jeangenie's 52 for 2009 - Week 26 Night

jeangenie

jeangenie

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Jean
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Wk 1 Reflections, Wk 2 History, Wk 3 Learning, Wk 4 Surprise, Wk 5 Opposites, Wk 6 Special, Wk 7 Crowds, Wk8 Wealth, Wk 9 Identity, Wk 10 Wisdom, Wk 11 Relationships, Wk 12 Poverty, Wk 13 Up, Wk 14 Letter, Wk 15 Duo, Wk 16 Longing, Wk 17 Dark, Wk 18 Simple, Wk 19 Linear, Wk 20 Emotion, Wk 21 Complex, Wk 22 Time, Wk 23 Inspiration, Wk 24 Development, Wk 25 Freedom, Wk 26 Night


Started off well with a bright idea, then accidentally clicked on another 52-er's shot and there it was - almost identical, and better. grrr.

Plan B: Cute ikkle doggy gazing into dressing table mirror. Problem: neither of our dogs would co-operate, not even when I dabbed dog food on the mirror.

Bring on Plan C and Treats (like cookies to us :D) - oh and Mr JG as dog trainer/props handler/and tog's assistant. And another mirror.

So this is Week 1: Clyde (dog) sitting on bed, reflected in mirror, reflected in mirror.

DSC_0565LR.jpg


What I've learned so far:

1 It's very hard to get the focus right. Do you focus on the subject, the reflection or the whole lot. I "solved" the problem by not quite nailing it anywhere. :bonk:

2 Dog food dabbed on a mirror is hard to remove. :bonk:

3 All thoughts of composition and lighting become secondary to keeping yourself out of shot. :bonk:

4 Clyde has a very short attention span unless food is clearly evident.

5 Reward dog trainer/props handler/tog's assistant with coffee and cookies.

6 Check you haven't run out of coffee before doing 5. :bonk:

7 Controlling the positions of 2 mirrors which move at the slightest touch is a 'mare. :bang:

I'm open to any sort of C & C. It seemed like a good idea at the time but I didn't expect quite so many problems, but for me the whole idea of this 52 is to take the theme for the week and have fun with it and hopefully learn something from it as well.

Thanks for looking - and I promise not to write an essay evey week. :)

Jean
 
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What a good idea!! I like it, although I think i find the flowers on the left hand side a little distracting...well executed though, sounds like it was a bit of a challenge!! and good on you starting a 52 :)
 
Nice shot Jean.
 
Reflection of a Reflection of a Dog Reflecting over food, great idea :clap:

I like the image, I don't know if it would be better in Portrait and cropped close to just the dressing table mirror. Good start though, I hope you're looking forward to the next theme (check back later today - my GF will be drawing it later)
 
I like the idea, and having just tried the 2 mirror thing myself know it's a 'mare! It's a good start though, and there's nothing wrong with an essay every week :). I've actually copied your 'things I've learned so far' as I think it's a great way of looking back over the year and remembering what you've learned/achieved. So thanks for that :clap: and good luck for the next 51
 
SimonTALM said:
I like the image, I don't know if it would be better in Portrait and cropped close to just the dressing table mirror.
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Thanks Simon. I tried a portrait crop, but it was quite tight and I wasn't convinced that the framed mirror then looked like a mirror - but I think you're right.

Bruja said:
I like the idea, and having just tried the 2 mirror thing myself know it's a 'mare! It's a good start though, and there's nothing wrong with an essay every week :). I've actually copied your 'things I've learned so far' as I think it's a great way of looking back over the year and remembering what you've learned/achieved. So thanks for that :clap: and good luck for the next 51
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Thanks Bruja - I'll try and keep up the 'things I've learned', although I think some weeks it could well be "don't do silly things like committing yourself to a photographic challenge" :D

Thanks for your comments - much appreciated. :)

Jean
 
Jean - two reflections for the price of one :)

A good start and I love your lessons learned :)
 
Good idea and a nice image and it was so almost amazing. Pity about the flowers, and the distractions that show in the other mirror.

A very good effort though and as you said you have learnt a lot from it so lots of positives to take forward to your next 51.
 
EdBray said:
Good idea and a nice image and it was so almost amazing. Pity about the flowers, and the distractions that show in the other mirror.

