jeangenie's 52 for 2009 - Week 26 Night

Great idea, you have hit the spot this week Jean.

I like how its composed, off centre, even the backdrop is interesting.

My first thought would have been to have sent the background completely black but this works very well.

You had a fantastic subject to work with, it looks amazing.

Nice one Jean.
 
Last edited:
Agree with Simon, a good interpretation and a number of lessons I think we can all recognise.
 
Great shot jean - nice piece of sculpture too and well shot!

And as for the words this one is my fave lesson:

9 Don't try stupid ideas when you're tired - it just makes you do stupid things even more stupidly.

How well do I know that :D
 
Now there you go....what a fantastic effort from you this week...:clap::clap::clap:

What a great shot and trust me it was worth all the trouble you went too...:woot:

Love both the story and shot....:love:

Your back on form young lady...:thumbs:
 
I think this is the best of this weeks crop!! :clap: :clap:
 
Daysleeper40 said:
I think you have done very well with the lighting here and that has helped bring out the textures. Nice interpretation of the theme too
Click to expand...

Thanks DS - the lighting was very much more luck than management - just a combination of the house lights.

Hyster said:
Great idea, you have hit the spot this week Jean.

I like how its composed, off centre, even the backdrop is interesting.

My first thought would have been to have sent the background completely black but this works very well.

You had a fantastic subject to work with, it looks amazing.

Nice one Jean.
Click to expand...

Thanks Hyster. The composition was a consious decision after some trial and error, especially error, and I originally wanted to have a completely black bg - but had to compromise. I love the carving as a piece of art work, so I'm pleased other people like it too. :)

SimonTALM said:
Dark - fab shot, I think your pain this week was worth it I think B&W was made for shots like this (green backdrops and black statues )
Click to expand...


maddog.mark said:
Agree with Simon, a good interpretation and a number of lessons I think we can all recognise.
Click to expand...

Thanks Simon and Mark. I've only got a few bruises to show for it. :lol:

Dark Star said:
Great shot jean - nice piece of sculpture too and well shot!

And as for the words this one is my fave lesson:

9 Don't try stupid ideas when you're tired - it just makes you do stupid things even more stupidly.

How well do I know that
Click to expand...

Thanks very much, John. I did this one on the spur of the moment late at night and my tired brain was struggling with setup, lighting etc, even more than usual.

Spartacus said:
Now there you go....what a fantastic effort from you this week...

What a great shot and trust me it was worth all the trouble you went too...:woot:

Love both the story and shot....:love:

Your back on form young lady...:thumbs:
Click to expand...

Thanks Spartacus - you're very kind, as always. I'm really glad you like it. :)

corky said:
I think this is the best of this weeks crop!!
Click to expand...


Thank you Corky. I'm thrilled it's been so well received. :)

Jean
 
What a fantastic shot Jean :clap::clap::clap:, well worth all the effort you put into it (and between us we both know how far we go for our 'art' :lol:)

Speaking of Heath Robinson and sheds I sent my OH into the shed (ahem, workshop, he says) to make me a folding contraption that I can hang backdrops from. It's a metre by a metre but folds flat. Perhaps if you threaten more late night rambles he'll make you one. Its how I shot my Dark picture this week and Reg got the chocolate as a reward :D

As always I love your lessons, and I've got a 9b: don't try stupid ideas when you've had a sudden brainwave after a glass or two of the 'water of life' :eek:
 
Bruja said:
Speaking of Heath Robinson and sheds I sent my OH into the shed (ahem, workshop, he says) to make me a folding contraption that I can hang backdrops from. It's a metre by a metre but folds flat. Perhaps if you threaten more late night rambles he'll make you one. Its how I shot my Dark picture this week and Reg got the chocolate as a reward :D

As always I love your lessons, and I've got a 9b: don't try stupid ideas when you've had a sudden brainwave after a glass or two of the 'water of life' :eek:
Click to expand...

Thank you for your kind words, Jill. :)

Mr JG does woodturning in his shed/workshop/studio (polite cough here :D) but I reckon he could easily 'turn' his hand to a portable backdrop - thanks very much for the idea. Mmmmm - must think of suitable bribe! :naughty:

I love your 9b and totally relate to it. I've been there a good few times. :lol:

Jean
 
i really think you have pulled this shot off, very much composed as a shot in a high end auction catalog :) The lighting and B&W definitally work for me :)
 
Week 18 Simple

I really thought I wasn't going to make it this week! And such a Simple topic, I Simply couldn't fail on this one, could I. Simply unthinkable. :bonk:

I had quite a few ideas - all of them borrrrrring (yawn .....). I got as far as trying one idea out - an epic struggle - and then found an almost identical, but superb, shot had been posted elsewhere on the forums fairly recently. Grrrr ...

