Ambermile's 2010 Fifty Two - Produce - Week 12

Hi Arthur. You're right. The last three weeks all seem to have a "reflective" theme. I quite like it, and it's nice to read the narrative.

Out of all the shots though, I think People has the most impact. It's clearly a heartfelt story behind the shot and whilst it breaks lots of photographic rules I think it works really really well.

Nice to see you've caught up. I was beginning to worry!

Ian.

Oh, and a quote I always try to remember is to "never judge a (wo)man by the work (s)he is forced to do".
 
Both get the thumbs up from me Arthur. Nice sympathetic processing and the background (behind and beneath) really help give the scene some character. A little soft maybe, but that'll be the ixus struggling to keep up with the light. The ixus are great little cameras for taking absolutely anywhere.
 
Thanks Ian, and that's a good way to go through life too. Pity we have to get so bloody old before we realise it!

Cheers Darren, and yes, it does struggle to focus nicely in low light... for the Present shot I even had to point in a completely different area where it was lighter to get the focus lock then come back and compose the image, otherwise there were those little green boxes popping up and disappearing all over the screen!

Anyway, as intimated previous, the D70 grip arrived today and very nice it is too, seems to add hardly any weight at all bar the extra battery - I am impressed to the point of wanting to get back out there now!


Arthur
 
Last edited:
Hi Athur, I really love the clock images....how many more themes can you fit them into? The more the better they are so fascinating. Look forward to seeing your D70 in action. :)
 
You mean like a picture of a man writing a poem about a group of people watching an axe fall in an arc onto a clock while a white rabbit on a unicycle pedals furiously round them all? Could do it one day I guess :D

Arthur
 
Hi Arthur,

I really like your autobiographical texts. They add so much context to your images.
I admire the work you put into your pp. I wouldn't even have thought about ageing the images of the clocks, for example.
I don't have a favourite clock shot - they all look fine to me.

I must say, that the people shot initially looked to me like a quick snap taken in somebody's scullery without too much thought given to, well, anything really. But when I read your accompanying text I realised that it absolutely was the best way to capture the image.

ps, here's to a sustained gentle roll down your hill(y)
 
Thanks Rob... for the People shot I was trying to keep the light but also hint at the old darkness as well, I knew what I wanted to get for the image and indeed the Ixus did struggle - it turned out OK although sadly I did have to lose a bit of the detail in the garden outside the window to maintain the mood inside that I was after. Not spoken to Peter after he saw the picture but am nipping up there this afternoon so it will be interesting to hear what he and Lou both think.

Arthur
 
D'ya know, I saw your present shot and thought 'damn, that would have made a cracker for mechanical'. And then here it is again! I really like the second shot above... it's got a real olde worlde charm with the script underneath and the bare stone wall. Some nice neutral tones too. (y)
 
Thanks Lee, I thought there would have been uproar and cries of cheating crowbars when I posted two weeks in the same workshop... seems though that everyone appreciates the different stories for the images and seem to be happy with things. I have to confess that mechanical would probably have been sonething else altogether had I not fallen behind a couple of weeks as it meant that technically I knew about the theme before I should have. Shouldn't happen again though as I feel things are improving little by little - even got the Canon Demi out over the weekend and got through 3 films (taken and developed as well) to callibrate the new lens!


Arthur
 
Last edited:
Arthur, well done on catching up, and I'm glad you're feeling better. All the images have worked nicely, and that little Ixus has done a nice job on them.
 
Thanks John, onwards and upwards eh?

Arthur - sic itur ad astra as they say :D
 
Well done on the catch-up Arthur. And before I get onto the shots I just want to tell you how much I've enjoyed (if that's the right word) reading the story behind each one. Personal insight, inspirational and thought provoking in equal measure :)

Speed : I missed this first time round, but your final selective coloured offering is the one for me. Well worth all the hair pulling IMO.

I love the clock shots, both for present and mechanical. I don't mind at all that they were taken in the same workshop, because they're very different shots.

