weekly NickD's Photo52 Challenge - 2013 - Completed!

Sir Isaac newton, You're not in Grantham are you? (That's where he's from). A good twist on the subject, well done for thinking of something different.

OMG, Wild. :clap: Should it be "Wild?" (with a deliberate question mark) Technically; exposure is spot on, composition is perfect and good use of aperture so well done for that.

Now - zoo shots always make me feel a bit sad but this one, holy carp I nearly cried, the look on his little face has been haunting me all night since I saw it on my phone yesterday.

You broke my heart! - GREAT SHOT.
 
Dacmirc said:
Different take on gravity, nice to see! I think your wild shot it technically good ie focus ect its just a bit busy for my taste! Not a bed set so far though! Well done!
Click to expand...

Thanks!:)

Dark Knight said:
Hi Nick :)

Gravity - Who ever fitted that needs shooting... for me it's on the squif, nothing you can do with that so - thumbs up from me :thumbs:

Wild - :O is he going to jump onto the pole and try to escape !!!!

I like that, lovely background and the composition is spot on, thirds always :)
Click to expand...

Cheers! If you're happy to blame the plaque fitter then so am I... Deffo not my fault then?

Wild does strike me as 'so near yet so far away'... almost close enough to jump it, but better suited wings required. The composition was a gift, just how chance laid it out for me. Thanks for your input!

posiview said:
Hi, quick comments, I'm afraid:

Gravity, well spotted. Nice low angle.Perhaps a slight CW rotation and loose the dark strip at the bottom, for me.

Wild, penguins...love 'em. Not a lot you could do but pity the RH fence.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I did faff about with rotation, but still didn't manage to get it right. On reflection I can see how you'd find the bottom block distracting, I'd probably lose it if I did it again.

Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Sir Isaac newton, You're not in Grantham are you? (That's where he's from). A good twist on the subject, well done for thinking of something different.

OMG, Wild. :clap: Should it be "Wild?" (with a deliberate question mark) Technically; exposure is spot on, composition is perfect and good use of aperture so well done for that.

Now - zoo shots always make me feel a bit sad but this one, holy carp I nearly cried, the look on his little face has been haunting me all night since I saw it on my phone yesterday.

You broke my heart! - GREAT SHOT.
Click to expand...

That particular plaque is on Jermyn St, just behind Piccadilly in London, although there's also a plaque in Grantham.

Really glad you got something out of Wild, glad you like it.

I see what you mean about zoo shots, there's often a melancholy in the expressions, but I sometimes think we project a sadness onto the situation, knowing we've caged something that should be free. Go out and take 10 candids around town and see how many people are naturally smiling... I'm guessing there wouldn't be too many.
 
Hi Nick

Wild - Colour well captured. I thought at first that the b/g was a bit busy and the line of the trunk goes thro the body. However i had a look at cropping out the fence to the right, leaving the post and whilst the resulting shape looked a bit odd, it demonstrated that the fence is the the factor that detracts the most.

But spot on for the theme. Lovely bird, almost cartoon like.
 
Great take on the wild theme, really like this. :thumbs:
 
Hi Nick


Gravity.....like the POV , the simple tones & it's very on theme :) I'd be tempted to crop tothe top of the dark line at the bottom & not 100% on the focus ( though DOF is very thin) maybe have put it on his name ? It looks to me like it's on the writing above ?

Wild.....awww...I do love a penguin.....sharp , good colors & does seem to be staring out past the fence...maybe he's remembering what it was like to be free :'(
 
superpippo said:
Hi Nick

Wild - Colour well captured. I thought at first that the b/g was a bit busy and the line of the trunk goes thro the body. However i had a look at cropping out the fence to the right, leaving the post and whilst the resulting shape looked a bit odd, it demonstrated that the fence is the the factor that detracts the most.

But spot on for the theme. Lovely bird, almost cartoon like.
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking!

It was a bit of an opportunistic shot, so the background's just something I'll have to live with, just foliage would have been ideal for me. Odd how different people look at things, as it's the fence in relation to the bird that makes it for me. They are a lovely thing to look at, his movement and attitude were so comical... a real little show off, apparently a known characteristic of Rockhoppers.

wibbly said:
Great take on the wild theme, really like this. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Thanks. Glad you like it!

blondie606 said:
Gravity.....like the POV , the simple tones & it's very on theme :) I'd be tempted to crop tothe top of the dark line at the bottom & not 100% on the focus ( though DOF is very thin) maybe have put it on his name ? It looks to me like it's on the writing above ?

Wild.....awww...I do love a penguin.....sharp , good colors & does seem to be staring out past the fence...maybe he's remembering what it was like to be free :'(
Click to expand...

