Sunsets through a Lens :dltphoto

So, we have all seen beautiful sunsets. Many times they are so incredibly hard to photograph and you really just can't capture on camera what your seeing. Also as a creative photographer how do you make this sunset be something that someone wants to look at. How many variations of a sunset can be done before its all been done??

I just found some images from my camping this year and I remembered that I had attempted to change my normal view to something more creative or did i just something crap and should I delete it?

 I have shot through these trees a million times and I am sure I have dozens of images like this on previous posts. Can I do something more to make this some thing everyone will want to look at? What if I make it out of focus?

At the time I thought this looked pretty cool. I have never done an out of focus sunset before. At least not this intentional! So I pushed it a little further...

How abstract can one now start to get? Is it now a beautiful sunset on the lake or just some computer generated file from some paint program?? What now? Can I really show this? After all now it has no context. No obvious signs that its a beautiful moment in time by a lake with a camera..

Did I create a design piece?

Hmmm, Or is it just a orange blob with some vague reddish blobs???

Can I use the two images together?

      Original                                                   Out of Focus                                  Combined

Perhaps I should just stick to my day blob!!!

The End

APAC Submissions, January 2014: dltphoto

As mentioned before in a previous post somewhere we are often informed of who the adjudicator is going to be for our upcoming exhibition nights. January's was Janet Bright, a local Artist ( Painter), friend and photography student of mine. She has been several times to the club and on my first meeting with Janet I scored very high, the next nights not so much. Just when you think you know someone there tastes change. I think since Janet now has a little more appreciation for how hard it is to capture the images, since she is now learning photography herself, she has maybe changed the scoring process in her reactions to the images. She is "evolving", so to speak.

First image up I got was bright, colourful, abstract. Perfect for her or so I thought.

"True Blue", Abstract, Score 7.5

Not the worst score I have had and really it doesn't matter whatsoever, it just gives me some to ramble on about. This was shot with my Nikon 1 V1 with the FT-1 Adapter and the Nikkor 60mm 2.8G Macro, along with a Nikon SB-800 Flash slaved wirelessly from the V1 flash. All shot manually and really no adjustments made. Kind of made a neat abstract image. I shot plenty of them but this I thought was a decent composition. I choose Poorly (wink)

Anyways, it didn't get reviewed at the club night but I asked Janet if she wouldn't mind critiquing it for me for this blog.
HOW EXCITING.
Here is Janet's view of the Blue"

"True Blue: Love the jars. My first response was that, to sit and look at THAT blue for hours and hours would be a wonderful thing. The balance of objects within the image seems very formal (almost symmetrical), with the negative/void space at centre taking visual space nearly equal to that of the jars themselves. With its monochromatic colouring, centred highlights and similarly sized objects/spaces, my attention is drawn directly to the static centre of the image, which is symmetrical and does not lead to a whole lot of excitement for the image. I do love the colour and sharpness"

Second up was another Macro effort with the same camera setup, just no wireless flash trickery!! 

"Circles of Confusion" Macro, Score 6.5

Not too much to describe about this one. It's a leaf. I just enjoyed the circles of confusion in the shot, hey I didn't say I was good at titling! Bold, colourful, simple. That was my goal.

Janet's comment:

"Circles of Confusion": This image is far more detailed and affecting on my computer than it was on the big screen where it was originally shown. I see leaf detail and delicate circles (which I didn't see before). Asymmetric balance makes me wonder what's just outside the shot; was it raining, cold, misty? and the magical circles (of confusion)- very intriguing. I suppose it is true, that the medium is the message. Thank you for showing me this high res version.

Cool... So there you have it. In essence I think she liked them and that's enough for me. , they aren't grand masterpieces of Photography mind you, some something I thought was interesting. Other people's opinions of these images may vary massively. It's such a terribly subjective thing. Janet probably enjoys a good  "Monet", I enjoy a "Giacometti", our tastes are our tastes, which is my point. Thanks Janet for your input. I'd love to go out shooting with you one day, "the painter and the photographer", that would be an interesting post!!

Going Forward: dltphoto

I am going to be somewhat busy for the next few months as I continue on my journey into a new career to help sustain my photography habit ;-)

These faces are my motivation!

APAC Submissions, December 2013: dltphoto

"Branching Out", Abstract, Score 7

This months showing was a "photoclub bust" for me if  I was a competition minded and cared about progressing into future levels. Paul Baker was our adjudicator. He is very good at critiquing the images, mine just weren't ones that he felt needed to be discussed!

"Alouette in Green", Landscape, Score 7

This is my attempted image that went missing somewhere along the lines for November... too bad. Shot with my Fuji F200 EXR compact camera

"FireBreather", Assigned "Ancient", Score 7.5

This was the assigned image "Ancient". I thought it quite fitting, after all it's been there a jolly long time. It's as ancient an item one will find anywhere although its probably not viewed in that way!!

