Carl's 2017 TP52 Challenge

[Fuji Dave]

Good high key shot Carl, but I think it would of been a cracker if the BG was black so it would really show off the smooth stones

 

[sirch]

I think the white background and muted tones works well and it's good to see a different presentation. If I were to nit-pick then perhaps the reflections are a tad too distinct for me.

 

[d00d]

All dreamy soft and soapy ............

 

[Carl Ayling]

Love the hairy pic very creative, the stones work well for me, like the desat look, it almost smooths into BG.

Thank you Walter.

Nice high key look works well with the colour of the stones

Thanks Allan.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Good high key shot Carl, but I think it would of been a cracker if the BG was black so it would really show off the smooth stones

Thanks David. I did try a high contrast but couldn't quite balance that with the subtle tones I wanted to retain.

I think the white background and muted tones works well and it's good to see a different presentation. If I were to nit-pick then perhaps the reflections are a tad too distinct for me.

Thank you Chris. Yes, I agree - it the grid on the softbox I think ... a bit of toning down of the flash is in order maybe

All dreamy soft and soapy ............

Thanks David .... it's the feminine side shining through .... again ... worryingly ha ha.

 

[Shirleyr]

I have stones like these and they are very smooth, I used the tumble stones like these. Great shot and idea.

 

[Cobra]

Nice pastel colours Carl, smoothly done

 

[foggy4ever]

This one has got me thinking, the soft colours and the white background are kind of fighting for attention with quite a bit of reflections in the stones hiding the details. Maybe a little less light on the subject may help.

 

[Carl Ayling]

I have stones like these and they are very smooth, I used the tumble stones like these. Great shot and idea.

Thank you Shirley - I didn't know they were referred to as tumble stones ... learn something new every day - thanks

Nice pastel colours Carl, smoothly done

Thank you Mr.C.

This one has got me thinking, the soft colours and the white background are kind of fighting for attention with quite a bit of reflections in the stones hiding the details. Maybe a little less light on the subject may help.

Thank you ST. You are absolutely right of course ... I wanted to try pale on pale just for the sake of it but the amount of reflected light overwhelms.

 

[Dark Knight]

Very subtle colours indeed Carl, quite a brave one to do to as it's screaming for vibrancy, but I must say I really like it, wonderful reflections and pleasingly set out too

 

[Shirleyr]

I've written that wrong, I should have said that I used to tumble stones like that in a tumbler. Something like grit is added and as the process is almost completed the grit is replaced by a powder and that what makes the stones as smooth, like polishing them. I must type more slower and think what I'm doing, that's 2 posts messed up by being too quick.

 

[rpn]

A very simple shot and on theme. Well lit with subtle colours.

 

[Hertsman]

Thats a nice shot Carl, I really like the soft tones in it.
On theme too.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Very subtle colours indeed Carl, quite a brave one to do to as it's screaming for vibrancy, but I must say I really like it, wonderful reflections and pleasingly set out too

Thanks DK - it was difficult to move away from a high contrast shot but I liked and wanted to keep the subtle colours. Learning curve.

I must type more slower and think what I'm doing

Thanks Shirley ... typing slower would be helpful as I can't read very fast .

A very simple shot and on theme. Well lit with subtle colours.

Thanks Stan ... I like simple ... comes naturally ... wonder why that is?

Thats a nice shot Carl, I really like the soft tones in it. On theme too.

Thank you Mark. Never tried pale on pale before ... blooming difficult.

 

[Hertsman]

Yeah, I can well imagine....

 

[magpiedom]

nice shiny shadowy shapes being cast on those stones, I also like the constracting shadows and the white background. minimalist but really good! fits the theme well too.

 

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Hairy - a fantastic take on the theme, nothing to crit the whole image works well, detail, lighting, processing it is all spot on.

Smooth - fits the theme, the pale pink and purple work well together, good placement of the stones, and just the right amount of shadow to keep them grounded.

 

[Dark Knight]

Thanks DK - it was difficult to move away from a high contrast shot but I liked and wanted to keep the subtle colours. Learning curve.
....

Was a good choice Carl, as I said it works well

 

[Carl Ayling]

nice shiny shadowy shapes being cast on those stones, I also like the constracting shadows and the white background. minimalist but really good! fits the theme well too.

Hairy - a fantastic take on the theme, nothing to crit the whole image works well, detail, lighting, processing it is all spot on. Smooth - fits the theme, the pale pink and purple work well together, good placement of the stones, and just the right amount of shadow to keep them grounded.

Was a good choice Carl, as I said it works well

Thank you Dom, Mandy, Dean ... encouraging as always.

 

[susiejb]

Hi Carl ..I like the idea of the white background it works really well, it adds to the smooth feel of the stones. I did wonder if a soft very pale vignette/frost effect would work and I did have a fiddle with it, it added a bit of a dreamy dreamy feel to it, not that I don't like it as it is ...I just cant resist messing Shadows spot on too, it stops them floating.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Hi Carl ..I like the idea of the white background it works really well, it adds to the smooth feel of the stones. I did wonder if a soft very pale vignette/frost effect would work and I did have a fiddle with it, it added a bit of a dreamy dreamy feel to it, not that I don't like it as it is ...I just cant resist messing Shadows spot on too, it stops them floating.

That sounds interesting Susie ... I like messing around too. It was the dreamy look I was after. You must tell me how you did that ... maybe even post the result here.

