weekly 69bonni (Steve) TP52 2015... Words, Support, Religion and Geometric Added

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Scenic - I like this a lovely image, looks like a nice place. The river Test has some very good fishing spots if memory serves me correctly.

 

[susiejb]

Hi there, my first time to your thread and what an interesting selection I love the Fridge Aisle ..a unique quirky take on the theme, I may be bending the theme myself this week, companions not an easy one!

Super shot for scenic ...I love the composition....a perfect choice for the theme.

 

[Allan.H]

Hi, a great frosty morning image the wooden bridge really makes it for me, and plus point for not falling in

 

[Manc Man]

Super shot for scenic ...great composition

you can almost feel the cold and frost

 

[Dark Knight]

Hi Steve

Fragile - Damn that made me laugh when I logged that on the sheet, such a fun idea, see the 52 working at it's best, stretching your imagination

Scenic - A real nice image that, love your composition with the footbridge coming in from the corner, a mist coming off the water and some nice winter sun giving the trees a glow - a real nice image

 

[Bruja]

I love that scenic shot, great composition and love the colours too. Very restful

 

[crazylady]

Hi Steve

My first visit to this thread sorry I have not been in before!

Bliss - great shot, its the addition of the bottle openers that makes it for me
Fragile - just LOVE the fridge one, it did make me laugh out loud, great to have humour in photography, something I like to do myself!
Scenic - you can almost feel the cold coming from this. Liking the colours in this, nice muted tones

 

[Mich56]

lovely shot Steve - looks like a cold frosty morning

 

[d00d]

Nice scene.

Well composed image.

 

[Dem55]

Hi Steve,

lovely image for scenic, the light's really good and I like the hint of mist on the water

 

[69Bonni]

Climbing Companions!
Well for the tiddley bit of snow we did get down here..... a bit overkill you might say!
Couldn't think what to shoot untill i was sorting some gear out for an impending trip. Next day we had a little snow, so took the advantage of that while i had the gear out all over the garage floor! (SWMBO banned me from the lounge).
If you gonna ask me about the ISO 400...normally works well for snow when overcast.... It was pretty gloomy at the time. Was a bit of a take it while i could shot, with the D300 which i had been cleaning in the kitchen.

Climbing Companions by rickman.steve, on Flickr

Thanks for looking
Steve

 

[Quicksnapper]

Love this shot of the boots and other gear. True companions!! (I've got a pair of Burma Pro's myself and they've served me very well over many years, including a Coast to Coast, so hail fellow outdoors person ...). Not immediately sure what the turquoise thing is at the top, but otherwise nice work.

 

[Cobra]

I'd say that fits the theme nicely
Nicely exposed and positioned subjects too.

 

[ChrisHeathcote]

Nicely composed, those boots look like they could do some damage

 

[Deleted member 59779]

A good take on the theme. Nothing else add.

 

[69Bonni]

Love this shot of the boots and other gear. True companions!! (I've got a pair of Burma Pro's myself and they've served me very well over many years, including a Coast to Coast, so hail fellow outdoors person ...). Not immediately sure what the turquoise thing is at the top, but otherwise nice work.

Hail outdoor Sara! That's actually one I have yet to do the coast to coast (is that St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay?) one for the bucket list. I tried on Scarpa's and was intent on getting them but when I tried on the Meindl's they fitted like a glove and they were so comfortable, I went for them, there great never regretted getting them. they have been brilliant on the snow and ice, all I ever had wrong was a slight lift of the rand easily sorted.
Ah the Turquoise thing! That's caused a lot of consternation over some time, initially I bought it as a joke with a couple of mates... Its a climbing harness, Its known as "Steve's Poofy Harness" TBH I have a proper one this one the wife uses.
Many thanks for stopping by!

I'd say that fits the theme nicely
Nicely exposed and positioned subjects too.

Thanks Mr Magoo.... Appreciate you stopping by

Nicely composed, those boots look like they could do some damage

Hi Chris, Thanks for the comments, There for kicking SWMBO my Sherpa (Thank goodness she doesn't read this forum) Unfortunately she has a pair too!! I can show you the marks from them
Those are for when the walking gets a bit serious and going away in a while so will need them!
Thanks for your comments Chris.

A good take on the theme. Nothing else add.

Hi Mandy, was struggling a bit with this theme, also with the current one "Elegant" I don't really do elegant, Thanks for popping in!

 

[d00d]

Hi Steve ... nice composition, everything nice and sharp (in more ways than one).

