Tracer's 52 for 2010 (part 1) - Wk 26 -"Beginnings"

[Tracer]

The half-way mark! Sorry it's a bit late again but I blame unexpected visitors - and Wimbledon .

Week 26 - "Beginnings"

This is a baby platy in my tropical fish tank. I tried to get an adult in the picture as well but no luck - they all dart around too fast for me and in any case the babies hide so that they don't get eaten! I hope the gravel gives a sense of scale - the baby fish is only half an inch long.

Taken with a 60mm macro lens and flashgun mounted on the camera, and cropped a bit.

 

[Bruja]

Great Grunge shot

Definitely an overall theme of 'mankiness' and such simplicity too

 

[Bruja]

Love the Beginnings shot too - DoF is spot on and I know how difficult shooting through glass can be.

You're right, the pebbles give an idea of scale without putting the 'baby' in any danger from from the grown ups

 

[justlooking]

must be hard to shoot through glass - it has come out really well. How big is a grown up one?

 

[dan_yorkshire]

Really liking your grunge shots, simple yet for me one of the best interpretations of the theme.

This week must have taken some shooting, through glass, quick fish and a fairly low f number from the looks, reckon you'll have had a few blurs before you hit the jackpot?

 

[SarahLee]

I still haven't managed to get a really good fish photo, so 10/10 from me.
Lovely and sharp and I know just how fast those little things are.

Not too keen on the leaves top right, but when you're doing this sort of thing sometimes composition has to be compromised just to get the shot.

 

[jeangenie]

Grunge - I had to smail at this - I've got trainers like that too, but I didn't think of using them for Grunge! It's well shot and I like the fact that you've only used the toe of one trainer - it looks more artistic. Well done on coming up with such a good solution to this miserble theme.

Beginnings: Another 'well done' on shooting macro and through glass at such a small moving fish. Yes, the pebbles do give a sense of scale and I think you've done a really good job on exposure and composition. I'm glad the little chap/chapess is keeping safely hidden from predatory adults. How big will it grow?

Jean

 

[Tracer]

Great Grunge shot

Definitely an overall theme of 'mankiness' and such simplicity too

Love the Beginnings shot too - DoF is spot on and I know how difficult shooting through glass can be.

You're right, the pebbles give an idea of scale without putting the 'baby' in any danger from from the grown ups

Thank you Bruja - good to have you back on board.

 

[Tracer]

must be hard to shoot through glass - it has come out really well. How big is a grown up one?

Thank you - the adults are about 2 1/4 inches

Really liking your grunge shots, simple yet for me one of the best interpretations of the theme.

This week must have taken some shooting, through glass, quick fish and a fairly low f number from the looks, reckon you'll have had a few blurs before you hit the jackpot?

Thank you Dan. My success rate was better than I expected but there were several where you could only see the tail disappearing behind a leaf. I used a small aperture to help with the focus, and the flash froze the motion. Because I was so close to the glass I didn't have any problems with reflections even though the flash was mounted on the camera - any reflection was outside the field of view.

I still haven't managed to get a really good fish photo, so 10/10 from me.
Lovely and sharp and I know just how fast those little things are.

Not too keen on the leaves top right, but when you're doing this sort of thing sometimes composition has to be compromised just to get the shot.

Thank you Sarah. I had some shots with nicer leaves but they didn't give a sense of scale. Also as you can see I have some algae problems - maybe I could have used this for Grunge!

Grunge - I had to smail at this - I've got trainers like that too, but I didn't think of using them for Grunge! It's well shot and I like the fact that you've only used the toe of one trainer - it looks more artistic. Well done on coming up with such a good solution to this miserble theme.

Beginnings: Another 'well done' on shooting macro and through glass at such a small moving fish. Yes, the pebbles do give a sense of scale and I think you've done a really good job on exposure and composition. I'm glad the little chap/chapess is keeping safely hidden from predatory adults. How big will it grow?

Jean

Thank you Jean. Most of the credit should go to our fantastic modern equipment - continuous autofocus plus TTL flash made it much easier than I expected. Of course it is easier with be adult fish - they get to be about 2 1/4 inches.

 

[DC2Z]

Excellent work on getting the fish shot, I have tried before and its a nightmare. Very very well done

 

[karmagarda]

Really like the colours in post. That blue sky is wicked! Seen lots of these types of shots, but that one is a particularly nice one.

1st metal shot is cracking! Love that building. Great composition there, you've really accentuated it.

Grunge... eh! This one nearly killed my 52 to be honest . Like your interpretation this time round if it's any consolation

Beginnings, really like that one! Great idea too. Loving all the different interpretations we've seen on this theme.

 

[jgs001]

I too really like that... it works really well, and kudos for getting such a clear shot through the tank glass

 

[daddy day care]

Well done on getting a nice sharp clear photograph.

I can never get decent shots of my fish. As soon as the camera comes out they scaroer and watch me from behind a rock

Andy

 

[jennyb]

That's a good one, Tracer. I have tried photographing tadpoles and found it impossible to get anything decent. Well done with this one. The colours and the lighting are good.

Jenny

 

[Tracer]

Excellent work on getting the fish shot, I have tried before and its a nightmare. Very very well done

Thank you Darren

Really like the colours in post. That blue sky is wicked! Seen lots of these types of shots, but that one is a particularly nice one.

1st metal shot is cracking! Love that building. Great composition there, you've really accentuated it.

Grunge... eh! This one nearly killed my 52 to be honest . Like your interpretation this time round if it's any consolation

Beginnings, really like that one! Great idea too. Loving all the different interpretations we've seen on this theme.

Thank you Conor - sorry I still haven't had time to comment on your great catch-up.

I too really like that... it works really well, and kudos for getting such a clear shot through the tank glass

Thank you John. I had to clean the glass twice - the macro lens showed up all the bits I'd missed after the first time.

Well done on getting a nice sharp clear photograph.

I can never get decent shots of my fish. As soon as the camera comes out they scaroer and watch me from behind a rock

Andy

Thank you Andy - the platys don't seem bothered but then I think all they are interested in is food and sex!

That's a good one, Tracer. I have tried photographing tadpoles and found it impossible to get anything decent. Well done with this one. The colours and the lighting are good.

Jenny

Thank you Jenny. I think tadpoles would be much harder - at least these platys are colourful enough to show up well.