The 52 Weeks of Daysleeping - week 25 "Development" Reshoot

What a great interpretation of the theme :thumbs:

It's certainly a striking image and well processed :clap::clap:

Maybe using the text as lead in would work better if you can't put it in the border (I don't know how either :D)

As has been said already you really are improving week on week :clap::clap:
 
This is a wicked image - he's/she's looking straight through us! Again - dont like the writing there - would have been better written in the border. Nice :)
 
Thanks for all the comments everyone - for what it's worth I agree about the typing.

Feel I should say a few words about the subject - her name is Yasmin and she lives at Marwell Zoo. Her mate Kiril died on 10th August 2008. Together they successfully reared six cubs between 1997 - 2005 which is pretty impressive given that snow leopards are classed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List.

Although Marwell hope to bring in two youngsters to live along side her she is too old to be introduced to another mate so will live alone now.
Which makes me sad.

To answer Simons question - yes it is sepia toned apart from the eyes which I tried to boost a little bit with curves.
 
Week 11 - Relationships

Another Saturday - another trip to the zoo :)

I knew we were having an outing so I purposely didn't try to think of any ideas this week - just went to Whipsnade with the thought that I must look for scenes that lent themselves to this weeks theme. I had lots of opportunities but in the end I have gone with the relationship between siblings.

So this is little Donaldson trying to outdo his big (half) sister Lee-Lee and suggesting that anything she can do - he can do better!

Week11-Relationships.jpg


Things I learnt this week -

1. It was nice not to agonise over the theme and be able to just look around me for ideas.
2. I'm still struggling with the PP work - I often have no idea whether I'm making things better of worse. Black and white can look a bit flat - I need to learn how to rectify this.
3. Baby elephants are an absolute joy :D
4. Having a relatively easy 52 theme and good weather can really boost your enthusiasm for the whole thing. I'm secretly quite proud of myself for getting this far and it means a lot to me that people think I am making improvements - thankyou for all the feedback :thumbs:
 
Smashing take on the theme, B+W suits it too!!!
 
This really made me smile, DS. It looks as though they are enjoying playing together (nice when siblings do that :))

It's a charming picture and you've got good detail in the baby elephants' fuzzy skin.

I know what you mean about not knowing how your processing is working out, but this looks good to me. It looks as though you've boosted the contrast a bit :thumbs: and there's a good tonal range. :thumbs:

Jean
 
There is a lot to like about this, the b&w works well for me, the elephants are ace, you have caught a nice moment here.

Pity the larger elephant was in the top right of the frame, apart from that, Its a really nice capture, well done.
 
A really good capture of the two of them playing around, a good take on the theme. I think the processing has worked really well, and really like the details, and the almost high key (if I've got the right term:D) effect. That other elephant could have just moved over a bit for you ... but you've got good separation between them.
 
That's a lovely shot...:clap:

and so playfull...:lol:

if you gave it a tad more contrast it would be a fantastic shot...:thumbs:
 
Thankyou again for all the lovely comments - C&C has been taken on board.

Now the more observant among you will notice two things about this post:

a. I have missed a week

and

b. There is still no picture attached for "Poverty"

My excuse is a serious bowt of lurgy which has completely decimated me over the last week or so. I was going to battle on and get my poverty picture regardless but to be honest I have been a pathetic wreck. Having thought about it I decided that I would rather postpone "poverty" until I could give it the time effort and attention it deserved. After all - this is my project, it's supposed to be fun, and I'd like to end up with 52 photo's that I at least put effort into - even if they do turn out carp.

Anyways, enough rambling - I will make every effort to get my poverty shot this week and add it to this post. Meantime I have moved onto "Up" which I will be posting just as soon as it's uploaded to photobucket...

EDIT -

Week 12 - Poverty

This is one image that definately needs explaining re the theme. The idea was that we (the privileged) are partly responsible for many of the people who work their fingers to the bone for 4p a day sewing sequins and whatnot onto clothes that we then buy for £4 and think we have got ourselves a bargain. I'm not being judgemental - I buy things from Primark (and other highstreet stores who are guilty of using what you could call slave labour) too... I just conveniantly forget what my £4 top costs somebody else:

Week12-Poverty.jpg


Things I learnt:

1. This was my first effort at what I suppose is "street photography" - it scared me and I wish I'd been more confident. I'm certain I could have done better.
2. I'm still not sure I should submit a picture that needs explaining - the jury is still out in my mind.
3. If you keep putting off taking your camera to work to get your 52 photo, sods law says it will rain on the day that you do.
 