I don't think I scored the rock bottom score that evening, although I could be wrong. I didnt hear any 6's that I can remember!  Oh well. I really liked my images compositionally and they projected well. That's really all that matters to me.

Next month's adjudicator is a local artist  Janet Bright. She reacts to impact images but maybe less technical than the photographer judges.....

APAC Submissions, October 2013: dltphoto

I wasn't able to be present at this months exhibition evening due to a 'man cold'. I relied on my fellow club members to give me any feedback that the adjudicator had with my images.
All I know is that adjudicator enjoyed a lot of the images, she ( Betty Andres) tended to score on the high side according to my above average scores.

 

"Private Peeker", Architecture Score 9.5

 This was shot at Barkerville, BC. Initially for the textures it offered but I also enjoyed the fact the curtain is set in such a way as someone could be peeking out at me. She reviewed it but I haven't gotten any feedback on it.

'Life Lines', Floral, Score 8.5

This shot was from my phone last Autumn. I enjoyed the overall feel of the image and thought I had a pretty sweet shot from such a limited camera. The Leaf shot she reviewed and wished the depth of field could have been better but overall she enjoyed the colours but wished I might have come closer to pay more attention to the lines of the leaf. Of course I wasn't there to inform her it was from my phone....

'Smile for Dad', Assigned ( Humourous), Score 9.5

Last Christmas's photo shoot in my studio, I always enjoy getting the girls to do a little something odd and it worked well for scoring.

APAC Submissions, April 2013: dltphoto

This months selections are from my fabulous little Nikon 1 V1. Really enjoying this little camera. Even though this shot looked great in the original shooting format I decided it's time to try some edited shots at the exhibitions. Not a big fan of that but since I am a Level 2'er now I need to pull my socks up and put the puck in the net. So here is my wildly "action-ed" image of which I had no idea of how it would score. Fortunately I did OK!

Architecture, "the tension builds", score 8

One other shot for tonight from the same trip, but this time a shot nice and neat out of the camera, with minor Lightroom editing of course. I working again with the V1 with the "highlander" lens. Since this is now a whopping 540mm film equivalent focal length, I am playing with the wonderfully narrow field of view. Others would utilise this with sports or birds, but I am enjoying it for more artsy purposes. I enjoy the lines in this shot. The re-bar falls perfectly with the tension lines from the Port Mann Bridge. More abstract but I chose to put it in the Urban/ Rural category, which I thought would be a mistake, but it did really well.  I was one of the top in Level 2 and  had give a quick spiel about it.

Urban/ Rural, "avoiding the line up", score 9

Once again I fail dramatically at titling my images. I care not for titles. It means nothing to me. It changes nothing about how I view an image. However it didnt seem to effect my scores too much. The adjudicator tonight was pretty good, from the Lions Gate Camera Club. He did enjoy this image and wasn't aware of what the background was from. Always nice to surprise people.
No assigned image again this week. The shot I wanted to use which I thought would be good at the time ended up being to camera shaky ( cell phone) and would not have scored well. The concept was nice but the phone wasn't able to produce.

Boneyard by Howarth Photography: dltphoto

I had the pleasure of visiting a local gallery to check out a local photographer and close friend. A great showing of vibrant work shot exclusively with film. Love those film shooters.
I can recommend a visit but please don't judge my images on this as they aren't nearly as accurate and fun to see as her images on the wall. Who knows maybe you will end up buying one or two! The gallery runs until April 14th I believe.

Level 2. Drat! :dltphoto

It finally happened.
Here is an email I received.

"Dear Mr. Turner:  
 It gives me great pleasure to advise you that THE FREE RIDE IS OVER;

 you have completed the requirements for Level One by acquiring 200+ 

points by March 2013's Exhibition night and that you have now graduated

 to the Level Two category AND WILL HAVE TO STOP PHIDDLE-PHARTING AROUND

 AND GET DOWN TO BUSINESS!

NATURALLY, WITH THIS ADVANCEMENT COMES THE PRIVILEGE OF BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE
APAC EXEC. AND UNDERTAKING SUCH POSITIONS AS MAY BE ASSIGNED TO YOU.

(Please remember to precede your image titles with L2 rather than L1 

starting in April)

Congratulations!"

Then a follow up email from the APAC president....

"Eventually, even 6's add up to 200..."

Hahahahahh. Oh well.

 I guess I am going to have to pull my socks up and work harder with my 

random assortment of camera choices for exhibition images.

