Photo Assignment 03/23/08

[SNC1923]

We're beginning to thaw! While winter no doubt still holds some in its icy grip, signs of spring abound. Now we can finally get out a ride, and perhaps take a few pictures for a new photo challenge. To that end, please allow me to remind you of these simple rules:


Photos must be shot between Fri. 03/14/08 and Sun. 03/23/08--10 days.
You must provide the EXIF information if asked (we'll help you, if you'd like to know how to get it).
No photoshop alteration (we're looking to improve your skills with your camera, not software).
Your photograph must adhere to the theme, which will be described below.
Post only one photo per post, so that commentary can be easily provided for that photo. You may post more than one photo, but try to keep it to a handful.
Title your photo so it can be referred to later.
Post two or three of your best photos in this thread. Please post series, experiments, and photos for comment and criticism in the PHOTO COMMENTARY thread.
And, the most important rule: have fun! We're looking to spread the joy that many of us derive from taking pictures, particularly ones that tell a story of some kind.


This week's theme: "Unexpected Beauty"

This week's theme was suggested by Bob Rippy, MLS2GO--and much appreciated. The idea is to photographic beauty where you might least expect to find it.

Shakespeare wrote that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Joyce went further to define proper art as that which "does not pull the observer toward it or push the observer away from it, but rather holds them still in aesthetic arrest of the moment."

Where can you find unexpected beauty?

Remember Ansel Adam's admonition, "You don't take a photograph, you make it."

As you hunt for your perfect subject, bear in mind some of the principles we've been working on:


Rule of thirds
Think foregrounds
Shooting during the "golden hours"
Look for a focal point
Consider a high or lower vantage point
Seek diagonal lines
Frame your subject


Thanks again to Bob for suggesting this week's theme. If you have a theme to suggest, please feel free to PM me or Rocketman.

NOTE: Please use the COMMENTARY THREAD (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24475) to post multiple efforts and to discuss techniques, ask questions, make comments, etc. Please reserve this thread to post one or two of your final efforts, the photos you're really proud of and want feedback on. Thanks!

Now get out there and find beauty!

[txtinman]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3160/2383270705_4ee87c25cc.jpg

I thought the colors of this abandoned building were beautiful in the late afternoon sun.

I used UFRaw to load the RAW image into GIMP and then used GIMP to convert the image to a JPEG. I shot the photo using a high iso hoping to get a bit of grainy look to it.

[bmwdean]

Unexpected beauty in the eye of this beholder :)

Some might call it headlight wiring in an R75/5.

I call it "fit to be tied," or "bureaucracy," or "the path of the law" ... an image that suggests something beyond wiring in a headlight bucket.

[bmwdean]

The Sonoran desert is awash in wildflowers this spring, due to significant winter rainfaill. There are more wildflowers about than I have ever seen in my dozen years coming to Tucson. I expected to see many varieties of colorful flowers, but one was unexpected

Fifty miles north-northwest of Tucson is Picacho Peak State Park. It is famous for being blanketed with Mexican Gold Poppies (http://www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/park_info/rangercam_tips.html) in the spring, if there was sufficient rainfall the previous winter. Of course, this year the poppies are abundant at Picacho Peak.

What was unexpected to me, however, was finding several beautiful Mexican Gold Poppies right in my back yard. They are the yellow flowers below. In the upper right hand corner you can see a purple Phacelia. These are very abundant, as are dozens of other species in our "yard," including hedgehog cactus blossoms, desert zinnia, Fremont pincushion, brittlebush, penstemon, mojave desert star, primrose, mariposa lily, odora, spiny yellow daisy, hibiscus, fairy duster, desert hyacinth, prickly pear blossoms, ocotillo blossoms (see my post below), bahia, trixis, and many more.

[Voni]

Delicate wildflowers in the desert

[sniderl]

Garage beauty :)

http://www.graphicreporter.com/uploaded_images/sunday-ride-17-751120.jpg

[darcym]

Barrel Cactus Bloom
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/doomscribe/Desert%20Day/_MG_3897.jpg

Ocotillo:
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/doomscribe/Desert%20Day/_MG_3923.jpg

Bountiful
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/doomscribe/Desert%20Day/_MG_3932.jpg

[bmwdean]

I took a photo of an Ocotillo branch. When I got back home and put it up on the computer I saw the bee. Now, that was unexpected!

