Photo Assignment: Weekend 12/15/07

[grossjohann]

Home for the Holidays

[wmubrown]

After spending 3 hours on this today I have some disappointing results. I still like my idea, and will pursue this later, but ran into so many problems it just wasn't going to happen. The first was a very weak battery in the bike, despite being on a battery tender, so I couldn't start the bike to even get it out of the garage. It went downhill from there... brisk temperatures, high winds, clouds changing the natural lighting by the minute, no means to properly support the wreath (and not a neighbor was home), camera batteries dying, etc etc etc. Boots soaked through, and pants drenched from the knees down, I finally just gave up to return another day. These seem to be my better submissions... wreath held at arms length in one hand, camera in the other - it was quite a juggling act in the winds and arms ached something fierce... (reduced in size from originals)

Some Photoshop level adjustment ought to make this an OK shot, but I wanted greater depth of field:


Needs a little level adjustment also, but in full size you can read the "BMW motorcycles" on the top ring of the ornament:


A last ditch effort to get something worthwhile, I kinda like it, but needs to be cropped tighter and levels adjusted:

[BRADFORDBENN]

Nice shots, keep em coming.

[grossjohann]

This is a great shot; very creative, and certainly apropos.

Have you considered having the wreath out of focus? Add some lights and/or a red ribbon for some interest, and the wreath might glow like a halo around the motorcycle.

If cropping were ÔÇ£legalÔÇØ this might be a good example of when to use it. If you have a large enough image, you could back off a bit for the right focus, and then crop for effect.

(Tom, Ben, Am I on the right track with this one?)

-Alex

[bricciphoto]

Some Photoshop level adjustment ought to make this an OK shot, but I wanted greater depth of field:


A last ditch effort to get something worthwhile, I kinda like it, but needs to be cropped tighter and levels adjusted:

Yea! Excellent efforts. Without realizing what you had to go through to put these together, I think they are really good concepts. It's tough to get the wreath and bike in focus when you're holding it and the camera at the same time, but you did good. For what it's worth I like the soft focus of the wreath, but I'm a little distracted by the photographer's reflection in the ornament (assuming that's you). Otherwise it's a terrific shot. I really like the second shot, particularly the composition of the ornament and bike (with lights on--nice touch). I realize you're short of helpers, but if the ornament was suspended by a pine bough it would add a little to the shot (framing wise), but a very, very nice effort nonetheless. I like its near monochromatic feel. I like them both, particularly the second one. I wish I could get energetic effort to contribute some of my own (I just need some freakin' time ). Kudos for making the effort despite all the obstacles!!!

[wmubrown]

This is a great shot; very creative, and certainly apropos.

Have you considered having the wreath out of focus? Add some lights and/or a red ribbon for some interest, and the wreath might glow like a halo around the motorcycle.

If cropping were ÔÇ£legalÔÇØ this might be a good example of when to use it. If you have a large enough image, you could back off a bit for the right focus, and then crop for effect.

(Tom, Ben, Am I on the right track with this one?)

-Alex

The wreath IS out of focus Though I think I have one you might like where it is very out of focus. There are lights on the wreath, but I didn't plug them in 'cause, ya know, I was in the snow... which melts... into water... and doesn't play well with AC (they are indoor lights)

[wmubrown]

Yea! Excellent efforts. Without realizing what you had to go through to put these together, I think they are really good concepts. It's tough to get the wreath and bike in focus when you're holding it and the camera at the same time, but you did good. For what it's worth I like the soft focus of the wreath, but I'm a little distracted by the photographer's reflection in the ornament (assuming that's you). Otherwise it's a terrific shot. I really like the second shot, particularly the composition of the ornament and bike (with lights on--nice touch). I realize you're short of helpers, but if the ornament was suspended by a pine bough it would add a little to the shot (framing wise), but a very, very nice effort nonetheless. I like its near monochromatic feel. I like them both, particularly the second one. I wish I could get energetic effort to contribute some of my own (I just need some freakin' time ). Kudos for making the effort despite all the obstacles!!!

Thanks! Glad you're enjoying them! Yeah... that is my reflection in the ornament... there wasn't much I could do about that, though upon reflection ( ha ha ) I could have worn a better color jacket to blend in I had the bike running most of the time because I too thought the headlight glow would be a nice addition, but the cooling fans actually kicked on after a while and the last series of attempts were with the bike off (I wasn't thinking too straight by then... my fingers were frozen and I just wanted to get back inside)

[wmubrown]

Home for the Holidays

I really like this shot. I can also see it as a nighttime shot, shadows cast outside, soft warm lighting inside the barn to highlight the bike, scatter some hay on the floor like a manger...

[SNC1923]

This is a great shot; very creative, and certainly apropos.

Have you considered having the wreath out of focus? Add some lights and/or a red ribbon for some interest, and the wreath might glow like a halo around the motorcycle.

If cropping were ÔÇ£legalÔÇØ this might be a good example of when to use it. If you have a large enough image, you could back off a bit for the right focus, and then crop for effect.

(Tom, Ben, Am I on the right track with this one?)