Level 2: Intermediate
One image in each category must be scored at 
8 or higher. All other images must be 6 or 
higher. Must compete in 6 categories with total 
of 50 points in each category

APAC Submissions, March 2013: dltphoto

Rumour had it that my good friend Jason Brown of Revival Arts Studio, was going to be the adjudicator for March's submissions. I have to admit it did sway my choices slightly. Although still I chose images that had already been slated to be "exhibited". I assumed I had chosen images that would be liked by him, having seen much of his work and knowing him for so many years. Alas no, he's helped keep me in Level one for a little while longer I hope.

I only chose to submit into the normal categories, I did not do the assigned. I haven't had too much chance recently to get out and work on them.

Urban/ Rural. "stepping on shadows", score 7

This image was a quick capture on my phone on our way to an Abbotsford Heat game. Its one of the sets of exit stairs leaving the building. The light was hitting it nicely from the side. I enjoyed the lines and the confusion with the shadows. It actually projected really well. I was very happy with it.

Experimental, "black frost". Score 6

This is another frost shot with my Nikon D200 and the 60mm macro. Again, shot into my very tinted truck windows with the morning sun reflected in the background. The frost was not black, somehow dues to the reflection and exposure the frost turned black (silhouetted I guess) and I just enriched that later through lightroom. Overall I thought it quite interesting... In keeping with my usual scores but sadly I will get promoted soon into level 1 due to overall scores.

Why Woodn't You?...:dltphoto

Out on a recent epic cold and wet  morning with Mr Koopmans discovering new wooden things in Chilliwack. Can you spot the Cell Phone pic??

APAC Photoclub submissions: January 2013: dltphoto

No ranting this month. Just images.

Architecture, "A Yellow Lining". Score 9

 On my quest to score a 10 with a cell phone, I finally cracked a 9 with this shot. So close!.

Simple glass building shot (Best Buy in Abbotsford, incase you locals want to know), looking up at it with some nice sunlight hitting the corner of the building illuminating it with a rich yellow. I played with a few editing Apps on the Android phone. The original capture is featured below, for anyone who cares. I did have to clean the image up a little in photoshop to remove the blobs or dirt from the glass, but all other image editing done through littlephoto app if I remember correctly.

Original Capture

 2nd Image of the night! This was from my Sigma DP1s. A long exposure, about 6 seconds if I recall, at F11 at probably 50ISO with a neutral density filter or two perched on my little gorilla pod.

Experimental, "Colourstream". score 8

 Pretty much right out of the camera with this image. Just some minor Lightroom work to clean the image up a little, also attempted to remove the weird colour vignetting  the Sigma produces.

2 'n' 1, Fuji X10: dltphoto

A while ago I loaned the excellent Fuji X10 from our local Fuji Rep. This camera tickled my photography senses, too bad I only had it for 3 days.
 Upon checking the images over again I came across a few images that I can't for the life of me remember shooting, but they are on my memory card and they are of downtown Abbotsford, so they must be mine.

I picked this one image as it's kind of a busy image, but more than that. It has the initial appearance of being  two images "photoshopped" together, despite being only one shot. Clearly it's a reflection in a puddle.

 I enjoy this image despite it not really meaning anything to me. I enjoy the lines!

One shot forward, Three years backward: dltphoto

Here, in the dead or winter, I find myself going back through endless folders of images from loaned camera's and random shoots.I came across this image from my brief experience with the Nikon D3x during August, 2009. At one point Nikon's flagship Camera, with both Mega-Pixels and Build performance. Paired with my excellent Nikkor AF-S 60mm macro they were a match made in heaven. Anyways, this image I have chosen I can't really decide on.

320th sec, F5.6. 400 iso

I like the idea of it visually, it's pleasing and easy to look at. Howeve it doesn't inspire me since I am not a avid flower photographer.  When I  look at it as though it isn't a flower I go back to liking even more. I am very drawn the the shallow depth of field behind the centre of the flower, a sense of explosion of both colour and movement.

dltphogr.am webpage:dltphoto

I am loving the new webpage that instagram has provided for its users!

Check it out here (discoduncan)

Random Film Images: dltphoto

On rare occasions I stumble upon images I shot a while ago. Often it takes me a while to figure out what I was doing at the time and why did I shoot them.

I was just wandering through some folders and came across this image and thought how lovely and warm the image was and then the thought process commenced and remembered where I took it.

This was shot at the end of summer, during the our first Worldwide Photowalk participation in Abbotsford. I remember I went out with two camera's, one of which the Film batteries died and I recall I had some other issue with my DSLR and ended up fooling around with flash for other peoples shots....!

Here are the few I just found.

APAC Pre-Submission Fun Game: dltphoto

I have decided to ask my readers, all 6 of you (ha), to please pretend you are an Photoclub Adjudicator ( judge) and Score/ Critique my images that I am going to post into the Club in the very near future.
This way I can get a rough idea of what I could face with a real Judge/ Adjudicator.
Scores are from between 5 and 10 (10 being the best) and for this fun post feel free to use  half points, such as 7.5 etc... Also If you can come up with a better Title, I would love to know it!
This is purely for my fun, I am not going to rant at you if you think its a score of 5 that's your choice. If you want to elaborate on what I can do better then great. Base it on Impact, content.. whatever!