[Beemerchef]

I (we) stopped today seeing this rain tunnel (I know there must be a name for it!) to get on the other side... decided to take some shots while walking through it... there was seriously no beauty to it... till I saw this on the screen...

The bottom small picture is the gutter (???) to give you an idea of what it is...

http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/268291832_goEmr-L.jpg

http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/268291805_gTacX-S.jpg


Be well...

Ara & Spirit

[130253]

12744

[130253]

12746

[BONEY]

BeemerChef and I seem to have been in similar places! This pipe is considerably smaller, most obvious by the extremely shallow depth of field. This didn't turn out like I had wished, but it's not bad.

Pipe
http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3327-1/IMG_3128.jpg

[BONEY]

This is the most unexpected beauty I could come up with. I'm learning a new camera and the shot was an apparent failure, until I looked at the background.

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3330-1/Ugly+009.jpg

[grossjohann]

http://lh5.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R-UpxI-PxYI/AAAAAAAABkU/Qn4TTvUM2cM/s800/DSC_6991.JPG.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/UnexpectedBeauty/photo#5180592870558516610)

[grossjohann]

http://lh4.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R-Upv4-PxWI/AAAAAAAABkE/usbdeetXfNI/s800/DSC_6987.JPG.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/UnexpectedBeauty/photo#5180592849083680098)

[MLS2GO]

When I proposed this idea to Tom. I had about three ideas ahead of this one, and couldn't pull them off to my satisfaction. On my ride yesterday something popped out at me. Here's the image:

http://mls2go.smugmug.com/photos/269075849_d38nA-XL.jpg

Here's where it is from.

http://mls2go.smugmug.com/photos/269070803_MYH2U-XL.jpg

[SNC1923]

This week's theme is a tough one. I, too, had lots of ideas, but none came to fruition.

Nevertheless, I did go on a ride today in search of wildflowers, and I was quite surprised to find so many given our paucity of rain. So in this respect, the beauty is unexpected.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/269088734_UCwW8-L.jpg

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/269089372_m2JLa-L.jpg

[bmwdean]

Following up on Tom's scenic photo of flowers above, here is a view of Jill Hill, next to our house, covered with yellow Brittlebush <i>(Encilia farinosa)</i>. The hill was completely transformed by the flowers, and we had never seen that before.

[Voni]

The inner life of a red rock

[KBasa]

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/269652795_sqbXx-XL.jpg

[KBasa]

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/269609494_wqS8P-XL.jpg

[KBasa]

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/269707981_HAXTX-XL.jpg

[Beemerchef]

Looking for "yugly" unexpected "things" to photograph I thought... "eureka"... the hack is "ugly" enough to maybe turn out beautiful... and then this rock fell, barely missing it!... and added to the beauty of it all... with no warning... even Spirit freaked out... totally "unexpected"... right? I knocked on it... but no sign of Life...

http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/269268921_9idXB-L.jpg

Ara & Spirit

[rocketman]

http://roadrunes.com/images3/awake/awake-1.jpg

RM

[Beemerchef]

So unexpectetly I cross a creek that is way to high... to make long story short... two miles later the engine dies... I tow the rig here and now drying the air filter... at least I hope that is all it is and will dry as shown in this unexpected beautiful picture!
http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/270229290_r4hrf-L.jpg

I just think the SmuMug strap really adds to the touch... Baldy would be proud of me!!!

* sorry all, I am just having too much fun with this!... :violin

Be well... Ara & Spirit

[130253]

12841

[franze]

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/270702039_eyoFP-L.jpg

[franze]

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/270702045_ciyb6-L.jpg

[SNC1923]

Well, time to wrap up another photo assignment. This week's assignment was a tough one—not, perhaps, in finding good captures, but perhaps in interpreting the theme. MLS2GO suggested a complex and thought-provoking theme (thank you again) and, as usual, the results did not disappoint.

http://txtinman.smugmug.com/photos/266126288_vYeaq-M.jpg

Txtinman is first up this week with, I believe, his first submission. This is a familiar subject to me as it is one that often catches my eye as well. He has executed the photo beautifully. The gold color from the "late afternoon sun" certainly lends a light quality to this photo that really adds to the rustic subject. He also disclosed that it was shot at a high ISO, which—as he had hoped—definitely adds an air of the antique to this shot. I love that there are three similar windows, each of which is unique in its evolution. Knowing me, I might have shot this straight on, severely centering the three windows in the frame. Txtinman's choice is the lead the windows in and compose them a bit haphazardly. His choice may very well be the better one. . . . A really nice shot.

