Sterling Archer's Photo 52 - Part 1 (1-26)

Sterling Archer

Sterling Archer

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Mark
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This is not only the first Photo 52 I've ever done, but also my first proper Photography Project.

I've also started slightly late, so I'm playing catch up.

C&C welcome, and I'm sure there'll be plenty as at the time of starting this project I'm still in my first year of photography and have lots to learn.
 
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Week 1: Accomodation (Provided by Penny for her bump)

IMG_1123b22.jpg


This was one taken at my first maternity photoshoot a couple of weeks ago.
 
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Week 4 - Open

I really struggled with this as I vowed not to get a sign from a shop door after it was all (apart from rude things) I could think of.

Anyway, this is 'open' for me as it is not only an open can of Coke (with old style ring pull), but was taken in one of Manchester's underground tunnels, the first time said tunnels have been open for me (legally).


IMG_4408 by MVS Photography, on Flickr
 
Hi Mark, You have some great pics on this project, particularly Week 1. Great take on accommodation and I imagine not many forum users would have been in a position to pull that one off.
I am new to all this myself so by no means no expert, but I aint sure about Week 4. Its a great image and typical of many similar cities, but I think the link to "open" is a bit tenuous, maybe if the ring pull was more in focus it might have summed it up for me more without the narrative. Sorry- just being honest, its all down to personal taste and interpretation I suppose.
Good luck with the rest of the challenge

Martin
 
Mark, i think you've made a great catch up for the 52. I like week 1 for the near silhouette. I love light trails so week 3 is a (y) from me.. painful looking heels though.. :D ... coke can might have been better lying down.?

oh.. great DOF on dictionary.
 
When I first saw this week's theme I didn't know what I was going to shoot. I have an idea (someone else may have already done it) for it, but on a walk yesterday I had another two great opportunities for it.

Anyway, here are my first two attempts, though if I have time to go for the other one I will post that later in the week and use that.


Photo 52 - Week 5 - Hard1 by MVS Photography, on Flickr


Photo 52 - Week 5 - Hard2 by MVS Photography, on Flickr
 
Of the two shots I certainly prefer the second one and the green tones add character to the hard image. Did you get any shots from less of an angle and did it look harder?
The only thing that spoils that image I think, was the engraved word stoney? cos there appears to be a bit of the Y showing that could do with taking out.
Great idea for "hard" though.
 
The second image almost says hard but the shallow depth of field loses the "hardness" of the image for me. I reckon that a narrower aperture getting the whole thing pin sharp would have said hard better.
 
McNyat said:
Whats the first one Mark....ice?
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Yes. We went for a wander along the Rochdale Canal in Uppermill and I couldn't resist the patterns in the ice.


Marts said:
The only thing that spoils that image I think, was the engraved word stoney? cos there appears to be a bit of the Y showing that could do with taking out.
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It was one of those 'This stone was laid...', but I seem to have caught the beginning of the w.

Mike Jackson said:
The second image almost says hard but the shallow depth of field loses the "hardness" of the image for me. I reckon that a narrower aperture getting the whole thing pin sharp would have said hard better.
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Noted, thanks.

I think a reshoot in the morning before I head off to cover the football is in order.

Thanks all.
 
Can't believe I've missed your 52 so far. What a great set of images.

Week 1: a wonderful pic. The semi silhouette works very well and that's a lovely B+W conversion. I like the way she is looking down at her bump. The doorframe is not vertical - easily corrected in PP.

Week 2: very nice use of DOF and perfect for theme. Not keen on the thick black border.

Week 3: a striking image. The reds of the light-trails and the shoes and dress certainly grab attention. Has quite gritty city nightlife look.

Week 4: I like this a lot. Brilliant colours and detail. For me, a bit more space above and below the can would improve it.

Week 5: probably my least favourite, but still good images. The "STONE" one could have been a really nice shot but it look rather soft and then over-sharpened.

Overall a brilliant set of pics(y)
 
A great 52 so far Mark - nice one.
Week 6 definitely shows off the theme well but I find the horizontal change in background is bit distracting personally. Good luck with this week's photo.
 
Hi, Mark, a few quick comments as there are loads of other posts to get through...:)

#1, one of the most origional takes on the these so far. Really like the expression on her face.
#2, I like how your processed this, the b&w works well as does the top and bottom black borders. Not sure whether I'd loose the text from the very bottom or not?
#3, like the nice low angle and the trails (though can't help thinking, how can I put it and no offence, but has a 'lady of the night feel'....;))
#4, your best, and one of the best take on open.
#5, stone one for me, hard stone, hard as stone...nice. Minor point but I'd clone out the far right letter (W?) that is just in the frame
#6, ha, ha, haven't we all got that kind of cupboard full of condiments! I agree with Tim regarding the top back of the cupboard.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers.
 