-Alex

Alex,

I think your comments have a lot of merit. The wreath is out of focus, though slightly. It's noticeable, but you are suggesting maybe a bit more? Same could be said for throwing the bike out of focus, as he has done so well with the ornament shot. I like that one, too. I particularly like the inclusion of the gold ribbon.

I have to echo all of Bricci's points. He's an astute observer of detail. I also agree with him that these are great, creative shots.

I've enjoyed our lively discussion in this thread, and I'm glad to be seeing such fine submissions.

[SNC1923]

If you want to treat this as a work in progress, perhaps we can take it from this stage through to finished, by 1st Jan, using tips.

The thing is, I don't use this thread for finished works, or even the best pics I've taken that weekend. I don't regard it as a gallery, more of a classroom. For instance, the flames on this pic are not right. What can I do?

This is really a great shot, a well-executed concept: I can see that there's a plan, this photo required forethought, and it seems to have translated well to the image.

The EXIF:

Exposure Time 0.05s (1/20)
Aperture f/4.5
ISO 400
Focal Length 40mm (60mm 35mm)

The flames. . . . Try underexposing slightly. You could set your exposure compensation [+/-] -1.3 EV to start, or if you had your camera set to manual, you might decrease the aperture to 5.0 or 5.6. As an alternative, you could increase the shutter speed to 1/30.

Clearly you're using a tripod? Available light clearly the way to go here. Can you shoot it at a lower ISO? Or would that make the shutter speeds to long to render the fire the way you want. Hmmmm, might be more visually interesting. Might be worth a try.

Have you considered spraying water on the face shield? I don't know if it would work, but it might add a sense of drama and possibly conceal the windows visible in the background.

Why do I prefer this? Is there a reason I should?

Title: Thawing out.

You prefer this because it is a better photo, a more successful rendering.

The vertical orientation of the image mates the helmet and the tree in a vertical orientation. The image of the tree is far less abstract in this image. The decal on your helmet (a distraction) is not fighting as hard for my attention.

The fire looks more like a fire, the glowing coals (visible but abstract in the upper image), and a bit darker than the image above.

Exposure Time 0.25s (1/4)
Aperture f/4.5
ISO 400
Focal Length 60mm (90mm 35mm)

The background and the gloves are in sharper focus here (a result of being farther from the point-of-focus, the helmet). Speaking of the helmet, in the upper image it comprises 50% of the image space, In the shot below, 25%. This photo is just a bit more compressed, having been shot at a slightly greater telephoto setting (90mm).

The large space at the top of this image needs to contain something which is both visually interesting but not in competition with the subject. Your chosen background, a fire, is a wonderful choice. Move around a bit, slightly, and see what you can come up with. Imagine two or three small flames wrapping that log (there's one on your site!). Manipulate your environment by stoking the fire and shooting it as it wanes. Perhaps your lovely wife would assist you? How is she by the way?

Many photographers would call this done. I commend you on wanting to try to improve a really successful image. Worst case scenario is your left with this effort, a really good picture.

[rocketman]

The wreath IS out of focus Though I think I have one you might like where it is very out of focus. There are lights on the wreath, but I didn't plug them in 'cause, ya know, I was in the snow... which melts... into water... and doesn't play well with AC (they are indoor lights)

And here I thought we were all risk takers, hmmmm so you will Ride in the Snow, but not play with 120 volts of electrical energy in the snow? Boy some risk taker you are!

Oh, nice photo by the way, I like the way the wreath is slightly out of focus brings the bike more into the shot as the main subject.

RM

[wmubrown]

And here I thought we were all risk takers, hmmmm so you will Ride in the Snow, but not play with 120 volts of electrical energy in the snow? Boy some risk taker you are!

Welllllll... we all have our limits...

Oh, nice photo by the way, I like the way the wreath is slightly out of focus brings the bike more into the shot as the main subject.

RM

Thanks!!

[Voni]

What I can say is you've all sure raised the bar this time - John and lamble and grossjohann!

You're a tough act to follow . . .

Thank goodness we have more time.

Voni
sMiling

[rocketman]

What I can say is you've all sure raised the bar this time - John and lamble and grossjohann!

You're a tough act to follow . . .

Thank goodness we have more time.

Voni
sMiling

yeah, tell me about it! Esp. now that someone has already done the "bike thru the wreath" bit ........obviously great minds think alike..... so I guess its back to the drawing board for me......

(*sigh*)

RM

[SNC1923]

I really like this shot. I can also see it as a nighttime shot, shadows cast outside, soft warm lighting inside the barn to highlight the bike, scatter some hay on the floor like a manger...

Home for the Holidays

Everything he said. Yes. Do that.

Think about shooting this at twilight. There's often a really nice cast to the sky, it prevent your background from being entirely dark. Try pointing a not-too-bright light source directly into a lower corner away from the window and see how that illuminates. String of colored lights around the inside along the top of the walls? I don't know. . . . maybe.

Take a shot every 20 or 30 seconds for ten or fifteen minutes (or less if it's freezing and more if a chronic over-achiever).

You want to take this without a flash, for sure. The reflections on the saddle bags: interesting but maybe too much?