2016 Project 52 Challenge by Geoff F - 2nd Quarter

[Geoff F]

Yes, insect photography involves watching little creatures going about their daily business then clicking the shutter at just the right moment. Much the same with those larger insects (people).

Set the camera manually to suit the average scene then slightly tweak the flash output (TTL option) as required. But in this case I did use auto focusing as it works a bit faster. Then find some suitable locations to 'lurk in the undergrowth' until the subjects are relaxed and casually press the shutter without them realising what has happened.

If it is possible to shoot without flash, a little bit of exposure compensation will often be required.

With that first shot I did a prior test flash to work out the amount of flash compensation required. Then a merge of two different conversions from a Raw file plus a little bit of final Curves adjustment selectively applied with a layer and mask. On reflection, I should really have down 3 separate conversions for the merge which would have allowed a little better control over the noise management. And, of course, the verticals required a bit of straightening.

[joebranko]

Wild life eh? Well I guess those seniors can get pretty wild! As for background noise....no wonder; see them nattering away in the back? Keep it down please!
Great job! This is how I would like to take pics of people. While they are focused on whatever they are doing and not on the camera. People tend to pose for the camera and everything looks contrived, smiles phony. Great job!

[Cantab]

With that first shot I did a prior test flash to work out the amount of flash compensation required. Then a merge of two different conversions from a Raw file plus a little bit of final Curves adjustment selectively applied with a layer and mask. On reflection, I should really have down 3 separate conversions for the merge which would have allowed a little better control over the noise management. And, of course, the verticals required a bit of straightening.

Geoff, interesting information. Thanks.

[Geoff F]

I have become a little delayed over uploading anything new. I had to shoot some local scenes for the 2017 local history society calendar but, as so often happens, it wasn't going to be a straight forward task. The theme is then and now and the calendar organiser eventually decided on a format which requires the now images to be in 2 x 3 ratio. That's right, easily recognisable landscape shots from around the town in 2 x 3.

So we eventually set a date for a look around and some initial shots. The day dawned bright but half an hour before we started heavy clouds rolled in and lasted until 30 minutes after we gave up and went home.

However we did work out some suitable angles and took test shots. Then the weather became totally impossible, followed by half term week when the town would be too busy; after which, the tides were wrong. But eventually a couple of weeks later the morning fog started to clear at times so I made a quick dash to capture something. This is the result.

Some of the images are rather 'busy' but that is intentional in an attempt to capture bright 'street scenes' with plenty of activity.

Customs Quay. There are several old photos showing this sort of angle.


Canon 7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/320 F14 Iso 200

Fore Street



1/160 F14 Iso 200. I really should have shot with a little more Iso to give a higher shutter speed but this appears to have just about worked and had a better composition than others with a faster speed.

Island Street. An industrial area with boatyards and other mostly marine related business plus a few old houses. Angles were fairly limited and this particular view compares well with some of the old photos.



1/500 F11 Iso 200.

Market Hill. 'Relax - That sign relates to max speed not age!'



1/200 F14 Iso 200. Once again I was risking a slow shutter speed.

South Sands



1/500 F11 Iso 200.

I will upload the others in another post.

[Geoff F]

Shadycombe Creek. Rear view of some of those Island Street boatyards. I did take some other angles which had a better reflection but I rather liked the variation in that jumble of roof lines with the distant church adding height.



1/400 F11 Iso 200

South Sands. The old lifeboat boathouse now operates as a cafe and boat hire business.



1/400 F11 Iso 200.

The Ferry



1/320 F14 Iso 200

Union Street Another area where we have several old photographs from similar angles.



1/320 F14 Iso 200

Whitestrand. There are old views from this sort of angle showing moored sailing ships etc.



1/400 F14 Iso 400

Some other images will hopefully be cropped from my existing photographs but I may end up having to do a few reshoots when/if there is suitable weather. It is now up to the calendar organiser to decide exactly what he is going to do in the way of mixing old and new images on the same page to create an overall format.

