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Photo Assignment: Weekend 12/8/07

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Wow--tough choice, Dave. Really nice stuff this week. I favor nos. 1 & 3. Both are really cool images, a bit otherworldly, I'd say. I might like 3 better if just for the contrast of metal and leather. Patterns galore.
 
Wow--tough choice, Dave. Really nice stuff this week. I favor nos. 1 & 3. Both are really cool images, a bit otherworldly, I'd say. I might like 3 better if just for the contrast of metal and leather. Patterns galore.

Thanks. I live in a modernist house and it's all about patterns. I just wandered out into the atrium and shot these on Friday afternoon. This is section of our yard, taken last August.

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Thanks. I live in a modernist house and it's all about patterns. I just wandered out into the atrium and shot these on Friday afternoon. This is section of our yard, taken last August.

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I think those sea urchins in the center court need to go back to the ocean, they're looking a little bleached!:D

RM
 
I think those sea urchins in the center court need to go back to the ocean, they're looking a little bleached!:D

RM

I thought those were the spare wig supply for Curly, Moe or Larry - whichever one it was with the falling-down spiky hairdo.
 
Blue fescue, actually. They're much larger now. They grow into a blue mound about 2 feet around and tall.

:)
 
Color contrast

I agree with Tom that shots 1 and 3 are very good, but my vote goes for KbasaÔÇÖs #1. The repetition of pattern is really striking, but what really sets it off is the reflected red in the chrome contrasting against the blueish background. The color contrast helps give the image added dimension and depth, nice shot.
 

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Another week gone already. Where do the photo opportunities go? Well, we were looking for patterns, and once again this group distinguished itself interpreting this theme in a number of clever and inventive ways.

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Franze started us off with a bang this week. This guy must live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I must admit, when I saw this picture my first reaction was to smash my camera, a la Rapid_Roy. . . . :rofl The light in this shot is really interesting. The whole thing's a bit hazy and the foreground is quite dark, beneath clouds I suppose. The composition is quite interesting with the horizon and the rainbow's terminus each occupying it's own third of the photo. Of course, that it's landing square on this leprechaun's house is a miracle. What's the best camera to own? The one you have with you when you see a rainbow falling in someone's backyard. Pretty amazingly cool shot. Right place at the right time, but that is not in any way to take away from his thoughtful execution.

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I already commented on this unique perspective. I admit to having a soft-spot for this shot. It would appear to be a cat, and this rather mundane circumstance has never been seen by virtually any of us before. It's really remarkable to me because it invokes a kind of response, a "Hey." I don't know if anyone else feels that way but I find it striking.

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I was kind of proud of this. Not a great photo, but I'm rarely satisfied with my interpretations. When this idea dawned on me I thought I had something unique. I like the rugged textures the spines form; I like that it's motorcycle related. I like this hidden feature of the ON, a bit like Playboy's hidden bunny on each cover. That and the articles. Anywho, what I don't like is that I couldn't get parallel to the mags. They're on a shelf and my tripod, even with a horizontal column, wouldn't quite get to where I wanted. The lighting is a bit harsh, giving this an "old photo" quality; it lacks a bit of contrast or saturation or both. Still, a fun image.

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Another interesting close-up, GrossJohann's submission is exactly the sort of picture on which I run hot and cold. Sometimes a starkly monochromatic subject like this really turns me off but this shot works for me. I think because it's an unusual prespective (how many pictures are looking into a can?), the ribs in the aluminum are an interesting, concentric patter. The reflections--which might have ruined this image--actually lend an element of interest. Although the subject is clear and familiar, this isn't a picture of a thing, it's a picture of reflections, repeating patterns, and shapes. It's very interesting. . . .

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At first glance, RandallIsland's title "donut" didn't makes sense to me. When I caught it, I laughed out loud, imagining this frantic cat or rabbit or whatever it was racing through the freezing snow. That's really funny and an interesting kind of pattern, too. Snow is really tough to photograph, and this illumination and color cast is really interesting.

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This is a very cool interpretation of "pattern." I thought of a bike chain, but I didn't do it, and if I had, it would have been around a sprocket. This way, curled up as it is, makes it infinitely more interesting. Again, a familiar (and motorcycle-related) item envisioned in a different way altogether.