BMWDean has offered a number of interpretations this week. I really like this one:

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/271106195_KFebf-L.jpg

This is a great interpretation of the theme "unexpected beauty," though not every viewer would see this spaghetti as beautiful. Jeff has pegged his audience nonetheless. The composition is perfect for this photo, the headlight assembly bulls-eye center in the picture. The shallow DoF works well, too. But the capper is the perfect, even illumination. Were this to have shadows or highlights, it would distract from an already enormously complex subject. I love the colors and the asymmetry of the wiring. This is a thoughtful and successful interpretation.

I'd like to do something a little different and compare two flower submissions below. The first is from BMWDean and the second from Voni:

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/271106188_MJWcu-L.jpg

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/271106214_8Z6Qm-L.jpg

Both are nice flower shots, and this is the time of year when such subjects are in delightful abundance. Neither is a remarkable photo (in its own right) and both are pretty subjects and well-executed photos. Notice that both are shot from above, as though looking down. This pleads a case for getting down on the ground, even on your stomach, to take a close-up. It's easy to criticize and this technique may, or may not, have resulted in a more interesting perspective. The other point I'd like to make is in comparing the quality of light in these two images. Jeff's is a super-bright, high-contrast image; whereas, Voni's is a muted, soft, and shadow-free image. Jeff's is really vibrant color and Voni's is downright pastel. This has to do with--I assume--the time of day in which they were taken as well as, perhaps, cloud cover. They offer an interesting comparison to spur some thinking about light and how to work with it. This can involve using reflectors (for reflection or shade) or even using a fill-flash. I don't suggest that there's anything wrong with either of these, but that's it's noteworthy how differently these similar images are lit.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/271106205_uvNsb-L.jpg

Here's another of BMWDean's images. This is another really nice flower shot. Notice what a radically different perspective this is than the two above. The blank blue sky of the background really helps to set off the flower and to accentuate its beauty. This is bright, direct sunlight, but as the subject is not terribly reflective, it provides rich colors and nice contrast. The unexpected beauty here, no doubt, is the busy bee collecting some pollen no doubt. I always get a bit nervous trying to shoot bees. I haven't been stung in 42 years, a record I'm proud of. I admire Jeff's bravery to bring us this nice photo.

http://www.graphicreporter.com/uploaded_images/sunday-ride-17-751120.jpg

This must be "quality of light" week. This submission by Sniderl is a real beauty. As Grossjohann pointed out in "commentary," there are dozens of reflections here and not a hint of the photographer in any of them. This appears to have been taken in open shade, perhaps just inside the garage? The light is muted and even and just gorgeous. The rendition of blue could neither be richer nor more natural. This shot is all about color: the helmet, face shield, handlebars, and fairing all play off of each other. I could easily see this photo as a product shot for either BMW or Arai. Really good work.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/doomscribe/Desert%20Day/_MG_3897.jpg

Nice to see DarcyM back this week with several nice submissions. This is my favorite and fits the theme very well, I think. To see these two or three flowers bloom out of such an inhospitable environment is unexpected, indeed. I might like to have seen it composed differently with the cactus centered rather than the flowers. If they were up at about 10:00, it may have drawn the eye to a more "golden mean" composition. Easy to say now. It's a nice image.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/doomscribe/Desert%20Day/_MG_3923.jpg

This rather mundane shot of some flowering vine is rendered in such a way as to make it both interesting and beautiful. The quality of light is even and the DoF really makes the subject pop: not too much, not too little. Normally I might think that this is two subjects fighting for my attention, but seeing them repeated in the background calls attention to the fact that these are numerous and running every-which-way, part of what makes them vines.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/doomscribe/Desert%20Day/_MG_3932.jpg

DarcyM's last submission is not just another pretty wildflower shot. I mean it is, but it's wonderfully composed. Shot from a lower perspective, the viewer is down with the flowers. The horizon is high--and included--as are the sky, the mountains, and the folks meandering in the background. This is an interesting, well-executed composition that actually tells a story about heading out to the desert for the rite of spring that is searching for wildflowers. Really nice.

