Your Best Photo, Week Ending 27 April 2014

I got out and tried to capture the spring blossoms as well as the beautiful sunshine

 

 

 

 

Thought I would join in on the fun. Hopefully I uploaded this right.

 

 

F/22

ISO 700

Exp Time 1/250sec

 

487.JPG

I got out and tried to capture the spring blossoms as well as the beautiful sunshine476.JPG

Welcome to the fun of this minichallenge, both of you!

Ignacior, I like the nice, bright colours in yours.

Charleedesigns, a nice delicate touch in your postprocessing work to render these subdued spring colours so well. Would you like to share some details on both shooting data and your process?

Byron Bay Bluesfest, Queensland , Australia. 

nikon D600

Focal Length 46mm

Shutter Speed 1/400

f 2.8

I like the B&W in this shot.  Looks like you're enjoying the D610- happy to see that!

So…I'm not sure what else this week holds for me photographically, so I'm going to post early again. This is the very first composited image I've ever done--I stayed up super late last night watching tutorials and working on it. Technically, the only part of this image that I took this week is the birds. But I did put it together within the specified time frame, so perhaps that helps qualify it. The clouds were part of an image I took last summer in Grand Teton National Park. The statue I found Sunday in a cemetery in a nearby city. The birds were from a quick visit to our local bird refuge last night. 

 

I put it together for another Project 52 assignment--we were to put together a CD cover for a string quartet featuring the music "Black Angels" by George Crumb (definitely not my favorite piece of music!). We were to show something about the music or about strings or quartets. And this is what I ended up with:

 

Black Angel by nbanjogal, on Flickr

Love the statue! It could be the cover of the next Dan Brown book!  The HDR effect makes it seem unatural (in a good way). I'm personally not against chopping things together (as long as you took it yourself), as I think something greta like this can come of it.

So…I'm not sure what else this week holds for me photographically, so I'm going to post early again. This is the very first composited image I've ever done--I stayed up super late last night watching tutorials and working on it. Technically, the only part of this image that I took this week is the birds. But I did put it together within the specified time frame, so perhaps that helps qualify it. The clouds were part of an image I took last summer in Grand Teton National Park. The statue I found Sunday in a cemetery in a nearby city. The birds were from a quick visit to our local bird refuge last night. 

 

I put it together for another Project 52 assignment--we were to put together a CD cover for a string quartet featuring the music "Black Angels" by George Crumb (definitely not my favorite piece of music!). We were to show something about the music or about strings or quartets. And this is what I ended up with:

 

Black Angel by nbanjogal, on Flickr

Friggin' wow!!!   Absolutely stunning shot!!   I REALLY like this one.   Well done.

This week I have tried to portrait two old friends.

The first contemporary pro-grade equipment I got, back in 1994. An F4E and a 180/2.8AI.

Body: D700
Lens: 85/1.8D
Aperture: f/11
Shutter: 1/80
ISO: 200

Conversion done with Silver Efex Pro. Yellow filteremulation, PanF film analogue and Selenium effect.

Great shot!!   Very nice.

The legendary F4.   That's slick.  

So…I'm not sure what else this week holds for me photographically, so I'm going to post early again. This is the very first composited image I've ever done--I stayed up super late last night watching tutorials and working on it. Technically, the only part of this image that I took this week is the birds. But I did put it together within the specified time frame, so perhaps that helps qualify it. The clouds were part of an image I took last summer in Grand Teton National Park. The statue I found Sunday in a cemetery in a nearby city. The birds were from a quick visit to our local bird refuge last night. 

 

I put it together for another Project 52 assignment--we were to put together a CD cover for a string quartet featuring the music "Black Angels" by George Crumb (definitely not my favorite piece of music!). We were to show something about the music or about strings or quartets. And this is what I ended up with:

 

Black Angel by nbanjogal, on Flickr

There is a place for Photoshop in photography.  My thoughts are that it is fine when it is obvious (think the shot you described with people as chess pieces) or when the purpose of the shot is not merely the enjoyment of a picture.  In this case the picture's purpose is to sell CDs, so it is more than fine.

These are just my opinion (and are probably worth less than you paid for them).

FYI:  AWESOME photo, I would totally buy that CD.

Eagle

PS.  Where would you put the text (title, group name, ect)?  Top right corner?

Yay! Great image--very vibrant. (It's about time you joined us in here. )

Yeah, i dont get come over to the forums too often. Looks like i'm going to be on here much more. This was a great thread idea!

Nicole, nice piece of photographic artwork. Where have you visualized putting the performer's name and the title?

Rob, I thought i had posted earlier, sorry about that.

Your capture of the absolutely iconic bridge is one of the better I've seen without using a boat or a helicopter to get a better vantage point. Do I remember correctly that it is designed by one of the greatest Victorian architects, Sir John Fowler?

So…I'm not sure what else this week holds for me photographically, so I'm going to post early again. This is the very first composited image I've ever done--I stayed up super late last night watching tutorials and working on it. Technically, the only part of this image that I took this week is the birds. But I did put it together within the specified time frame, so perhaps that helps qualify it. The clouds were part of an image I took last summer in Grand Teton National Park. The statue I found Sunday in a cemetery in a nearby city. The birds were from a quick visit to our local bird refuge last night. 

 

I put it together for another Project 52 assignment--we were to put together a CD cover for a string quartet featuring the music "Black Angels" by George Crumb (definitely not my favorite piece of music!). We were to show something about the music or about strings or quartets. And this is what I ended up with:

 

Black Angel by nbanjogal, on Flickr

I do like this one. Nice composition work. And I'm being a picky jerk here, plus feel like a db for even saying it, but I don't like the texture in the clouds. Hardly noticeable but my first reaction was "what is all over my screen". But again. I'm sorry because it's really good.

