weekly pjm1's 52 in 2014 week 52 (Support) added... FINISHED!

[overbez]

liking the idea, 2 negatives do indeed make a positive, (or a multiplication sigh ).

Can't help but feel the lens cap under the negs, and at least one (if not both) of the lenses at the top are superfluous though.

I do feel a bit more space around items too, which would happen if there were less items there.

Like the fade to colour though, nice novel way to do SC.

 

[superpippo]

Hi Paul
Time - original, good b/g, good detail and subtlety where it is in focus. My crit would be that more should be in focus, partic at front. My brain computes sharpness from front to back (cos I need to wear specs) and so the very oof front part seems too unatural to my eye ( a bit like the western way of looking left to right as we often discus on here)
Pure - too dark for me . My first thought was that it was one of those transformer toys and it took me quite a few minutes to recognise it as a camera on tripod. So from that point of view it fails as an image for me. But I commend the use of the rim lighting and the idea - it's just the execution. perhaps a less complicated outline than a camera would have worked better
Positive - very original - I got the connection without the explanation - so that worked 2 leneses at top seem superfluous. Not sure about the fade from colour, but I id not know that was the intention until i read Graham's comments.

 

[pjm1]

liking the idea, 2 negatives do indeed make a positive, (or a multiplication sigh ).

Can't help but feel the lens cap under the negs, and at least one (if not both) of the lenses at the top are superfluous though.

I do feel a bit more space around items too, which would happen if there were less items there.

Like the fade to colour though, nice novel way to do SC.

Thanks for the comments Graham... perhaps the lenses were a bit unnecessary, but I tried the image without them and it just felt a bit empty. Maybe it's now too contrived? Funnily enough, I didn't want the lens cap in the picture but I couldn't manage to get the negatives to do anything but lie flat on the table without it! I wanted a bit of depth to that part of the image as it just didn't look very interesting with them just placed on the table.

I really like the sepia fade myself and although it might not be universally popular, I think I'll be using that technique again at some point (not necessarily just in this challenge, though).

Hi Paul
Time - original, good b/g, good detail and subtlety where it is in focus. My crit would be that more should be in focus, partic at front. My brain computes sharpness from front to back (cos I need to wear specs) and so the very oof front part seems too unatural to my eye ( a bit like the western way of looking left to right as we often discus on here)
Pure - too dark for me . My first thought was that it was one of those transformer toys and it took me quite a few minutes to recognise it as a camera on tripod. So from that point of view it fails as an image for me. But I commend the use of the rim lighting and the idea - it's just the execution. perhaps a less complicated outline than a camera would have worked better
Positive - very original - I got the connection without the explanation - so that worked 2 leneses at top seem superfluous. Not sure about the fade from colour, but I id not know that was the intention until i read Graham's comments.

Thanks for the feedback and comments, Alan - appreciated as always. Time seems to have divided consensus, with probably slightly more people sharing your view on the narrow DOF in the middle. I'm actually not sure I could have got that much wider DOF even with f/32 because it was actually a macro shot (it was a tiny arrangement and very fiddly to do!) - I guess I could have tried focus stacking, though.

Pure definitely hasn't worked, apart from as an experiment. The rim lighting was interesting and quite fun to do, but I've learnt a lot from this picture!

Thanks for the comments on positive as well - all taken on board, and although I quite like the sepia fade I know it's the sort of thing that won't be universally popular (a bit like selective colour). I had to revert to PS for that bit, though - couldn't manage it with LR's grad filters...

 

[Allan.H]

Hi Paul I kind of like the idea behind positive but feel compositionally its a little disjointed, but there are some very clever elements in there, the negatives and the colour fade are both interesting and work well.
yet another interesting and good image and you have managed to get the lights in the house working

 

[pjm1]

Hi Paul I kind of like the idea behind positive but feel compositionally its a little disjointed, but there are some very clever elements in there, the negatives and the colour fade are both interesting and work well.
yet another interesting and good image and you have managed to get the lights in the house working

Thanks Allan - you're right about the composition not quite coming together. Sadly clever elements do need a thread to pull them together, so I definitely need to work on that aspect...

As for lights... nah! I bounced flash off the ceiling It will show you how bizarrely my mind works that it didn't even occur to me to turn the light on which is, of course, on the ceiling... Doh!

Editing for misspelling your name - sorry!

