Mini Competition #66

[Donald]

Here's how it works ...

- You good folks post images in the thread (please change your post title to a name for your picture)

- When we get 10 images we will attach a voting poll

- After 3 days the poll closes and the winner is declared!

- If you would especially like some critique after the competition poll closes, please make it known in the post

Too easy eh?

Limit of 1 image per post, and 2 image posts per person.

If there are already 10 in the current comp, please start a new thread in this forums

[Hans]

D90, 105mm Macro, natural light at f2.8

C&C most welcome...comon, its OK to be brutal!

[stevewe88]

[ScoutR]

Nikon D3000: 18-200mm: 1/20s: f5.6: ISO 100: 200mm

Need some C&C on this for sure. Not sure at all about this effect. Sometimes I like it sometimes I don't

Thanks
Wendy

[Donald]

Sorry - Forgot to change title:'Wood and Stone'

40D, Tokina 11-16 @11mm. ISO 100. 1/80@f8. Manual.

[RonH]

Rapidly heading for home comforts ... a quick shot taken through a window today

[Doughboy]

Ron, I really like this shot, its simple, nothing too distracting. Good job

[RonH]

Ron, I really like this shot, its simple, nothing too distracting. Good job

Thanks Bill.
It was a bit on the run trying to beat our cat before he shot through the cat door! And its still snowing!

[RonH]

D90, 105mm Macro, natural light at f2.8

C&C most welcome...comon, its OK to be brutal!

Give you a game? Very nice Hans, its makes for interesting pics limiting the depth of field.

[Jim B.]

5DII 51mm f/4 ISO1600 1/40"

[Jim B.]

Hans,
Very nice! I really like the processing.

[ScoutR]

Love it Ron, it's almost like you were up the tree instead of the cat. Great job on the White snow. Mine is always blue or grey

[RonH]

Love it Ron, it's almost like you were up the tree instead of the cat. Great job on the White snow. Mine is always blue or grey

Thanks Wendy. Yes that white stuff is a beast to deal with, but it can really be blue as we in these northern regions know. I've been reading your heavy technical posts ... learn a lot from these, thanks. How do the experts cope with us beating them around to get answers? Must all be retired or using 'office' facilities ... he,he

[Hans]

Thanks Wendy. Yes that white stuff is a beast to deal with

Well you've done a great job! Black cat on white snow is a nightmare. Nice clean image and as Jim said, the simplicity (and for me the way the branch comes around wide framing the cat) really works. BTW ta for your kind comments and I fear you would slaughter me at chess

Beach Huts at Mablethorpe

Steve, I know you haven't asked for feedback, but I wish they had painted those uprights the same colour as the actual buildings instead of white, why don't people ever think about us. Nice strong colours there and the way the colours reflect off the puddles is a strong point of interest for me. Great light too.

Sorry - Forgot to change title:'Wood and Stone'

Donald, I am loving what you are doing lately with BW. This is a strong composition and very evocative for me. Also wondering what it would look like if you had shot from the opposite direction using the stone wall as a lead in to the tree. Was it morning? ...And that stone wall, god I love those stone walls! I think one could spend a lifetime photographing them (but that is from someone who doesn't have any )

Need some C&C on this for sure. Not sure at all about this effect. Sometimes I like it sometimes I don't

Wendy, I'm no expert, but I'll be brave for you.
I really love these kinds of images and I would love to be more deliberate about taking them. I have taken some I really liked, all by accident. I think most pros would say if it isn't intentional, then its just a blurry photo. Anyway, love yours...the clean crop, subject running into frame with strong sense of movement and the saturated colours of horse and carriage draw attenion while the the non-distracting softness of the trees give it a context. My 2c anyway

Hans,
Very nice! I really like the processing.

Thanks, Jim, have been working on BW and local contrast enhancement...glad you noticed
BTW, My wife is raving about that yellow rose as I write this (which means I am doing a great job at ignoreing her). Beautifully soft (feeling) to it, yet sharp at the same time...don't know how you do that.

[ScoutR]

Wendy, I'm no expert, but I'll be brave for you.
I really love these kinds of images and I would love to be more deliberate about taking them. I have taken some I really liked, all by accident. I think most pros would say if it isn't intentional, then its just a blurry photo. Anyway, love yours...the clean crop, subject running into frame with strong sense of movement and the saturated colours of horse and carriage draw attenion while the the non-distracting softness of the trees give it a context. My 2c anyway

Thanks Hans: your feedback is very helpful. By a pros definition this is just a blurry photo that I tried to salvage by making it even blurrier.
If I had thought fast enough what I should have done was up the ISO in order to get a faster shutter speed and then keep the focus on the horse and buggy.
In some ways though the above might have worked out better, because I would not have been able to get an out of focus background with my particular lens.
I really appreciate your comments on this one. I know it was an accident, I think that's why it's so hard for me to decide if I like it or not. You're right, it would be much more satisfying to have planned it this way.