Back to the drawing board, only by then I was devoid of ideas and time. Simple?? Bah, humbug. :bang:

Anyway, today Mr JG and I had to make a trip to a village close to where we lived over 30 years ago. We'd never been back there since leaving, so we went to have a look at 'our' village. We only lived there for 2 years, but as we wandered round the memories came flooding back. We took a few photos of the house we'd lived in when one of our sons was born, and tried not to look like we were casing the joint. :lol:

We remembered how broke we were at that time, but how much fun we'd had and how even the 'hardships' had gained a rosy glow with the passing of so many years.

So my picture this week is 'A Simple Trip Down Memory Lane'


DSC_4057Wk18B_WLR.jpg


As far as the photo goes, it was a quick shot on (hanging head in shame) programme mode, taken with the intention of showing the kids the road we used to live in, and it wasn't until we were 20 miles or so back down the M1 that I thought of using it for Simple. If I had, I'd have put more thought into it, and hopefully got a better result. :bonk:

Lessons learned

1 Photographically - nothing at all - it's just a quick snap. Not what I intended for the 52. :rules:

2 When you become really desperate you'll run with any idea at all.

3 Don't leave the shot till Sunday - it's too late. :bang: When, if ever, will I learn this. :amstupid:

4 Don't ever, under any circumstances, take 'quick snaps' - you'll always regret you didn't make more effort. :annoyed: I am really, really annoyed with myself this week.

Thanks for looking. :)

Jean
 
Don't be so hard on yourself Jean, there's a lot to like in the image, its well composed, you've handled the b&w conversion well and there is even a bit of drama in the sky.
 
he He He there you go...you got something in the end...:lol:

Got to say the one thing that gives it something is the B&W treatment...

and can't argue it's simple...:thumbs:

Don't you think this 52s is getting sooooo much harder trying to better your last shot, you end up not doing things you could use by thinking of even better things that turn out to be a nightmare to achieve...:bang:
 
Well, it might only be a snap Jean, but it looks pretty good to me, nicely composed and the mono has worked really well with it. :thumbs:
 
Thank you kindly, Hyster, Marcus and John.
:)

Spartacus said:
Don't you think this 52s is getting sooooo much harder trying to better your last shot, you end up not doing things you could use by thinking of even better things that turn out to be a nightmare to achieve...:bang:
Click to expand...

Yep, totally agree Marcus - that and not having any workable ideas at all. :eek: I shall spend this week looking at everything to try and identify Linear qualities/potential. Sad, eh :(

Jean
 
i ahve to agree with the others, for a quick snap it looks good to me. My only suggestion is it looks a tad over exposed in places, but i am sure this could be resolved in PP :)
 
For a quick snap I think you have done very well with the composition - the road is a nice leading line. Agree it's a bit over-exposed but B&W conversions are very difficult to get spot on IMO! :thumbs:
 
I actually like this, so don't be hard on yourself, and I like the B+W treatment, with the white being more prominant, aces :thumbs:
 
Well Jean, if you can do this with a quick snap you don't have a lot to worry about. Yes, it seems a little over exposed but that''s just a slight niggle. But the story behind it makes the shot for me. :clap::clap:

I also agree with the comments about it getting harder each week as we want to better our last shot :( and that's not always possible as we end up taking pictures of things that we wouldn't normally choose to photograph :shake: and therein lies the challenge.

I too will be walking around with the theme in the back of my mind (yet again :cuckoo:) but if nothing else it's making me more observant of my surroundings :D

I also sometimes feel I don't know how long I can keep going with this and then I think that I won't know what to do with myself when the challenge ends :cuckoo:
 
Well done for hanging on in Jean. I have resigned myself to a few weeks where the inspiration and motivation are lacking, in these weeks getting the shot is all important. You've managed to get an interesting shot, I like the inclusion of the speed limits and the dog walker as it gives some additional interest.
Onwards all, week 19 will soon be half way through... not even begun to think about it yet!
 
Many thanks everybody. Your encouragement has cheered me up. :)

As the weeks go by, I'm more and more in awe of those 365-ers. Not only do they post a shot every day, the quality and variety is formidable. Stars - every one of you. :clap::clap:

Jill - I know exactly what you mean about what do you do when the challenge ends. I think I'll be looking for another challenge of some sort - but I'd better just get through this one first. :D

Jean
 
Ahh catch up time - tonight is dedicated to the 52s :)

Jean don't beat yourself up - this shot is full of interest for me - the lines and curves - the roadsign - the central interest :)

Not a snap to me!!! A valid entry into this weeks theme

And, as ever, good reading :)
 
Thanks John.