A very good effort though and as you said you have learnt a lot from it so lots of positives to take forward to your next 51.
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Thanks for the comments. Just a late Sunday night thought - if I reshoot this Week 1 pic in Week 2 (hopefully improving on it!) does it count as History? :shrug:

Jean
 
jeangenie said:
Thanks for the comments. Just a late Sunday night thought - if I reshoot this Week 1 pic in Week 2 (hopefully improving on it!) does it count as History? :shrug:

Jean
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Well that would be up to you, I am thinking of throwing a number of "reshoot" cards into the mix where if they are selected we reshoot one of the themes we've shot before to demonstrate what we've learned.
 
jeangenie said:
^^^ Thanks Simon. The suggestion was a bit toungue-in-cheek, because I'm struggling for ideas for History that aren't totally boring. But, yes, a 'reshoot' would give us a chance to assess progress (in my case, read - progress, if any' at the moment. :crying:

Jean
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Well I'm convinced it's a good idea - I've suggested the idea about putting the extra cards in the hat in the Join Us thead (themes and challenges section) feel free to add your thoughts there. I won't do it for a few weeks (so there is some improvement to show) and I'll include the idea to the bottom of next week's email asking them to input thoughts. If there is a majority thinking its a good idea we'll have a number of reshoot cards in the hat.
 
It's been a long week, here goes.

The photo is of Rufus Stone, a local landmark in the New Forest (Hampshire). It commemorates the death of King William II, known as William Rufus because of his hair colour and complexion.

William I, his Dad, had commandeered the area known as the New Forest as his personal hunting ground by inclosing it (fencing it off, I guess) and chucking out the locals who used it as common land to graze their animals. William II didn't see any reason to change things and was generally not very well liked by the locals. However, he was out hunting with his mates in August 1100 when he was hit by an arrow shot by Sir Walter Tyrrel. The arrow had bounced off an oak tree, allegedly. It was never determined whether this was an accident or an assassination! :eek:

A commemorative stone was placed there, but over the years it got vandalised and was encased in the present case iron three-sided structure in the photo in 1841. End of history lesson.

DSC_0644border6.jpg


Things I've learned this week:

1 Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by what look like an 'easy' subject. After all history is all over the place - and some of it only happened yesterday. :shrug: But a photograph is a neat and tidy moment frozen in time and history is a long, untidy, multi-stranded continuum.

2 I don't know anything about history.

3 It's not easy to photography something you know nothing about.

4 Bright ideas don't always work. The Rufus Stone has 3 sides and I wanted to show them all in some way. It didn't work. :crying:

5 In the spirit of wanting to learn something every week I had the bright idea of improving the presention of the boring piccy. Many hours and dozens attempts later I added a border Doh

6 A boring picture with a border is still a boring picture.

7 The wording on the stone isn't very clear. I should keep my mind on what I'm doing instead of playing about with borders. :bonk:

Thanks for looking. I promise not to write an essay next week. Errrm, that sounds familiar :LOL:

C & C very welcome. :)

Jean
 
Interesting bit of history there, something I didn't know so thank you for educating me this morning. I know what you mean by the "easy subject" comment - I've been having a nightmare this week.

I think your shot is great technically, and is clear that it is portraying history. Well done with playing with the border - I find it surprising how the right border can really lift an otherwise average photo so a definitely worthwhile skill to have. Rather than saying the shot is boring I would prefer to suggest think that the composition it's a bit academic (as in I would expect to see that shot in a History Text Book). To make the photo more artistically interesting did you think about moving in and capturing things a bit closer with a wider angle and wide aperture (e.g. f2.8) so you could get the text sharp (perhaps filling the frame at the bottom left) and the tree behind very out of focus (framing the image on the top and right).

Good effort, are you looking forward to the next theme :)
 
Whoever wrote the history appears to have wanted a particular story to tell... glanced off the tree and stuck in his chest killing him instantly... Hmmm... very iffy.

However, I like the way you've portrayed it, the tree in the background makes sense of the sign and helps tell the story. I think the sign might be a little too central, and I think I'd have taken the scissors to it, to bring the sign lower and leftwards, but then I tend to have to crop a lot of shots as 250mm isn't long enough for the birds I shoot in the garden and I guess it can get to be a bit of a habit ;).

Well done on a tough theme (y)
 
Words are clear enough to me Jean and a good interpretation of the theme (this history lark is getting educational :))

I like the way the tree is framing the stone !

And I love your lessons learned - they raised a smile or two here :)

2 down 50 to go :)
 
SimonTALM said:
- I've been having a nightmare this week.

