Steven's 52 - Week Three: "Chopped"

Steven001

Steven001

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Steven
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Intro

I thought since I'm doing "A photo a day", I may as well take part in the 52 week challenge to keep me extra motivated! Well since week one is coming to an end, I'll post a picture I've already taken (02/01/2010).

About Me

I got my trusty D40 on Christmas 2007, so I've had in for a little over two years. Over those two years I haven't used my camera as much as I would've liked, and I've made nowhere near the progress I should have made - with regards to skill and knowledge. Hopefully this is going to change from today. I've started to use my camera more recently - A trip to London was responsible for that and it's gave me the motivation to improve and start shooting more! So that's why aim for this 52 project. To improve my skills and have a better understanding of how everything works.

Current Weeks Photo/Theme

Week 3 - Chopped

Week 3 - Chopped



Click the image to view the actual post and see my thoughts on the image.

Photos

To keep everything organised, a link for each weeks photo will be posted here:

Week 1 - Curved
Week 2 - Poetry
Week 3 - Chopped

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Week 1 - Curved

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I took this photo last week when in London for the New Year with my girlfriend. I learned that taking photos in winter with sunshine isn't easy! Over-exposed skys are too easy to come by and ruin the picture. On this occasion I wasn't shooting directly into the sun so it turned out not too bad.
 
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Thats certainly curved Steven. Very nice, lovely against that blue sky. There's a couple of blobs along the top edge, not sure what they might be, and is one of the pods in bits ? Just spotted a second curve in the lower right too (y)
 
OptimusBri said:
Gorgeous blue sky, shame about the clouds in the bottom left corner!
Nice idea for 'curved' :)
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Thanks :)

jgs001 said:
Thats certainly curved Steven. Very nice, lovely against that blue sky. There's a couple of blobs along the top edge, not sure what they might be, and is one of the pods in bits ? Just spotted a second curve in the lower right too (y)
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Thank you. Yea I noticed that, I think it may have been dust :thumbsdown: It seems so. For some reason one of the pods were missing, it was just the frame that was there.
 
Nice composition, not too busy looking for London, just right :)
 
I too like the composition, and that sky is corking.

Great start!

Ian.
 
I like that, that bright blue sky has cheered me right up, it's been ages since I've seen one of those!
 
Nice composition and exposure, but that shadow bottom right draws my attention a little.
 
Week 2 - Poetry

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Robert Burns :) This week's topic really had me stumped - I was thinking about what sort of image to go for when I realised there was a Burns monument about 10 minute drive from my house - I live in Kilmarnock, where his poems were first published.

The monument - which was burned down by vandals in 2006 and re-built and developed (poorly) was closed when I got there, so the image was taking through the gap of thick steel bars! The sun had also started to set which caused some harsh shadows. I'm not 100% sure on the picture so I might change it.

What I learned - To properly prepare/check opening times of subject/location before leaving :) Arrive on location earlier to avoid hard shadows as the sun sets (although, I think they work in this image)
 
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i quite like it. The exposure it good and i think the statue contrasts well with the wall behind it.

I do find the shadow a little bit distracting but thats only a minor criticism.

(i think they are the correct terms for what i was trying to say, but its the first time i have given any form of technical critique :LOL: )
 
Hi Steve,

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get any comments in the first couple of days after posting – especially if it’s early in the week.
I won’t look at anyone else’s until I’ve done my shot, and with working full time that may not be until the weekend after the theme’s announced (particularly with the dark nights)

I know that a lot of the others are doing the same.
It doesn’t mean that nobody’s interested and your shot will soon get bumped back up the page once people are ready to start looking at the others ;)


I do seem to have missed your week 1 though sorry - hardly surprising with so many on here :)
It's a lovely interpretation of curved and it sounds like you learnt a lot when you were shooting it which is what this is all about.
The blue sky is beautiful and I actually like that bit of cloud on the LHS to break it up and give it some interest.

Personally, I'd crop a little off both sides though.
On the RHS to remove the sharp shadow across the right of the building.
Then on the LHS to maintain the composition with the wheel on a third and to lose the red and white barge(?). It appears to be chopped in half and the bright colours right on the edge of the frame are a touch distracting.

Week 2 Poetry

Love this interpretation.
As much as I'm enjoying reading all the poems that people have found, it's refreshing to see a different take on the theme. (y)

Contrast between the slate wall and the white statue works really well and you've managed to maintain a really good level of detail in the statue.
The shadow is a bit much for me though. I think that if you reshot on a more overcast day without the harsh sunlight it would work a lot better.

Failing that you could maybe look at recomposing the shot to actually make the shadow a feature. It looks to be the shadow of a pillar - is that part of the monument? If so maybe a wider angle to include the pillar and give the shadow a bit of context.
 
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I like that, and think it turned out well (y)

I quite like the shadow, it contrasts nicely with the white statue and helps it to stand out more from the background :)
 
SarahLee said:
Hi Steve,

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get any comments in the first couple of days after posting – especially if it’s early in the week.
I won’t look at anyone else’s until I’ve done my shot, and with working full time that may not be until the weekend after the theme’s announced (particularly with the dark nights)

I know that a lot of the others are doing the same.
It doesn’t mean that nobody’s interested and your shot will soon get bumped back up the page once people are ready to start looking at the others ;)


I do seem to have missed your week 1 though sorry - hardly surprising with so many on here :)
It's a lovely interpretation of curved and it sounds like you learnt a lot when you were shooting it which is what this is all about.
The blue sky is beautiful and I actually like that bit of cloud on the LHS to break it up and give it some interest.

