weekly Miss Cupcakes 52 09'ers Weeks 16, 26, 27 & 30 added

Miss Cupcake

Miss Cupcake

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My first 52 :) I didnt have much time for photography last year and realised Ive missed it so this will give me the kick I need to get out there :)

Heres my week one "The Future". My initial ideas were a shot of my eye or a crystal ball (seeing the future) then took the easy option of mini calenders with the focus on February :shrug:


Following Weeks:
Week 2 Float
Week 3 Doom & Gloom
Week 4 Communication
Week 5 Fresh Start
Week 6 Identity
Week 7 Simple
Week 8 Linear
Week 9 - Passion
Week 10 - Hands
Week 11 - Reflection
Week 12 - Emotion
Week 13 - Out of Context
Week 14 - History
Week 15 - Complex

Week 16 - Poverty
Week 17 - Self
Week 18 - Exposed
Week 19 - Grunge
Week 20 - Food
Week 21 - Opposites
Week 22 - Development
Week 23 -satisfaction
Week 24 Up
Week 25 Texture
Week 26 - Duo
Week 27 - Low Down
Week 28 - Soft
Week 29 - Health
Week 30 - Different
Week 31 - Smoke & Mirror
Week 32 - Mono in Colour
Week 33 - Dark
Week 34 - Easy
Week 35 - Confusion
Week 36 - Pain
week 37 - Crowds
Week 38 - Organised
Week 39 - Highlight
Week 40 - Contrast
Week 41 - Letter
Week 42 - Season
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I like the interpretation :) the shot is a really simple clean composition which works very well with the contrast of the calendar pages and the black background.

The use depth of field works well too. A really good first 52 submission :)
 
Welcome Miss Cupcake and I very much look forward to seeing your shots...

Your opening shot is a good one - I like a bit of DOF on a shot...not sure if the word February could be a touch sharper (that could be my old eyes :))

Themewise spot on though...is it converted to B&W or naturally so?

Well done on a swift start too :)

Nice cupcake in your avatar by the way...did you make it? :)
 
I agree with the others, slight miss on the focus but great idea and very well composed.
 
Dark Star said:
.not sure if the word February could be a touch sharper (that could be my old eyes :))
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I agree :) Was handheld and multi tasking at the time ...making cupcakes :D

Wasnt a B & W conversion either. Basically straight from camera
 
:wave: welcome aboard.

I really don't think that this was the easy option at all. Simple is often best and it's a nice clean shot. I like the black background as a contrast to the white calendar pages. I'm guessing that it's a kitchen worktop and that bit of texture and pattern is a nice addition.

It's a shame about the slightly missed focus though. Looks like you've got it just at the top of February's page rather than the word itself.
 
Hi Miss Cupcake and welcome to the 52. It really is a good reason to get your camera out and be creative, and the busier we are the more I think we need a challenge like this. :)

Sorry I haven't commented before, but I try not to look at anyone else's shot until I've done my own - if I'm struggling for an idea I might be tempted to cheat and half inch somebody's brainwave, and if I've inadvertently chosen the same interpretation I don't want to know how good theirs is until I've posted! :D

So, on to your Future. I love the interpretation (ironically, if I hadn't got the shot I've used, I had planned something similar) - it's clean simple and effective. You did well to get that level of sharpness handheld, especially if you were making cakes at the same time. :thumbs:

My only suggestion would be to crop a little bit off the left to centre the calendar pages. I don't usually suggest putting things in the centre, but I think it would work better with the shape of the pages.



SarahLee said:
I'm guessing that it's a kitchen worktop and that bit of texture and pattern is a nice addition.
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That doesn't show on my screen - I was actually admiring the totally black background. :)

Jean
 
A bit late, but like Jean, I won't look at anyone else's thread till mine is up to date (and that normally means the week after)... An excellent idea, clean and simple, I'm not sure it's a miss on focus, but rather, might be camera steadiness... you said it was handheld... with a 50 f/1.4 (I'm assuming not the 1.2 ;)), but you only had 1/12 s shutter speed, and that's hard to handheld with an IS lens :D
 
SarahLee said:
:wave: welcome aboard.

