blakesters 52 for 2013 Week 20 "Pattern" Page 18 Post 539

[blakester]

Originally Posted by Kerioak

The pictures on your wall look interesting

Really like the colours of your Season picture and the bleak yet colourful feel it has

Hi Christine,
Are you referring to the pebble feet pictures on Marsha's wall? If yes, they are part of a series that I created, they have made more than one appearance in my 52 last year, more here Stone footprints

Thanks for the comments on season

[Kerioak]

What a lovely idea and some fabulous feet photos there, how on earth do you find so many flattish stones?

[blakester]

Originally Posted by Kerioak

What a lovely idea and some fabulous feet photos there, how on earth do you find so many flattish stones?

Thanks Christine, they are a particular favourite of mine.
Searching for suitable pebbles took much longer than taking the photographs themselves. I have spent many an enjoyable hour on the beach at Aldeburgh Suffolk searching, and to be honest I enjoyed that as much as the photography

[bensambrook]

Really like your interpretation of Season, I knew without reading the information on the image what it was and it works really well. Great stuff!

[blakester]

Originally Posted by bensambrook

Really like your interpretation of Season, I knew without reading the information on the image what it was and it works really well. Great stuff!

Cheers Ben
Its good to hear it met the brief without explanation, that doesn't happen every time. A little crowbarring into theme is not uncommon

[blakester]

Onto week 3 already. As it was a day in the house, I have opted for a still life.
My thinking with this one is centre of gravity. C&C welcome as always.


Week 3 - Gravity by iain blake, on Flickr

[Donnie]

I love it, great interpretation and very well shot with a lovely clean background!

[blakester]

Originally Posted by Donnie

I love it, great interpretation and very well shot with a lovely clean background!

Thanks Paul
Its a simple interpretation too but I am happy with it.
An early submission too, so there maybe time for a different take.

[wibbly]

Great idea, wonderful image

Food for thought too

[NickD]

Hard to crit... A very elegant image, beautifully done!

[blakester]

Originally Posted by NickD

Hard to crit... A very elegant image, beautifully done!

Thanks Nick, kind words indeed! Cheers

Originally Posted by wibbly

Great idea, wonderful image

Food for thought too

Cheers Dave

Has this given you an idea?

[wibbly]

Originally Posted by blakester

Has this given you an idea?

Well, just opened my thoughts up a bit

[posiview]

Hi, Iain, had a good look via Flickr to see if any crit. Well, none. Hmmm, another look....very slight hot spot on the egg. Wonder how one gets rid of such things in camera....

It's a very clean, well lit, composed photograph. Some cracking detail and colour on the egg. Cracking shadow as well.

Good show, and, as you say, time left for more

Cheers.

[blakester]

Originally Posted by wibbly

Well, just opened my thoughts up a bit

Nice one!

This being my 3rd 52 week challenge, I have a system or thought process when trying to come up with an idea for the weekly themes. I tend to put the theme into a phrase, I find it helps to come up with the ideas as it (for me anyway) broadens the scope.
This one for example centre of gravity, opened up quite a few possibilities of things balancing, etc

[siblingchris]

Not having anything in the way of special lighting I can't get my head around this type if shot....but it's very well done IMHO, I like how it looks almost painted

[blakester]

Originally Posted by posiview

Hi, Iain, had a good look via Flickr to see if any crit. Well, none. Hmmm, another look....very slight hot spot on the egg. Wonder how one gets rid of such things in camera....

It's a very clean, well lit, composed photograph. Some cracking detail and colour on the egg. Cracking shadow as well.

Good show, and, as you say, time left for more

Cheers.

Cheers Andy, as you said a slight hotspot on the egg but on account of not knowing how to avoid it, I am happy to live with it. There is still some detail in the hotspot so I am not too bothered.
Yes, still time for some more as you say, but they are likely to be of a similar vein to this one

[Dark Knight]

The Blakester strikes again - No crit from me mate, love your interpretation, Well set-up, well Lit Bla de Bla

[blakester]

Originally Posted by siblingchris

Not having anything in the way of special lighting I can't get my head around this type if shot....but it's very well done IMHO, I like how it looks almost painted

Hi Chris, thanks for looking/commenting.

It is lit with off camera flash.
I set the egg/spoon up on a sheet of white paper on the kitchen worktop, curved against the wall. Positioned the camera on a tripod directly in front. I handheld the flash and tried various positions until I was happy with the shadow and highlights. Cleaned the background up with levels in photoshop and some other standard tweaks, curves, saturation etc and thats it.

[blakester]

Originally Posted by Dark Knight

The Blakester strikes again - No crit from me mate, love your interpretation, Well set-up, well Lit Bla de Bla

Cheers Dean
I like your honest crit

[alsjazzera]

again no crit from me love the shadow of the spoon great exposure, I don't know how you would avoid a hotpot there, but it doesn't in the least distract from a great pic

[blakester]

Originally Posted by alsjazzera

again no crit from me love the shadow of the spoon great exposure, I don't know how you would avoid a hotpot there, but it doesn't in the least distract from a great pic

Cheers Alan, I think the hotspot is unavoidable or certainly beyond my skill set to overcome. I look at it as a compromise as to have the shadow where it is, requires lighting from above.
Thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated.

[The goblin]

Originally Posted by Dark Knight

The Blakester strikes again - No crit from me mate, love your interpretation, Well set-up, well Lit Bla de Bla

^^^What he said!

Superb as ever

Loving the drop shadow too

[blakester]

Originally Posted by The goblin

^^^What he said!

Superb as ever

Loving the drop shadow too

Thanks Marsha,
I had to get creative as it was a day in the house, so could only really go the still life route.
Yes, the drop shadow, enough said

[wibbly]

Originally Posted by blakester

It is lit with off camera flash.
I set the egg/spoon up on a sheet of white paper on the kitchen worktop, curved against the wall. Positioned the camera on a tripod directly in front. I handheld the flash and tried various positions until I was happy with the shadow and highlights. Cleaned the background up with levels in photoshop and some other standard tweaks, curves, saturation etc and thats it.

Thanks for sharing Iain

[superpippo]

Hi Iain

It's all been said. Your usual high standard and the most striking thing for me is the beautiful light and the clean, sharp handling.

[blakester]

Originally Posted by wibbly

Thanks for sharing Iain

No worries Dave, I am no expert, far from it but am happy to share how I do things.

[puckers]

Not alot to add really apart from i really like this, great clean shot and perfect on theme!

[blakester]

Originally Posted by superpippo

Hi Iain

It's all been said. Your usual high standard and the most striking thing for me is the beautiful light and the clean, sharp handling.

Sorry Allan, I missed your post earlier, must've posted at the same time.
Thanks for your comments, the lighting was ocf, trial and error on positioning. I was mainly working off the shadows and how they looked, the rest just fell into place. Cheers

Originally Posted by puckers

Not alot to add really apart from i really like this, great clean shot and perfect on theme!

Thanks, glad you like it

[Sam_W]

Nice shot, well lite and I like the shadow. Must have taken some patience to setup it up.

[blakester]

Originally Posted by Sam_W

Nice shot, well lite and I like the shadow. Must have taken some patience to setup it up.

Thanks Sam

As for the set up, I will let you in on a secret
The egg is held with a small piece of bluetac and the handle of the spoon was supported by a length of thread which was cloned out in pp but shhhh keep that tp yourself eh?