Last edited:
Week 13 - Up

My hope was to take a dramatic cloudscape for this weeks theme but something else happened. I looked up and found a heart in the sky...

Week13-Up.jpg


Things I learned:

1. I should look at the clouds more often - it's really quite soothing
2. Sometimes it's good to give yourself a break. Having felt like hell and still battled through work everyday there was no need to add even more pressure on myself and feel bad about postponing my poverty shot. My project, my rules... how very liberating!!
 
Daysleeper40 said:
My excuse is a serious bowt of lurgy which has completely decimated me over the last week or so. I was going to battle on and get my poverty picture regardless but to be honest I have been a pathetic wreck. Having thought about it I decided that I would rather postpone "poverty" until I could give it the time effort and attention it deserved. After all - this is my project, it's supposed to be fun, and I'd like to end up with 52 photo's that I at least put effort into - even if they do turn out carp.
Click to expand...

Daysleeper40 said:
Week 13 - Up

My hope was to take a dramatic cloudscape for this weeks theme but something else happened. I looked up and found a heart in the sky...

2. Sometimes it's good to give yourself a break. Having felt like hell and still battled through work everyday there was no need to add even more pressure on myself and feel bad about postponing my poverty shot. My project, my rules... how very liberating!!
Click to expand...


Hi Daysleeper - isn't it amazing what you can learn on a photography chellenge. :thinking:

Sometimes you just have to be kind to yourself and sometimes the right thing to do is - do nothing. :)

I hope you're feeling better now and next week won't be a battle for you.

I think that heart-shaped cloud was just for you - well spotted. :clap::clap:
I love it and it reminds me of the poem about having time to stand and stare. :)

Jean
 
I too love the poem Leisure by Wiliam Henry Davies, especially when read by John Hannah. My friend is a member of the cloud appreciation society and she would adore this photograph! :D

I think the heart shape cloud is amazing and the more the weeks go on, I think it is the chance shots that are the stunners.

well done :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
I love the relationships picture. It's a great capture and the monoconversion really works here. You could almost ruffle the soft hair on their backs :clap::clap:

Capturing that cloud was inspired and meets the brief on at least two levels, it's up above and also love lifts us all. :clap::clap:
 
jeangenie said:
Hi Daysleeper - isn't it amazing what you can learn on a photography chellenge. :thinking:

Jean
Click to expand...

Thanks Jean - as strange is it might sound this photography challange really is teaching me a lot - but not all about photography! I think I'm learning quite a lot about me. I spotted that cloud because I was lying on my back at a local nature reserve. There were lots of families out for walks and picnics and things and I was getting lot of funny looks as I had just been scrambling around in a hedge (macro efforts) and then lay flat on the floor for about 20 minutes. And do you know what - I didn't care that they all clearly thought I was a bit odd to say the least. I had a photo to take and that was that! Previously I would have felt really self conscious but not any more :)

adrury said:
I too love the poem Leisure by Wiliam Henry Davies, especially when read by John Hannah. My friend is a member of the cloud appreciation society and she would adore this photograph! :D

I think the heart shape cloud is amazing and the more the weeks go on, I think it is the chance shots that are the stunners.
Click to expand...

The cloud appreciation society sounds like something I want to know more about!

Bruja said:
I love the relationships picture. It's a great capture and the monoconversion really works here. You could almost ruffle the soft hair on their backs :clap::clap:

Capturing that cloud was inspired and meets the brief on at least two levels, it's up above and also love lifts us all.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bruja - baby elephants are so playful and these two gave me plenty of opportunity to capture something to fit the theme.

and the cloud... you are right, love is the most uplifting thing I can think of... when it's going in your favour of course!
 
Relationships works really well and is suited to the b/w treatment.

Your up shot could have worked for relationships too. It's amazing what you see when you look up, most people very rarely do.
 
Real stroke of luck finding that in the clouds, I guess if we carry the camera and pay attention, sometime the shot comes to us.

