weekly alsjazzera TP52 2014 WEEK 52 SUPPORT added

I'm afraid you created a rod for your own back there Allan by crafting such a nice reflection :)

you may well be right, will be avoiding reflections from now on :exit:

Hi Allan

Sparkle - well set up and handled. I like the concept of what, on the face of it, is a non sparkly item of nature which is transformed by light and water to give an understated sparkliness.

Fall - really nice shot / Good detail, tones and textures. Humorous slumped pose. Good lighting enhancing the tawny colours. Bit worried with how you portray your bears - always in a slightly sinister way :eek:

you are very kind, which is a good job really as my army of sinister teddies might well be sent round for a visit :nailbiting:
 
WEEK 37 COMMUNICATE

Holly by allanhowe, on Flickr

This is Holly much to the neighbours delight she loves a good bark at passers by so here she is communicating
 
Hi, Allan, another one with a quick submission. Nice detail in Holly and I like how her front leg is off the ground.

Looks a little under exposed and the BG is a little busy.

I think this might make a decent B&w.

Cheers.
 
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Super low POV here, possibly a touch under exp but as most of the chest is in shadow is probably not too far off.

Not 100% sure the barking comes across, maybe a howl.

Do like the feeling of closeness from the wide angle though.
 
Hi, Allan, another one with a quick submission. Nice detail in Holly and I like how her front leg is off the ground.

Looks a little under exposed and the BG is a little busy.

I think this might make a decent B&w.

Cheers.

Did try it in B+W but she was a little lost more so than in colour

Super low POV here, possibly a touch under exp but as most of the chest is in shadow is probably not too far off.

Not 100% sure the barking comes across, maybe a howl.

Do like the feeling of closeness from the wide angle though.

she was definitely barking but i do see what you mean

thanks by allanhowe, on Flickr
for looking
 
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Hi, Communicate, I tried something similar but it was never going to work :(

Well thought out, with good detail. I'd prefer a small space between each letter and perhaps a slight border to polish it off.

Feet up for me and you :)

Cheers.
 
Hi, Communicate, I tried something similar but it was never going to work :(

Well thought out, with good detail. I'd prefer a small space between each letter and perhaps a slight border to polish it off.

Feet up for me and you :)

Cheers.

To be honest I only did the sign language thing to amuse myself its not an entry it was just to use instead of saying "thanks" to every reply
 
Hiya Alan, great image of Holly, love the close up low pov (y), its already been mentioned but bg could have been better :)

She definitely looks to be howling which would have worked even better for communicate in my opinion :)
 
Great shot Allan. I don't mind the background and business - the only way around that would either to shoot in an empty field (a bit dull perhaps) or at night - obviously a shot with the moon in the background would be stellar :)

Perfectly on-them, love the POV and also the wide angle / distortion which really works here. Only downside to the wide angle is you don't get as much bokeh to play with which could have helped throw the background out more.

Good job!
 
Fall - What a super teddy. This really does fit the theme superbly. The lighting really suits as does the black background. It's a nice touch to add the reflective surface. Nice one Allan.

Communicate - Nice use of a wide angle lens. We've got two spaniels who are always pleased to see me home. The Working Cocker communicates with me with a woo-woo-woo rather than a bark so I see how this works for the theme.
 
Just seen fall, lovely connection to the theme, i have a jerry mouse which is approaching 35 yrs old and quite the same condition. Light painting/lighting hadsworked great. Spot on composition on this one too.
 
.......... at night - obviously a shot with the moon in the background would be stellar :)

^^^^^ this .......excellent idea Paul :clap:, ......don't forget and we'll remind Allan next time re-shoot comes up :D
 
HI Allan catch up time

Sharp - love the first one the detail texture and dof works really well

Pure - the flower for me mate I would not expect the whites to work together so well but they do and the detail in the centre is excellent

Sparkle - background really sets this off well, the droplets really sparkle

Fall - perfect the textures really jump out at you like the little reflection was this done with light painting?

Communicate - made me smile lovely detail and like the low angle the background is busy but thats what you get in open spaces not much you can do about that :)
 
Awwww - Allan, she is soooo cute.
And that's a gorgeous collar that you've got for her :love:

Definitely says barking rather than howling to me, simply because of the motion that you can see with her tag moving and her paw off the ground.
As above, I do think it's a little underexposed - although dark and white dogs are never going to be easy to expose for.


p.s. Have to say that your flower for 'pure' was simply stunning.
 
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Hiya Alan, great image of Holly, love the close up low pov (y), its already been mentioned but bg could have been better :)

She definitely looks to be howling which would have worked even better for communicate in my opinion :)

Thanks, yes BG is not the best

Great shot Allan. I don't mind the background and business - the only way around that would either to shoot in an empty field (a bit dull perhaps) or at night - obviously a shot with the moon in the background would be stellar :)

Perfectly on-them, love the POV and also the wide angle / distortion which really works here. Only downside to the wide angle is you don't get as much bokeh to play with which could have helped throw the background out more.

