Photo Assignment 03/02/08: Commentary

[SNC1923]

Please use this thread for discussion, questions, and works-in-progress.

Save the original thread to post one or two finished photos.

[franze]

I just read this assignment as darkness falls. An hour ago, as I was driving home from Geneve, I could see that Mt. Blanc was completely and clearly visible with the most beautiful red alpen glow.......... I've only seen it that clear and stunning a few times. Maybe the weather pattern will hold.........

[SheRidesABeemer]

Looking out there now, this is going to be a lot like the "winter" assignment". :p

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/2283629961_d835c8d8ff_o.jpg

[franze]

Nice sunset shot of the desert... Wrench and Red putting out some top stuff this week:clap :clap That's two claps, one for each :blah

[kbasa]

This should probably get stickied. :)

note added by RM:
this is reference to the main assignment thread

[BradfordBenn]

This should probably get stickied. :)

Good idea.... done. :brad

[rocketman]

This should probably get stickied. :)

Tom and I had discussed that ourselves our concern was that we didn't want too many sticky in this area, but i have since noticed that by default the newest sticky goes to the top. I think that if we "unsticky" the preceding assignment each time we should be OK. I was going to discuss this with Tom on his return. I was wondering if there is a way to move stickys around so that the phorum rules sticky always remains on top of everything else. I've move these three posts to the comment thread to keep the main assignment thread clear of extraneously post and the discussion can continue here.

RM

[kbasa]

Tom and I had discussed that ourselves our concern was that we didn't want too many sticky in this area, but i have since noticed that by default the newest sticky goes to the top. I think that if we "unsticky" the preceding assignment each time we should be OK. I was going to discuss this with Tom on his return. I was wondering if there is a way to move stickys around so that the phorum rules sticky always remains on top of everything else. I've move these three posts to the comment thread to keep the main assignment thread clear of extraneously post and the discussion can continue here.

RM

I believe you can make an "announcement" which will be permanently (if you desire) posted above the threads. It can be limited to a single forum, as well.

You might want to leave the last assignments up, but let the commentary fall down, so you only have a couple photo assignment threads up.

Just a suggestion. You guys are doing an absolutely fantastic job with this. :thumb :thumb

[rocketman]

I believe you can make an "announcement" which will be permanently (if you desire) posted above the threads. It can be limited to a single forum, as well.

You might want to leave the last assignments up, but let the commentary fall down, so you only have a couple photo assignment threads up.

Just a suggestion. You guys are doing an absolutely fantastic job with this. :thumb :thumb

Thanks, yeah that was my thinking too, leave just the main thread up of the current assignment and then rotate them out with each new one. With the link included in the main thread, the commentary would be easy enough to find for each one without being a sticky as well. We'll see what Tom thinks on his return today.

And thanks for the kudos, its been a gas so far...

RM

[BradfordBenn]

Yup we can mix and match announcements and stickies.

[rocketman]

Since it was 30 this AM with blue skies I headed out for a meet-up for breakfast and then for a ride to see if I could find some 'scapes for the assignment.

I was planning on a 3 hour ride and wound up burning up a whole tank of gas! Found a bunch of 'scapes, some that I will have to return to again
while it was the best time of day for riding (weather wise) it was the worst for shooting (mid-day sun) so they came out a bit washed out if I exposed for sky or on the dark side if exposed for the land. but here are some that I was able to shoot all with the G9

TREE-Scape

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/scapes-2.jpg

ROAD-Scape

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/scapes-3.jpg

FEN-Scape

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/scapes-4.jpg

SAND-Scape

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/scapes-6.jpg

SKY-VALLEY-Scape

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/sky-scape-web.jpg

But mostly what I found and what really counts on any ride is ...

"ESS"-capes!:laugh

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/scapes-1.jpg


RM

[SNC1923]

I had a long drive home from Lake Arrowhead yesterday, so I stopped a few times along the way to capture some landscapes. Here's a few that I don't hate. All shot with a polarizing filter; most shot on a tripod.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/258665772_rLqyt-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=258665772&ImageKey=rLqyt)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/258666158_STyjB-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=258666158&ImageKey=STyjB)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/258666736_Q3VYq-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=258666736&ImageKey=Q3VYq)

As it became dark and stormy and nasty, I headed down the 178 (Kern River Canyon) to try my hand at a few long water exposures again. The lighting conditions and a polarizing filter allowed me to achieve 30-second daylight exposures for really nice results with the water.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/258668361_S4kDm-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=258668361&ImageKey=S4kDm)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/258668755_tk38e-XL.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=258668755&ImageKey=tk38e)

C&C (comment and criticism) welcome. Click images for EXIF info.

