Weirdish's 52 2011 - week 24, Bright added

Theme "Paradox"
"The Heap Paradox" - A single grain of sand, a pebble or, in this case, a poker chip, definitely is not a heap or stack. Even two or three together aren't regarded as a heap, so what number do things become a heap?
We have 1000 poker chips stacked. This we can definitely say is a heap. Now let's remove one chip from the heap. We still have a heap. Removing one chip does not change that. Let's remove another, and another. Still the heap remains, so we can say that removing one poker chip does not make the heap not a heap. So let's carry on removing one chip at a time until we have removed 999 chips. One chip now remains in our heap. We have just said that removing one at a time does not make the heap not a heap, but did we not say at the beginning that one poker chip is definitely not a heap?

I give you the "Heap Paradox" (with a little HDR toning to try something different)

Heap.jpg
 
empty is definitely my favourite of your collection so far, nicely done
 
Great paradox Darren. As it usually does the hdr effect has added some haloing but I don't think they detract from the shot at all.
 
Hiya Darren,

Great take on the Paradox theme .... another idea I had for this one, but glad now I didn't do it as your image pretty much sums it up.

Well done

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Hi, Darren, I like the composition, motion blur in the hand and the processing.

For me, the chips on the table are a little too OOF.

But great take.

Cheers.
 
darren, i think your paradox HDR doesn't float my boat entirely... the hand yes, the B&W chips yes... but the foreground just draws my eye to 'blobs'.. BUT considering the theme... very creative (y)

Kev
 
Hi all many thanks for the comments. This is the first time I've played around with HDR so wasn't sure if it would work with this shot, but I preferred it to the non HDR shot. I had to post it up to get your comments Lol.
 
Hi Darren, this Paradox theme has certainly brought up some interesting thinking matter. This one of yours being no exception. Nice HDR shot totally fitting your write up, particularly with the motion of the Chip removal. Really well done
 
Hi Darren, just seen your 52 and I'm very impressed. A nice varied collection of images and some really good ones too. Hard to choose a favourite, but I really like the last two "wrong" and "paradox". They are both clever and witty takes on the themes and great pics as well.

A really good 52 - well done (y)
 
I have fallen behind over the last few weeks due to being away at weekends with the camper. I had the images in camera but no time until now to get them on here :)

No explanation needed for this one:

Week 17 "Tropical"

Tropical.jpg by Darren Matthews, on Flickr


For Power I thought I'd post something a little different. This was taken a couple of weekends ago in Glastonbury, where I had my first attempts at street photography(y)

Week 18 "Power" The "Power" of youthful, captivating beauty.

Power.jpg by Darren Matthews, on Flickr

A second one for power and a little more inside the box, is this shot from last Sunday's stockcar meeting where the heritage F2's were racing. These cars would have raced during the 1950's and 60's, so it's great to see them out on the track. A little PP to give it that heritage look:)

Power

power2.jpg by Darren Matthews, on Flickr

Week 19 Divided. Again taken in Glastonbury, this one inside the ruins of the Abbey. I just liked the way the sky is "Divided" into sections by the stonework of the Lady chapel.


Divided.jpg by Darren Matthews, on Flickr
 
Hi Darren,

Tropical shot is really good, the composition really draws the eye in.

First power shot would have been fantastic but for the expression on her face. I really like everything else about the shot. The wibbly wall is great.

Second power shot probably fits the theme in a more conventional way as you have said. The bodywork is just a bit to bright for me, I know this highlights the power aspect more but I would have preferred a bit more detail elsewhere.

Great idea for divided, the blown sky distracts a bit. Maybe 2 exposures combined would have worked better.
 
Hiya Darren,

Colin has pretty much summed up the thoughts I had about the photos, so I won't repeat what has already been mentioned.

I do like the processing though on the second power shot (y)

Well done

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
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drodd said:
Hiya Darren,

Patrick has pretty much summed up the thoughts I had about the photos, so I won't repeat what has already been mentioned.

I do like the processing though on the second power shot (y)

Well done

Cheers

Dawn :)
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First you call me Barry then Patrick. I could go off you John ;)
 
Barrysprout said:
First you call me Barry then Patrick. I could go off you John ;)
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My humble apologies

I've done it again ..... :bang:

Sorry Colin .... one day I will get it right :thinking:

That sprout really gets me confused :p

I will go and correct the post now :exit:

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Thanks for the comments everyone. My intention with the 2nd power shot was to try make it look like it was taken 40yrs ago, not too everyone's taste I know but I'm pleased someone likes it, Dawn :).
The divided shot was exposed for the sky and also dropped down one stop so as to keep the detail there. I guess I metered on the darker blue area & not the White oops. I then pulled back the detail in the brickwork afterwards in photoshop by using levels and exposure.
 
HI Darren, been here before but I don't appear to have commented until now.

I like the reflection in the mug in your week 5 'hard'.
The car shots, other than the engine in 'Power' don't do much for me I'm afraid.
Tropical is a pleasing shot - looks like it could be off the advert!
Divided is good and reminds me that I should look above me more often when I have my camera out.
 
i really like your divided image begin a abbey its far to easy to just take a" normal view" i(y)mage, great take on the theme bet you neck hurt
 
"Twisted" Cable fencing at the Aldershot Raceway.


"Hidden" A shot of our garden pond and one of our visitors.


"Broken" No explanation just broken!
 
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I don't go every week, every 2 to 3 weeks I go as it's a local track. I've always loved oval racing since I was a kid and have family that race.
Twisted is oof. I took 3 separate shots & all are oof. It was raining so that didn't help, as well as shooting through catch fencing.
My broken shot I thought was spot on for the theme, it doesn't get much more broken than that lol. It fills the frame so composition is good, exposure good & in focus but I guess not everybody's going to like car racing shots. I do prefer to go out and find the shot, rather than setting one up, although not always possible.
 
