Take the 15 minute challenge

[ScoutR]

Here is my attempt at the challenge. I’ve meet all criteria except I think part of the exercise was for us to get well planned and executed shots, which these are not. They are all taken within the time limit though and even though they are all of the same group of wildflowers, each one is a different approach.

#1. 6:56:52 PM: The context shot. Oh look a daisy and some railway ties, maybe I can do something with this. Nope guess not. Too green too busy, and needs a lot of tidying up


#2. 7:00:48 PM: After a quick clean up of some of the dead leaves and other debris, found a place to sit down and tried a close up. Did some test shots to get rid of blinkies, had to dial in -1 1/3 EC. OK, looks good, take the shot. Oops – too close, right at the end of the focal distance and the only thing in focus is the flower which appears to be floating without a stem. Not what I wanted.


#3.7:03:34 PM: Lets zoom out a bit and get a group shot. Focus on the single flower, aperture wide open shutter, speed acceptable, still need negative EC or I get the blinkies, only -2/3 though. Ready, Set, Shoot. Yeah, I like this one. Still not all that sharp, but hey, I’m used to that. In this case besides camera shake there is a lot of wind. My shoulders and arms are getting sore from waiting for it to die down so I think this is the best it will be.


#4. 7:06:58 PM: Now for something totally different. I really like those shots that look like vertical pans of a still subject, usually trees or anything with strong vertical lines. You know the ones I mean. I think Rob has posted a few here. Let’s give it a try. Nope, the lines are not strong enough. I don’t think this works even as an abstract. It was worth a try though. I think I’ll try this with the tripod and something with really strong vertical lines and a clean background without any horizontal debris to interfere.


5. 7:07:47 PM: Well, the wind is not going to quit, so let’s try to take advantage and maybe get a movement shot for the themed competition. Decrease Aperture; Decrease ISO, to get lowest shutter speed possible. Wait for wind... waiting, waiting...there it is – Click... , not so hot. Maybe this could stand a tripod too so the only movement is from the wind. Also I could put the polarizing filter back to slow shutter speed even more. Guess it’s back to the drawing board on this one too.


Well there you go, that is a typical photo shoot for me. C&C welcome. Don’t say slow down though. This is my style right now. Go for a walk, take camera and shoot anything that looks interesting. Try to learn something each time out, but don't stress over perfection. NOT YET anyway, maybe next year.

Have a good weekend everyone
Wendy

[carregwen]

Excellent attempt, Wendy. The shots are not bad at all (but that isn't really what it's about anyway). I think your narrative about what you did and how is very good, and it shows that the exercise makes you think and adapt as you go along. You described it very well. I think what you said at the end makes good sense...

This is my style right now. Go for a walk, take camera and shoot anything that looks interesting. Try to learn something each time out, but don't stress over perfection. NOT YET anyway, maybe next year.

I did the same when I started and I found by just experimenting with different techniques I learnt a lot. Everyone needs to do that. Good of you to have a go. I think #3 is a very good shot, especially under the constraints.

[Klickit]

Wendy - go you!! That is a great sequence and loved the wee back stories. Looking forwards to more...

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Daisy, err sorry, I mean Wendy,

I'd only got half way through #2's story and thought 'this is brilliant, we should do more of this'.

Well there you go, that is a typical photo shoot for me. C&C welcome. Don’t say slow down though. This is my style right now. Go for a walk, take camera and shoot anything that looks interesting. Try to learn something each time out, but don't stress over perfection. NOT YET anyway, maybe next year.

As Rob and Kit say, the narrative is great and your style is not so different from my own shooting style (still), so it might be the year after unless you're a quicker learner than I (which is entirely possible).

In fact when I look at quite a few people's work here, I think perfection is not something I'm cut out for, too lazy, see.

I was wondering what to do, so maybe I'll nick this idea, saves me thinking too hard before the event.

One question; how are you getting the vertical smear effect on #4, is it in camera (e.g. vaseline on the filter?), or PP?

Thanks for sharing,

[ScoutR]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I might try this again, but would like to hear something similar from others. Afraid mine might get a bit repetitive. The closest I get to planning a shot is a reshoot of something I messed up the first time but like well enough to go back, or when challenged with something like the Kitchen thread.

From Dave H: One question; how are you getting the vertical smear effect on #4, is it in camera (e.g. vaseline on the filter?), or PP?