[SNC1923]

Wonderful pictures! So good I enjoyed them all each of the THREE times you posted them.

Voni
sMiling:whistle

Voni, maybe it was shutter stutter ? However they were great photos I enjoyed the stream the most.

Oh, good lord. I know how that happened, but I have no idea why that happened. Sorry, I shall delete them forthwith.

(but thanks for the compliments!)

[widebmw]

Please use this thread for discussion, questions, and works-in-progress.

Save the original thread to post one or two finished photos.
:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

[franze]

Very nice work, Lensman. You're nearly halfway to a calendar!!! I am partial to the Joshua tree as I've had so many good times in that area. BUT, I really, really love the streaming stream. The rapids have morphed into cottony, cloudy, whispy, wait, no, this is Willie Wonka's White chocolate river!! Take a bow, young man.

[SheRidesABeemer]

RM, the ESS-scape picture is the winner in that set!

[rocketman]

Oh, good lord. I know how that happened, but I have no idea why that happened. Sorry, I shall delete them forthwith.

(but thanks for the compliments!)

Certainly you have heard of Shutter Studder?:blah :blah :blah

Well, gotta say you did better'n me on my little ESS-capade Sunday..:laugh

RM

[rocketman]

RM, the ESS-scape picture is the winner in that set!

Well Tanks! (next time I gotta remember to check my camera setting better thou!)

RM

[SNC1923]

Well Tanks! (next time I gotta remember to check my camera setting better thou!)

RM

I agree with Gail--I like your ESS-cape the best.

Remember to check your settings is 90% of the battle. This past weekend (I was at a teacher's retreat) I would have taken 20 or 30 shots only to realize I had my IS shot off, or the ISO set to 1600 or some other gaff that partly ruined quite a few shots.

Drives me crazy.

[BONEY]

Tom, I really like the last two, of the river.

[BONEY]

I've got a bit of free time again, so I'm going to submit a few for C&C and keep my eyes open for more opportunities. The partly cloudy skies have been making for some striking lighting conditions. Let's hope I can make it work.

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3259-2/Landscape+001_001.jpg

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3268-2/Landscape+004.jpg

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3280-2/Landscape+008.jpg

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3292-2/Landscape+012.jpg

I think the vinyard shots can be sort of cliche, maybe only because that's all I see on the walls everywhere I go around here. What do you think?

I like the lighting on this one, but couldn't decide whether to shoot down the middle of the row, like this, or down the vines, but by the time I moved a few feet to get the shot, the lighting had changed and it wasn't a good picture any more.
http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3247-2/Landscape+017.jpg

[franze]

More San Diego surf shots:brad In PB where Crystal Dr. bends down to the beach, there is a grassy knoll overlooking the beach. A nice shot of this will be my screen saver.......hint, hint...........

very truly yours,

Land locked beach boy

[rocketman]

Boney, I like no. 3 and 5 the best with 3 running a bit ahead because of the interest of "looking out" at the scene thru the broken out wall. I like the way no. 3 places the viewer in scene, you're not just looking AT a picture as much as you looking out thru one part of it to view another part of it. The viewer becomes the photographer.

RM

[franze]

Yes, Lady MacBeth was a photographer! Any-hoo, can anybody tell me if these spots would come out with a photo shop program? I think it's dust/water spots on the lens that, when pointed into the sun, just right, RUINS my beautiful pic?

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/260103687_MKvyX-L.jpg

A few from today:

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/260154943_VSsfE-L-1.jpg


http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/260154952_jQ62M-L.jpg

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/260154957_pAonb-L.jpg

[SNC1923]

Yes, Lady MacBeth was a photographer! Any-hoo, can anybody tell me if these spots would come out with a photo shop program? I think it's dust/water spots on the lens that, when pointed into the sun, just right, RUINS my beautiful pic?

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/260103687_MKvyX-L.jpg

These are all great shots. I particularly like your submission on the assignment thread.

The answer to your question above is a definitive, "I think so." It appears that you could simply select, burn, and/or color correct. Rather than a water spot, however, I think this is good old-fashioned lens flare. Are you using a hood? I've gotten to the point that I pretty much just don't shoot into the sun for this very reason. It's a neat shot, though.

[SNC1923]

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3280-2/Landscape+008.jpg

All are especially nice photos, Boney, but this one is spectacular. Because of the framing, it's far more interesting. The vertical tractor shot comes in a close second and the vineyard is nice, too, but I really like this one. Good exposure, too.

