blakester's 52 for 2010, Part 1

blakester

blakester

Shine On Harvest Moon
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Iain
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Hello all fellow 52'rs, I have finally got around to taking some images to kick-start my 52 for 2010. I won't post any rules, I am going with the flow:)

Below is my take on "curved". Comments and critique welcome!

 
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Iain, I like it very much, the stacks and shadows work very well. The only thing is, it looks like the focus is on the rear stacks, and not on the front, and I think it needs to include the front stack.
 
jgs001 said:
Iain, I like it very much, the stacks and shadows work very well. The only thing is, it looks like the focus is on the rear stacks, and not on the front, and I think it needs to include the front stack.
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I'd agree with John, focus would be better on the front stack with possibly a more contrasting background ?
 
jgs001 said:
Iain, I like it very much, the stacks and shadows work very well. The only thing is, it looks like the focus is on the rear stacks, and not on the front, and I think it needs to include the front stack.
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I do agree, I need to find an alternative way to light the stacks to throw shadows. My method was to do this in low light (hence the focus issues) and rely on the flash to throw the shadow. Any suggestions welcome?
 
Hi Iain,

Very creative interpretation. I bet it took some work to get those stacks balanced.
In terms of composition, I'd quite like to see this shot taken outside with a gravelly background - impossible this week I know, but I think a more natural setting and the use of natural light would set it off nicely.

How big are those stones?
For an indoor shot I think that having them stood in a tray of water with some rippled reflections rather than the shadows might have added some more impact. Assuming that they're small enough to stand in a tray that is :LOL:
 
SarahLee said:
Hi Iain,

Very creative interpretation. I bet it took some work to get those stacks balanced.
In terms of composition, I'd quite like to see this shot taken outside with a gravelly background - impossible this week I know, but I think a more natural setting and the use of natural light would set it off nicely.

How big are those stones?
For an indoor shot I think that having them stood in a tray of water with some rippled reflections rather than the shadows might have added some more impact. Assuming that they're small enough to stand in a tray that is :LOL:
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Hi Sarah, thanks for your comments.
I must admit there were a few choice words getting them to balance:D
The stones are only small (ish) pebbles so they could have stood on a tray like you suggest. I like your suggestions of a more natural setting thanks.
I will have a go at a later day, onwards and upwards for this weels theme :thinking:
Iain
 
I think the balance of this image is weighted more to the left, I think I would have preferred the main light to have been a little nearer to the camera which would have made the shadow a little more acute.

Good attempt though and I look forward to your future images!
 
EdBray said:
I think the balance of this image is weighted more to the left, I think I would have preferred the main light to have been a little nearer to the camera which would have made the shadow a little more acute.

Good attempt though and I look forward to your future images!
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Thanks for your comments Ed. I was looking for longer shadows to fill the frame, but I can also see how the shadows being more acute would work too.
Onwards to the next challenge. Iain
 
Week 2 - Poetry added,
I tried to capture the mood of the poem below in my image, it was taken when the weather was dark and misty. I am not sure if I have pulled it off, I may have another attempt when there is a clear night sky but doubt that will be anytime this week, so that I can post on time. C&C welcome.


Castles In The Air by Thomas Love Peacock (1785-1886)

My thoughts by night are often filled
With visions false as fair:
For in the past alone I build
My castles in the air.

I dwell not now on what may be:
Night shadows o'er the scene:
But still my fancy wanders free
Through that which might have been.

And so to the image!

 
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Very nice Poem.. that's one very dreamy castle pic... Iain.. I'm not sure on that... I quite like the effect, but it might be a wee bit much.... You know... on third thought... no I think it works quite well...
 
John, thanks for your comments. I am a little unsure myself about the image. As I said when I posted it, the weather was misty when i took it, I tried to boost the contrast in PP but couldn't really do much with it. I was going to have another go taken in better conditions but never got around to it. Week 3 subject should be posted this weekend, so onwards and upwards:)
 
Karlos said:
Not working for me I'm afraid, just too lacking in contrast and grainy.

Week 1 looks good though :)
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Thanks for your comments Karlos, as I mentioned above I am not convinced myself:). I tried to bring the contrast up but it just didn't work quite how I wanted hey ho roll on the next theme. iain
 
A bit of photo journalism for my Chopped entry, let me explain...
There was a fire in the ground floor of the terraced house, the women occupant was trapped upstairs with her exit downstairs blocked. In front of a number of bystanders, along came the fireman to the rescue with his axe in hand, he "Chopped" down the door..and so to the photograph






 
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Week 1 Nice idea, just needs that little bit to make it pop.

Week 2 This is borderline as I can't make my mind up if its just right or just needs a tiny bit more contrast. Great shot anyway.

