2016 Project 52 Challenge by Geoff F - 2nd Quarter

[Kaye Leggett]

Love the boat shots, particularly the first, you have captured the movement well. BTW what do you use a 'merging' software ? I have some to merge from my recent trip but have found photoshop lacking (but that may just be my technique)

[Dave Humphries]

Fascinating Geoff,

If I had viewed the scene, I'd have thought the tide too low to allow the passage of such boats.

Excellent 'technicals' as usual.

Cheers, Dave

[Geoff F]

There is a dredged channel there, Dave, but at low tide they only have a foot or two of clearance; so sometimes they have to wait for a bit of flood tide.

Regarding software, Kaye. I now have Adobe CC, before that CS5 and prior to that Serif Photo Plus. They all allow the use of layers and masks.

Before going to CC I did have a look at Photoshop Elements but soon decided it was far too elemental for what I want to do; although it does have layers.

CC and CS5/6 all have the ability to auto merge layers with different focus points. I tried Zerene but found the CC option worked slightly better for me.

With merges for brightness levels, I have tried several auto HDR software options but wasn't happy with the results from any of them so I now do my own manual merging using layers and masks. When shooting with auto exposure bracketing I auto align the images as layers before adding and editing the masks.

But when using different conversions from a single Raw file there is, of course, no need to align them.

With CC I create each conversion as a Smart Object. Open the first one as a Smart Object then create a copy (right click on the thumbnail) and return the new extra copied layer to ACR for readjustment. You can keep going back to ACR with any Smart Object Layer without permanently changing the original Raw file. And you can create as many new Smart Object copies as you require.

Otherwise, with other software, you have do separate conversions then add them to your layer stack and put a mask over each layer. The background image may need to be changed to a layer.

There are several ways to create your layer stack but with CC, if I'm not using Smart Objects, such as when merging for focus stacking, I open all the images then select each image in turn and drag the thumbnail into the thumbnail stack of what will become my base layer. That way, all dragged layers become layers in the same stack. Then close the original images, except for the working image with the stacked layers.

Copy and paste works just as well but it just takes a little longer. Select and open Scripts is another way of obtaining stacked layers from images stored on your hard drive.

[Adzman808]

I've just reviewed this whole thread in one go, well I broke for dinner in the middle, and despite not teally being a landscape sorta guy* these are by and large amazing! There's no bad ones I hasten to add, just a few that aren't as amazing as some of the others!

The thing that teally draws me to your work here Geoff, is that it's so multi-layered, not in a PP sense per se, but you have skylines that interlock with the shapes of shorelines, then underpinned by fences and/or shrubbery

It's both figuratively and literally eye opening, by contrast I just don't think that I have that sort of scene control in me

I'm sorry I haven't 'liked' every single image, but I really have (liked every image)

It's good when someone shoots things you're not that into, and yet you really like it!**


*yes I know not every single one is a landscape
**we're all different, I'm not knocking landscape togs at all. You all work away

[CormacD]

Geoff, I like the first shot, a good clear focal point with the boat wake leading my eye through to the second boat and then the buildings on the shore. The boat colours are great. The water in them foreground looks quite washed out still. Good exposure and focus in them second. The composition is a bit cluttered compared with the first.

[Geoff F]

With the second boat shot I had to think quickly about composition and decided it would be better to show some of the foreground boats which would act as a lead in to the main subjects. This is a crop and there is a bit more space at the top but when I tried losing the foreground boats and having more hedge the composition seemed to fail. Reducing the foreground boats by around half also didn't quite work for me. That seemed to become even more of a jumble.

If I had the chance I would have rearranged those foreground boats into a more pleasing shape.

Adam, thanks for the positive comments.

When I get the chance to have a think before shooting, I spend a bit of time just looking at the scene and considering all my options before picking up the camera. What has to be included, and what must be excluded; then try a few slightly different angles to see if they are better or worse. Quite often I just give up at this stage and walk away without even attempting a test shot because I know the scene isn't going to work in a photo. Sometimes a real life 3D scene is acceptable but it won't transfer well to a 2D photo.

Then when I first look through my viewfinder I am trying to spot any potential problems like over exposed hotspots or excessively deep shadows. That gives me a clue as to how much exposure compensation will be necessary. Also, are there any limitations to shutter speed, such as movement and how much focus depth do I want for this shot.

After all that, the composition should be taking shape both in the viewfinder and my mind; although it can be tricky to bring both of those together into a photograph.

[Geoff F]

Week 21 - Bird Box Survey

Once a year a local primary school checks the bird boxes in a wood where I record wildlife, and I help out with the survey. They are divided into teams of around 5 children; each with a teacher or supervising adult helper. They are given a map and are told which boxes they have to find then record the information about any nests in their boxes.

Checking the boxes.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens, flash used. 1/200 F8 Iso 400

Entering the records.



A Nature Lecture.



1/160 F9 Iso 200 fill flash used.

The group photo

[joebranko]

A great way to gopive to these young people! They learn aboubirds and photography!! Well done you

[Geoff F]

They were all well behaved and certainly keen to learn. They also have a go at some of those other life skills like how to carry a ladder in confined spaces and through gates etc. After a couple of struggles they soon realised it was easier to hold the ladder upright or pass it over the fence with one person on each side.

I noticed that the lads were the keenest to carry a ladder when we started but on the return walk they quickly lost interest and carrying things was left to the girls!

