jeangenie's 52 for 2009 - Week 26 Night

[Duckydoodle]

Don't know how I've missed commenting on your 52. Love the reflection shot. He is a very cute ickle doggy and his alternative portrait is very good. Nice interpretation of history. Like the idea you had for this weeks shot which fits the theme perfectly. Great start. Keep it up and looking forward to this weeks shot.

 

[jgs001]

Well done Jean, that was a tough one to shoot. As for moving the beds to use the tripod . It's a good take on learning and shows a personal side to it

 

[corky]

I can't get over how clean & tidy your workspace is......mines an absolute tip!

 

[staffitaxi]

I love your write up on what you've learned and I too dislike using tripods. Actually its not so much dislike as can't be bothered.

Shorthand is always something I felt I should have learned to do but never got round to. I'm hopeless at taking minutes!!

 

[kelack]

I love your write up on what you've learned and I too dislike using tripods. Actually its not so much dislike as can't be bothered.

Shorthand is always something I felt I should have learned to do but never got round to. I'm hopeless at taking minutes!!

I was just thinking the same thing. And still giggling about how to get dog food off a mirror

 

[SimonTALM]

Jean, I really like the way you are sharing your learning with the rest of us both in the image and with the way you put the things you've learned during the week down. I for one am learning so much by just looking at everyone's approach and I learn so much more from the ones (like you) who put down what they've learned (I like learning from others ).

One thing I've learned is that sometimes for the perfect photo you have to be prepared for sacrifice (e.g. moving stuff, getting dirty, using tripods - they are a PITA but very handy).

To help balancing the lighting have you considered combining two photos with different exposures together? It should be reasonably easy especially as you are using a tripod.

 

[jeangenie]

looking forward to this weeks shot.

Thank you kindly Duckydoodle. I'm getting desperate for this week's theme. I've got a couple of ideas but need to think about how to achieve them.

Well done Jean, that was a tough one to shoot. As for moving the beds to use the tripod . It's a good take on learning and shows a personal side to it

Thanks John, Comments much appreciated.

I can't get over how clean & tidy your workspace is......mines an absolute tip!

Ha, Ha. Glad you noticed, Corky. Two days spent clearing junk, dusting and tidying up would have gone to waste if nobody had noticed.

Shorthand is always something I felt I should have learned to do but never got round to. I'm hopeless at taking minutes!!

Thanks for your comments. It's very easy to learn the Teeline alphabet (it's based on normal letters) and even that much would give you a head start with quick notes like taking minutes. Yet another project in your busy life???

I was just thinking the same thing. And still giggling about how to get dog food off a mirror

A well-known washing up liquid and hot water worked in the end. Yet another life skill, eh!

Jean, I really like the way you are sharing your learning with the rest of us both in the image and with the way you put the things you've learned during the week down. I for one am learning so much by just looking at everyone's approach and I learn so much more from the ones (like you) who put down what they've learned (I like learning from others ).

One thing I've learned is that sometimes for the perfect photo you have to be prepared for sacrifice (e.g. moving stuff, getting dirty, using tripods - they are a PITA but very handy).

To help balancing the lighting have you considered combining two photos with different exposures together? It should be reasonably easy especially as you are using a tripod.

Thank you very much Simon for your encouragement. It means a lot. This project is beginning to feel like a rather personal journey, so I hope it doesn't get boring. Agree on the sacrifice - I walked into a river once!

On your helpful comment about combining two photos with different exposures - I'm sure you've hit the nail on the head. My ps skills aren't up to doing that - so that is something to go on my 'must learn' list. This is one of the things I love about this challenge - it highlights things I need to learn to get the results I want. Many thanks.

Jean

 

[adrury]

Great photos Jean, not that I know anything about anything, but my favourite picture is the history picture, I am also loving your essays.

 

[EdBray]

good effort again Jean, keep it up!

 

[jeangenie]

Thank you Angela - and welcome to TP

Thank you Ed - much appreciated.

This week I need all the encouragement on offer, folks.

Jean

 

[jeangenie]

Week 4: Surprise

This has been the hardest - so far. I had no inspiration at all. Zilch, zero, nowt.

My instinct was to take a face showing genuine surprise. By definition that's not something you can have endless goes at. Then I went round a long loop about what 'surprise' means to different people and came up no concrete answer. Ok, so what surprises me, was my next approach. Well, not much, tbh. I'm pretty laid back and not scared of spiders, snakes or blood. And, the fatal flaw was: If I organised the photo how was it going to surprise me? Doh!

So, I've set out my pile of excuses. It's Friday and time to panic. I recalled my last really big (and very, very, very nice) surprise.

