Ian's 52 for 2021

Thanks for all the replies folks.

This week I knew I wanted to do my boots. I've been looking for a decent pair to take me on my daily constitutional for 2-3 years now, and have finally found a pair that are rugged and tough. My 1st attempt was the "take a pic of your feet" but it was just a mess, so instead, I went for a low angle "product shot" type thing. I wanted the photo to be outside because a) inside with dirty boots would not be productive to my marriage, and b) They live outside...

I think my second shot actually shows "dirty" better, but I much prefer the composition on the first.


Week 2: Dirty
by Ian, on Flickr

And the higher angle...

2021-01-17-hp5at1600-rb67-06.jpg
Too tight, too awkward of an angle.

Both images taken on Mamiya RB67 with 127mm Sekor C on HP5 Plus pushed to 1600 and developed in Ilfotec DD-X (mainly for my own reference!) 1/125 at f/11 and really didn't want to go any wider as the DoF would have been too think I think.

I'm quite pleased with the result. Background is a bit cluttered, and could have probably used a longer lens, and maybe a couple of inches higher up rather than actually resting the camera on the ground.
 
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... sound pair of boots.

First one cropped down to top of fence level makes a strong image. :D
 
... sound pair of boots.

First one cropped down to top of fence level makes a strong image. :D

2021-01-17-hp5at1600-rb67-04.jpg

Yep. I agree. Works better. Probably should have just got a higher elevation to reduce the band of sky, but the crop works.
 
Dirty
I agree, the first shot has a better composition. Then I saw the crop and I think they both have merit. Good in black and white.
 
Cracking first shot! Works for me for dirty!!

What are your thoughts on the RB? I really fancy a 6x7, but the Mamiyas look heavy... Don't tell the missus, but there may be an active eBay alert for me on Bronica GS1s...
 
Both the original and the crop work the positioning of the boots and camera in the first is so much better.
 
Cracking first shot! Works for me for dirty!!

What are your thoughts on the RB? I really fancy a 6x7, but the Mamiyas look heavy... Don't tell the missus, but there may be an active eBay alert for me on Bronica GS1s...

Yep. They are heavy. I like how it's completely mechanical. No electrics to break unlike many of the other MF offerings. It sounds like a gunshot too when you fire the shutter. I've taken mine out for the day, and when I get home I know I've been out! I tend to just pick 1 lens these days because it really is too heavy to haul around hiking. Ended up getting a Pentax 645n for "walkabout" stuff, and 16 shots to a roll is a bit more economical than the RB's 10.

I don't think I'll sell mine. I have a plan for a portrait project that I'd love to attempt with it, but I can't do squat with all this lockdown stuff at the moment. It's an amazing portrait camera if you can hit focus with it.
 
Thanks - the Bronica's electronics worry me a little, but it looks a little bit lighter than the other 6x7 offerings.

Unfortunately though, everything's relative...
 
Number one is the one I like the most. A nice PoV and the DoF is great too, and it definitely suits the mono PP, good job.
 
Yep No1 for me - without the crop.
 
The cropped version of #1 would be my choice. I find the fence line etc distracting. Nicely composed and processed.
They look nicely worn and therefore comfy :)
 
Maybe the crop would work well in colour, but as Mono shot I think the original is great. The light and detail on the boots is lovely, and plays to the theme, while the flat, cold sky gives context, and tells you why the boots are dirty.
 
Thanks for all the replies folks. Interesting to see a divided opinion on the crop. I think I'm going to stick by my original thought which was that I should have raised the camera a little. This would have cut down on the white band of sky, as well as revealing a bit more detail on the boots themselves.

Maybe the crop would work well in colour
Sadly I don't think I'll be doing anything in colour until at least the summer as I don't shoot enough colour film. To actually get through the roll, and send it off for dev and get the scans back in 7 days would be too much of a rush.
 
Sadly I don't think I'll be doing anything in colour until at least the summer as I don't shoot enough colour film. To actually get through the roll, and send it off for dev and get the scans back in 7 days would be too much of a rush.

To be honest it's amazing that you turn it around this fast at all, it's sometimes hard enough with digital, let alone film.
 
Apologies Ian, I missed your take on this week's theme. For me, definitely your first take on your boots works 'better' compositionally. I agree with the suggestion of cropping the sky out or maybe even bring a gradient over it in post to darken it. Good work though, bang on theme
 
Thanks again everyone.

Every stone photo I tried this week was boring as hell so I decided on Rock. I had this idea when the theme was picked but wasn't really sure how to go about it, and I haven't the imagination some of you have to do this properly. Perhaps if this was a monthly challenge I could have done better. I don't know about anyone else but when Monday comes round and I have no shot I start to panic a bit...


Week 3: Rock
by Ian, on Flickr

We have decorators in at the moment and the house is a mess. Couldn't really find anywhere to shoot this other than my office that wouldn't have been in someone's way. It's very much a "could have done better" shot I think, but it's a fuzzy image of a sharp concept rather than the super sharp images of boring stones. Or maybe not... You decide :)

6/10 for me.
 
It works well, another outside the box thinking..
 
Fab idea, perfect lighting, nice exposure.

And your StevieWonderEsque sidekick raises a smile. :cool:
 
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Sometimes you've got mo make the bast of what's to hand. It's a fun image, and I love the lighting.
 
Brilliant fun image, really well executed and thought out, certainly bought a smile to my face.
 
That made me smile.. wasn't sure if it was rock or stone(d) :D

Hah! That made me chuckle. We're non-smokers now but I still had papers and filters from when we weren't. No baccy though. Felt weird rolling an empty cig and it did end up looking a bit... crumpled...
 
Week 4: Tall

Thanks again to all who have commented. I thought week 3 was a bit of a cop-out and week for is similar. Still I want images I like, and I really quite like this. Taken on my daily exercise walk, Mr Obliging Pigeon happily settled on top of a pole that just has 1 wire going to it. It made me think of the topic, and seeing the pole, the street lamp, and the trees all together made me think. I messed about in the road looking for a decent composition while Mr Pigeon just watched me. By the time I was happy he was still there! So I took the shot.

Got a bit slap happy with the developing and sloshed 22 degree water in instead of 20 which didn't give me the predictable results I'm used to but I still really like the image. Grain is quite pronounced probably because I pushed the HP5 to 1600.


Week 4: Tall
by Ian, on Flickr
 
It is a very stark image, it is reminiscent of a road in the fifties in winter -- overcast, depressing and devoid of cars (which is a good thing). I think it is a good image. but I don't like it, if you see what I mean.
 
rock/stone - great set up and made me smile. I like your twist on the theme
Tall - a very dark gritty image.
 
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