weekly blakesters 52 for 2013 Finally Complete! Last 3 weeks added

alsjazzera said:
the return of the hand :eek:, nice idea agree with the DoF, but nice lighting and the three images work well together :clap:
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:lol:Thanks Allan, there is something quite sinister about that hand, :eek:

Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Another Cracker from you Iain, well done.

I see what you said about DOF in the "rock", was your flash at max?
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Thanks Brian, :thumbs:
No the flash was dialled down power wise, I perhaps could have spent a little bit longer but work beckoned and I am away on the meet to Cumbria on thursday and don't get back from work until tomorrow night. Time is very much at a premium.
 
Hi, Iain, Process...looks like some kind of Victorian torture set up :eek:

Well composed and good lighting. I wasn't sure about the blue tint (maybe my iPad :thinking:), but it's grown on me.

Pity your lens didn't allow great DOF on the top hand.

Good show.

Cheers.
 
posiview said:
Hi, Iain, Process...looks like some kind of Victorian torture set up :eek:

Well composed and good lighting. I wasn't sure about the blue tint (maybe my iPad :thinking:), but it's grown on me.

Pity your lens didn't allow great DOF on the top hand.

Good show.

Cheers.
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Thanks andy:thumbs:
I think the blue is due to the shiny wire and the flash. I did change it in pp but always came back to this, I must like it blue haha.

Time was against me to be honest, I could have tried different lens but obviously didn't. A longer lens would have sorted it I am sure. I will know for the next time.

Dark Knight said:
Hi Iain :)

Process - Like your thinking... your set-up and the execution, I reflect all comments already made, but would like to ask, great blacks, did you use a card for the background ??
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Hi Dean thanks.

My set up camera wise was a small aperture, f16 or thereabouts, shutter speed at flash sync, around 250 iirc and manual focus. Off camera flash using wireless triggers. I was more shooting from above, so I used a black card as the base cum background. The small aperture and fast ish shutter speed took care of the bulk of achieving the blackness. HTH
 
I came to comment on the Size picture which I think is just superb, a great idea and really well executed. I prefer the colour one :)
 
Size - I think the mono gets it for me. There's enough interest in the idea and the composition that colour's not needed. Can't really offer much other than 'well done!'.

Hard to offer anything of value for process either, love the lighting, and the image overall. The only tiny thing, and it is just probably me being a bit OCD, but the 'rock' element, because of it's angle, has a falloff of focus, whereas the other two are sharp throughout... Nope, not sure where I was going with that... Great work!:thumbs:
 
Firstly, apologies for not replying sooner, last week was long hours at work followed by a great weekend away to Cumbria where the network signals were non existant :D


n1kcy said:
I came to comment on the Size picture which I think is just superb, a great idea and really well executed. I prefer the colour one :)
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Thanks Nicky :thumbs:

Much appreciated.


puckers said:
Great thinking and nicely done!
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Thanks Lisa :thumbs:

NickD said:
Size - I think the mono gets it for me. There's enough interest in the idea and the composition that colour's not needed. Can't really offer much other than 'well done!'.

Hard to offer anything of value for process either, love the lighting, and the image overall. The only tiny thing, and it is just probably me being a bit OCD, but the 'rock' element, because of it's angle, has a falloff of focus, whereas the other two are sharp throughout... Nope, not sure where I was going with that... Great work!:thumbs:
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Cheers Nick :thumbs:
You are spot on with your comments and observation, I would have corrected it had I more time.

cowboy said:
The third hand looks to be the wrong way round, other than that brilliant :thumbs:
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Thanks Mark :thumbs:

I wanted different views of the hand but I do get what you mean, you're quite correct
 
Hi mister....good to catch up with you these last few days....hope all's dried out now :thumbs:

As for process......yet another neat & original idea . The slight blue cast works well for me , seems to give the image more depth if that makes sense ? I understand the layout as it follows Rock Paper Scissors but my OC wants Rock in the middle to even it out....open hand top n bottom .
Your patience with ocf has paid dividends with a superbly black bg


other than that I have no crit to offer :clap:
 
blondie606 said:
Hi mister....good to catch up with you these last few days....hope all's dried out now :thumbs:

As for process......yet another neat & original idea . The slight blue cast works well for me , seems to give the image more depth if that makes sense ? I understand the layout as it follows Rock Paper Scissors but my OC wants Rock in the middle to even it out....open hand top n bottom .
Your patience with ocf has paid dividends with a superbly black bg


other than that I have no crit to offer :clap:
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Hi Lynne, thanks for looking/commenting. :thumbs:

Yes, it was good to catch up, I really enjoyed the weekend despite my little mishap :lol:

I understand what you are saying about the placement of the hand(s)
It was/is awkward compositionally, it has a few flaws besides that too.

