Personal 52 project. So far... Sparrow hawk, tannery, studio and more..

S-Letten

S-Letten

Messages
483
Name
Sammy
Edit My Images
Yes
I am going to try and complete a personal 52 project. My aim is to take my camera with me and go out after work (as i finish at 4) at least every other day :) Im trying to improve on my photographic skills and think this could help me.

Any comments and criticism welcome.

I currently have a canon 5D MK II, canon 400D, 50mm 1.8, 18-55mm kit lens for 400D and 24-70 2.8mm. As well as canon 430EX flash :)

Im hopefully going to university in september so gonna get lots of practice in and scrape up on some knowledge. I hope you enjoy my thread.
 
Last edited:
Week one and two. Sledging with my sister and her friend on our road.

1.
5357968819_20aeec4ac9_b.jpg


Week two.

2.
5357970831_5dcc32a959_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
I take it u sledged week 1 and week 2?

I liked all your shots... They show great promise for a beginner. Cant really crit them much! The sledging ones could have done with a faster shutter speed which would have been hard in the dark... And maybe a tighter crop.

On t car pics... I def much prefer the second pic... More detail and colour.

I have to say for a beginner you have some top notch kit! Im assuming its someones you borrow as to buy all that for starting off would be mental!

Looking forward to seeing your pics through the year.

Mark
 
Hiya Sammy,

Your thread caught my eye, so I thought I would pop in for a peek.

A great start to your project and good luck.

I take it your first two weeks are the two sleging images, and taken earlier in the year when there was heavy snow. I like the way you tried to caputure the motion and the expression, but think the focus is slightly off. Also, the lighting perhaps not quite right as the snow looks a tad brownish/orange. But something to work on.

I like your second image of week 3 because of the DOF and the detail you have captured, that looks like a groovy set of wheels.

I'm not too keen on the first image of week 3, think it has to do with the white line on the road, the car on the left, the OOF background and the reflection ont he side of car and windscreen that all seem to distract from the actual subject.

Indeed you do seem to have a lot of very expensive kit for someone starting out, nothing wrong with that if you can afford it.

Good luck with your studies later in the year. I too am making enquiries about a course, looking at either a diploma or degree in photography. But I think the best knowledge you can gain is from posting here on TP and learning from the comments and feedback from fellow members.

I look forward to seeing more of you work.

BTW are you going to be setting yourself particular themes for your 52, or is it going to be a random, what comes to mind type of approach?

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Thankyou Mark and Dawn :)

The kit is all my own. I used to have a 400D, and used a friends 5D MKII, and couldn't go back to using the 400D. So i upgraded :LOL:

The sledging were weeks one and two as i quite liked these and they were the most recent photographs i have, that i think are good enough. I took them december 21st. These were my first proper attempt with my 5D MK II, which is why the focus is slightly off i think. I had a few problems with it first of all, so i played with the settings and it seems to be ok now. And the brown and orange is from the streetlight, and also the flash. I know i shouldn't of used it, but i couldn't get any good shots with out it!

The car show was really great fun :) All arranged by my boyfriend. Some of the cars there were unreal. Im going to post a thread up in the transport section with some more images if your interested in looking.

I think im just going to do a Random 52. Setting myself topics will probably result in me not doing it. So im going to leave it open.

Thanks again for looking!

Sammy
 
Last edited:
One is simply jealous... I wish I had had such good kit to learn with... It was a retro pentad k1000 film camera for me that my grandad gave me and taught me with... Biggest mistake of my life on reflection though was selling it on eBay about ten years ago when I decided to buy a film eos3 and needed to raise cash... For sentimental reasons so wish I'd kept it... I used it for ten years and it's what I learnt my hobby with! It was a real photographers camera... Fully manual!

Anyway... I started this year doing a personal 52 but soon changed to the themes... They pose such an extra challenge and it's really fun each week thinking up something interesting to shoot... It's up to you though!

Defo keen to see how your pics progress and I'll try to crit your work.

Mark
 
markelliot said:
One is simply jealous... I wish I had had such good kit to learn with... It was a retro pentad k1000 film camera for me that my grandad gave me and taught me with... Biggest mistake of my life on reflection though was selling it on eBay about ten years ago when I decided to buy a film eos3 and needed to raise cash... For sentimental reasons so wish I'd kept it... I used it for ten years and it's what I learnt my hobby with! It was a real photographers camera... Fully manual!

Anyway... I started this year doing a personal 52 but soon changed to the themes... They pose such an extra challenge and it's really fun each week thinking up something interesting to shoot... It's up to you though!

Defo keen to see how your pics progress and I'll try to crit your work.

Mark
Click to expand...

I would have kept it if i was you, but whats done is done and you still have the memory of your grandad teaching you, and hopefully the images! :)

I will see how it goes, i may change my mind. I am also entering the photographer of the year. This is more my challenge. Really struggling on the theme for february though! Oh dear.

I will take a look at your 52 :)

Sammy
 
Yeh that is true... But I do regret it... I don't normally have regrets but that is one!

What's the photographer of the year comp... Is that on here too? May be tempted to give that a go too if it's not to late to enter

Thanks for the interest in my 52!
 
No problem!

It shouldn't be too late to enter. Im not entirely sure, just a competition. But i think that the best picture from each month may go towards there calender. Though don't quote me on that as i may have just made it up. I no that the best photograph gets picked each month, and then the person with the highest amount of votes at the end of the year gets a prize.