I really don't think that this was the easy option at all. Simple is often best and it's a nice clean shot. I like the black background as a contrast to the white calendar pages. I'm guessing that it's a kitchen worktop and that bit of texture and pattern is a nice addition.

It's a shame about the slightly missed focus though. Looks like you've got it just at the top of February's page rather than the word itself.
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Yes its my kitchen worktop. Ive got a feeling Im going to be using it a lot for photography :)

I wish Id used my tripod now to get the focus excatly where I wanted it.
 
jeangenie said:
Hi Miss Cupcake and welcome to the 52. It really is a good reason to get your camera out and be creative, and the busier we are the more I think we need a challenge like this. :)

Sorry I haven't commented before, but I try not to look at anyone else's shot until I've done my own - if I'm struggling for an idea I might be tempted to cheat and half inch somebody's brainwave, and if I've inadvertently chosen the same interpretation I don't want to know how good theirs is until I've posted! :D

So, on to your Future. I love the interpretation (ironically, if I hadn't got the shot I've used, I had planned something similar) - it's clean simple and effective. You did well to get that level of sharpness handheld, especially if you were making cakes at the same time. :thumbs:

My only suggestion would be to crop a little bit off the left to centre the calendar pages. I don't usually suggest putting things in the centre, but I think it would work better with the shape of the pages.





That doesn't show on my screen - I was actually admiring the totally black background. :)

Jean
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Thanks for your comments Jean.

Personally I hope to get my shots in before anyone else. That way the rest of you may be put off by using the same idea as me and therefore not posting a better shot than mine :lol:

jgs001 said:
A bit late, but like Jean, I won't look at anyone else's thread till mine is up to date (and that normally means the week after)... An excellent idea, clean and simple, I'm not sure it's a miss on focus, but rather, might be camera steadiness... you said it was handheld... with a 50 f/1.4 (I'm assuming not the 1.2 ;)), but you only had 1/12 s shutter speed, and that's hard to handheld with an IS lens :D
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Its camera steadiness. I know I should of used a tripod. I will have to use a tripod on this weeks theme though! Already have my idea (seeing as it is my chosed theme) Pressures on.....:eek:
 
Miss Cupcake said:
Personally I hope to get my shots in before anyone else. That way the rest of you may be put off by using the same idea as me and therefore not posting a better shot than mine :lol:
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Good strategy :lol: I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour unfold over the next few weeks !

Nick
 
Welcome to your first 52.

I hope you get as much out of it as we did when we did it. Mind, there was a lot of hair tearing at times (especially with Grunge :D)

A clean and simple shot that is certainly illustrative of the theme. I love narrow DoF shots - but I'm rubbish at them :'(

This one is so nearly there, just a slight shift downwards to February and you would have had it nailed. I also know how faffy it can be setting up the tripod when you have other things to do, not enough space etc and I've always regretted it afterwards when I've compromised.

Note I said afterwards because I've posted my fair share of off focus shots and only realised when it's been pointed out to me later :suspect:

So a good start and I'm looking forward to seeing many more from you young lady :thumbs:
 
Miss Cupcake said:
Its camera steadiness. I know I should of used a tripod. I will have to use a tripod on this weeks theme though! Already have my idea (seeing as it is my chosed theme) Pressures on.....:eek:
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Nothing wrong with handholding... just bump the ISO up. If I can get away with it with my 450d, using ISO800 and 1600... (if you overexpose about 1/3 stop, then pull the exposure back down it hides the noise rather neatly :D)
 
Week 2 - Float

Who thought of this theme :shake: Oh yeah...me :D

I had the initial idea of levitation. I asked my hubs to lie down straight on a stool in the garden while I took the shot, then re-took the shot without him. But stupidly forgot to remove the stool :bang: Ditched the idea as it got too dark

Then I thought I would do floating fruit seeing as I was in the kitchen which didnt prove fruitful either :) This idea was getting more of an exercise in getting the focus/DOF/exposure right. In frustration I ate the fruit then thought it best to start afresh after a nice cup of tea.