I think the Gravity crop is a given now if I was to do it again... Don't mention focus issues please, it's a D7000, and I'm trying desperately not to think about it and then spend the next 6 months photographing test charts!:D

Wild - They are beautiful things aren't they? The 'remembering' notion was exactly what i hoped people would get from it. Glad you saw that in it. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
A bit of a knock off this week from me (aren't they all:D)

I took this on Saturday, based on my first thoughts at the theme, but I had hoped to get out and have a crack at something a little more ambitious, but it looks like time and the weather are conspiring against me, so in the interests of keeping to schedule...

Week 5 - Space


Space Rock by NickD71, on Flickr

I'm guessing you need to be a fan of Hawkwind et al, and have a nostalgic yearning for late 70s/early 80s video effects to not just pass this one by, but thanks for looking if you do!
 
Not sure the angle helps here - maybe if SPACE had been the second in the list (rather) than third, it might have stood out more? Or in the same place but the words upside down (IYSWIM), used to tilting my head right to read spines of books in library - the other way feels odd.

Interesting effect - good to be bold once in a while, so well done for that! And maybe a tad more DOF to get the whole word in?


:thinking: late 70's, I were only 4 so that could explain a few things :lol:
 
overbez said:
maybe if SPACE had been the second in the list (rather) than third, it might have stood out more?
Click to expand...

This. The processing works well for the theme and the band. I only know 1 Hawkwind song and its the one they play all the time.

Cheers and :thumbs: for trying something different.
 
That is different and i like the idea alot. I like the dof, the pov and the colour and PP. My only concern is not really being able to read the words as they go up the page ( my neck isn't as supple as it used to be!).. Would have been better for at an angle i think.
 
siblingchris said:
Personally I'm not so keen on the effect, but I like the idea
Click to expand...

Thanks. I had a feeling it'd be a bit of a Marmite thing, processing wise. It's all a learning experience!

overbez said:
Not sure the angle helps here - maybe if SPACE had been the second in the list (rather) than third, it might have stood out more? Or in the same place but the words upside down (IYSWIM), used to tilting my head right to read spines of books in library - the other way feels odd.

Interesting effect - good to be bold once in a while, so well done for that! And maybe a tad more DOF to get the whole word in?


:thinking: late 70's, I were only 4 so that could explain a few things :lol:
Click to expand...

I do see what you mean about placement, I wasn't entirely happy with that myself, unfortunately track 7 is the last, so my hands were tied a bit. The effect was a bit of an adventure, to try and get the look to correspond with the music... it'll do for a first attempt. Dead right about the DOF, on reflection a tiny bit more would have worked better.

I'm not that old myself. It's something I came to later, largely due to the *ahem* 'culture' at college! :nono:

posiview said:
This. The processing works well for the theme and the band. I only know 1 Hawkwind song and its the one they play all the time.

Cheers and :thumbs: for trying something different.
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking! It's actually an Ozric Tentacles CD, but they're cut from the same acid addled, patchouli oil stinking, tie-dyed cloth.

superpippo said:
That is different and i like the idea alot. I like the dof, the pov and the colour and PP. My only concern is not really being able to read the words as they go up the page ( my neck isn't as supple as it used to be!).. Would have been better for at an angle i think.
Click to expand...

Thanks... This has been much more positive than I expected. The track 'Space between your ears' is a much longer title than the rest, and ran up into a washed out part of the cover, and I kinda tried to cover that with the processing... On reflection it just serves to confuse a bit, and makes it hard work to look at. Lesson learned.

wibbly said:
Great idea. :clap:
Click to expand...

Many thanks... Glad you think so!:)
 
posiview said:
Eeekk, I saw them several years ago. Don't remember much...combination of alcohol and breathing in passive substances :nuts:

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Y'know, they were always one of those bands that were usually best appreciated in an 'enhanced' condition by one means or another. But even now, as a responsible, mostly sober, chemical free parent, I'll stick something on the MP3 player and it takes me to another place. The track featured in the pic 'Space between your ears' is still my perfect unwinding tune after a beer or two... Needs to be loud though... perfect bassline!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzRE7xp7zqE
 
Season.....already given yourself the main crit, so for me a little wider would have been better.

Gravity.......I think having all the wording in focus would have been more pleasing.

Wild...........He looks like he is having a staring competition with the fence post and he's never going to win :D Every one loves a Penguin!!!!!

Space..........Interesting processing and subject, would never have guessed the reason behind it but the shot looks great.

:thumbs:
 
Nice different take on the theme this week!
A slightly different angle to emphasise 'Space' would probably be my only crit - nice work on the PP too, certainly a bit different!
 
