2019 Project 52 by Geoff F - 2nd Quarter

[Geoff F]

This year I am not following any specific pattern although I am spending a bit more time on merges of bracketed exposures or merging two or more conversions from a single Raw image.

The previous 1st Quarter is here

2019 Project 52 by Geoff F - 1st Quarter

Week 14 - Salcombe Harbour from the Cliff Path. I was looking for a different angle from a position which I have previously used. Just to the left is a large Magnolia tree but I have photographed that in the past.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/250 F11 Iso 400

Old Boats visiting the harbour I would have preferred just one boat and a cleaner background but sometimes you just have to take what is available.



1/500 F8 Iso 400

[Shadowman]

Nice efforts, your photomerging tasks should prove fun and useful.

[joebranko]

Re Old Boats Visiting Harbour."

Only my humble opinion but would it be possible to crop out the small boat in the foreground/ I think it distracts.

[Geoff F]

I took several shots with different size ratios, Joe. With the 4 x 5 ratio I was thinking about something which could be used in the next Salcombe History Society calendar and without something in the foreground there is too much plain sea; or alternatively too much sky.

Here is another tighter crop edited to 5 x 4 ratio

[Cantab]

Geoff, I like the crop in post #4. But if the vertical crop in post #1 fits the historical calendar, I think it would work well in that context. The small boat in the foreground gives a sense of maritime activity.

[skitterbug]

+1 to Bruce's comments. I also feel the small boat gives a sense of size comparison of the two vessels.

[Geoff F]

Thanks Bruce & Sandy.

Week 15 - Tractor doing some harrowing. This was happening just outside a nature reserve where I was recording/photographing the wildlife.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/250 F11 Iso 400. Merge of two conversions from one Raw file.

[Geoff F]

Week 16 - Woodland Insects. It was a warm sunny Easter holiday and the hordes descended on this coastal location; but living on the inland edge of the town it doesn't cause me too many problems. So I avoided the coast and Dartmoor, which is another attraction. This meant visiting a quiet inland damp wood where I could record wildlife in peaceful surroundings.

I found some Brimstone butterflies feeding on bluebells and was initially feeling proud of my shots; but when I had a closer look on my computer screen I realised that I had shadows from the plant stems across most of my images. This is one of the clear shots.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens 1/250 F11 Iso 400.

And a different angle just to see if it would work.



Wild Garlic can be a useful source of early season insect food - but it is messy eating!



In the natural world, danger is always lurking nearby.



1/400 F14 Iso 400

[Cantab]

A good set of shots. The third image is fun!

I was initially surprised at the extent of the DOF in the last two images but then noticed you'd used f14 in the last one. Presumably that's the explanation, or did you use some other trickery?

[Geoff F]

I sometimes use focus stacking for insects on a calm day, Bruce. It doesn't always work but unless there is subject movement the auto alignment can cope with a little bit of wind rock. Even when there is too much movement I can occasionally copy part of an insect or flower from one image and paste into another; so stacking is always worth trying.

In these cases, I did manage to get reasonably square on to the subject at F14 which did help. Also, there has been a bit of carefully choosing crop angles plus a little clone work in the background.

[Wavelength]

Nice series of images with changing subjects....

[Geoff F]

Thanks Nandakumar

Week 17 - This is the way to mow your lawn! While photographing insects at a local reserve I heard farm machinery nearby; so I hopped over a stile . . .



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/640 F11 Iso 400. Rather poor light and not much 'thinking time' so these are a merge of two conversions from a single raw file.





1/400 F11 Iso 400

[joebranko]

Even with poor light you managed to get sharp colourful images.

[Wavelength]

I specially liked the first due to the presence of the second one(a mover?what is it called?) behind

[Geoff F]

Thanks.

Yes, Nandakumar, I saw the potential alignment between the two tractors and waited for a suitable position before shooting.

[Shadowman]

Week 17, nice shots.

[Rufus]

Week 17 - Good shots given the light and action. That lush crop will be extremely valuable if we have another hot summer again this year and the grass stops growing.

[skitterbug]

Technique is lots different than when we farmed! Informative and well done images! Thanks for sharing!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

Yes, Sandy, farming has certainly changed over recent years and all equipment seems to be getting bigger and more automated. A lot of the smaller farms around here tend to employ sub contractors for the mechanical work or simply hire out their fields to larger contract organisations.

Today I was at another wildlife site and there was a tractor turning mown grass there. Those 'whirligig' bits of equipment appear to increase in size every day!

Another dull day and a frantic lens change without available thinking time so my shutter speed was a bit slow which meant several shots being deleted due to motion blur.



1/250 F11 Iso 400

[Geoff F]

Week 18 - Salcombe History Society Exhibit. At a local festival we were offered the free use of a display tent. Only had my Fuji X20 'pocket sized camera' and the light was difficult. Also had to attempt some shots in quick gaps between passing people.



1/250 F6.4 Iso 200. merge of two conversions from a single Raw file. Yes, I know, I framed a bit tight on the right; but I was more concerned about the extreme light range with deep shadow inside the tent and thought that as long as I included the crabpot on the right side it would be framed OK. Never saw that passing figure which would have been so much better if I had waited another second.



1/450 F6.4 Iso 200.

Tried to get shots of people looking at the old photograph exhibits.