weekly Here we go again, going to finish in 2015 - Lizzies 52 - week 3Scenic added

lizzy23

lizzy23

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Liz
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Yayyyyy....welcome back Liz....wk 52 this time or die trying :LOL:
 
so have been away over new year, had taken my pattern one before i went, but didn't have time to edit, and when i saw week ones theme it all fit together, i have just invested in a fuji x - e1, so where possible will be trying to use this , as a way of getting to know the camera better. as others have said i have aways struggled at the beginning of the 52 to comment on everyones photographs so will try to comment on those that stand out to me, and won't be offended if i don't get many comments on my own , as at the end of the day its a personal challenge :)


so week 0 Pattern, loved the bold colouring on this and was playing with the dof

Pattern week 0 by jalizcazan, on Flickr

And week 1 Bliss to me is 5 nights away here in the middle of nowhere, sky could have been better, but the first time i'd had the Fuji on a tripod

week 1 Bliss by jalizcazan, on Flickr
 
Hi, Liz, I quite like Pattersn, but the symmetry looks a tad off.

Bliss, indeed. As I said in my thread, this is a very personal theme and I do see bliss. Pity about the sky, and I'm not keen on the gap at the left, possibly pan sight to remove it?

Anyway, good to see ya back (y)
 
Hey Liz :)

A couple of great shots, I really like the dotty pattern/bright colour, looks a good take DoF wise... As for the landscape, that looks a very blissful place, I'd be tempted to slice off a tad of the plain sky, would be different if there were some nice storm clouds or the like... but I especially like the sun catching the three layers of Mountain, Trees and the foreground, a great start Back (y)
 
Two nice shots to start you off, I think the shallow DoF works well in your pattern shot, I look forward to seeing more from you.
 
Hi Liz. Good straightforward take on patterns. I'm certainly not going to criticise anyone for shooting a simple piece of vinyl :oops: :$

Bliss certainly looks it to me given my hobbies. I think for a first image from using a tripod you've done really well. You've captured some lovely light and you definitely have a glorious backdrop to photograph. A few small tweaks I'd probably look to make - and they're only suggestions - would be:

1. Perhaps lose some of the sky: it's very clear and therefore doesn't add as much as the other parts of the image. You need some, but for me it's about balancing interest and a large expanse of empty blue can leave the rest of the image looking a bit more cramped.
2. Contrast and exposure: perhaps because the sky is fairly bright, did you need to reduce the exposure on the rest of the image? I'd like to the see hills and forest a bit lighter and greater contrast between the light tones and dark tones in them. Also, you have some lovely shards of lights falling as (presumably) the sun rises higher... I'm not sure why, but I'd expect that to pop a bit more: could it be brought out with a touch more processing?
3. Foreground subject: it can be really difficult to switch from admiring the scenery to being a photographer - I know because I can't usually do it. I see a lovely scene in front of me and want to shoot it. Instead take a second to think about what the story is you're shooting. A story has a beginning, middle and end and a photo usually benefits from having a foreground subject, midground and background. That's why we see a lot of stunning landscapes with a dominant tree in perfect focus, a rock formation in silhouette or a fence running off into the distance. They're not failsafe ways to make an image work, but they can be useful starting points.

I think you have a good image already and with a couple of small tweaks would become a really good image. I can't do much about #3 but I've made a couple of very quick adjustments in PS to your image to explain more what I'm suggesting (you have edit images checked so I hope you don't mind). My changes aren't hopefully too radical (no HDR going on!) and just a suggestion as to how I might process that good base image: http://i.imgur.com/IDEFYuZ.jpg (y)
 
As a fellow X-E1 shooter, I heartily recommend the camera. It's a powerful beast and has a lot of useful functions hidden away in the menus. (Just deleted three lines of waffle on lenses and stuff - ignore me!)

Paul has hit the nail on the head there (with a nice edit), although I can live without foreground interest in this case as the trees manage it (for me!). It's the middle ground contrast and the empty blue sky that need a bit of attention (have a chat with your deity of choice to get more clouds next time!). Don't get me wrong, this is a really good image, but with a few tweaks it could be amazing. It really captures a sense of serenity & calm for me.
 
posiview said:
Hi, Liz, I quite like Pattersn, but the symmetry looks a tad off.