 

[blondie606]

Hi Paul

Really not sure on your Positive shot but can't quite nail why Positive negatives I like.....the placement of the camera& the lenses I like for reasons which escape me.... Think I'd want have the camera flat & upright ( so the base of the camera is on the floor ) , maybe that's what's bugging me ...it's not a natural position to put a camera in ?? The split toning doesn't work for me , possibly because it's not obvious enough that it's sepia.....I know what I'm trying to say but struggling to get the right words :banghead: Maybe it needs some texture like an old photo effect to really bring the sepia thing across.......
Sorry to sound negative about this one....

 

[pjm1]

Hi Paul

Really not sure on your Positive shot but can't quite nail why Positive negatives I like.....the placement of the camera& the lenses I like for reasons which escape me.... Think I'd want have the camera flat & upright ( so the base of the camera is on the floor ) , maybe that's what's bugging me ...it's not a natural position to put a camera in ?? The split toning doesn't work for me , possibly because it's not obvious enough that it's sepia.....I know what I'm trying to say but struggling to get the right words :banghead: Maybe it needs some texture like an old photo effect to really bring the sepia thing across.......
Sorry to sound negative about this one....

No need to apologise at all, Lynne - you've given me some great detailed feedback and sometimes these things also come down to what we like ourselves... so thank you! Funnily enough, I started off with the camera flat but didn't like it as much that way - as I say, sometimes we all prefer slightly different things! Re: the fade, perhaps it's that the sepia tone is - as you say, not strong - but also quite close to the colour of the table (but not exactly)... maybe it just clashes slightly? Maybe I need to play around with the colour of the fade a bit more next time...

And as for being negative... well, it was entitled Positive but I'll let you off Seriously, I can only say thank you for taking the time to look and comment

 

[pjm1]

Ok, here is my submission for week 35 Sparkle. I'm afraid it is a slight case of PABD and I can't say I'm massively happy with it. Depending on how the week pans out, I may well try something else (completely different) as an alternative submission, but for now this is it.

Plenty of faults (including technical ones) and shooting in the early afternoon sun is not something I'd choose to do, but I needed to in order to get the "sparkle"! (I tried early morning on the hills and it just wasn't working...) However, it's a pretty enough scene and that can help.


Sparkle by pjm1 (Paul), on Flickr

C&C very welcome but I think it's going to be a harsh one this week!

 

[overbez]

Tis indeed a sparkle on the water there, can't see the composition being any better, nice diagonals and corner entries.

Both an easy and a tough one to crit for me...... For me, you're stood the wrong side of the bridge, and it looks like you've then tried to do the best you can to rescue the shot. Would the sparkle on the water have been visible from the other side though, at 90º to the sun? Possibly not.

Sky looks almost pasted and the bridge looks a tad cool, but a pretty enough scene and you see the faults yourself, which is half the battle.

 

[pjm1]

Tis indeed a sparkle on the water there, can't see the composition being any better, nice diagonals and corner entries.

Both an easy and a tough one to crit for me...... For me, you're stood the wrong side of the bridge, and it looks like you've then tried to do the best you can to rescue the shot. Would the sparkle on the water have been visible from the other side though, at 90º to the sun? Possibly not.

Sky looks almost pasted and the bridge looks a tad cool, but a pretty enough scene and you see the faults yourself, which is half the battle.

Thanks Graham... I probably won't have much chance to comment this week so grabbing an opportunity to reply to you.

For me, you're spot on with all of your comments. In fact, most of your thoughts went through my mind before taking this shot... Unfortunately, the other side of the bridge was cluttered (with people, mostly!) and you're right the sparkle was missing... the big issue with this idea of sparkly water is that it requires shooting into, or at least broadly towards the sun - rarely a good recipe for a photo

The sky was really weird - cotton wool clouds and frankly just a bit peculiar. Ok, my processing has certainly made them more so, but no sky replacement going on here!

Colour temp was taken from the clouds but the bridge is actually a rather strange blue/grey colour - I think it's the local stone (at least it's the same with the mountains I was climbing earlier in the day).

The main bit of processing was actually removing a humungous sun flare which was rather precisely located on the underside of the second arch from the right... which is probably why that now looks quite remarkably similar to the underside of the right most arch

I can't say it's a photo I'm happy with, although no doubt if I posted it to facebook I'd get more likes for it than some of my technically "better" shots! (All it's missing is a smiling kid...)

Right - I need to get a corker of a photo soon to remind myself I can take ok ones sometimes!

 

[Allan.H]

Hi Paul, nice enough pic, its difficult to say much in the way of crit, you have managed to capture the sparkle of the water, which is the point really, so job done.
don't be so harsh on yourself you have put some really good images for the 52 and I am sure you will again soon, it's just one of those subjects

 

[pjm1]

Hi Paul, nice enough pic, its difficult to say much in the way of crit, you have managed to capture the sparkle of the water, which is the point really, so job done.
don't be so harsh on yourself you have put some really good images for the 52 and I am sure you will again soon, it's just one of those subjects

Thank you very much Allan - I really appreciate the "chin up" encouragement I enjoy improving and developing my skills so I really don't mind having off weeks... that just drives me harder to make sure I have a good week before too long!