 

[susiejb]

Hi there ...smashing shot ....excellent composition ...that shower of snow fell at just the right time

 

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Companions -

 

[viv1969]

For some reason, the companions shot is the only one I can see
That said, it's a perfect fit for the theme and fab composition

 

[d00d]

I can see Scenic and Companions.

 

[Dem55]

Hi Steve,

Companions - nice interpretation of the theme, and I really like the way you've composed the shot

 

[Steven001]

I came here to try and offer some critique, but all of your images except scenic aren't showing for some reason!

Really like your scenic image, the scene is full of lovely pastel colours and has a really soft and smooth feel to it - have you dropped the clarity? The bridge crosses the photograph at just the right angle and leads my eye into the rest of the image. The light is casting a lovely glow on the tree on the left hand side, just a shame the sky wasn't more colourful. Excellent image.

 

[69Bonni]

Hi Steve ... nice composition, everything nice and sharp (in more ways than one).

Hi David, thank for stopping by. Yes the wife gets most upset if i tromp round the loung in those. Thank you for your comments appreciated.

Hi there ...smashing shot ....excellent composition ...that shower of snow fell at just the right time

Hi Susie, it was about all we have had down in the South had a little more before it fizzled out, but off somewhere where there will be a LOT! Thank you for visiting appreciate it.

Companions -

Hi Mandy, Thanks for the thumbs up! Thanks for popping by.

For some reason, the companions shot is the only one I can see
That said, it's a perfect fit for the theme and fab composition

To be honest Ruth was struggling (yes Again!) this themes business is harder than i thought! Thank you for the kind comment.
BTW sorry that me faffing around on LR just screwed up some of my posted images Normal service will be resumed when i get my finger out.

I can see Scenic and Companions.

So can i there here on Lightroom

Hi Steve,

Companions - nice interpretation of the theme, and I really like the way you've composed the shot

Hi Lorraine, thank you for popping in, it was one of those thank goodness for that moments! I have found something i can call companions
What you didnt see was me fall over on the decking.....:arghh: i can tell you that Ice Axe nearly went somewhere i didnt want it too

I came here to try and offer some critique, but all of your images except scenic aren't showing for some reason!

Really like your scenic image, the scene is full of lovely pastel colours and has a really soft and smooth feel to it - have you dropped the clarity? The bridge crosses the photograph at just the right angle and leads my eye into the rest of the image. The light is casting a lovely glow on the tree on the left hand side, just a shame the sky wasn't more colourful. Excellent image.

Hi Steven, thank you for popping in! Will send you a PM soon.... Its because i made a classic error in LR and accidentally removed the images from Flickr, dont worry i will relink them when i get my finger out, been really busy lately.
Thanks.... Cant recall what i did but will check through the captains log and report back. Yes i missed the colour in the sky as i intended to shoot at another location that morning and when i got there it was full of flipping TOGs so went for plan B! but time it took to get there i lost that first bit of morning light.
Glad you like it Many thanks for taking the time to comment.
All the best Steve

 

[69Bonni]

Elegant, I hope,
Well this is a struggle TP52 makes me work harder than a trip to the Gym!
This is my effort for Elegant... Spent 2 evenings faffing around with lighting, so in the end i used a LED camera lamp on low power and an incandesant lamp defused with tissue paper, these were mounted at 90 degrees to each other, but spent a lot of time messing with them to get the "right " angle? The backdrop was a black cloth draped over an infinity curve made from a large piece of card and a crate of beer, unfortunatly as the evening went on the infinity curve started to sag as the crate got lighter.
Then a sprinkling of lightroom and here is the result.
Wife said if i break it there's a sleeping bag in the garage
Thank you in advance for popping in.
Elegant Girl.jpg by rickman.steve, on Flickr
Elegant Girl.jpg by rickman.steve, on Flickr

 

[69Bonni]

Dont stop me!! I'm on a roll!
This is pretty watery.... This was taken just before i was escorted off by the game keeper
Evening golden light hits the freshly restored eel trap thatched shelter on the River Test. A great spot if you get the right time of day and good light.
Thanks for popping by
Eel Traps by rickman.steve, on Flickr

 

[Steven001]

Hi Steven, thank you for popping in! Will send you a PM soon.... Its because i made a classic error in LR and accidentally removed the images from Flickr, dont worry i will relink them when i get my finger out, been really busy lately.
Thanks.... Cant recall what i did but will check through the captains log and report back. Yes i missed the colour in the sky as i intended to shoot at another location that morning and when i got there it was full of flipping TOGs so went for plan B! but time it took to get there i lost that first bit of morning light.
Glad you like it Many thanks for taking the time to comment.
All the best Steve

Doh! Still, for not being your intended shot it was worked out excellent.