To make the photo more artistically interesting did you think about moving in and capturing things a bit closer with a wider angle and wide aperture (e.g. f2.8) so you could get the text sharp (perhaps filling the frame at the bottom left) and the tree behind very out of focus (framing the image on the top and right).

Good effort, are you looking forward to the next theme :)
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Thanks for your kind comments, Simon. I hope your nightmare turns into sweet dreams, followed by a sun-blessed dawn. :)

I'm disappointed with my effort because I wanted to show all three sides of the stone on a watermark-like background of close-up text. If that makes sense.

I photographed all three sides and did a close up (below) but my PS skills weren't up to the finished effect and I bailed out in the end. So something for my 'to learn' list when I've got a bit more time. :LOL:

Yes, I'm looking forward to Week 3's topic - with a little bit of trepidation, but despite the frustrations it really is an excellent challenge

jgs001 said:
Whoever wrote the history appears to have wanted a particular story to tell... glanced off the tree and stuck in his chest killing him instantly... Hmmm... very iffy.

However, I like the way you've portrayed it, the tree in the background makes sense of the sign and helps tell the story. I think the sign might be a little too central, and I think I'd have taken the scissors to it, to bring the sign lower and leftwards, but then I tend to have to crop a lot of shots as 250mm isn't long enough for the birds I shoot in the garden and I guess it can get to be a bit of a habit ;).

Well done on a tough theme (y)
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Thanks John for kind comments. Yes it was a very iffy piece of history and I think Sir Walter Tyrrell was French - mmmm - and this was only 34 years after 1066. :cautious:

I tried a few crops (this is just a 'central' one) but didn't find one I liked and then justified this by thinking it included a tree to help with the story. If you'd like a play with it, I'd be delighted.

Dark Star said:
Words are clear enough to me Jean and a good interpretation of the theme (this history lark is getting educational )

I like the way the tree is framing the stone !

And I love your lessons learned - they raised a smile or two here :)

2 down 50 to go :)
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Thank you John. I did feel a bit like I was preparing lesson notes when I wrote my post! I'll be stating Aims and Objectives next!


This is the close-up I wanted to use at reduced opacity for a background.

DSC_0662border.jpg



Thanks for all the interest and help

Jean
 
Don't you just hate when your imagination outstrips you ability to operate a camera or a computer... happens to me all the time:bonk:. It's an interesting subject and I'm sure there are many more images to be had.

I like SimonTALMS idea would be worth a try.

Good start and good luck with the next 50(y)
 
Thanks for the history lesson and over all a good effort,I think we have all found that the history subject was much harder then we thought.:LOL:

It's so true that a idea is so much more of a challenge to get on to paper/screen. That's why I'm enjoying this so much now..makes you think :thinking:
 
2 great shots there (y) the lessons learned will really help you to seee what you have learned in a years time :)
 
I love the dog shot, very cute! Do you know what kind of dog that is? It looks like a smaller version of my old dog :)

I like that you're doing the "things I've learned" - May have to start that myself!

I think the second picture would have looked a bit better with a slightly wider aperature just to blur the tree behind it a little more :) I like the colours in the shot though.
 
I must have missed seeing this one last week.

So firstly, your reflections photo is great, really sharp and well put together......... and please can I steal Clyde, he is gorgeous.

I also really like your History shot, very interesting story as well, the writing is very clear. I also like the way the tree frames the plaque.
 
Spartacus said:
I think we have all found that the history subject was much harder then we thought.:LOL:


:
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I don't want to wish suffering on people - but I'm so glad I'm not alone. :D


Toothie said:
the lessons learned will really help you to seee what you have learned in a years time :)
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OMG - I do hope so. Just imagine looking back and finding I've not learned anything at all. :eek:

jamlid said:
I love the dog shot, very cute! Do you know what kind of dog that is? It looks like a smaller version of my old dog :)


I think the second picture would have looked a bit better with a slightly wider aperature just to blur the tree behind it a little more :) I like the colours in the shot though.
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The dog is a Yorkshire Terrier. We've got 2. They're very, very small and most poeple think of them with very long coats and a red ribbon in their hair. Ours are more of your actual bruisers with grade 2 haircuts and a need for an hour's run in the Forest every day. They come home covered in mud, but very happy. Hence the grade 2s. :LOL:

I totally agree with the second picture needing a wider aperture. I took it with the intention of just cutting out the actual stone so didn't think about the background. Doh! Ah well, another lesson learned - cover all bases. :D

Thanks to you all for your comments - they're much appreciated. :)