 

[pjm1]

Right, catch up time again: this is (working backwards, of course) Week 8 - Ending.

Now, a few really quite serious things to say before providing a link to my image...

1. I do rather like portraying themes which cover the extremes of emotion and I've certainly adopted that approach for week 8's photo. It is not happy, it is not nice and I don't expect anyone to "enjoy" looking at it. I've created the picture because, for me, photography is about stimulating emotions in others and I want to make those vivid... but I don't ever want to make someone wish I'd never joined this thread! All I'll say is if you don't want to feel uncomfortable, please don't click the link (it is "safe for work" by the way, just not pleasant imagery).
2. Please don't worry about me! The photo is not in any way about me and I guess just like an actor dissociates themselves from the characters they play, I couldn't be further away from this subject.
3. PLEASE... if you are of nervous disposition, just don't click my link. I think most of you by this point can guess what a theme entitled "Ending" might now be about.

So if you've read this far and you're determined to see my photo, I've uploaded it to Imgur (rather than Flickr because I don't want people accidentally coming across it and panicking!): http://i.imgur.com/nbJiAXr.jpg










Photo would go here normally!












I'm not expecting to receive much comment on this theme - for obvious reasons, but any comments will always be appreciated. A few further words on the photo itself: the selective lighting is deliberate as the "story" is about moving from dark to light... as is the placement of the subjects. I really didn't want to place things at a conventional point as, compositionally, I want this to be challenging as befits the subject.

Now I need to think of a jolly reshoot of Sparkle because I'm not happy with my submission for week 35 yet! Thanks for looking (if you've read this far )

 

[posiview]

Well done for tackling such a delicate subject. It's well composed and has a lilght painted feel to it, which I like.

Only crit from me, is I don't think the suicide note would say two words. I feel it would possibly have some reasons, etc.

Regards..

 

[pjm1]

Well done for tackling such a delicate subject. It's well composed and has a lilght painted feel to it, which I like.

Only crit from me, is I don't think the suicide note would say two words. I feel it would possibly have some reasons, etc.

Regards..

Thanks Andy, appreciate the comments You're right re: the note but I'll be completely honest and say I simply couldn't bring myself to write any more - even though it was for a bloomin' photo! I think I'm bit too sensitive for my own good (there goes my "man card"!!)

 

[Allan.H]

Hi Paul, interesting interpretation of the theme its a dark theme but I like dark things, don't mind that there are only two words kind of adds to the drama, sort of the beginning of the end.
The good thing about it is it's immediately obvious what its about which is quite hard to portray in a single image sometimes, well done

 

[pjm1]

Hi Paul, interesting interpretation of the theme its a dark theme but I like dark things, don't mind that there are only two words kind of adds to the drama, sort of the beginning of the end.
The good thing about it is it's immediately obvious what its about which is quite hard to portray in a single image sometimes, well done

Thanks Allan (remembered both "Ls" this time )... kind comments and much appreciated - "interesting" is certainly one way to describe my mind!

Cheers!

 

[overbez]

Man.... I was expecting to see you hanging from a tree with a noose round your neck. Must admit I'm feeling a bit let down now if I'm honest.

As said the situation is immediately obvious from the shot and I like the use of the 'dark side'.

There's always going to be many different ways of arranging 5 items in a shot, none mitre right than another and all things here do look to be in s natural position.

for seeing this through , sound like you went on a bit of a 'journey'.

 

[pjm1]

Man.... I was expecting to see you hanging from a tree with a noose round your neck. Must admit I'm feeling a bit let down to be honest.

As said the situation is immediately obvious from the shot and I like the use of the 'dark side'.

There's always going to be many different ways of arranging 5 items in a shot, none mitre right than another and all things here do look to be in s natural position.

for seeing this through , sound like you went on a bit of a 'journey'.

Yes - I probably played the description a bit too safe but I'm never sure how different people will react to things (the wonders of the anonymous internet, eh?) so I thought I'd rather dissuade people than genuinely upset anyone. I'm very lucky in that I've never had any direct family/friend experience of anyone who's done this but I'm aware others have.

It wasn't quite as easy as I expected to set up the shot... it felt very weird and really quite uncomfortable doing it. Let's just say I won't be opting for a reshoot any time soon!