Elegant - I have never tried still life photography (if that's what this comes under) and therefore cannot really offer any criticism. It's a nice shot and conveys the theme very well. The only slight criticism I can offer, is that it appears a little soft to me. There also looks to be too much magenta, but that could just be my monitor.

Watery - Another lovely landscape shot! It looks to have very similar in colour to your scenic shot which I loved. You've chosen a good shutter speed to smooth the water but not so much that it becomes milky and "fake". The eel trap adds a subject to the image and is placed nicely in the frame. The foliage in the foreground is tack sharp but I am ever so slightly distracted by the muddy grass path on the right of the frame. Another good image!

 

[69Bonni]

Hi Steven,

Elegant Your probably dead right... However I did struggle with Elegant.... I'm not good at this sort of work and I guess this is partly why I'm doing TP52 to learn this stuff (Give me a Landscape any day). I was conscious that I was 2 weeks behind already and needed to catch up. I think most of my problem was with lighting tungsten and LED doesn't seem to work that well together (what a surprise) and I was trying to get the white balance "Right"??? Didn't want to particularly use flash because wanted to keep the highlights down on the highly reflective glaze. Daylight would have been best I guess but by the time I get home from work there isn't any. So I'll just learn from the critique. One thing that did turn everything on its head at the beginning of last year was when I built a Hot PC specifically for Photography, new monitor with calibrator made a hell of a difference BUT all the photos I had previously PP'd were well off Bugger!

Watery.... Yes this wasn't my best shot actually and I should have pulled in a slightly tighter crop, It was one of many I took that day (Re the Scenic shot this was up stream of that shot). I have a lot of photos of this spot, only because I really love it there. Might up a slightly cropped version that removes your muddy track, only reason its there is because they have recently restored the hut and workmen have been back and forth across the traps.

Really appreciate your comments Steve!
Thanks for stopping by

 

[viv1969]

Elegant - Compositionally I like it, and the figurine certainly fits the theme.
The overall image does seem a little dark, but as I'm no expert on lighting, I look at these highly glazed items and just know that I'd have NO idea how to light it correctly myself!

Watery - A good fit for the theme, a very pretty scene, and looks like a nice place to go and shoot.

 

[69Bonni]

Hi Ruth
Your right! TBH wasn't really happy with it myself and it doesn't really sit that well with me, I tried all sorts in PP to try and make it better. I will have another "Go" at it as was rushing a bit (nothing new there).
When I tried to lift the exposure it looked awful, will see if I can get a subtle lift on it tonight.

It is a lovely spot and if your lucky you get the swans visiting too! I'm contemplating taking on the Test as a bit of a theme for another project.... Like I have the time

Thank you very much for popping by, I appreciate all that stop by and their comments

 

[pjm1]

Hiya Steve... It's taken me a while to catch up with your thread but finally here!

Scenic... well you can do this well - just a lovely shot with great lead-in and overall composition. Lighting is wonderful and the only thing I'm left wondering is whether a big stopper would have helped calm the water even more? I don't know because I don't have one, but just curious. Lovely shot and perfectly on theme.

Companions... yes, that is a very manly harness isn't it? I'm loving your crampons though... could really have done with those front points when I popped mine out of an ice wall as I turned my body a bit too far to check on a mate a year or two ago Let's just say I very quickly learnt how to axe arrest just in time (very nearly as I was about 30-40m up and completely free, although it was basically a giant ice chute with no rocks so I'd have had a monumental slide and sh@t myself but unlikely to do any serious damage apart from to underpants).

Anyways, back to your photo which is a good'un - decent composition and I'm guessing a nice overcast sky... does leave it a touch flat but we can't always hang around until the sun sets.

Elegant... this is a tricky one for me. I know what you were trying to do, but I'm a bit distracted by the large number of specular highlights on her face, hair etc. To be honest, I think it's just your chosen angle of lighting more than anything: I'd have the key light over past frame left to concentrate any direct reflections to a much smaller area of her face (basically short lighting rather than broad lighting). You say you're not very confident with this sort of shot, so I hope you don't mind me sharing my own very limited knowledge...

