Carl's 2016 TP52 Challenge **Completed**

[Minx]

Living world- good dof and perfect for the theme. Plus you can make your own Christmas Cards this year

 

[susiejb]

Beatiful little Robin shot Carl, fabulous detail.....my favourite bird ....they're so friendly.

 

[rpn]

Beautiful shot of the robin for Living World. Prefect composition with the subject at the thirds looking into the open negative space. Spot on focus on the eyes, sharp foreground and nice patterns oof background. Stunning.

 

[Carl Ayling]

OOOooo, that's nice and sharp; wonderful reds.Cheers.

Nowt wrong with that mate, I have been trying to capture a Robin for weeks now, would be well chuffed with a pic like yours, sat on that fence, great background and a good catch-light... LIKEY

Very nice. Well captured

You might think your robin shot uninspired for the theme, but it's a great shot nevertheless and I think that's really our main goal in photography - to get great shots. The sharp textures and details are so pleasing and the dof is perfect! Also, I like your crop so I wouldn't change anything about it.

Hi Carl, what can I say obviously great choice for the theme, possibly a little crop would work

Living World......As a place holder whilst you gather your inspiration, this really is rather lovely!

Thank you all so much for the encouragement - really did not feel entirely happy with my efforts for last week .... and not exactly thrilled with this week's either. Inspiration and motivation a little lacking but hey ho - still enjoying the camaraderie and challenges.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Beatiful little Robin shot Carl, fabulous detail.....my favourite bird ....they're so friendly.

Beautiful shot of the robin for Living World. Prefect composition with the subject at the thirds looking into the open negative space. Spot on focus on the eyes, sharp foreground and nice patterns oof background. Stunning.

Thanks you Susie & Stan. I love them too but they are ever so twitchy and so quite hard to capture.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Week 10 - Spiky

Struggled again for inspiration, made harder as I wanted something different. Clearing the garage this morning and came across this tool and Voila! Needed practise capturing movement with flash and so here it is ... at last - my submission for Spiky.

Spiky by Carl Ayling, on Flickr

 

[Cobra]

Great idea Carl, nice suggestion of movement too

( btw sort your link out )

 

[Carl Ayling]

Great idea Carl, nice suggestion of movement too ( btw sort your link out )

Ooops - all sorted now thanks PHP.

 

[DowntonMini]

I like that Carl a bit different very well thought out

 

[Manxmaid]

Nice one, Carl! A very spiky object and I do like the suggestion of motion, which makes a nice curve leading to the spike. A good idea, well executed

 

[LC2]

A very *dark* image there Carl. How did you achieve the blur in the reflection whilst keeping the foreground hand and hammer in sharp focus?
I don't understand (but it is effective).

 

[Carl Ayling]

I like that Carl a bit different very well thought out

Thanks Mark - struggled again this week.

Nice one, Carl! A very spiky object and I do like the suggestion of motion, which makes a nice curve leading to the spike. A good idea, well executed

Thanks Andrea. Thankfully found something at last that fitted the theme.

A very *dark* image there Carl. How did you achieve the blur in the reflection whilst keeping the foreground hand and hammer in sharp focus? I don't understand (but it is effective).

Thanks Tim. I haven't a clue but it's the product of flash photography ... it is a single image and although it does look like a reflection, it's not ... just blurred movement. I think for this one I set the flash to "rear curtain sync" and combined that with a slow(ish) shutter speed. All pretty much gibberish to me at the moment but quite pleased with the result.

 

[LC2]

Thanks Tim. I haven't a clue but it's the product of flash photography ... it is a single image and although it does look like a reflection, it's not ... just blurred movement. I think for this one I set the flash to "rear curtain sync" and combined that with a slow(ish) shutter speed. All pretty much gibberish to me at the moment but quite pleased with the result.

Ah, in which case I know roughly what you were doing. Interesting that you managed to get the hand twice though. Presuambly at the beginning of the exposure your hand was still.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Ah, in which case I know roughly what you were doing. Interesting that you managed to get the hand twice though. Presuambly at the beginning of the exposure your hand was still.

Ah! I see now - Yes, my hand was still at the start - so captured that then caught at the downward arc by the flash to give the sharper version. Hmmm - clever stuff this ... may need a lie down before long!

 

[Dark Knight]

Yeah liking that Carl, another thing I would like to try myself !!!

Good motion captured and I love the actual hammer/pick, really adds to the image than a standard claw hammer

 

[sirch]

Good idea, certainly different and well captured, I've seen that rear curtain sync option on the flash but never used it, must give it a go, it has created a very interesting effect in your photo.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Yeah liking that Carl, another thing I would like to try myself !!! Good motion captured and I love the actual hammer/pick, really adds to the image than a standard claw hammer

Thanks DK. Yes, a great little find - forgot I had that hammer/pick tucked away ... .good old-looking prop. Flash for me has always been a mystery and a thing to be avoided but use it quite frequently now.

Good idea, certainly different and well captured, I've seen that rear curtain sync option on the flash but never used it, must give it a go, it has created a very interesting effect in your photo.

Thanks Chris. Yes, definitely worth experimenting - so many interesting facets. This effect came by pure luck, not by design, but have learned lots from it ... the theory at least.