Good job!

Thanks, right about the wide angle the DoF was not a concern at the time I wanted the angle of view and the closeness to her

Hi Allan ...well we can certainly see that Holly is communicating ....bang on theme with that one... I also really like the sign language at the end of your post....a very nice touch to the theme :)

thanks by allanhowe, on Flickr

Fall - What a super teddy. This really does fit the theme superbly. The lighting really suits as does the black background. It's a nice touch to add the reflective surface. Nice one Allan.

Communicate - Nice use of a wide angle lens. We've got two spaniels who are always pleased to see me home. The Working Cocker communicates with me with a woo-woo-woo rather than a bark so I see how this works for the theme.

Holly also has a woo woo woo bark when she is excited

Communication, nice dog, I like the angle of view, maybe a tighter crop on Holly might work.
Just seen fall, lovely connection to the theme, i have a jerry mouse which is approaching 35 yrs old and quite the same condition. Light painting/lighting hadsworked great. Spot on composition on this one too.

Thanks Michael

^^^^^ this .......excellent idea Paul :clap:, ......don't forget and we'll remind Allan next time re-shoot comes up :D

I hate you all :mad::p

I love different takes on themes and this one was a belter... you can nearly hear the dog trying to communicate with its owner...

Thanks

Awwww - Allan, she is soooo cute.
And that's a gorgeous collar that you've got for her :love:

Definitely says barking rather than howling to me, simply because of the motion that you can see with her tag moving and her paw off the ground.
As above, I do think it's a little underexposed - although dark and white dogs are never going to be easy to expose for.


p.s. Have to say that your flower for 'pure' was simply stunning.

Thanks for looking in, I did try to up the exposure but the white fur was blowing out so thought I would leave it as it is.
Thanks for organising the whole thing too, I know we all moan about themes sometimes, but your work is greatly appreciated (y)
 
Struggled this week with this theme, walking around work today I found this it was the iridescence which caught my eye.

crow feather by allanhowe, on Flickr
 
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I didn't think you'd struggle with this theme, and you haven't.

You've caught the colour really well..., could maybe say there might be a little bit not enough light on the lower right area, but given the theme that would be a daft thing to say. :LOL:

Great black BG. Do you take your black BG shots in pitch black, or is it just a black backdropp and careful flagging of light sourcses?
 
Hi Allan ....I just commented on Grahams thread that it's not easy to do black on black and then your post hopped on, so well done to you with achieving it with your feather. I've done a similar thing myself and the lighting isn't easy is it, but you've done it really well....another excellent choice for the theme :)
 
I didn't think you'd struggle with this theme, and you haven't.

You've caught the colour really well..., could maybe say there might be a little bit not enough light on the lower right area, but given the theme that would be a daft thing to say. :LOL:

Great black BG. Do you take your black BG shots in pitch black, or is it just a black backdropp and careful flagging of light sourcses?

Thanks Graham, this was taken in the dark with a flash, but even then I have had to darken the BG a little as there was a slight light spill in the top right, its also against a black BG, the flash i held fairly close above it on a low setting.

Hi Allan ....I just commented on Grahams thread that it's not easy to do black on black and then your post hopped on, so well done to you with achieving it with your feather. I've done a similar thing myself and the lighting isn't easy is it, but you've done it really well....another excellent choice for the theme :)

Thanks susie, its not easy there where a lot of rejects :LOL:
 
Thanks Graham, this was taken in the dark with a flash, but even then I have had to darken the BG a little as there was a slight light spill in the top right, its also against a black BG, the flash i held fairly close above it on a low setting.

Thanks Allan, I understand the theory, just the practical side of it gets tricky. I guess smaller objects are easier too as the BG behind can be smaller, and a longer focal length would also help by narrowing the angle of view.
 
Good choice for the theme although I feel some of the editing around the feather especially the bottom half hasn't quite worked properly. It's amazing though how what looks like black has some lovely blue colours in it as at the top of the feather.
 
Thanks Allan, I understand the theory, just the practical side of it gets tricky. I guess smaller objects are easier too as the BG behind can be smaller, and a longer focal length would also help by narrowing the angle of view.

sorry I couldn't be of more help as you can see it's not an exact science in my house:)

Good choice for the theme although I feel some of the editing around the feather especially the bottom half hasn't quite worked properly. It's amazing though how what looks like black has some lovely blue colours in it as at the top of the feather.