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Now, I know that this is disqualified for having been photoshopped, but is this not a remarkable image? I love this shot along with the whole poignant series. In an upcoming assignment I'm going to ask that we shoot a short series of a given subject. Really nice stuff, Rocketman.

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Touruniqo is back this week with an interesting shot. I think the appeal of this shot is its prespective. A lot of people would have shot this from where they stood, but TU takes us into the groove, must like on-board surfing photographers. I don't if it strikes you, but the wreath in the distance adds a certain something. (I was going to say je ne sais quoi but I don't want to get beaten up at the next rally).

This photo does highlight how difficult it is to photograph snow. You'll notice in this shot that it's rather gray. A camera's light meter is calibrated to expect 18% gray reflectance. If you shoot something that's either predominantly white or black, it tends to be rendered as a shade of gray. Overexpose snow by about two stops (+2 EV or a Chinaman's googly to your cricket players). Underexpose black by about 2 stops. I know it's counterintuitive, but that's how it works.

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It would be very easy to say that this has been done a thousand times (at least that many in my own collection) but PGlaves' interpretation of patter is really kind of remarkable. Again: simple, familiar, a bit of drama with the perspective, and an interesting, layered texture that is all around us, but how often do we stop down and look at it? These bricks actually have character.

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This is another shot that I love. Are you seeing a pattern in these shots (master of the unintentional pun)? Close-up, familiar objects, extraordinary detail. The chain link here, weathered, rusted, frozen, is so fascinating. It's repeating folds and loops are really compelling. The perspective combined with the very shallow depth-of-field add such interest. Note that the very short section that's in focus is very near the "front." The photos always work better if there's little out of focus in the foreground. Great interpretation: color, texture, contrast. Just neat.

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Lamble has a couple of very interesting shots this week. This is one. The multiple curves are the attraction for me. Here the lack of contrast colors (monochromatic shot) doesn't work so well for me. I also have to hunt for the point of focus (and there is one). I wonder what this would look like with a great depth-of-field. Still it's a very interesting image, well-composed, that invites inquiry. Perhaps because it's not so immediately identifiable, it's more challenging to the viewer.

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I really appreciate that Lamble posts this one which he clearly feels is less successful. It's a great learning opportunity for all of us. This subject, because it's white with familiar bright colors, is a real challenge for white balance. Here the WB seems to be set for "outdoors" rather than "automatic" and it's shot under indoor, incandescent lighting. Everyone reading this has yellow pictures taken indoors without a flash, right? That's why. This would be a situation where one might take a WB reading, or at least set it for "indoor" (the little light bulb icon--not the fluorescent).

Notice, too, how Lamble talks about where the camera wants to focus. It's important to learn that the camera (much like a motorcycle) will go where you tell it to. In every viewfinder is a central oval, brackets or parentheses indicating where the camera will focus. Modern DSLRs have autofocus systems that focus on multiple points. They generally don't work for me and I set them to the center point. Point the camera at what you want to be in focus, depress and hold the shutter, recompose and shoot. That's all there is to it. I encourage you to play with that. It will set you free.

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In addition to his excellent advice on the photo above, WMUBrown submitted a couple of cool shots this week. There were two of these. Like him, I preferred the perspective of the first, but the subject is swallowed by a shadow. This one is starkly symmetrical and very unusual. It's a nice find (a bike rack I assume). I think it wants to be cropped square. It's interesting: This image works precisely because of its rigid symmetry, just the opposite reason that GrossJohann's shot works.

As my dear mother used to say, "I'm just going to rest my eyes for a minute."



More later.
 
Apart from the lighting being duff, your comments just made me take a look at the camera. It is indeed set on a 9 points of focus setting rather than the centre.

On the carbon being monochrome, that's just the colour it is I'm afraid.

I'll have another pop at the paint pot tomorrow perhaps. One learns form one's mistakes.
 
Apart from the lighting being duff, your comments just made me take a look at the camera. It is indeed set on a 9 points of focus setting rather than the centre.

On the carbon being monochrome, that's just the colour it is I'm afraid.