 

[susiejb]

That's a super shot Carl it really is very effective, you must be pleased with that ....it's good how the challenge spurs you on to try new things isn't it.

 

[Carl Ayling]

That's a super shot Carl it really is very effective, you must be pleased with that ....it's good how the challenge spurs you on to try new things isn't it.

Thanks Susie. Yes, it's an amazing forum in so many ways; certainly made me more selective and thoughtful about how and what to photograph. Learning things all the time ... some by chance, like this last one just from fiddling around with settings. Rarely used off camera flash but now, can't keep away from it.

 

[Winter]

Loving the lighting and the tones of your spiky. Also, a unique take.

 

[brrnd]

Great idea and well executed. And great lighting.

 

[Jon.P.73]

Spiky - Yikes ! great image and would have been a good interpretation as a still but the movement adds a lot to the capture - very nice

 

[Carl Ayling]

Loving the lighting and the tones of your spiky. Also, a unique take.

Thanks Sheylara.

Great idea and well executed. And great lighting.

Thank you Bernd. Only just got away with not blowing the highlights in the hand ... sheer luck.

Spiky - Yikes ! great image and would have been a good interpretation as a still but the movement adds a lot to the capture - very nice

Thank You Jon. Wasn't intended to be a "dark" image but can see how it can look that way ha ha.

 

[d00d]

Nice one Carl

Great prop, lighting and BG

Did anyone mention the grip on the hammer looks a bit odd in some way?

 

[Carl Ayling]

Nice one Carl Great prop, lighting and BG Did anyone mention the grip on the hammer looks a bit odd in some way?

Thank you David. No, nobody has mentioned anything why? You may have a point thinking about it now. Perhaps the forearm should be angled upward to go with the striking action and not held parallel which would make it an wristy stroke ... is that what you mean?

 

[pjm1]

Well Carl... I'm impressed with that. First of all, I had assumed it was a composite and/or photoshopped to the nines! Believe it or not, I haven't a clue about how to use all of those different modes on a flash - mine are 95% stuck in the basic mode and I haven't bothered to experiment outside of that... so thank you for providing a bit of inspiration to try some of those other modes out when I can. I think that effect is superb - it really does convey the movement and because it had worked so well I'd simply assumed it was shopped

I also like you direction of lighting - it looks like it's coming from a doorway or window into the workshop - so very consistent with that atmosphere you're building. And finally the processing works really well to add grittiness - the textured background also helps with that. I'm pleased you didn't go mono with this as the colours bring something A great, thoughtful shot and very well executed - well done

 

[Minx]

Spiky- I assumed it was a combined shot but having read your explanation I realise it is cleverer than that. I like the sense of movement you have achieved. Good picture.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Well Carl... I'm impressed with that. First of all, I had assumed it was a composite and/or photoshopped to the nines! Believe it or not, I haven't a clue about how to use all of those different modes on a flash - mine are 95% stuck in the basic mode and I haven't bothered to experiment outside of that... so thank you for providing a bit of inspiration to try some of those other modes out when I can. I think that effect is superb - it really does convey the movement and because it had worked so well I'd simply assumed it was shopped I also like you direction of lighting - it looks like it's coming from a doorway or window into the workshop - so very consistent with that atmosphere you're building. And finally the processing works really well to add grittiness - the textured background also helps with that. I'm pleased you didn't go mono with this as the colours bring something A great, thoughtful shot and very well executed - well done

Thanks Paul. I like experimenting - on a steep learning curve with both lighting and flash but fun working on those.

Spiky- I assumed it was a combined shot but having read your explanation I realise it is cleverer than that. I like the sense of movement you have achieved. Good picture.

Thank you.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Week 10 Re-shoot (Abandoned) - Outdoor Living

Outdoor Living by Carl Ayling, on Flickr

 

[Cobra]

I really like that Carl, great processing too

( now sort your link out )

 

[Carl Ayling]

I really like that Carl, great processing too ( now sort your link out )

Thanks PHP. Oooops sorted now ..... why don't I test it out without assuming that the link works huh!

 

[Carl Ayling]

.

 

[Cobra]

why don't I test it out without assuming that the link works huh!

I give in, why don't you?

 

[wallyboy]

conversion suits, it certainly has seen better days, if it could only talk....

 

[pjm1]

Hi Carl - that's really neat. I like the composition / positioning and processing works a treat too. You could pull the white point or exposure up a fair bit if you'd wanted less of a low-key look but I'm guessing that was your intention to accentuate the abandonment? It's well put together - nice one.

 

[Manxmaid]

Well spotted, Carl. A subject out of place and well past its best. I like the dark processing too; it underlines the decay.

 

[LC2]

Fits the theme Carl. When I was taking my living world shot we came across similar abandonments, mattresses that were abandoned in the woods.
It seems to me it was more effort to drag the mattress into the woods than to take it to the local council dump, you have to ask why...

 

[d00d]

Blimey, what a sight. Nice find, nicely shot & processed.

 

[susiejb]

What a great find Carl ...although its a to whoever dumped it. It really works well ...perfect processing and perfect for the theme too.

 

[Winter]

Really moody, creepy photo. I like it!