weekly blakesters 2014 52 - Retired Gracefully

[Nortdog]

some very good, creative work, as usual Iain. There's interest in the subject which holds my attention and is lit very well. If ive got a bit of crit it would be the dust on the surface and the line in the background on the right side. if they were removed, perfect.

 

[overbez]

usual standard there Iain.

really raised a smile with the way the tines are bent, I'm seeing the V for victory, the raised middle finger and the rock / metal / mosh salute there.

I hope the middle one, with the light on the "centre" digit isn't some sort of subtle insight into your feelings to the 52 of late.

Think I've suggested it before on a reflection shot of yours, but I think I prefer it with the bottom of the reflection faded out a bit.. Like this >> edit with adjsutment layers <<

 

[Judi]

Hi Iain,
some more of your twisty bendys great fun

 

[Allan.H]

Hi Iain, Nice work as usual, I am amazed at how much creativity you can get out of a fork

 

[posiview]

On theme.

Keep at it

Cheers.

 

[susiejb]

Hi Iain ........ a super twisty shot for the theme, I love the creativity when you do shots like this.

 

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Sorry I have been slack with my comments been away over the Easter period so having to play catch up. Great work from you the head shot is perfect, and I love your take on the twisted theme well done.

 

[Greengo]

Loving the simplistic idea behind twisted Iain... on theme and works well...

 

[blakester]

some very good, creative work, as usual Iain. There's interest in the subject which holds my attention and is lit very well. If ive got a bit of crit it would be the dust on the surface and the line in the background on the right side. if they were removed, perfect.

Thanks Adam
Yes, I agree about the dust and line, I should have tidied them up in pp.

usual standard there Iain.

really raised a smile with the way the tines are bent, I'm seeing the V for victory, the raised middle finger and the rock / metal / mosh salute there.

I hope the middle one, with the light on the "centre" digit isn't some sort of subtle insight into your feelings to the 52 of late.

Think I've suggested it before on a reflection shot of yours, but I think I prefer it with the bottom of the reflection faded out a bit.. Like this >> edit with adjsutment layers <<

Cheers Graham
no the middle one is there because I couldn't think of any other hand gestures to bend the forks into.
Yes, I think you have suggested about a reflection shot of mine, I will need to have a go at your suggestion, it looks quite straightforward, thanks.

Hi Iain,
some more of your twisty bendys great fun

Thanks Judi

Hi Iain, Nice work as usual, I am amazed at how much creativity you can get out of a fork

Thanks Allan
I think I have exhausted the fork bending images now

On theme.

Keep at it

Cheers.

Cheers Andy
One week/theme at a time, it could get sacked at any minute depending on the theme though

Hi Iain ........ a super twisty shot for the theme, I love the creativity when you do shots like this.

Thanks susie
Much appreciated

Sorry I have been slack with my comments been away over the Easter period so having to play catch up. Great work from you the head shot is perfect, and I love your take on the twisted theme well done.

Thanks Mandy
No apologies necessary for commenting slackness, I am the worst offender

Loving the simplistic idea behind twisted Iain... on theme and works well...

Cheers Colin

 

[posiview]

Hi, Iain, is this one of yours?

 

[blakester]

Hi, Iain, is this one of yours?

Yes Andy, that is "13 Feet Square"
The pebble feet images are all over the internet now, what with pinterest and the like

 

[posiview]

Yes Andy, that is "13 Feet Square"
The pebble feet images are all over the internet now, what with pinterest and the like

I suspect it's not in your nature, but can't you seek recompense?

 

[superpippo]

Hi Iain
I cannot believe that I have not commented on so many of yours, partic as they always have a lot of interest to me. Apologies

Step - that's passable for me. On theme and not really as ordinary as you think. The contrast in the materials helps, but as Peter says, the previous spiral staircase was hard to beat ( altho the other one on your flickr is excellent). I think that this one would lend itself to cutting out around the boundaries leaving a jagged edge with no white walls IYSWIM. - would be more abstract

Natural - beautiful. Really like the muted colours and the soft focus edges.

Action - well a trip to the homeland must have done you good? Pier is interesting - I see an upside down large ET face trying to get out of the water. the Faces are beautiful too, just your style. Cracking sharpness that you have produced.

Mono - very creative. I cannot find fault. Good crop too and the background just looks like fish scales, so very appropriate. Is there a slight vignette or is that the outcome of the 3 speedlights?

Twisted - excellent idea and well produced. Again your creativity comes thro. I really like the way that the bottom of the handles seem to 'melt' into the base. And the twisted creations all have an element of cussedness?? Minor suggestion would be that the bent parts of the forks (the bases) are apparent and whilst of itself not too bad, they point in diff directions.

