weekly aljazzeras 2013 52-week 52 WATER added COMPLETE

posiview said:
Hi, when I saw the theme I was quite envious of anyone living near the coast :bat:

Of the set, #1 hits the theme better than the rest, all of which are on theme, as well.

Crit, well this is a personal preference for #1 and I'm being quite picky. It the arms, no too sure why, but I'd prefer them straight down by her side. :thinking: think I'm overthinking it.

Put your feet up now :D

Cheers.
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Thanks Andy I have had words with her about her sloppy posture :lol:

overbez said:
Acorn is simple - but effective, great detail in the cup part of it and beautifully smooth on the acorn itself.. (or apricorns as my little 'un has taken to calling them..)

of the 3 for solitude I think I also prefer the third... the lead in of the stones, and the non-obvious choice of portrait orientation.. Nice time as well to catch the gentle lapping of the waves, a stormy sea wouldn;t have worked as well. Has a nice, calming, contemplative feel to it...
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Thanks Graham Apricorns is a much better word for them :)

JohnN said:
For me it's the first shot, spot on theme and making him a silhouette without form just makes him even more detached, also liking the curve of the images, the way it moves thought the beach, the figure and finally to the sky.
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Its a her, she is not happy with you :eek: thanks for looking in

HWest said:
Love the acron shot; I know the quote well, so it works on theme for me. The lighting is lovely - natural or a flash off to the left?

I think, for solitude, I'm going to be Mr Cliche and go for the first one; the silhouette works brilliantly and the cold colours in the sunset work very well.
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Thanks, it was taken in the middle of the afternoon but it does have a sunset feel to it due to the underexposure
 
This ones just for Brian :thumbs:


cow by allanhowe, on Flickr

no need for crit I just spotted it this afternoon and thought of Brian :gag:
 
#3 for solitude gets my vote too Allan,
The composition works particularly well with the rocks as leading lines.
I seem to have hit on a run of long exposure B&W's and feel this is a subject which would suit that style particularly well.

Other than that good work rate, giving the viewer a few to choose from :thumbs:
 
Hi Allan :)

Great minds think alike :D

posiview said:
Lol, how strange That Brian will forever be associated with cows :)
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Isn't that true :lol:

Anyway back to the pics...

Beach - Tough choices here... for me it's between 1 and 3, I think 1 is the 'On Theme' choice but 3 is the nicer pick, I really like the stonework leading my eye into the water, not perfectly aligned with the lighthouse but hardly something you could move ... a good set :clap:
 
Hi Allan


Solitude......number 1 for although all great images for the theme . Love that the shot was mid afternoon yet your image portrays dusk or dawn :clap: What are the white things in the far distance though....wind turbines ??

The other images ....I do wonder about contrasty mono conbersions ?
 
Curve - It's got to be the guitar shot. The cover of one of the more classy instructional books maybe? Really simple, effective composition and beautifully lit.

The acorn works well, nice to see a different take on the theme. Great detail, smart composition. I like the light falling on the earth in the foreground as well as the acorn, gives the feeling of searching by torchlight.

Solitide is a tough pick. I love the composition in #3, the way the stones lead in, and the battered, derelict feel to the lighthouse, but the sense of aloneness in #1 is really nice, and the silhouette against those beautiful blues is cracking.
 
Hi Allan :wave:

I’m afraid I’ve been MIA with regards to commenting, such busy times for me. But I’m attempting to rectify that. Alas I haven’t got time to comment on all your shots.

Sweet, this made me chuckle. It could be an advert for flying saucer’s. For someone who says he rubbish at photoshop I think you’ve done quite well here :thumbs:

Solitude. I’m going for number three as well. It definitely looks uninhabited. I think the lead in lines in the foreground work really well. I would be tempted to crop a tiny bit off the top and a bit off the left to put the light house bang on the third, it’s upsetting my OCD just now with it not being either perfectly central or more to the left. I’d also consider a contrasty B&W conversion.