Compositionally I know its not perfect. I wish I had the spout of the kettle facing in but its the best I could do today (after a few hours wasted!) I did however use manual exposure and layer masking neither of which I have bothered with before so Im pleased Ive got out of my comfort zone of 1) Using Aperture priority most of the time and 2) moving on the use of photoshop when all Ive done before is push a few sliders

I think Im better at making cupcakes :)

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Miss Cupcake said:
Week 2 - Float

Who thought of this theme :shake: Oh yeah...me :D

I had the initial idea of levitation. I asked my hubs to lie down straight on a stool in the garden while I took the shot, then re-took the shot without him. But stupidly forgot to remove the stool :bang: Ditched the idea as it got too dark

Then I thought I would do floating fruit seeing as I was in the kitchen which didnt prove fruitful either :) This idea was getting more of an exercise in getting the focus/DOF/exposure right. In frustration I ate the fruit then thought it best to start afresh after a nice cup of tea.

Compositionally I know its not perfect. I wish I had the spout of the kettle facing in but its the best I could do today (after a few hours wasted!) I did however use manual exposure and layer masking neither of which I have bothered with before so Im pleased Ive got out of my comfort zone of 1) Using Aperture priority most of the time and 2) moving on the use of photoshop when all Ive done before is push a few sliders

I think Im better at making cupcakes :)
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Miss C - a splendid effort, that's imaginative and clever :) and that's what this is all about!

The exposure looks spot on...good on you for using manual :)

Even the reflection looks aligned in a floaty way :)

Very nice interpretation - just my cup of tea :)

I'm glad the third attempt bore fruit :)!
 
Thanks DS. Ive just realised I didnt get rid of the reflection of the tupperware container from the splashback. How silly of me!
 
Miss Cupcake said:
Personally I hope to get my shots in before anyone else. That way the rest of you may be put off by using the same idea as me and therefore not posting a better shot than mine :lol:
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A cunning plot, Miss C! But entirely unnecessary on the evidence of weeks 1 and 2!!! :)

Heheh - eating your props is a hazard of the 52, I find. :D

I had to go back and look for the tupperware reflection - I honestly wouldn't have realised! ;) Looking at the reflection in the kettle you were working in a very difficult environment (photographically) with light coming from above and the sides. But I love the shot. Yes, turning the spout inward would be a nice tweak, but it doesn't spoil the pic as it is. The only other thing I'd change is a tad more space at the bottom to get in the reflection of the saucer.

I love the almost mono look - and a big well done on using manual and pushing your processing skills onwards and upwards.

Despite all your frustrations, it a good week. :thumbs:

Jean
 
Really good idea and nice to see a different interpretation of the theme. Well done on movin gout of your comfort zone - I feel sigh might push me out of mine but I'm not sure what I am going to do.
 
Seriously well done on trying something different and learning something new :clap:
And you haven't made things easy for yourself have you? All those shiny surfaces and different light sources. I really think that you've handled it brilliantly. Any little niggles that I had have already been mentioned, so I won't go into it again. I just think you deserve a huge pat on the back for something so imaginative.
 
Wow I like that! I didn't spot the tupperware until it was pointed out, so it's not a big deal :)

Nice kettle too!
 
Very cool, very clever and very nicely executed .. what reflection... I see no reflection :D... or at least I didn't spot it till it was pointed out that is :D... Still... it works. The kettle spout is the point I'd have made, but you did that...

As for eating the props... best to try and do that after the shoot :D... although as Jean said, it is a hazard ...
 
What a great interpretation for Float :thumbs:

I too didn't notice the reflection until someone pointed it out

As for shots involving food, take a look at this one here. I had to eat the whole gateaux afterwards or it would have gone to waste :lol:

A great start to your 52

PS Did you not think of floating cupcakes :lol:
 
Ok another week! Initially I thought oh heck...then the ideas came flooding in! I wanted to take a shot of a dark, gloomy day, rain on the window and someone looking out of the window. Its been dry all week!

