Blondie606's Photo52 2011-Wk 52 Glass & Nature,Challenge Complete

[Sterling Archer]

I like it. Definitely fits the theme, and the windmill just looks so out of place.

 

[posiview]

That does indeed look weird, sitting behind terraced housing!

My thoughts indeed.

I wonder if it works

Cheers.

 

[PatrickO]

Excellent landscape shot in its own right and yes definitely looks weird. Almost like it's been planted there.

It would have been a better shot if the cliffs have been less hazy , but you've discussed that already.

Good shot

 

[blondie606]

Hiya Lynne,

Well done you for getting this shot. Indeed it does look weird ... or out of place.

As you say it looks a tad soft/hazy, but guess that can happen when at the seaside.

Hope you had a great weekend and got lots of photos.

I have no clue what I am going to do for weird, but guess I still have some time to think about it.

Cheers

Dawn

Thanks Dawn , have to admit to a bit of pp....levels adjust & tweak on the brightness as didn't have a clue how to set the camera for this shot..pretty much point & hope...along with people & architecture I struggle with landscapes !

That does indeed look weird, sitting behind terraced housing!

If you look closely Neil it's actually between 2 or 3 rows of terraces...very weird place but somehow it works .May go back & venture into the town & find out more about it at some point

Well done Lynne for spotting the photo opportunity.

Well, its definitely odd and weird for a wind mill in the middle of a town.

Cheers Stan...one of the problems I have with this challenge is looking at everything to see if it's a photo op

Weird, it sure is! I must ask Lynne, where is Oliver's Mount in Scarborough? Been a fair few times but not come across that part. As for the pic you have done well considering the haze and limitations of your lens.

Hi Michael....geography is not my strong point but we came in to Scarborough from the Brid/Filey direction & turned left up a side road before the 1st major set of traffic lights . I don't recall seeing any signs but I was trying to keep up with 2 other bikes & not lose the 2 behind me !

 

[blondie606]

lynne..i like your shot for the thre different elements you've captured... the in focus housing in the foreground... with that windmill??? .. then the band of trees, dark and green, foreboding... then the haze over the coastline bringing us out of the darkness into the light... love it...

now what weirdo built a windmill amongst all those houses..????

Cheers Kev...the more I look at this shot the more it's growing on me

I like it. Definitely fits the theme, and the windmill just looks so out of place.

Thanks Mark , think a trip back may be inorder to investigate some more !

My thoughts indeed.

I wonder if it works

Cheers.

Hi Andy....stared at it for quite some time as was getting my breath back after traversing the Mount but never saw it move

Excellent landscape shot in its own right and yes definitely looks weird. Almost like it's been planted there.

It would have been a better shot if the cliffs have been less hazy , but you've discussed that already.

Good shot

Thanks Patrick , as a "shoot & hope for the best " shot I'm getting happier with it

 

[LauraJ23]

I shall look out for it the next time I'm up there

 

[SarahLee]

That is definitely weird Lynne

For some reason I want to see this with a panoramic crop though. I just feel like putting the centre of the sails on the bottom third will give more prominence to the windmill and actually give you more of a split between the foreground and hazy background.

 

[Mentalblock]

It does look weird having a windmill in your town, but it's more common than you think.

I lived in Sneinton Nottingham for several years and passed a working windmill most days. Also, there is a windmill on the way in to Blackpool not far off the motorway.

It looks like a nice spot.

 

[blondie606]

That is definitely weird Lynne

For some reason I want to see this with a panoramic crop though. I just feel like putting the centre of the sails on the bottom third will give more prominence to the windmill and actually give you more of a split between the foreground and hazy background.

Thanks for stopping by Sarah...not sure what you mean by panoranic crop though ?

It does look weird having a windmill in your town, but it's more common than you think.

I lived in Sneinton Nottingham for several years and passed a working windmill most days. Also, there is a windmill on the way in to Blackpool not far off the motorway.

It looks like a nice spot.

Cheers Neil....never seen one in this situation before ...amazed that theres at least one more

 

[blondie606]

Crikey...week 31 already !

Had no real idea for this one save for a windmill or a kite ! No time to do either of those then saw mentionof windchimes which I have in my hallway . ladder out , chimes down & off to the garden I go as figured the hallway was probably not the best setting Been quite blowy here all week in the evenings...until tonight ! 1 hour in the garden & very little wind but persevered & got a few shots . Also discovered that I don't have the ability to capture motion blur , the shots just looked OOF which whilst that may have worked better , I couldn't live with . With motorbike racing I spend all my time trying to freeze motion & blur the background...for the life of me couldn't do it the other way round :bang:

Not entirely happy with this but here goes ...