I'll have another pop at the paint pot tomorrow perhaps. One learns form one's mistakes.

don't know what you have, but with the Nikon DSLR, (and I would asume others) there is a setting that allows you to pick a specific focus point from all those shown, that way you might not have to move the camera and hold down the shutter half-way. this often works for me cause i often can't seem to hold the button steady halfway while moving the camera, I either release it just enough that I loss the focus or wind up pushing it down all the way down in the middle of the move and Click., wrong framing!
RM
 
Tom wrote: "Touruniqo is back this week with an interesting shot. I think the appeal of this shot is its prespective. A lot of people would have shot this from where they stood, but TU takes us into the groove, must like on-board surfing photographers. I don't if it strikes you, but the wreath in the distance adds a certain something. (I was going to say je ne sais quoi but I don't want to get beaten up at the next rally).

This photo does highlight how difficult it is to photograph snow. You'll notice in this shot that it's rather gray. A camera's light meter is calibrated to expect 18% gray reflectance. If you shoot something that's either predominantly white or black, it tends to be rendered as a shade of gray. Overexpose snow by about two stops (+2 EV or a Chinaman's googly to your cricket players). Underexpose black by about 2 stops. I know it's counterintuitive, but that's how it works."


Thanks very much for the remarks regarding exposure. This will lead me into more discoveries with my new (to me) Nikon. Will experiment. And the wreath in the background slightly off center was done for no particular reason but just appealed to my eye. I seem to suspend technical correctness for some sort of artsy feel..... which these weekend adventures allow me to explore in new and increasingly disciplined ways. Oh yeah, that "beaten up at the rally" thing.... only if you think getting yet another free beer is getting "beaten up". -Bob
 
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I agree with Tom that shots 1 and 3 are very good, but my vote goes for KbasaÔÇÖs #1. The repetition of pattern is really striking, but what really sets it off is the reflected red in the chrome contrasting against the blueish background. The color contrast helps give the image added dimension and depth, nice shot.

Thanks! It's actually a chair in our atrium. I tried to keep the depth of field shallow enough to completely blur the background.
 
Feedback II

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Ill-disguised effort to show of your bike? I'd say more "blatant." And I admire you for it, as there's no one worse than I for taking pictures to show off my bike. Well done, sir, I tip my hat to you. (Note: golden mean composition)

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MLS2GO is on board this week with a couple of beauties. The first one--which I shall call "orange"--is a neat shot if only for the fact that I have no idea what it is. And I don't think he's told us yet. What a tease. It may be a frozen something, perhaps a texture coating or concrete. . . . I really have no idea. It's an interesting and seemingly natural pattern with a really interesting texture. I note that there is a lot of light falloff in the corners. Taken with a flash? That happens with some built-in flashes sometimes.

The second shot is even more interesting, as it is clearly not natural and rigidly symmetrical nearly to the point of infinity. When asked to guess I dismissed the notion that it might be a screen, but apparently that's what it is. I don't really do snow or freezing, so what do I know? I really like close-ups and this one is very effective.

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JohnF is one of our regulars who is emerging with a certain style. His shots always exude some sort of humor, whether in the title or subject matter or what have you. I don't know why, but this strikes me as funny--a self-conscious and perhaps contrived interpretation, and a successful one. I like the staging of the football and helmet. I don't read football plays, but I assume it's accurate based on the discussion that ensued. One of the indicators of a photo's success is how much conversation it generates. Fun shot. Gayle Sayers? Inflate that thing and put it under glass, for crying out loud.

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WMUBrown brought us another little bit of inspiration in this shot. I was surprised that you want all the way to "bulb" to shoot this (the "bulb" setting holds the shutter open as long as you depress the shutter release, seconds or even minutes are possible). Nonetheless, it's clever and I like it. The firing of the flash is what eventually gives some solid state to the subject, albeit semi-transparent. Many newer mid- to high-end cameras give you the option for a "rear-curtain sync." This causes the flash to fire just before the shutter closes, as opposed to immediately upon the shutter opening. This is so the trails of the long exposure seem to emanate from the subject rather than precede it. As it stands this is a really interesting image. I've been kicking around the idea of having an assignment with motion as a component. You've given me something to cogitate on.

