weekly MsTex's 52 - 2017 WEEK 31 - piece

Both good Kara. Sharp focus on the lemon slice for Order and I like the dribble of honey on the textured surface of the table. The pose in the second, certainly makes you look Comfortable.
 
sirch said:
Two good photos for the themes. Order is very a very nice composition with good use of shallow DoF, a couple of very minor nit-picks I feel it could do with a slight clockwise straightening and the colour of the inside of the cut lemon looks a little off. But that's just me being grumpy first thing in the morning, it is a good shot.

Comfort is spot on I think, good mono conversion, well lit, nice depth to it.
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Thanks for pointing these out. I'm still building my Lightroom skills, and I've done a quick edit. It's not perfect, but I've learned a couple new tricks. (edit vs original)

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01_order_edit-L.jpg
 
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Hi Kara .... my first visit to your thread, I got off to a late start this year.

Blue Clear Sky by George Strait ... certainly fits the bill.

just what the doctor ORDERED ... interesting twist on the theme. The edit is an improvement, but I'm not sure about the focal point, the old lemon, and the honey dipper thingy messing up the table. I sometimes think we try too hard to fit too much in to ensure we're spelling it out loud & clear.

sitting Comfortably ... I like a lot. Good honest no-eye-contact portrait which says relax comfortably.

(y)
 
Really like the edit for Ordered Kara and any excuse for a hot toddy :D

You look really comfortable there and I like the processing and the lack of clutter in the image.
 
Order - Hmm, I think I would have focused on the cup rather than the lemon , but that's just me. It certainly works for the theme.
Was the Jamesons a honey replacement? ;)
Comfort - A very wistful looking shot. I do think that B&W really suits it.
Comfort is my fav of the two images (y)
 
Just a little straighten and order is perfect, I like the angle and the positioning of all the items. The edit is too bright for me as you lose the darker tones.
You do look comfortable but I think you need your face in a softer light.

(y)
 
The edit for order makes it perfect, nothing the criticise.

And a well composed 'selfie' for comfort.
 
sirch said:
The edit looks great (y)
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Carl Ayling said:
:agree:
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Thanks. It was a very quick edit, but I wanted to try a couple of things.


d00d said:
Hi Kara .... my first visit to your thread, I got off to a late start this year.

Blue Clear Sky by George Strait ... certainly fits the bill.

just what the doctor ORDERED ... interesting twist on the theme. The edit is an improvement, but I'm not sure about the focal point, the old lemon, and the honey dipper thingy messing up the table. I sometimes think we try too hard to fit too much in to ensure we're spelling it out loud & clear.

sitting Comfortably ... I like a lot. Good honest no-eye-contact portrait which says relax comfortably.

(y)
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Welcome to my thread! :welcome:
Thanks for the feedback. I agree about the focus point in the "order" photo, which is why I'll be going to the optometrist soon.


CliveNX said:
Two good photos, both on theme, look forward to seeing more.
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Bruja said:
Really like the edit for Ordered Kara and any excuse for a hot toddy :D

You look really comfortable there and I like the processing and the lack of clutter in the image.
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LC2 said:
Order - Hmm, I think I would have focused on the cup rather than the lemon , but that's just me. It certainly works for the theme.
Was the Jamesons a honey replacement? ;)
Comfort - A very wistful looking shot. I do think that B&W really suits it.
Comfort is my fav of the two images (y)
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I can always find an excuse for a hot toddy. The Jamesons doesn't replace the honey, it's added to it (I like my toddy a little sweet).
For the comfort shot, I cleared out a few things that weren't needed in the shot, and I chose B&W because the chair is turquoise and the wall is "vin rouge" and there was too much contrast in the colors. And I LOVE B&W.


foggy4ever said:
Just a little straighten and order is perfect, I like the angle and the positioning of all the items. The edit is too bright for me as you lose the darker tones.
You do look comfortable but I think you need your face in a softer light.

(y)
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Thanks for your comments. The edit on order was fast and not perfect, but I wanted to correct two things - the bottle and the color/brightness of the lemon in front.
The light was window light from a west window near sunset (I was trying to work with only window light for both photos). I'll have to take more practice shots to see how I can control the light better (different time of day, maybe?).


Emja said:
There is a lot going on in order, but I think you've composed it very well - I like the lightness and soft feel of the edit. I really like your comfort selfie too - great expression, you look very relaxed Kara!
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brrnd said:
The edit for order makes it perfect, nothing the criticise.

And a well composed 'selfie' for comfort.
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susiejb said:
Same here Kara ...the edit looks great ...love the pool of honey running off the dipper.
That's a great selfie ...I really like the natural look about it ...you look lost in thought ...perfect choice in the b&w too.
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Thanks for the comments. That is "my spot" in "my room" in our house. One wall is almost completely open to the foyer, and I have a curtain across the opening to shut out the rest of the world (husband, cats, etc.).
 