TopBanana said:
A great 52 so far Mark - nice one.
Week 6 definitely shows off the theme well but I find the horizontal change in background is bit distracting personally. Good luck with this week's photo.
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Thanks. I think I'll have a tinker with this one in Photoshop as I see what you mean about the shadow.


posiview said:
Hi, Mark, a few quick comments as there are loads of other posts to get through...

#1, one of the most origional takes on the these so far. Really like the expression on her face.
#2, I like how your processed this, the b&w works well as does the top and bottom black borders. Not sure whether I'd loose the text from the very bottom or not?
#3, like the nice low angle and the trails (though can't help thinking, how can I put it and no offence, but has a 'lady of the night feel'....)
#4, your best, and one of the best take on open.
#5, stone one for me, hard stone, hard as stone...nice. Minor point but I'd clone out the far right letter (W?) that is just in the frame
#6, ha, ha, haven't we all got that kind of cupboard full of condiments! I agree with Tim regarding the top back of the cupboard.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers.
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Thanks for the comments. #3 is Mrs Archer, who may well need to put in a better Photo 52 appearance to dispel the 'lady of the night' feeling. :LOL:

michael23 said:
Cracking images there, my favourite being the coked can, followed closely by week 1, Your doing a great job, I like the clutter image, but the bar is a little detracting, but a great shot nonetheless. Good luck with the rest.
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Cheers, Michael. Definitely cloning out that shadow. :LOL:
 
Hi, Mark, I understand why you posted it and it's a nice photograph of your daughter, but it doesn't bring delicate to mind.

As a portrait it's a nice shot, just the hair over her eye that spoils it for me.

Cheers.
 
Hiya Mark,

Just realised I haven't been past to view your project, so I apologise for being late in getting round to it and will do a quick catch up now:

Week 1: Agree with others about this being a lovely semi-silhoutee. Lovely take on the theme too.

Week 2: Nice DOF and angle, the dictionary looks very new. Not sure about the thick border though.

Week 3: Like the traffic light trails (something I still have to attempts one day). Nice focus on the shoes, but the handbag looks a bit OOF to me.

Week 4: I like this, and what a find too (can't remember the last time I saw an old ring pull from a can). Agree with previous comment about a bit more space above and below and also the can being on its side. Otherwise I think this one has to be my fav so far. Especially as it looks like the can has been 'open' as exposed to many elements over its lifetime.

Week 5: Agree with comments about the 'w' in the 2nd image and also looks a little soft. Not too sure about the ICE photo, perhaps because of the grey colour of it (was this a b&w conversion) because it may have had more impact in colour.

Week 6: Looks familiar, i.e., cluttered condiment cupboard :D The white caps look a bit blown to me, and the shadow at the top a bit distracting otherwise an ok imge.

Week 7: Any child is delicate in my mind and I like that you have submitted this photo for this week's theme. I presume this is a photo of your daughter. She has a gorgeous delicate face. Agree that the hair over the eye is slightly distracting as it would have been better to see the whole eye. But a lovely clear image with natural tones. Well done.

I have enjoyed looking through your project and look forward to seeing your future weeks. Now that I have your thread tagged, I should hopefully not miss it.

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Love your week 7 pic. A beautiful natural portrait which is well lit and has very nice DOF. The open space on the left is perfect.
I don't mind the stray hair, not every portrait needs to be the same. (y)
 
accommodation my favourite so far, really like the idea of a proud mum to be in a doorway like that
 
Great start to your project Mark and well done on getting up to date after a slightly late start.

Accommodation is the standout shot for me, as others have said. Pose, composition, processing all seem to come together in this one.
However, your latest one for delicate comes a close second. Not quite sure that it says "delicate" to me, but it's a beautiful portrait all the same. I really like the close crop and you've got good focus on her eye. It's just quite unfortunate that the stray hair happened to be right across her eye.
 
That is a beautiful picture. How did you do that? Is this painting with light?
 
Hiya Mark,

Well done, I like your take on the theme and the similicity of the photo and the colours are lovely.

Would also like to know how you achieved this.

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
I just love your week 8 picture.

How did you achieve it? I would like to give this light painting a go at some point.
 
Thanks.

I got Mrs Archer to stand in the lounge in the dark, and using a light up rubber from the kids' pencil case she drew a butterfly while I had the camera on a 10 second shutter speed. We did about 20 takes in total as the shape was slightly off, or out of shot.

After that, I did minimal editing in Photoshop, just increasing the contrast a bit and setting the background to black so I could erase any ambient light, leaving just the light trails.

In the end, I couldn't decide on which butterfly I preferred, the first or the last, so I resized one and added it to the other in Photoshop.
 
Haven't seen your thread before so hi! :) I think your photo's great for this week's theme! Simple yet very effective; spot on!
 
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