Power, I’m always amazed of the power of nature, how something so small can grow so big! Great detail in the acorn and nicely lit :clap:

Curve, great detail in the fern. The crem shot is really good but the guitar abstract wins it for me. Love the simplicity in the detail and lighting across the shot :clap:

I’ll have to stop there and move on. Well done for keeping going :thumbs:
 
Not sure about the cow shot, but liking sweet, that's a great idea. I personally don't think the moon needs any colour, but I would have perhaps placed it base in rule of thirds and given more black space around the whole thing.

Also just thinking, if this were real, with the moon bright like that would the saucers not be lit from behind as you look at them rather than from the left? Maybe I am being a bit OCD!!? ;)
 
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Sweet: clever. As Andy said, I think the moon would look a little better with a bit of colour (sunlight as opposed to B&W) just because the flying saucers are so colourful.

(perhaps you could have a cow jumping over it as well?) :D
 
posiview said:
Sweet, :clap: nice and crisp, well composed and clean BG.

Personally, I'd have added some colour to the moon.

Cheers.
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Thanks Andy never thought of adding colour to the moon though it is a colour picture.

ams99 said:
No idea how you've done this but i think its great. Different which makes it more appealing.
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Thanks

The goblin said:
Hi Allan :wave:

I’m afraid I’ve been MIA with regards to commenting, such busy times for me. But I’m attempting to rectify that. Alas I haven’t got time to comment on all your shots.

Sweet, this made me chuckle. It could be an advert for flying saucer’s. For someone who says he rubbish at photoshop I think you’ve done quite well here :thumbs:

Solitude. I’m going for number three as well. It definitely looks uninhabited. I think the lead in lines in the foreground work really well. I would be tempted to crop a tiny bit off the top and a bit off the left to put the light house bang on the third, it’s upsetting my OCD just now with it not being either perfectly central or more to the left. I’d also consider a contrasty B&W conversion.

Power, I’m always amazed of the power of nature, how something so small can grow so big! Great detail in the acorn and nicely lit :clap:

Curve, great detail in the fern. The crem shot is really good but the guitar abstract wins it for me. Love the simplicity in the detail and lighting across the shot :clap:

I’ll have to stop there and move on. Well done for keeping going :thumbs:
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Thanks for dropping in

siblingchris said:
Not sure about the cow shot, but liking sweet, that's a great idea. I personally don't think the moon needs any colour, but I would have perhaps placed it base in rule of thirds and given more black space around the whole thing.

Also just thinking, if this were real, with the moon bright like that would the saucers not be lit from behind as you look at them rather than from the left? Maybe I am being a bit OCD!!? ;)
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The cow shot was not up for crit to be honest, there are other versions of solitary that are :shrug:
as for the moon the right hand side of the moon is in darkness hence the light from the left, thanks for commenting

Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Sweet: clever. As Andy said, I think the moon would look a little better with a bit of colour (sunlight as opposed to B&W) just because the flying saucers are so colourful.

(perhaps you could have a cow jumping over it as well?) :D
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thanks Brian you are correct that cow is not female thats why I am not a vet :cuckoo:
 
I actually didn't crit the cow shot ;) re. The lighting on the saucers what I was getting at was that it would be the moon lighting them not the sun which is lighting the moon...wouldn't it?... :thinking:
 
siblingchris said:
I actually didn't crit the cow shot ;) re. The lighting on the saucers what I was getting at was that it would be the moon lighting them not the sun which is lighting the moon...wouldn't it?... :thinking:
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I know you didn't crit it as such but ignoring the pic for the other solitary pics was a bit odd.