I suppose uppermost in my mind was 'Oh, I'll just get a quick view down the road with Mr JG, dogs and car in shot as a sort of we were here! record.' It was incredibly bright and I didn't think about exposure at all. :bonk:

We lived in a house just to the left of the picture!

Jean
 
Daysleeper40 said:
For a quick snap I think you have done very well with the composition - the road is a nice leading line. Agree it's a bit over-exposed but B&W conversions are very difficult to get spot on IMO! :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Totally agree with these comments. well done for getting it in on time, something I am expecting to fail at in the next few weeks, as my exam draws ever nearer.

well done :clap: :clap:
 
Dark Star said:
Ahh catch up time - tonight is dedicated to the 52s :)

Jean don't beat yourself up - this shot is full of interest for me - the lines and curves - the roadsign - the central interest :)

Not a snap to me!!! A valid entry into this weeks theme

And, as ever, good reading :)
Click to expand...

I have to agree with everything said above. We all find it difficult at times to "come up to the mark" and I guess thats where the support of other 52ers kicks in and keeps us going

Jon
 
Thanks Angela and Shorty - as I said ealier the encouragement I've had from everybody is something special and I really do appreciate it. :love::love:

Angela - tbh, I know when I was studying and had teenagers at home and working in the teaching profession there's no way I could have made progress with my photography like you have during this challenge. I really admire you for what you are doing. All normal life goes on hold during exams! :)

Jean
 
"Linear" - long, narrow and of uniform breadth, my dictionary says. Ummmmm ...

The first thing that came to mind was 'linear motor' - God knows why - I wouldn't recognise one if I fell over it. :cuckoo:

It developed into yet another of those weeks where I had lots of ideas, and all of them were rubbish. Then I was putting rubbish in the bin yesterday, when I noticed all the empty bottles waiting for a trip to the bottle bank, and a lot of them were -


green

and 'long' (well 'tall') and 'narrow' and 'of uniform breadth' =

Ten Green Bottles

If you are singing the song already, here's the music to go with it:

http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/t050.html

This took me straight back to school outings, the excitement of a day out of school, preferably at the seaside, a packed lunch of soggy sandwiches and a packet of crisps, peering out of the coach window to catch that first magic glimpse of the sea, and of course the singing ....

all together now (remember how much you enjoyed The Pink Toothbrush :woot:) .. Ten green Bottles Standing on the Wall...


DSC_4196LR.jpg


Lessons learned:

1 I'm not really a 'lines' sort of person! I found it very difficult to come up with an angle and composition I liked. This was very much a compromise governed by space and time of day (the sun was in the wrong direction)

2 I didn't have a wall to use. :bang:

3 Using a garden table restricted the angles I could shoot at.

4 The dogs clearly thought I was sufficiently preoccupied not to notice them chasing pigeons and when I stopped that game, digging plants out of pots. :annoyed:

5 It's hard enough concentrating when you're hungry, when the dogs are hungry you've got no chance. :lol:

6 Arranging things in straight lines goes against the grain for me.

7 Trying to get an interesting take on my interpretation of the theme was much, much harder than I thought - and I think this is just the least boring shot.

8 Waiting for the sun to cloud over (highlights were burnoug out) was tedious, but at least I could amuse myself by singing .... :bonk:

9 I worked out why I don't like straight lines - I can't get them straight. :bang: If the bottles were upright the 'wall' wasn't and visa versa. Grrrr...

As always, thanks for looking - oh and to complete the 'linearity' - I used 'linear light' as the fill in the border.

Jean
 
Last edited:
Well done Jean. Good to see you back , so to speak. Lovely picture, good DOF and on theme. :clap::clap: BTW, are they all YOUR bottles Jean???;);)
 
They look pretty straight to me Jean, very good, the DOF is spot on and works well. I hope the hangover to get ten green bottles wasn't too bad... as for that damn song :lol: I'm going be humming it for hours now...
 
I like it, it's turned out very well...:clap::clap::clap:

10 green bottles! oh how you suffer for your art...:naughty:

Works for me this week...nicely done with the oof BG...:thumbs:
 
I like it too :clap::clap::clap:

Such suffering for our art ;)

Well done for sticking at it though as those distractions sound mighty frustrating. DoF is spot on and I really like the composition :thumbs:

And now I can't get both those songs out of my head :nono:
 
hehehe - your "Lessons Learned" always make me smile. Honestly Jean, never mind drinking a vat of wine - we expect you to BUILD a wall if there isn't one available :D

I really really like this shot. In fact I think it's my favourite this week. Great take on the theme and the DOF and colours are lovely. Well done! :clap::clap:
 
Very clever, Jean! I like the composition, but I do wonder if if slightly more depth of field would have really worked? It's very nice though and I admire you for the 'suffering' that must have gone in to it!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top