Maybe one for a reshoot :thinking:
 
Week 25 - Rock
An early submission for me as I will be busy at work again this week so thought I'd get in quickly, post and be damned ;)

Not an obvious choice for me (and my love of pebbles, stones and rocks) for that reason I wanted to be different. Still a literal take on the theme but one which I enjoyed taking.

C&C welcome as always.


Week 25 - Rock by iain blake, on Flickr
 
Nice colour, nice DoF and nice composition nothing really to add well done for not doing the obvious too :clap:
 
alsjazzera said:
Nice colour, nice DoF and nice composition nothing really to add well done for not doing the obvious too :clap:
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Thanks Allan, I resisted the temptation to use my well worn default subject ;)
 
Really not what I was expecting from you Iain. In fact I thought of you as soon as rock came out of the bag :lol:

And it's a surprise in a good way. Great colours, pin sharp where it counts with a lovely dreamy background.
Not sure if I would have preferred a tighter crop or not, it might have given more focus to the rock but I also like seeing some of the background.
Definitely a :thumbs: though however you crop it.

Have to mention process in here too. Brilliant interpretation of the theme and I love that wire hand.
 
Wow....was not expecting that at all :eek:

but I do like it....nice n bright & fresh looking , great lighting & colors plus a nifty drop shadow frame......great use of DOF as well ......am beginning to expect the unexpected from you...:clap::clap:

If I have to come up with any crit...and it is hard on this one.....there's a stick of rock ,sort of creamy colored without stripes that seems to be at an odd angle compared to the others ?
 
blondie606 said:
Wow....was not expecting that at all :eek:
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Indeed. Talk about a 'left field' post :D So many rocks over the weekend and you pull out this one :clap:

Well composed and the colours really pop. Great fall off and I like how the sticks of rock swirl around the main stick.

Crit, well, there seems to be a dark patch around the base of the rock, more prominent when I tilt my screen...shadow I suspect.

Cheers.
 
marveloous shot Iain, great colours, DOF, super sharp point of focus....

is that a twister board you've used as the BG :lol:
 
Hi all
I will start with an apology again, sorry for not replying sooner, work has got in the way again. :shake:

SarahLee said:
Really not what I was expecting from you Iain. In fact I thought of you as soon as rock came out of the bag

And it's a surprise in a good way. Great colours, pin sharp where it counts with a lovely dreamy background.
Not sure if I would have preferred a tighter crop or not, it might have given more focus to the rock but I also like seeing some of the background.
Definitely a :thumbs: though however you crop it.

Have to mention process in here too. Brilliant interpretation of the theme and I love that wire hand.
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:lol: Hi Sarah, thank you for dropping in.
I resisted the urge to go for the obvious (for me) I have shot so many stone, pebble & rock images, I was determined not to for this week.

I tried different crops but I really liked the background so decided on the wider crop but I do understand what you are saying.

Dark Knight said:
After seeing Flickr last night I nearly just fell off my chair when i see this

That's great Iain, really like the background you have used and the way you have loosely bundled the different Rock together, great colours - A Cracker :thumbs:
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Cheers Dean, something a bit different from my usual stuff eh?

blondie606 said:
Wow....was not expecting that at all :eek:

but I do like it....nice n bright & fresh looking , great lighting & colors plus a nifty drop shadow frame......great use of DOF as well ......am beginning to expect the unexpected from you...:clap:

If I have to come up with any crit...and it is hard on this one.....there's a stick of rock ,sort of creamy colored without stripes that seems to be at an odd angle compared to the others ?
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:lol: Thanks Lynne, I hear what you are saying about that particular piece of rock being at an odd angle, I overlooked that to be honest.

posiview said:
Indeed. Talk about a 'left field' post :D So many rocks over the weekend and you pull out this one :clap:

Well composed and the colours really pop. Great fall off and I like how the sticks of rock swirl around the main stick.

Crit, well, there seems to be a dark patch around the base of the rock, more prominent when I tilt my screen...shadow I suspect.

Cheers.
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Thanks Andy

I like 'left field' :lol:
Not being predictable was my objective, I was determined not to shoot the obvious (for me), so I am happy I have surprised people.
I think it is shadow Andy, I shot this in natural light reflected on the opposite side to the light source/direction.

overbez said:
marveloous shot Iain, great colours, DOF, super sharp point of focus....

is that a twister board you've used as the BG :lol:
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Cheers Graham :thumbs:

The background is actually a serving plate/tray which I really liked the colours of.
 
