2016 Project 52 Challenge by Geoff F - 2nd Quarter

[Geoff F]

I tried some other shots of the Highlands.

Meeting the Sassenach Neighbours




I was having a bit of trouble with the light angle particularly with these light coloured cattle so I eventually used some fill flash.

Look at this - he said he was going to give us a flash!

[joebranko]

I like them all but especially the shot with the 3 highland cattle and the little lost lamb.

[IzzieK]

That was a cute batch...I love the expressions and interactions of each one of them.

No 1 of this last batch above looks pretty much a California cow I see in some adverts on tv.

[CormacD]

Beautiful clear shots of the cattle, the lamb and the sheep, love the colours. You always make it interesting with your descriptions and story.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

If I don't get anything better over the next few days I will return to the images which I rejected in favour of these shots and see what a bit more thought and editing can do.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I've just been called catching up on some of your recent images which I'd somehow not seen earlier. I enjoyed them all. And congratulations on the highland cattle with a 180mm macro lens!

[bnnrcn]

Nice set Geoff. The Little Lost Lamb and Look at this ... are my favs

[Geoff F]

Thanks.

I have been putting off posting these images in the hope that something better would come along, but eventually decided to post anyway. I set out with the intention of photographing this large magnolia tree (over 100 years old) and including a bit of background landscape to put everything into some sort of context. But as soon as I arrived the sun started playing peek-a-boo with some clouds which gave something of a patchwork of lighting.

Week 19 - Magnolia at Overbecks

Firstly a wide view to show the overall general scene.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/500 F11 Iso 400

Zoomed in a bit but I managed to include the old castle and an approaching ferry.



1/400 F11 Iso 400.

Tighter still as a sail training ship leaves harbour.



I have tried to photograph this scene in previous years but have always found it difficult to expose for those bright but pale pink blooms without the rest of the scene giving problems. So these were a merge of two conversions from a Raw file.

[Geoff F]

This week I have rather squeezed the 'scenes including a person or animal' idea a bit far by relying on people being on distant boats. So here is one of the alternative subjects which were put to one side.

History Society Display on Mayday Holiday Sunday

In a pub beer garden with a public passageway in front.



At least that one has obvious people. From my Fuji pocket camera. I wanted get a shot of people looking at the display boards without anybody walking past; which limited my chances on a busy day. I also wanted to include the society chairman (on the left) but thought he was tending to over power the scene. So I cropped him a bit on the left side to appear as if he was moving into the scene. A tighter crop to 4 x 5 or square and losing him altogether is another option but I'm not sure about that as it seems to create a somewhat 'flat' looking scene.

Maybe I will also show one of my other 'rejected' images for this week.

[Cantab]

Geoff, interesting photos. Are there two castles/fortifications visible in the second photo (the farther away one is visible near the far right of the third photo)? And maybe even some old fortifications above the cliff between the two cadtles?

[Geoff F]

Slightly further up the harbour from the castle, Bruce, is a Victorian 'folly castle' and across the water from that are sea defences for the houses. Although that area was fortified during World War 2. In fact there is also a pill box structure hidden from view just around the corner from behind the castle and a larger gun position hidden on the cliff top towards the bottom right corner.

[Cantab]

Slightly further up the harbour from the castle, Bruce, is a Victorian 'folly castle' and across the water from that are sea defences for the houses. Although that area was fortified during World War 2. In fact there is also a pill box structure hidden from view just around the corner from behind the castle and a larger gun position hidden on the cliff top towards the bottom right corner.

This was a well fortified area of coastline! I grew up a few minutes from an area of coastline which had had WW II searchlights and artillery implacements, but no Victorian follies (even though the area I described is in the city of Victoria ).

[joebranko]

Very nice shots. I particularly like the second landscape shot, although the shot with the Chairman is most interesting.

[Shadowman]

I tried some other shots of the Highlands.

Meeting the Sassenach Neighbours




I was having a bit of trouble with the light angle particularly with these light coloured cattle so I eventually used some fill flash.

Look at this - he said he was going to give us a flash!

I missed these, nicely done especially the rubbing noses.

[Shadowman]

Thanks.

I have been putting off posting these images in the hope that something better would come along, but eventually decided to post anyway. I set out with the intention of photographing this large magnolia tree (over 100 years old) and including a bit of background landscape to put everything into some sort of context. But as soon as I arrived the sun started playing peek-a-boo with some clouds which gave something of a patchwork of lighting.

Week 19 - Magnolia at Overbecks

Firstly a wide view to show the overall general scene.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/500 F11 Iso 400

Zoomed in a bit but I managed to include the old castle and an approaching ferry.



1/400 F11 Iso 400.

Tighter still as a sail training ship leaves harbour.



I have tried to photograph this scene in previous years but have always found it difficult to expose for those bright but pale pink blooms without the rest of the scene giving problems. So these were a merge of two conversions from a Raw file.

Nice series.

[Shadowman]

This week I have rather squeezed the 'scenes including a person or animal' idea a bit far by relying on people being on distant boats. So here is one of the alternative subjects which were put to one side.

History Society Display on Mayday Holiday Sunday

In a pub beer garden with a public passageway in front.



At least that one has obvious people. From my Fuji pocket camera. I wanted get a shot of people looking at the display boards without anybody walking past; which limited my chances on a busy day. I also wanted to include the society chairman (on the left) but thought he was tending to over power the scene. So I cropped him a bit on the left side to appear as if he was moving into the scene. A tighter crop to 4 x 5 or square and losing him altogether is another option but I'm not sure about that as it seems to create a somewhat 'flat' looking scene.

Maybe I will also show one of my other 'rejected' images for this week.

He does seem larger than life, nicely captured. Looking forward to seeing more.

[CormacD]

Thankyou for the interesting series, Geoff. Difficult shots of the harbour, light not quite right. The magnolia needs direct sunlight for best viewing. I like the chairman, good facial expression. I have been trying to get some harbour shots down here today and can understand the frustration...rain and strong winds where I am.

[Geoff F]

Yes, getting the best angle where the light is helping not hindering you always makes things a lot easier. But sometimes, particularly with seascapes etc you have to consider other elements such as tides and whether certain boats or people are going to be in the expected position; and then there is the unexpected arrival of an interesting boat.

That sort of thing can persuade me to look for alternative shooting positions which I hadn't previously considered; with various and unpredictable results.But I always try to think in advance about light angles.

With that History Society shot, the chairman is fairly tall and reasonably well built but also the ground level on the other side of that wall is a bit higher; and, of course, he is a little bit closer to the camera. So he does rather look as though he is about to pounce on some victims. Which in fact is what will happen as he attempts to sell them one of our publications or a DVD slideshow of local historical photos etc.

After 4 hours we gave up as rain began and came away with a little over £30 in profit. Every little sum raised is important to a self funding little society like this.

[Geoff F]

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.

[joebranko]

Great colours