2018 Project 52 by Geoff F - 3rd Quarter

[Cantab]

Thanks for the comments. With the calendar images, we have a sub committee meeting in the local Rugby Club bar, which is handy for all of us, where someone brings a portable desktop computer and we go through all the possible images until we eventually get it down to 13 final images. One per month and one for the cover.

Anyway, regarding that first rowing scene. I have moved boats 5 and 6 then done a bit of a crop and clone job to produce this alternative.

Geoff, despite my previous doubts, this edit works well with one possible exception. There appears to be part of a large outboard motor showing at the beach line at the right hand edge of the image. It appears to belong to a boat other than the white inflatable(?). IMHO, cloning it out would remove a distraction.

[Geoff F]

Trouble is, Bruce, that part of an outboard isn't a straight forward clone, which is why I left it visible. I want to leave the rubber dinghy with two people but the two boats overlap. I can have a go with some masking before cloning but it might still be too difficult to get looking natural.

[Cantab]

Trouble is, Bruce, that part of an outboard isn't a straight forward clone, which is why I left it visible. I want to leave the rubber dinghy with two people but the two boats overlap. I can have a go with some masking before cloning but it might still be too difficult to get looking natural.

Um.... I see your dilemma, and agree that the white dinghy adds to the image (and thankfully it's pointing in the correct direction!).

[Geoff F]

I have had a go, Bruce, and changed that alternative edit with the new image.

Masked the problem area along with a potential cloning source area but excluded the white dinghy from my selection then did a normal clone job.

[Cantab]

Magic! You sank the offending boat!

More seriously, the reworked image looks good.

[skitterbug]

I agree with Bruce, your edit worked wonderfully!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the praise.

[Geoff F]

Week 35 - Salcombe History Society at the Kingsbridge Show. Originally an agricultural show but it has expanded to include various local businesses and organisations, etc. I was there to help out with the local history society so took a few snaps with my Fuji X20 'pocket sized' camera.



1/750 F6.4 Iso 200. Too much contrast and wrong light angles in these scenes for such a basic camera to work well.

[Geoff F]

Week 36 - New pond for the wildlife site. While looking for insects, etc, I found this digger creating a new wildlife pond. Tricky to find a suitable angle and the light contrast was rather high but I decided to attempt a shot which made use of the contrast and also included that young tree.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/320 F11 Iso 800

[Geoff F]

Week 37 - Showery Seascapes. Fresh wind and nearby showers, although I stayed dry and mostly in sunshine. Rain clouds often come up the English Channel as far as Plymouth then turn inland towards the high ground of Dartmoor. So I had a go at capturing some of the passing showers.

Looking towards Thurlestone from Bolt Tail



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/250 F11 Iso 200 Merge of two Smart Object conversions from one Raw image

Looking across Bigbury Bay from Bolt Tail (Hope Cove)



1/500 F11 Iso 400 Merge of two Smart Object conversions from one Raw image

Shower Clouds at Hope Cove



1/1250 F11 Iso 400

Looking towards Thurlestone from the Bolt Tail to Hope Cove path



1/250 F11 Iso 200 Merge of 3 exposures.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I like them all but especially the first one. It does a good job of capture the mood/atmosphere of the scene.

I'm curious about the cement(?) structure at the coastline in the third photo. Perhaps a left over military emplacement from WWII??

[Geoff F]

That is part of the breakwater, Bruce. It continues on the other side of that 'rock island' and goes to the shore.

There is an old WW II pill box in the corner of the beach but out of site from this image.

If you ever find an old DVD called The Supergrass featuring the Comic Strip team you will see Robbie Coltraine, armed with a chainsaw, jumping off that breakwater in a rough sea to attack a drug boat. It was filmed around Hope Cove and the surrounding area. Although some parts seem a little dated now it is still an excellent comedy and I would recommend it.

[Geoff F]

Week 38 - The Pumpkin Field. I started off by thinking about photographing the hedge and dark sky then decided to include part of the pumpkin patch as well to create a bit of perspective. I couldn't include the foreground field edge because of tall weeds and a wire fence. So I focused about half way up the field.



7D with Canon 24-70 lens. 1/640 F11 Iso 200

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff - Looks like the farmer had a good crop of evenly sized pumpkins. I like the photo for the contrast in colors. I wonder what would happen if you had a bit less sky? For some reason the photo seems too half and half for me... I probably am not the best to suggest any corrections but other than content and color, the photo doesn't really grab me.

What will be done with the pumpkins? Canning/Halloween decorations? Just curious as usual. In our area, we have a lot of roadside markets set up with them currently and people mostly use them for decorations.

[Geoff F]

The sky was my main concern with this scene. I don't want to miss those little patches of blue at the sides, but maybe I could try a 16 x 9 crop?

That farmer grows a lot of various vegetables and there are several types of the cabbage family growing on the left side. It will all go to a local wholesaler and then on to local greengrocers.

Most pumpkins seem to just be used for display around here, which is such a waste of a tasty vegetable. I have grown them for eating but they take up so much space in a small garden. I also like the vegetable spaghetti but that also takes too much space, although I do like the taste.

[Geoff F]

Here is a 16 x 9 crop which still retains sufficient dark cloud.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I've used the Litebox to switch back and forth between the two crops. The 16x9 places more emphasis on the pumpkins.

But my preference is your original version. Although the image is almost in two halves, the uneven level of the trees and hedges saved the image (for me) from seeming to be split horizontally at the mid-point. And I liked the increased sense of openness from the larger expanse of sky.

[skitterbug]

I like your photo crop.

After reading Bruce's post, I have another thought about the photo ..... typical woman who can't make up her mind <LOL> ... If you want to put more emphasis on the sky and less on the pumpkins you could crop a bit from the bottom to get rid of the "half and half" that bothers me (in the original photo). That would bring the the sky more into play?

It all boils down to what you might like? The colours are beautiful! I bet when the trees start to turn, it would really be stunning. Unfortunately, the pumpkins will probably be gone by then.

Enjoy these fall days!

[Geoff F]

Week 39 - Autumn Leaf. Thinking about your comment regarding autumn colours, Sandy. I have been seeing some amazing bright red and yellow colours on bramble leaves. We don't get much tree colour here because our autumn is too mild and windy so most leaves just get blown away.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F5 Iso 100

And I thought this leaf mine looked like a fierce serpent in the leaf. It is actually the tiny larvae of a small moth which tunnels its way through the leaf.



1/200 F14 Iso 400. In deep shade so flash as well.

[Geoff F]

And now - 4th Quarter starts here

2018 Project 52 by Geoff F - 4th Quarter