101 Ways to Photogragh Pencils - Complete!

tezmed said:
excellent shots- may even try something similar as it'l no doubt help with composition practise etc (my weakness)
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Thanks for looking Terry.
It's a great way to get you thinking.


Just Dave said:
Another fab set of shot Neil well done on the half way point :clap::clap::clap: your doing great have you added glycerine to the water on #50 and 51
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Thanks Dave,

No glycerine in the water, just a cheap bottle of sparkling water.
I've got the glycerine, just trying to think on how to use it!
 
Don't take this the wrong way but as fantastic as the images are, i haven't seen 101 different images, i have seen some different lighting set ups, sometimes repeated, sometimes the orientation of the pencils seems repeated but under different lighting.
Please don't get the wrong idea, i actually like all the images but i don't see 50odd different images just different sets
 
Neil

More great shots - #46 grabbed my attention (in the right way!)
 
Simon photo said:
Don't take this the wrong way but as fantastic as the images are, i haven't seen 101 different images, i have seen some different lighting set ups, sometimes repeated, sometimes the orientation of the pencils seems repeated but under different lighting.
Please don't get the wrong idea, i actually like all the images but i don't see 50odd different images just different sets
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Not taken the wrong way at all.
I've thought a similar thing myself about a few of them.
For me though, so long as something has changed in the composition or direction of light, then I'm happy things have changed.

From the last two, I had loads which had differences from the fact I shot the water at different stages of dropping.
Many of the pictures I liked, but the set up hadn't changed so I only went with one.

One aspect that I wont be doing is taking te pictures outside.
On ereason for doing the project is that I'm not getting much time from work or family to get out with the camera, so th eproject is mainly restricted to the house. That said, I may take the pencils out for day trips once hit 101.

Thanks for looking, and I'm sure I'll come up with otherthings now you've confirmed some of my own thoughts so do pop in again and let me know how I do (y)

Buck said:
Neil

More great shots - #46 grabbed my attention (in the right way!)
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Thanks Adrian

ChickenDipa said:
I do love this! Keep up the good work :)
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Will do Alex, thanks for looking
 
Hi matey....glad to see the inspiration still flowing (y)

Love the reflection shots , particularly #40...great lighting ....much pp done to those ? only asking as green eyed at how perfect the BG's are :)

Liking the bubbles as well :clap:

I had a go with glycerine....nightmare , much patience needed to catch the droplet before it fall & getting it in just the right place to catch the reflection of the BG......:bonk:
 
blondie606 said:
Hi matey....glad to see the inspiration still flowing (y)

Love the reflection shots , particularly #40...great lighting ....much pp done to those ? only asking as green eyed at how perfect the BG's are :)

Liking the bubbles as well :clap:

I had a go with glycerine....nightmare , much patience needed to catch the droplet before it fall & getting it in just the right place to catch the reflection of the BG......:bonk:
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Mainly the only PP is a tweak of levels, contrast and sometimes a colour boost, but I'm getting there on the BG being black or white SOC. One big plus will be getting a second flash for the white BG shots.

I did remove some bubbles from the white BG shots as I felt they clutter the image a little.

Not played with the glycerine yet, may give it a go at the weekend.
 
Just found this thread. Great idea and brilliant images.

I admire your perseverance

(and obviously your camera skills :))
 
Fantastic set Neil ... wow, wish i had your imagination. Will keep an eye on this thread and really hope you make it to 101 :clap:

No 44 is my fav so far :thumbs;
 
Life has got in the way of the challenge recently so the pace has dropped a little.
I managed to get a few more done though and with a slight change of tack on some, I hope you like!

#52

Pencil 052 by HaplessClicker (aka MentalBlock), on Flickr

#53

Pencil 053 by HaplessClicker (aka MentalBlock), on Flickr

#54

Pencil 054 by HaplessClicker (aka MentalBlock), on Flickr

#55 - aka Minimal!

Pencil 55 aka Minimal by HaplessClicker (aka MentalBlock), on Flickr

#56

Pencil 56 by HaplessClicker (aka MentalBlock), on Flickr

#57

Pencil 57 by HaplessClicker (aka MentalBlock), on Flickr
 
nice! actually makes u think... if you can be so creative with just pencils image what u can do with moving people!
 
Kav said:
nice! actually makes u think... if you can be so creative with just pencils image what u can do with moving people!
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Neil's good with pencils...anything else and he's a bit :shrug:

(;))

Mentalblock said:
Life has got in the way of the challenge recently so the pace has dropped a little.
I managed to get a few more done though and with a slight change of tack on some, I hope you like!
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Not keen on #s 54 and 54, especially after so much symmetry and order. #55, reminds me of the Moon Rise photograph...