Christmas Day, we'd just got back from a family walk in the Forest and the family sat me down gently in a chair. I was worried - they usually want drinks/food/something after a walk. They all gathered round and handed me a parcel. And stood and watched. I opened it to find a 105mm 2.8 nestled in its gold box. WOW. EXACTLY what I wanted most in the whole world -


apart from a D700, that is.


Before I could say anything, another, larger parcel appeared. Mystified, I opened it and ....... surprise

... well, what would you have said? I was totally speechless, gobsmacked and close to tears. The whole family had kept this from me for weeks. The grin is still plastered to my face. Mr JG had listened to my verbal daydreams.

Clearly, I did not take this photo. Sorry, I've cheated. :shake: My son, Ian (irw1) caught the moment when his mother had nothing to say! As he says, it was a quick 'grab' shot amid chaos!




So here is my view of one of the biggest suprises of my life. Couldn't show the lens, because I was using it.

What I have learned this week:

1 When inspiration and ideas aren't there, you have to just keep on at it. Work at an idea and if that doen't lead you anywhere move on, and on and on until you do come up with something.

2 What you come up with might not be ideal. You just have to get on with it.

3 Try to learn from previous mistakes. This week I stuck to natural light and the hated tripod, but started much earlier in the day. Good job I did, because the shot took ages.

4 Natural light is a [PLEASE DON'T TRY TO BYPASS THE SWEAR FILTER]! It gets all over the place. There were enough blown highlights for a nuclear explosion.

5 All inanimate objects have an ability to be, well, like natural light (see #4 above)

6 Dogs don't help, and leave wet nose marks on everything they sniff. If you want to keep the door to the room closed one will want to go in, one will want to go out. Then they want to swap over. :bang:

7 Then it's lunch time and everybody wants feeding.

8 Controlling dof with the macro lens is interesting. I wanted the D and the 7 in focus, and I wanted the N of 'Nikon' on the front of the camera legible, but not sharp. It took dozens of shots to get what I wanted.

9 Patience is vital (see #4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 above).

10 Swapping from one camera to another is hard. Everything has to be thought about, rather than instinctive. (I used the S3Pro for the first time in a month).

11 I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed for something easier for Week 5.

Thanks for staying with me though this. If you've had the same problems, I hope it helps to know you're not alone.

C & C most welcome - my pic and Ian's!

Jean

 

[jgs001]

Nicely done Jean. That's a real good shot, and love the lessons learned... Oh boy I can relate to some of those

 

[adrury]

Nice shot of your camera Jean, and a nice idea.

I can certainly relate to your lessons learned, especially number six

 

[dogyakker]

I like the pic of the camera, the DOF works really well, but.... you cheated on the assignment! ;-) He says safe in the knowledge that I can put up anything I like for my week as I am not playing the assignment game with my 52!

That said - still panicing not taken much this week, still tomorrow to go though...

 

[SimonTALM]

Jean, I want your family

I really like the D700 shot, macro is always hard to shoot when it comes to DoF, especially on longer macros (like the 105mm). I shot my Learning one and even with f6.1 it gave less than a cm of DoF. and a small movement makes a big difference. You've done well, especially relearning a new camera.

 

[jeangenie]

Nicely done Jean. That's a real good shot, and love the lessons learned... Oh boy I can relate to some of those

Thank you, John. It's nice to know I'm not the only one with uncontrollable objects and light.

I can certainly relate to your lessons learned, especially number six

... but you wouldn't be without them (the dog/s) - would you??

.. you cheated on the assignment! ;-) He says safe in the knowledge that I can put up anything I like for my week as I am not playing the assignment game with my 52!

That said - still panicing not taken much this week, still tomorrow to go though...

I know I cheated, but rules are made for breaking - and at least I made a full and public confession of my transgression. So, how many Hail Marys is that? Seriously, I think it actually helps having a theme 'imposed' because you only have to get uninspired by one thing, not the whole world. And who knows, next week's might be 'easy'

Jean, I want your family

I really like the D700 shot, macro is always hard to shoot when it comes to DoF, especially on longer macros (like the 105mm). I shot my Learning one and even with f6.1 it gave less than a cm of DoF. and a small movement makes a big difference. You've done well, especially relearning a new camera.

Thank you Simon. My family's great, I'm very, very lucky. You can share them with me if your other half will show me how she does her nails!

I'm loving the macro lens and finding all sorts of uses for it. It's changed my perspective of the world. Less than a cm at f6.1 doesn't sound much. What lens were you using?

Jean

 

[SimonTALM]

Thank you Simon. My family's great, I'm very, very lucky. You can share them with me if your other half will show me how she does her nails!

I'm loving the macro lens and finding all sorts of uses for it. It's changed my perspective of the world. Less than a cm at f6.1 doesn't sound much. What lens were you using?

