Lady Sue's 52 ART AND RELAXATION Page 16

Certainly on theme Sue, nice colours. I am slightly with Allan with the lack of focal point but you cant really improve on that with what you were shooting.

I dont know if you have a low f number lens but would be a cool shot standing close up side on and focusing on one box and throwing the others oof.

Dan
 
dan_yorkshire said:
Certainly on theme Sue, nice colours. I am slightly with Allan with the lack of focal point but you cant really improve on that with what you were shooting.

I dont know if you have a low f number lens but would be a cool shot standing close up side on and focusing on one box and throwing the others oof.

Dan
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Thanks Dan. I dont have a low f lens. I can get down to f4 thats all but only 5.6 I think with the 18-55 kit lens that I was using at that museum.I didnt know I was going to be taking pictures at all. I just went to investigate when it was open and the owner saw me and invited me in.Lucky I had the camera in the car.I'm sure he will let me go back another time and get some better shots. I am saving up for a low f lens.
 
ladysue said:
Thanks Dan. I dont have a low f lens. I can get down to f4 thats all but only 5.6 I think with the 18-55 kit lens that I was using at that museum.I didnt know I was going to be taking pictures at all. I just went to investigate when it was open and the owner saw me and invited me in.Lucky I had the camera in the car.I'm sure he will let me go back another time and get some better shots. I am saving up for a low f lens.
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Great stuff, I now have a D90 so the 50mm prime would autofocus but bought the 35mm 1.8 when I had my D60 and its a cracking lens for cropped sensore cameras, cant recommend it enough.
 
Hi Sue,

I'm with the others on the quality shot and really hoping that you get a chance to go back and shoot those monkeys.

Post : What a weird thing to keep in your back garden :LOL:
I'm completely fascinated by this and just can't help wondering why anyone would want to set up a post box museum in their garden.
I'm struggling to spot the difference between some of them - looks like there might be a few doubles there.

I agree that there might have been a more dramatic composition there, but for me that would have lost some of the fascination of seeing them all in a normal garden setting - and that's what makes the shot for me.
 
dan_yorkshire said:
Great stuff, I now have a D90 so the 50mm prime would autofocus but bought the 35mm 1.8 when I had my D60 and its a cracking lens for cropped sensore cameras, cant recommend it enough.
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I will get myself another lens soon. There always seems to be something else to do with my money that is urgent.

SarahLee said:
Hi Sue,

I'm with the others on the quality shot and really hoping that you get a chance to go back and shoot those monkeys.

Post : What a weird thing to keep in your back garden :LOL:
I'm completely fascinated by this and just can't help wondering why anyone would want to set up a post box museum in their garden.
I'm struggling to spot the difference between some of them - looks like there might be a few doubles there.

I agree that there might have been a more dramatic composition there, but for me that would have lost some of the fascination of seeing them all in a normal garden setting - and that's what makes the shot for me.
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Thank you Sara. I would like to get the monkey shot sometime.

The man at the post box museum was really pleasant, and quite normal. They do make the back garden a lot more interesting.
 
Quality...That maybe a quality carpet but the pattern and texture is making me dizzy :help:


Post...All those post boxes in one garden is just greedy, I think we should all have one each. You could have gone for a more arty shot but showing all of them has great impact. (y)
 
Sneaky pillar boxes hiding in the bushes.. that paints some interesting pictures in my head Sue...

Metal, that's on theme and is indeed very heavy. Love the texture on the metalwork, the mono has really bought that out. You're hitting an issue with the lenses here... the DOF is a little large (although it looks like you shot with the lens wide open) to get decent separation between the anvil and the bricks behind. I guess you shot this angle to include the weight of the anvil in shot ? You know what might work well... get down low, at the spiky end, look back along the anvil and focus on the weight... (just an idea that came to me)
 
Thank you John. I am a bit limited with lenses at the moment. I only have the 18-55 kit lens and a 55-200 lens and neither does a really big aperture. if things work out this week I may have the money to buy another lens. I was going to get a nifty fifty but may now get thw Tamron 90mm macro lens. Either way I will be able to get the close ups I want.

I can, and will, do a reshoot of this with the angle you suggest, as it is at a friends house. Actually I havent been there with a camera before and, as they have lots of heavy machinery, scrap and old buildings and barns I think it could be a photographers paradise.
 
There are ways of getting a shallow DOF, even with lenses that don't do really wide... get in really close... but that might make it tricky with fitting it all in. Sounds good on the lens front... the Tamron, not quite as wide, but much closer would be my pref, although the nifty (if it's anything like the canon) is a cracking little lens.

That sounds like a great opportunity for some really interesting shots... Go for it. I'll look forward to the images.
 
jgs001 said:
There are ways of getting a shallow DOF, even with lenses that don't do really wide... get in really close... but that might make it tricky with fitting it all in. Sounds good on the lens front... the Tamron, not quite as wide, but much closer would be my pref, although the nifty (if it's anything like the canon) is a cracking little lens.

That sounds like a great opportunity for some really interesting shots... Go for it. I'll look forward to the images.
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Thanks John. I will get the Tamron if I can afford it because I like taking pictures of bugs . My old point and shoot does that better than my Nikon lenses.

