weekly Foolycooly (Simon)'s 2021/52 attempt - Week 15 - Snappers Choice

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Simon
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Hi everyone
After a long break from photography (10 years now...) I've decided to rebuild all my old kit back and dive in, and what better way for you lucky lot to buy my kit back off me in as shirt a period as possible than to go straight into a 52 week challenge. So excuse the quality while I relearn what I've forgotten I knew, and cue the excuses that I could have taken a shot but a lens is in the post, or some other shiny trinket that I desperately need...

Weekly Subjects
Week 0: Nearby
Week 1: Fruit
Week 2: Dirty
Week 3: Rock/Stone
Week 4: Tall
Week 5: Snappers Choice
Week 6: Pair
Week 7: Depict a Film
Week 8: Halves
Week 9: Reflections
Week 10: Rough
Week 11: Smooth
Week 12: Alive
Week 13: Easter
Week 14: Spring
Week 15: Snappers Choice
Week 16:
Week 17:
Week 18:
Week 19:
Week 20:
Week 21:
Week 22:
Week 23:
Week 24:
Week 25: Snappers Choice
Week 26:
Week 27:
Week 28:
Week 29:
Week 30:
Week 31:
Week 32:
Week 33:
Week 34:
Week 35: Snappers choice
Week 36:
Week 37:
Week 38:
Week 39:
Week 40:
Week 41:
Week 42:
Week 43:
Week 44:
Week 45: Snappers choice
Week 46:
Week 47:
Week 48:
Week 49:
Week 50:
Week 51:
Week 52:


Techniques
January & February:
March & April:
May & June:
July & August:
September & October:
November & December:
 
Last edited:
Start the challenge with NEARBY by going for a wander on the heathland behind the house, I took my 6d, and the 50mm 1.4 prime (my absolute favourite lens) and have a play, I managed a couple of nice shots, but these roots took my eye over my inability to frame a nice landscape.

SOOC @f2 1/50020210101151150_IMG_0951.jpg
 
Some lovely colours there.

Not sure if I missed it but the main images thread doesn't have a link to this thread. Good luck with the 52!
 
Not sure if I missed it but the main images thread doesn't have a link to this thread.
I've added it in.
Simon, if there is no link people don't tend to search out personal threads.
 
Nice colours and textures to get you started Simon
 
Hi @foolycooly

Nice colours, textures and light. :)

But I really do think a slice off the top would improve it. There something there in the distance I find distracting.
 
nice colours and good use of DoF, good start
 
some lovely textures there and I like the colours
 
Nice - has a reptilian feel to it!
 
Thank you all for the welcome and comments.

Im going to attempt to do a 365 alongside this, and create a monthly printed book to go with it. Nothing like in at the deep end.

365 im not going to use a theme though I might try a technique per month.

January's technique will be "practice"
 
I can see what you are aiming for here but the spur on the right all needs to be in focus whereas it is only half in focus here and gives the impression (IMHO) that there was something else in the scene but it ran away just before you took the photograph leaving just a few roots.:exit:
 
I can see what you are aiming for here but the spur on the right all needs to be in focus whereas it is only half in focus here and gives the impression (IMHO) that there was something else in the scene but it ran away just before you took the photograph leaving just a few roots.:exit:
Something I always struggle with is focus, good feedback and something to play with. I took the shot in a few different apertures, ill have a closer look at the other raws when I'm not being lazy and see if there is a better focus shot. Another thing I struggle with, choosing the shot to "develop" in lightroom
 
Welcome to the 52s Simon! Nice start - possibly could do with a smidge deeper focus, but for me it stands well as it is as well.
 
Something I always struggle with is focus, good feedback and something to play with. I took the shot in a few different apertures, ill have a closer look at the other raws when I'm not being lazy and see if there is a better focus shot. Another thing I struggle with, choosing the shot to "develop" in lightroom

Does your camera have a depth-of-field preview button, or at least a button you can customise? I find that very useful if focus is in doubt. My D810 has a customisable button on the front and by default it is set to preview. There is also another one that I set to 'level' which is useful but that is another story.
 