 

[SteveSc]

Hairy - Good choice for the theme, I like the decision to do it in B&W and you have got lots of detail in the shot.

Smooth - I like the white background again and I think the reflections on the purple stone emphasise the smoothness.

 

[susiejb]

That sounds interesting Susie ... I like messing around too. It was the dreamy look I was after. You must tell me how you did that ... maybe even post the result here.

This was a very quick edit Carl ...I 'm sure you can do it better but it gives you a rough idea of what I was thinking.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Smooth - I like the white background again and I think the reflections on the purple stone emphasise the smoothness

Thanks Steve - I quite like the reflections too but some suggest they would be better more muted. More playing around with the ocf I think.

This was a very quick edit Carl ...I 'm sure you can do it better but it gives you a rough idea of what I was thinking.

That is very nice Susie, I do like that lilac pastel vignette you've added - it does soften the image even more. Not sure I can better it at all ... looks perfect to me.

 

[Emja]

Gorgeous soft colours Carl - they work so well against the white. Are there reflections under the pink stone to the right? I can't quite work out the light patches. I really like @susiejb 's vignette too - I would never have thought about a coloured one (or know how to do it!) A very peaceful and relaxing shot

 

[LC2]

Good take on the theme Carl.
I'm not even going to moan ablut not having a black point, as that was exactly the idea

 

[Baloo]

Love the subtlety of this shot, the pastel colours and background work really well

 

[brrnd]

Nice high key shot, lovely soft colour, but I'm not quite sure about the reflections of the grid on your softbox.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Gorgeous soft colours Carl - they work so well against the white. Are there reflections under the pink stone to the right? I can't quite work out the light patches. I really like @susiejb 's vignette too - I would never have thought about a coloured one (or know how to do it!) A very peaceful and relaxing shot

Thank you Emma. Never noticed the pinky reflections under that stone until I read your comment. Yes, I like Susie's vignette too ... makes it even more soft and dreamy.

Good take on the theme Carl. I'm not even going to moan ablut not having a black point, as that was exactly the idea

Thanks Tim. Is that how it's referred to "a black point" .. suppose it acts as a contrast reference? This shot is what I call accidentally deliberate ha ha.

Love the subtlety of this shot, the pastel colours and background work really well

Thanks Roger.

Nice high key shot, lovely soft colour, but I'm not quite sure about the reflections of the grid on your softbox.

Thanks Bernd. Yes, that the softbox grid showing through. Learning curve tempering the Speedlite output.

 

[Carl Ayling]

Week 5 - Mineral (Water)

Lost track how many shots I took but this one somehow came out looking like a pencil sketch which I quite liked ... (may even attempt a freehand drawing of it sometime). The bg is a roll of white paper that had seen other uses ... again quite liked that it wasn't pristine and spattered with spits and spots. I've posted an alternative "cleaner" shot on Flickr if interested.

Mineral Water by Carl Ayling, on Flickr

 

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Mineral - I love the naturalness of this image and I have to admit it does have a bit of a sketch feel to it. I also like the fact it's not a pristine clean image, the spits and spots as the water drips in the glass. I think helps to bring the image to life, nice and softly lit as well.

 

[Emja]

I like that a lot Carl, much more engaging than the clean image - the bubble patterns in the glass are fascinating and I like the overspill too.

 

[brrnd]

I love this picture, much more dynamic and interesting than the "clean" image.

 

[posiview]

Not an easy subject to photograph and you've done well. A few more splashed out of the top of the glass would help, but I appreciate how hard these can be.

Cheers.

 

[Fuji Dave]

I really do like the clean one, but it has got to be this one. I love it as the BG is not clean,like the bubbles and splashes, so well done

 

[Dark Knight]

OOo that is cool, lovely high key image, good detail, frozen action and a complimentary background, nice one Carl

 

[d00d]

... hope your cleaning lady gets time and a half ... Oh I just love these messy shots Carl.

Superb action.

 

[susiejb]

You can't beat making a mess I really like It Carl, the sketchedy effect works really well along with the crumpledy paper, top shot

 

[Allan.H]

I like it Carl, you have done well to capture the movement of all those minerals and it does indeed have a sketchy feel to it

 

[Carl Ayling]

Mineral - I love the naturalness of this image and I have to admit it does have a bit of a sketch feel to it. I also like the fact it's not a pristine clean image, the spits and spots as the water drips in the glass. I think helps to bring the image to life, nice and softly lit as well.

I like that a lot Carl, much more engaging than the clean image - the bubble patterns in the glass are fascinating and I like the overspill too.

I love this picture, much more dynamic and interesting than the "clean" image.

Not an easy subject to photograph and you've done well. A few more splashed out of the top of the glass would help, but I appreciate how hard these can be.

I really do like the clean one, but it has got to be this one. I love it as the BG is not clean,like the bubbles and splashes, so well done

OOo that is cool, lovely high key image, good detail, frozen action and a complimentary background, nice one Carl

... hope your cleaning lady gets time and a half ... Oh I just love these messy shots Carl. Superb action.

You can't beat making a mess I really like It Carl, the sketchedy effect works really well along with the crumpledy paper, top shot

I like it Carl, you have done well to capture the movement of all those minerals and it does indeed have a sketchy feel to it

Thank you all for your kind comments. This places me high on the list for "Shoehorn of the Week" award but what the heck ha ha - it was fun to do.