Mikes 52 for 2011 - Headshots, week 5 Packed.

Mike Jackson

Mike Jackson

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I've decided to have another go at a 52. This year though it's going to be self portraits, not just any self portraits though. All 52 will be head shots. The aim is to take a self portrait head shot with my head in an unusual place. Only minor PP work will be allowed. There will be no photoshopping my head into position. If the photo shows my head in an unusual position that's where it was.
 
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For week 1 I had to have a scout round for somewhere to put my head. As it generally requires a bit of butchery to get my head where I want it I had to have a scout round for something no longer wanted. I spied the old coolbox which is no longer particularly hygienic and decided that we really needed a new one so I had the first receptacle for my head. Whilst taking this shot I discovered that laying with your head in a coolbox surrounded by ice packs tends to give you a head ache. The photo is cropped to square format and i had to clone out a wee bit of my shoulder which had crept into the shot.

I give you week 1 of my 52

Chilled



Chilled by Mike Jackson1, on Flickr
 
Wishing you good luck on this one Mike:thumbs: It sounds interesting and i shall be watching with interest. Take care though it sounds like it could get a bit dangerous, ie your head in a lions mouth, under a steam roller.....that kind of thing :lol:
 
Thanks Iain, I've thought about doing this before but decided now was the time. I shall be scouting boot sales for suitable head receptacles.
 
Mike Jackson said:
Thanks Iain, I've thought about doing this before but decided now was the time. I shall be scouting boot sales for suitable head receptacles.
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No worries Mike, that first one is a belter. Good start to your headshot 52.
 
Ha ha, love it Mike. Will be watching with interest as this looks like it could get interesting...

Don't you get funny looks from your family when your doing it?

I photographed a bloomin snail shell and my wife thought I was crazy. Can't imagine what she'd think if I did something like this
 
My wife knows I'm not right in the head anyway so nothing I do surprises her.
 
If it's physically possible and I can obtain the necessary props I'll give anything a try. It's certainly going to be a challenge to come up with 52 different ideas.
 
An excellent start to an interesting 52.

I really like this. It is well lit and well taken.

I don't know how to put this kindly but you really are not well are you? :cuckoo: :lol:

Andy
 
Thanks for the comments. I'm getting some great ideas for future shots so I'm now on the lookout for discarded items that I can use. I've got some fairly complicated ones in mind if I can find the items I need. As it's early on in the year I've not gathered many props yet but a hunt around the garage revealed a flight case that I rarely use so that has been sacrificed for the cause.

I give you week 2


Flight Case by Mike Jackson1, on Flickr
 
Mike, you are officially barking mad !!! :lol:

These are great fun and I just hope that you find enough suitable receptacles to keep you going for the whole year - I'd really like to see the return of the smoke bombs from your chemistry shot last year if you can incorporate them in some way.

Fun element aside, self portraits aren't easy at the best of times and you've done really well to get these so sharp and well focused - and getting the lighting inside the containers right must be pretty difficult too.

I'll be watching this with interest - good luck with the next 50.
 
Thanks Sarah. So far I haven't had much trouble with the lighting and focus. I'm using f/8 to give a good depth of field and my 28 -135 seems to be a good copy and nice and sharp at f/8. The camera is set on manual,1/125, iso 400 and flash compensation set to -1. It's then a case of taking a few test shots to check before I get into position and relying on the AF to work correctly. I shuffle around a bit on the floor between shots so I have a selection to choose from and try a couple of different camera angles. In all it took around 30 shots to get this one.
 
Thanks Guys. I'm contemplating having a clear out and setting up a mini studio in part of the garage to make this easier. Some of the ideas I've got are going to take a lot of preparation.
 
This is absolutely incredible. Love it! I must agree with Sarah regarding your mental state, but please don't stop.
 
I was at a bit of a loss this week as I've not had a lot of time but hunting around I found an old plastic flower pot. Once I'd figured out how to get my head into it I then had to find somewhere to set up the shot. Standing looking out of the kitchen window it came to me. I even had ivy to hide my shoulders.

There has been no work in photoshop at all this week.

I give you no 3 - Planted


Planted by Mike Jackson1, on Flickr
 
Well I've struggled with time for this shot and have got a couple of good ideas but insufficient time to pull them off. I've also discovered that I can't get my head inside a Dyson.

I give you Tooled up.


Tooled up by Mike Jackson1, on Flickr
 
Hi ya

I absolutely love your thread , such imagination & ability:thumbs:

Fave so far is definately "Planted" :clap:

& you crack me up....can't get your head inside a Dyson :lol:
 
Thanks Lynne. The worst bit about the Dyson is the fact that I spent half an hour trying to figure out if I could do it.
 