The smear in #4 was done in Camera. I should have mentioned in the narrative that I had adjusted settings for the slower shutter speed at this point. All I did was pan vertically with the slow shutter speed. The only PP was fooling around in LR to see if I could get more definition and then sharpening and resizing in Elements.

Here is the Original no PP or Raw processing. I hope EXIF is with it if not I'll add it


Here is another from camera using the same method on some pine trees. Closer to what I'm after, but definitely not there yet. I don't want to mess up a filter with vaseline. I think the key is getting the right subject, and then maybe some PP. (I hope)


Wendy

[Wirefox]

Hmm...I didn't realise how difficult this might be. I am used to taking my time with these things. My choice of location was the workshop and made the mistake of not setting up reflectors for the flash. Still here goes...

PS. Nice work Wendy. I particularly like the last image with the trees. A playground for the NKVD.

16:32:58


You will have to take my word on this one PP lost EXIF. Original image 16:25:15


16:28:13


16:35:49


16:32:18

[Shadowman]

In reverse order I think.
18:46

18:41

18:35

18:33

18:31

[carregwen]

Steve

Your series is excellent - really good. I was going to suggest in my intro to this thread using a workshop because, as you have so ably shown, it has a wide range of different subject. 16:35 is a mountain-bike seat post. I know that because I literally just spent half an hour fitting new saddles to my bikes. Once again, excellent shots. I think yours are the best so far, but they have all been good. Interesting exercise isn't it?

[carregwen]

Well done, Shadowman, a good series of street scenes. I see in #1 that someone is taking a shot of the photographer taking a shot (you)! How is N. Orleans shaping up post-Catrina?

[ScoutR]

16:28:13


16:32:18

Hi Steve: The above 3 are my favourites. You certainly have met the challenge of finding related but unique subjects. Every shot is different in every way; subject, composition, lighting, PP. The only thing that is the same is the frame, and I really like the way you have designed a frame that seems to work with everything from soft florals to chain links.

I know these shots are not necessarily for C&C, but I am wondering if the top wrench in #2 is not quite matched up, or is it an optical illusion. It looks a little concave to me.
Also in #3 would it be better if the last jug was pulled a bit forward.

I'd love to hear your thought processes when you are planning and shooting this kind of thing, but I understand entirely if it's not something that you want to reveal. When you start out do you know that 3 wrenches are going to make such an impact. Or that a purple chain on a red background will be so striking. I would never imagine taking such a shot, but I like the looks of them more all the time.

Wendy

[Shadowman]

Rob,

It is still undergoing a combination of the good and the bad. Tourism is improving as the French Quarter and Garden District suffered only slight damage. The people are slightly bitter with how events transpired but they are very friendly to strangers, especially if you take an interest in the community, and not only interested in getting drunk.

Well done, Shadowman, a good series of street scenes. I see in #1 that someone is taking a shot of the photographer taking a shot (you)! How is N. Orleans shaping up post-Catrina?

[ScoutR]

18:46

Nice series Shadowman. There are so many shots within this one shot. I like the section with the fellow in the suit with his umbrella and the guy behind him in a T-shirt having a drink.

Wendy

[Shadowman]

Thanks Wendy,

It's so easy to get caught up in the celebration that you just try to capture everything. Also, as Rob said we are so interested in what we see through the viewfinder that we don't realize that we can become part of someone else's story.

Nice series Shadowman. There are so many shots within this one shot. I like the section with the fellow in the suit with his umbrella and the guy behind him in a T-shirt having a drink.

Wendy

[Wirefox]

Apologies for the delay in replying.

I think yours are the best so far, but they have all been good. Interesting exercise isn't it?

Now I know thats not true but thanks Rob. It was an excellent exercise. You have to think fast, shoot fast ...reminds of Tuco's classic line in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...."when you've got to shoot...shoot...don't talk'

I'd love to hear your thought processes when you are planning and shooting this kind of thing, but I understand entirely if it's not something that you want to reveal. When you start out do you know that 3 wrenches are going to make such an impact. Or that a purple chain on a red background will be so striking