Week 3 Love the idea and colours, although the crowd look like they are a Village People tribute band.
 
foggy4ever said:
Week 1 Nice idea, just needs that little bit to make it pop.

Week 2 This is borderline as I can't make my mind up if its just right or just needs a tiny bit more contrast. Great shot anyway.

Week 3 Love the idea and colours, although the crowd look like they are a Village People tribute band.
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Thanks for the comments Foggy, much appreciated!
You are right about the crowd too, dodgy looking! The guy at the front in black, I think he's wearing a syrup:D
 
Digitall said:
Very funny idea, I would have liked to have seen a greater DOF but Hey Ho.

Allan
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Thanks for your comments Allan. I tried different DoF but settled on this as I wanted to isolate the firemans chopper:D
 
love all the effort thats gone into week 3! great shot and i think the DOF works well!!
 
Peter-T said:
love all the effort thats gone into week 3! great shot and i think the DOF works well!!
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Thanks for your comments Pete. I tried to think a bit outside the box for this weeks theme. As I mentioned in another 52 thread, its not as straightforward as I thought to capture an image a week.
 
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Great effort Iain and really made me smile . . . especially Scott's Village People comment !
Nice to see a unique take on the theme and it's very well thought out.

My only niggle is that I'm finding the light a little bit blue . . . great for a night-time feel, but it doesn't really say fire.
I think I would have liked to see you use candles for lighting, with the flames reflected in the Lego :shrug:
(Then again maybe I'm taking this whole Lego drama a bit too seriously :LOL:)
 
Week one is a great pic, I like the extra space left on the right of the piles, so glad to see it not cropped away, which would make things too tight for my taste.

Week two, not sure, part of the problem for me is the compression artefacts that stop me looking at the picture properly - maybe a larger circle definition on the filter? I agree with the contrast points made as well, dreamy is good but you still need a point of interest there...

Week three is just fun, great idea but a bit blue, I still like it though :D


Arthur
 
Arthur, thanks for your comments, I enjoy reading everyones views and opinions, it makes me think about my images from a different perspective. The castle image is just one that I concede on, I just couldn't bring the contrast up on that, maybe its one for a reshoot at a later date. Thanks once again. Iain
 
SarahLee said:
:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

Great effort Iain and really made me smile . . . especially Scott's Village People comment !
Nice to see a unique take on the theme and it's very well thought out.

My only niggle is that I'm finding the light a little bit blue . . . great for a night-time feel, but it doesn't really say fire.
I think I would have liked to see you use candles for lighting, with the flames reflected in the Lego :shrug:
(Then again maybe I'm taking this whole Lego drama a bit too seriously :LOL:)
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Thanks Sarah, it does appear a bit blue doesn't it, I don't think it would take much to warm the image, i will have a go. I thought about flames too, a candle would have done it good idea! Regards Iain
 
Love the idea behind Week 3, but I'm with Arthur and Sarah on the blue issue. Some of the Lego men look a bit Zombie as well (not sure if thats because they arent yellow headed ones or not....)
 
I great idea, and it fits the theme well. The blue in the first one is a bit much for me, but it seems to have better definition than the warmed up version. Did you shoot in raw or jpg Iain ?
 
John, I shot in jpg. I don't have a particular image editing software like CS4 or the like, I edited the "blue" image in picasa and warmed the image. I think the loss of definition is down to the warmify process, I believe it is similar to upping the saturation, so the reds sort of "bleed" into one another.
 
This is my offering(s) for week 4 Street. I say offerings as I managed to capture the first image around where I live, rural earlier this week. I was then working in London later in the week and thought "where better for a bit of street photography" easier said than done.
Below are both images, as always C&C welcome.

The first image is of what I think represents street, country style:). The colour and style caught my eye......



The second image more a candid street style in London

 
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Both good but my fav is the first - I love those delivery bikes and you have managed a great composition and colours.

Some of the diagonals have a lot of jaggies, as if it has been resized badly?
 
Tracer said:
Both good but my fav is the first - I love those delivery bikes and you have managed a great composition and colours.

Some of the diagonals have a lot of jaggies, as if it has been resized badly?
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Thanks for your comments Tracer. I hadn't noticed the jaggies :bonk: but have now sorted them thanks.(y)
 
Number one - I like the style and the shapes, and my #2 mtb is the same colour :D

Arthur
 
I can't choose :D

I like the colours and timelessness of #1, and I can't see any 'jaggies' and the composition, processing and DoF of #2 are spot on. You've got the focus on the eyes and great bokeh too :clap::clap::clap:
 
I'm not sure I'd feel stable riding it, but it's a very nice first image. But for me the second photo takes the prize. Not just taken in the street but someone using the street. Great eye contact makes you think what happened next. No black eyes I assume?
 
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