Song Title- Certainly a lot of sky there and just enough of the horses to add interest and show that it is indeed sky.
Order - I agree the lemon does look better in the edit I like the composition well thought out.
Comfort - you certainly look chilled and relaxed very natural shot.
 
Dark Knight said:
Are you still with us Kara :)
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I'm back! :wave:

Taking a full load of classes while working full time proved to be more challenging, time consuming, and tiring than I anticipated. However, I am back and well-rested and ready to continue (and catch up). :cool:
 
My first catch up....
WEEK 27 - agriculture
1) The main agriculture around here is cattle and horses. Summer is the time to start buying hay for the winter.
2) I'm going through a black and white phase, and haven't figured out (yet) in LIghtroom how to get rid of the power lines without it looking too obvious, so please be gentle.

2017_27-agriculture_bw-XL.jpg
 
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WEEK 30 - vehicle

After 20 years and almost 220,000 miles, my baby still gets 30+ miles per gallon ... but he's getting tired and worn out, and repairs are starting to cost more than he's worth. Sadly, it will soon be time for a new vehicle.

2017_30-vehicle-L.jpg
 
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WEEK 17 - vivid

2017_17-vivid_-XL.jpg
 
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The B&W is really effective in the agriculture Kara. Yes, it's difficult to avoid power lines but those don't intrude too badly. There's a great sense of empty spaces and big sky in that picture.(y) Nitpicking, I might have cloned out those pylons bottom right to raise the sense of isolation.
 
Love the Agric pic, B+W works very well.

Vehicle - Left hand drive ?
 
Hi Kara, my first visit to your thread and I'm glad to see you starting your catch-up.

I really like your image for Agriculture, I think because of the contrast in height between the tall silo and the low bale of hay, and also the strong contrast in light and shadow. Vivid is also a striking image for the rich pink colours and the nicely rendered background.
 
granddad john said:
The B&W is really effective in the agriculture Kara. Yes, it's difficult to avoid power lines but those don't intrude too badly. There's a great sense of empty spaces and big sky in that picture.(y) Nitpicking, I might have cloned out those pylons bottom right to raise the sense of isolation.
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I totally agree about the power poles in the lower right corner. I had trouble with blending these nicely as well. I think it's time to break out the checkbook and buy (and calibrate) a bigger monitor so I can do work with finer detail.
 
Dave70D said:
Nice little catch up Kara, agriculture is a nicely taken photo, goes very well in mono and like the dark RHS. Vehicle, another good mono photo, like the dash board and hand on the steering wheel. Vivid nice bright and yes it is vivid, like the bokeh and soft look.
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Thanks. I thought briefly about cleaning my car before photographing it, but I think the layer of dust on the dash and instrument panel adds to the "age" of the car.


Hertsman said:
Love the Agric pic, B+W works very well.

Vehicle - Left hand drive ?
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Yep! That's how we roll in Texas! However, you should see me drive a right hand drive car on those tiny roads in Wales. :eek:


Manxmaid said:
Hi Kara, my first visit to your thread and I'm glad to see you starting your catch-up.

I really like your image for Agriculture, I think because of the contrast in height between the tall silo and the low bale of hay, and also the strong contrast in light and shadow. Vivid is also a striking image for the rich pink colours and the nicely rendered background.
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Thanks. I'm a huge fan of B&W because it forces me to think more about composition instead of just "pretty colors". Learning to convert to B&W in Lightroom (and eventually Photoshop) isone of my goals for the rest of the year.
 
Ms_Tex said:
Thanks. I'm a huge fan of B&W because it forces me to think more about composition instead of just "pretty colors". Learning to convert to B&W in Lightroom (and eventually Photoshop) isone of my goals for the rest of the year.
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I agree. I only started processing B&W relatively recently and it certainly does make you think and look differently. You will enjoy your learning curve :)
 
Hi Kara ...b&w are one of my favourite choices so your agriculture sits really nicely ... I really like composition too. Vivid .. nature at its best with that lovely soft bokeh in the background. Vehicle ... I like the background info to add interest to the photo, he's served you well :)
 
Excellent agricultural shot and a nice black and white conversion I don't think the wires are a problem you could get did of them easily in PS not quite so well in lightroom, the cloning tool is not the best
Vivid another well processed image nice subtle colour
A good catch up hope you can keep going now
 
one piece of candy left

2017_31-piece-L.jpg


Should there be more depth of field? Can you tell the wrappers in the back are actually empty?
 
catch up time again.....

Hairy
Now that my hair is past my shoulders again, I constantly get comments like, "Man, you've got a lot of hair!", "Is that all YOUR hair?", "Do you use Miracle Grow on your head?", and my favorite, "You look like Cousin It."