[CormacD]

All very clear focus, good light and colour. The series tells the story very well. I didn't know you were a photojournalist, good work.

[IzzieK]

Lindsay, I had followed Geoff's story about this area last year where he is also a volunteer. It is a very interesting sideline. In some shots from last year, he had some individual kids' shots looking inside birds' nest, different than #1 here but the same task.

Anyway, before I digress further, I like this shots and the commentary that went with it. They are very colourful and not one was left standing still just looking/watching. The group photo is very good too. Nice composition. Did you have to herd them like cats to position them like that? The last shot is funny...with its story..

[Kaye Leggett]

Geoff a trully lovely set. I hope the school uses the photos too, they tell such a story.

[Geoff F]

All very clear focus, good light and colour. The series tells the story very well. I didn't know you were a photojournalist, good work.

Yes Lindsay, supplier of photographs to the national/local press; and I have even been paid for a few of them.

When I was fishing for a living I occasionally sent a story with photos to the Fishing Times (UK commercial fishing weekly newspaper) where I was paid 10 pence a word and £20 for a photo. Hardly a full time occupation though.

And one of my insect photos was used by Natural England in a nature related article printed in two national newspapers. But no payment for that one. The local paper also uses my images from time to time; also unpaid.

So yes, I can claim to be a photojournalist - just about. But hardly a promising career financially.

Regarding the group photo. A teacher tried to take a group shot in the wood where the lighting was virtually impossible, particularly with her basic camera. So I mentioned that I knew a better location on the way back to the car park. The children obviously liked the idea of climbing on the gate etc so it was a quickly self arranged shot. I had to add a little bit of exposure compensation but that was all.

These children were all exceptionally well behaved and really interested in this bird box project. I don't know if this due to it being a small village school where everybody knows everybody else. Possibly one of the larger schools would be a problem because disruptive elements are then able to congregate into destructive groups.

[Kaye Leggett]

These children were all exceptionally well behaved and really interested in this bird box project. I don't know if this due to it being a small village school where everybody knows everybody else. Possibly one of the larger schools would be a problem because disruptive elements are then able to congregate into destructive groups.

In our local school our children are equally well behaved. It all comes from leadership so you must have a good head and good staff who engage the children daily fostering in them a zest for learning. It's a delight to see isn't it and a pleasure to be amongst them ? it's too easy to knock the 'younger generation' en masse but always with a bit of effort on us 'oldies' part we all benefit from each other.

[bnnrcn]

I really like the first shot Geoff . Very nice composition and colors

Week 20. Claire Louise and Salcombe Lass going to the fish quay at low tide.



Fuji X20. 1/900 F6.4 Iso 200. Merge of 2 Raw conversions to overcome a few spots which would otherwise have over exposed.

And a closer angle on Salcombe Lass.



I had planned to have more bullock shots this week but there was an unexpected very short bright spell between the clouds so I took my pocket camera when I nipped out for a quick afternoon beer. The best camera for any scene is always the one you have with you.

[bnnrcn]

Very nice series in week 21

[joebranko]

Very nice. +1 to Binnur's comment. The second shot is too busy IMHO,

[Geoff F]

Thanks for comments . . . and now for something completely different.

I was asked to go along and photograph some senior citizens who get together for a meal and natter at the Yacht Club once a year before things get too busy. This sort of thing is one of those situations which I always find tricky; so tend to approach the project as more of a wildlife scene.

The organiser, a point and shoot who never edits, said 'Just take a shot of them having their meal for the local newspaper'. What! A dimly lit room with sunlight streaming through the end window. So I stood on a rickety chair and did what I could with some flash; then quite a bit of editing. This was the best I could manage.



7D with Tamron 24-70 plus flash. 1/250 F8 Iso 400. Still quite a bit of noise towards the background.

I also had a wander around snapping any interaction scenes as they were chatting before and after the meal. All shot with flash using the same methods I use for insect photography.



1/160 F5.6 Iso 400







I went up to F8 to get a little bit more focus depth for some of these scenes.





And there are dozens more similar images.

[Cantab]

Thanks for comments . . . and now for something completely different.

I was asked to go along and photograph some senior citizens who get together for a meal and natter at the Yacht Club once a year before things get too busy. This sort of thing is one of those situations which I always find tricky; so tend to approach the project as more of a wildlife scene.

The organiser, a point and shoot who never edits, said 'Just take a shot of them having their meal for the local newspaper'. What! A dimly lit room with sunlight streaming through the end window. So I stood on a rickety chair and did what I could with some flash; then quite a bit of editing. This was the best I could manage.



7D with Tamron 24-70 plus flash. 1/250 F8 Iso 400. Still quite a bit of noise towards the background.

I also had a wander around snapping any interaction scenes as they were chatting before and after the meal. All shot with flash using the same methods I use for insect photography.

Geoff, the lighting in the first one worked remarkedly well. In pp, did you brighten up the areas towards the back? There seems to be minimal drop off in the light from the flash.

So, you shoot people the same way you shoot insects!

[IzzieK]

I am still laughing at your commentary on the way you treated taking these shots -- wildlife scene, insect photography...anything else I need to borrow for my next month's events??? God Almighty , bless your heart kiddo!

Bruce, apparently he does! I will think of a cockroach and apply it to shooting people nattering around the table...gotta give this technique a test soon...