weekly Donnie's 52 4 2022 - Week 14 - Unusual ADDED

Again thank you all very much for your kind comments. I'm behind a week now due to getting covid then trying to salvage some of the annual leave it destroyed, luckily we managed a frantic but great week away and now we are back and I've also just got a third border collie! So you can imagine it's busy!

So, here's week 3's shot which is a daily receptacle for my coffee :)
It's a composite image essentially as I decided this could be a reasonable subject for the ICM technique too, so one image is the cup and background the other is the ICM then they are layered and using a mask to bring through some of the detail from the coffee. Hope ye like anyway.

Week 3 - Receptacle and ICM by Donnie Canning, on Flickr
 
Yeah, like that, if you listen really hard I’d bet you’d hear a story or two from that! Sadly, my days on two wheels are long gone but I was more inclined towards Vincent’s back then!
 
Nice composite that works well, did you consider cropping from the sides to remove the non ICM image edge. Just zooming on my iPad I felt it had more impact
 
StuartPearson said:
Nice composite that works well, did you consider cropping from the sides to remove the non ICM image edge. Just zooming on my iPad I felt it had more impact
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Hadn't thought of that to be honest, just had a look in photoshop and I do like it but feels a touch too tight to me
 
I like the colours in this and the composite works well. The edges did make me think of Star Trek and 'beam me up Scottie'. Now I've read the comments above, my thoughts are that I would prefer it without the still edges - perhaps you could clone some blurry ones in if it felt a bit tight? Just a thought. A nice image whichever way.

I'm glad to hear you are over Covid.
 
Nice shot Paul, it's the technique that I'm most fond of using. Never thought of using it on the drink I'm most fond of!
 
Thanks again all for the comments, only into week 5 and Im already falling behind.

So here is Week 4's shot - Bottle.

Took longer to do than I was planning but didn't want a short snap type shot this week as that's really what last weeks was. Hope ye like.


Week 4 - Bottle by Donnie Canning, on Flickr
 
Nice clean image, if the ripple is being generated by the bottle being put down are you using a timer for the capture?
 
SimonH said:
Nice ripple effect. Makes the shot.
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Thanks (y)
StuartPearson said:
Nice clean image, if the ripple is being generated by the bottle being put down are you using a timer for the capture?
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So essentially the bottle is in a baking tray full of water, bottle balanced on a roll of insulating tape just under the surface.
Then 3 second timer set on tripod and then big drip of water from a spoon above and just in front of bottle for the ripple. Oh and lit from the side with an led striplight from the shed lol.
 
I like it a lot Paul, using the puddle of water added a lot of depth and interest. What's "sugar kelp"?
 
Donnie said:
Thanks (y)


So essentially the bottle is in a baking tray full of water, bottle balanced on a roll of insulating tape just under the surface.
Then 3 second timer set on tripod and then big drip of water from a spoon above and just in front of bottle for the ripple. Oh and lit from the side with an led striplight from the shed lol.
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Quite a bit more complicated setup than the stillness of the composition suggests, the inventiveness of photographers is always interesting along with the lengths they go to to produce some images
 
I like that Paul. The colour of the background really sets off the bottle and thr ripple effect adds an extra dimension.
 
Very effective and clever - thanks for the explanation of the technique.
 
StuartPearson said:
Quite a bit more complicated setup than the stillness of the composition suggests, the inventiveness of photographers is always interesting along with the lengths they go to to produce some images
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Cloudforest said:
I like that Paul. The colour of the background really sets off the bottle and thr ripple effect adds an extra dimension.
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Boots said:
Very effective and clever - thanks for the explanation of the technique.
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NickD said:
Nice!
The ripple and reflection really make it.
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Thanks all, I was inspired by this article online https://lukaszmazurkiewicz.com/en/advertising-photo-of-perfume-bottle-calvin-klein/

Don't think I did too bad given what I had at my disposal lol.
 
I really like that, the ripple is fantastic and really adds to the image. the colours are also really nice
 
Bebop said:
Love it. Looks like a promotional shot. Presumably a composite? I really like the colours too.
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Nope, all one shot but lots of layers and retouching I have to admit!

This is the original shot in our messy dining / spare room and had to improvise a lot including removing the photos from the wall in the background, was going to be easier to photoshop the empty picture hooks than whole photos lol.

