weekly Manxmaid's 52 for 2018 - Week 52 Showcase added & COMPLETE

Nothing more rural than sheep the coats do look a little blown to me but what a magnificent coat on the first one

The life belt does look odd against that BG glad you explained where it was nicely isolated and bright indeed
 
Andrea

Rural, very nice image, plenty sharp enough, would only like to see a tad more background around the sheep at the front(right).

Bright, using just the 3 colours works well, using the orange against the green and the blue. Lifebelt is in good focus and the sun and shadow on the rope gives it texture.

Pete
 
Bright

It's one of those photos, where there's not a lot to say about it, but It is a good photo, it's sharp, colourful, the life ring certainly stands out against the background. Maybe a little more space on the right would aid the composition.
 
Rural is a very well taken image Andrea, think you picked a right shot for the theme by having the sheep in view, you were close to blowing the coats but I really do like the shot for the theme.
Bright is another fine image from you, composition is very good with the oof BG really does enhance the life belt.

Thanks Dave, I liked the confidence of the ewe and her fantastic fleece blowing in the wind. I managed to recover most of the highlights in the fleece but there is a small hot spot. Glad you like Bright (y)

Rural. Always like a photo with sexy sheep! Nice shot, beautiful rural background I like it a lot, I can see what Dave means about the coat on the first sheep.

Bright, would of been a great shot for juxtaposition,I am glad you explained where it is where it is! works equally well for bright, I too like this sort of OOF.

Thanks, Roger, you're right - the detail in the fleece is mostly there but there's a spot I lost. It was a bright day and she was striding quite quickly or I might have tried to underexpose a bit. Glad you like the OOF BG in Bright, and you're right about Juxtaposition, too :)

Hi Andrea,

Rural - The wooly coat caught my attention too, I can see why you picked it. Good use of the dark green background to pick out the subject. Good bit of eye contact too :) (Did you shout 'mint sauce' at it to attract it's attention?).

Bright - Looks like that was a nice day (though, equally, it could have been a freezing winters day I guess). The life belt is well picked out by both the DoF and the contrasting colours. Nicely done.

Thanks, Tim. Yes, her fleece is wonderful - and she knew it; she was the least timid sheep I've ever encountered :D It was a lovely, sunny day, and while it proved too bright for the sheep's fleece it was ideal to bring out the colours and contrast in the life belt, which was just a few hundred yards away. Thanks again.
 
Nothing more rural than sheep the coats do look a little blown to me but what a magnificent coat on the first one

The life belt does look odd against that BG glad you explained where it was nicely isolated and bright indeed

Thank you, Allan, yes I wish I'd had time to dial the exposure down a little for her coat but she wasn't hanging about! As for the life belt, as Roger said above, it would have been a good fit for Juxtaposition too :) I just liked the bright orange and the way it contrasted against the green hillside behind it. Thanks again.

Andrea

Rural, very nice image, plenty sharp enough, would only like to see a tad more background around the sheep at the front(right).

Bright, using just the 3 colours works well, using the orange against the green and the blue. Lifebelt is in good focus and the sun and shadow on the rope gives it texture.

Pete

Thank you, Pete. This is why I dithered about using the sheep image; it's far from perfect but I kept returning to it in preference to some bland landscapes. For a theme I thought would be quite easy, it has probably been my most challenging one of the year :D Glad you like Bright, and thanks again for your comments.

Bright

It's one of those photos, where there's not a lot to say about it, but It is a good photo, it's sharp, colourful, the life ring certainly stands out against the background. Maybe a little more space on the right would aid the composition.

Thanks, Dominic. I opted to place the post on the 'third', but I see what you mean (y)
 
Week 26 - Elegant


26 Elegant
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

Another theme that proved to be a mental block, and none of my ideas worked until I suddenly thought of the shape of the Fuchsia. It grows wild all over the island and the verges and hedgerows look magnificent at the moment with huge swathes of red and pink Fuchsia.

I opted for a wide aperture to throw the background right out of focus and to provide a contrasting green backdrop for the colours and delicate curves of the stems and flowers.
 
Week 27 - Derelict



27 Derelict by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I've just realised this is my first black and white image since March (week 10). On a day trip to the Calf of Man, the small rocky isle to the south of the Isle of Man, I carried with me a list of the outstanding themes to try to fill the gaps.

This lighthouse has been disused since 1875 and although it could also have been my subject for 'Round', I think the weathered brickwork, crazed glass and broken window fit this theme best. I opted for B&W to bring out the details on what was a slightly misty day.
 
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Week 28 - Home

Sailing back from our trip to the Calf (above) and leaving the sea mist behind, this was the view that greeted us on re-entering the harbour. It's not a bad place to live, especially in the middle of a summer heatwave :)


28 Home
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr
 
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Hi Andrea,

Elegant - Nice bit of background blur and use of complementary colours there. I think you nailed what you were aiming for.

