2017 Project 52 - 3rd Quarter by Geoff F

[Geoff F]

As with previous years, I will be showing various landscapes, people and events from around the area where I live; but my additional challenge this time will be to experiment with different size ratios and where possible to avoid my most commonly used sizes of 3 x 2 and 5 x 4

The previous 2nd quarter is here

2017 Project 52 - 2nd Quarter by Geoff F

Week 26. Danger lurking among the flowers - Misumena vatia spider.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F16 Iso 400 flash used.

This Pisaura mirabilis is guarding her egg sac. When it hatches, she will construct a silk 'nursery tent' to keep the spiderlings safe for the first critical few days of their life.



Band-eyed Brown Horsefly - Tabanus bromius but no need to panic because this one is a male and only the females bite.



1/200 F14 Iso 400 flash.

[skitterbug]

As with previous years, I will be showing various landscapes, people and events from around the area where I live; but my additional challenge this time will be to experiment with different size ratios and where possible to avoid my most commonly used sizes of 3 x 2 and 5 x 4

The previous 2nd quarter is here

2017 Project 52 - 2nd Quarter by Geoff F

Week 26. Danger lurking among the flowers - Misumena vatia spider.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F16 Iso 400 flash used.

This Pisaura mirabilis is guarding her egg sac. When it hatches, she will construct a silk 'nursery tent' to keep the spiderlings safe for the first critical few days of their life.



Band-eyed Brown Horsefly - Tabanus bromius but no need to panic because this one is a male and only the females bite.



1/200 F14 Iso 400 flash.

It has been a learning experience following along with your P52 and this quarter looks like it is getting started off nicely! You cropped each one differently? The results work. It goes without saying that these are sharp and definitely interesting! Well done as usual!

[Wavelength]

Well done; all the best for this new thread

[Geoff F]

Thanks.

Yes different crop sizes to suit the scenes, Sandy. You will see from my introduction to these threads that this year I am trying the additional challenge of avoiding conventional size ratios such as 3 x 2 and 5 x 4.

[xpatUSA]

You will see from my introduction to these threads that this year I am trying the additional challenge of avoiding conventional size ratios such as 3 x 2 and 5 x 4.

Time to download RawTherapee which offers all these:



Notable by it's absence is 1.618:1, oh well, can't have everything . . .

[Geoff F]

I did use Raw Therapee, in one of the earlier versions, when I had Serif Photo Plus as my main editor; before switching to Adobe CS5 and then CC. It looks as though they have developed quite a long way from those days. Even then it was quite good and I much preferred it to the rather limited Photo Plus editor.

But now I have Adobe ACR which gives the option to select any size you want just by entering the required numbers, not just using preset options. Also when required, cropping to exact image dimensions. And it easily interfaces with CC.

[Shadowman]

Nice variety of captures.

[ST1]

Nice set of images and descriptions of the creatures well done.


Sent from somewhere in Gods County using Tapatalk

[joebranko]

Nice set of images Geoff. Amazing clarity!

[bnnrcn]

Nice set Geoff. My fav is #1. I really like the hiding spider with its similar colors to the flowers and also a nice composition

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments. And now for something totally different.

Week 27. No more Muck Spreading !

Farming practices change and machinery goes out of date so it gets parked in a corner of a field and just forgotten.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/640 F11 Iso 400. I could have reduced the Iso but I was doing a hand held burst of 3 images with different exposure settings and eventually ended up using the brightest image with a few bits from the midtone shot.

Previously, I thought about doing something with this scene but couldn't decide what might work out OK. This time I tried many angles, different zooms, image ratios and various ideas about composition, but I was somewhat limited by the actual scene. This position had me up against the stinging nettle covered hedge with another hedge on my left and power line poles to the right.

All the other angles had various things which didn't really work at all.

[skitterbug]

I like that your picture has an interesting color combination..... and conveys the idea that this piece of machinery is forgotten..... maybe even broken. If one wanted to give it human qualities, it might even be lonesome sitting there behind the hill in tall grass......

[joebranko]

I liked your picture with the red machine against the green trees and shrubs. It would be nice if you could get the owner to give the machine a paint so we could get more red in the picture! 😁!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments. That was the sort of atmosphere I was attempting to create with that image. And now . . .

Week 28. The Annual Plant Survey at one of the reserves where I regularly record insect life. Strange dull light where the highlights were beginning to lose detail while midtones were rather dark. The colour and materials of some of the clothes also contributed to the problems.



7D with Canon 24-105 lens. 1/320 F11 Iso 400

Tried for an informal looking scene to show what happens at this event.

Holding back on the highlights while boosting midtones created an unnatural looking image so I settled for this grey day effect.

[joebranko]

Hi Geoff,
Its a nice photo in my opinion. the grey sky is what you got and you did the best you can with it. You have captured the mood of the survey and the colours of grass and flowers are very calming.

[Cantab]

Hi Geoff,
Its a nice photo in my opinion. the grey sky is what you got and you did the best you can with it. You have captured the mood of the survey and the colours of grass and flowers are very calming.

I agree with Joe.

Geoff, did you run into any interesting insects on this outing?

[Geoff F]

I didn't take my macro gear because I knew there wouldn't time for messing about with it. But yes there was a mating pair of Burnet Moths with a second male attempting to oust the established male. Several small leafhoppers of interest, a few spiders and a first for the year was a Mitopus morio harvestman.

Today I had intended to return and do a proper insect search but the morning started foggy and didn't brighten up until the afternoon which was too late. Looks rather dull for the next few days as well.

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff ~ Week 28. The Annual Plant Survey - You achieved what you wanted to do - you gave us a glimpse into the activity of your group! Landscape included. Well done!

[Geoff F]

Week 29 - Harbour and Quay Views. Still thinking about the next History Society Calendar photos which require 4 x 5 ratio landscape or street scenes around the town. The day suddenly brightened up and the air went clear but with interesting skies but all I had with me was my pocket sized Fuji X 20 camera; so I did my best with the limited resources.

Harbour from the approach road



1/480 F9 Iso 200. This camera requires a different approach to lens settings because F9 is quite narrow.

Watching the boats



1/800 F7.1 Iso 200

Waiting for the ferry



1/1100 F8 Iso 200

Sitting on the quay



Attractive harbour view



1/850 F8 Iso 200

All images required a bit of careful editing and are merges of two Raw conversions with different settings.

Although I regretted not having better equipment that little camera is useful for street photography shots because nobody takes any notice of me, particularly because I purchased the plain black colour camera. I often find that when you point a 'real camera' at people they get nervous and you don't get that informal scene.

[bnnrcn]

All nice compositions and exposures in week 29 Geoff