#57 is a cracker..photoshoped...:naughty: Cracking drawing there, mighty impressive...I struggle drawing straight lines.

I'm liking the inclusion of you into them, gives them added oommmphhh.

Cheers and keep it up. (y)
 
I'm still keeping up with this Neil, love the underwater theme. y
You will be doing well to get to the 100 but I am sure you will...you have to :D, are there moments when you struggle to come up with the next idea :)
 
Keep it going Neil

Like Andy I'm not so keen on #53 and #54 - they are not aas strong as your previous 50!!

I like your progression to using the pencil as a prop rather than the focal piece - 'm thinking some of your set needs to be a bit more abstract now - pencils in unusual places! ;)
 
Really like 53 although. Is it a sheet of glass with some water droplets placed over the pencils below?
 
Thanks for all the comments everyone.

I've still a few ideas, but time is still an issue!
Aiming for an update this weekend, need to get some shots on Friday, especially as it's National Pencil Day (Thanks to Just Dave for spotting that!)


Jim_Tod said:
Really like 53 although. Is it a sheet of glass with some water droplets placed over the pencils below?
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Yes, but I cannot recal if this is the water drop or the glycerine version.
I may have to give it another go but with thin plastic, I think the glass may have distorted things a little.
 
This reminds me how many photos you can take indoors if you really put your mind to it.
I do wonder if #26 should have a warning on it maybe? NSFYP (Not safe for young pencils). Just cant work out what is going on with #54, i thought it was reflections on an ornament.. perhaps water drops on a mirror.. I like it whatever it is.
 
Good job so far Neil, some great shots in here.
 
It might just be me and i might be being ultra critical but for me this is not 101 ways to photograph pencils but just 101 photographs of pencils.

For example numbers 23, 24 & 25 are all the same set-up but just lit differently and from different angles. And are 53 and 54 not just a different number of pencils sticking out of a pencil case.

don't get me wrong, I think some of these photos are brilliant but personally i would pick 1 from each set and say that 'that is 1 way to photograph pencils, the others are just ones which i didn't like'. I also really like the concept of the project and i might have to try a similar thing if I can think of a decent enough subject.
 
Just Dave said:
Ah see you remembered Neil (y)
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It's been popping up on my works outlook every day!

Marcus Geezer said:
These are great! If you're not already you should put these on a stock photo site and try to get some return for all your hard work!
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Hi Marcus, thanks for looking.
I'm glad that you think these are worthy of a stock photo web, but I'm not 100%. I wouldn't dismiss the idea, but it would have to be a reshoot with better quality pencils. I also need an extra flash to help out with the lighting before I'd be 100% happy to try and sell.

macs said:
It might just be me and i might be being ultra critical but for me this is not 101 ways to photograph pencils but just 101 photographs of pencils.

For example numbers 23, 24 & 25 are all the same set-up but just lit differently and from different angles. And are 53 and 54 not just a different number of pencils sticking out of a pencil case.

don't get me wrong, I think some of these photos are brilliant but personally i would pick 1 from each set and say that 'that is 1 way to photograph pencils, the others are just ones which i didn't like'. I also really like the concept of the project and i might have to try a similar thing if I can think of a decent enough subject.
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Hi Rich,

I admit that some do look similar and could be considered the same idea, especially 53 and 54, I can only blame moments of inspirational short comings!

The 101 ways for me needs to include a different light set up or composition. I'm doing it to challenge the way I think of photographing a subject. Ideally it would be a model and I could sit them down and fire flash guns at them from 101 angles and try out 101 poses, or a combination of the two, which I guess is what I've done with the pencils. If only i could get a pencil to show emotion; there's something to keep me thinking!

I appreciate you dropping by and having a look, and I'm sure your comments will be in the back of my mind when I get chance to do a few more.



Thanks for looking everyone.
 
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Hi Rich,

I admit that some do look similar and could be considered the same idea, especially 53 and 54, I can only blame moments of inspirational short comings!

The 101 ways for me needs to include a different light set up or composition. I'm doing it to challenge the way I think of photographing a subject. Ideally it would be a model and I could sit them down and fire flash guns at them from 101 angles and try out 101 poses, or a combination of the two, which I guess is what I've done with the pencils. If only i could get a pencil to show emotion; there's something to keep me thinking!

I appreciate you dropping by and having a look, and I'm sure your comments will be in the back of my mind when I get chance to do a few more.

Thanks for looking everyone.
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I wasn't meaning to disparrage your work. There are a lot of these shots which I really like, it's just for me there are too many of the same shot with different lighting.

I guess it's down to individual take on this type of 101 project. I'm still interested to see how the rest of the shots come out so i'll be checking in again
 
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