1.
2017_03-hairy-a-M.jpg
2.
2017_03-hairy-b-M.jpg

3.
2017_03-hairy-d-M.jpg


First, I'm not that experienced with self-portraits. The only ones I've done are for this. I'm not sure which of this batch I like best.
  1. dark and moody ... I bumped up the contrast to try to emphasize the curls
  2. too soft, but I like the composition the best
  3. I like the DoF and the focus on the curls in the front
Second, I should have bumped up the ISO so I could have had a faster shutter speed and less blur.
Third, the new technique I tried here was using the Fuji camera remote app on my phone. It takes some getting used to, but I can see how it would be handy in situations like this.
 
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and a couple more catch ups....

Smooth
This was my first time using extension tubes to try macro.

2017_04-smooth-L.jpg



and

Face
my dusty, naughty little boy Casper ... I love how he looks at me with so much love!
I got one eye decently focused, just not the correct one (again, I should have gone higher with the ISO and shutter speed). :confused:

2017_26-face-L.jpg
 
Good catch up. Piece could perhaps stand a little more DoF but it works as it is, nice take on the theme.

Hairy, #2 is the pick for me, and is ideal for the theme. I like the light on your face in #3 and I know it;'s about the hair but would prefer more focus on your face in that one.

Smooth, a plum I guess, good effort with the macro tubes, might be worth trying outside on a bright but overcast day?

Face, you summed it up yourself, endearing look on Casper's face and lovely eye colour.
 
Hi Kara - good catch up!
I really like your agriculture shot in mono - makes in feel really timeless. The lines don't bother me, but when I need to clone I use Gimp 2 which is free to download and might be an idea if you don't have PS?
I love the hint of sparkle you've got in the bokeh on your sweet wrappers, and the dof is good for me, I might just have left a little more room on the right, but that's all personal preference.
I agree with Chris' comments on your self portraits - some reflected light on your face in 2 would make it perfect for me. Your hair is just beautiful...as is your cat!!
 
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Hi Kara

I keep seeing your Agriculture and really like it. The clear & sharp Hay For Sale sign alongside the towering silo ... lots of contrast and interest yet uncluttered.

And I really like Hairy #2 ... fab portrait.
 
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Hi Kara ...yes it's definitely #2 for me too, for Hairy.
Piece ...I like this one, works really well with the wrappers in the background.
Not so keen on Smooth, I can't really tell what it is!
Casper looks a little treasure, focus is a bit off but animals aren't easy, we can still see how lovely he is.
 
Thanks for all the feedback. It seems that Hairy #2 is emerging as the favorite.
And agriculture is my favorite photo of the year so far.

Dave70D said:
Another nice little catch up Kara, I loved Cousin It , so I do like those photos. Love candy too, good oof wrappers and focus on the one left. So well done :)
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Thanks! Cousin It was my favorite!

sirch said:
Good catch up. Piece could perhaps stand a little more DoF but it works as it is, nice take on the theme.

Hairy, #2 is the pick for me, and is ideal for the theme. I like the light on your face in #3 and I know it;'s about the hair but would prefer more focus on your face in that one.

Smooth, a plum I guess, good effort with the macro tubes, might be worth trying outside on a bright but overcast day?

Face, you summed it up yourself, endearing look on Casper's face and lovely eye colour.
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Hairy ... If it were a straight forward self portrait, I would have tried to focus on my face/eyes instead of hair. I can see where more depth of field might make #3 my favorite.
Smooth ... yes, a plum. I plan to break out the macro tubes more often, so be ready!
Casper is my love (but also our naughtiest kitty!).

Emja said:
Hi Kara - good catch up!
I really like your agriculture shot in mono - makes in feel really timeless. The lines don't bother me, but when I need to clone I use Gimp 2 which is free to download and might be an idea if you don't have PS?
I love the hint of sparkle you've got in the bokeh on your sweet wrappers, and the dof is good for me, I might just have left a little more room on the right, but that's all personal preference.
I agree with Chris' comments on your self portraits - some reflected light on your face in 2 would make it perfect for me. Your hair is just beautiful...as is your cat!!
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I've heard of Gimp, but I don't know anything about it. I have the PSE disk, I just haven't sat down to learn it yet. As for my hair, I'm learning to be happy with it since it's not nearly as curly as it used to be before I developed this stupid autoimmune problem.

d00d said:
Hi Kara

I keep seeing your Agriculture and really like it. The clear & sharp Hay For Sale sign alongside the towering silo ... lots of contrast and interest yet uncluttered.

And I really like Hairy #2 ... fab portrait.
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I have definite ideas about black and white photos, and the agriculture photo is what I would call a perfect example of what I like in black and white.

susiejb said:
Hi Kara ...yes it's definitely #2 for me too, for Hairy.
Piece ...I like this one, works really well with the wrappers in the background.
Not so keen on Smooth, I can't really tell what it is!
Casper looks a little treasure, focus is a bit off but animals aren't easy, we can still see how lovely he is.
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I think I maybe got a little too close for Smooth. I was on the fence about that one. As for Casper, and all of our other furry little monsters, I think the only way I'll be able to totally nail focus is to photograph them sleeping.
 
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