I like the feeling of intimacy in present - there's something special about peeking in on someone so engrossed in their work. Lighting and reflections all work well and the use of the book as a reflector was inspired. My only niggle is that it's left the pages a little too bright to really make out any detail - a fairly minor point though because the shot is more about Julian than the book.

For mechanical, I prefer the first version. The composition and level of detail just sit better with me for some reason. And I'm driving myself mad trying to read the engraving and spot the spelling mistake :LOL:

People - a truly inspirational story and although you say that you've tried to emphasise a normal setting, IMO the lighting and composition make it extraordinary . . . which I think says a lot about Peter's story.
BTW lovely detail in the steam from the tea (y)

Glad to hear that your health is on the mend - and keep reaching for those stars :)
 
SarahLee said:
Glad to hear that your health is on the mend - and keep reaching for those stars :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Sarah, for the thoughts, comments, wishes and encouragement, I appreciate it. Please don't say too much about the final Speed shot or there'll be no keeping Lynton down!

All that and Latin too eh? :clap:


Arthur :LOL:
 
I love your 'people' shot! Nice and subtle! And all the clocks :nuts: (I'm an engineer-in-training, and love little fiddly intricate things :D :LOL:). Good stuff, keep it up (y)
 
Thanks Chris - I nearly ended up with a shot from the inside of the cnc mill (couldn't get the coolant looking right though)... Then I was going to do the old dairy as it's been pretty much abandoned since the cows went 15 years ago (was too cold :D )... Then as I was doing the Present, the Mechanical sort of fell into place!

Arthur
 
And so on to week 9, Play. Hmm, not something I feel much like (he said getting all depressed right at the start to get it out of the way) right now although to be honest I have pretty much been playing all week with cameras, film and developing kit... which rather sucked away all the time I should heve been thinking about Play as a theme rather than an activity. Went out today with a Bilora and a Voigtlander - ostensibly to take the dog for a walk - because I am still looking for that camera that can take an "old" picture. You know the type, easy to do in PS but that's not the point, I want it in the raw straight from the tank, because that way it's a photograph and not just a picture. (Cue waffle... End waffle). Long and short of it is that half way around the walk I remembered some pics I took a few weeks ago and although it's a bit naughty I am going to use one of them for this week's entry.

For me, playing is not something solo, you can't do it alone. same with dogs I find, they wag their tails alot and look at you and bounce around the garden... but if you're not there they just mope... they need friends too!



Big doggie is Shila, our Northern Inuit (3 years old on 10th March actually)... little dog is a friend she plays with pretty much every day. This picture for me is what it's all about - two friends having a great time and clearly enjoying it and themselves.


IMG_0043-800-zoom.jpg

​





OK, there is a little bit of messing post-process wise but I hope it has helped rather than hindered the bounciness of the original. As ever, a couple of the nearly-made-its...


IMG_0041-800.jpg



IMG_0038-800.jpg


​


Ok, hit me with it!
 
Last edited:
All great but #3 does it for me, I can almost imaging the 'nipper' saying "c'mon, chase me, let's go".
 
Whilst the effect on the first is a little strong I think it captures the play theme well, almost like a game of doggy it with Shila running for all she is worth :)
 
Thanks peeps, Rob I think if there was a race then simple leg sizes would decide the winner! They do bounce around alot together and it's great to watch them.

Arthur
 
They certainly look like they are having fun there Arthur. Not sure on the effect on the first one, like Rob, a little strong maybe, but it's clearly Play
 
I'm tending to agree with the others... The 1st shot is possible the strongest, but the PP is a bit too strong.

I really like that 3rd one though. I had a friend that had a King Charles spaniel and a German Shepherd and watching the pair of them goof off was hilarious (one with straight line speed, one with manoeverability). Size does not matter when you're a little dog with a big mouth! :)

Reminds me of fun times. I hope it makes you smile! Out of interest, what was the 1st one like pre-"zoom"-PP?