Thanks for the comments, Graham

 

[d00d]

I was prepared for the worst ... an empty bottle of Scotch ... writing trailing off down to the floor.

 

[pjm1]

I was prepared for the worst ... an empty bottle of Scotch ... writing trailing off down to the floor.

If it was a bottle of Scotch then it wouldn't have been nearly full! Which, on reflection, might have been a better prop to have used!

 

[susiejb]

Hi Paul....I couldn't resist looking anyway whatever had had been there...it's one of those psychological things, when someone says don't look, you sort of want to even more.

You've managed to put your idea across in a sensitive way .... much nicer than anything really gory and over dramatic. It's well thought out, and as a writer (sort of) I can really understand how difficult it would have been to continue any further with that note. I like the dark side of the image against the lighting on the right....also I love that reflection from the glass on the paper.

 

[pjm1]

Hi Paul....I couldn't resist looking anyway whatever had had been there...it's one of those psychological things, when someone says don't look, you sort of want to even more.

You've managed to put your idea across in a sensitive way .... much nicer than anything really gory and over dramatic. It's well thought out, and as a writer (sort of) I can really understand how difficult it would have been to continue any further with that note. I like the dark side of the image against the lighting on the right....also I love that reflection from the glass on the paper.

Thanks Susie - I'm glad it has worked for you (and didn't send you running off screaming!)

A little secret though: the reflection was something I added in post! It was supposed to be a slight shadow cast through the glass (there was a really faint one but I wanted something stronger) - so I copied a chunk of the crystal glass you could see facing the camera, desaturated it and then turned it into a B&W (i.e. virtually no shades of grey). I then inverted it (not sure I should have, though?), moved it to roughly where I wanted it, distorted it and changed the blending mode to darken. After a couple of layer masks being applied to fade it out just right and the opacity being brought down it was just how it looks now. Sounds complicated but only took about 5-10 minutes and that was me learning how to do it from scratch

Definitely a dark theme this one!

 

[pjm1]

Right... back to this week's theme. I wasn't happy with my first submission for "Sparkle" so I've gone for a more carefully posed and lit shot. Small aperture (f/16), carefully positioned flash and reflector.

For me it's a lot better than my original submission (the bridge) but there's still a lot more I would like to improve: removing as many reflections as possible from the cocktail shaker. I would also probably add some food colouring in the water in the crystal tumbler as it looks empty (even though it's not).

However, I think it definitely sparkles and not a single sparkle was added in photoshop! In fact, I had to tame one of them down (bottom of glass) as it just looked toooooo bright.

I think it's worked, but still room for improvement - which is always good

Week 35 attempt 2: Sparkle


Sparkle: attempt #2 by pjm1 (Paul), on Flickr

 

[JasonGlyn]

Hi Paul. Unfortunately I don't have the time just lately to visit the threads as often as I would like too. Just wanted to say that I can see that you are progressing at an impressive rate. Your thread is a really good read, largely due to your own crit and dialgue with thread posters. Your dedication to the challenge is commendable - long may it continue

 

[pjm1]

Hi Paul. Unfortunately I don't have the time just lately to visit the threads as often as I would like too. Just wanted to say that I can see that you are progressing at an impressive rate. Your thread is a really good read, largely due to your own crit and dialgue with thread posters. Your dedication to the challenge is commendable - long may it continue

Thanks Jason! I just have lots of enthusiasm... if I can share any of it with the rest of you then that's even better

Thanks for commenting

 

[posiview]

I do like sparkle #2, nice summery feel to it and the shadow is a nice addition as are the starbursts.

Cheers.

 

[pjm1]

I do like sparkle #2, nice summery feel to it and the shadow is a nice addition as are the starbursts.

Cheers.

Thanks Andy - appreciated. The more I look at it, the less I'm happy with it... but for me this theme was an experiment into more straight-on lighting, so it has been a useful week in that regard. Cheers for the comments

 

[overbez]

That cocktail set up sure does have a number of sparkles going on.

Liking the lighting set up as the shadow is from the opposite direction to the starbursts. Small aperture definately the way to go here to get those starbursts.

If the shaker is completely shiny silver, then I'd imagine you're going to have a hard time (impossible maybe ) removing them completely. There's nothing obvious in them, so they are natural and therfore don;t detract for me.

 

[pjm1]

That cocktail set up sure does have a number of sparkles going on.

Liking the lighting set up as the shadow is from the opposite direction to the starbursts. Small aperture definately the way to go here to get those starbursts.

If the shaker is completely shiny silver, then I'd imagine you're going to have a hard time (impossible maybe ) removing them completely. There's nothing obvious in them, so they are natural and therfore don;t detract for me.