Lots of good stuff on your Flickr.

The clouds look more like a painting than a photograph.  I like them.

Eagle

Blue Tailed Bee Eater with backlight on full spread of wings, shot in Mysore, Karnataka, India

Exif : D4 | f/5.6 | 1/3200s | ISO 1250 | +0.3 ev | 300 mm f/4 hand held

Definitely some stunning photos this week...gonna have to step up my game!

Definitely some stunning photos this week...gonna have to step up my game!

With the school year winding down, does that affect your venue for sports shots, or do y'all have scholastic/non-scholastic summer league sports that you can go shoot?

Photo of my daughter in Sherwood Forest, England

With the school year winding down, does that affect your venue for sports shots, or do y'all have scholastic/non-scholastic summer league sports that you can go shoot?

Most of the school sports start winding down in May - early May for college baseball and mid to late May for the high school sports.  The high schools can go as late as early / mid June depending on how far along they move in the playoffs.  Right now is really the busiest time as lots of the high school conference games are going on.  I shot lacrosse on Monday, baseball last night and since they were still playing, I ended up shooting some softball and girls soccer last night as well.  Tonight is more lacrosse and I might try and sneak in some tennis photos if time permits.  Tomorrow I'll try and catch up on the processing and Friday is lacrosse on the road.  Did I mention doing some backup shooting for a wedding on Saturday?  Next week is just as crazy!   

Summer is fairly quiet without too much shooting, but I'll probably shoot some stuff like Little League Baseball All Star tourneys and things like that.  Hopefully I'll have the chance to have some fun and maybe do some landscapes, sunsets, night, etc. but I admit that by mid-June I'm usually ready for a bit of time away from the camera!  Mostly summer shooting is what I want to shoot.  This summer will mostly be about my son's graduation and getting him set for his first year in college.

Most of the school sports start winding down in May - early May for college baseball and mid to late May for the high school sports.  The high schools can go as late as early / mid June depending on how far along they move in the playoffs.  Right now is really the busiest time as lots of the high school conference games are going on.  I shot lacrosse on Monday, baseball last night and since they were still playing, I ended up shooting some softball and girls soccer last night as well.  Tonight is more lacrosse and I might try and sneak in some tennis photos if time permits.  Tomorrow I'll try and catch up on the processing and Friday is lacrosse on the road.  Did I mention doing some backup shooting for a wedding on Saturday?  Next week is just as crazy! 

 

Summer is fairly quiet without too much shooting, but I'll probably shoot some stuff like Little League Baseball All Star tourneys and things like that.  Hopefully I'll have the chance to have some fun and maybe do some landscapes, sunsets, night, etc. but I admit that by mid-June I'm usually ready for a bit of time away from the camera!  Mostly summer shooting is what I want to shoot.  This summer will mostly be about my son's graduation and getting him set for his first year in college.

Very cool!!

Love the statue! It could be the cover of the next Dan Brown book!  The HDR effect makes it seem unatural (in a good way). I'm personally not against chopping things together (as long as you took it yourself), as I think something greta like this can come of it.

Thanks! Yes, I felt strongly about making sure that all the components were mine. When I mentioned that I was having a hard time finding the crows or ravens I needed for the shot, one of my friends suggested that I just use a stock photo. The horror! (Actually, I don't have anything against people using stock photos--I just wanted this to be completely my work.) Also, I don't know if I would classify this as HDR. It is a composite, but I don't know that the composite has much to do with the dynamic range...

Friggin' wow!!!   Absolutely stunning shot!!   I REALLY like this one.   Well done.

Thank you! I'm flattered that I merited so many exclamation points.

There is a place for Photoshop in photography.  My thoughts are that it is fine when it is obvious (think the shot you described with people as chess pieces) or when the purpose of the shot is not merely the enjoyment of a picture.  In this case the picture's purpose is to sell CDs, so it is more than fine.

 

These are just my opinion (and are probably worth less than you paid for them).

 

FYI:  AWESOME photo, I would totally buy that CD.

 

Eagle

 

PS.  Where would you put the text (title, group name, ect)?  Top right corner?

Nicole, nice piece of photographic artwork. Where have you visualized putting the performer's name and the title?

Thank you both. I kind of visualized putting the title, composer, and performers in the top right…or perhaps with the title across the top centered and the composer and performers below it to the right.

I do like this one. Nice composition work. And I'm being a picky jerk here, plus feel like a db for even saying it, but I don't like the texture in the clouds. Hardly noticeable but my first reaction was "what is all over my screen". But again. I'm sorry because it's really good.

 

Lots of good stuff on your Flickr.

You don't have to feel like a db for having an opinion.  I generally don't like textures and almost never use them, but in this instance, I felt like the image needed a little something more to rough it up and give it a little more weight and depth and to unify it-- the texture covers everything; I didn't mask anything out. (When you said you were going to be picky, I thought you were going to ding me for my rough selection on those dang birds.)

Just for fun, here's a before and after--with and without the texture:

Without the texture I felt it looked a little too light and cheesy--too much like this:

Also just for fun, here are all the images I used to put this thing together. You should have seen me at the bird refuge. There were some serious birders out there with their enormous long lenses, and here I come with my little 85mm. They looked at me like I was an idiot with my puny little lens. I didn't bother explaining that I didn't care about detail--I just needed a few birds silhouetted in the sky. Took awhile, but a single red-winged blackbird finally did me the favor and I snapped a few images of him flying in front of me.

Aaaaand I've just taken over the thread and made it all about me and me little composite. Sorry to be such a jerk!