[rocketman]

More ‘scapes…

While I know that landscapes are generally thought of as being horizontal I thought I’d try for something a little different and go for vertical landscape if such a thing can really be considered landscapes. The way I figure it, who’s gonna tell me the can’t? And if they do I see no reason to listen to them, da bums! These are my landscapes and I’ll look at ‘em and which I want to, see??!

So since Jeanne and I were going down to Charlottesville to see another production of Curque du Soleil that was playing at the UVA campus (if you haven't ever seen any of their shows GO it is absolutely stunning) and to eat lunch in the Historic down town area that has now been blocked off from vehicular traffic, I took along the G9. While there I took a few shots around the central plaza.

First off is a shot looking down the central plaza with the line of trees down the center. Seeing those lined by the buildings is what got me thinking along the lines of going vertical. In the first one I choose to leave in Jeanne walking away from the camera as I thought it would add interest to the scene as if you the viewer is walking along with her. Plus having her just jutting in from the edge in the foreground with the rest of the people further back adds to the scale and I liked the offset sense of balance having her there provides.
http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/town-scape-web.jpg

The next is looking up a side street, I liked the view of the church and while power lines generally detract from photographs sometimes they can have the opposite effect and I purposely included them in this image. To me the power lines adds interest here and helps bring home the age of this part of the city, since in more modern downtown areas the wires are now all underground. Also at first I was annoyed at the little girl who kept getting into the shot but on retrospect I think she adds to the scene, again for scale and its as if you the viewer are sharing her vision of the street.

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/town-scape-2-web.jpg

The next is again vertical in nature and also because I just plain like old doors and doorways and old buildings in general. The colors in this really came out nicely too.

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/door-scape-web.jpg

And a window just down from the doors. In this one I again included something that one would normally try to avoid including, but here I think the pole adds interest and speaks to the age of the building by its weathered texture, even the old style pegs in it add something. I found the window itself interesting, obviously there had been something built around it, but what? An awning perhaps? And there is the view thru it to the inside and hint of something vaguely seen, another window looking out perhaps on an adjoining wall set at 90 deg. to this wall? And is the window pane missing or just really clear? It just seemed to ask a lot of questions…..

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/window-scape-web.jpg

Sunday

Sunday it really started warming up in Va so I decided to get the bike gassed up before the work week started and just because it was finally warm enough not to have to plug in or even wear my neck warmer or heated gear. Well, the ride to gas up lasted 2 hours! Ha Ha!
I had the G9 along since I realized it was last day for the ‘scapes entries.

So again I went for vertical shots, or I should say vertical subjects as all but one
( the town ‘scape in the series above ) were shot with the camera at normal orientation, again that was part of my goal, to let the subject set the vertical aspect not the dimensions of the image itself.

After gassing up headed out some of my fav. Local roads thru the farm lands just shy of the River and 95. The first is taken from a narrow one lane wooden bridge over some old railway tracks, naturally right as I stop to take the shots a bunch of cars show up and have to wait for me to shoot! Oh, well its Sunday afternoon, what’s the rush??

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/track-scape-web.jpg

Then just down the road I stopped and shot this, I liked the way the lighting, now over my shoulder and getting lower in the sky brought out the texture of the asphalt driveway, and line of white fences on both sides defining the whole. I also liked the way there was just a hint of the barn and house peaking over the fence line inviting the viewer to imagine what the rest of the structures looked like, yet the whole image is really held together by just two elements, the roadway and fence, stark and simple.

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/driveway-scape-web.jpg

Right past the railroad bridge I saw these two, I had no idea that anyone in the area was raising these now. Apparently they are popular for their meat.

Two Emus (say that fast 20 times!)

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/Imu-too-web.jpg

Then on the way home one final shot taken at the top of Neabsco Creek Wildlife Preserve next to my house, a more traditional landscape, the colors came out nicely and I am always intrigued by the way the creek flows through the marshland, during the summer this place is so alive with activity, nice place to come and sit on a warm afternoon and watch the waterfowl and furry critters scurry along the banks.

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/water-scape-web.jpg

And in B&W

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/water-scape-bw-web.jpg

Hopefully you found some of the whys and wayfors that went into these shots of interest as you explore ‘scapes around your neck of the country.

Enjoy!

RM

[SNC1923]

http://roadrunes.com/images3/MOA-assignments/landscapes/added/door-scape-web.jpg

Nice shootin' RM. There are a lot of nice attributes to these photos. I like the farm road quite well, but I'm a sucker for these doorways. I don't know what it is about doorways (and to a lesser degree, windows) that make them such popular subjects, but they are.