Thanks for pointing that out Peter I had to turn the brightness up on the photo to see what you meant, it was a terrible job, I like the understatement "hasn't quite worked properly" :ROFLMAO:
have changed the pic now without the awful PP
 
Hi Allan

Communicate...like this a lot , love the low POV , the wide angle effect ,sharp with just enough DOF to work..... :clap:

Your sign language is sooooooooo much better than mine :crying:

Dark....well caught color's in the iridescence , enough definition to separate it from the background...lovely :clap:
 
Hi Allan

Communicate...like this a lot , love the low POV , the wide angle effect ,sharp with just enough DOF to work..... :clap:

Your sign language is sooooooooo much better than mine :crying:

Dark....well caught color's in the iridescence , enough definition to separate it from the background...lovely :clap:

Thanks lynne to be honest I think yours is better :)
 
Now think that's pretty impressive.....both in idea & execution :clap: The only real crit is the lighting....seems very harsh to the point it's brought out all the defects n the petals .Other than that it's super sharp with great use of DOF :clap:
 
Now think that's pretty impressive.....both in idea & execution :clap: The only real crit is the lighting....seems very harsh to the point it's brought out all the defects n the petals .Other than that it's super sharp with great use of DOF :clap:

Thanks Lynne the lighting is harsh to highlight the flower, to make it in your face so as to emphasise the subject/theme, perhaps a little too sharp I agree,
might have another look at it :thinking:
 
I wanted to make something that isn't particularly big seem big :thinking:

I would call success on that mission then Allan.

Looks like a sun flower (size flower) in a milk bottle but I'm also thinking a daisy size in a much smaller bottle?

Very interesting, and the fade from black behind the flower to the texture in the wood surrounding the bottle is great. Harshness / softness of the light is suitable to my eyes, .
 
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Hello and sorry I haven't popped in here for a while life has been hectic I had broadband issues, and now I have a new job with long hours so just finding time to catch up and adjust. I have had a look at the themes I have missed commenting on and, I have to say you have some fantastic work.
 
Liking that "Big" Allan, nice idea nicely done.

If I really had to offer crit, I'd say ... it's a good fun image but that brown floor is no fun. The bottle would look nice among a dozen more bokehish bottles. But we never have the props we need so maybe just any old bits & pieces showing some OOF light reflection.

(thinking out loud here ... I've just bought a new lens so you're gonna get bokeh from me in the near future)
 
I would call success on that mission then Allan.

Looks like a sun flower (size flower) in a milk bottle but I'm also thinking a daisy size in a much smaller bottle?

Very interesting, and the fade from black behind the flower to the texture in the wood surrounding the bottle is great. Harshness / softness of the light is suitable to my eyes, .
Hello and sorry I haven't popped in here for a while life has been hectic I had broadband issues, and now I have a new job with long hours so just finding time to catch up and adjust. I have had a look at the themes I have missed commenting on and, I have to say you have some fantastic work.

Liking that "Big" Allan, nice idea nicely done.

If I really had to offer crit, I'd say ... it's a good fun image but that brown floor is no fun. The bottle would look nice among a dozen more bokehish bottles. But we never have the props we need so maybe just any old bits & pieces showing some OOF light reflection.

(thinking out loud here ... I've just bought a new lens so you're gonna get bokeh from me in the near future)

thanks all for taking the time to look
 
Big indeed. The yellows emphasise the size and the lighting emphasises the shadows. Just the ceases across some of the petals remove from the cleanness of the flower.

Cheers.
 
Hi Allan :)

Communicate - Great angle this one, such a low angle really brings it in close, The DoF separates from the quite busy background nicely, good one for the theme !!!

Dark - This is perfect for the theme, love the shimmering colours coming from the feather, great background as usual too, nowt wrong with this at all, great detail :thumbs:

Big - Not sure if I am getting big or close, either way I like the image, good strong colour, dark background and the bottle seem a good blurred distance away :)
 
Big indeed. The yellows emphasise the size and the lighting emphasises the shadows. Just the ceases across some of the petals remove from the cleanness of the flower.

Cheers.

Thanks for looking in Andy,

Hi Allan ....really like the thinking behind this one ..... the angle really succeeds in achieving what you wanted. The center of the flower has excellent detail .on Flickr...spot on focus there. Super original idea for the theme.

Thanks Susie

Hi Allan :)

Communicate - Great angle this one, such a low angle really brings it in close, The DoF separates from the quite busy background nicely, good one for the theme !!!

Dark - This is perfect for the theme, love the shimmering colours coming from the feather, great background as usual too, nowt wrong with this at all, great detail (y)

Big - Not sure if I am getting big or close, either way I like the image, good strong colour, dark background and the bottle seem a good blurred distance away :)

Hi DK, you are getting big and we shall speak no more about it :D
 
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