Bliss, indeed. As I said in my thread, this is a very personal theme and I do see bliss. Pity about the sky, and I'm not keen on the gap at the left, possibly pan sight to remove it?

Anyway, good to see ya back (y)
Click to expand...


Thanks Andy, may go back and have a play

Dark Knight said:
Hey Liz :)

A couple of great shots, I really like the dotty pattern/bright colour, looks a good take DoF wise... As for the landscape, that looks a very blissful place, I'd be tempted to slice off a tad of the plain sky, would be different if there were some nice storm clouds or the like... but I especially like the sun catching the three layers of Mountain, Trees and the foreground, a great start Back (y)
Click to expand...

Happysnapper79 said:
Two nice shots to start you off, I think the shallow DoF works well in your pattern shot, I look forward to seeing more from you.
Click to expand...

Thankyou as above may go back and have a play

pjm1 said:
Hi Liz. Good straightforward take on patterns. I'm certainly not going to criticise anyone for shooting a simple piece of vinyl :oops: :$

Bliss certainly looks it to me given my hobbies. I think for a first image from using a tripod you've done really well. You've captured some lovely light and you definitely have a glorious backdrop to photograph. A few small tweaks I'd probably look to make - and they're only suggestions - would be:

1. Perhaps lose some of the sky: it's very clear and therefore doesn't add as much as the other parts of the image. You need some, but for me it's about balancing interest and a large expanse of empty blue can leave the rest of the image looking a bit more cramped.
2. Contrast and exposure: perhaps because the sky is fairly bright, did you need to reduce the exposure on the rest of the image? I'd like to the see hills and forest a bit lighter and greater contrast between the light tones and dark tones in them. Also, you have some lovely shards of lights falling as (presumably) the sun rises higher... I'm not sure why, but I'd expect that to pop a bit more: could it be brought out with a touch more processing?
3. Foreground subject: it can be really difficult to switch from admiring the scenery to being a photographer - I know because I can't usually do it. I see a lovely scene in front of me and want to shoot it. Instead take a second to think about what the story is you're shooting. A story has a beginning, middle and end and a photo usually benefits from having a foreground subject, midground and background. That's why we see a lot of stunning landscapes with a dominant tree in perfect focus, a rock formation in silhouette or a fence running off into the distance. They're not failsafe ways to make an image work, but they can be useful starting points.

I think you have a good image already and with a couple of small tweaks would become a really good image. I can't do much about #3 but I've made a couple of very quick adjustments in PS to your image to explain more what I'm suggesting (you have edit images checked so I hope you don't mind). My changes aren't hopefully too radical (no HDR going on!) and just a suggestion as to how I might process that good base image: http://i.imgur.com/IDEFYuZ.jpg (y)
Click to expand...


Hi thanks for your detailed crit, I think I've mislead you a bit,,, first time with new camera on the tripod, I have bought in to the Fuji x series for my landscape photography from a size perspective,,, no problem with the edit looks good, but personally I do prefer a bit more foreground, for me it reflects the sense of space up there
 
Harlequin565 said:
As a fellow X-E1 shooter, I heartily recommend the camera. It's a powerful beast and has a lot of useful functions hidden away in the menus. (Just deleted three lines of waffle on lenses and stuff - ignore me!)

Paul has hit the nail on the head there (with a nice edit), although I can live without foreground interest in this case as the trees manage it (for me!). It's the middle ground contrast and the empty blue sky that need a bit of attention (have a chat with your deity of choice to get more clouds next time!). Don't get me wrong, this is a really good image, but with a few tweaks it could be amazing. It really captures a sense of serenity & calm for me.
Click to expand...
Thanks, only got the Fuji just before Christmas, and have kept my 7d for action type shoots so will probably see a mixture of the 2 used
 
Don't blame you Liz - I've stupidly gone the other way and bought a second, far heavier and more cumbersome camera for landscape shots! But then I'm stupid and I won't be taking it to the tops of mountains any time soon :)

Agree re: sense of space - it's one of the attractions for me of being up there. I think a lone subject somewhere in frame can really emphasise that space even more?
 
Again a lovely scenery - some wonderful places out there
 
Nice start and good luck with the rest of your 52 this year
 
That's lovely scenery Liz. Crop wise I'd be tempted to bring in the left hand side to lose the darker parts of the forest. I'm not so worried about the amount of sky although a ND grad to slightly darken the very top would have helped bring the eye down into the image. I bet the dogs loved it there. Plenty of space for them to run around.
 
