weekly Mandy's 2018 TP 52 Challenge, Week 26 Elegant added

I took a drive out in the car for my first visit to Blenheim Palace, and what a stunning place the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough have. I didnt get chance to see the entire palace on the first visit so I plan to go back. Whilst out walking in the formal gardens they have some lovely sculptures and statues, so I managed to get my 52 image as well. My original plan was to photograph the statue of the Roman guard that they have on the grounds but I couldn't find it on my walk round, so I came up with a substitute instead. Click here for further info on Blenheim Palace, I hope you will like the image and thank you for taking the time to look at my thread.
The idea behind this image for me is the statue, is using his shield to " guard " his head from what was going to attack him.

Week 7 - Theme Guard

Blenheim Palace (163) by Mandy Miles, on Flickr
 
Good find Mandy and it works for me. The mono in particular works as the figure stands out against the sky and what could have been a busy background in colour.
 
Great find Mandy! Fits the theme well!
 
Nothing to do with the fig leaf guarding his naughty bits ;)

I find the over exposed sky looks odd when I'm expecting lots of grey clouds.

Pete
 
LancsLee said:
Good find Mandy and it works for me. The mono in particular works as the figure stands out against the sky and what could have been a busy background in colour.
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Thanks for dropping by.

Daniel_Paul said:
Great find Mandy! Fits the theme well!
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Thank you.

seaodyssey said:
Nothing to do with the fig leaf guarding his naughty bits ;)

I find the over exposed sky looks odd when I'm expecting lots of grey clouds.

Pete
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Thank you for taking the time to look, and it hadn't even occurred to me about the leaf covering his naughty bits.

IanD said:
Nice one Mandy - spot on theme
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Thanks.

Allan.H said:
Certainly fits the theme well spotted
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Thank you.
 
A bit like Achilles in Hyde Park. These things can be a bugger to photograph, I know.
 
Hi Mandy,
Sharp - Works for me. Pops nicely from the background.
Guard - I wonder what he's expecting to be hit by. A rain of arrows / spears perhaps? Mono suits the image, I'm guessing a flat grey sky like we've all had recently, so this being the best option.
 
Guard
The mono looks good and even though the sky is white, I think it actually helps make the statue stand out.
 
Dave70D said:
A good shot for guard Mandy, think you did well with the sky so it goes better in mono so a good find.
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d00d said:
A bit like Achilles in Hyde Park. These things can be a bugger to photograph, I know.
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LC2 said:
Hi Mandy,
Sharp - Works for me. Pops nicely from the background.
Guard - I wonder what he's expecting to be hit by. A rain of arrows / spears perhaps? Mono suits the image, I'm guessing a flat grey sky like we've all had recently, so this being the best option.
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Nostromo said:
Guard
The mono looks good and even though the sky is white, I think it actually helps make the statue stand out.
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Thanks all for the kind comments and for taking the time to look.
 
Today I went back To Blenheim Palace ( for my second visit ) to go and do the private apartment tour of where the Duke and Duchess live, and they have some stunning rooms and even more interesting history to be seen. I even met the Duchess briefly, whilst wandering about the place getting a little cold. I sat down to check to see if the new theme had been posted and it had been. So I got on my English heritage app to see what was close by I could go and see and the ruins at Minster Lovell popped off. So after finishing my visit to Blenheim I got in the car and headed out to Minster lovell hall to see if I could find anything to fit the theme, and as luck would have it I did manage to find something. The image is a close up section of what would of been once upon a time a " Thick " outer wall of the hall, click here for further info on Minster lovell hall. Sadly my day didnt end great as my lens I use for most of my shots has got an issue with focusing, and it was working lovely on Wednesday and thursday morning:(.

Week 8 - Theme " Thick " wall

Thick by Mandy Miles, on Flickr
 
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My house walls are like that, about two feet thick, so this is quite apt. Shame about the lens but then if it's the one you use the most it's the one that's going to wear out first. GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) setting in yet for a new one?
 
Mandy

I like the OOF background and the stones in the wall. I find it difficult to see the edge clearly, maybe better to focus on the front corner, I don't know.

Pete
 
the far edge stands out well but the near is a bit soft.
 
Nice one Mandy. Certainly a nice think wall. They don't make 'em like that anymore eh.

How do you like your English Heritage Membership (assuming you are a member)? I'm a National Trust member but starting to get to the end of visiting everything down South
 
agree.gif
too.

I like Guard, it looks like it was shot on film.
 
ShinySideUp said:
My house walls are like that, about two feet thick, so this is quite apt. Shame about the lens but then if it's the one you use the most it's the one that's going to wear out first. GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) setting in yet for a new one?
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Thanks for dropping by, there’s a couple of lenses I would like, can’t afford it tho.

seaodyssey said:
Mandy

I like the OOF background and the stones in the wall. I find it difficult to see the edge clearly, maybe better to focus on the front corner, I don't know.

