MentalBlock's 2011 52 - Week 52 'Glass' added & 52 FINISHED

Barrysprout said:
Hi Neil, trying to do quick catch ups when I can.

Sensual: great idea for the theme and great that Catherine was a willing model for you. The shadow on the wall is a bit distracting and Catherines face is a tad too dark for my liking. I can understand the difficulties you faced here as introducing another light source would ruin the feel of the shot.
Two ideas I would have tried, one would be to have more candles camera side of shot (not even in the shot) to cast some more light or a reflector of some sort to tray and capture more light from the rcandles behind her.

Elaborate: Really love the angle you have taken the first shot at. I like the fact that my brain is trying to make more sense of the levels (if that makes any sense)

Celebrate: I'm not adverse to a bit of darkness in the frame (as can be seen in most of my shots) but I think the composition could maybe be improved in the shot. If the cake was pushed back so the candles were on a top third and the wine glass brought forward giving more light coming through the glass that would just leave enough space at the bottom for poppers and give a fuller frame. Maybe?
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Thanks for the comments Colin.

Sensual - Catherine was holding an extra candle out of frame to lighten her face. I have a reflector (of sorts), cannot think why I didn't try it :thinking:

Elaborate - This is one of my favourites in my 52

Celebrate - I didn't see the blank areas until I up loaded to the PC, which is why I went for the crop. This was a rushed shot, as a result I didn't spend time trying different compositions, I think I became too fixed on trying to catch a party popper!
 
Webby962 said:
Great take on the theme. I preffer the crop version, but as mentioned above, the top third is just too.... empty and dark.
But I like the rest of the staging, the positioning of the elements, and just love the colour on the glass and wine....

Rgds

Adie
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Thanks Adie
 
Hi Neil,

Sorry I haven't been posting for a while but love your last few posts:

Celebrate: Love the feel to this one and prefer the first one like you. I think this captures the theme spot on.

Elaborate: My fave one is the first one as it conveys the theme the best.

Sensual: Fair play to youyr missus :clap:. My wife would never let me take one like that!!!!

Rescue: A good idea and well taken (a bit of planning involved I'm sure. Struggling with this one myself).

Bright: Another nice shot. How did you get the smoke effect, os is that because the glass was broken? Prefer the first one but there is something about the secone one too :thumbs:

Hidden: First class. great idea and well executed

Twisted: Alot of barbed wire shots but these are great!

Hope to be around more over the remainder of this 52. Great stuff and look forward to seeing more.
 
BTW Neil..... please can you tell me how you set up your first page with the links to each weeks post? This gives great access to both view and post.

Your help would be great.
Cheers
 
McNyat said:
BTW Neil..... please can you tell me how you set up your first page with the links to each weeks post? This gives great access to both view and post.

Your help would be great.
Cheers
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Hi Ciaran,

Glad you like the images.

As for the first page, use the following, but with a [ at the beginning and a ] at the end

post=3344480]Week 3 - Style[/post

Change the number to the post number which you will see in the page address at the top of your explore page, and change the week details as required.
I then edit my first thread each week to add the new code for that weeks post.

Someone else identified the link code, I think it's in the main 52 thread somewhere.
 
I did do a quick :thinking: when I saw the 28!

Overall a great take on the theme.

I don't mind them being busy because parties do tend to be busy.

I actually prefer #1 and I do like that you've cropped the side - adds to the party feel.

Pity the top of the glass is OOF and the BG is a bit too dark, but that draws the eye to the main subjects.

Cheers.
 
posiview said:
I did do a quick :thinking: when I saw the 28!

Overall a great take on the theme.

I don't mind them being busy because parties do tend to be busy.

I actually prefer #1 and I do like that you've cropped the side - adds to the party feel.

Pity the top of the glass is OOF and the BG is a bit too dark, but that draws the eye to the main subjects.

Cheers.
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Thanks Andy

I thought the 28 would be obvious, but it appears not to be!
 