Ian.
 
I think I am about to get found out here ... :D

OK, here's #1 pre-zoom - and I know it's not focussed in the right place but I thought the wee doggie was more important to get right. That's the story I am sticking to anyway! If it helps, two days later I had figured sport mode shooting on the D1x (y)



IMG_0043-800-1.jpg

​



Arthur
 
Well I don't think you can get much more on theme than these!

Have you posted no.1 on the site before?
I'm sure I've seen it, or something very similar to it . . . and I may even have left a comment.

The PP on this one is mad, bad and completely OTT. But I somehow like it :LOL:
It made me smile, drew my eyes right to the dogs and gave a real feeling of motion and speed. It certainly has more impact than the original.
I can see this making a fantastic personal Christmas card.

No.2 and No.3 are both very close though. In both of these the dogs look like their having a great time. I love the posture and Shila's eye contact with the camera in the second, but No.3 has really captured the relationship and interaction between the 2 animals.

What can I say? I'm a softie for doggie shots and I think all of these are great! :clap:
 
great shots.. lots of energy.. they certainly are having fun in the snow.. as others unsure if the effect on the first is a tad strong for me.. bang on theme though, lovely dogs
 
Ambermile said:
You mean like a picture of a man writing a poem about a group of people watching an axe fall in an arc onto a clock while a white rabbit on a unicycle pedals furiously round them all? Could do it one day I guess :D

Arthur
Click to expand...

:LOL::LOL::LOL: I can provide you with 'Alice' as well if you like!

Love the Play shots ..... hard to pick a favorite as they all have their particular merrits....nice as a set.

Sonia
 
I like #1 complete with zoom effect, which I think draws the eye to the dogs rather nicely.

You have captured great expressions on the dogs' faces. They make it very clear that the dogs are playing and that they are enjoying doing so.
 
Many thanks for all the comments, I have been a bit lax this week as lots to organise over this weekend. I did manage to get my Chemistry shot done, just took a while to get around to the processing is all (ha ha - see later)

Looks like a hung decision on the PP there, yes I realise it is a bit radical/harsh but if anyone wants to use the original and try the effect themselves they may come to the same end result as I did... because of all the whiteness it needed a very severe zoom to actully get any benefit from the effect.

Arthur
 
... and so on to Chemistry... I have yet to look at other pics because I only really had one idea and did not want to see anybody else doing the same and blowing my little house of cards all over the place!

It may (or may indeed not) be known that I dabble a wee bit in the film side of photography and the instant I heard chemistry I knew the shot I wanted - having taken something similar over the Christmas I was fairly sure of what I wanted to do and so set about doing it.

Sadly, that initial optimism soon faded as it bacam clear that getting some sort of a storyline from this idea was not such a simple undertaking and I had to go back for a major rethink... Flash was out of the question and yet I had a black bag I needed to show, the backdrop would look horrific in shadow and so I had to use natural light which while OK for normal kitchens was not good enough for the shot...

It meant the D70 was relegated to the sidelines and the 10D came out with the f/1.4 55mm beastie to give me a *real* shallow depth of field even close up and still be able to use that available light. I had a few choices for the final image, some had rather more processing that others but the one I finally chose for this week's theme is rather tame in that respect - and yet it does what I wanted it to do which was basically to use the focus to lead the viewer around the image ending up with the picture and camera at the back. I think the Chemistry side speaks for itself, this really is cheimstry in action as it was the film from the newly-refurbished and rebuilt Zenit MT-1 half frame camera cooking while the pictures were taken - so while in some ways this is a posed shot it is still an action one too!


IMG_4333-800.jpg


Something Different Cooking in the Kitchen...​


The "almosts" are here:


http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr136/Ambermile/The 52 Shots/IMG_4335-800.jpg

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr136/Ambermile/The 52 Shots/IMG_4334-800.jpg

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr136/Ambermile/The 52 Shots/IMG_4322-800.jpg

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/rr136/Ambermile/The 52 Shots/IMG_4332-800.jpg



Arthur
 
Last edited:
It sounds like this was a tough one to light and set up - but I think you've done well with it.