Hi Iain, I really like this and was full of praise until I spotted (and now I can't un spot it) the dark patch in the middle of the rock sticks... If you could dodge that in PShop I reckon it could be your best shot of the year.
 
Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Hi Iain, I really like this and was full of praise until I spotted (and now I can't un spot it) the dark patch in the middle of the rock sticks... If you could dodge that in PShop I reckon it could be your best shot of the year.
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Thanks Brian, I have just had a go at what you suggested but can't get it to look right :(
My photoshop skills aren't all that, I couldn't get it to blend well enough.

Thanks for your comments :thumbs:

One sleep until the new theme and the halfway point :clap:
 
Hi Iain, whoops I've missed a few!

Size, just awesome! I can't decide between the mono or colour, they both work! Your attention to detail is amazing, love the guy on the right actually painting. Mrs Blakester has patience to sit while you set this up. I believe we saw these hands modelling last year as well!

Process, now I wouldn't have guessed it without the explanation. Excellent execution as always. Is this three shots merged?

Rock, like I said on FB I expected some feet this week ;) A step away from your norm. Lovely bright colours & the matching drop shadow is a nice touch :thumbs:
 
The goblin said:
Hi Iain, whoops I've missed a few!

Size, just awesome! I can't decide between the mono or colour, they both work! Your attention to detail is amazing, love the guy on the right actually painting. Mrs Blakester has patience to sit while you set this up. I believe we saw these hands modelling last year as well!

Process, now I wouldn't have guessed it without the explanation. Excellent execution as always. Is this three shots merged?

Rock, like I said on FB I expected some feet this week ;) A step away from your norm. Lovely bright colours & the matching drop shadow is a nice touch :thumbs:
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Hi Marsha,

Thanks for looking in here :thumbs:

Yes Michele is well used to me now :lol:

Process is three shots merged in photoshop, and a wee bit of crowbar to ease it into theme ;)

Rock, I couldn't be that predictable with pebble feet, I really couldn't :D
 
Week 26 - Pair
Halfway point :clap:

An idea sprung to mind today, so decided to act on it and get an early submission for the week.
The figures were made by my own hands in case anyone is wondering, cheapy Tesco's forks which are quite easy to bend.

C&C welcome as always.


Week 26 - Pair by iain blake, on Flickr
 
& you mark the 1/2 way mark with yet another corker :thumbs:

Great idea & really well executed as always.......bet Tesco's don't realise just how bendy their cutlery is :lol:

Good lighting there as well ,beautiful black bg with no visible blown bits on a shiny surface , finishing touch is the reflection at the base ....perfect :clap::clap:
 
blondie606 said:
& you mark the 1/2 way mark with yet another corker :thumbs:

Great idea & really well executed as always.......bet Tesco's don't realise just how bendy their cutlery is :lol:

Good lighting there as well ,beautiful black bg with no visible blown bits on a shiny surface , finishing touch is the reflection at the base ....perfect :clap::clap:
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:lol: Thanks Lynne!

I suspect Tesco have a good idea, at 85p for four forks they're not exactly silver service :lol:

Thanks on the lighting, it is a simple set up which seems to produce decent results. Subject placed about about a foot/foot and a half away from the background, 1/125 shutter speed, f number above f8 and off camera flash held in various positions.
 
Very nice they have a fluidity about them, nice work with the modelling, I mean we are looking at forks but they just work:clap:
 
alsjazzera said:
Very nice they have a fluidity about them, nice work with the modelling, I mean we are looking at forks but they just work:clap:
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Thanks Allan :thumbs:
I do enjoy the modelling as much as the photography :lol:
 
The goblin said:
What Lynne said!

:clap::clap::clap:

Love it. I keep looking at your creations and just wondering how you come up with it? I would go through about 8 forks and probably give up in frustration!
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:lol: Thanks Marsha!

It took a couple of goes to get the figures how I wanted them.
One fork was sacrificed for its prongs to make the swords, another, it actually cracked. I don't heat the forks to make them bend easier and I just bent one a bit too much and it broke.
But hey, nevermind at about 21p each its not a big loss :lol:
 
You and your cutlery and me and my leaves :)

Another cracker. Well composed and lighting is good.

Can't offer any crit....

Cheers.
 
posiview said:
You and your cutlery and me and my leaves :)

Another cracker. Well composed and lighting is good.

Can't offer any crit....

Cheers.
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:lol: thanks Andy!

You've got to have a default option, I have just added cutlery to my pebbles default ;)
 
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