First off, the reflections you have on the statue are direct reflections (aka specular highlights). Unlike diffuse reflections (e.g. off a white sheet of paper), these reflections are entirely dependent on the angles between the light source, the surface of the object and the camera... when these angles are equal (i.e. the angle between the light source and surface = angle between surface and camera), the direct reflection is "on" and when it isn't, it's "off". That's it! Changing the distance/intensity of the light source doesn't do that much to these highlights, compared with the non-reflective areas, they stay more or less white (but change in size) - the rest of the statue (non-reflecting) will, however, get darker. So, for that reason, don't worry about using flash - if you're using ANY light source, you're going to get specular/direct reflections from the glossy subject*

The issue with direct (specular) reflection is you can't do anything about it's intensity - it's always white. All you can affect is its position (or existence) by working within/outwith the family of angles (not really possible with a completely convex object like this) and its size. Making them larger using a large lightsource such as a wall or softbox can help, sometimes (conversely it can sometimes just make the problem bigger!) Alternatively, if you can get away without any fill light, that should make it easier. Possibly the easier way of shooting this would be outside on an overcast day where basically you have 100% ambient light, but add a touch of additional key (more kicker here) to create a bit of directional light and quasi-shadow with a strobe or powerful flash. A strobe/flash competing with daylight (even overcast) does require a very powerful light though - a high GN probably close to full power (depending on its distance from subject). But then with this method you lose the black background Think about the comparative exposure values: outdoors at 100 ISO you'll be shooting at 1/100 and f/8 on a very overcast day, or at 1/100 and f/11 on a fairly overcast one (sorry, you probably know that!) whereas indoors in a studio you're more likely to be using f/5.6-f/8 with strobes (and sometimes that's at 200 ISO rather than 100), so we're talking a good 1-2 stops more power from any kicker lights required outside in order to compete with the sun.

I do hate glossy subjects especially very convex ones! Your WB is off I think, but that's easily fixed so only mentioned as a footnote. Final final note: you mention spending time trying to fix in LR... it's really hard to "fix" lighting in post, apart from lifting shadows when having fill would have created problems (such as this). Where the highlights fall and where the shadow areas are, is simply a result of your positioning and type of light source - that can only really be changed before pressing the shutter. Sure, you can add and subtract light at a macro level (and with a brush) in post, but it's very very hard to change the fundamentals of how you lit the scene. It's for this reason that thinking about where you want specular/direct highlights and where you want shadows is really a decision for "in camera". My routine here would be: start with a small light source way off frame left (for example). Look at the highlights - are they in an acceptable place? If not, move the light until they are. Then move onto shadows - are they too harsh (likely to be given a bare bulb), in which case soften your light by diffusing and/or moving closer to the subject... beware of how that changes your highlights by extending the family of angles which might come into play... it starts to get a bit recursive/iterative at this point! Finally, is the deepest shadow area too dark? If so, you need some fill... but again think about where the highlights will appear (it may be you have to have a near-vertical light source to fill in order to avoid too much highlight activity). Only as a last resort would I look to tweak the lighting in post - it takes too long and often doesn't work well. Not sure if any of this helps?

* Small but potentially important technical note which may be relevant to you here as you're an "outdoor photographer" who probable owns polarising filters... Porcelain/china etc. are (I'm pretty sure) "glare" rather than ordinary direct reflection... that sounds like terminology but what it means is they actually polarise the light, unlike a mirror or sheet metal which doesn't. This therefore does give you a tool to manage the glare, which is to use a polariser over your lens which, when set to the right angle will completely eliminate your specular reflections! Unfortunately, this tends to look a bit unnatural, so if you're going to do this, it might be worth just toning down the highlights with a polariser rather than removing them completely...

Watery - this works well. Lacks a bit of punch compared with your Scenic shot, but that's just down to the amount of light (I think) falling. I could imagine that rotunda thing being hit with just a bit more golden light would even more look magical.

 

[blondie606]

Hi Steve...


What @pjm1 said .......I really cannot follow that post with comments of any worth

I was simply going to say........Companions.... sharp & well arranged

Elegant...............a smidge to close to the rhs of the frame & wb looks a little off but that can be easily sorted in post ,as for the highlights....I'd go with what Paul said

 

[crazylady]

Hi Steve

I love the light on the round building and think the water blurriness is spot on

 

[pjm1]

Hi Steve...


What @pjm1 said .......I really cannot follow that post with comments of any worth

I was simply going to say........Companions.... sharp & well arranged

Elegant...............a smidge to close to the rhs of the frame & wb looks a little off but that can be easily sorted in post ,as for the highlights....I'd go with what Paul said

I rambled on for a bit longer than I meant to!! (btw your comments are always worthwhile!)