After looking at your "almosts", I have to say that I really like the concept of the first one with the PP'd red lighting though. It's not quite there but I think with a bit more work that one could be stunning.
I'm finding the natural one just a touch too busy, but that red light really focuses my eye to where it needs to be - definitely potential there for me.
 
I'm thinking along similar lines to Sarah on this one, Arthur.

I can see that you have included items necessary to demonstrate the chemistry of film, from camera and empty film box right through to final print, but do find it a bit cluttered.

I certainly think there's potential in your use of red light, though. Not only does it give a more 'darkroomy' feel but it also leads the eye to a specific point which makes the other items less significant and therefore makes the image appear less cluttered.

...and having typed this I have suddenly realised that much of your 52 is autobigraphical and it struck me that your darkroom methods might actually be as cluttered as this. Much like mine were when I used to dable.:LOL:
 
I quite like this - it is a busy shot, but it makes you look around it / explore it, and it's definitely on the theme. Well done.
 
A very interesting idea and take on the theme Arthur... I think it's rather busy but that's ok...
 
Nice idea Arthur but a little too cluttered for my taste. The narrow DoF is just just a little too narrow for me too. I want to see a bit more detail at the front (but not too much :)).
 
I tend to agree that it is a bit cluttered and the DOF is too shallow in your chosen version. The red (virtual safelight) one works better for me as it leads the eye in better.

I hope the film came out well and that you didn't overcook it while you were trying to get your shot. :LOL:
 
and yet it does what I wanted it to do which was basically to use the focus to lead the viewer around the image ending up with the picture and camera at the back
Click to expand...

Sorry to say that my eyes stopped at the Ilford chemistry and I didn't notice the camera :(

However I do like the shot. I also like #2 of your "almost made it"'s.

Spot on theme... Well thought out, and well taken. I personally really like the nice shallow DoF. Works really well.

Ian.
 
Hmm. So it seems the general consensus is "too busy" eh? I see exactly where you are all coming from and have to say I agree to a certain extent - but I had no other, better, ideas and right now life keeps getting in the way of this entire project. Whatever, my isues eh?

Thanks all for looking and commenting - I really will try and get around the other threads but lately it's a bit of a bugger to type too much to be honest! I do have a Candid pic to post later, if anyone's interested!


Arthur
 
So as promised, a Candid shot. My definition of candid really is a snapshot of someone doing something normal, just an everyday unexpected microsecond that says something a little more than "Ooo, there's Mr Jones on 'is pushbike..." Health being the way it is, getting around is an issue right now and I really have to make an effort to keep going - though things are better now - and one of the things that *does* keep me moving is big dog, Shila. She demands walks, she needs walks, and she loves walks. I, on the other hand, just need them. So we go out and about (slowly, to be sure) and spend time. She leaps around, I try and think of different places to take her to keep things interesting and all in all it's a good arrangement.

Last week we went to Fritton Common for the first time (though we have relatives there it's the first time with Shila at this particular place) and towards one end are a series of flood-puddles. Well, dogs>puddles>fun and this morning was no different. She stopped thundering around and literally jumped in and started to drink. I swung the camera around and clicked twice before she shot off after a bird or something, no chance to adjust anything. This is the result.


MorningBreak.jpg


Morning Break

​


No, it's not centred, no it's not people, no it's not framed well, no it's not even got the focus right. I like it though and for me, it's candid... it's a split-second that actually *isn't* like most of the other split-seconds.
 
Last edited:
I agree with all your nos, Arthur. In fact, I thought all those nos before I read your closing comments.
But isn't that exactly what candid is all about: a snatched moment, subject unaware, hopefully captured before realisation dawns and therefore candidness evaporates.
That's why all those nos combine to make a great candid shot, in my opinion.
And how much more candid can you get than trails of water flying from the jaw?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top