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

Cheers Guys :)

DK, the blood is done using "replace colour" in Pixelmator. There's more detail just after the image. If you mean overall how did I do the shot, then it's my hand, plus ketchup, plus a low temperature WB brushed onto my hand to give it that blue "been dead a while" look!!!
Nice one... works well :)

The border/frame:

- Increase the canvas size to accommodate the frame all around.

- Fill the new frame with white (It'll be transparent to start with).

- Select the frame using the magic wand tool, then paste it twice as two new layers, both above the original image (so thinking of it as a stack of papers, you have the image on the bottom, then a white cut out border, then another white cut out border).

- Select the middle layer, and fill the white with black. Turn the top layer off first if you want to see the middle one go black.

- Apply gaussian blur to the middle layer to create the shadow effect.

- Move the middle layer down/up/left/right a bit if you want it to look as if the light isn't from directly in front.

- Merge all layers.

Easy peasy eh? :)
Ohh... :thinking:

So not pressing 'Add Border' button then :D
 
Hi Mark, I don't mind the triptych, but I think individually they're all good shots ESPECIALLY the Vulcan :notworthy: spvcxffcbv vg -/:(;)"pq🐶⛄⛄🌙⚡🌀🐺🐧

🔞

Marsha, have you finally lost it? I understood up to the (deeply appreciated) worship, but after that I have no idea what on earth you're on about!!!!

But thank you anyway :)

Mmmmm, this is what happens when you're half way through replying and put your phone down for a minute with the app open, then your lovely daughter decides to 'play on mummies phone' while I'm not looking and add all the funky icons she can:bonk::puke::banana:

Just stop after the Vulcan not worthy bit!!!

Now I'm off to find my straight jacket!
 
Hi Mark :wave:

I quite like the tryptich of the 3 planes but #1 & 3 are definate winners for me , lovely sky in both & great silhouettes , very moody indeed & both would look great framed :clap::clap: I noticed when you reposted these 2 image you flipped the Vulcan....works better for me in it's original position...dunno why , It just does (y)
 
Thanks Everyone!

Lynne, I actually flipped the Vulcan shot for the triptych because I wanted it to balance with the top shot (one with plane on left, one with plane on right), so the single shot is the "correct" one :)

I'm on holiday in Austria this week. I will be getting my shot for duo, but probably won't be posting much.
 
Now I'm off to find my straight jacket!

Marsha, you're not allowed to put children in straight jackets, at least not without completing lots of forms and a risk assessment.
 
Thanks all. I'm back now ( :( ), and we had a fantastic time.

So here's a slightly self indulgent submission for duo. The holiday was to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary, and this photo kind of sums up how, even after all that time, Mandy and me still do everything as a duo! In fact the proof of that is in the shot itself; it was Mandy's idea, with my execution!


W37 - Duo.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr

More pictures from Austria here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/southdownspics/sets/72157631550738150/, including loads I could have used for flow! It's a highly recommended place to visit, which needs far more than the week we had to explore. We really should do a TP meet there!
 
Hi Mark, glad you had a good holiday, and (a belated) happy anniversary too. A great idea for the shot, and you've handled it well. I like it.
 
as usual a really good image well executed simple but really works DK is right you could sell them with that
 
Cracking shot. I really do like this. It sums up a good walk or holiday. The use of the water in the background adds to the story. Full marks on this one.
 
Hi mark....took a peek at your holiday images...what a fab place to visit....& congrats to you n Mandy on your anniversary (y)

I love this image.....you've taken a relatively mundane item(pair of to be precise) & created a great image with it...the background really completes the picture....wouldn't look out of place in a magazine :clap: Well done to Mandy for suggesting the shot as well (y)
 
Thank you people :)

Well, back from holiday followed very quickly by a work trip (don't ask; I don't want to talk about it!!!!), and time to catch up with the last three themes:

Flow

This is a cheat in that I took it two days before the theme was announced, in Austria, but I'm so pleased with it that I can't ignore it. I could in fact post about 6 different shots taken in Austria for this theme!

Yes, the water really is this colour :)


W38 - Flow.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr

Friendship

My daughtier and her BFF, Charlotte. Nothing beets a good old gossip!


W39 - Friendship.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr

Change

The change of seasons. This is SOOC, or at least the images are: all I've done in PP is resize them (no cropping), and put them in a frame to make the tryptic.

My goal was to capture the autumn colours beginning to show in the leaves, along with the low autumn sunlight. It was tough getting the flarey high key look without completely blowing them out and losing all the colour (something that could be recovered in PP), but I think it worked; the results are what I was after.


W40 - Changeing Season.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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excellent flow and friendship is a lovely portrait of the girls. not sure about the high key aspect of the leaves, just been out doing something pretty much the same but got nothing I am happy with so well done so much better than my attempts (y)
 
'ello.

Flow, I like the pano, good detail and movement. Seems to have a slight blue cast on my laptop, but I have to say, I like it.

Friendship, good choice of B&W and well composed. Holding hands would be the icing. Liking how your daughter's head is inclined.

Change, not sure, left and right photographs are over exposed and a lot of the detail has been lost.

Cheers and welcome back. (y)
 
Hi Mark :wave:
I haven't been around posting much apologies.
Duo, I really like this one the detail you've picked out in the boots is fantastic. Do I detect a subtle HDR? If so, you've done a great job on it.

Flow, this reminds me of when I was in Switzerland a number of years ago. The colour of the water is something else, very vibrant and so photogenic. I like this one too, the low perspective you've taken really draws the viewer in I feel. Obviously bang on theme, and well worthy of a large print as a wall hanger?

