NickDs TP52 for 2021 - Week 52 - Showcase... Bring on 2022!

You mean to say that Smash is not real Mashed Potato.
Used it as kids when we went camping,

Good foreground and the near black background works for me.

Pete
 
Didn't even know you could still get that. I like the fact that the potato on the left is a bit green. It just shouts 'don't eat me'!
 
Fuji Dave said:
Love it, I also loved the Smash adverts years ago.
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Thanks!
I think everyone of a certain age can vividly recall those ads.

seaodyssey said:
You mean to say that Smash is not real Mashed Potato.
Used it as kids when we went camping,
Good foreground and the near black background works for me.
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Thank You!
They claim it is... but theres 'real' and there's real.
It was a camping staple for us too, I can still feel its powdery, gritty taste on my tongue!

Scots_quine said:
Didn't even know you could still get that. I like the fact that the potato on the left is a bit green. It just shouts 'don't eat me'!
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Cheers!
Neither did I until I found it in the FILs cupboard. I like the green one too, it adds something.
 
Week 21 - Patterns.

Inspired by childhood trips to the cinema, when the huge amount of cigarette smoke in the air would play in the beam of the projector. I decided to try and create something similar using a projector and vapour.

Vapour and Light by Nick, on Flickr
 
Very colourful Nick I like it (y)
 
Excellent shot Nick. Did you add the different colours in post-production?
 
Cobra said:
Very colourful Nick I like it (y)
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Thanks!
It must be the spring weather (finally) affesting my taste!

Boots said:
I like that, different and interesting.
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Cheers!
I had attempted a similar shot before, but I think this one works better.

Kell said:
I like that a lot.
Nothing more to add. Great pic.
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Thank you!
I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

Darkslinger said:
Excellent shot Nick. Did you add the different colours in post-production?
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Thanks!
No, I just tweaked it a little in Snapseed. To get the colours I auditioned some bright flowerbed pitcures on Flickr and blew vapour through the beam to see which worked best. So the colours are basically a property of the picture I was projecting.
 
Artificial
I like it. I might have been tempted to lighten just the smash tub, because I like the dark feel of the rest of the image.

Pattern
I like this too. Great colours.
 
Nostromo said:
Artificial
I like it. I might have been tempted to lighten just the smash tub, because I like the dark feel of the rest of the image.

Pattern
I like this too. Great colours.
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Thanks!
On reflection, just lifting the Smash tub would have helped.
 
Week 22 - Up Close

I'm getting in early for this one as I'm away from tomorrow until midweek (all legit and Covid secure, obviously).

Caught this little lone explorer earlier. Of a few shots, this one probably suffers more from a little motion blur, but it's the one I liked the most. The movement seems to add purpose to the little guy (in my head anyway).

Explorer by Nick, on Flickr
 
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Patterns and Up close - both good shots and takes on the themes :)
 
Patterns
When I saw the image when scrolling the feed it immediately caught my eye. It's a great image and wouldn't look out of place framed in a camera shop.

Up close
The focus on the insect looks a bit like the effect achieved with a lensbaby with the softer body, is this the blurring you are referring to?
 
-Oy- said:
Patterns and Up close - both good shots and takes on the themes :)
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Thanks!
I'm reasonably happy with both of them. Maybe less so with Up Close, but I knew if I didn't get in quick this week I'd be playing catch up.

StuartPearson said:
Patterns
When I saw the image when scrolling the feed it immediately caught my eye. It's a great image and wouldn't look out of place framed in a camera shop.

Up close
The focus on the insect looks a bit like the effect achieved with a lensbaby with the softer body, is this the blurring you are referring to?
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Cheers!
I had to Google Lensbaby, there looks to be some interesting stuff for getting creative.
I used a Raynox to help me get closer, so maybe it's that... Raynox is never an exact science in my hands. I'd assumed it was motion blur, as the ant wasn't hanging about.
 
Nicely done on the Ant Nick, they really are a bugger to get sharp !
 
You have an active and creative mind Nick, for pattern, my first thought was "Close Encounters"

For you Close up I could suggest Jerassic Park, hehe.

Pete
 
Nice one. I can see why you chose it.. he looks like he's on a mission!
 
Cobra said:
Nicely done on the Ant Nick, they really are a bugger to get sharp !
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Thanks!
They are tricky.... Looks like there are plenty of them though, so I should get lots of practice.

Allan.H said:
Really nice shot of the ant, difficult things to capture.
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Cheers!
It's almost as if they micro-twitch as they move (I'm pretty sure that's not actually a real word). I reckon I get about one keeper in 10.

seaodyssey said:
You have an active and creative mind Nick, for pattern, my first thought was "Close Encounters"
For you Close up I could suggest Jerassic Park, hehe.
Pete
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Thanks You!
That's the reason I used a portrait crop. The composition naturally suggested the flying saucer angle to me too. I'm totally with you on the Jurassic Park notion too!

HelenC said:
Nice one. I can see why you chose it.. he looks like he's on a mission!
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Thanks!
He does, doesn't he? There's purpose in his stance!
 
Patterns - 'Beam me up Scottie' .... or is it The Mysterons?? Well executed shot that can't have been easy. The colours add to it and I like the way you've caught the rim.

Up Close - it looks to me like the head is sharp and that is the important bit. In fact you've captured amazing detail. I like his positioning in the frame too.
 
Fuji Dave said:
Agree with Dave both shots are the best, nicely done.
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Thanks!

Bebop said:
Patterns - 'Beam me up Scottie' .... or is it The Mysterons?? Well executed shot that can't have been easy. The colours add to it and I like the way you've caught the rim.

Up Close - it looks to me like the head is sharp and that is the important bit. In fact you've captured amazing detail. I like his positioning in the frame too.
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Cheers!