Derelict - Mono suits it. A shame to see the damage, What has it been used for in the intervening 140 years? I like this shot :)

Home - Your little island does look nice in the sun (less so in howling rain). I was wondering if a letterbox crop would suit it, but then you lose most of the deep blue sky.
 
I do like “derelict” would maybe like to see a little more of the tower but I understand why you have focused in on the particular detail.
“Elegant” fushias certainly fit the bill they always remind me of little ballerinas
“Home” not a bad place to live indeed I do miss living by the sea we have a river in Chester but it’s not the same
 
Hi Andrea,

Elegant - Nice bit of background blur and use of complementary colours there. I think you nailed what you were aiming for.

Derelict - Mono suits it. A shame to see the damage, What has it been used for in the intervening 140 years? I like this shot :)

Home - Your little island does look nice in the sun (less so in howling rain). I was wondering if a letterbox crop would suit it, but then you lose most of the deep blue sky.

HI Tim, thanks for visiting and giving your feedback on all three images. I promise you I will be around to catch up asap! The lighthouse is one of three on that small piece of coast, all now unused as they have been succeeded by newer or better positioned structures, and they are standing up to weather and time surprisingly well. The current lighthouse is automated and stands out at sea on the rocks that the original lighthouses were placed to warn about.

I did try a letterbox crop on Home as the same thing crossed my mind, but it lost too much of the sky for my liking. You're right that it's a different place in bad weather but hey, we've had a lovely summer and I'm not thinking about rain and gales just yet! :D Thank you again; much appreciated.

I do like “derelict” would maybe like to see a little more of the tower but I understand why you have focused in on the particular detail.
“Elegant” fushias certainly fit the bill they always remind me of little ballerinas
“Home” not a bad place to live indeed I do miss living by the sea we have a river in Chester but it’s not the same

Hi Allan, thank you for looking in again and commenting. I did try an alternative shot of the lighthouse but the brickwork of the tower looks in remarkably good condition compared to the top so that's why I opted for this one. Little ballerinas is exactly what I was aiming for so I'm glad you see the same thing as me :) I do feel lucky to live so close to the sea, but - as Tim says - it's a different place when the weather is bad :D Thank you again.
 
Week 29 - Round


29 Round by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I had an image in the bag for this theme (another lighthouse, although a different place and different day) but yesterday I met some friends to do a tour that we've been meaning to do for a while, and I think this image is such a perfect fit for the theme it would be a waste not to use it now.

We went on a guided tour of the beautifully restored Gaiety Theatre and Opera House in Douglas, built in 1899 by Frank Matcham and painstakingly restored since the late 60s when it was in a sorry state and purchased by the government. This was taken from the centre of the main aisle, looking straight up at the rose window and 'sunburner' (Matcham's air-conditioning) in the centre of the roof. Around the edges of the image you can see the three boxes either side and the heavily detailed interior, some of which is picked out in the original gold leaf.

A (y) for the image stabilisation on the Fuji 10-24mm as well, as this was handheld at 1/10 sec.
 
Excellent shot, smack on theme, perfect exposure, works great in monochrome,makes me feel giddy just looking up at it! Really top shot. Must visit there at next years TT.
 
That is superb and at 1/10. Sec spot on :clap::clap:

Thanks very much, Allan :D

Excellent shot, smack on theme, perfect exposure, works great in monochrome,makes me feel giddy just looking up at it! Really top shot. Must visit there at next years TT.

Thanks indeed, Roger. I did consider laying on the ground but just about got away without having to do that! Yes you should if you get the chance - it's a fascinating tour with a few surprises tucked away, and the architecture alone is worth seeing in person.
 
Week 30 - Cook(ing)


30 Cooking
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

Just a simple set up for this theme to fill a gap. I tried a few different things but kitchens with all their reflections aren't friendly places for photographers and I ended up opting for the simplest image with some colour and textures.

I opted for a shallow DOF to draw the eye to the cut end of the carrot and hoped the background wouldn't be too distracting but I think it might be.
 
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Week 31 - Short


31 Short
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

Another gap filling shot from yesterday evening, and the low sun was casting long shadows and warm light as I looked across the bay at these machines. As you can see from the fields, they had been working all day and left mostly short stubble behind as they made the most of a dry day.

I also wished I had a longer lens with me but had to make do with a short one so this is a hefty crop of the centre of the frame.
 
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Hi Andrea,

Round - Impressive bit of architecture / decoration. You've got the round bit looking round, rather than oval, so good positioning / placement when you took the shot. B&W suits it.
If I were being picky it's not centred in the shot, but I don't really see that as an issue.

Cooking - The DoF gives it a rustic feel, which I suspect is what you were aiming for with the choice of veg and chopping board.