Pete
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Thanks for dropping by, sadly the image was shot when my lens was messing about on me.

d00d said:
the far edge stands out well but the near is a bit soft.
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I know, I was trying to be a bit arty with the image, but I had to contend with a lens not auto focusing and judering.

michael23 said:
on theme, appears to be in focus on the wall, seems to be lacking some colour/contrast.
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Thanks for looking, I toned down the colours and contrast in pp work as I was trying to be a bit arty.

IanD said:
Nice one Mandy. Certainly a nice think wall. They don't make 'em like that anymore eh.

How do you like your English Heritage Membership (assuming you are a member)? I'm a National Trust member but starting to get to the end of visiting everything down South
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Thanks for stopping by, I have the National Trust, English heritage and Historic Houses Association memberships and each membership all offer a variety of great things, and I find with the English Heritage for most of what they have. You need to visit on dry days not when it’s raining. They are all reasonably priced memberships as well which is very good, and the fact I can go out and visit some fantastic places and learn about our countries history and hopefully build some great photographic memories as well as improve my photography. I genuinely think it is amazing and is worthwhile doing, and all the walking round the grounds and properties is good for my health as well.

Dave70D said:
On theme but agree with David and Michael.
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Thanks for dropping by.
Allan.H said:
:agree:
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Thank you, I will be going back to re shoot it when I am able to either get my lens fixed or replaced.

aliengrove said:
agree.gif
too.

I like Guard, it looks like it was shot on film.
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Thank you.
 
The wall works for thick, but as others have said, its hard to see if its actually thick, or just wide... ?
 
Guard - great photo, great composition and B&W conversion, and of course great find. But how does he keep that leaf in place?
Thick - good choice for the theme, maybe a bit soft on the near side, but otherwise good DoF
 
Hertsman said:
The wall works for thick, but as others have said, its hard to see if its actually thick, or just wide... ?
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LC2 said:
Having read through the comments, I actually don't mind the focus being on the far side of the wall.
Perhaps convention might have it on the closer edge, but :p to convention :)
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brrnd said:
Guard - great photo, great composition and B&W conversion, and of course great find. But how does he keep that leaf in place?
Thick - good choice for the theme, maybe a bit soft on the near side, but otherwise good DoF
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Downton Mini said:
Good choice for the theme Mandy something a bit different. Thats a pain about your lens
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Thanks all for the comments, and yes @Downton Mini it is a shame about my lens :(. Still I hope that I'm able to get it fixed or replaced soon.
 
Pinkbikerbabe said:
Thanks for dropping by, sadly the image was shot when my lens was messing about on me.




Thank you, I will be going back to re shoot it when I am able to either get my lens fixed or replaced.



Thank you.
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Hope you get it sorted soon Mandy.
 
Hi Mandy,

Over - What a lovely setting and well captured. Very dark and moody
Age - Another great building. Nice colours and quite a menacing sky. Looks like it was close to raining, glad you didn't get wet
Sharp - They look vicious thorns, sharp in both ways and it works well on the diagonal
Guard - Well spotted, looks good in mono though I think he might need a bigger shield
Thick - Certainly a good thick wall. I like it and don't mind the front edge not being in focus

:D
 
Missycat said:
Hi Mandy,

Over - What a lovely setting and well captured. Very dark and moody
Age - Another great building. Nice colours and quite a menacing sky. Looks like it was close to raining, glad you didn't get wet
Sharp - They look vicious thorns, sharp in both ways and it works well on the diagonal
Guard - Well spotted, looks good in mono though I think he might need a bigger shield
Thick - Certainly a good thick wall. I like it and don't mind the front edge not being in focus

:D
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Thank you so much for taking the time to look and comment on all them images.

Nostromo said:
Thick

A very thick wall.
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Thank you.
 
Wow it seems the weeks are flying past us once again, just a simple bright colourful image from me. As like most of the UK I have been stuck in thanks to the high winds and snow, today has been my first chance to make it to my local Tesco. So i was able to get what I needed to execute my idea for the theme.

Week 9 - Theme " abundance " of little sweets.

Abundance by Mandy Miles, on Flickr
 
Just back from Tesco Mandy, had planned something similar for maybe later, hope mines is as good as yours, lovely colours, simple but very effective.

Walter
 
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Great photo, very colourful, well lit and edible props! I wonder if a square crop would bring out the symmetry even more...
 
Hi Mandy, I think your image for Sharp works really well; the thorns look really vicious and stand out well against the OOF background. Your thinking for Guard(ed) with the soldier shielding himself works well for me too and suits the B&W processing, likewise the thickness of the old wall conveys that theme well and the bowl of sweets is colourful and the bright wrappers contrast well against the plainer background and bowl. I think Bernd is right that a square crop would also work well.

Nice work, and now you can eat the sweets :)
 
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