Patterns wasn't so tough. Blinds down, colourful picture selected to project, lie down under the beam, then spot metering on the rim while blowing the vapour. I like how it turned out though.
 
.... *reaches quietly for the shoehorn*...

Week 23 - Personal.

The Kite is wearing the exact same expression as I do when folks are getting in my personal space. We witnessed an epic ariel battle at the weekend.... one plucky Jackdaw chasing off a beautiful Red Kite. Obviously the underdog, and comparitively unarmed, all it could do was be everywhere the Kite turned (getting in it's personal space... oh, go on, let me have it!), climbing and diving to head it off whichever way it went. The Kite was clearly bloody irritated by this and eventually decided to look for prey elsewhere.

In My Space by Nick, on Flickr
 
Great shot. That cloudless blue sky is a lovely background that just pops your subjects out. Nice & sharp this has a "made it look easy" feel to it although doubtless it wasn't straightforward.

I think a well done shoehorn is absolutely fine.
 
Love that for two reasons.

1. It's a great shot and the expression (if there is such a thing) is perfect.
2. We're surrounded by kites here in the Chilterns and I've observed, but not captured, this behaviour pretty often. Though I have to say, I'd always assumed it was a crow getting up close and personal.
 
That's a great "expression" on the kites face :D
A nice little shoehorn Nick (y)
 
Harlequin565 said:
Great shot. That cloudless blue sky is a lovely background that just pops your subjects out. Nice & sharp this has a "made it look easy" feel to it although doubtless it wasn't straightforward.

I think a well done shoehorn is absolutely fine.
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Thanks!
The sky was a game of two halves... Deep crystal blue on one side, and white cloud on the other. As I followed the battle the pair moved between the two. I got some great poses on the 'other' side, but the backround is rubbish.

Kell said:
Love that for two reasons.

1. It's a great shot and the expression (if there is such a thing) is perfect.
2. We're surrounded by kites here in the Chilterns and I've observed, but not captured, this behaviour pretty often. Though I have to say, I'd always assumed it was a crow getting up close and personal.
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Cheers!
It often is the crows, and sometimes a mixed gang of birds. This started as a few Jackdaws, with lots of noise from the Kite, but this little guy wouldn't give up when the others had quit.

Cobra said:
That's a great "expression" on the kites face :D
A nice little shoehorn Nick (y)
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Thanks You!
It was the Kites expression that made me reach for the shoehorn... too good to waste! :ROFLMAO:
 
A really nicely captured shot if you are going to do a shoehorn make it a good one (y)
 
Personal
I'm always surprised by how plucky some of these birds are. I watched two black birds (male and female) harassing a Tawny owl in a tree, I guess it had come to close to their nest.
Love the blue sky, it really helps the birds to stand out. Good detail in the jackdaw. The composition works well, with a nice diagonal from bird to bird.
 
Allan.H said:
A really nicely captured shot if you are going to do a shoehorn make it a good one (y)
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Thanks!
In my head I think I managed to tie it to the theme just enough to justify submission, but I admit it's sketchy!

Nostromo said:
Personal
I'm always surprised by how plucky some of these birds are. I watched two black birds (male and female) harassing a Tawny owl in a tree, I guess it had come to close to their nest.
Love the blue sky, it really helps the birds to stand out. Good detail in the jackdaw. The composition works well, with a nice diagonal from bird to bird.
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Cheers!
I'm fascinated by it. Out on the common a few months back there was a Buzzard being shown the red card by what appeared to be a group comprised of Crows, Pigeons and something smaller, maybe Starlings... Typically I had a 27mm lens on! I guess they know whilever the raptor is in the area it's a threat to them all, and it's worth the risk to try and move it on.
 
Personal
I'm always jealous of anyone capturing birds in flight, great look on the kite, the jackdaw had obviously "put on the big boy pants" that morning and was up for anything!!
 
Often happens to the buzzards round here, they get attacked by jackdaws or magpies or seagulls. You'd think life would be pretty easy for a top-level predatory bird it it seems not. Good grab.
 
StuartPearson said:
Personal
I'm always jealous of anyone capturing birds in flight, great look on the kite, the jackdaw had obviously "put on the big boy pants" that morning and was up for anything!!
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Oh he was up for it! There were 3 Jackdaws at the start, and after a few near misses 2 of them dropped out, but this little guy was having none of it!

ShinySideUp said:
Often happens to the buzzards round here, they get attacked by jackdaws or magpies or seagulls. You'd think life would be pretty easy for a top-level predatory bird it it seems not. Good grab.
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Speacking from a position of complete ignorance, I've always assumed it's down to their lack of maneuvrability compared to the smaller birds, like fighters vs bombers, so to speak. That plus their solitary nature... if they ever got their team game together in the way Magpies have for example, they'd be unstoppable... Strength in numbers!
 
Excellent capture.. right place at the right time indeed. As said, excellent expression on the kite looking very tetchy.
 
HelenC said:
Excellent capture.. right place at the right time indeed. As said, excellent expression on the kite looking very tetchy.
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Thank You!

They look a bit irritated at the best of times!
 
I have seen similar many times, they are big birds when up close and eyeing up your BBQ.

Nice bit of sky and well centred in the image(both birds together)

Pete
 
seaodyssey said:
I have seen similar many times, they are big birds when up close and eyeing up your BBQ.
Nice bit of sky and well centred in the image(both birds together)
Pete
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Thanks!
They are intimidatingly big close up.... not that the Jackdaw seemed bothered.

Bebop said:
I immediately thought of personal space, so I don't think it's a shoehorn. Well captured.
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Cheers!
As tenuous as it sounded, the connection worked in my head too.
 
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