Thanks for your input chaps... all valuable insight!:)
 
Took me a while to work this out - the lack of texture on the hands looked wierd till I worked out it was a tattoo artist wearing gloves!

Spot on theme - maybe would help to see a bit more top and right, the artists arms being tattoo covered, and the top of the needle??

Apart from that - works well. :thumbs:
 
Colour for me too esp if the tattooist was wearing those blue or purple ones... Female tattooist to boot.
 
I agree in this instance colour might be better well done for getting the pic too
 
Yes it is a bit hard to work out what's going on at first, and even which bit is being worked on! However, the composition really hums for me, the lovely lines from those fingers and the needle leading my eye ll around the frame. Excellent shot!
 
overbez said:
Took me a while to work this out - the lack of texture on the hands looked wierd till I worked out it was a tattoo artist wearing gloves!

Spot on theme - maybe would help to see a bit more top and right, the artists arms being tattoo covered, and the top of the needle??

Apart from that - works well. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Cheers! You're right, I'd have liked a little more to the top and right myself, but she uses pneumatic machines, and the impeller in the cropped off part of the machine causes a really high frequency vibration, which gave it an odd looking blur. I cropped it closer partly to get rid of that, and partly to tighten the composition a little.

posiview said:
Think I'd much prefer a colour on this one. Nice detail and can't have been easy to compose.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I did think about colour, but she was re-lining an old tattoo, and adding new line work, with a view to putting in the colour next time. As a result, the existing colour is quite dull compared to the fresh lines, and I lack the PP skills to do much about that at the minute. I think the conversion helped to minimise this. Composition wasn't that hard really, as I've spent a fair bit of time around the job, so I know where her hands would be, and the angles she'd need to work from. It also helped that we've been friends a long time, and the punter is the Mrs... so I could get away with a reasonable amount of getting in the way.:D

superpippo said:
Strangely, I feel that b&w does not do this justice, altho the colours and skin tones may have made it more difficult to shoot. B/g upper right a bit distracting perhaps.

On theme, altho it makes me feel queasy. :eek:
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input.
As I mentioned above, the B&W conversion was largely because my PP skills aren't really up to getting the picture I wanted with colour. The combination of new lines and old colour is not ideal. If only this theme would have been drawn for the next appointment!

No need to feel queasy... she's the gentlest I've experienced!:)

greenoak said:
Colour for me too esp if the tattooist was wearing those blue or purple ones... Female tattooist to boot.
Click to expand...

Another vote for colour... looks like I need to work on my PP! The gloves are black... the purple would look great in colour though, that texture really works for me too. Might have to take her some for next time.

alsjazzera said:
I agree in this instance colour might be better well done for getting the pic too
Click to expand...

Thanks. Duly noted... colour next time!:)

ChrisR said:
Yes it is a bit hard to work out what's going on at first, and even which bit is being worked on! However, the composition really hums for me, the lovely lines from those fingers and the needle leading my eye ll around the frame. Excellent shot!
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot... I'm pretty happy overall. It's a bit of a gift really, as I feel the nature of the activity creates some lovely shapes.
 
I think colour might have made it stand out more but see nothing wrong with it in b&w, stood out to me straight away what it was. Nice shot.
 
I really like the black and white going on here, kind of adds to the drama. Maybe my only comment would be to be a little more dramatic with the processing.

Other than that, really like it. :thumbs:
 
Hi Nick



thanks for mentioning Hawkwind...I've now got THAT song going round n round n round in my head :bang: Quuite like the angle & the colors on the shot though :)

Work.....did a similar shot last year(never posted) so I have to say I like it....not 100% on the B&W...can almost feel a little sc coming on though that may be too cliche for most :D

Ps.....I've sent my D7000 back to Nikon for a suspect issue with bracketing shots( Andy witnessed it so I knew it wasn't just my imagination!) , got it back today & they fixed....the Autofocus :) I though the focus issues were pilot error , seems not ...might be worth sending yours back ?
 
Cheers people!

I really appreciate your input, as I've tons to learn. I've fallen behind a little with my crit this week as everything has been a little mental at work, but I'll endeavour to correct that over the weekend.

@ Blondie... I currently lack the understanding to determine whether the AF is out, it's probably down to me. I figure I'll give it a year, enjoy the summer, and maybe stick it in for a service and calibration over next Winter. It's close enough for most of the kind of shots I take regularly, and this project should give me a clear idea of any problems.:)
 
Week 7 - Gluttony.

Totally foiled this week!

