My 52 photos - week 6 Special

staffitaxi

staffitaxi

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Andrea
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Reflection week 1

Desperate measures this one. Ran out of time due to being full of cold all week and not feeling like doing much by the time I got in from work.

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I tried to blur out the background to hide my wallpaper and have just realised you can still see some of it in the reflection, good job I converted this to B&W!!

I'll try harder for next week.
 
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yay! good luck with this Andrea :) Hope you feel better soon, and look forward to the other 51!
 
Someone else who ran out of time due to lurgy!
I forgot about it untill this evening
Good short notice shot :)
 
Thanks all

Simon - it is very soft and you are right, I hadn't banked on how difficult it would be.
You have to get the mirror in just the right position so as not to show the camera, I was trying to use another mirror which was behind me to see the screen on the back of my camera. Was using my new Fuji little point and shoot so don't really know how to get the best out of it yet or what settings to use as they are a bit obscure. I knew I couldn't use flash as it would just have reflected and the light in my bedroom is dire. This was the best attempt of many and in the end I just gave up and said it will have to do.

Jaffamuffin - not so much ironic as unfortunate, my bedroom wallpaper is original 1960's / 70's stuff and is huge brown flowers. I am due a major redecoration with new furniture and everything which I can't wait for.

Thanks for looking.

Andrea
 
I think I like it with the wallpaper in the reflection.

I know exactly what you mean with it being so difficult to do the mirror. One of my ideas had been having a mirror in front and a mirror behind to get a front and back refelction but it just didn't work out.

The wholle idea of this challenge though is to push yourself up the learning curve

:thumbs: on your first photo
 
From someone else who struggled with mirrors (and not just looking in them!) well done :clap: Yes it's a bit soft, but the whole point is we are learning from this in what feels like a very safe environment. So good look with History :thumbs:
 
Interesting image and it has a stillness and a dynamism all of its own! Your face, calm and still in the mirror, looks like its at the centre of a spinning room to me :)

Good effect :)!
 
I like the contrast between the spinning outside and the still inside.

I've had the lurgy too so I can sympathise. Hope you're feeling better soon :)
 
I like the spinyness (ok not a word but you know what I mean) - it makes me think of fairytails and talking mirrors. Good first effort - especially as you have the dreaded lurgy. Hope you're feeling better soon - looking forward to seeing what you do with this weeks theme :thumbs:
 
This is my violin, I'm sure its steeped in history although I only know a small part of its past.

Its dated 1719 thought I doubt this is correct. Why? because the label also says its a Strad which I know to be not true. If it were I would probably have had to have sold it.

In reality its a German Trade Violin and its fairly old. It was given to me when I was sixteen by a friend of my grans. It had been his mothers and she had been a music teacher. It was found in her attic in a plastic bag after she passed away. Its suffered a bit and has had a small amount of woodworm. Ashamedly it stayed in its plastic bag for another 13 years in my wardrobe before I had it overhauled and put in a playable condition.

More ashamedly this is the first time its been out of its case in some time.

Violin1801b800.jpg


This week I decided I wouldn't look at any one else's posting until I had done my own. I guess I just didn't want to be inspired by someone else's work, part of the object of doing this for me is trying to find my own inspiration which I don't think is going to be easy each week. It also means I now have a heck of a lot of posts to catch up with.
 
Andrea,

I can tell you are feeling better; you have definitely taken the theme and given it your own twist. I really like the blue lighting in this image and the way the strings look as if they're vibrating. It does look a little soft again as the letters BAUSCH aren't completely clear. Have you applied any unsharp mask to the image? if not that could the only thing that stands between this great photo and a stunning one.

Looking forward to what you do next week.
 
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Hi Simon

The blue lighting is actually just light coming in from the window, it just seemed to work quite well on this one. A bit of a difficult set up. Violin was laid on its side on the carpet in my sisters rooms (her carpet is plain cream, mine is a dreadful pattern!!) I was laid flat out trying to take photos whilst leaning on my elbows trying not to shake. I actually came away with three shots that i thought were ok. Which is a better success rate than last time I tried to take a photo of my violin.