Personally, I'd crop a little off both sides though.
On the RHS to remove the sharp shadow across the right of the building.
Then on the LHS to maintain the composition with the wheel on a third and to lose the red and white barge(?). It appears to be chopped in half and the bright colours right on the edge of the frame are a touch distracting.

Week 2 Poetry

Love this interpretation.
As much as I'm enjoying reading all the poems that people have found, it's refreshing to see a different take on the theme. (y)

Contrast between the slate wall and the white statue works really well and you've managed to maintain a really good level of detail in the statue.
The shadow is a bit much for me though. I think that if you reshot on a more overcast day without the harsh sunlight it would work a lot better.

Failing that you could maybe look at recomposing the shot to actually make the shadow a feature. It looks to be the shadow of a pillar - is that part of the monument? If so maybe a wider angle to include the pillar and give the shadow a bit of context.
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Sarah... Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of that, it's really appreciated! I wish I had read this before getting the London Eye shot printed :bonk: I agree with the shadow on the right, I might give it a little crop and see what it looks like.

The second shot I wasn't happy with at all, but now I really like the result. As I say my options were limited due to shooting through a metal fence. The shadow is distracting, I think if it wasn't on the LHS of the statue it would be fine.

Thanks again (y)

SpidersEye said:
I like that, and think it turned out well (y)

I quite like the shadow, it contrasts nicely with the white statue and helps it to stand out more from the background :)
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Thanks :)

ccsnet said:
I like the detail on the brick work for wk2.... well done.

Terran
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Thank you
 
Week 3 - Chopped

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Finally getting back on track with this and my 365 project - a lot happening this week! :help:

Right so... today I made a DIY lightbox, something which I have been wanting to do for a long time. I'm happy with it, but I need a better backdrop, but it this one works.... for now.

I decided to try this weeks "Chopped" theme using my lightbox. I then walked around the house looking for some inspiration and found this flower head... perfect :)

This week I learned that being creative isn't easy - I think I just got lucky ;)
 
Nice one! (y) It is just a pity that the stamen is almost lost against the white background, but that is only a minor quibble. I like the overall effect.
 
Nice interpretation of week 3. Great colour and nice treatment. Nothing much I would change about that.
 
Love week one, all the boxes crossed there for me.
Week two is a bit unmemorable for me - but as I have said I never understood why Mr Burns...
Week three a great shot, great idea, and the new lightboxis proof this 52/365 is stretching you - but I would have liked it all in focus/greater dof, which with a light box you should be able to do? It's hard to know what to look at, scissors or flower?

Arthur
 
Tracer said:
Nice one! (y) It is just a pity that the stamen is almost lost against the white background, but that is only a minor quibble. I like the overall effect.
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Thanks Tracer - I know what you mean.

DC2Z said:
Lovely photo and the bold red stands out beautifully
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Thank you!

dlh said:
Nice interpretation of week 3. Great colour and nice treatment. Nothing much I would change about that.
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Cheers :)

Ambermile said:
Love week one, all the boxes crossed there for me.
Week two is a bit unmemorable for me - but as I have said I never understood why Mr Burns...
Week three a great shot, great idea, and the new lightboxis proof this 52/365 is stretching you - but I would have liked it all in focus/greater dof, which with a light box you should be able to do? It's hard to know what to look at, scissors or flower?

Arthur
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Thanks for your input! As for week three, I do actually have an image with most of the subject in focus, I'll try dig it out for you.

I can increase the DOF using the lightbox, just a few things make the short harder by doing so: There isn't a great deal of light going into the lightbox itself, so it's hard to get a shutter speed even at 1/30s sometimes when shooting at f/8ish (I might try using my flash as well and bouncing it from the top). Also, my tripod was just a cheap £15 job from Tesco (which I've had for ages) and I don't have a remote so it doesn't give the sharpest of pictures with longer shutter speed

Darkmage said:
Week 3 - Love the idea and the composition :) Just a tad more DoF perhaps?
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Thank you - I'll have a look at my other versions.
 
That chopped shot is one I want to keep looking back at.
Great contrast with the red against the white (y)

The DOF and focal point are a little odd with petals seeming to go off in all different directions, but strangely I really like it. It's an unusual effect which really works for this one IMO.

Well done on making your lightbox too (y)
 
Love shots 2 & 3 - strong images.

Phil
 
lovely colours on the flower..

i agree with the stamen blending into the background too much, a dark/black would look nice with them, but then you would have the same problem with the scissors blending in then, cant win them all hey?

nice overal shot though, well done
 
SarahLee said:
That chopped shot is one I want to keep looking back at.
Great contrast with the red against the white (y)

The DOF and focal point are a little odd with petals seeming to go off in all different directions, but strangely I really like it. It's an unusual effect which really works for this one IMO.

Well done on making your lightbox too (y)
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Thanks a lot Sarah, appreciate your input again! :)

philthejuggler said:
Love shots 2 & 3 - strong images.

Phil
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Thanks Phil!

Ste L said:
lovely colours on the flower..

i agree with the stamen blending into the background too much, a dark/black would look nice with them, but then you would have the same problem with the scissors blending in then, cant win them all hey?

nice overal shot though, well done
Click to expand...

A black background is something I need to get, but in this case like you say, the scissors would probably have been lost.

Thanks Ste.
 
It might be lucky, but it's worked... It's clearly chopped and works well... although, I tend to agree on the black background on the flower. I'm not sure that losing some of the scissor handles would be a problem though.
 
Another one where it seems a shame not to have continued. Some nice shots here IMHO.
 
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