Delta Skies said:
That's lovely scenery Liz. Crop wise I'd be tempted to bring in the left hand side to lose the darker parts of the forest. I'm not so worried about the amount of sky although a ND grad to slightly darken the very top would have helped bring the eye down into the image. I bet the dogs loved it there. Plenty of space for them to run around.
Click to expand...
Thanks Peter, yes the magnificent 7 had a great time, had a full stack of grads on, think in actual fact I sat watching TV too long before going out, which meant the sun was just lighting the good of the hills, leaving the foreground A bit dark
 
Really like the scenic image, I bet its really quiet living in the house at the front.

Phil
 
Phil Bennett said:
Really like the scenic image, I bet its really quiet living in the house at the front.

Phil
Click to expand...


Thanks Phil, that's actually the cottage we were staying in, and yes very peaceful
 
So week 2 and im still here, carrying on with using the little Fuji where I can, and I have to say the more I use it the more I'm loving it, no fancy features, just iso, aperture and shutter speed settings any way

heres my take on Fragile,,, the winter sun coming through the window,, makes them look almost transparent

fragile 2 by jalizcazan, on Flickr
 
michael23 said:
Really like that Liz, the b+w? makes a very attractive image for me. Not sure if it needed the tops of the petal and bud in view, but really works as it is. Well done.
Click to expand...
Thankyou,, see what you mean about the tops will see if I have another edit
 
Hi Liz , made it back here finally :wave:

Patterns....got the making of a cracking abstract bit needs a bit more symmetry to stop my OCD twitch :oops: :$

Bliss....yup , that would be my 2nd idea of Bliss....open spaces, beautiful scenery & miles from anywhere .Sky is sky so agree with loosing a little of it , some cracking light in the distant hill & in front of the tree's (y) Could just do with a bit more pop in the colors for me . Always good to get a new toy...enjoy your journey with it :)

Fragile......lovely focus on the stamen but a little too busy for me & would really love to see them in color....daffodills are a glorious flower in a color that always makes me smile....mono doesn't have that effect...sorry :(
 
blondie606 said:
Hi Liz , made it back here finally :wave:

Patterns....got the making of a cracking abstract bit needs a bit more symmetry to stop my OCD twitch :oops: :$

Bliss....yup , that would be my 2nd idea of Bliss....open spaces, beautiful scenery & miles from anywhere .Sky is sky so agree with loosing a little of it , some cracking light in the distant hill & in front of the tree's (y) Could just do with a bit more pop in the colors for me . Always good to get a new toy...enjoy your journey with it :)

Fragile......lovely focus on the stamen but a little too busy for me & would really love to see them in color....daffodills are a glorious flower in a color that always makes me smile....mono doesn't have that effect...sorry :(
Click to expand...

Thanks Lynne, will have another go with the edit on the landscape,, the problem I have with that is the Fuji raw files aren't supported by lr3 which I have and the Fuji raw convertor is very limited, I do have a colour version of the daffs will post later
 
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:wave: Liz - Good to see you here!

Definitely preferring the colour version of the Daffs - just missing something in B&W for me, but I have to say that I prefer the crop in the original mono one.
The light hitting the translucent petals certainly adds to the fragile element, but I wonder whether a shallower DoF would have given a more dreamy feel and helped to isolate the point of focus.
 
well working 50 miles away and being out all last weekend, and Saturday this week scenic was always going to be a challenge, so as its all about taking a photograph a week, seeing what you want to take, composing the shot, and then pressing the button, I used what was at my disposal yesterday when I walked the dogs,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, my phone, I particularly liked the way the path zig zagged in to the scene and the different textures

20150125_111240 by jalizcazan, on Flickr
 
Liking the mono of the daffodils. makes a change albeit a bit clipped. Still a very nice image, liking the tones very much

Scenic, nice lead in lines to take you down the path.
 
Hi Liz

Scenic - I love the zig-zag path, it leads the eye right into the frame. Good shot :)
 
I do like the scenic image - the path really leads the eye, although I'm wondering if a lower vantage point would have improved it at all. It looks a little bit wonky too :)
 
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