I did apply an unsharp mask but maybe it could stand a little more. The letters look fairly sharp on my laptop though, can even see an annoying bit of cotton stuck in the top left hole of the bridge. I really enjoyed trying to come up with something different for this week. I am not looking forward to the next theme, although I do sort of have an idea.
 
Bruja said:
From someone else who struggled with mirrors (and not just looking in them!) well done :clap:
Click to expand...

Me too! Doing a self-portrait is (a) brave and (b) very difficult. Well done.:)

staffitaxi said:
This is my violin, I'm sure its steeped in history although I only know a small part of its past.

Its dated 1719 thought I doubt this is correct. Why? because the label also says its a Strad which I know to be not true. If it were I would probably have had to have sold it.

In reality its a German Trade Violin and its fairly old. It was given to me when I was sixteen by a friend of my grans. It had been his mothers and she had been a music teacher. It was found in her attic in a plastic bag after she passed away. Its suffered a bit and has had a small amount of woodworm. Ashamedly it stayed in its plastic bag for another 13 years in my wardrobe before I had it overhauled and put in a playable condition.

More ashamedly this is the first time its been out of its case in some time.

Violin1801b800.jpg


This week I decided I wouldn't look at any one else's posting until I had done my own. I guess I just didn't want to be inspired by someone else's work, part of the object of doing this for me is trying to find my own inspiration which I don't think is going to be easy each week. It also means I now have a heck of a lot of posts to catch up with.
Click to expand...


I love this. I love the story behind it as well as the image. It fascinates me that violins seem to each have their own personality, and a different violin will bring out different music from the musician. I hope you get to play it more often now you've got it out again. :)
 
I like that picture. Well done. Nice DOF. I wish I still had my violin. Been over ten years since I last played one...
 
A good pair of images for the first two weeks. Well done :thumbs: I have a violin in the cupboard (it's not got any history to it though... It was last out when I took pictures of it... But I can't play the violin as much as I'd like to learn to.
 
Good story and good image :) The lighting and viewpoint work really well for me Andrea

The letters look a tad soft as mentioned above but the image is still one I like

Another unique and personal take on history :)
 
I like this one - I love seeing and reading about stuff people have that has been around a while :)
 
Nice angle looking along the strings and they seem to be vibrating as if the violin was being played. Lovely image!
 
This wasn't my original idea but its what I managed to get. It will need an explanation.

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This is Cavendish Lecture Theatre at Lancaster University.

This lecture theatre seats 145 people and this week has had 39 separate bookings. That means a potential 5655 learners have passed through its doors in one week alone.

I was going to try taking a photo in one of our newer lecture theatres but I didn't like the way the image turned out. This lecture theatre will also not look like this for much longer as it is being refurbished in the summer which will mean there will no longer be wooden worktops. Which also means that it will be harder for our students to leave their messages carved into the tops.

It doesn't look straight because the lecture theatre is a curved design so was difficult to get it just right.
 
I love the contrasty feel of this one Andrea and the semi-abstract nature of the shot.

What a shame no names or initials will be carved for posterity going forward :)

Yet another spin on 'learning' and a good one at that :clap:
 
Andrea,

Brilliant shot, very much reminds me of my time at university. I love way you've captured this the curve does make it difficult but I think you've done really well.

p.s. is that a full Pint glass on the 5th row, if it is it very close to how I remember uni ;)
 
I've never been to uni but your shot did not need any explanation for me, knew exactly what I was looking at and that for me is the trick you have pulled off here.

I might have straightened it a little but i really like it, the glass is so small and adds so much too.

On to next week!.......
 
I never used the main lecture theatre for lectures only for the film shows :D.... Small classes, but I knew straight away what that was, and of course the drink fits in really well with what I remember of it :thumbs: No explanation needed for me.
 
That brings back memories - I always used to love the big lecture theatres at uni.
Very good idea - did you have a crack at straightening in post processing? THe slant is a little offputting fo rme.
 
I also knew what I was looking at straight away too so I'd say you've filled the brief with this one :thumbs:

Thats a lovely old lecture theatre - at Bristol UWE we had those pointless flip down off the arm-rest bits of plastic to lean on in the big lecture theatres. I would have LOVED a proper wooden bench to lean on!
 