Then I thought of someone in an armchair, paper open under vacancies or articles of the euro crisis or something along those lines with a shot from behind. Gave up on that quite quickly and decided on this one!! Booze and pills.....

I did want just the pills to be sharp. Its not totally how Id like it but ....:shrug:

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Oooh - dark and moody and gloomy and doomy (cue voice of Bruno Tonioli!).

I like the composition and the fact it looks as though the pills have been emptied out of the packet in a hurry. The reflections of the glass and the light on the whiskey work well too - not to bright, not too dark. You've managed a very shallow depth of field well. If I have any criticism at all it's that there's not much whiskey in the glass! I think I'd need a bigger shot if I was aiming for oblivion. ;)

There are a few marks on the work surface (kitchen again? :) ) which distract a tiny bit - but I was looking for them. :)

It's lovely when you have lots of ideas - and I think you've chosen well, Miss C. :thumbs:

Jean
 
Great idea Miss C....agree with most of what Jean says. Perhaps I would have cropped in little tighter maybe but thats a inor niggle :)

Exposure's spot on, compositions good....but yeah just not enough whisky :D hic!

Great interpretation of the theme as well ;)
 
Very nicely done Miss C. Gotta agree... an excellent interpretation and it's spot on.
 
jeangenie said:
There are a few marks on the work surface (kitchen again? :) ) which distract a tiny bit - but I was looking for them. :)


Jean
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Thanks Jean. Yes kitchen worktop and it does have a fleck in it. I really should clone those out!
 
Dark Star said:
Great idea Miss C....agree with most of what Jean says. Perhaps I would have cropped in little tighter maybe but thats a inor niggle :)

Exposure's spot on, compositions good....but yeah just not enough whisky :D hic!

Great interpretation of the theme as well ;)
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I think youre right about a crop. (pains me to say your right ;))
 
Yet another good shot from you Miss C.

Definitely needs more whisky (but then I would say that :lol:) and a quick tidy up of the background with some cloning would be less distracting. I always end up having to do that no matter how pristine the shot is when I first see it, especially with a black background :(

Well done too on the interpretation :clap::clap:
 
Hi Miss C - sorry I am a bit late to the party with my comments but I started my 52 late and have been playing catch up. I'm not going to repeat what everyone else has said but I wanted to say well done for trying something different on week 2 (I didn't notice the reflection either) and that I think "Doom & Gloom" would be my pick of your shots so far.

I have to be completely honest though and say that the pattern on the worktop is bugging me a bit - I'm probably being overly picky but I think it looks a tad messy in the first shot.

I can already see an improvement in your shots from week one though and I'm looking forward to seeing the next one :thumbs:
 
Week Four Communication

This shot is a big fat fail. I liked the idea but the execution just didnt work with two non-compliant children :bang: Not sharp,noise, shadow, rubbish composition (a heavy crop) and rubbish B&W conversion (havent a clue how to get a good mono. I simply converted to greyscale in the raw conversion). So if any of you 09'ers can think of a little something positive to say about it I will be happy and any tips on B&W!!



communication.jpg
 
Miss C - I love this - it illustrates Communication perfectly. Are they your children? If so - they deserve extra pocket money this week!!!

The expression in the young man's eyes is brilliant and they've obviously shared a fascinating secret. ;)

Ok a bit more contrast would give it impact, but contrast isn't always the be-all and end-all of b&w. My comments would be to get rid of the multiple catchlights in his eye because they're a bit messy. I know this isn't always possible, depending on where you're shooting and what light source you're using. The shadows on the wall are a bit distracting, but moving them further away from the wall would sort that out.

I like the different coloured nails, and just getting a glimpse of the hairband/scrunchie (?) adds interest. The composition works well, with their two heads almost touching at the top and the hand 'joining' their faces to protect the secret. It's a lovely shot - you were far too hard on yourself.

Jean
 
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