Hi Darren

Even allowing for the slight oof on Twisted I really like it :) Given the circumstance's you took it in the DOF works well & the subject really fits the theme...any chance of a reshoot ?

Hidden is also spot for the theme & very well spotted (y)

Broken...... I like the thought behind the shot & can see what you were aiming for in that it sure fits the theme ..... the left wheel appears sharp in focus but the rest of the image seems slighty oof ? Not sure but guessing the wreck was being craned on to a towtruck/off the track ? Personnaly I feel it may have worked better if you'd got the whole thing in shot , including the vehicle that was lifting it .Not meaning to sound negative as I really think there was a great image in there just waiting to get out :)

I also agree with Michael that maybe a B&W conversion would have suited it or even possibly ( dare I say it )......... selective coloring ?
 
I will reshoot twisted as I'm back at the track in a couple of weeks
I have a series of shots of the broken car being lifted onto the recovery truck and I chose this one because it was purely of the broken car with nothing else in shot. My favourite pic had a rain blob right in the middle of the shot I'll post a couple of the others tomorrow as I'm away from my PC now & I'll do B&W on the existing shot. I was limited as the car and truck were actually on track and I was behind the catch fencing so tricky to move round to a better position and still be close enough to the fence to get the shot.
Thank you all for the comments.
 
Hiya Darren,

Just catching up on your latest posts, all of which fit the themes well.

I like the DOF on twisted, it must have been tricky to get the twisted cable in focus with the car moving in the background .... as others have commented the twisted cable is OOF, did you use manual focus or auto?

Hidden is a nice little find and the little frog looks cute hiding behind the grass.

Broken ... well that does look broken, I hope nobody was hurt in the crash. The background looks a tad overexposed, which I think is contributing to the haziness of the whole shot. As has been mentioned, perhaps a b&w conversion would work.

Well done though.

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Thanks Dawn. Twisted was in auto focus, manual probably would have worked better. The haziness in broken is down to shooting through the fencing & the rain in the air. Although I'm close to the fence, using a long focal length, shallow DOF & subject far from the fence to blow the fence out of the shot, it is difficult to get rid of it completely even on a bright, clear day.
 
weirdfish said:
Thanks Dawn. Twisted was in auto focus, manual probably would have worked better. The haziness in broken is down to shooting through the fencing & the rain in the air. Although I'm close to the fence, using a long focal length, shallow DOF & subject far from the fence to blow the fence out of the shot, it is difficult to get rid of it completely even on a bright, clear day.
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Hiya Darren,

Yeh I think if you had got the twisted cable in focus using manual focus then the OOF background could have just fit in whatever it was (if that makes sense).

Considering you had to shoot through a fence with the weather conditions you mention, I think you have done a good job.

Well done

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Ok here's Broken done, not completely B&W but desaturated almost completely so a little of the green is still visible, to give an antique feel.

 
Not good Photographs so I've removed these. I'm happier with the desaturated version for broken.
 
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Hi, Darren, couple missing...:thinking:

Tropical, on theme and nice shadows. I especially like the reflections in the bottle and would prefer a closer crop on the bottle.

Power, well composed but not very flattering to the lady...Great details, especially in the wall. Pity the lower left flowers were in the way.

Divided, is again on theme. Composition for these, and I've been caught out a few times, has to be spot on for real impact. Sky looks a bit blown out and I suspect a subtle HDR would have worked well here.

Twisted. No photograph.

Hidden, pity the grass got in the way. Closer crop maybe?

Broken, well, is...(y) I'd prefer a different composition, more from the front.

Cheers and I look forward to seeing the rest of your photographs.
 
posiview said:
Hi, Darren, couple missing...:thinking:

Tropical, on theme and nice shadows. I especially like the reflections in the bottle and would prefer a closer crop on the bottle.

Power, well composed but not very flattering to the lady...Great details, especially in the wall. Pity the lower left flowers were in the way.

Divided, is again on theme. Composition for these, and I've been caught out a few times, has to be spot on for real impact. Sky looks a bit blown out and I suspect a subtle HDR would have worked well here.

Twisted. No photograph.

Hidden, pity the grass got in the way. Closer crop maybe?

Broken, well, is...(y) I'd prefer a different composition, more from the front.

Cheers and I look forward to seeing the rest of your photographs.
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Thank you for the comments, i'm learning a lot from everybody on here.
The twisted shot I'll get it back on but I am re-shooting in a couple of weeks.
Hidden, I intentionally waited for the wind to blow the rushes in the way to make the subject more hidden. I also zoomed out to make the frog look more hidden, if that makes sense.
 
Hi Darren,

I like the composition and DOF, but there are too many shadows for me and yellowing of the fabric around the button.

Perhaps a small(er) torch would be suitable; one that has a small beam that only illuminates the button.

Or, and I'm sure a 52er with better lighting skills than I could comment, perhaps you should illuminate all of the jacket the same, the button will naturally be brighter without altering the colour of the jacket.
Edit: and diffuse the light and use a reflector to eliminate the harsh shadow.

As I say, composition and DOF are good.
Once the lighting is sorted it will be a nice image and good take on the theme.
 
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The setup was a daylight lamp from above right shooting through a white umbrella, with the torch for emphasis. The torch is a pocket maglite, the smallest torch I have, and even reducing the beam it still wasn't quite small enough as you rightly say. I took a number of shots so do have one with just the diffused light from above right (as this shot but without the extra torch light). I wasn't sure about the yellowing either but preferred it over the shot without extra torchlight. I just felt bringing out the button a little more made it fit the theme that much better, but i'll post up the other image tomorrow if you like.
 
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