Short - Landscapes aren't really my thing so hard to critique for me, however, it's good that you caught the harvesting machinery to add context to the landscape.
 
Round

That's a bit of a corker for me, I like the black and white (I wouldn't mind seeing a colour version).

Cooking

Good composition

Short

I like the way the stubble fields go from bottom left to top right. It's a good crop too, not too much sky.
 
Andrea

Elegant, bang on theme, nice bright flowers highlighted against the oof background. Good focus on the bits that matter.

Derelict, to me it looks like its slanting but that must be an illusion looking at the bottom of the Image. Nice B&W conversion. Love the detail on the metal work.

Home, nice bright Image but for me a little too much sky and foreground.

Round, what a lot of detail in that Image. You did well to get the sides straight at such an awkward angle. The round bit could do with being central to the picture.

Cooking, Nice colours but have a feeling that the onion should also be in focus.

Short - Stubble works for me. The wide fields to me imply a wider crop. I would exclude the bottom, cropping just above the rocks and that little building.

Pete
 
Cooking, nice simple shot, like Pete I think would be better with the onion in focus, but that's got to be personal preference.

Short, really like this shot, I like the sense of scale, I find the pattern of the field walls makes you follow the picture up the hill. The little white dots of sheep also add to that sense of scale, and I like the little stone building would not crop that out.
 
Derelict, somehow I missed this first time around, really like it in black and white, I just wish you would not keep showing all these interesting places on the island, not going to have time for the racing next year!;)
 
Short - love it. Clever take on the theme too :)
 
Hi Andrea,

Round - Impressive bit of architecture / decoration. You've got the round bit looking round, rather than oval, so good positioning / placement when you took the shot. B&W suits it.
If I were being picky it's not centred in the shot, but I don't really see that as an issue.

Cooking - The DoF gives it a rustic feel, which I suspect is what you were aiming for with the choice of veg and chopping board.

Short - Landscapes aren't really my thing so hard to critique for me, however, it's good that you caught the harvesting machinery to add context to the landscape.

Thanks for all the feedback, Tim (y). I have been hoping to get the shot inside the theatre for a while and positioned myself in the middle of the main aisle to make sure the rose ceiling was round, but if it's not central in the frame I'm not sure if that's because the aisle is not quite central or something I've done. Yes, rustic is what I was aiming for with that one, and the loud machinery is what caught my eye first in that third one, after hearing them working away all day. Landscapes aren't my thing either, although something I feel I should put some time into as I do appreciate a good one.

Round

That's a bit of a corker for me, I like the black and white (I wouldn't mind seeing a colour version).

Cooking

Good composition

Short

I like the way the stubble fields go from bottom left to top right. It's a good crop too, not too much sky.

Thanks for the comments, Dominic. I did start working on the image for Round in colour but the lighting created a heavy yellow cast and I didn't like the results of my attempts to minimise it, whereas witching to black and white brought the details out and seemed a much cleaner image. I will return to the colour option though and spend some time on it. Yes, I had to exclude most of the sky in that third image as it was a very plain one.

Andrea

Elegant, bang on theme, nice bright flowers highlighted against the oof background. Good focus on the bits that matter.

Derelict, to me it looks like its slanting but that must be an illusion looking at the bottom of the Image. Nice B&W conversion. Love the detail on the metal work.

Home, nice bright Image but for me a little too much sky and foreground.

Round, what a lot of detail in that Image. You did well to get the sides straight at such an awkward angle. The round bit could do with being central to the picture.

Cooking, Nice colours but have a feeling that the onion should also be in focus.

Short - Stubble works for me. The wide fields to me imply a wider crop. I would exclude the bottom, cropping just above the rocks and that little building.

Pete

Thank you for all the comments and feedback, Pete. I tried a letterbox crop of the Home image to exclude some of the sky and sea, but it seemed to lose too much of what attracted me in the first place. We were in a little boat at the time so a very low viewpoint, too. You're the second one to mention that the rose ceiling isn't central to the frame so I wonder if the theatre's central aisle isn't actually central to the ceiling. I will have to check next time I'm there! On reflection I agree that the onion should have been in focus too, but I must admit I was getting tired of trying to find an arrangement that worked for this catch-up shot and probably rushed it a bit :banghead:

Cooking, nice simple shot, like Pete I think would be better with the onion in focus, but that's got to be personal preference.

Short, really like this shot, I like the sense of scale, I find the pattern of the field walls makes you follow the picture up the hill. The little white dots of sheep also add to that sense of scale, and I like the little stone building would not crop that out.

Thanks, Roger (y) I think you and Pete are right about the OOF onion - I was aiming for a very narrow DOF but on reflection it probably would have looked better. Glad you like Short; I was fortunate that the sun was low and added some nice shadows, otherwise it might have been too flat.