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Not to be outdone, GrossJohann returns with his own tree shot. This is an interesting and intricate pattern with a ghostly, ethereal feel. Normally, over-exposure is a problem (as these lights clearly are) but here the effect is really nice. It renders that sort of fuzzy, gee-I-may-had-too-much-egg-nog sort of quality. Frankly, it looks very much like one of many Christmas cards that you can buy. Nice.

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Voni's submission this week is a really nice photo. Filled with patterns, not the least of which is the intricate adobe bricks, it's also a masterful composition. By offering us just a part of the church, it forces the eye to focus on the detail of the brick rather than the entirety of the structure. The brush, mountains, and sky form a perfect rule-of-thirds. The wispy clouds are nice against the azure sky. I really like this shot. It reveals thought on the part of the photographer. I often remark that a photo is a "snap shot." This one doesn't come off at all like that. 250 bonus points on general principle.

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Is it just me, or is this bloke scary? And why is he walking around the MGM with a target? An interesting shot, especially in it interpretation of the theme, which Burnzilla found after the fact, even cooler still. In terms of posing--which I'm not always great at--he's pulling away from the target. I want him to lean in. I'm sure you didn't have a lot of time to discuss it. 100 bonus points for photographing a random stranger.

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I really like this simple composition from Rapid-Roy. Maybe it's a picture of an iron candle holder, but I think it's a picture of shadows. The extreme angle of the source light adds so much interest to this shot. To be picky, I would have shifted the camera ever-so-slightly to the left, trying to make even the margins of the right-most candle and the left-most shadow. It's a minor detail but they often make the most difference.

I'm assuming your wife would have shot you, but imagine this photo with the votives lit. Of course then the temptation would have been to turn down the source light which may have eliminated your shadows, making this an entirely different photo. The one you took is great.

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I love all three of kbasa's submissions this week. I struggled with numbers 1 and 3 in terms of which I preferred. Bluestune points out something I completely overlooked which is the red reflection in the chrome. That, set against the beautifully blurred blue background is what makes this such a compelling image. Again, what we have here is not a photo of a thing, but a photo of light and texture and shapes. It forces the viewer to think or play with possibilities. It's challenging in that respect. I like a photo that challenges me as a viewer.

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On the one hand, simply a picture of hanging art. On the other hand, the compositional decision is what makes this so intriguing. The round form, the colors and textures, play so well against the vertical lines on which they rest--especially given the neutral color. It's a neat image--puts me in mind of tie-dye for some reason.

What a great and interesting crop of photos this week. I really enjoyed them. It appears that our assignments are impacting the way in which we are taking pictures, forcing us to think and try new things. I know that it's having that effect on me, at least.

Next week's assignment will be a "special" of sorts. It will be seasonal and will allow those of us whose riding season has gone into hibernation to get back to thinking "motorcycle." It'll be up in less than 24, so watch for it!

Thanks for another fun week!
 
And thank you!

I learn so much from the detail your eye sees in each picture that isn't apparent at first glance. Or even second!

Voni
sMiling
 
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MLS2GO is on board this week with a couple of beauties. The first one--which I shall call "orange"--is a neat shot if only for the fact that I have no idea what it is. And I don't think he's told us yet. What a tease. It may be a frozen something, perhaps a texture coating or concrete. . . . I really have no idea. It's an interesting and seemingly natural pattern with a really interesting texture. I note that there is a lot of light falloff in the corners. Taken with a flash? That happens with some built-in flashes sometimes.


See now, I thought the light fall off was due to the object (what ever it is) being round, seems like the focus gets softer in the corners as well. Be curious to know what it was myself.

RM
 
It's a chair!

Here I was thinking BMW had a new line of fetching red lederhosen with metal armour attachments, for that authentic Bavarian look!

Now I know it's a chair, I'll have to revise my Christmas wish list.

It's a Bertoia Diamond Lounge Chair with an Orange pad, actually. They're made by Knoll. During the summer, we keep them on the back patio. In the winter, they go in the atrium as mounts for /2 admiration.

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I'm a total furniture geek, at least for the modern stuff. The antique stuff doesn't do a thing for me. :dunno

More info: http://www.knoll.com/products/product.jsp?prod_id=62
 
Oh - and lest I be thought rude, a big thank you to Tom for keeping this rolling and all the folks that contribute here. I almost see a camera club forming within the MOA here.
 
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