As for the lighting of the saucers surely the strongest light on them would be from the sun and not the moon depending on their distance from the moon etc :cuckoo:
I don't believe I answered that, its a picture of sherbet filled rice paper,
 
well Allan I applaud you for venturing into an area you feel you lack in, (Photoshop), I hope you've learnt something useful from doing this and tbh I think the execution is pretty good. It's obviously not real so I'm not going to dwell on whether the lighting makes it look real or not, and will enjoy it for a fun, imaginative shot. :thumbs:
 
Sweet - nice idea that! (Loving the oldschool sweets btw!)
It's a tricky thing to Photoshop and make look real! You've done a good job though. I would say boosting the moon would help a bit - it looks rather grey? Nice work on the shadows and for attempting to get so many Flying Saucers into the shot. Perhaps the same concept could've been achieved with just one Flying Saucer too?
 
I forgot to say - I got distracted by your BULLSHOT :D - I liked the lighthouse (middle pic) best, what a corker! Good depth of field and detail, love the clouds and the blocks of colour are appealing too. :thumbs:

must be a solitary existence for them lighthouse peeps (and no cows or bikes or hot air balloons either... :thinking: they probably make up for it by having extra cheese ;))
 
Just to echo what Graham said above Alan, I think your pp skills are more than good, thats a very accomplished piece of work there.

I like your creative thinking behind it, good work all round I say :thumbs:
 
Hi ya :wave:

for someone who's no good at PP your Sweet shot is pretty darned impressive :thumbs: I like how all the saucers seem to have light in the same area's ( IyswIm ) & there's enough detail in them to see what they are....I love flying saucers :clap:
 
Oh very nice, nothing to fault it at all
 
super idea - brilliantly executed.

That is all.... ;)
 
So RE-SHOOT

WILD my original was a lion in the zoo and there was a comment about it not being wild, just slightly livid maybe :thinking:

Took this on Saturday at Formby beach


Crow by allanhowe, on Flickr


And because I didn't do a re-shoot last time

PATTERN just to tick all the boxes


Bird by allanhowe, on Flickr
 
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HWest said:
Love the Sweet shot; really clever idea.

The Cut one is fabulous idea and really well done in post. Absolutely to notch for me, that one.
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Thank you

JohnN said:
Oh very nice, nothing to fault it at all
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Thanks

posiview said:
Morning, Allan, 02:38 :cuckoo:

Cut, crackers :clap:

Great idea and well processed.

RH fruit for me, stands out more.

Cheers.
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I know it was very late or early I made a start on it and then couldn't leave it alone

overbez said:
super idea - brilliantly executed.

That is all.... ;)
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Thanks

ams99 said:
Great lighting on the RH fruit. I can see the juices. Good stuff.
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Thank you
 
Good skills on cut Allan :thumbs:

I think the apple standing alone would make an equally strong image.
The bright green of the lime contrasting against the red apple skin really works, forcing this viewers eye to do a bit of a double take to work out whatI was looking at :thumbs:

I like it!
 
Hi Allan,

Cut is very clever. I think they would have looked good without the added PP trickery, but that just gives it that extra interest :thumbs:

Wild reshoot, great DOF, the bird contrasts nicely against the sea. The mono conversion suits it well.

Pattern, what a pretty coloured bird. Again the DOF is spot on and the bracnh diagonally through the shot works well.
The only thing that bothers me slightly is the two branches sticking up from the bottom left, but not a lot you could do about that!
 
Hi Allan

Power - top shot for me.:thumbs: Creative idea, well handled. Good comp , like the off centre, good colour and exposure. Partic like the light from the top, adding to the sense of the power of sun aiding life.

Solitude - #1 for me because of the wow colours. Like the pose and peering at the wind farm, which reflects solitude. #3 has good comp but the colours seem a little dull

Sweet - that's brilliant for a self styled rubbish photoshopper. well handled. I would like to see the moon a little brighter but no colour as this would detract from the surreal feeling of a proper moon and sherbet flying saucers :D i agree with you re the lighting as the moon emits only reflected light and the sun is the primary source

Cut - clever. i like the juxtaposition. Did you not do something similar last year?

Wild reshoot - good use of mono and super sharp bird.
Pattern reshoot - on theme - good colours.
 