 

[Raptor Mike]

Watery - I like this and it looks a really nice place to shoot. Shame about the gamekeeper, I'm sure you weren't hurting. I like how the wooden thingy to the round hut thingy leans my eye into the photo. I think the water looks nice and silky to help the photo emphasis watery. I wonder if a tad of saturation to bring the greens out would help but thats being picky. All in all, nice image

 

[rpn]

Nice watery shot and good composition too. Would like to see a touch more exposure though.

 

[69Bonni]

Hiya Steve... It's taken me a while to catch up with your thread but finally here!

Scenic... well you can do this well - just a lovely shot with great lead-in and overall composition. Lighting is wonderful and the only thing I'm left wondering is whether a big stopper would have helped calm the water even more? I don't know because I don't have one, but just curious. Lovely shot and perfectly on theme.

Companions... yes, that is a very manly harness isn't it? I'm loving your crampons though... could really have done with those front points when I popped mine out of an ice wall as I turned my body a bit too far to check on a mate a year or two ago Let's just say I very quickly learnt how to axe arrest just in time (very nearly as I was about 30-40m up and completely free, although it was basically a giant ice chute with no rocks so I'd have had a monumental slide and sh@t myself but unlikely to do any serious damage apart from to underpants).

Anyways, back to your photo which is a good'un - decent composition and I'm guessing a nice overcast sky... does leave it a touch flat but we can't always hang around until the sun sets.

Elegant... this is a tricky one for me. I know what you were trying to do, but I'm a bit distracted by the large number of specular highlights on her face, hair etc. To be honest, I think it's just your chosen angle of lighting more than anything: I'd have the key light over past frame left to concentrate any direct reflections to a much smaller area of her face (basically short lighting rather than broad lighting). You say you're not very confident with this sort of shot, so I hope you don't mind me sharing my own very limited knowledge...

First off, the reflections you have on the statue are direct reflections (aka specular highlights). Unlike diffuse reflections (e.g. off a white sheet of paper), these reflections are entirely dependent on the angles between the light source, the surface of the object and the camera... when these angles are equal (i.e. the angle between the light source and surface = angle between surface and camera), the direct reflection is "on" and when it isn't, it's "off". That's it! Changing the distance/intensity of the light source doesn't do that much to these highlights, compared with the non-reflective areas, they stay more or less white (but change in size) - the rest of the statue (non-reflecting) will, however, get darker. So, for that reason, don't worry about using flash - if you're using ANY light source, you're going to get specular/direct reflections from the glossy subject*

The issue with direct (specular) reflection is you can't do anything about it's intensity - it's always white. All you can affect is its position (or existence) by working within/outwith the family of angles (not really possible with a completely convex object like this) and its size. Making them larger using a large lightsource such as a wall or softbox can help, sometimes (conversely it can sometimes just make the problem bigger!) Alternatively, if you can get away without any fill light, that should make it easier. Possibly the easier way of shooting this would be outside on an overcast day where basically you have 100% ambient light, but add a touch of additional key (more kicker here) to create a bit of directional light and quasi-shadow with a strobe or powerful flash. A strobe/flash competing with daylight (even overcast) does require a very powerful light though - a high GN probably close to full power (depending on its distance from subject). But then with this method you lose the black background Think about the comparative exposure values: outdoors at 100 ISO you'll be shooting at 1/100 and f/8 on a very overcast day, or at 1/100 and f/11 on a fairly overcast one (sorry, you probably know that!) whereas indoors in a studio you're more likely to be using f/5.6-f/8 with strobes (and sometimes that's at 200 ISO rather than 100), so we're talking a good 1-2 stops more power from any kicker lights required outside in order to compete with the sun.

I do hate glossy subjects especially very convex ones! Your WB is off I think, but that's easily fixed so only mentioned as a footnote. Final final note: you mention spending time trying to fix in LR... it's really hard to "fix" lighting in post, apart from lifting shadows when having fill would have created problems (such as this). Where the highlights fall and where the shadow areas are, is simply a result of your positioning and type of light source - that can only really be changed before pressing the shutter. Sure, you can add and subtract light at a macro level (and with a brush) in post, but it's very very hard to change the fundamentals of how you lit the scene. It's for this reason that thinking about where you want specular/direct highlights and where you want shadows is really a decision for "in camera". My routine here would be: start with a small light source way off frame left (for example). Look at the highlights - are they in an acceptable place? If not, move the light until they are. Then move onto shadows - are they too harsh (likely to be given a bare bulb), in which case soften your light by diffusing and/or moving closer to the subject... beware of how that changes your highlights by extending the family of angles which might come into play... it starts to get a bit recursive/iterative at this point! Finally, is the deepest shadow area too dark? If so, you need some fill... but again think about where the highlights will appear (it may be you have to have a near-vertical light source to fill in order to avoid too much highlight activity). Only as a last resort would I look to tweak the lighting in post - it takes too long and often doesn't work well. Not sure if any of this helps?