Friendship, as has been said, some great portraiture here. The incline of the youngster on the lefts head works really well with the composition. The B&W conversion has been handled well, but, I get the feeling there is a lot of colour in there and perhaps would suit the subject(s) better. IMHO.

Change, I get your thinking behind this but am not too sure about the execution. The outer images I feel are too over exposed. They perhaps needed more leaf cover with the sun shining through a little less.

Iain
 
Hi Mark, welcome back :wave:

Flow, beautiful, I don't blame you for using that shot(y) I want to go there!

Friendship, this is about the only idea I had for this theme:nuts: Alas I couldn't get anything as good as this! Love the composition and the mono treatment too.

Change, yup, autumn wins this theme! I was about to say the leaves are a little soft but then noticed it's your SOOC shot, plus they're straight into sunlight which is bloody difficult for the camera to cope with! Personally I really like the bright over exposed shots as I get where you're coming from, the last throes of warmth against the colours of the autumnal leaves (y)

Well done on catching up so quickly (y)
 
Hi Mark


Friendship....I think I'm liking this image... (kid's ain't my thing ) ,mono works for me as I have a suspiscion that the colors would be a little over powering . Possibly a little more light on the rh girl's face ? But then I know nothing about portrait type stuff so ignore me as I'm probably talking rubbish :LOL:

Flow.....super, stunning view , great POV ,print it , frame it & get it on a wall matey :clap::clap:

Change / SOOC...you don't make life easy do you...shooting in to the sun :bonk: Of the 3 images I like the far right on , very soft colors , possibly a little movement in a gentle autumn breeze & a nice high key effect (y)
Would be good to see your edited version of the same shots as well ?
 
Flow is lovely, and I really like the POV and the water... there's something about it... not sure quite what... I find a bit niggly... I think it might be the bright triangle at the top, other wise, top notch

Friendship, a lovely portrait of the pair of them, having a good old chat. bang on for the theme

Change, nothing like making life seriously difficult for yourself... it works, although, I prefer the image on the right
 
Hi Mark

Flow - very good pov, composition and colour. Good example of the genre of shot

Friendship - spot on. good use of mono and the subjects really do have that air of interested friendship with each other. Lovely touch of holding the toy animals.

Change - good attempt at the theme and SOOC. Like the comp with the outer two pointing into the centre and the different colours. Over exposure is probably just a bit too much to get the effect that you went for.
 
Cheers all :)

Flow is a bit generic it's true, but I love it!

Friendship was shot in jpeg and B&W but isn't quite SOOC; it's been cropped, a slight vignette has been added, and the clarity has been increased a little. Colour wouldn't have worked anything like as well I think; there's something about B&W that says candid in a way colour never seems to.

I am pleased with Change the way it's come out, especially as I'm not normally precious about SOOC. It IS overexposed, but that's what I wanted, and I do think it conveys a mood that way, especially the centre and right hand images, more than a "correctly" exposed shot would.

That said, reducing the exposure in LR does deliver some very nice results, so perhaps knowing I wasn't allowed to use LR I should have bracketed the shots. It's just that bracketing felt as much against the spirit of SOOC as LR does, because isn't the point to demonstrate that you can use the camera purposefully to get the shot you want? Bracketing introduces an element of trial and error that seems to contradict that.

Here's the right hand shot as I'd have PP'd it. It's better technically, but it doesn't have the same mood. It has a mood, but not the one I was after ;)

Below that is my reserve shot for friendship, again shot in B&W. I don't know these lads, but I think it loses out only because the one on the right is looking away from the camera (plus maybe needing a little more light on the lads to separate them from the background a bit more).


W40 Change 2.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr


W39 Friendship 2.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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Welcome back Mark. Hope you had a good holiday

Flow – I like this lovely colours and a nice crop on this one

Friendship – Great picture and capture. I don’t think it matters they aren’t looking down the lens in the traditional way as you’ve caught a really natural moment between the two.

Change – Nice triptych with three related images which are pleasing to the eye with the high key style.
 
Hey Mark... good to see you back :)

Flow - Love it, great colour, really like the low pov (y)

Friendship - Nice focus on both of them, liking the cuddly toys in the shot, a real good feel to it as a whole !!!!

Change - Tough one this, considering no pp I like what you have achieved, would be nice to see a pp'd version too :)

Well done for catching up..... Fukker :D
 
Flow, very nice, good composition, lovely light and colours in there.

Friendship, I think this is a stunning pic Mark, b+w conversion looks great, a very well timed photograph and much preferred over the 2nd one.

Change, Like the triptych, actually I really like how bright the pics are, I can feel the sun coming through.
 
wow how have I missed all these?

duo - absolutely love it :clap: I love hiking too so it's close to my heart :)

flow - lovely shot, the colours are lovely and bright

friendship - I like the one with the girls best, deep in conversation :clap:

change - the trip isn't really doing it for me (not crit tho, just opinion) but I do like the solo one, the blur from the wind really makes it I think :)
 
Thanks everyone :)

It's been manic at work, so I've not been around much :(

I'm going to call a joker on Natural for now, but will try to get it shot before the end of the year. I'm also going to make a concerted effort to get some commenting done over the next couple of days, but in the meantime, here goes Age. My idea was an aged flower, with a faded memory of youth in the background.

Comments very very welcome please :)


W42 - Age; Memories of Youth.jpg by MarkBerry1963, on Flickr
 
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I love that :) the lighting is perfect, and the background to add to the theme - well done :clap:
 
Lovely creative idea Mark and well executed too.
I too like the colours and detail you've captured here.
My only observation would be that maybe the front flower could have been positioned on the right hand side so as the flower in full bloom would be more visible. I feel the yellow parts of the flower overlapping are a little busy. IMHO
 
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