Well done.
 
Love the cloud shot for up, there are some amazing patterns in the clouds and you've caught that one superbly.
 
Love the clouds very much and even more so as your found a heart in there:)

Also I agree dont stress about missing a week its not worth it.
 
Well done on spotting that heart shape...too many of us are not looking up in the clouds these days...:lol:

I love the way you have composed the shot, not cropping in to tight and that's a great boarder you have, nothing to busy but just enough.

very nicely done this week...:thumbs:
 
Thanks for the comments all - I felt pretty lucky when I saw a bit of love in the sky. Would have been rude not to use it :)

Week 12 also now added so I am offically up to date. Best get thinking about week 14 now!
 
Hi DS

Relationships: High Aww factor there - lovely shot and says bundles about relationships - great detail on those two as well :)

Poverty: Your picture didn't need explaining for me funnily enough - as soon as I saw it I thought of the start of the chain rather than the end - although I guess ironically Primark is the 'poor' end of the high street chains! Good street shot for a first attempt but more importantly for me: good message :)

Up: Simply amazing :) I thought it was PhotoShopped at first but I was wrong! and what a great valentines day card that would make! We should all look up more and see that sort of wonder! Well seen and caught DS!!!

Love it! :D
 
Well done for getting Week 12 Poverty posted. And well done for the 'street' shot - very brave. :) The shot's fine, and as to the explanation - I seem to have to explain mine every week. :nuts:



You have made a valid point, though, and I've just checked to see where the top I casually chucked in my supermarket trolley yesterday, adding £3.50 to the bill, was made. It doesn't say - and I can only assume it's not somewhere where the staff are properly paid, work regulated hours and have union representation. :thinking:


So, congratulations on

- catching up
- getting out into the street with your camera
- making me think

:clap::clap::clap:

Jean
 
Thanks for the comments again - good to get some feedback :)

Poverty is in fact my least favourite shot so far and I can't say I enjoyed the experience of trying to photograph strangers on the street. WAY outside my comfort zone :eek:

Onto week 14 - Letter

No profound meaning to this one - just an illustration of how bad my scrabble luck usually is... entitled "Oh for the want of a vowel"

Week14-Letter.jpg


Taken with natuaral light from the bedroom window - and the main thing I learnt this week is that natural light is a very rude word that I really shouldn't post on the forum!

Thanks for looking :thumbs:
 
hehe! I sooo know what you mean about the natural daylight!
Nice shot with a good DoF. Your luck seems about the same as mine, fortunately in this house, scrabble only comes out in a power cut :lol:
 
I like that, good use of DoF and there's nothing wrong with natural light, unless I've missed something which is possible :D. Pesky vowels never turn up when you need them, then 5 come along all at once :lol:
 
I think you have pulled off this weeks theme very well with the use of some excellent DOF work...:clap:

I just want to push the Z a little more in to the frame, but that's me...

But I still like it a lot...:thumbs:
 
Thanks for the comments. I also wanted to move the Z in a bit... and I did on the last shot I took - but then when I got the pics on the PC my focus was all wrong on that shot :bang:

Week 15 - Duo

There were so many things I could have taken pictures of for this as it is just OH and I here (+ two moggies of course) so there is literally two of everything. I was all set for a bit more table top fun but didn't have much enthusiasm for any of my subjects. Then I spotted these two on a flower in our jungle of a front garden and was just pondering if they were lovers or fighters when my brain kicked in and I ran for the camera. A duo of waspy / bee type creatures - hover flies? I'm not sure... but there are definately two of them!

Week15-Duo.jpg


Thanks for looking :thumbs:
 
Last edited:
Wow superb shot and you say you didn't have the camera when you spotted them!
 
What a corker - a superb macro shot in its own right but as a shot to meet this weeks theme - spot on :D

Brilliant DS, brilliant!!!
 
Thankyou for the comments you lovely people!

The one up-side to using a bridge camera is it is versatile in those "quick, grab the camera" moments. The bee things were very obliging subjects as well I must say :)
 
Absolutely stunning, and although it should have and 18 sticker on it :eek: it is one of the best shots of the 52 yet!! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
Love it, great colour, fits the theme and made me laugh.

Excellent stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top