Wind week 31 by llj666, on Flickr

Virtually soc save for a quick lighten & sharpen then off to picnik .The shots are ( I think ) in the order they were taken . The chime came from the Chestnut Wildlife Centre when I visited a good few years back .

Not gonna be able to post pictures for the next week or so & won't be on here much as Dad going in to hospital for a new hip this weekend so will be spending most of my time between here n Boston , dog & mum sitting & hospital visiting Will try n keep up with everyones threads but apologies in advance for being less active than normal

cheers, lynne

 

[drodd]

Hiya Lynne,

Well done with the windchimes for this theme and I think you have done a good job too. Like the way you have arranged the photos to create the motion of the chimes.

I hope all goes well with your dad's hip op.

Take care and we will see you when we see you.

Cheers

Dawn

 

[blondie606]

Thanks Dawn

I'm sort of pleased with end result but wish I'd had time to do something more challenging !

Gonna have the camera with me ( no gory op pics though )so hopefully can get this coming weekends theme done in between hospital visits & dog walking .
Really looking forward to the 52's meet...not long to go now

 

[posiview]

Hi, Lynne, I have to say, I like it.

There is a sense of motion in most of them.

Unusual to see 4 panels but it works.

The only thing I'd ike to see is a better BG, but then again, many of my themes have been done in our back garden...

Cheers.

 

[LauraJ23]

Hiya Lynne, that is really good! It all works well together. There is a great sense of motion in there too. Well done

 

[SamuelSlade007]

well done lynne... 4 shots seem to convey a sense of movement yet each is still.. good idea.

 

[blondie606]

Hi, Lynne, I have to say, I like it.

There is a sense of motion in most of them.

Unusual to see 4 panels but it works.

The only thing I'd ike to see is a better BG, but then again, many of my themes have been done in our back garden...

Cheers.

Thanks Andy ...never thought that 4 panels were odd....3 is more usual but seems to work ok . I only had 2 options for BG's...hanging in the hall or on the bush...no wind in the hall

Hiya Lynne, that is really good! It all works well together. There is a great sense of motion in there too. Well done

Cheers Michael , glad you like it Strange how shots that I think will be panned , others seem to like

well done lynne... 4 shots seem to convey a sense of movement yet each is still.. good idea.

Cheers Kiev.. realy need to learn how to convey movement more but it's taken me soooo long to learn to freeze action I'm not sure I can start all over again to learn the opposite

 

[Mentalblock]

Hi Lynne,

Nice idea for the theme.
The motion blur works, but I think a little more would have been better.

Hope all is well with your Dad

 

[blondie606]

Hi Lynne,

Nice idea for the theme.
The motion blur works, but I think a little more would have been better.

Hope all is well with your Dad

Cheers Neil....I def struggle with getting motion blur...I tried a few but they looked OOF (to me at least ), think its cos I've spent soooo long learning to freeze action that I'm struggling the other way round :bonk:

 

[blondie606]

Loved the Evolution theme & immediately had 1/2 a dozen ideas but all of them involved far more time than I could manage this week . Spent friday through monday then tuesday at my folks following Dads hospital stay for a replacement hip . Op was Saturday pm , sunday AM he's walking with a frame , monday AM walking with crutches , monday pm walking up n down stairs on crutches then late monday evening they discharge him...not bad going for an 80 year old So apart from a few hours in the garden playing with my macro lens very little time to dedicate to this week . I did however recall that my folks had an old camera , came up with a plan & sorted the following which I thought quite apt for the theme & this forum :







Evolution 2 by llj666, on Flickr


Evolution 1 by llj666, on Flickr


Now...I apologise for the backgrounds...struggled without my light box to make a suitable backdrop , did some fairly poor pp on the duo shot....tried to get them the same but lost patience I am however quite pleased with the main shot as concentrated on using natural light but avoiding as many shadows as possible . The old camera is a Box Brownie & we belive it to a model from approx 1930....fascinating thing & I'm sorely tempted to try n find some film for it as would love to see what it's capable of producing .

Question for you all...when focusing on the main image I struggled to get the words Nikon & Tamron both clearly in focus & can't figure out what I'm doing wrong ? Tried wide focus & normal focus but the result was the same . Viewnx won't show the focus point when I use the D90 so can't see where it was . In the viewfinder I have an oblong/square which I presume is the focus point ( may sound basic but I don't know ) which goes red when I've half press the shutter .I've heard of cameras that have many focus points but can't find that on either of the Nikons...any clues ?