Thanks Graham. I deleted myself (about 3 different reflections because of the concave bit!) but otherwise I just left them. Flash (bare) was pointed more or towards camera and a reflector just under the camera lens at a slight angle to bounce it back and fill slightly. Two of the small sparkles are, I think, from the pop up flash which is acting as controller (I don't have any remote triggers yet) but the bigger ones are from the key flash.

Right - another catch up because it's Friday afternoon! Here is my submission for Week 7 (Sense):


Sense: Touch by pjm1 (Paul), on Flickr

Again, a bit of an experiment in lighting this (diffused flash directly below hand, part-closed reflective umbrella just above to bounce back) and quite difficult to get just the finger tips in focus and just in the right place to get the fairly hard side lighting to really show up the fingerprints. Fun doing it anyway!

Edit: it looks a touch oversharpened on this thread but looks a bit better in full screen (Lightbox) on Flickr, as per usual.

 

[overbez]

Now this ones a real corker Paul, You have done a super job getting all 5 fingertips in with such a shallow DOF. The lighting to bring out the fingerprints has worked beautifully.

Viewed full screen really has a jumping out the screen feel about it. Really making you retreat from it.

I don;t often make references to aptness to the theme, as I feel that a secondary consideration, rather than the primary (others may disagree). But here you've successfully demonstrated the sense of touch, in a great clear image.

 

[pjm1]

Now this ones a real corker Paul, You have done a super job getting all 5 fingertips in with such a shallow DOF. The lighting to bring out the fingerprints has worked beautifully.

Viewed full screen really has a jumping out the screen feel about it. Really making you retreat from it.

I don;t often make references to aptness to the theme, as I feel that a secondary consideration, rather than the primary (others may disagree). But here you've successfully demonstrated the sense of touch, in a great clear image.

Thanks Graham - glad you liked it Now I just need my wrists to recover from the cramp of having one hand positioned in shot and the other reaching around the camera for the shutter release!!

 

[overbez]

You'll be easy to buy for this Christmas .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item3f305e1800

 

[posiview]

Cracking idea, Paul, reminded me of that HP sauce advert where people are trying to get the last drop of sauce out but you can't see the bottle.

Like it.

I did a B&W conversion and the gritty feel worked for me. Nonetheless, you've produced the good again.

Cheers.

 

[pjm1]

You'll be easy to buy for this Christmas .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item3f305e1800

Ha ha... I ordered exactly that item - from that seller - at 14:22 today! And REALLY wished I already had it at 16:22

@posiview - thanks Andy... there's almost always a bit of experimentation going on with my shots and no difference this time. I also thought a B&W might work, although I couldn't quite get it right so stuck with colour. My conversion (which was a quick one) seemed to lose a bit of definition... I think I might try again later. Cheers!

 

[susiejb]

Crikey that one really does jump out at you when you click on it ...a very clever and original shot...well done to you

 

[pjm1]

Crikey that one really does jump out at you when you click on it ...a very clever and original shot...well done to you

Thanks Susie - sorry, didn't mean to scare anyone

Thanks as always for the kind words! My own crit would be that I should have taken better care of my fingers

 

[pjm1]

You'll be easy to buy for this Christmas .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-...raphy_DigitalCamAccess_RL&hash=item3f305e1800

That arrived this morning... talk about quick! Also along with a couple of yongnou (sp?) flash triggers so now I'm officially all remote controlled out.

 

[blondie606]

HI Paul

Sense...no crit , really fab shot , love the lighting & the perfect focus

Sparkle....you've added all crit , was going to mention the blue hue to the stone work but you covered that as well.......nice image in less than ideal shooting conditions

Sparkle 2......other than the downwards POV I really like this & top marks for egtting natural sparkle as opposed too pp'd sparkle

Ending...not quite what I expected after reading your words but kind of works.......maybe I have a macabre side but it's not nearly " dark" enough for me - not "dark" as in lighting but in conveying the tone of the theme . Hmmm, not explaining myself too well here.....a few more words on the letter , more pills scattered around , maybe in mono....you choose a serious dark take on the theme , I appreciate that it's a sensitive subject but I think you could have taken it further , you certainly have the skill to do so .

 

[Crtm]

Hi Paul,

Sense - Great shot love the dof and and the focus on the fingertips very much on theme too.
Sparkle - Nice shot, certainly does sparkle and bang on theme for me.

Ending - I followed your link...........
For me it works, death does not need to be gruesome and full of goar, it is sometimes a quiet relief for the person that has committed that final act.