I just hope I can do justice to all the stuff at my friends farm. If not I'll have to invite a local meet there.
 
That works Sue, an interesting subject bang on theme. I agree with John, maybe just needs to be taken from a different angle to add a bit of interest. It looks like an interesting subject which I would like to see a colour version. In less harsh light I am sure you could really make the rusty (I assume) anvil stand out against the wall behind. I am sure there must be some rich colours in there. Your friends farm certainly sounds like a place rich in photo opportunies. Iain
 
blakester said:
That works Sue, an interesting subject bang on theme. I agree with John, maybe just needs to be taken from a different angle to add a bit of interest. It looks like an interesting subject which I would like to see a colour version. In less harsh light I am sure you could really make the rusty (I assume) anvil stand out against the wall behind. I am sure there must be some rich colours in there. Your friends farm certainly sounds like a place rich in photo opportunies. Iain
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Thank you Iain. I made it BW because there were lots of bright green weeds around it and they were distracting, Also the anvil was not very rusty so nothing special in colour and not distinct from the background. I will definitely have to go back for a different angle and pull the weeds out first:)
 
As you say "Heavy metal " indeed ! Agree with trying to make the anvil stand out from the background a bit more.
 
Definitely heavy metal (y)

That's a great subject for this week - absolutely bang on theme and very interesting.
As others have said though, I think there may be a more interesting composition in there . . . a different angle, maybe from the side or maybe really low down looking up at it would have given it a bit more oomph for me.

For my personal tastes I would have liked to see a bit more contrast in the B&W conversion too. Perhaps a bit of dodging and burning on the anvil itself to bring out more of the texture.
 
It's a good subject; worth trying again with a different angle but this one is promising. A more dramatic BW conversion would be worth trying - if you have a channel mixture play about with the sliders and never mind about making it all add up to 100%. Otherwise somewhere you should be able to apply colour filters which mimic the effect of colour filters on BW film. E.g. if the bricks are red, an orange filter would make them very pale and the weeds dark.
 
I have done some pp to the original image to try to bring out the texture as suggested



I have also been back and taken the anvil from some different angles as suggested.



Thank you for all the people who suggested these. Comments and criticism appreciated
Sue
 
Wow Sue, that is a fantastic reshoot. You have really done the anvil some justice. I like both images but #2 is the stronger compositionally, I like your processing too, it has really given the images a 3D effect. A big (y) form me Sue. Very welll done. Iain
 
yeh i prefer the second shoot too, im not sure if you have pushed it a little too far with the highlights though, maybe a bit of burn on them would sort that out. Cracking dof though the contrast in the background of the first one is amazing.
 
blakester said:
Wow Sue, that is a fantastic reshoot. You have really done the anvil some justice. I like both images but #2 is the stronger compositionally, I like your processing too, it has really given the images a 3D effect. A big (y) form me Sue. Very welll done. Iain
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Thanks Iain. I really appreciate the critique and help I have been getting with my 52 from you and others. I am learning so much.

clud17 said:
yeh i prefer the second shoot too, im not sure if you have pushed it a little too far with the highlights though, maybe a bit of burn on them would sort that out. Cracking dof though the contrast in the background of the first one is amazing.
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Thanks Chris.I enjoy trying to make my shots better and appreciate all your help.

Sue
 
ladysue said:
Thanks Iain. I really appreciate the critique and help I have been getting with my 52 from you and others. I am learning so much.



Thanks Chris.I enjoy trying to make my shots better and appreciate all your help.

Sue
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Your welcome Sue, I too really appreciate the help, advice and suggestions from others during this 52.
 
#2 on the reshoot for Metal is very strong compositionaly and it certainly suits a mono treatment. The DOF isolates the subject well but leaves enough background detail for context. Maybe the processing was a little strong resulting in the highlights, but for me it seems to give the subject some emphasis.
 
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namllihs said:
#2 on the reshoot for Metal is very strong compositionaly and it certainly suits a mono treatment. The DOF isolates the subject well but leaves enough background detail for context. Maybe the processing was a little strong resulting in the highlights, but for me it seems to give the subject some emphasis.
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Thank you Steve. I had fun with the processing today. I will be glad to get a new 2.8 lens soon to be able to get better DOF.
 
jgs001 said:
There are ways of getting a shallow DOF, even with lenses that don't do really wide... get in really close... but that might make it tricky with fitting it all in. Sounds good on the lens front... the Tamron, not quite as wide, but much closer would be my pref, although the nifty (if it's anything like the canon) is a cracking little lens.
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The Nikon nifty fifty is excellent - I find it really useful in all sorts of ways. But then I also love my 105 macro, Sue. Photography is never going to be cheap! :D

Sue - Just a small comment on the original shot - it looks a little tight in the frame - although I realise you may not have been able to give it more room - but otherwise a pleasing shot that fits the bill! :)

That reshoot is excellent though. I love the dramatic angle of the second version, and the oof background works brilliantly. :clap::clap::clap:

Jean
 
jeangenie said:
The Nikon nifty fifty is excellent - I find it really useful in all sorts of ways. But then I also love my 105 macro, Sue. Photography is never going to be cheap! :D

Sue - Just a small comment on the original shot - it looks a little tight in the frame - although I realise you may not have been able to give it more room - but otherwise a pleasing shot that fits the bill! :)

That reshoot is excellent though. I love the dramatic angle of the second version, and the oof background works brilliantly. :clap::clap::clap:

Jean
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Thank you Jean. I cant buy the nifty fifty if I want a macro lens. I will still be able to get one at a later date as I can pick one up for about £75 second hand.Thats if the Tamron doesnt do portrait shots well, and I'm told that it does.