All help appreicated

Now I've got this out of the way I can spend tomorrow eve catching up on everyone else's threads ,cheers all

 

[Mentalblock]

Hi Dawn, good take on the evolution shot.
As for the box brownie, you have to have a go!

Now the focus bit.
I'm not sure if I follow, but are you looking to turn the multipoint metering/ focus on?
I've set the function button to activate the focus point menu which is the cycled through with the main dial. On the top panel, the multipoint display should be just dots with no brackets around them.

If you have a wide single focus rectangle, I think you have the single wide point selected which is turned on and off in the main menu (the pencil symbol then a2) which will let you change from normal to wide.

Hope it helps.

Edit - It's good hear your dad is doing well too

 

[drodd]

<snip> Hi Dawn, good take on the evolution shot. As for the box brownie, you have to have a go!

Neil, I think you have had one too many shots from that glass in your avatar

Hiya Lynne

Firstly .... glad to hear everything has gone well with your dad's hip op

Lucky you having this great idea for evolution and the fact that your ma & pa had a Box Brownie for you to use as a prop.

As for the background, I actually like it ..... gives it a sort of beach feel and I can almost picture someone from back in the days standing on the beach with the box brownie alongside you taking a photo with your DSLR

Sorry I can't be of much help with your question regards the focus (I'm not familiar with Nikon cameras, nor have a macro lens) ... but it looks like Neil has this one covered for you and I am sure there will be others along soon to give their input.

Well done though on the shots I think you have done a good job.

I still have to finalise my photo for this week, but hopefully I will be able to sort it before the new theme is announced.

Cheers

Dawn

 

[SamuelSlade007]

Hi Dawn, good take on the evolution shot.
As for the box brownie, you have to have a go!

ditto the dawn-meister on this one..... and i thought i was hitting the cooking sherry too hard!!!

Edit - It's good hear your dad is doing well too

NOOOoooo...you even went back and edited it without seeing the obvious...!! :bonk:

@Lynne, i think both shots are good, albeit the PP on the RHS of the duo. makes the box look false and not popping for me , more pooping.. sorry.. but i try to do a blur like this and slate mys own efforts.

but the main shot, love the background, the Box could have been slightly in more, or maybe taken from further away so it had more background round it??. either way, i prefer shadows as the environ is outside on a beach... maybe a beach picnic setting? but the pebbles look great.... looks like someone just left that nikon on there to be washed out with the tide... AHEMmm... no really..you put thought in and got the brand names showing, twisting the strap etc.

as for foucal points, i found this in case your's had gone astray.. http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/noprint/D90_ennoprint.pdf page 56 seemed to detailed selecting focus points, but it was like reading hebrew....and boy, i learnt that when moses was parting the red sea... and footnote on page points to the (a2) neil mentions, on page 174?

though i might be barking mad, and looking at a manual for a Suzuki 350, so buyer beware

good one lynne

 

[LauraJ23]

Hiya Lynne, like your picture for evolution, I thought you had been to the beech with those backgrounds! Quite nice. I was thinking of doing something similare using my old canon fd mount cameras, but not got around to do ding it. With regards to the focus, I am not familiar with the Nikon system. But I always use centre point focus and select a suitable aperture and let dof take its cause. I see from your exif on flickr you used f9. Nikon on your camera looks just a little oof, but that could be my eyes this morning! So maybe something like f11, or you could try focusing a little further up the lens towards the body and see where your in focus bits start from. I sometimes use that technique when getting pictures of flowers. I hope it makes sense

 

[Mentalblock]

With so many wonderful ladies in this 52, you cannot blame me for getting names mixed up and until it was pointed out, I hadn't noticed :bonk:

 

[ecniv]

Question for you all...when focusing on the main image I struggled to get the words Nikon & Tamron both clearly in focus & can't figure out what I'm doing wrong ? Tried wide focus & normal focus but the result was the same .

Its not a focus problem... or shouldn't be
If you focus on one or the other or better, between then put a higher f# on the aperture (you may need a tripod) it should bring them both in sharper.

Otherwise, pick one and lower the f# to blur off nicely.


Great take on the evolution !

 

[SamuelSlade007]

With so many wonderful ladies in this 52, you cannot blame me for getting names mixed up and until it was pointed out, I hadn't noticed :bonk:

listen to you, neil.. you charmer... bet the ladies at the darby and joan club bingo nights are falling over themselves when you walk in...

 

[blondie606]

Hi Dawn, good take on the evolution shot.
As for the box brownie, you have to have a go!

