. The processing is spot on, the diagonal lines help take youe eyes up the flight of stairs and the high contrast adds to the feel of it!!:)
 
Hey Mark, you've not scared me away!

Hi Mark, you've not scared me off either!!

Oh well, it was worth a try! ;)

Thanks Marsha and Sarah :) I'm quite surprised by how many people like number 2!

I picked my print up from Jessops this evening, and I'm over he moon with it! This is such a great hobby, and such a wonderful way to learn it!!!!!
 
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I ain't scared lol

sorry about the soft thing, I didn't mean oof, but soft as in fluffy :LOL: - maybe it was because of the harshness in the 2nd one (which I love) that contrasted too much with the 1st, see I was spoiled by no. 2

but I do like harshness :banana:
 
Hey no problem Summer, you should say it as you see it :) I get what you mean a bit better now too, though I have to say I think you'd like the print if you saw it: it's less dark, with more detail. I can't stop looking at it!
 
Hi Mark

knew I'd missed someones post for Flight :bonk:

#2 for me....love the heavy contrast effect & the clean sharp angles :clap:

Like #1 as well just not as much ,it does look fluffy soft compared to #2 but I do like the angle & the emphasis on the stairs using light (y)
 
Flight - like both shots but for different reasons. #1 is nice and soft (like fuffy as Summer says) and #2 is high impact and hard. Good for different reasons. Nice to see such different takes on the theme but similiar inspiration.

PS Not scared away just behind with the challenge

PPS I like marmite!
 
Thanks Lynne and Alex :) I am encouraged that they came across as very different styles, because I'd hate to end up only capable of one :)
 
hello Mark, think i'm in the marmite camp too, love the processing on the second one
 
Here we go with authority; The Seat of Authority. It's a bit off the wall I know, but I wanted an exercise in lighting and PP, and this subject was perfect for it. The alternative would have been beams of sunlight through the trees and chair, but fat chance of that!

The composition isn't quite what I had in my head, because that was dictated largely by the undergrowth, but the effect is exactly what I had in mind; kind of a Blair Witch stylee :)

First the finished result:


W19 - Seat of Authority.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr

Then a bit of explanation, because I found it very interesting (and frustrating!) to do:

It's made from three images, with my only off camera flash pointed at three different parts of the seat:


W19 - Seat of Authority Originals.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr

I overlaid the three, and erased parts of each layer until I had light over the whole structure, then merged the layers. This was inspired by Andy's stacking last week, but is manual as Pixelmator doesn't have an automatic method.

Next, I cloned out my flash because it was visible in two positions in the shot; you can see it in the triptych above, by Mandy's feet in the first shot, and on the front corner of the seat in the other two.

Then, on to the bloody fence :bang:. Note to self: TAKE THE TIME TO MOVE THE DAMN FENCE, EVEN IF YOU DO THINK THE WARDENS MIGHT SHOOT YOU!

I used a combination of the clone tool and the heal tool in Pixelmator to remove every single wire! It took ages, though it would have been quicker if I'd realised earlier on that you can draw straight lines by holding down the shift key :(

Here's the result of the fence removal, before the next step; not perfect (I've missed a bit at ground level behind Mandy for one thing), but not bad I think. A lot of it would have been lost anyway when I darkened the shadows, but I'd have known it was there :):


W19 - Seat of Authority Minus Fence.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr

After that, it was just a case of adjusting the levels and the colours to get the effect I was after, and adding the boarder.

Can I have my weekend back now please? :( :)
 
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Wow Mark, good job we have an extra day this weekend :LOL::LOL::LOL:

Its a Fab take on the theme and all that effort looks to have paid off in the result, well done :)
 
Thank you!

Mike, put much more simply than above, the finished image (the one at the top), comprises roughly the bottom 1/3 of the first pic in the triptych, the middle 1/3 of the second one, and the top 1/3 of the third, with rubbish cloned out afterwards and colours etc adjusted :)
 
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Mark, it's a :clap: :clap: :clap: from me.

The thing about photography, a photograph can take ages to plan, execute, process and upload, and people don't see that.

The idea is great and the perspective is great. Cloning out the fence, looks good to me.