I will do a follow up post with the official scores once they have been entered into the real exhibition. Then you can all see how closely you scored my image to what a professional scored it.

You can comment anonymously if you don't want to hurt my feelings... really they cannot be hurt!

"every building has a yellow lining"

"the great Pyramids"

"Reflections"

November 2012: Favourite Shot: dltphoto

Here is my choice image for November. I will remember it as being a dreary drizzly day with a walk on the local trail with Lucy as her and I took photos with our cameras. The image itself has some pleasing aspects but this is secondary to how great I felt spending time doing the thing I enjoy with a person I helped create!

APAC Photoclub Submissions, December 2012:dltphoto

It's punishment time again.... hahahah (just kidding). The December month sees a previous judge (an artist/ painter), umm adjudicator, from last year, the same adjudicator who gave me a 10. Not knowing this before I submitted my images, I sadly uploaded them a day before we were informed who the judge would be. So, I was stuck with the images I chose. I may have been a little more daring had I have known. Its all good though.

Experimental, "Night Watchmen", score 8

This is one of my first "Over edited" images. Basically, I had an image I really wanted to work but I didn't enjoy the lack of overall depth in the image. The initial shot (below) was impossible to get at the time since the only method of keeping the sky in the shot would have been to flash the subjects which clearly was not possible. So I had no other option than to "fake" a sky.

Crows at Barkerville, original shot

After trying several rich blue sky and cloudy shots in the background from my stock of sky images, I felt no impact with any of them.
Then I recalled some images I had just shot with a Lensbaby and thought I would try it with that sky ( an image I won't share yet as its to be a future submission). The effect was much more dramatic. It appeared much more "moon-lightish" with the Crows. Not the perfect blend of images but I thought it created a nice mood and something that you might not normally see. Crows in the dark would be pretty hard to spot and shoot. The light I had on the roof worked nicely simulating  moon glare on the roof top. Overall. I was quite pleased with the final outcome.

Second image for the night.

Open, "20th Century Rock Music",  Score 8

This is a very simple Lensbaby shot of a discarded CD I stumbled across on a bike ride to work. The light fell on it perfectly and created some nice colour tones. The blurring was the lensbaby effect. I had shown the image to a club member previously and they could'nt figure out what they were looking at, so I thought they might need help determining the subject matter, hence the title.

Finally I submitted a print for the assigned topic "People at Work". Challenging.
Scrolling through my hoards of images and I found a Barkerville shot of which the people dressed in character dress, were working the streets... I threw a quick aged action over with with some nasty lens vignette on it to make look super old-school, since its a "period" style shot.

* Addition, The Adjudicator, Janet, actually critiqued this image during the post let-down. She enjoyed the interaction, the movement of the people. She also enjoyed the dark bottom left-hand corner which compensated for the lighter top right hand corner. She also felt the people's heads angle lead you nicely down to that dark left hand corner. I can see the appeal of that. none of which was intentional, at least I don't think my brain saw that, but maybe it did.*

Assigned, "Barkerville- Still working", score 25 (3rd place)

Thanks to Colin for helping me with the title for this one. I hate titling images... hate it.

File 13, "Recycle Bin": dltphoto

A follow up to a previous post "the ones that don't make the cut".

These are some of  the new "File 13's"

Composition Fail

Weird Shadow= Wrong

P7K (Nikon Coolpix P7000): dltphoto

Big Thanks to Mr Koopmans for babysitting the "snail-like" slow Sigma DP1s whilst I get to play with his "F1" performance Coolpix P7000. I have had this camera before, at least I had the Nikon reps model. It has since had a pretty wicked firmware update which has brought it up to the speed of its younger brother the P7100. Now the youngest sibling is the Nikon P7700 which is yet to arrive on the shelf. It should be 'oh' so much improved, but will it really be improved? The P7100 in all its glory has only some minor upgrades to it over the newly updated P7000, features such as Zoom burst and artistic mode and other than the tilt-able screen it isn't much improved from what I can tell. We will see the vanishing act of the optical viewfinder on the P7700, which I see as no big loss, since I never used it on the P7000 anyways.
 The best option for me on this camera is the RAW file, it's not the normal Nikon NEF file I have been accustomed too. Sadly, I couldn't open them on my Lightroom Version so thank goodness for Nikon's View NX2 free software. It's not pretty, but it gets it done.
Here are a few shots, the original in jpeg form and the edited version through ViewNX2

Edited Raw

Original

Now having seen these two images at a relatively low resolution on this blog, check out what I spotted accidentally when zooming into the file to check for sharpness.....

Spiders are always lurking!