I know that photography isnt cheap but I dont usually have any money left for it from my pension each month. Its just this week I am expecting a small windfall.I dont really mind that I cant spend a lot of photography though as it just means I have to adapt and do a bit more in pp. Like the last shot of the anvil where I used the blur effect in Photoshop to make the background look OOF.

Sue
 
Excellent edit Sue, but that reshot is a belter... spot on. The composition is great, and the blurred background, isn't blurred enough to be unrecognisable but adds some interesting context :clap:
 
Much stronger on the re shoot Sue. I prefer the first of the two. The only things that niggle me are, what looks like a hair on the pointy end and that you've cut off the bottom. Probably nothing you could do about that though.


I like the second of the two re shoots, with the door in the background but as above, it's just a little too cut off at the bottom for it to work for me.
 
jgs001 said:
Excellent edit Sue, but that reshot is a belter... spot on. The composition is great, and the blurred background, isn't blurred enough to be unrecognisable but adds some interesting context :clap:
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Thank you John. I think the reshoot is much better too.

holryn said:
Much stronger on the re shoot Sue. I prefer the first of the two. The only things that niggle me are, what looks like a hair on the pointy end and that you've cut off the bottom. Probably nothing you could do about that though.


I like the second of the two re shoots, with the door in the background but as above, it's just a little too cut off at the bottom for it to work for me.
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Thank you Paul.I have a physical problem with taking shots low down as I am disabled and cant get down myself. I should have thought about that when I bought my camera as the Nikon D60 doesnt have live view ( I think thats what its called when you cant see what you are taking on a screen). So to do low shots I just have to hold the camera down low and cant see through the eyepiece what I am taking.So when I reshot this photo I got lots of shots that were no good at all.I did get one with the whole anvil in but it wasnt so good as this one.
Sue
 
Well I have learnt something this week cause I didnt know what Grunge meant. So I googled it and found some groups that made grunge music and also found it meant dirty. So this is grunge I think.



Comments and criticism welcomed
Sue
 
Time for a bit of a catch up Sue.

I like the original anvil shot but it was lacking a little something.

The reshoot is far better (y) I particularly like the angled version. You have done really well with the background if that is the result of PP not in camera. Composition is great and mono suits the subject because it emphasises the textures. It is a shame about the bottom being cut off but I can understand the reason for it. The highlights are a bit distracting though and teh anvil seems to have a glow around it. Is this as a result of the PP on the BG or a deliberate effect?

Grunge is a good interpretation of the theme. The angle that the wall is taken at is great. Alice in chains would fit the grunge theme. However it doesn't fit together very well for me. It looks as though the writing is added in PP (which I assume it was) because it doesn't follow the angle of the wall and is brighter and cleaner as well.

Andy
 
Thanks Andy.

The glow around the anvil is a result of PP. I seem to get it every time I select an immage and blur round it using Filter/Blur/Gaussian Blur. I would be grateful if anyone could tell me another way of blurring background in PP( I have an early version of Elements). Of course when I get my new 2.8 lens I hope to be able to get this done in camera.

I will see if I can do something about the PP on the grunge picture. I see what you mean about it. I havent done much like this before in PP ( only the 3rd time I have added text) but I am enjoying practising and learning more about it.

Sue
 
Sue, I think that looks a lot more convincing, perhaps a little angle on the righting... and a small distort as the wall moves away, so the lower right corner of the words looks more pushed back if that makes sense.... (I'm sort of making that up and it may make it look totally wrong...;))
 
I think that looks a lot better than the first version Sue. More importantly do you think it is an improvement?

Andy
 
jgs001 said:
Sue, I think that looks a lot more convincing, perhaps a little angle on the righting... and a small distort as the wall moves away, so the lower right corner of the words looks more pushed back if that makes sense.... (I'm sort of making that up and it may make it look totally wrong...;))
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I have had a try and at least it has given me something to focus on for a while on a truly awful day ( see post on oof)




daddy day care said:
I think that looks a lot better than the first version Sue. More importantly do you think it is an improvement?

Andy
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Thanks Andy. Yes it was better but now I have tried to incorporate John's critique too.
 
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I think you have the positioning and lettering size about right now but the colour is too pale. It just fades into the background.

Andy
 
daddy day care said:
I think you have the positioning and lettering size about right now but the colour is too pale. It just fades into the background.

Andy
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Thanks. Yes I know it does Andy but I dont mind that too much because it looks old and faded with time, to me anyway. I may do another edit some time but today has been so awful that I feel washed out for now
Sue
 
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