Jean

I'll see what I can do

I was using the Nikkor 105mm VR, a lens I have and love but completely under use.

 

[Dark Star]

Both nice shots and good to put a face to the name Jean

The surprise shot is very apt and well taken (even if it is a Nikon )

A genuine surprise rather than a staged one

Well done and as ever your lessons make great reading

 

[Daysleeper40]

ooooh you lucky person you!!!

methinks I'll be showing this thread to my family later - maybe they will take the hint

I really like the D700 shot - lovely DOF and I like the colours

 

[jeangenie]

I was using the Nikkor 105mm VR, a lens I have and love but completely under use.

It's my absolutely favourite lens at the moment - get yours out and have fun with it. What about using it for Week 5? I bet you say 'it depends what the theme is'

good to put a face to the name Jean

The surprise shot is very apt and well taken (even if it is a Nikon )

Thank you, John - you're very kind.
I only ever get caught in front of the camera in extreme circumstances.
Yep, I've finally stepped right into the Nikon camp. It's great here.

ooooh you lucky person you!!!

methinks I'll be showing this thread to my family later - maybe they will take the hint

I really like the D700 shot - lovely DOF and I like the colours

Thank you kindly, Daysleeper - much appreciated. I hope your family takes the hint!

Jean

 

[Spartacus]

Oh I how I've felt your pain this week...

It crazy that something I choose to do from free will is giving me so much stress...

The pictures are good but the essay is better...thanks for making me laugh..and remember your not alone...

Lets hope for a better subject next week ..please...

 

[Hyster]

Nice shot Jean, works well and a great story, I would have been blown away if someone had bought me that, your a lucky lady.

Gary

 

[jeangenie]

Oh I how I've felt your pain this week...

It crazy that something I choose to do from free will is giving me so much stress...


Lets hope for a better subject next week ..please...

It's nice to know I'm not alone out there in the non-inspired wilderness. Incredibly, I really am enjoying the '52' Glad I gave you a chuckle.

...and - celebrate - our prayers are answered - Week 5: Opposites.

Nice shot Jean, works well and a great story, I would have been blown away if someone had bought me that, your a lucky lady.

Gary

Thanks you Hyster for your kind comments. I think I'm a lucky lady, too. It's not often I'm speechless, but I was when I opened that box.

Jean

 

[Graulges]

How nice!! lovely camera -lovely shot. I haven't tried macro yet but I'm sure the new lens with give you hours of pleasure and enjoyable frustration.

 

[John Lindsay]

All looking really good so far Jean.

I quite fancy a Macro lens, I think it's the only thing I don't have that I often think... Wish I had one. But then I also want an 85L 1.2 however....

I think the only thing I might change is the one of the tree, it's a wonderful story on the stone, I might bring the stone down into bottom left of shot, shoot up at it from a lower viewpoint and wider angle to get more of the tree in behind. Just a thought for if you're ever back there.

Keep up the good work!


John

 

[jeangenie]

I'm sure the new lens with give you hours of pleasure and enjoyable frustration.

Thank you for your kind comment Graulges. I think you've hit the nail fairly and squarely on the head - enjoyable frustration.

I quite fancy a Macro lens, I think it's the only thing I don't have that I often think... Wish I had one. But then I also want an 85L 1.2 however....

I think the only thing I might change is the one of the tree, it's a wonderful story on the stone, I might bring the stone down into bottom left of shot, shoot up at it from a lower viewpoint and wider angle to get more of the tree in behind. Just a thought for if you're ever back there.

Keep up the good work!


John

I've wanted a macros lens for ages and it's totally living up to the expectations I had of it. The expectations I have of me - well - that's another matter.

Thanks for your kind comments and suggestions for the History shot. Shooting at the angle you suggest would, I am sure, make a much better shot. And it would mean early or late in the day which might give better light. Food for thought - many thanks.

Jean

 

[seriousrikk]

That shot is, quite frankly, the best 'quick grab shot' I've seen.
And had I been that lucky I would also have been that speechless. You have a fine family!

 

[staffitaxi]

That really must have been a wonderful surprise. Great to be able to put a face to the name as well.

 

[jeangenie]

That shot is, quite frankly, the best 'quick grab shot' I've seen.

Thank you, Richard. I've passed your kind comment on to the man behind the camera. He really appreciated it.

That really must have been a wonderful surprise. Great to be able to put a face to the name as well.

I very rarely post photos of people, let alone me, so tbh, I was a bit nervous of posting that one. Your comments are much appreciated.

Jean

 

[davekiddle]

Hi Jean, just catching up - love the surprise shots. My dream camera too!