[Cantab]

I have become a little delayed over uploading anything new. I had to shoot some local scenes for the 2017 local history society calendar but, as so often happens, it wasn't going to be a straight forward task. The theme is then and now and the calendar organiser eventually decided on a format which requires the now images to be in 2 x 3 ratio. That's right, easily recognisable landscape shots from around the town in 2 x 3.

So we eventually set a date for a look around and some initial shots. The day dawned bright but half an hour before we started heavy clouds rolled in and lasted until 30 minutes after we gave up and went home.

However we did work out some suitable angles and took test shots. Then the weather became totally impossible, followed by half term week when the town would be too busy; then the tides were wrong. But eventually a couple of weeks later the morning fog started to clear at times so I made a quick dash to capture something. This is the result.

Some of the images are rather 'busy' but that is intentional in an attempt to capture bright 'street scenes' with plenty of activity.

Customs Quay. There are plenty of old photos showing this sort of angle



Canon 7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/320 F14 Iso 200

Fore Street



1/160 F14 Iso 200. I really should have shot with a little more Iso to give a higher shutter speed but this appears to have just about worked and had a better composition than others with a faster speed.

Island Street. An industrial area with boatyards and other mostly marine related business plus a few old houses. Angles were fairly limited and this particular view compares well with some of the old photos.



1/500 F11 Iso 200.

Market Hill. 'Relax - That sign relates to max speed not age!'



1/200 F14 Iso 200. Once again I was risking a slow shutter speed.

South Sands



1/500 F11 Iso 200.

I will upload the others in another post.

Geoff, an interesting set of portrait landscapes. They all work well but the first and last are probably my favourites.

In the first photo, is the yacht sitting on its keel or are there hidden props somewhere? I was intrigued by what appears to be a slippery wooden ramp/dock heading down into the drink (is this term used in England in the sense of someone falling off a boat into the drink -- salt water, not alcohol?).

[Shadowman]

I have become a little delayed over uploading anything new. I had to shoot some local scenes for the 2017 local history society calendar but, as so often happens, it wasn't going to be a straight forward task. The theme is then and now and the calendar organiser eventually decided on a format which requires the now images to be in 2 x 3 ratio. That's right, easily recognisable landscape shots from around the town in 2 x 3.

So we eventually set a date for a look around and some initial shots. The day dawned bright but half an hour before we started heavy clouds rolled in and lasted until 30 minutes after we gave up and went home.

However we did work out some suitable angles and took test shots. Then the weather became totally impossible, followed by half term week when the town would be too busy; after which, the tides were wrong. But eventually a couple of weeks later the morning fog started to clear at times so I made a quick dash to capture something. This is the result.

Some of the images are rather 'busy' but that is intentional in an attempt to capture bright 'street scenes' with plenty of activity.

Customs Quay. There are several old photos showing this sort of angle.


Canon 7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/320 F14 Iso 200

Fore Street



1/160 F14 Iso 200. I really should have shot with a little more Iso to give a higher shutter speed but this appears to have just about worked and had a better composition than others with a faster speed.

Island Street. An industrial area with boatyards and other mostly marine related business plus a few old houses. Angles were fairly limited and this particular view compares well with some of the old photos.



1/500 F11 Iso 200.

Market Hill. 'Relax - That sign relates to max speed not age!'



1/200 F14 Iso 200. Once again I was risking a slow shutter speed.

South Sands



1/500 F11 Iso 200.

I will upload the others in another post.

Nice series.

[Shadowman]

Shadycombe Creek. Rear view of some of those Island Street boatyards. I did take some other angles which had a better reflection but I rather liked the variation in that jumble of roof lines with the distant church adding height.



1/400 F11 Iso 200

South Sands. The old lifeboat boathouse now operates as a cafe and boat hire business.



1/400 F11 Iso 200.

The Ferry



1/320 F14 Iso 200

Union Street Another area where we have several old photographs from similar angles.



1/320 F14 Iso 200

Whitestrand. There are old views from this sort of angle showing moored sailing ships etc.



1/400 F14 Iso 400

Some other images will hopefully be cropped from my existing photographs but I may end up having to do a few reshoots when/if there is suitable weather. It is now up to the calendar organiser to decide exactly what he is going to do in the way of mixing old and new images on the same page to create an overall format.