Here's one of my favorites, taken a number of years ago in Maryland or D.C:

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/12837426_3JzSU-L.jpg

[grossjohann]

This weekend’s weather up north was far a far cry from the desert… one interesting sunset during a snow squall. I’m not too happy with any of them, but these one captured the mood the best.

http://lh3.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8tTb6CgNTI/AAAAAAAABeg/GWZP8YO2lJc/s800/DSC02258.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173320335866475826)

http://lh3.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8tfQ6CgNZI/AAAAAAAABfM/xMidxWLmaf0/s800/DSC_6791.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173333341027448210)

http://lh6.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8tdBqCgNVI/AAAAAAAABf0/hM5mu6B9x-8/s800/DSC02248.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173330880011187538)

[grossjohann]

I tried to capture the snow drifting as my “landscape”. I had some trouble with the white balance and there’s not much contrast. I need to learn how to better manage light.

http://lh3.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8teS6CgNWI/AAAAAAAABgE/xF8b3DHIOmo/s800/DSC_6850.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173332275875558754)

http://lh3.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8teg6CgNXI/AAAAAAAABgA/C-aeUK64UWY/s800/DSC_6841.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173332516393727346)

I did make a wonderful discovery in “post”:

http://lh4.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8tg8KCgNaI/AAAAAAAABfU/qCIiaU4wejE/s800/DSC_6852.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173335183568418210)

http://lh4.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8tzuKCgNbI/AAAAAAAABgI/DW0QKFoJMAs/s800/DSC_6845.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173355833771177394)

[SNC1923]

http://lh6.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R8tdBqCgNVI/AAAAAAAABf0/hM5mu6B9x-8/s800/DSC02248.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/LandscapeProjectSunsetRidge/photo#5173330880011187538)

Alex,

These are nice shots. Number 1 is appealing, but my nod goes to number 3. It's a more interesting, more technically sound photo and I think it speaks more to the "landscape" theme. The isolated, decorative fence on a snowbound sunset is a really interesting image. Nice work.

The processed snow-drifts could easily be oceanic or lunar. Really cool.

Learning to control light is IT. That's the whole deal. In a nutshell and a constant struggle.

[SNC1923]

I've mentioned in several previous posts that photos which are predominately white or black usually require some exposure compensation to appear natural. Alex's comment about learning to control light made me think of a few before and afters I shot last weekend in the snow to illustrate this very point.

Each of the following shots is mostly white, having been taken in the snow. Because my camera's meter (and yours) is calibrated to read 18% gray, when it is confronted with something different than that, it tends to show gray. Hence the need for exposure compensation. In the case of an overall white photo, you need to overexpose. Here are a few examples:

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/261265896_hDWdw-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=261265896&ImageKey=hDWdw)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/261266519_DA9oq-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=261266519&ImageKey=DA9oq)

The second shot was taken with the exposure compensation set to +1/3 EV (click for EXIF).

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/261268536_bVqFA-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=261268536&ImageKey=bVqFA)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/261267578_iMbuL-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=261267578&ImageKey=iMbuL)

The second shot was taken with the exposure compensation sent to +2/3EV (click for EXIF)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/261269121_DWi3w-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=261269121&ImageKey=DWi3w)

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/261269648_uAnmt-L.jpg (http://snc1923.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=261269648&ImageKey=uAnmt)

The second shot was taken with the exposure compensation sent to +1/3EV (click for EXIF)

None of these is a perfect exposure, but in each case, the added exposure renders the snow as whiter, truer to its actual appearance. In the case of a black subject (a large locomotive, for example) you'd subtract exposure, or set the EV to -1/3 or -2.3.

As those of us living in snowy climes get ready to start riding in the coming weeks, the opportunity for some nice bike shots against snowy backgrounds will present itself. This is a surefire way to get a shot worthy of publishing in the ON.

[kbasa]

I spent some time out today, but am not sure what I really like.

Here's a location I worked over pretty well, though I don't think this is the one I'm going to submit.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/261290600_NHRBu-L.jpg

Here's another location, though I couldn't get rid of the phone pole and get the perspective I wanted. I need to go back with a stepladder and move down the road a bit.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/261268786_jr5j9-L.jpg

[Burnszilla]

I was away for 3 weeks.. Here's a shot from the plane ride home...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2332993269_4ddfef2c76_b.jpg

[Burnszilla]

Sierras...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2300/2332993055_909dc98fd2_b.jpg

[SNC1923]

I was away for 3 weeks.. Here's a shot from the plane ride home...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2332993269_4ddfef2c76_b.jpg

Man, now that's a landscape!

Welcome home.

[Burnszilla]

The Pacheco Pass... Looks fake..
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3040/2333824000_01f6157735_b.jpg

[SheRidesABeemer]

Man, now that's a landscape!



If you like that google earth kind of landscape thing...;)