Firstly, apologies, I missed your History shot :(

I like it a lot, and even more so when you tell the story about it. I think the composition is very good and love the blue, now get playing it :lol::clap:

The Learning shot was instantly recognisable, so well done, and, as has already been said, the glass makes it much more interesting, yet another interesting take on the theme :clap::clap:
 
Like the others, I don't think it really needs explanation and the glass is a great detail.:clap:
 
Good start to your 52. Loved the violin shot so creatively done. As soon as I saw the top of this weeks image I knew immediately what your interpretation was then scrolled down to your explanation. Great idea. Well done :thumbs:
 
Thanks all, the glass is actually a polystyrene cup of either tea or coffee. Despite there being a no food and drink rule in the teaching space it often gets ignored. So I decided to make use of it in my photo!!

The curve would have been pretty impossible to lose, I think, with it being a curved lecture theatre. I am renowned for having wonky horizons and things not straight but not sure I could have fixed this one.

Also this was taken with my very cheap Fuji point and shoot I bought just after Christmas which I am trying to get used to. I'm finding it very frustrating to use and the only thing I like about it so far is the weight and size!
 
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The learning shot has come out really well, takes me back to my lecture theatre days....... of being asleep in the back row :lol::lol:
 
Well another pretty difficult topic for this week, we must be due an easy one now surely!!

This is my surprise shot

Butterflyimage.jpg


I actually took the photos a couple of weeks ago. This is an Owl Butterfly and the photo doesn't actually give you a sense of size of these things. They are approximately 12-15cm in size, that in itself is a surprise especially when they are flying towards you. Most of the time though all you get to see is a very dull brown large butterfly that is until you are treated to a beautiful surprise when they open their wings to reveal the most glorious vivid blue/purple colour. After doing a little research on the internet I found they can also be other colours inside but I doubt that they can be any more impressive than the blue.

It was the wrong time of year really to visit the Butterfly House but I had heard a rumour that the local Council are trying to close it down so decided to go again just in case.
 
Very nicely done. I like the subject (sorry trying to be professional here :lol: but really want to say "ah what a pretty flutterby" :cuckoo: )

Anyhoo, I am very impressed with the presentation of it too. It is definitely something I could imagine having on a wall in my home.
 
Closing down the Lancaster Butterfly House - nooooo. I will have to go back soon myself

I like the idea and the way you've shown the two "faces" of the butterfly (I think I'll keep that inmind incase DUO is picked one week) and agree that if you are used to the closed the open is surprising. I think the images are a bit dark and in the second one the butterfly is on too much of an angle to really get an idea of it. Where abouts in the Butterly House were these taken, the background looks very odd? all I can remember is lots of green plants which drip condensation on to the camera :lol:
 
Hi Simon

It really isn't the time of year to go, very few butterflies at the moment, only saw maybe 20-25. Its a lot smaller than I remember as well and cost £4.50 to get in.

They were taken on ledges near the windows, I think they were the heating system as I nearly melted from being blasted with hot air whilst trying to get these shots, I ended up with the camera on automatic as it was so dark in there it was flipping impossible. You would think with all that glass it would be quite bright but it wasn't.

I was also hampered by small children, not with me, with other people. I guess the story in the paper suddenly made quite a few people think they should go to the Butterfly House. One family in particulary had 3 offspring, one of which was insistant he was going to catch a butterfuly before his visit was out, despite me telling him twice that he would kill them if he caught them. His mother didn't seem to have an awful lot of control and in the end I had to leave, either that or decapitate him.
 
My word that's an amazing difference and very surprising indeed. I like that, well interpreted.
 
I love your interpretation of the theme and the fact that you've shown the 'normal' and the 'surprise'. Very neat - and beautifully presented. :)


The detail on the closed butterfly is impressive - both the body and the wings. Like Simon said, the open one could have done with turning round just a little for you - but I think you did very well, and you've inspired me to visit our local butterfly farm when the wether warms up bit.


It sounds as though you were working in horrendous conditions - and hard to concentrate with a small child plotting extermination of your subjects. :)

Jean
 
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