Wendy; I don't really plan in the traditional sense. I have always been drawn to the look and texture of simplicity. I can still remember the numb feeling of rubbing dusty palms on the pavement when playing in the street when I was a kid. A sky blue car whose colour always made me feel happy for some reason, the zips on a 1980's jump suit my wife used to wear when we were courting etc etc. It's just an extension of that really but the camera allows me to capture and make the image the way I see it in my head. Yes I did know the wrenches would lend themselves to that type of shot because they made me think of the cover of Blondie's parallel lines album cover and that works. The purple chain was much more vivid in my head than in reality and the camera (and PP) helps me get that across. I never ever think "what will this look like to others". I think that is a mistake made by many photographers. If an object or scene invokes emotion in you it mostly works. That is why I was drawn to your green field and trees in the Landscapes post. I am a nostalgist by nature so capturing things that trigger certain feelings at certain times is the aim even if the things are unrelated to the original event. I try to photograph these triggers. Photographing kitchen utensils and cooker hoods is not a exercise in capturing faithful reproductions of inanimate objects its about how the lines, textures and colours make you feel. I mentioned Simon Shama's book Landscape and Memory in another thread. In that book he very cleverly puts forward theories about how landscapes influence human thought and how we being humans ultimately mould landscapes into our own perceptions. This book helped me to understand why I felt certain emotion when looking at objects, landscapes or people. We all do it. The trick is capturing that moment because in most of us the process is subconscious or dormant. That is why technical perfection in photographs does so little for me personally. As humans it is the imperfection that we are drawn to most strongly...for good or bad does not matter. You can emphasise this imperfection with a camera.

Sorry this is a bit hippy and confused its just a brain dump really.

Steve

[ScoutR]

I mentioned Simon Shama's book Landscape and Memory in another thread. In that book he very cleverly puts forward theories about how landscapes influence human thought and how we being humans ultimately mould landscapes into our own perceptions. This book helped me to understand why I felt certain emotion when looking at objects, landscapes or people. We all do it. The trick is capturing that moment because in most of us the process is subconscious or dormant.

This sounds like a very good book. I looked it up and One reviewer wrote " This is a wonderful, wise, and sad book - read it" I must make a trip to the library tomorrow, it sounds like my kind of read.

Sorry this is a bit hippy and confused its just a brain dump really.

Steve

Not at all, very candid and helpful to me and I hope to others who may be struggling with this concept of what and why we are trying to portray with out photographs. I never used to think about it, but lately I have been wondering more and more why I like some things and not others. Why I am drawn to some scenes and what and how to get the camera to portray what I'm feeling. So, thank you for sharing.

Wendy

[Crovean]

Ordinary things around you while you work.
Smily guy! [2010:06:04 14:33:49]


Trying to learn photography. [2010:06:04 14:32:24]


Curly! [2010:06:04 14:29:01]


Sexy lamp [2010:06:04 14:27:17]


CD's [2010:06:04 14:26:36]


Anything can look good! It all depends on which way your looking at it.

[Donald]

Anything can look good! It all depends on which way your looking at it.

Absolutely - though I continue to admire you guys who 'see' images like this. I wish I could.

This is a really nice set. Not only is it well executed, but I find it entertaining and amusing - it's fun!. Thanks, Chriss.

[carregwen]

Chriss

An excellent 15 min series. Well done. Good variety (which was one of the main points of the brief), humour, and all good shots. An office was a good choice. It wasn't so hard, was it?

[Crovean]

Actually it was fairly easy.

Thanks Rob and Donald.

[Shadowman]

Take any five shots in 15 minutes or less, and try to make them as different from one another as possible. Post your five shots in a new post below - change the post title and give your 5 shots an overall title. Put the shoot times to nearest minute with each shot (you need to check the EXIF data). Comment on others if you wish.

The purpose of this (apart from fun) is to make you think about what you are going to shoot before you shoot it. So think about what each shot should look like, and consider how you will need to change camera settings, and it will be a lot easier.

Rules!

1. No cheating - 15 minutes!
2. You are allowed to set stuff up beforehand (props etc), for example I cleaned my car.
3. You may have as many goes as you like, but 5 shots per post please.

I'll give you some suggestions if you like...

1. A car (I did it, but you can as well)
2. 'Street photography' 5 different people.
3. Still life objects (get props ready first)
4. Flowers - visit a garden and shoot 5 different flowers (check them out first)
5. Perhaps a museum and 5 different exhibits.
6. Five members of a band, each with a different instrument.

You get the idea, I'm sure.

It isn't easy at all. Remember, the shots need to look quite different from one another.

A dormant thread worth reviving for new members.