Mentalblock said:
I thought the 28 would be obvious, but it appears not to be!
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Hiya Neil,

Perhaps folk have forgotten what week it is ... I know I have (it has been an absolutely crazy week and I don't even know what day of the week it is .... just hope I don't have work in the morning as it is going to be another long night as I haven't even got my 'celebrate' sorted yet ... I am well behind this week).

Right off to do some work ..... :exit:

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
Week 29 Smell

Lots of ideas for this one.
I held off from a shot of a nappy though, I couldn't face the smell :gag:
Although the smell I did use makes me :gag: just as much.

So, here it is, the smell of cigarettes :shake:


Week_29_Smell_001 by HaplessClicker, on Flickr

The shot was taken with the small extension ring and the kit lens (still saving for the nifty 50) with one Pringles snoot from front right.

One good thing from the shot is that it's one less cigarette for my mum to smoke!
 
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That certainly fits the theme. Only things I can think to try and improve would be to try and emphasize the smoke more and clone out the bright streak on the back left of the ashtray.
 
NEIL!!!... oooo i could smell that image as i scrolled down the page!! .... brilliant idea, well captured, like the DOF and the .... urgh..nasty habit you have there... 'mum' ... ;) your secret is safe with us..eating cigarettes and then burning the evidence...
 
Just reading back through your posts... got to rescue... Nice Ide. I prefer #2 as #1 is too shallow on DOF and #3 looks too set up (missing a splatter of (fake) blood or something).

Sensual... Nice idea, its already been said a little more lighting on your lovely models face would have helped... Or a tripod and a longer exposure?

Smell - works really well


Congrats!
 
michael23 said:
That's a really good photo Neil. Like your use of dof, it works really well for the shot. Bang on theme.
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Hi Michael, thanks for the comments.
I liked the idea of this one as it gave me a reason to get the extension tubes out.
Remembering the feed back from my other macro shots, I went for about f11 for a good DOF.

Barrysprout said:
That certainly fits the theme. Only things I can think to try and improve would be to try and emphasize the smoke more and clone out the bright streak on the back left of the ashtray.
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Hi Colin,
The smoke was an issue and it's not as noticable as I'd like.
I took the shot at my parents and only took the tripod and one light, as a result I struggled to get a good contrast between the smoke and the BG.

Not having much time of late, the only PP I did was a tweak of the levels, I may revisit when I have more time and see if more playing can bring the smoke out.

SamuelSlade007 said:
NEIL!!!... oooo i could smell that image as i scrolled down the page!! .... brilliant idea, well captured, like the DOF and the .... urgh..nasty habit you have there... 'mum' ... ;) your secret is safe with us..eating cigarettes and then burning the evidence...
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Thanks Kev,
I never had the habit all though I did have the odd sociable cigarette at Uni :naughty:. I love the no smoking ban in bars etc., I don't need to put my clothes straight in the wash now after an hour in the club.

ecniv said:
Just reading back through your posts... got to rescue... Nice Ide. I prefer #2 as #1 is too shallow on DOF and #3 looks too set up (missing a splatter of (fake) blood or something).

Sensual... Nice idea, its already been said a little more lighting on your lovely models face would have helped... Or a tripod and a longer exposure?

Smell - works really well


Congrats!
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Thanks ecniv for taking the time to look through the past weeks.
I've been thinking more in recent weeks of how I want the shot to look and getting the image right in my head before trying it out in the camera, if that makes sense. I think it's paid off composition wise.

Lighting is still an issue. I'm using the DIY snoots/ lights rather than the proper stuff/ flashes. I have a small pot of money which will get me a nifty 50, better tripod, or cheap flash; so far I'm thinkng nifty 50
 
Barrysprout said:
That certainly fits the theme. Only things I can think to try and improve would be to try and emphasize the smoke more and clone out the bright streak on the back left of the ashtray.
Click to expand...