It is one picture a month, but must be taken between certain dates, and must be linked to the theme. You can still enter for January, feb has also started! Its under the competitions section!

Sammy
 
Wow! Lovein the first car pic. Really sharp and crisp image, the colour is really vibrant too. Love my cars, so a totally biased view point LOL
 
So i've been shooting a small project, for Falmouth uni, to help them decide if i will get an interview. It had to be based on my hometown, 8 images, 4 of which had to be portraits. Colyton tannery is also the only traditional oak bark tanner remaining in Britain. These are my favourite two.

2-1.jpg



3.jpg


I dropped my camera, so have been off as well trying to sort that out. I managed to get the lens fixed on the warranty. Just got it back. All insured and sorted now (y)
 
Last edited:
The tannery shots seem to have a green cast. Was it shot under flouresent tubes?
 
Hiya Sammy,

Week 4, I like this one, lighting and composition are spot on for me, nice detail captured.

Week 5, I like this one also, I do think it would be better if there was more light on the person on the left hand side, I feel he is lost a bit to much into the shadows.

Week 6, The black and white certainly suits the subject very well indeed. I also think your use of dof is very good on it also.
(y)
 
michael23 said:
Hiya Sammy,

Week 4, I like this one, lighting and composition are spot on for me, nice detail captured.

Week 5, I like this one also, I do think it would be better if there was more light on the person on the left hand side, I feel he is lost a bit to much into the shadows.

Week 6, The black and white certainly suits the subject very well indeed. I also think your use of dof is very good on it also.
(y)
Click to expand...

Thankyou :)

I am really pleased with the tannery ones. They were quite difficult to capture as they were always moving around. Also i was comstantly trying to not get in there way. The boss is quite scary! And trying not to get bits of skin on my camera :puke:
 
Last edited:
Wow the detail is fab!

I have been invited to be the official tog at a Red Nose Charity event in March and they are going to have a bird display where peeps can handle the birds and have their picture taken, so any advice you have will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Thankyou.
I don't normally photograph birds, but as it was in our garden i thought i should. Photographing the event sounds good.

Im not sure about any advice. Sorry. Im still very much learning myself.
I guess take a lens which covers a good range, and take a mixture of close ups and full length portraits. Good luck :)
 
Thanks (y)

Cheers


Dawn :)
 
Sammy,
Love the Sparrow Hawk pictures, great detail and the catchlights in the eyes are great. No2 is my fav think the crop and angle work very well
 
Mentalblock said:
Go on then, I'll pass comment.

I like the 2nd VW pic, but it leaves me wanting to know more about the rest of the car.

The detail on the eye of the S/ H is good, but I'd rather all the bird was in focus.

Last comment - I'd get your cat a bell or something to give the ickle birdies a chance!
Click to expand...

Thankyou :)
Yer i have a few more of it, these were my favourite. Could of done with a few at f4 though i think.

That sounds like a very good idea (y)
 
Great shots taken and such a great opportunity to have to be so close to such a fab bird. Animals will be animals andyour cat was only being a cat... Just the trials of life i guess... But you have capitolised well whilst dealing with the injured bird appropriately... Great shots.

You seem to be slowly getting a good 52 together... And for a novice you show great potential. Keep up the great work. Look forward to the rest oc youf 52!
 
markelliot said:
Great shots taken and such a great opportunity to have to be so close to such a fab bird. Animals will be animals andyour cat was only being a cat... Just the trials of life i guess... But you have capitolised well whilst dealing with the injured bird appropriately... Great shots.

You seem to be slowly getting a good 52 together... And for a novice you show great potential. Keep up the great work. Look forward to the rest oc youf 52!
Click to expand...

Thankyou very much :)
I have some from a couple of shoots i have done recently to get up. But im doing a bit of tweaking in light room atm! Been busy with Uni applications and interviews, so im getting a bit behind with my 52!
 
So playing catch up as i have been a bit slow, as i have been caught up with university interviews and have got a bit behind.
These are a few images from my first studio shoot, which i did on Friday. It was a Red Nose day event at SW studios Exeter. I went along to see what it was like, and see if i could get some help to start me off with studio work. I also managed to get some work experience for the summer :D And met a few contacts!

I have entered my best shot into the 2011 photographer of the year 'Be still'.

5544674147_d3573825a4_b.jpg


5545237752_8f5f778756_b.jpg


5545220754_8d6f32830f_b.jpg


5544626167_647b77bb82_b.jpg


5544592023_c61294ac8b_b.jpg
 
Hi Sammy, a great set of shots. Well exposed, focussed and composed. She's a good model with some natural and relaxed posing. The lighting is nice and even, and would be great for ordinary portraits, but could be more dramatic for a subject like this.
You could probably make it pop a bit more with some gentle PP. I'd be tempted to clone out the wisp of hair across her left eye in pics 4 and 5.

Overall a good set. (y)
 
PatrickO said:
Hi Sammy, a great set of shots. Well exposed, focussed and composed. She's a good model with some natural and relaxed posing. The lighting is nice and even, and would be great for ordinary portraits, but could be more dramatic for a subject like this.
You could probably make it pop a bit more with some gentle PP. I'd be tempted to clone out the wisp of hair across her left eye in pics 4 and 5.

Overall a good set. (y)
Click to expand...

Thankyou :) I see what you mean.
In the non edits the lighting is a bit brighter, but to me it looked a tad over exposed. I was going to try and edit out the hair, though editing isn't my strong point! So i thought i would leave it, so i didnt ruin it! :LOL:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top