Now the focus bit.
I'm not sure if I follow, but are you looking to turn the multipoint metering/ focus on?
I've set the function button to activate the focus point menu which is the cycled through with the main dial. On the top panel, the multipoint display should be just dots with no brackets around them.

If you have a wide single focus rectangle, I think you have the single wide point selected which is turned on and off in the main menu (the pencil symbol then a2) which will let you change from normal to wide.

Hope it helps.

Edit - It's good hear your dad is doing well too

Thanks for the info Neil...need to spend some time just playing with the camera & the various settings me thinks ! I have tried the multipoint setting but thought it was only for moving objects :bonk:

I did wonder if I'd posted in Dawns thread by accident...........

Neil, I think you have had one too many shots from that glass in your avatar
Hiya Lynne

Firstly .... glad to hear everything has gone well with your dad's hip op

Lucky you having this great idea for evolution and the fact that your ma & pa had a Box Brownie for you to use as a prop.

As for the background, I actually like it ..... gives it a sort of beach feel and I can almost picture someone from back in the days standing on the beach with the box brownie alongside you taking a photo with your DSLR
Sorry I can't be of much help with your question regards the focus (I'm not familiar with Nikon cameras, nor have a macro lens) ... but it looks like Neil has this one covered for you and I am sure there will be others along soon to give their input.

Well done though on the shots I think you have done a good job.

I still have to finalise my photo for this week, but hopefully I will be able to sort it before the new theme is announced.

Cheers

Dawn

Cheers Dawn...like your thought of being at the beach...never saw that idea !

ditto the dawn-meister on this one..... and i thought i was hitting the cooking sherry too hard!!!



NOOOoooo...you even went back and edited it without seeing the obvious...!! :bonk:

@Lynne, i think both shots are good, albeit the PP on the RHS of the duo. makes the box look false and not popping for me , more pooping.. sorry.. but i try to do a blur like this and slate mys own efforts.

but the main shot, love the background, the Box could have been slightly in more, or maybe taken from further away so it had more background round it??. either way, i prefer shadows as the environ is outside on a beach... maybe a beach picnic setting? but the pebbles look great.... looks like someone just left that nikon on there to be washed out with the tide... AHEMmm... no really..you put thought in and got the brand names showing, twisting the strap etc.
as for foucal points, i found this in case your's had gone astray.. http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/noprint/D90_ennoprint.pdf page 56 seemed to detailed selecting focus points, but it was like reading hebrew....and boy, i learnt that when moses was parting the red sea... and footnote on page points to the (a2) neil mentions, on page 174?

though i might be barking mad, and looking at a manual for a Suzuki 350, so buyer beware
good one lynne

Cheers Kev...you guys never cease to surprise me...I post what I think is a very average/pants shot & get great feedback Thanks for the link to the instruction manaul...spend loads of time telling my customers they should read their manual then never bother to do the same myself...off for a read .....

Hiya Lynne, like your picture for evolution, I thought you had been to the beech with those backgrounds! Quite nice. I was thinking of doing something similare using my old canon fd mount cameras, but not got around to do ding it. With regards to the focus, I am not familiar with the Nikon system. But I always use centre point focus and select a suitable aperture and let dof take its cause. I see from your exif on flickr you used f9. Nikon on your camera looks just a little oof, but that could be my eyes this morning! So maybe something like f11, or you could try focusing a little further up the lens towards the body and see where your in focus bits start from. I sometimes use that technique when getting pictures of flowers. I hope it makes sense

Thanks Michael , will try your suggestion & see how I go

Its not a focus problem... or shouldn't be
If you focus on one or the other or better, between then put a higher f# on the aperture (you may need a tripod) it should bring them both in sharper.

Otherwise, pick one and lower the f# to blur off nicely.


Great take on the evolution !

Thanks Vince...appreciate the comments re f stops...another thing to try out...I will get the hand of this photography lark someday...soon...possibly

 

[SamuelSlade007]

Cheers Kev...you guys never cease to surprise me...I post what I think is a very average/pants shot & get great feedback

mmm...i'm usually quite brash and to the point.... must have been having another off day.... i'll try harder next time

Thanks for the link to the instruction manaul...spend loads of time telling my customers they should read their manual then never bother to do the same myself...off for a read .....

you're welcome lynne... i'd ratehr have a manual i can click search on to be honest...

 

[PatrickO]

Hi Lynne, not sure if you've sorted your focus issues, but here's my tuppence worth.

I used to have a D90 and I'm pretty sure it defaults to "area mode" focussing, i.e. the camera picks what the focus point will be, which is ok for general snaps but pants for real photography. You need to set the camera to single-point focussing. On the D90 you go into the menus to set that (I think it's called AF area mode or something).

