Chillimonster's '365'

wow great shots, i love this last one!

Thanks Lisa :)

I'm trying to concentrate a lot more on Post-Processing to get the best out of my shots and not rely on the camera. In fact i'm even using P&S cameras for some of my shots now (sssshhhhh dont tell anyone though :lol:)
 
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The Before picture - doesnt work too well in colour, so needed a tweak.

I usually start off with cropping and then get the general exposure somewhere near what i want and then convert to greyscale.

From there i tweak the exposure using a combonation of Brightness / Contrast and Black Levels until i'm happy.

From there i adjust the Greyscale slider depending on the final effect i am after. The nice feature i have found in Lightroom is the ability to 'drag' on the picture and it will adjust the relevant greyscale sliders for you :)

Last on the list is a post crop Vignette to give the picture some focus.

All the above makes it sound like i know what i'm doing, but in reality i fiddle till i like it :lol:

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"Poncho Girl!"

By the time i got aroung to thinking of taking todays picture i was running out of time, so when i found Caitlin she was sat on her bed watching Doctor Who (The Runaway Bride), so this is nothing more than a grab shot, processed into B&W for no other reason than i'm liking B&W more and more :)

Today's shot will be the first of a week of 50D / Sigma 30mm 1.4 shots. I'm doing this to try and make me concentrate on the pictures rather than the equipment (the Nikon will stay in the cupboard for the week ;) )

Like most people, from time to time, i get caught up in the whole 'equipment' thing and forget about the pictures, so have decided to make a concerted effort to rectify that.
 
A 30mm 1.4 isn't exactly a terrible lens!!!

Sub-consciously I have followed your conversion technique, works well! :thumbs:

Thanks JD :thumbs:

As for the 30mm 1.4 - its a fantastic lens, and love it just as much as the Nikon 50m m1.4 - its that good!

What i was trying to get at with my inane ramblings is that by forcing myself to concentrate on the use of just one body and one lens (in this case the 50D and the Sigma 30mm) i am hoping that i'll improve my photography rather than 'faffing' around worring if i have the right lens etc :lol:

The aim of the excercise is also to see where (if any) my photographic stength lies and try and give myself direction :lol:
 
Ah, I see. I did that with the 50mm week. And hated it, definitely not a landscape lens. :)

I think I have found the perfect lens for me though, the Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 has blew my mind. :eek::eek:

Exactly the point i'm trying to make with myself :) You found your favourite lens and subject and you'll find you push more in that direction. I need to do the same. In fact over the last couple of weeks i've picked up the 50D more than the Nikon :shrug: :eek:
 
Exactly the point i'm trying to make with myself :) You found your favourite lens and subject and you'll find you push more in that direction. I need to do the same. In fact over the last couple of weeks i've picked up the 50D more than the Nikon :shrug: :eek:

Now your just being silly, have you taken your medication this morning?? It's probably because a d3 is huge in comparison. I find myself lifting the d40 now and then.
 
Now your just being silly, have you taken your medication this morning?? It's probably because a d3 is huge in comparison. I find myself lifting the d40 now and then.

It's horses for courses - if i'm off to a swimming meet then the D3 goes with me obviously. If i'm pottering around then the 50D is in the bag. Its quick - light and produces some stunning images in the right conditions (plus my brother doesn't need it back yet ;) )
 
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"What a Gem!"
Rebecca finally got around to opening one of her Christmas Presents (A 'Gem Dig') where the aim is to mine some gems from a piece of 'rock'. The look of concentration on her face was a picture (excuse the pun!)
 
Just catching up Chris. Great shots recently. I like the processing ones, and the water drop 'Terminator 2', but my favourite is day 165. I can't say why I like it, it just has a certain something about it. :thumbs:
 
Thanks Dave, its one of my recent favourites too. It just has that certain 'something' about it as you say.
 
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"Breakfast In Bed!"

As it's Fathers Day today, the kids did me a bacon butty (two actually) and a cup of tea, while i sat in bed and watched TV for a while - Luxury!!
 
Thanks JD :)

Lie ins - what are those.

Rebecca was up at 7am on her laptop chatting to her friends on MSN, and one think Rebecca does not know how to do is be quiet!! :lol:
 
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"What Does This Button Do!?!"

Finally got round to upgrading Rebecca's iPhone to OS3 today. She's more than likely going to spend the rest of the night 'tinkering'!
 
Quick catchup.
Is there an 'in' gadget you kids don't have? :D
Can't wait for my Orange contract to finish and get me an iPhone 3Gs.
 
Quick catchup.
Is there an 'in' gadget you kids don't have? :D
Can't wait for my Orange contract to finish and get me an iPhone 3Gs.


They take advantage of the fact that i'm a bit of a gadget freak (or is it the other way around and i use them as an excuse to buy stuff :suspect: :lol:)
 
Todays will end up being a 'snap' and will be posted possibly tomorrow as i've just got back from the docs and have a belting chest infection affecting both lungs and its giving me major grief. Double dosing antibiotics to try and get it under control and feel like crap.

On the positive side i've lost 3/4 stone in just over 2 days :D
 
I lost 2 stone in 10 days due to illness once, my mother wanted to bottle it and sell it :lol:
Hope the AB's kick in quickly for you though mate, chest infections can be bloody painful!
 
Hope the AB's kick in quickly for you though mate, chest infections can be bloody painful!


Thanks :) Doc said i should start feeling better in two or three days, but i feel much worse this morning from all the coughing - My chest and stomach are really aching :(
 
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