Crit?? HHmmm, I quite like the shadows but I'd like to see more even lighting. Not easy I know, unless you have hours to review each photograph in camera and reshoot. Hard.

Cheers.
 
Thanks Andy :)

You're absolutely right about the time taken not being seen; in fact in some ways you don't want it to be seen. I actually debated with myself about whether to post the info, because in one way I wanted to see how people reacted without knowing all that, but in the end I just thought it was quite interesting.

Are the shadows you mean the ones on the chair? If so they are as I wanted them; I wanted it to look kind of as if the light came from a single point low down, and spent a fair bit of time trying different positions for the flash to get that. You might be right though, but I'm struggling to imagine it with more even lighting!!
 
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Hi Mark....

Jesus!!!! I've got a lot to learn in photoshop!!! sort of understand what you done...the finished project is spot on for me..really like it:)
 
Thanks Andy :)

You're absolutely right about the time taken not being seen. I actually debated with myself about whether to post the info, because in one way I wanted to see how people reacted without knowing all that, but in the end I just thought it was quite interesting.

Are the shadows you mean the ones on the chair? If so they are as I wanted them; I wanted it to look kind of as if the light came from a single point low down, and spent a fair bit of time trying different positions for the flash to get that. You might be right though, but I'm struggling to imagine it with more even lighting!!

I think it's important for us to explain in some detail how we've achieved our photographs so others can learn and try techniques.

Lighting, I noticed 2 hot spots: one in front of the girl and one on the centre right (as you look at it) of the chair. Not easy with flash, try a nice, bright torch to get more even light, maybe.

Cheers.
 
Good work Mark, on many counts (y)

I like the finished article, I dont mind the hotspots as Andy has quite correctly pointed out, there is some detail in there so not unrecoverable. I can imagine evenly light painting that chair would be a mammoth task.

I wondered about the inclusion of your model but on hindsight, it gives a sense of scale and perspective.

The backstory about your processing and workflow is welcome too, its always interesting hearing about how the photograph was created. Iain
 
I looked at the photos before I read the work you put it! The fence especially :clap::clap::clap: I get so frustrated cloning, I can only imagine the swearing as you did it!
All worth it though, I like the lighting and you're interpretation of the theme.

Oh and that's one MASSIVE chair!
 
Hi Mark....

Jesus!!!! I've got a lot to learn in photoshop!!! sort of understand what you done...the finished project is spot on for me..really like it:)

Cheers Neil. Believe me I only know about 20% of what Pixelmator can do, and Pixelmator is in turn only about 70% of PS! I find the best way to learn is to just dive in and play - undo is your friend! :)

Lighting, I noticed 2 hot spots: one in front of the girl and one on the centre right (as you look at it) of the chair. Not easy with flash, try a nice, bright torch to get more even light, maybe.

Thanks Andy, I see what you mean. I quite like it as it is (I wasn't really trying to get even lighting), but yes have learned that flash isn't the right tool if I was. It certainly would be a great subject for light painting, maybe for a different effect (back lighting might be interesting!).

That looks very good indeed, well worth the effort. Will read what you did when I am more awake, great pp work.

Thanks Michael :)

Good work Mark, on many counts (y)

I like the finished article, I dont mind the hotspots as Andy has quite correctly pointed out, there is some detail in there so not unrecoverable. I can imagine evenly light painting that chair would be a mammoth task.

I wondered about the inclusion of your model but on hindsight, it gives a sense of scale and perspective.

Thanks Iain. Yes I had the same thought about the model (my wife Mandy); it might be a more pleasing shot with just the chair, but I think without it'd have been an even more tentative link to the theme, and definitely the sense of scale would have been lost.

Someone sitting on it would be an obvious composition, but wouldn't do for the theme I think.

I looked at the photos before I read the work you put it! The fence especially :clap::clap::clap: I get so frustrated cloning, I can only imagine the swearing as you did it!
All worth it though, I like the lighting and you're interpretation of the theme.

Oh and that's one MASSIVE chair!

I never ever bloody swear Marsha, I'm far too nice for that ;)

It is quite big isn't it! It's in Queen Elizabeth Country Park, off the A3 North of Portsmouth. Funny thing is, it's not in one of the most frequented parts of the woods, isn't signed, and there's no info about why it was built, or anything. It's just sitting there in the woods for you to come across, and in certain lights it scares the pants off you!!!