* Small but potentially important technical note which may be relevant to you here as you're an "outdoor photographer" who probable owns polarising filters... Porcelain/china etc. are (I'm pretty sure) "glare" rather than ordinary direct reflection... that sounds like terminology but what it means is they actually polarise the light, unlike a mirror or sheet metal which doesn't. This therefore does give you a tool to manage the glare, which is to use a polariser over your lens which, when set to the right angle will completely eliminate your specular reflections! Unfortunately, this tends to look a bit unnatural, so if you're going to do this, it might be worth just toning down the highlights with a polariser rather than removing them completely...

Watery - this works well. Lacks a bit of punch compared with your Scenic shot, but that's just down to the amount of light (I think) falling. I could imagine that rotunda thing being hit with just a bit more golden light would even more look magical.

Could you run that past me again please Paul
Brilliant Paul, just the sort of thing I need. Like I said I not good at that sort of stuff but this was very helpful particularly the tips on lighting. I realised that I had no chance of making much difference in PP and that this was something that had to be shot correctly from the outset. At least posting this shot has achieved one thing, getting a very useful and technical response which is exactly what I needed. I really came to TP52 with some intention of shooting some of this sort of work but I have to be honest I don't like it too much, But id like to be able to do it . I do have a powerful flash I use outdoors but don't use this often so I'll have to try some different set ups.
I have read the above several times and it all makes perfect sense, so I have saved it with some notes I've made on lighting indoor subjects.
I'm going to re read it when I'm more compos mentis! Its been a long day .

Funny enough I was actually commenting on your TP52 tonight when I realised It was past packing up time! anyhow have saved what I wrote so standby tomorrow!
You were lucky with that drop Paul, That axe is actually the Wife's but I wont go anywhere on snow or ice without one. Glad to hear you knew how to use it properly too!
I have had a couple of dodgy free falls which is when you find out that adrenalin is brown and runny!!

Watery... yes I have got some archive, shots of the Eel traps as you describe just got to be there just about half an hour before sunset to get the right angle for the sun to hit the hut spot on.

Talk Soon and many thanks I really appreciate that comprehensive write up and you taking time out to write it for me!

Hi Steve...


What @pjm1 said .......I really cannot follow that post with comments of any worth

I was simply going to say........Companions.... sharp & well arranged

Elegant...............a smidge to close to the rhs of the frame & wb looks a little off but that can be easily sorted in post ,as for the highlights....I'd go with what Paul said

Ha Ha Thanks Lynne! Its a nice write up isn't it, I can do Landscape but anything clever like indoor lighting is foreign to me but I'm learning which is what TP52 its all about.
Yes I sort of thought I'd place it over to the right but perhaps I've over cooked it a bit I'll sort that white balance ASAP.
Thanks for stopping by, appreciate all comments Thank You.

Hi Steve

I love the light on the round building and think the water blurriness is spot on

Hi Hazel, Yes I have a whole folder full of shots of this place and this is one of the 'Blurry' water ones actually used one end of a Grad filter to knock down some light as the big stopper was a bit OTT
Many Thanks for stopping by and appreciate your comments, all the best Steve

 

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Elegant - a nice find for the theme, but I do find the catch lights all over the ornament a smidge distracting.

Watery - fits the theme nicely and looks like a nice pretty spot.

 

[Deleted member 59779]

Elegant: beautiful pic of figurine can only add what others have said about specular highlights. Good to see pjm"s comments good luck far too complex for me at the moment.

Watery. Lovely image. water looks really cold.

 

[Dem55]

Hi Steve

Elegant - it's a good shot and fits the theme well. I can't give anything like the level of crit that Paul has as I don't do lighting either (maybe something for the shopping list), but having faffed about trying to kill reflections on a china mug this afternoon I know it's tricky and you've not done a bad job.

Watery - that looks like a lovely place to visit (maybe on the gamekeeper's day off?). It's bang on theme and I like the way you've used the two diagonals (the river bank and the eel trap) to draw the eye round the shot. Nice soft tones and great light, good stuff