Nice follow up.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Geoff,

Sorry, it seems I have missed several updates here.

I guess my overarching thought of the series was the wide DoF afforded by the use of (typically) f/14, rendering everything in focus - but then I thought about the context you are shooting most of these and it makes sense, people (in years to come) will want both near and distant detail to be sharply resolved and not be frustrated by the artistic use of wide apertures.

They give me a good feel for the place - even though I'm not sure I have ever visited Salcombe personally, but I have similar coastal ports and they feel 'right', if you know what I mean.

HTH, Dave

[IzzieK]

Your calendar series is a real challenge on what to choose for which month...My favourite is the one with the ice cream lady because I remember eating a bowl of it with a huge 4 scoops yesterday for a dollar. I will vote for that one for one of the summer months.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

The term 'drink' referring to the sea, Bruce, was principally a wartime expression concerning pilots landing 'in the drink' etc. Not a common term now but it still gets used on occasions, particularly about someone 'falling in the drink'. I doubt that the next generation will use this expression though.

Regarding choice of shooting angles and focus depth etc. I was told to create clear images which could be instantly recognisable and to some extent be comparable with the old images. And above all, 'don't get arty'! So I was possibly pushing the boundaries a little with the Ferry Inn sign but having the current ferry visible managed to keep everything acceptable. I had to sit on the steps at the top of that passageway and wait until the ferry appeared in the desired position.

And the yacht in the first image is resting on its keel but with ropes holding in inwards so it is resting with the centre of gravity towards the quay. In front of it is a fairly recent slipway for the inshore lifeboat. Maybe in some ways this does spoil the scene, although showing what has changed is the main requirement of these images.

[Cantab]

Your calendar series is a real challenge on what to choose for which month...My favourite is the one with the ice cream lady because I remember eating a bowl of it with a huge 4 scoops yesterday for a dollar. I will vote for that one for one of the summer months.

Four scoops for a dollar! Where do I need to visit?

[Geoff F]

Yes, you would pay that for just an empty cone here.

[CormacD]

Geoff, all very clear and well composed with people, objects and buildings. I'm surprised that the portrait format seems to work very well, must be the narrow streets. I like the use of colour, in particular, Fore Street and South Sands.

[purplehaze]

What an interesting (and challenging) project, Geoff. I think my favorite is the Ferry Inn shot, though I love that boathouse that is now a café. You must give us a shot of the facade sometime where we can see better see the emblem and read the inscription.

[IzzieK]

Four scoops for a dollar! Where do I need to visit?

At our (actually Bill's) fly-in event here at the Swift Foundation Headquarters at McMinn Airport, Athens, Tennessee. They have Mayfield Dairy here in Tennessee, I think is the 7th largest dairy corporation in the whole of the US of A. They donate at least 7 big containers of different flavoured ice creams each year to the event for so many years now. So 4 scoops for a dollar is just part of the fundraising that happens in this event. Soft drinks for $0.50, any snacks for $0.50; free coffee, free bottled water...lunches and dinners are not free, of course.

[joebranko]

Very interesting project and your shots are as always very nice.

[Geoff F]

I've been slipping a little behind lately due to the typical British summer weather!

When the rain eased a little today I went to the old lifeboat house today to photograph the inscription as Janis mentioned and while there I took some other scenes to show the bleak conditions.



Week 24. A dull day at the beach



7D with Canon 70-200 lens. 1/500 F11 Iso 400

Although those gulls were happy with the weather this group didn't look too keen on going any further.



1/400 F6.3 Iso 400

But some people were determined to carry on as normal no matter what the conditions.



1/640 F8 Iso 400

And a closer shot.



1/125 F8 Iso 400

Then I gave up as the rain increased again. But ironically, it is now bright sunshine this evening.

[joebranko]

All the shots in this series were clear clean and attractive , despite conditions.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I enjoyed the photos and your commentary.

The second photo almost made me feel at home – except we have no castles (derelict or otherwise) in this part of the world.

The third photo is intriguing – apart from the somewhat glum expressions! Is it just the perspective of the photo or does one of the railings in fact block access to the stairs?