 

[blondie606]

Hi Iain

Twisted......more fork harming afoot I see Think Adam had picked out the only crit bits I could see.......brilliant idea yet again though

 

[blakester]

I suspect it's not in your nature, but can't you seek recompense?

You suspect correct Andy
Seriously though, i feel its just not worth the effort.

Hi Iain
I cannot believe that I have not commented on so many of yours, partic as they always have a lot of interest to me. Apologies

Step - that's passable for me. On theme and not really as ordinary as you think. The contrast in the materials helps, but as Peter says, the previous spiral staircase was hard to beat ( altho the other one on your flickr is excellent). I think that this one would lend itself to cutting out around the boundaries leaving a jagged edge with no white walls IYSWIM. - would be more abstract

Natural - beautiful. Really like the muted colours and the soft focus edges.

Action - well a trip to the homeland must have done you good? Pier is interesting - I see an upside down large ET face trying to get out of the water. the Faces are beautiful too, just your style. Cracking sharpness that you have produced.

Mono - very creative. I cannot find fault. Good crop too and the background just looks like fish scales, so very appropriate. Is there a slight vignette or is that the outcome of the 3 speedlights?

Twisted - excellent idea and well produced. Again your creativity comes thro. I really like the way that the bottom of the handles seem to 'melt' into the base. And the twisted creations all have an element of cussedness?? Minor suggestion would be that the bent parts of the forks (the bases) are apparent and whilst of itself not too bad, they point in diff directions.

Thanks for your comments catch up Alan
Good shout on the crop for step.
Yes, I added a slight vignette on mono, just to highlight the fish.
Again, good shout on twisted and the forks bases.

Cheers Alan

Hi Iain

Twisted......more fork harming afoot I see Think Adam had picked out the only crit bits I could see.......brilliant idea yet again though

Thanks Lynne
Yes a few little bits to tidy up, I agree.

 

[Phil-D]

Yep, great fork bending Iain as mentioned by Graham, each depicts a different statement which is well thought out The line in the bg doesn't bother me at all, but I did spot the dust

If anything for me, similar to Graham again, there's a little too much reflection, I prefer it cropped to just where the handles are at their thinnest.

 

[blakester]

Yep, great fork bending Iain as mentioned by Graham, each depicts a different statement which is well thought out The line in the bg doesn't bother me at all, but I did spot the dust

If anything for me, similar to Graham again, there's a little too much reflection, I prefer it cropped to just where the handles are at their thinnest.

Cheers Phil
Yes, theres a few little bits to tidy up, I agree

 

[blakester]

Week 18 - Fresh
I had a few ideas for this "Fresh as a Daisy" & "Fresh eggs" so I combined them both
This isn't an original idea but one which I wanted to shoot nonetheless. C&C welcome as always.

Week 18 - Fresh by iain blake, on Flickr

 

[susiejb]

Hi Iain .... super creativity, the 'petals' are a tiny bit faded at the top, but I love the image and the idea ... a great choice for the theme,

 

[Judi]

Hi Iain,
A cracking idea! I agree with Susie just a tad pale at the top

 

[Allan.H]

Hi Iain, another good idea well executed
I like how the eggs blend into the BG no complaints from me

 

[blakester]

Hi Iain .... super creativity, the 'petals' are a tiny bit faded at the top, but I love the image and the idea ... a great choice for the theme,

Thanks Susie
Yes, I agree about them being faded, i can bring them back a little in post but the image loses its 'feel'. It makes it more contrasty which wasn't what I was after.

Hi Iain,
A cracking idea! I agree with Susie just a tad pale at the top

Thanks Judi
Please see my comment above with regards to the fading.

Hi Iain, another good idea well executed
I like how the eggs blend into the BG no complaints from me

Cheers Allan
The blending into the background was almost a conscious decision, I was after the faded look, so thanks for your view.

 

[Tango32]

HI Iain - Twisted your fall back subject always seems to work well done

Fresh - superb idea very creative would love to see it on a black back round reckon it would stand out perfectly

 

[blakester]

HI Iain - Twisted your fall back subject always seems to work well done

Fresh - superb idea very creative would love to see it on a black back round reckon it would stand out perfectly

Thanks Craig
I hear what you are saying about a black background, it would certainly contrast with the subject but I am not too sure about it. I think it would be too harsh against the flower/eggs.

 

[andy0306]

Fantastic idea and great shot, no crit from me, just wish I had thought of it first

 

[cowboy]

Very nice image.

I agree about the egg petals fading into the background but I don't see how you could avoid it without changing the dynamic of the image.