Jean
 
I'm not very happy with this on many levels but I don't think I'll have time to reshoot it tomorrow. :(

For many years I spent a lot of time thinking about learning (I was a teacher) and one of the contrasts that struck me was the difference between learning a knowledge-based subject and learning a skill. I taught both in the form of Business (knowledge) and Shorthand, Typing - later Word Processing and IT - all skills. Teaching (and hopefully learning) skill-based subjects was always more fun. Progress was clearly measured, documented and rewarded. This was especially true in Shorthand. I'd learned Pitman shorthand at College and later taught that system. Then along came Teeline. It was easy, quick to learn and fairly logical. I took a deep breath and started on my Teeline journey. It was rather like learning a second language and my 'native' shorthand would find its way in to my Teeline from time to time. But it was worth the effort. Students enjoyed learning it - they would know how to write their names in shorthand by the end of the first lesson! Progress indeed.

It crossed my mind that learning Teeline for me, was very like switching from film 35mm/medium format to digital. There's much that's familiar, but a lot of new stuff to learn. And I still sometimes find myself thinking 'film' instead of 'digital', just as I sometimes randomly switch between the 2 shorthands.

So my image this week is shorthand with a word processed transcription (translation) on the computer screen in the background.

I decided to use a tripod (hate, hate, hate) and natural light indoors.


DSC_1000LR.jpg



Things I've learned this week:

1 When inspiration doesn't come early in the week life gets a bit hectic.

2 If I want to shoot indoors in January using natural light I've got to start before 3 pm. I ended up having to use flash because it went dark. :bang:

3 To get a reasonable balance between light on the page of the notebook and the brightness of the computer screen was a 'mare.

4 There was very little room to arrange the notebook so that the writing was visible. This restricted the use of light.

5 The best place for the tripod would have meant moving 2 beds.

6 I couldn't get the screen far enough away from the notebook to have the notebook sharp and the screen slightly blurred but still legible.

7 This is yet another candidate for reshooting. :bang:

8 I'm NOT going to promise to be brief next week. After all, I haven't managed it yet. :naughty:


Your C & C are very welcome and much appreciated. I'd particularly like help with balancing the brightness of the notebook and the screen, if anyone has suggestions.

Thanks for looking. :)


Jean
 
What an entertaining post! A great read and a great image that meets the brief in a personal way! Never heard of Teeline so thats an education in itself! And I love your film/digital analogy :)

Your learning point 5 made me laugh out loud :)

If had to change anything on the image Jean it would be the strength or contrast of the script which looks (on my screen) a little too faint (once again that could be my eyes :D)

Good shot!

I will panic tomorrow as per your point 1 :D
 
Dark Star said:
If had to change anything on the image Jean it would be the strength or contrast of the script which looks (on my screen) a little too faint (once again that could be my eyes :D)


I will panic tomorrow as per your point 1 :D
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Thanks for your kind comments, John. I was disappointed the shorthand wasn't clearer - it looked very clear in PS before I reduced the resolution - but that was my main problem thoughout - keeping the writing clear - and I would have liked the screen to be a bit softer.

You will wake up in the morning with an inspiration of your Learning shot. Promise. :)


Jean
 
Hi Jean,

Been meaning to look for your 52 for a while seeing as how you've been so kind on mine.

I love the idea behind week 1, you may not be happy with it but seeing as how i struggle with imagining scenes like this I think your most of the way there.

This weeks is also an excellent idea, with regards to balancing the monitors brightness.... did you think of trying to turn it down via the monitors controls? I may be thinking far too simply and I'm sure someone will be able to tell me why it wont work but it seems a logical thing to try...?

Chris
 
Interesting stuff, i never knew there was more than one type of shorthand. The other way to make the text a might bolder would have been to use a felt pen so the lines were a bit thicker.
 
dogyakker said:
Hi Jean,


with regards to balancing the monitors brightness.... did you think of trying to turn it down via the monitors controls?
Chris
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Thanks for your kind comments Chris. I find it fascinating to see how other people have responded to each theme, and it's becoming somewhat addictive for me. :D

I did turn the monitor brightness down (after quite a while!) but tbh, it didn't make a great deal of difference, because it was getting darker in the room and the screen seemed correspondingly brighter. If that makes sense?