I think the wardens were just bored one day and thought "I know, let's build a mahoosive chair for no apparent reason!".

It's really annoying that they've had to put a fence around it though; ruins the effect :(
 
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Like both of your flight shots. The processing has made the best of a mundane scene.
Authority - Excellent subject and sounds like the processing took ages, well worth it though. Thanks for all the info
 
Darn excellent shot Mark, whereabouts is this to be found?
 
Thanks John, glad you like it :)

Alby, it's in Queen Elizabeth Country Park, above the top car park, but best bet is to ask for directions at the visitor centre because it's impossible to describe and isn't on any maps!

I'm REALLY glad I chose this subject though. Turns out it was built in the late 70's, but is due to be taken down very soon as its wrotten :(

See http://qecp.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/the-giants-chair-in-queen-elizabeth-forest/
 
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it's a good shot, only thing that I don't 'get' is the model's hands - is she begging for something? :)
 
it's a good shot, only thing that I don't 'get' is the model's hands - is she begging for something? :)

Mandy never begs :) However, this is why this is a photography challenge, not an acting one!!! The idea is that she's kind of fending the chair off, or backing off in fear of the authority! Couldn't think of any other way to do it :(
 
Hi Mark

:notworthy::notworthy:

stonking bit of editing & a fascinating subject...thats sure one mahoooooosive chair ! You've put a huge amount of work in & it's paid off...love it :clap::clap:

Cheers Lynne!!
 
really nice pic buy i don'y think it needs the person in the shot i dont think it adds to the scale the trees alone do that
 
Hi Mark

Pride - really like the quintuplets shot

Short - the sraw shot is nearly rigth but i would not know what to suggest to make it better, altho you have had some advice on that. The planks are very well taken - good comp, colours and dof. Nice textures.

Flight - you have really stirred something up here. I think #1 is a v good comp and a really good pov. Imposing building. Upper right a bit dark i think but then the prevention rail might distract. Hope that it looks good on your wall because good pic(y) On the other hand I could not look at #2 for more than a couple of seconds. It might be a well taken pic with lots of detail, diagonal lines etc but to me it is a grotty, tiled, stained staircase. Well done for the contrast but one I would definitely not keep.:(

Authority - you have taken lots of trouble to come up with an excellent shot. I think that you have got the lighting just right, the sense of foreboding in the shadows. It's a slightly alien figure in the guise of a familiar object and i immediately got your connection between the human and the authority. The human adds to the pic because the theme is about the authority of the object over the human, not merely about its scale.(y)

PS I like your borders

I like to look at your work because it dispalys thought and creativity combined with a technical know how to get the shot right.
 
Thanks Allan and Alan. I can see both points of view re the person in shot, and it makes me glad to see differing reactions to my photos; if there was no disagreement they'd be twee greetings cards!!
 
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I am SO sorry that I've hardly commented on anyone else's work this week, especially as I've had so many nice, helpful comments on mine. I'm afraid it's just not felt like a priority this week:

We had to have our beautiful retriever Rosie put to sleep on Tuesday, and it rather takes the wind out of your sails. In some ways it feels like a relief because at 12 she was deteriorating rapidly, and it was horrible seeing her struggle, the vet was lovely, and it was done at home where she just went to sleep very very peacefully. We're very confident it was the right thing to do for her, but it was very hard telling my daughters who are away at uni, because they've grown up with her and had no chance to say goodbye.

So please forgive a bit of self centredness, but for no particular theme at all, here's a couple of shots of her taken in January, when she was still well enough to play on the beach, and one from last year the way she'd like to be remembered; covered in mud!!:


20120107-134752.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr


20120107-134236.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr


IMG_0900 by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
:hug: Oh many gentle hugs for you and your family :hug:

I remember losing my cat at 15 years old, they're part of the family and will always be missed :crying:

Southdowns said:
So please forgive a bit of self centredness, but for no particular theme at all, here's a couple of shots of her taken in January, when she was still well enough to play on the beach, and one from last year the way she'd like to be remembered; covered in mud!!:

It's your thread, self centredness is allowed!

Love the photos, particularly one and two.

:hug: I'm off to find some tissues :crying:
 
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