I'm in Hedge End by the way, but I work in New Milton so I drive through the New Forest everyday

 

[Bruja]

What a fantastic Surprise, and nice to put a face to the name too

I think your own shot works really well and the first picture and narrative help us to understand why you chose that as your shot. I love the depth of field and can relate to your learning point too.

 

[jeangenie]

My dream camera too!

I'm in Hedge End by the way, but I work in New Milton so I drive through the New Forest everyday

the D700 is totally fantastic. I just want to do it justice and I'm a long way from that.

I'll wave as you pass by, then. I sometimes shop in Hedge End.

What a fantastic Surprise, and nice to put a face to the name too

I think your own shot works really well and the first picture and narrative help us to understand why you chose that as your shot. I love the depth of field and can relate to your learning point too.

Thank you kindly, Jill. Your comments are much appreciated.



Jean

 

[Bruja]

You're welcome. And I have just, after 3 hours, caught up with all the 52s Now I've just got to sort my shot out for this week

 

[Duckydoodle]

Like the surprise shot. Good dof and colour
Following these 52s is so interesting and I wait with eager anticipation for everyones interpretation of the weeks challenge. The narrative leading up to the shots set the scene perfectly. The look on your face is wonderful and I can only imagine how you felt
Nice to meet you BTW

 

[jeangenie]

Hi Everyone

How many of us breathed a sigh of relief when 'Opposites' came out of the hat???? Great, loads of things to choose from - almost anything you can think of will have an opposite. I (very) briefly thought about 'truth/lies' and various other abstract concepts. But Mr JG - not for the first time - came up with the idea : 'Chalk and Cheese'. That's soooooo easy - isn't it? :shrug:




I'm trying very hard to stick to everyday props and natural lighting, so I decided on a simple little shot of a lump of cheese and a few sticks of chalk. I'd found a really nice grainy piece of stilton in the supermarket - loads of texture and colour, perfect. It's a long time since I used chalk in anger so got coloured and white, just to be sure.

After all the trouble I had with lighting the last 2 weeks, I started earlier in the day. I employed a new product table - a bedside cabinet instead of the grandchildren's toy box. This took me closer to the light, and yesterday was quite bright but not too sunny.

Well, for 'simple' read 'very boring indeed'. So I added - a wooden cheeseboard, more cheese, grapes, a knife. I wanted to get part of the chalk and part of the Stilton in sharp focus, using the 105mm macro. Last week's shot presented no dof problems, but Simon - I felt your pain from the Learning shot. No matter what I did, I just couldn't get that particular area in sharp focus. After millions (well about 180) attempts and in rapidly failing light I gave up and wacked the 28-105 on.

So this is a very large crop with more adjustments in ps than I would have liked, and isn't the creative shot I 'saw' in my head.


What I've learned this week:

1 It might look easy, but it probably isn't, Don't be fooled.

2 Anti-dust chalk is a total misnomer. I did know this from teaching in the era of chalkboards, but had forgotten. Chalk gets everywhere - on your hands, on your product table, on your camera, on the edible bits.

3 Don't fall in love with a lump of Stilton. It looks fabulous in the back of the camera but not on the screen. :bonk:

4 Chalk doesn't stack up easily but does break easily.

5 Grapes roll all over the place.

6 Don't eat your props - it was soooo tempting to nibble at the cheese.

7 Don't leave the dogs in the same room unsupervised. They will have even less respect for your props than you have.

8 Complacency is a short-lived respite from reality. I need much, much more practice with dof on the 105mm lens.

9 Perhaps, just perhaps, the tripod could become a friend.

10 I'm starting to like natural light, despite its tendency to disappear at the wrong moment.

Thank you for staying with me through my agonising.

Jean


What? No knife in the picture?? Don't ask.

 

[ScotlandTheScare]

This is great fun - I love the colours, the contrast and the theme. I think the composition works well too - there are so many variables so it must have taken ages to faff with!

Only one negative comment - I'm not sure whether I'd call babybell cheese... it tastes and feels more like rubber to me

 

[jeangenie]

Only one negative comment - I'm not sure whether I'd call babybell cheese... it tastes and feels more like rubber to me

Thank you for your lovely comments. I was hoping it would bring a smile to people's faces.

You're not wrong about the babybel - even the dogs turned their noses up at it.

Jean

 

[Dark Star]

Great idea and well executed Jean - colours are super! And I'm salivating that blue cheese looks gorgeous

And your lessons are a joy to read as usual!

"It might look easy, but it probably isn't, Don't be fooled." So true

I have mine shot but its a bit odd - so I'm pondering

 

[maddog.mark]

Very good Jean. I hadn't even considered chalk and cheese as an idea. Well executed shot too.

 

[plumbjob]

Good picture, and I like stilton