Day 29: July 2010 Photo-a-Day Thread

[GrimTheRipper]

I really love the 2nd pic the most. I meant, the little chickadee's position is like it's ready to stove it's head in the feeder.

[Colin Southern]

My attempt at a little camera humour (Note the USB cable trying to stretch across from the left, but not quite making it!)

[Dave Humphries]

Beautiful shots, Dave: crisp and well composed. The lighting is perfect, and the shadow just far enough away to give a sense of space.

Thanks Rick,

I had shot this critter the previous two evenings, but hadn't achieved the shadow separation seen here, so I wasn't happy enough with them to PP. It's reassuring that was the right decision

Re: Arachnophobes beware, I'm coming to get YOU

This thing is creepy... How can you do that? Why won't the spider jump on you and say, "Stop taking a pictures of me!"

EDIT: Does it got 6 eyes?

Thanks Alan,

It was (is) quite small, so even if it did, I think my heart would have stood the shock

The other thing I wanted to achieve with these was a reasonable capture of those 3 pairs of eyes. I am only half satisfied, I think the combination of f/32, camera and wind on web shake and agreesive cropping has resulted in some images of only mediocre capture sharpness - still; better than I have previously achieved and I have learnt from the experience.

The second shot (legs spread) was the result of me touching the end of one of the web anchors while trying to steady the camera against the bin, I think it was considering charging, or retreating. Then the bin, wedged at 45 degrees to get the angle, then fell over and spidy flipped inverted, which I had to use for the last two shots.

Thanks both for the comments,

[Dave Humphries]

I had been firing the flash at -1 FEC to try for a subtle fill. Per Rob's suggestion, I inverted the ratio: I set -1 EC, and +1.5 FEC, to get this.



I think it's an improvement over the shot from a couple of days ago of the same bird (or a sibling) here:



The one today, the first image, has the underside illuminated without losing the highlights and backlights from the overhead (shaded) sunlight. The lighting is also actually less harsh, since with more even lighting, I didn't have to boost the shadows as much.

I did get some highlights off the feeder that I had to try to burn, but I think the bird is much better lit with the flash boosted.

C&C greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Rick

Hi Rick,

These are better than the red one due to better illumination.

The glare off the flat feeder spout is an unfortunate coincidence of flash and camera positions and can hopefully be avoided with a bit of luck - as seen in #2 here.

#1, of the bird is getting really good, the only minor problem being the totally absorbent black head feathers which have almost 'soaked up' all the light.

My feeders have been deserted for weeks now, ever since the first spring clutches fledged, we have no birds to speak of, so Pops and yourself are quite lucky - Pops especially with his 'second coming'.

Good pics Rick, keep 'em coming.

Cheers,

[Klickit]

Setúbal is in a process of decay and degradation. Unfortunately. I can't help it of course.
Globalization is very good and very bad. The circumstances of life provoked the situation for which I can't see the way out for this town.

Maybe I am just an old guy who - like many before me - thinks the future is not bright. Europe is slowly going down submitted to the interest of some.

The "azulejos" - squares of clay painted in blue - as traditional as those I saw in India in the splendorous days of Portugal - XVI Century - are falling from the wall in sight of degradation without exit.

Antonio - for me, this is the stand-out image of the day, possibly because it is something that is so far from anything we would see in New Zealand that it has immediate attraction and interest. I like the inclusion of the guy along with the wall - his stance says as much about physical and social breakdown as the wall beside him does. Well shot and thank you very much for showing us this.

[carregwen]

Good Lord, are you going to post a picture of a phone booth next?

And why would I want to do a thing like that?

[Crovean]

[Antonio Correia]

My attempt at a little camera humour (Note the USB cable trying to stretch across from the left, but not quite making it!)

I see you are using Really Right Stuff my friend

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio - for me, this is the stand-out image of the day, possibly because it is something that is so far from anything we would see in New Zealand that it has immediate attraction and interest. I like the inclusion of the guy along with the wall - his stance says as much about physical and social breakdown as the wall beside him does. Well shot and thank you very much for showing us this.

How kind of you
We have been in NZ some years ago and we traveled through your great roads and we saw your beautiful and hardly polluted country.
It has been a great experience indeed. But it is so far away... So many hours flight... Maybe I am wrong but we took from Fiji - where we spent a week before coming home - to Lisbon some 35 hours on the air and time to connections. And we have flown in as direct flights as we could... Well, as always a massacre ... when we flight in the chicken's place... But it worth it

It is indeed for you a situation you are not used to I see in NZ: Decay in cities. But it is not only Setúbal. Many other cities suffer of this problem for which the solution is complex and - this is very important - politics don't give a dam.