Basically, you can obviously see the baking tray, water and bottle as well as my hand and the teaspoon with a little water in for the drip.
Lighting was provided by a 4 ft led striplight from the shed which is hanging off the clothes horse off camera on the right and the black plastic tray vertically on the left is the base of a dog crate to stop too much light reflecting on the wall and back on the bottle. Everything else was photoshop.


IMG_0076.jpeg
 
Donnie said:
Nope, all one shot but lots of layers and retouching I have to admit!

This is the original shot in our messy dining / spare room and had to improvise a lot including removing the photos from the wall in the background, was going to be easier to photoshop the empty picture hooks than whole photos lol.

Basically, you can obviously see the baking tray, water and bottle as well as my hand and the teaspoon with a little water in for the drip.
Lighting was provided by a 4 ft led striplight from the shed which is hanging off the clothes horse off camera on the right and the black plastic tray vertically on the left is the base of a dog crate to stop too much light reflecting on the wall and back on the bottle. Everything else was photoshop.


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Brilliant. That looks like a lot of effort, but well worth it.

Thank you for sharing, and I'm very impressed by your aim for your drip - it is perfectly placed.
 
Falling behind again, not helping that I've a deadline for my dissertation proposal, a new puppy and Im on nights :-(

So here is Week 5 - Snapper's Choice


Week 5 - Snapper's Choice by Donnie Canning, on Flickr

This is the first time I've tried to get all 3 in one shot since getting the new pup, not easy but did it :)
Meet Finn, Mac & Bran from left to right.
 
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That's a cracker Paul.
Nice and sharp with good bokeh, well exposed and the B/W suits the subjects.
 
Ooh, dogs, and more than that -- collie dogs! It's a winner for me. Sharp, lovely DoF and wonderful expressions, you must have had a handful of gravy bones balanced on your head! :D
 
That's a beautiful shot Paul. A great use of depth of field and the processing is spot on.
 
Peter123 said:
That's a cracker Paul.
Nice and sharp with good bokeh, well exposed and the B/W suits the subjects.
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SimonH said:
Absolutely smashed that!
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Bebop said:
Oh my goodness that is a gorgeous shot. There is no hope of getting any work done when they are around, you may as well give up now :ROFLMAO: Love it.
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Darkslinger said:
That's a beautiful shot Paul. A great use of depth of field and the processing is spot on.
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Cloudforest said:
Beautiful Dogs and well photographed.(y)
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thanks all, just noticed today that it made Flickr's explore too!
I really need to get my Alley shot, had a plan for today but needed the sunshine to be in line at midday, course the damn cloud arrived by 11am! :-(
 
Week 6 - Alley (Playing catch up)

Week 6 is Alley and there aren't many proper alleys here in Bedford I have to admit. However, I remembered there's one or two near Castle Road and found this.
It's a bit of a snap to be honest, or at least I feel it is, I've deliberately tried to accentuate the walls narrowing toward the lamp post and beyond and the fact it's a wet day adds some atmosphere with wet surfaces, reflections and threatening cloud from above. Perfect for some monochrome shooting!


Week 6 - Alley by Donnie Canning, on Flickr
 
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B/W is a good choice for this Paul.

Looks like an alley leading to another alley.
 
Peter123 said:
B/W is a good choice for this Paul.

Looks like an alley leading to another alley.
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yep, it goes across the road to another one which leads to the river here in Bedford. Annoyingly, a young woman with an umbrella walked through the shot from right to left but I missed it, would have made the picture so much better! I'll probably go back here again at some point to be honest.
 
The tight crop on the left helps to lead me through the alley, I like the reflections in the puddles too.
 
Week 7 - Heavy (Industry)


Week 7 - Heavy by Donnie Canning, on Flickr

Week 7 is Heavy and to be honest this wasn't easy as I didn't want to go for something obvious so thought about heavy industry. Luckily there's a couple of industrial estates not too far from where I live and I remembered about one unit that does heavy pipework and pumps etc.
Here I've not only gone monochrome but infrared too using a 720nm IR filter hand held in front of the lens.
I think the upright girder in front of the massive t piece contrasts well with the trees and bushes in the left of the picture too.
 
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Heavy: I like the contrast between the natural world and the heavy machinery. It works well in mono and IR.

Alley: More than a snap I think. You've lined it up nicely and I like that there is something to look at, at the end of the alleyway. It could have fit last weeks theme damp and the reflections tech too! Better go back and shoot it again :)
 
It is very heavy, I like the rust? around the bolts and holes. Did the IR do anything to the pipe work, I can see the effect on the foliage.
 
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