Just looking at that streak and I think you're right.
 
well done sorry missed a few weeks so playing catch up

Elaborate i like the detail in the timber work too but i like the spiders web shot better i think you got it spot on with the angle as well

Celebrate i agree with dawn in that its messy but in a good way i really like how dark the shot is :thumbs:

Smell love the dof in this shot great capture and good take on theme simple but very effective would change a thing :thumbs::thumbs:
 
debrito said:
well done sorry missed a few weeks so playing catch up

Elaborate i like the detail in the timber work too but i like the spiders web shot better i think you got it spot on with the angle as well

Celebrate i agree with dawn in that its messy but in a good way i really like how dark the shot is :thumbs:

Smell love the dof in this shot great capture and good take on theme simple but very effective would change a thing :thumbs::thumbs:
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Thanks Paul
 
Mentalblock said:
Thanks Kev,
I never had the habit all though I did have the odd sociable cigarette at Uni :naughty:. I love the no smoking ban in bars etc., I don't need to put my clothes straight in the wash now after an hour in the club.
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i used to take the extreme approach..and wear a garment of borat design ... needless to say i got refuseed entry many a time...
 
Nice smell, possibly not a good choice of words....:gag:

I like the perspective, dof and it's very sharp where it matters. I don't think you've done a bad job with the spoke. I'd like to see a bit more, though.

I can almost taste and smell them...:puke:

Cheers.
 
Hi Neil


great idea & well executed shot for Smell....bang on theme , great use of DOF......nuff said :clap:
 
posiview said:
Nice smell, possibly not a good choice of words....:gag:

I like the perspective, dof and it's very sharp where it matters. I don't think you've done a bad job with the spoke. I'd like to see a bit more, though.

I can almost taste and smell them...:puke:

Cheers.
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Thanks Andy.

blondie606 said:
Hi Neil


great idea & well executed shot for Smell....bang on theme , great use of DOF......nuff said :clap:
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Thanks Lynne
 
Hiya Neil,

Great take on the theme and good DOF too. Also good how you have not only used a lit ciggie for the shot but also have the stubbed cigs and ash too.

The streak has already been mentioned, which is slightly distracting.

Otherwise a good photo.

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
drodd said:
Ok Kev, I'll bring the flame to light your pipe :naughty:
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lets just stick to steel wool and a whisk on the end of a wire... that would be a magic trick... and a photo opportunity..lighting a pipe whilst spinning the whisk ... AND maybe my expression as you take my eyebrows off... :naughty:
 
Great shot... I certainly thought of smell when i saw that shot. Not a nice mental link, but that shows the power of photography.

Well done.


Adie
 
Week 30 - Weird

I was struggling with this until I called in at Clumber Park and had a walk around their educational room. They had a tank with fresh water creatures in it, and some nice little lights to lighten things up - just right for the camera too!

When having a look around the tank I spotted this snail on the side of the glass and loads of little creatures buzzing around it and thought 'don't they look weird from this angle'. So, on with the extension tube and away I clicked.


Week 30 Weird - 001 by HaplessClicker, on Flickr

For a sense of scale, the snail was the same size as your average garden snail.

These two I don't find as weird, although the snails mouth is, but I thought I'd share them anyway, if only so you know what a snails mouth looks like!


Week_30_Weird_002 by HaplessClicker, on Flickr


Week_30_Weird_003 by HaplessClicker, on Flickr

Thanks for looking
 
Hiya Neil,

That certainly does look weird and considering you have taken the shots through the glass I think you have done well.

The first looks like some sort of alien :lol:

Cheers

Dawn :)
 
drodd said:
Hiya Neil,

That certainly does look weird and considering you have taken the shots through the glass I think you have done well.

The first looks like some sort of alien :lol:

Cheers

Dawn :)
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Thanks Dawn.
It was thick glass too, and until just now, I don't know why I didn't give it a wipe either - although I appear to have got away with that!

michael23 said:
What Dawn said :thumbs: Interesting creatures Snails! Nice one Neil
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They help keep the pond clean too apparently, but I don't want them in mine, they take over!
 
Amazing image which is definitely weird, not to say surreal!

Excellent clairity especially considering the conditions. I like both the first two. Perhaps too closely cropped - we have got almost the whole snail but the top of the shell is chopped off.

The colour and textures are great. Greater DOF would be the icing on the cake.

Great capture :thumbs:
 
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