Toothie said:
Interesting stuff, i never knew there was more than one type of shorthand. The other way to make the text a might bolder would have been to use a felt pen so the lines were a bit thicker.
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There are actually lots of different shorthands, but in the uk Pitman and Teeline are the most widely used. I should have tried a thicker pen :bonk: The writing would have then been larger - a win-win - just didn't think of it! The man who invented Teeline in the 1970s said it was designed in the age of the deisel train to be written with a biro, and Pitman was designed in the age of the steam train to be written with a fountain pen, although I always used a very sharp pencil. Felt tips for shorthand just never occurred to me. I'll try it if I reshoot this one. Thank you kindly, Ruth. :)
 
Good shot there - you've balanced the monitor with the surroundings and the pad nicely.

Shorthand always amazes me, it is (In my mind) a totally different language and yet my wife can read it and (much more slowyly now) write it still. Hardly ever gets used these days though!
 
jeangenie said:
Felt tips for shorthand just never occurred to me. I'll try it if I reshoot this one. Thank you kindly, Ruth. :)
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I like the idea but also think the shorthand is a bit faint. Only problem with felt tips is that - well you just wouldn't normally write short hand in them (in my mind anyway) so it might look a bit odd.

If you were to re-shoot I think fountain pen would be the way forward - although if you are anything like me you will end up with ink EVERYWHERE!

Good idea though - I like how you've interpreted the theme (y)
 
Another good subject...:clap:

I like to way you give your photo's that extra bit of quality with your story telling...

always a pleasure to see your stuff..(y)
 
Oh, no, another apology to make :LOL:. I seem to have missed so many posts last week and your History shot was one of them.

I really like your history shot and the way the tree frames the subject, and as I've said before I love your learning points, especially the one about moving 2 beds - if only we had studios instead of hallways and bits of bedroom space life would be much easier :D

I can see the writing quite clearly on my laptop but to balance the colour on the screen you could have tried changing the text colour to grey? It comes to mind that this would also have fit the history brief (y):clap:
 
Good image for the brief, I agree with you about the notebook - just a tad too bright but I don't know how you could reduce that without making the rest too dark. I only had to move one bed.:LOL:
 
RichardtheSane said:
Shorthand always amazes me, it is (In my mind) a totally different language and yet my wife can read it and (much more slowyly now) write it still. Hardly ever gets used these days though!
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Thanks for looking Richard. Shorthand's so useful. I use it for mintues of meetings (not too many of those these days, though!), shopping lists, phone messages all sorts of things. I eventually stopped using it to fill in cheque book stubs on our joint account after sustained protests from Mr JG. :LOL: What system does your wife write?

Daysleeper40 said:
I like the idea but also think the shorthand is a bit faint. Only problem with felt tips is that - well you just wouldn't normally write short hand in them (in my mind anyway) so it might look a bit odd.

If you were to re-shoot I think fountain pen would be the way forward - although if you are anything like me you will end up with ink EVERYWHERE!
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Thanks for your comments, Daysleeper - much appreciated.

No, I would never use a felt tip for shorthand in the normal way, but I used to when I had to prepare OHP transparancies for class use, and using chalk or dry markers isn't ideal either. It was harder with Pitman, trying to show thick and thin strokes.

I haven't got a shorthand pen, but that would have done the trick - never thought about it. I get ink everywhere, too.:D

davekiddle said:
Where abouts in the New Forest are you?
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Thank you for your kind comments, dave. I'm in Brockenhurst. Whereabouts are you in Soton?

Spartacus said:
Another good subject...

I like to way you give your photo's that extra bit of quality with your story telling...

always a pleasure to see your stuff..(y)
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Thank you kindly, sir. :)

Bruja said:
and as I've said before I love your learning points, especially the one about moving 2 beds - if only we had studios instead of hallways and bits of bedroom space life would be much easier :D

I can see the writing quite clearly on my laptop but to balance the colour on the screen you could have tried changing the text colour to grey? It comes to mind that this would also have fit the history brief (y):clap:
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Thank you for your kind comments Jill. I think the main thing I'm getting from my learning points at the moment is that I need better planning. I rush into a shoot without thinking it through. I want also get to improve my photography but I can see that at the moment, just getting the planning right will help. :)

Typically, I didn't think about changing the text to grey which would have helped with the 'feel' I envisaged. I turned down the brightness on the screen, but it didn't help.

Graulges said:
Good image for the brief, I agree with you about the notebook - just a tad too bright but I don't know how you could reduce that without making the rest too dark. I only had to move one bed.:LOL:
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Thank you Graulges. Only one bed - you lightweight. :LOL:




Jean
 
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