[SNC1923]

http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/268291832_goEmr-L.jpg

Beemerchef's got a nice submission this week. This picture's strengths lie in its symmetry and its lighting. The composition couldn't be more perfect. Really thoughtfully centered, extreme even. This lends power to this industrial image. The exposure is good, too. I like that the end of the tunnel is blown out in favor of detail on its interior. There is a bit of lens flare, but that's hard to combat when shooting directly into a light source. Neat image.

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12746&d=1206069949

Of the two, I like this one of 130253's submissions. To see nature exposed in a reflection is unexpected beauty indeed. It's very interesting to see the reflection of the trees contrasting with their shadows, running every which way. The layers of colors are nice, too. I always appreciate a reflection shot that shows only the reflection. Though provoking image.

http://www.beachbus.net/photos/d/3330-1/Ugly+009.jpg

I like this one of Boney's submissions better than he did, apparently. It's a pretty shot and a nice perspective. The lilly (it's a lilly, right?) is a bit underexposed, but it is a nice still life. I do agree that the big fellah in the background adds not only interest but a bit of humor as well. These little surprises in photos are often amusing.

http://lh5.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R-UpxI-PxYI/AAAAAAAABkU/Qn4TTvUM2cM/s800/DSC_6991.JPG.jpg

http://lh4.google.com/Alex.Grossjohann/R-Upv4-PxWI/AAAAAAAABkE/usbdeetXfNI/s800/DSC_6987.JPG.jpg

Gorssjohann always has a submission that merits discussion. These are two remarkably similar shots--nearly identical subjects--yet are very different. I prefer the rich darkness of the first, connoting a forest's decay. It's a highly textured study and a really fascinating reflection of a mundane subject that would likely not worked at all in bright sunlight.

The second shot is more subtle and brighter. It works, however, due to the shallow depths of field. I don't know if the DoF is shallower in this shot or if it is merely more evident because of the distance of the reflected background. The subject (the grass in the water) is entirely in silhouette but that works well here. Both of these are quite successful.

[SNC1923]

http://mls2go.smugmug.com/photos/269075849_d38nA-XL.jpg

MLS2GO, who proposed this photo assignment, is back with his own submission. I'm a sucker for these kinds of photos—abstract and totally divorced from their environment. Including the original scene is really instructive. This is an object lesson is seeing what's there rather than simply an object. This kind of detail often makes for a compelling image. I love the dark colors and the symmetry of the composition. Part of it, the lower frame and lower left corner seem a bit out of focus. DoF I suppose. Was the marker not parallel to the film plane? Did you shoot this on an angle? No matter, it's an inspired shot and, when you get up close, definitely unexpected beauty.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/269088734_UCwW8-L.jpg

I shot a lot of wildflowers this day. I posted these on a photo forum (dgrin.com) and sent a link to family and friends. Of the twenty pictures, this one—far and away—received the most positive comment. I don't find it all that remarkable, but it was popular, which indicates to me that there is something attractive about the composition, perhaps the leading lines. How much better would this have been with a vintage bike or car chugging down the road? I like the squirrel scurrying across the road, and I saw him when I shot, but I wish I had taken one without.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/271106179_4oLXp-L.jpg

BMWDean had a prolific week this week, submitting many, good shots. This one is a real standout, a textbook example of an interesting, well-composed landscape. This is an example of golden mean composition. The cactus seems to be the subject, but one could argue that it's merely an interesting visual element and the desert hill covered with wildflowers is really the star. The juxtaposition of the cactus tells a story: "the desert is filled with wildflowers," which Jeff indicates is highly unusual. Notice, too, the spot-on exposure. The hill, the cactus, and the sky are all well exposed, but the clouds are lost in overexposure. If he had exposed for the clouds (which I'm guessing the meter wanted to do), the hill and cactus would have been underexposed. Really a good capture.

http://SNC1923.smugmug.com/photos/271106222_2qoTk-L.jpg

Voni's other submission, "The Inner Life of a Red Rock," is another really nice close-up. Well-composed and exposed with a nice background, this image also tells a simple story. I think this may be one of the best interpretations of the theme this time around. Surely you didn't find this sitting in the desert? You staged this, right? Just wondering and it's no matter. Either way, it's a great shot.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/269652795_sqbXx-XL.jpg