Derelict, somehow I missed this first time around, really like it in black and white, I just wish you would not keep showing all these interesting places on the island, not going to have time for the racing next year!;)

:D I would recommend a day (or half-day) trip to the Calf of Man to anyone who can manage a short boat trip and a gentle climb up from the harbour on the Calf. It's a magical place with a real sense of being away from everything, great scenery and just birds, sheep and rabbits for company. I opted for a close-up and B&W as there was a thick sea mist on that side of the island when we arrived, and of course this was perfect for Derelict.

Short - love it. Clever take on the theme too :)

Thank you, Dave - I had heard the machines working all day so it was interesting to see what they had been doing when I walked along the other side of the bay, and I was fortunate that the light was so nice.
 
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Week 32 - Forked


32 Forked by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I had one already 'in the bag' for this theme but remembered this lane yesterday when we were in the area and I do prefer this one.

I tried a lower viewpoint but it seemed to lose the clear fork so opted for this instead, taken from the top of the bank at the side of the road. I like the way the colours of the surrounding countryside contrast with the grey colours and rough texture of the potholed road.
 
Week 33 - Refuse


33 Refuse
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

I think this is the last of the images I had 'in the can' for my catch-up. I went for the refuse/rubbish interpretation of the theme, and opted for this bright wheelie bin positioned by the path to one of the more remote beaches on the island. 'Beach Buddies' volunteers do regular beach cleans but they have also positioned large bins like these to encourage people to bring their rubbish off the beach with them rather than just leave it behind.

This was an overcast afternoon after heavy rain so I thought the stony foreground and overcast sky contrasted well with the bright plastic bin.
 
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Works for me Andrea, liking the difference textures and shades of the road.
Your horizon is of though ;) :exit:

Well, you snuck Refuse in while I wasn't looking...
Again, plenty of texture, and good use of the red vs green.

Hi Tim - I wondered if anyone would mention the horizon/hillside :rolleyes: Not my greatest two images but desperately trying to get up to date again so I can put more thought and time into each theme. Thank you for your comments :)
 
Andrea

Forked, Well exposed on the foreground and can see some cloud detail, I guess there is not much more detail in the sky. The central bush has cut most of the right hand fork off, may have been better if you had moved slightly to the right and got more of that road in. It should not have made much difference to the lft hand road.

Refuse, Bright contrast of the bin works well, all is in focus. Fits the theme. If you can get more detail in the sky I think you could crop out some of the bottom, just an idea.

Pete
 
Forked - great minds and all that :) I wonder if a bit more of a lead into the fork would have been possible?
Refuse is a good find for the theme, a random bin on a track.
 
Forked; This is one of those shot where a central composition works well – the man-made grey subject contrasting against the natural environment.

Refuse; The low angle works well here and again the contrasting red and green add interest to the image.

Thanks very much, Stan.

Andrea

Forked, Well exposed on the foreground and can see some cloud detail, I guess there is not much more detail in the sky. The central bush has cut most of the right hand fork off, may have been better if you had moved slightly to the right and got more of that road in. It should not have made much difference to the lft hand road.

Refuse, Bright contrast of the bin works well, all is in focus. Fits the theme. If you can get more detail in the sky I think you could crop out some of the bottom, just an idea.

Pete

Hi Pete, and thanks for your comments. Unfortunately I had no choice about my position on the Forked image as I went up a roadside bank to get the higher angle and another step to the right would have seen me in a ditch :) I tried tweaking some detail out of the sky on both but it was a flat grey sky on both days, but I agree with the idea. Thanks again.

Forked - great minds and all that :) I wonder if a bit more of a lead into the fork would have been possible?
Refuse is a good find for the theme, a random bin on a track.

Thanks Chris, I hadn't seen your Forked image at the time but you found a better one than I did! I agree about the lead in and I kicked myself when editing this image as there was more of the foreground lane in other images but a lower viewpoint, and in this one I preferred the higher viewpoint but neglected the lead-in. I realised that too late :(

Refuse

The red bin stands out well, it obvious what the subject is. Well found.

Thanks, Dominic, it does look odd in this image but it's halfway between the beach and the car park, although it does look as though it's in the middle of nowhere and that's what caught my eye. That and the bright colour on a grey day (y)
 
Week 34 - Dark


34 Dark
by Andrea Thrussell, on Flickr

One of our cats tolerated me trying to get close-ups of his face and especially his eyes, and this was the final (and best) image as he took his eyes off me and looked away.

He is black and I think the black pupil stands out well against the colourful iris, and then I added a little vignette to get rid of some background highlights and to make the image as dark as possible while retaining details.

It's heavily cropped and a bit noisy, but definitely something to revisit as he has the most fascinating eyes.
 
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Andrea

Dark, Really nice shot of your cats eyes, its a bit dark...only joking thats the theme, good use of the frame.

Pete
 
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