Then you can pick your focus point from one of 11 using the little rocker thingy on the back of the camera. As long as your aperture is small enough you'll easily get the two bits of writing you mentioned in focus together.

Hope that makes sense and that I' not offending by teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.

Also great pics for wind and evolution.

 

[Mentalblock]

! I have tried the multipoint setting but thought it was only for moving objects :bonk:

I think it does work in continuous focus mode too for moving objects.
Either way, it will show in the view finder which points have focused on something. There is a setting too for you to select which point you want the camera to use for single point focus.

 

[blondie606]

Hi Lynne, not sure if you've sorted your focus issues, but here's my tuppence worth.

I used to have a D90 and I'm pretty sure it defaults to "area mode" focussing, i.e. the camera picks what the focus point will be, which is ok for general snaps but pants for real photography. You need to set the camera to single-point focussing. On the D90 you go into the menus to set that (I think it's called AF area mode or something).

Then you can pick your focus point from one of 11 using the little rocker thingy on the back of the camera. As long as your aperture is small enough you'll easily get the two bits of writing you mentioned in focus together.

Hope that makes sense and that I' not offending by teaching my grandmother to suck eggs.

Also great pics for wind and evolution.

Cheers Patrick....I'm still searching the controls for different settings...can't find the 11 you mention but then I'm not the brightest match in the box

I think it does work in continuous focus mode too for moving objects.
Either way, it will show in the view finder which points have focused on something. There is a setting too for you to select which point you want the camera to use for single point focus.

Cheers...still trying

 

[blondie606]

Record....luckily I still have my tower system complete with record deck !
Rooted around in the understairs cupboard & pulled out a vinyl album....heaven knows where it came from cos I sure as hell don't recall ever buying it

Got a thing about the macro lens at the mo & decided to venture in to the unknown...Manual focus After much shuffling & jiggling & humming & haaaing I fnally managed to get something near what I had in my mind .Not perfect by a long way but I'm quite pleased . I like the reflection , miffed that I couldn't get the "S" in on stereo but to do that meant getting the edge of the turntable in which had horrid glare on it :bang:


Record 1 by llj666, on Flickr

My 1st attempt had the record playing but was blurred....took a while but figured out that the very slow shutter speed & slightly warped LP were to blame

 

[Mentalblock]

There is another record shot that I thought of doing

I like the reflection.
The 's' is an issue, but only a minor one.

Over all, I like it.

 

[LauraJ23]

Hiya Lynne, like your record shot. The reflection is a nice addition to the photo. I wouldn't bother about the s, it took me a few looks to find it

 

[Webby962]

Lynne,
The main Evolution shot has been covered by everyone else. Smaller aperture (F11) and a tripod should bring it in focus and sharp. The other two shots just don't work, sorry.

Record is a suburb shot. I love the splash of colour the needle housing gives. If you get a chance to reshoot, this could be a good contender. Try moving to the right slightly, and have the arm coming in from the top right, so the needle is nearer the bottom left, just to fill that corner, and add a nice lead-in diagonal.

Well done.

 

[TinaC]

Lynne,
The main Evolution shot has been covered by everyone else. Smaller aperture (F11) and a tripod should bring it in focus and sharp. The other two shots just don't work, sorry.

Record is a suburb shot. I love the splash of colour the needle housing gives. If you get a chance to reshoot, this could be a good contender. Try moving to the right slightly, and have the arm coming in from the top right, so the needle is nearer the bottom left, just to fill that corner, and add a nice lead-in diagonal.

Well done.

[s1]^^^^^^
as 'e sed[/s1]

 

[^Joe]

I really like this shot, I shamefully did notice the S, but it's a good shot.

 

[kennysarmy]

HAHA - why did nt you just turn the record to get the word STEREO in?

yes i agree nice reflections - and focus

shame the record was warped I reckon it would have looked good on a long shutter speed

 

[posiview]

Hi, there.

Evolution, Box Brownie...nice. It's just a really pleasant and nostalgic camera.

It's a good idea, I'd like to see it a bit closer and maybe slightly in front of the Brownie.

I like the BG and low perspective.

#2, nice cameras but the BG....sorry....

Record, really nice colour on the needle thingy...nice reflection. 'S', something I'd do...

Cheers.

 

[Barrysprout]

Great record shot Lynne. I wouldn't have noticed the missing "s" without being really picky because the stylus, housing and reflection are what stand out immediately. Very well lt on a difficult surface.