And do you know what the guy in the picture does ? Well, he is a gypsy - no problem about them for me - and he is with some women trying to sell clothes on the pavement of the street. Poor situations indeed. He was/is there just waiting for the possible customer.

But even now they are in trouble. Europe - the politicians in Brussels and etc - have made arrangements with Chinese and they - with the cooperation of the local authorities establish themselves in the shops where they sell goods at very - I mean very - low price.
The shops are not selling and the gypsies are also having problem even selling at lower prices because it is difficult to fight Chinese prices.

But in compensation, the big international capital establish themselves in China and India to get the goods at low price and take advantage of the local huge market.

I am stopping. Here it is not about politics but about photography.

Thank you for the kind words

[rick55]

So do we ask what you're doing with a pair of handcuffs? Are these props that you use for any particular kind of photos?

Cheers,
Rick

[Colin Southern]

I see you are using Really Right Stuff my friend

Yes - I've got quite a bit of RRS equipment - I think it's the best in the business. They seem to go out of their way to help too; I remember talking to them about an order I needed in a hurry, and was told that Joan (co-owner) had personally driven it to the post office to get it away to me.

[Colin Southern]

So do we ask what you're doing with a pair of handcuffs? Are these props that you use for any particular kind of photos?

Cheers,
Rick

Rob was kind enough to loan them too me (I had to remove all the pink fur though)

Sorry Rob

[carregwen]

Rob was kind enough to loan them too me (I had to remove all the pink fur though)

Sorry Rob

Hey! Don't blame me. I used to think S&M was a sandwich bar in London (sad smilie)

[Colin Southern]

Hey! Don't blame me. I used to think S&M was a sandwich bar in London (sad smilie)

I thought S&M was a candy ... hang on, no, that's M&M ... hang on, no, that's that Commercial RAP singer ... hang on - I don't know ... I'm so confused!

PS: To answer the original question Rick, I thought they might make a good prop some day -- I've got a matching Walther PPB "BB gun" and a 6x D cell "police type" torch & belt holder to match.

[Antonio Correia]

Yes - I've got quite a bit of RRS equipment - I think it's the best in the business. They seem to go out of their way to help too; I remember talking to them about an order I needed in a hurry, and was told that Joan (co-owner) had personally driven it to the post office to get it away to me.

Their equipment has indeed a very good look in terms of quality and design. I have nothing from them.

[Klickit]

I am stopping. Here it is not about politics but about photography.

But photography can be and often is, about politics and the results of politics.

Thanks for the explanation - it further enriches the photo.

[rick55]

And why would I want to do a thing like that?

That's a gorgeous shot, Rob. Does that say, "[something] not accepted here" in English and Welsh? I love it.

Cheers,
Rick

[rick55]

Well done, Chriss. The details of the front are crystal clear, and the tight crop keeps the focus on the face, which is hard with all the blaring colors. The pattern in the floor also acts to draw the eye right to the nose, which is pretty neat.

Cheers,
Rick

[carregwen]

That's a gorgeous shot, Rob. Does that say, "[something] not accepted here" in English and Welsh? I love it.

Cheers,
Rick

It says 'coins not accepted here'. The phone is literally in the middle of no-where in mid-Wales. So, you get there and in an emergency you discover that you need a phone card! I only posted it as you mentioned a phone box, but now I think of it it's a further example of bizarre Welsh retail.

[rick55]

I really love the 2nd pic the most. I meant, the little chickadee's position is like it's ready to stove it's head in the feeder.

Thanks, Alan;

I do like the composition there: now if I can just get the good pose with the good lighting, I'll be all set -- just have to click, click, click.

Cheers,
Rick

Hi Rick,

These are better than the red one due to better illumination.

The glare off the flat feeder spout is an unfortunate coincidence of flash and camera positions and can hopefully be avoided with a bit of luck - as seen in #2 here.

#1, of the bird is getting really good, the only minor problem being the totally absorbent black head feathers which have almost 'soaked up' all the light.

Thanks, Dave;

It is a pretty amazing black - you expect black on a bird to have a bit of highlight in it, but this is like velvet. Good call on position: I moved the flash a little farther off for some later pictures, it helps with the flat surface. I'm limited by the stupid Canon coiled cord: should have gone with Nikon.

Cheers,
Rick