Welcome aboard Simon. A good start to your 52 with nice light and colour. Personally I would play around with the crop to have more in focus than out - I find the left hand distracting from the subject, But then that's just my opinion ;)
 
Welcome aboard Simon. A good start to your 52 with nice light and colour. Personally I would play around with the crop to have more in focus than out - I find the left hand distracting from the subject, But then that's just my opinion ;)

I have let myself into the office with a proper laptop, and full fat LR (and a decent screen) - so I'll attempt to re-cut the one I did without being quite as lazy :)
 
An interesting image, your re-edit shows it off a lot better. Did you consider anything closer to capture the detail, B&W could also have put a different spin on it.
 
Fruit
Well taken and the light looks good. Maybe a little more dof?
 
Nice close-up. I might just have lightened it a little (but that could be my monitor!)
 
Good close up but as has been said by Nostromo maybe a bit more DoF to keep the edges sharper? Lovely colours there though, I really like the green background as it fits really well with the colour of the apple flesh.
 
Another strong entry with great colour. Id consider getting in even closer (if possible) to chop both the top and bottom out of the frame and possibly get rid of the bright bit (other half of the apple?) top right. Dof doesn't bother me at all. I quite like the softness to the image.
 
I'm of the more DoF camp too.
1/40th at 400ISO. Hand held perhaps? If so, did you consider grabbing your tripod?
It would have let you go to 100ISO and perhaps a smaller aperture to increase the DoF.

Anyway, just thoughts really, the shot works well as it is :)
 
I agree 2.8 is a tad wide for this and at that distance I'd have tried a stack.

None the less is a nice image.
 
Personally - I like it, and I might have been tempted to use less DoF (or at least less of the apple in focus) not more. The composition is nice, but rotating the apple so it's no longer square on to the lens would allow for the seed to be in sharp focus, but almost nothing else?

Colours and tones work for me!
 
I agree with others re dof but love the soft light and the texture of the flesh that this captures.
 
Fruit
Well taken and the light looks good. Maybe a little more dof?
Good close up but as has been said by Nostromo maybe a bit more DoF to keep the edges sharper? Lovely colours there though, I really like the green background as it fits really well with the colour of the apple flesh.
I'm of the more DoF camp too.
1/40th at 400ISO. Hand held perhaps? If so, did you consider grabbing your tripod?
It would have let you go to 100ISO and perhaps a smaller aperture to increase the DoF.

Anyway, just thoughts really, the shot works well as it is :)
I like it but agree it could doo with more dof

Thank you all! I agree on the DOF - I wanted to do more, but it was a little rushed - just out of frame is a small hand trying to steal the apple, complaining why Daddy is using their snack as an art project when they aren't allowed to.

It was a hand held shot - didnt have the time to break out the tripod - next time when I can plan a bit more (and play with my new Macro lens) I will re-take it

Another strong entry with great colour. Id consider getting in even closer (if possible) to chop both the top and bottom out of the frame and possibly get rid of the bright bit (other half of the apple?) top right. Dof doesn't bother me at all. I quite like the softness to the image.

Thanks!

Personally - I like it, and I might have been tempted to use less DoF (or at least less of the apple in focus) not more. The composition is nice, but rotating the apple so it's no longer square on to the lens would allow for the seed to be in sharp focus, but almost nothing else?

Colours and tones work for me!

I'll have to try getting less DoF when I can break out the tripod

I agree with others re dof but love the soft light and the texture of the flesh that this captures.

Thank you!

Nice close-up shot to officially start your 52 challenge. I like the overall greenish hue and the focus. I don't mind the slight softness at the edge however, personally, I prefer the focus on the heart of the apple.

Thanks :)
Macro lenses are great aren’t they, I would prefer it to be more pinpoint sharp at the centre, but a good start to the challenge.

I love this one - I'll work on getting the focus pin sharp next time with the tripod (and some advance planning re childs hand not being there...

This was taken a few seconds later showing the victory dance of getting Daddys art project...

IMG_1299.jpg by Simon Stocks, on Flickr
 
I quite like the softness, and how it highlights the single vein in the left side of the apple. Initially I found (what I assume is) the other half of the apple in the top right corner a little distracting, but the more I look, the more it gives it a little context.
 
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