Nod's attempt at a 52 for '22. 52/52 - Showcase.

Nod

Nod

Tootles
Messages
45,619
Name
Nod (UK)
Edit My Images
Yes
Having taken very few photos last year, I'm hoping that this will inspire me to get off my expanding arse and use some of my kit again!
 
Not sure how interesting it'll be, Paul but I'll be giving it a try!
 
Week 1 - New.

Having had my "New Balls" idea pre-empted, I came up with the idea of NEW year's resolutions and from there to a blank sheet of paper and a brand NEW pencil. I toyed with the idea of just the pencil but I didn't feel it worked quite as well.

DSCF5553.JPGDSCF5554.JPG
 
I'm less of a fan of the crop, it doesn't really say anything to me, it's a photograph 'of' something... nice detail though.

The wider shot is a different matter, the blank post-it awaiting something is reinforced (in my head anyway) by the blankness of the rest of the frame. Bang on theme... the future yet to be written. It could be new years resolutions, new ideas, a new to do list... anything. It works.
 
It was a bit rushed TBH - having the attention span of a drunken gnat, I knew that if I didn't shoot it straight away, I'd either forget or not get around to it! (One of my reasons for attempting the 52 is to improve the attention span.)

Nick, I completely agree. The blank sheet contains my resolutions - I don't make them any more since the chances of me keeping them are minimal!

Tech details...

Fuji X30 in manual mode.
f/2
1/500th
ISO 100

Daylight in the conservatory, set up so I was facing South. Backdrop is an A4 sheet of paper wedged to give a basic infinity cove. Pencil appears with no permission from the Swedish purveyor of meatballs.
 
I'm probably just a bit weird, but I prefer the tighter version - it's different; the other is (to me) just a picture of a pencil and a green pad. Though I would have preferred a smidge more of space at the top. Both good though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
Fuji Dave said:
Oh you need to set the Link to bring others here to comment.
Click to expand...

Done. Set the link to post #1 in the thread and will try to remember to set future links to the relevant post in this thread!

Paul, I still quite like the closer up version but the one I've posted is a bit underexposed to show the newness of the "lead" among other things. The pad is yellow BTW! Had I decided to redo the close up, I'd have taken the pencil off the pad and shot it against the paper, maybe even moving things around to get better light on the tip. The pencil was deliberately set straight across the frame.

Choice made, right or wrong!
 
Nod said:
Nick, I completely agree. The blank sheet contains my resolutions - I don't make them any more since the chances of me keeping them are minimal!
Click to expand...

I make only one New Year's resolution and that is to continue to make only one New Year's resolution. I've done that for decades and achieved it every time :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
If I tried that, I'd end up making another and breaking it...
 
That ticks the box - nicely done. The closeup works best for me as it appears to be better lit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
-Oy- said:
That ticks the box - nicely done. The closeup works best for me as it appears to be better lit.
Click to expand...


Interesting. They are exactly the same exposure and were taken within 10 seconds or so of each other. Both lit solely by what little natural light was available!
 
I like the first shot as the pad adds context, though I like the detail in the close up. It does seem a little dim on my screen, but I am on my iPad in the dark.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
A nice idea. I like the contrasting angles on the first one best. I might just have brightened it up a little in pp.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
Going a bit brighter made the pad and background look quite different colours so I kept it relatively low key.

Trying (as a personal challenge) to do everything SOOC if possible, just cropping and resizing (again, in camera, hence the small size).
 
I prefer the wider shot as the pad give some context and food for thought. Nice new pencil
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
I prefer the wider shot too. I really like the colours too.

I don't dislike the crop, but I think it gives another meaning to 'NEW' - the pencil looks unused, so in that respect it's on theme, but the wider shot brings in more intrigue. As others have said, the crisp piece of paper could be the start of anything...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
I like the image of the pencil with the paper. The colours work very well. I also like the image you've chosen rather than the macro of the pencil tip.

It gives a better sense of balance, depth and context.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
I'm with the wider shot group for the context. I quite like the muted tones too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
Nice but I would probably have gone with a bright red not. If I had the original imagination.
 
Had a couple of thoughts but a quick read of the comments thread showed me that my first idea was far from fresh - a selfie with ICM... Tried a couple but couldn't manage one I was happy with! (I'm anything BUT photogenic at the best of times!!!) Next up was the same shot as last week but with an old pencil on a crumpled PostIt. Didn't work as well as I hoped it would! As luck would have it, Mrs Nod brought home a blown incandescent light bulb from her studio so I set that up on the same backdrop as the one I used last week (a yellow A4 sheet of paper) to keep some continuity and managed to get the X-30 (compact) to focus on the burned end of the filament. OLD tech and a now OLD and broken example of it!

DSCF5573.JPG
 
Certainly a different take on the theme. IMHO a greater depth of field would be better but that's just me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nod
Did try a smaller aperture but I felt the wide open one worked better because it draws the eye to the broken end. Either is better than any of the ICM selfies though...
 
Interesting shot, and having read your explanation I see what you were after and captured.
Though I must admit my eye was first drawn to the text on the outside of the bulb, which also seems in focus and didn't seem like it should have been the focus point.
Did you try any with the centre of the filament as the focal point? As that would seem more natural (albeit not what you were after).
 
Fuji Dave said:
That is a good effort, maybe a darker BG.
Click to expand...

I considered a darker BG but felt that the filament would have been a bit lost against it and since I still had the mini micro "studio" set up, I'd try for the continuity and reuse it! I'm bejiggered if Chris goes for something bigger next week, although I do have a hundred or so sheets of the yellow paper!
LC2 said:
Interesting shot, and having read your explanation I see what you were after and captured.
Though I must admit my eye was first drawn to the text on the outside of the bulb, which also seems in focus and didn't seem like it should have been the focus point.
Did you try any with the centre of the filament as the focal point? As that would seem more natural (albeit not what you were after).
Click to expand...

TBH, I didn't try any other parts as the focal point since it's the broken bit that (to me) signifies the age of the bulb (or lamp for any pedants!) You're quite right about the lettering being a bit of a distraction but it's there so I left it in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LC2
Reading a response to one of my comments on someone else's shot (that I hope was taken in the light hearted way it was made), it occurred to me that my setup was old as well as the concept - same paper etc. and the camera's not THAT new (~2014 IIRC)!
 
To be honest Nod, I didn't even see the burnt out end of the filament until I read your comment and looked for it. My eye kept getting drawn to the printing on the bulb.

I think that it's a good concept but I think that I would have tried a couple of different focal points.
 
I was surprised by how much I liked this one. The really subtle detail works well to add real interest to what might be a "nothing" shot otherwise.
Well done.
 
I like the composition. I noticed the reflections more than the printing ha ha! Can't help but try and work out the surroundings :) I think I'd have enjoyed a little more depth of field, but I understand it is the broken filament that reinforces the old theme as well as the old tech. A great idea.
 
Job done nicely there :)
 
Bebop said:
I like the composition. I noticed the reflections more than the printing ha ha! Can't help but try and work out the surroundings :) I think I'd have enjoyed a little more depth of field, but I understand it is the broken filament that reinforces the old theme as well as the old tech. A great idea.
Click to expand...
The surroundings are a conservatory, so the reflections are of our back wall with the roof supports of the conservatory running across it as well as the "view" out through the roof and main wall.
 
The wider picture!

DSCF5575.JPG
 
I think you tried a difficult object in difficult surroundings which I now know to be your conservatory. Your idea of the theme works.
 
You have certainly put some thought and effort into the theme. As with @Bebop I found my eye picking out the writing first rather than the filament but it got there in the end. It is definitely an interesting angle on subject.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top