This thread is great Mike. Well done. The idea is great and so far the execution has been really creative. I presume you have thought about the long term, and how many household recepticles you will need to write off.
As stand alone images they look a bit disturbing, with the exception of the amusing plant pot one of course. lol.
I,m gonna be following this thread. Nice one

Martin
 
Marts said:
This thread is great Mike. Well done. The idea is great and so far the execution has been really creative. I presume you have thought about the long term, and how many household recepticles you will need to write off.
As stand alone images they look a bit disturbing, with the exception of the amusing plant pot one of course. lol.
I,m gonna be following this thread. Nice one

Martin
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Thanks Martin. I'm actively keeping an eye on Freecycle for items to use. I've also got friends keeping an eye open for items that are suitable. So far everything has been sitting gathering dust in corners and really needed to be disposed of so it's prompting me to have a clear out, albeit slowly, as well as challenging me photographically.

Leokull said:
Loving your pictures. Always fun to see the many different places where you can stick your head. Planted made me chuckle. :lol:
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Planted is my favourite so far. I'm looking forward to taking flushed at some time but that one is going to take a fair bit of setting up.
 
Mike...these are brilliant...sitting here on a sunday morning i just came across them and BANG.. the day brightened up... showed my daughter and we were in stitches :D:D:D

BUT i am going to have to try your idea out myself... :thinking: now what can i destroy????
 
Mike Jackson said:
Thanks Martin. I'm actively keeping an eye on Freecycle for items to use. I've also got friends keeping an eye open for items that are suitable. So far everything has been sitting gathering dust in corners and really needed to be disposed of so it's prompting me to have a clear out, albeit slowly, as well as challenging me photographically.

Planted is my favourite so far. I'm looking forward to taking flushed at some time but that one is going to take a fair bit of setting up.
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Hahaha, I can't wait for flushed.
 
:clap: :clap: :clap:
Absolutely love these and can't wait for week 5.

Planted is your best so far. I have no idea how you managed to get under the ivy, but the end result is brilliant.
Tooled Up looks painful with that hammer over your eye, but that slight discomfort in viewing it works well. Could do with a touch more contrast for me though.
Hope you haven't hurt yourself with any of these and bring on "flushed" :lol:
 
wicked! the best bit is I can really see you progressing and the images getting better, looking forward to the rest!
 
Mike Jackson said:
Well I've struggled with time for this shot and have got a couple of good ideas but insufficient time to pull them off. I've also discovered that I can't get my head inside a Dyson.
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I too am loving this thread.
I think the Dyson shot would be good, any shots of you trying to get your head in a Dyson? How about a Henry?
 
MIKE!!..i hope ** thinking of ways to fit inside a washing machine!!.. i think looking out through the glass window...i can see it now... go on!!! give it a go..

:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:
 
SamuelSlade007 said:
Mike...these are brilliant...sitting here on a sunday morning i just came across them and BANG.. the day brightened up... showed my daughter and we were in stitches :D:D:D

BUT i am going to have to try your idea out myself... :thinking: now what can i destroy????
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It's quite fun taking the shots as well.

SarahLee said:
Absolutely love these and can't wait for week 5.

Planted is your best so far. I have no idea how you managed to get under the ivy, but the end result is brilliant.
Tooled Up looks painful with that hammer over your eye, but that slight discomfort in viewing it works well. Could do with a touch more contrast for me though.
Hope you haven't hurt yourself with any of these and bring on "flushed" :lol:
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No injuries so far. I'm more likely to hurt myself adapting the stuff than taking the shots but a good few years in the building industry comes in handy.

imagemunky said:
wicked! the best bit is I can really see you progressing and the images getting better, looking forward to the rest!
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Cheers

Mentalblock said:
I too am loving this thread.
I think the Dyson shot would be good, any shots of you trying to get your head in a Dyson? How about a Henry?
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That's a possibility but I'm trying to give the illusion of the object being intact so I need to figure out how to shoot through the hole where the hose attaches.

SamuelSlade007 said:
MIKE!!..i hope ** thinking of ways to fit inside a washing machine!!.. i think looking out through the glass window...i can see it now... go on!!! give it a go..

:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:
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If one comes up it's a definite.
 
Mike,
When I first looked I was thinking thats great photoshop work, then read again and.....wow, great work, 52 is going to be tough, can't wait!
 
Dulux said:
Mike,
When I first looked I was thinking thats great photoshop work, then read again and.....wow, great work, 52 is going to be tough, can't wait!
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dulux i kind of thought the same with the plant pot...but then you look and think how feasible it is to shoot...but still blows my mind that Mike has a long neck.... is he part ostrich???
 
Dulux said:
Mike,
When I first looked I was thinking thats great photoshop work, then read again and.....wow, great work, 52 is going to be tough, can't wait!
Click to expand...

Thanks Gareth. The first two had minimal photoshop work, a wee bit of cloning to lose my shoulder that had crept into the shot. The other two have just been cropped to square format.
 
To keep up with the schedule, following a really busy week and weekend I'm shoehorning a shot from last year in to keep the momentum of the thread going. When things quieten down a bit I'll re shoot this shot so that all the shots are taken this year.


Packed


Packed 2 by Mike Jackson1, on Flickr
 
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