I see you have the 105mm macro lens. Nice work with the DOF on your shot. I like the way you can just see the black troops looming in the background and the incredibly sharp focus on the brave white knight at the front.
I've heard that the 105 is a really good lens. It's on my wish list. How do you like it?

Wendy

[Brigitte]

[Hans]

If I had thought fast enough what I should have done was up the ISO in order to get a faster shutter speed and then keep the focus on the horse and buggy.

I have my ISO programed to the shutter speed dial so it is really simple to make adjustments on the run (the aperture dial in Tv)...can you do it with the D3000?

I see you have the 105mm macro lens. Nice work with the DOF on your shot. I like the way you can just see the black troops looming in the background and the incredibly sharp focus on the brave white knight at the front.

I tried the shot with a closer crop on the knight, but the depth of field was too small at f2.8 to allow the figures in the background to be recognisable as anything. Then played with smaller apertures but the close crop didn't allow that either. So I moved the tripod back a bit and checked the DOF preview until I was happy with it. Moving the subject further from the lense helps to increase the DOF a bit too. I also thought that the higher viewpoint enhanced the idea of disengagement because you can see more of the board (i.e. space/distance between the subject and the figures in the background). This is a bit arty farty but I submitted it as my second assignment in a course I am doing so had to think about it pretty deeply. Good exercise though

As for the sharpness, the lens is pretty good (though the subject is located toward the softer edges). I just wish I had used manual focus (inexperience) so that the head might have been more in focus than it is (didn't notice on the LCD). The contrast enhancement might also have helped that impression too.

I've heard that the 105 is a really good lens. It's on my wish list. How do you like it?

I love it. I bought it for my F80 when I was in Japan a few years ago. This is when I took up photography more seriously and shot a lot of slides for two years while there (but without much theoretical application I am afraid ). I have the old version of the Sigma 105mm EX Macro. There are two newer models, one of which is reviewed in the first link below. The Sigma 105 in any version is pretty sharp, but the auto focus is a bit noisy (doesn't worry me) and can hunt a bit which is frustrating when you are running out of time or the subject is running out of patience As far as value for money goes it is pretty good. I use it mostly for portraits and it might be considered by some to be too sharp for that...however, my inability to hold a camera steady and frequent use of slower shutter speeds helps to combat that

Having said that, don't discount the Nikkor f2.8 Micro version. See second link.

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...ct/221/cat/all
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showp...ct/102/cat/all

[Dave Humphries]

I have my ISO programed to the shutter speed dial so it is really simple to make adjustments on the run (the aperture dial in Tv)...can you do it with the D3000?

I don't think so, at least, not like that.

What you may be able to do is program the Self Timer button to access the ISO setting.
Then all you need do 'in the field' is hold down Self Timer button with middle finger of left hand and rotate thumb/control wheel with thumb of right hand and the display highlights the ISO setting so you know what you're doing.

Well, that's from a D5000, I hope/assume the D3000 is similar.

Hope that's helpful, I use it EVERY shooting session.


Does the 105mm you are discussing have it's own focus motor?
If not, that could be an issue for D3000/D5000 owners.

Cheers,

[RonH]

I don't think so, at least, not like that.

What you may be able to do is program the Self Timer button to access the ISO setting.
Then all you need do 'in the field' is hold down Self Timer button with middle finger of left hand and rotate thumb/control wheel with thumb of right hand and the display highlights the ISO setting so you know what you're doing.

Well, that's from a D5000, I hope/assume the D3000 is similar.

Hope that's helpful, I use it EVERY shooting session.
Cheers,

Correct Dave. The D3000 has a 'Function ' button (camera front left) which can be preprogrammed to one of a variety of options and this includes ISO.

[ScoutR]

Correct Dave. The D3000 has a 'Function ' button (camera front left) which can be preprogrammed to one of a variety of options and this includes ISO.

Yes, I have read about this and must set it up to work that way. I don't like auto ISO but would like to be able to change it quickly when required.
I still find the settings on this camera very awkward. Is that just me or do you have to practice a bit. I don't think I'll ever get my fingers around the EC buttons. I know what I want to do, but it would take me 5 minutes to get things adjsuted.
Using the Fn button looks like it will be easy to manipulate for ISO, I will try that out this afternoon.

Thanks Guys
Wendy