I knew exactly what I wanted when I read the draw... I would take a long lens up to 'The Fat Boy of Cock Lane'. A small golden statue up near St Barts, at the furthest reach of the great fire of 1666, with an inscription suggesting the fire was divine punishment for London's gluttony (in contrast to the inscription on Wren's Monument - which until surprisingly recently blamed the Catholics!). I legged it up there at great speed on my lunch hour midweek, only to find my quarry up to his flabby golden arse in bloody scaffolding... Typical!

As a result I only managed a half decent shot from the large low-level plaque... see exhibit A below. My plan-B was a shot that, while I'm happy with the idea, I have absolutely no idea how to execute properly. I've included it anyway in the hope of learning something.

Thanks for looking! :)


Gluttony by NickD71, on Flickr


Yum! by NickD71, on Flickr
 
Hi, sometimes stuff gets in the way :)

Gluttony #1, very literal. Nice and sharp, but having it all sharp has resulted in the eye floating around the photograph. Lower angle with shallow DOF maybe.

Gluttony #2, lol, nice meal. The overall lighting isn't too bad and I do like the reflection of the candle in the bottle. I'd like to see a little more light on the neat side of the lard, and perhaps a tweak off the WB.

Cheers.
 
posiview said:
Hi, sometimes stuff gets in the way :)

Gluttony #1, very literal. Nice and sharp, but having it all sharp has resulted in the eye floating around the photograph. Lower angle with shallow DOF maybe.

Gluttony #2, lol, nice meal. The overall lighting isn't too bad and I do like the reflection of the candle in the bottle. I'd like to see a little more light on the neat side of the lard, and perhaps a tweak off the WB.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

#1 - I know exactly what you mean, but I'd played the DOF card a couple of times already, plus I was travelling light with the 55-300, which is f4.5 minimum, and couldn't get far enough away. I considered going back today with the 2.8, but figured I'd not have time anyway.

#2 - Brilliant, cheers... that's exactly the kind of advice I need for shots like these. Many thanks!
 
Very creative for the second shot...it took me a minute to realise then I was like "eugh!"

To me it looks like the lard on the plate is not in focus, but objects behind are. if the idea was to have a narrow depth of field rather than everything in focus I think I would have gone the other way around
 
Ji NIck


talk about heart attack on a plate :eek: I have looked several times at that shot & yet I've only just sussed that it's oil in the glass rather than wine..DOH :bonk:

Nicely laid out & good lighting from just the candle ? As per Andy , a little more light on the front of the lard would help & maybe just alter the focus point slightly....could be my eye's but the lard & greenery appear a little oof whislts the bottle , glass & candle are lovely and sharp.
 
siblingchris said:
Very creative for the second shot...it took me a minute to realise then I was like "eugh!"

To me it looks like the lard on the plate is not in focus, but objects behind are. if the idea was to have a narrow depth of field rather than everything in focus I think I would have gone the other way around
Click to expand...

Thanks. I actually wanted it all in focus (I think), but the light made the candle the obvious focus point, and I guess the DOF wasn't enough. The suggestion above, of lighting the front a little would have helped a fair bit, but the idea of multiple lighting angles is alien to me... something I need to work on I guess.

blondie606 said:
Ji NIck


talk about heart attack on a plate :eek: I have looked several times at that shot & yet I've only just sussed that it's oil in the glass rather than wine..DOH :bonk:

Nicely laid out & good lighting from just the candle ? As per Andy , a little more light on the front of the lard would help & maybe just alter the focus point slightly....could be my eye's but the lard & greenery appear a little oof whislts the bottle , glass & candle are lovely and sharp.
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking... If I did it again I'd have a glass of dripping, with a congealed layer on top to make it more obvious, but this being 2013, we don't cook anything that would lend itself to that in the house anymore. :'(

Regarding front lighting an focus, I did want it all in focus, but kinda messed it up. Lighting from the front would have mad it much easier, but it never occurred to me... A lesson for next time!
 
Week 8 - Time.

After faffing around for a while trying to capture the 'Indiglo' feature (which has always amused me... little things & little minds, etc), I decided to have a crack at processing something similar into it... Not entirely happy with the result, but I kinda liked looking at it, so I thought I'd submit it. Obviously I chose the time to show the word 'Time', just to make the theme more obvious.

Thanks for looking! :)


Time by NickD71, on Flickr
 
couple of really good ones here Nick, love the lard on a plate shot, not sure about the DOF / focus point there. At first glance it looks soft, but then the eye does pull through to the detail of the lard in packs, and the olive oil bottle, which is the 'punchline' to the joke, if you like. So on reflection, I think you got it right!

And nice work on time, like the processing, it definately does have the indiglo look to it, and good attention to detail using the second hand to cover the X up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top