The white background certainly works and I feel a darker one would be a harsher image (if that makes sense )

 

[Dark Knight]

Hi Iain

Twisted - Hahaaaaaa took a second to work out they are hand gestures, nicely done as usual, I like the background and the reflections, I am just unsure if they are cut off at their prime - still a great idea, well modeled, staged and lit

Fresh - Again great imagination, my initial thoughts are that I wish the egg petals stood out a bit more and the stem seems to narrow at the wrong end, but the more I look the more I like the subtleness of the shadows and the bold yellow yolk - Nice One Iain

Was this one lit by your table lamp again mate ??

 

[Richard Gill]

Hi Iain. Fresh, I haven't seen this done before, great creativity. Stem looks a little out of proportion but overall a cracking shot!

 

[SevernBore]

Love the daisy. Very clever idea, well executed.
Andrew

 

[posiview]

Yet another cracking and original idea

Well composed, good detail on the petals and well crafted.

Crit is like to see a little mire separation/shadows on the upper left petals.

Good show.

Cheers.

 

[mr.si]

Really clever. At first I thought it was just a cartoon-ified daisy, but then I looked closer and reading your description and saw it. Great Idea.

 

[blakester]

Fantastic idea and great shot, no crit from me, just wish I had thought of it first

Cheers Andy

Very nice image.

I agree about the egg petals fading into the background but I don't see how you could avoid it without changing the dynamic of the image.

The white background certainly works and I feel a darker one would be a harsher image (if that makes sense )

Thanks Mark
Those were my thoughts too, for me it could only be a white background for the 'feel' I was after.

Hi Iain

Twisted - Hahaaaaaa took a second to work out they are hand gestures, nicely done as usual, I like the background and the reflections, I am just unsure if they are cut off at their prime - still a great idea, well modeled, staged and lit

Fresh - Again great imagination, my initial thoughts are that I wish the egg petals stood out a bit more and the stem seems to narrow at the wrong end, but the more I look the more I like the subtleness of the shadows and the bold yellow yolk - Nice One Iain

Was this one lit by your table lamp again mate ??

Cheers Dean
I see what you mean about the reflections cut off at their prime, its a judgement call about how much to include/exclude.

Fresh, was natural lighting, I shot this outside in shade using a reflector to throw some light back onto the eggs.

 

[blakester]

Hi Iain. Fresh, I haven't seen this done before, great creativity. Stem looks a little out of proportion but overall a cracking shot!

Thanks Richard
I see what you mean about the proportion of the stem, the 'leaf' I used was really the only thing available from my sparse garden

Love the daisy. Very clever idea, well executed.
Andrew

Thanks Andrew

Yet another cracking and original idea

Well composed, good detail on the petals and well crafted.

Crit is like to see a little mire separation/shadows on the upper left petals.

Good show.

Cheers.

Cheers Andy
More separation duly noted

Really clever. At first I thought it was just a cartoon-ified daisy, but then I looked closer and reading your description and saw it. Great Idea.

Thanks Simon

 

[overbez]

magic Iain, nowt bad to say about that one from me. (It happens sometimes! )

 

[blakester]

magic Iain, nowt bad to say about that one from me. (It happens sometimes! )

Cheers Graham
Praise indeed!

 

[superpippo]

Iain
Fresh - you have stated your intention re the b/g and in that case it has worked perfectly.
The comp is good and the colours are excellent - just super - so vibrant and punchy. Stem looks OK to me because i read it as a slash of oil or gouache paint in common with the artistic creation

 

[blakester]

Iain
Fresh - you have stated your intention re the b/g and in that case it has worked perfectly.
The comp is good and the colours are excellent - just super - so vibrant and punchy. Stem looks OK to me because i read it as a slash of oil or gouache paint in common with the artistic creation

Thanks Alan
You've put that quite succinctly in respect of my intentions.
As far as the stem goes, I went with what I had available, it's a representation of, not a scale model.
I do see where others are coming from on the stem though.
Perhaps there's a lesson there, in my giving a better introduction to photographs, ie what my aims, intentions or objectives were. I feel that would help quite considerably. Food for thought.

 

[Dark Knight]

....
I see what you mean about the reflections cut off at their prime, its a judgement call about how much to include/exclude.

I see... It would have been an odd crop with more in

Fresh, was natural lighting, I shot this outside in shade using a reflector to throw some light back onto the eggs.

Looks like you can't beat it mate, love the light, very even

 

[blakester]

I see... It would have been an odd crop with more in

Looks like you can't beat it mate, love the light, very even

Cheers Dean
It was a very simple set up in the shade at the back of my house with just the reflector throwing some light back onto the eggs. No having to work with shadows etc.

 

[XenosElaine]

Iain, your patience and creativity never fail to impress. I can't peel one boiled egg that cleanly, never mind 5! The lovely bright yolk really makes the image pop out.