Kbasa continues to amaze me. He's consistently producing some really nice shots. This one, a very common subject, is such a great shot. First, it's so close. How do you get that close to such a skittish creature? I mean, you can see that he's nibbling on a blade of grass and actually see detail in his paw. It's also a wonderful exposure with really rich colors. Try shooting with your EV compensation set to -1/3. This could really bring out some richness. It would appear to be a long telephoto shot. It's a noteworthy capture.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/269609494_wqS8P-XL.jpg

This is another wonderful image, made strong by it's composition. I see from your exif that this is shot at 200mm (which is 300mm equivalent) and at 1/125 sec. Must be a VR lens? Or a tripod? It's tack sharp. I like to see birds like this, in their environment, rather than super close-up like these guys with their 600mm lenses produce. The little splash of red on the bird's crown really makes this shot. It's such a neat image.

http://kbasa.smugmug.com/photos/269707981_HAXTX-XL.jpg

I'm less amazed by this last image, though it's certainly a good photograph. I like the gentle variation in tone and color across the frame. What makes this so interesting is the pattern on the (it's a sea lion, right?) skin. It looks like his ribs, but I doubt that it is. Is he striped or is that the folds of his skin? Interesting. . . .

http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/269268921_9idXB-L.jpg

I like an image with a story, especially one that makes me smile. I never even saw the bike until I read the tale. It's a great shot, and puts one in mind of holding a bridge in one's hand or supporting the Tower in Pisa. I would have liked to see it just a tad closer. I think that dramatic, foreboding sky really adds to the drama of what is otherwise a humorous image.

http://roadrunes.com/images3/awake/awake-1.jpg

I may have commented on this in another thread. It's really a neat image and a great example of fill flash. Imagine how dull the colors would have been without the use of flash. Modern cameras do all the calculations for you, adding just enough light to fill shadows and to provide the extra punch you see here. I love the rubbery surface of the tree bark, brought out in the highlights. It gives the appearance of being superimposed over the building rather than natural. This may not appeal to everyone, but I've always been a fan of fill flash.

http://beemerchef.smugmug.com/photos/270229290_r4hrf-L.jpg

Seriously, you've GOT to post this over on the "I Got My Smugmug Strap Today" thread on dgrin.com. This is, without question, the most inventive use of their strap I've seen to date. For those who don't know, DGrin has been giving these wonderful straps away to members of their forum--just for the asking. Great folks, great place. [/PLUG]

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=12841&d=1206475034

Here's another submission from 130253. Why are there random steps or stairs out there? I find these from time-to-time myself. I guess it's part of the foundation and the last to go. These are neat, surrounded by flowers. It's a good composition. It's hard to tell that they are steps without the title, though. I wonder if they could have been photo'd from a different angle to reveal? May not have been possible, just wondering. Foregrounding them as you have really makes the shot.

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/270702039_eyoFP-L.jpg

http://elcid.smugmug.com/photos/270702045_ciyb6-L.jpg

Franze joins us again this week with two submissions. These are detail close-ups, several of which we've seen in this assignment. Unexpected beauty can often be found in the details. I prefer the second shot, probably because of the color. The first contains a delicate pattern, but the monochrome of the shot leaves me a bit flat. Number two is also more interesting because of the patterns and textures, neither of which would be evident, or as evident, in a larger, wide shot. Nice attention to detail.

As many of us have already said, this week's assignment was a real challenge. I'll put up another one before next weekend. Keep shooting. You're all putting out some really great stuff.

:clap

[130253]

Tom, thank you for taking you time, once again, for supplying your feedback on our photos. Your evaluations are alway beneficial for improvement with our cameras. This assignment, UNEXPECTED BEAUTY, was not really all that tough in the sense that most of us see the beauty around, it's just really hard to capture on film the beauty we see and feel. Well...... that is the challenge of photography! I'm sure it was a tough one for you to judge.

It is such a pleasure to view how others see the world around them and express that in this forum.

I believe we all are looking forward to our next adventure with our cameras!

[KBasa]

Thanks, Tom. I'm looking forward to the next assignment and what folks do with it. It's always surprising to me how varied the interpretation can be.

[Beemerchef]

Tom... you are the best and thanks for taking the time in this otherwise busy by all World!
Photography itself has taking me closer to this Forum than ever! Who would have known!... and my engine is running for the next round...
Be well... Ara & Spirit

[bmwdean]

I second (third, fourth?) the above three posts. Thanks, Tom.