Hi Allen, Cut is almost perfect... Sorry to be the one to point things out but the thing that lets it down for me is the core at the base of the "apple" right hand side fruit.

It's a real shame because everything else is cock on. :thimbs:
 
Great work on the landing crow - good timing and exposure / processing to have details in all those blacks.. Is it a crop from a central bird, if so wonder what it would be like with the bird on the top right third.

And again great colours and feather detail in the multicoloured bird, nice with teh perch going up through the frame. Didn;t even notice the two cut branches lower left. Lovely background too!

Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Hi Allen, Cut is almost perfect... Sorry to be the one to point things out but the thing that lets it down for me is the core at the base of the "apple" right hand side fruit.

It's a real shame because everything else is cock on. :thimbs:
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Now I know Alan can stand on his own two feet but I think that's a tad harsh Brian. I did notice that when i first looked and commented, but thought that the core would have been cut through, so would actually still be there (and look like that) even after the insides have been cut out. I would have to see the cut apple in its original state to be sure, but I don't wan't to have the illusion spoiled for me.

Even for an accomplished PS'er, that is pretty special, let alone a self confessed "rubbish" one. :thumbs:
 
blakester said:
Good skills on cut Allan :thumbs:

I think the apple standing alone would make an equally strong image.
The bright green of the lime contrasting against the red apple skin really works, forcing this viewers eye to do a bit of a double take to work out whatI was looking at :thumbs:

I like it!
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Thank you

The goblin said:
Hi Allan,

Cut is very clever. I think they would have looked good without the added PP trickery, but that just gives it that extra interest :thumbs:

Wild reshoot, great DOF, the bird contrasts nicely against the sea. The mono conversion suits it well.

Pattern, what a pretty coloured bird. Again the DOF is spot on and the bracnh diagonally through the shot works well.
The only thing that bothers me slightly is the two branches sticking up from the bottom left, but not a lot you could do about that!
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Thanks

superpippo said:
Hi Allan

Power - top shot for me.:thumbs: Creative idea, well handled. Good comp , like the off centre, good colour and exposure. Partic like the light from the top, adding to the sense of the power of sun aiding life.

Solitude - #1 for me because of the wow colours. Like the pose and peering at the wind farm, which reflects solitude. #3 has good comp but the colours seem a little dull

Sweet - that's brilliant for a self styled rubbish photoshopper. well handled. I would like to see the moon a little brighter but no colour as this would detract from the surreal feeling of a proper moon and sherbet flying saucers :D i agree with you re the lighting as the moon emits only reflected light and the sun is the primary source

Cut - clever. i like the juxtaposition. Did you not do something similar last year?

Wild reshoot - good use of mono and super sharp bird.
Pattern reshoot - on theme - good colours.
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Not me never done anything like it, not that i recall thanks for looking in.

Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Hi Allen, Cut is almost perfect... Sorry to be the one to point things out but the thing that lets it down for me is the core at the base of the "apple" right hand side fruit.

It's a real shame because everything else is cock on. :thimbs:
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overbez said:
Great work on the landing crow - good timing and exposure / processing to have details in all those blacks.. Is it a crop from a central bird, if so wonder what it would be like with the bird on the top right third.

And again great colours and feather detail in the multicoloured bird, nice with teh perch going up through the frame. Didn;t even notice the two cut branches lower left. Lovely background too!



Now I know Alan can stand on his own two feet but I think that's a tad harsh Brian. I did notice that when i first looked and commented, but thought that the core would have been cut through, so would actually still be there (and look like that) even after the insides have been cut out. I would have to see the cut apple in its original state to be sure, but I don't wan't to have the illusion spoiled for me.

Even for an accomplished PS'er, that is pretty special, let alone a self confessed "rubbish" one. :thumbs:
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To answer Brian, The only PS done on the apple and lime was the inside of the fruit the apple was sliced that way I dont really know what you mean by the core, the core is what exactly? :thinking: its slightly off centre but I never moved it thats what it is.
 
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