2018 Project 52 by Geoff F - 2nd Quarter

[billtils]

Sandy

What software do you use? - you may well be able to do this with it. For that particular edit function, I generally use Affinity Photo, calling it as an external editor from Capture One. Like anything else, Affinity Photo has its pros and cons, supporters and detractors, but at around £50 purchase with lifetime free updates, it is a bargain even if only used occasionally.

[skitterbug]

Hi Bill - I load my photos in LR (desktop), check them and then edit in Affinity Photo. There are a lot of features to Affinity so it's my editor of choice for now. I'm hoping that what Geoff has explained, may be manageable in Affinity. It is interesting to try new techniques.

[Geoff F]

Should work OK, Sandy. Do the Raw conversions in LR and save those images ready to load into Affinity as layers for masking.

You might even be able to have both programmes open and do a copy/paste from one to the other if the image formats are compatible.

How good is the Affinity Raw Editor? Could you do everything with just that software. When I used Serif Photo Plus a while ago their Raw editing was very basic, but it has probably improved since then.

[skitterbug]

Should work OK, Sandy. Do the Raw conversions in LR and save those images ready to load into Affinity as layers for masking.

You might even be able to have both programmes open and do a copy/paste from one to the other if the image formats are compatible.

How good is the Affinity Raw Editor? Could you do everything with just that software. When I used Serif Photo Plus a while ago their Raw editing was very basic, but it has probably improved since then.

Hi Geoff - I haven't done much in Affinity using Raw Editing features. Mostly, I give a quick touch up in Light Room and then import that into Affinity to finish up what I want to do. Looking at the features that Affinity offers for Raw editing, I'd say it is fairly basic but not bad.
I'll put this on my "something new to learn" list!
Thanks for sharing information!

[Wavelength]

Nice set of images!!!

[Geoff F]

I thought, because this was a shot of the history society exhibit, I would try a B&W version; but there were many pale coloured objects which produced similar tones. However, I had a go and this is the result.

[Geoff F]

Recently I have been concentrating on photographing and identifying insects which has tended to put me behind with other subjects. Between the insect shots I have taken an occasional flower photo; but in most cases I have rather struggled to get the real life outdoor flower scenes to work out as required and there were a lot of rejects. All are a merge of two or three focus points.

Week 18 - Wild Flowers

Early Purple Orchid



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/640 F4 Iso 400. I was struggling to lose the close background but retain sufficient focus depth. This is a merge of two focus points.

Skunk Cabbage. Initially a problem to identify as well as photograph.



1/320 F11 Iso 400

Spear Thistle



1/500 F11 Iso 400 Sigma 180 macro lens. A struggle to balance the light levels and also retain sufficient focus depth.

Violet



1/250 F 11 Iso 400

With some of these images I should have used a lower Iso setting but got myself locked into thinking about exposure problems and overlooked the Iso.

[Geoff F]

And one with an Orange Tip butterfly as well.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F14 Iso 800 with flash. I had been photographing Orange Tips on perfect dandelion seed heads, but somehow I think this image on just the seed head remains makes a stronger scene.

[Cantab]

And one with an Orange Tip butterfly as well.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/200 F14 Iso 800 with flash. I had been photographing Orange Tips on perfect dandelion seed heads, but somehow I think this image on just the seed head remains makes a stronger scene.

Geoff, this image works really well despite having in some respects two subjects, the orange tip and the dandelion.

The images in your previous post have showed up on my computer as hyperlinks to your pbase collection. This is not your usual practice. Was it intentional or did something perhaps go wrong?
EDIT: after posting my comment, the images in your post #27 miraculously became visible! I was intrigued by your comment about the skunk cabbage. There's lots in my corner of the world (in appropriate locations) but presumably not so common in England.

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff - Your flower pics in post #27 are spot on! I really like your technique in the merge of focus points. Was your field trip on a calm day - no wind to mess with your compositions?

The Orange Tip butterfly in post #28 is exquisite. And I agree with Bruce, you have two wonderful subjects captured here but they definitely go well together!

[Geoff F]

That Skunk Cabbage has been imported for use in large ornamental ponds etc and, like so many before, it has begun to escape into the wild. I have found it at another site 15 miles away.

Sometimes I find myself searching for insects and get into a calm area so then think that I ought to have a go at some flowers as well.

With the other Orange Tip and full Dandelion seed head shots I think there was too much competition between the two subjects, which is why this shot with more space worked better.

[rudi]

The flowers came out very nice Geoff !! Hard to pick a favourite, maybe the spear thistle, love the background from this one.
The orange tip is also a good 'catch', I agree with Bruce his comment on this one.

[Geoff F]

Once again, I have been spending most of my time photographing insects and doing editing/identifying work so I am still slipping behind with my weekly images. I don't seem to be getting myself in the required locations for much else and the potential alternative scenes while looking for wildlife haven't really come up to the desired standards.

Week 19. Spotted a Dipper standing on a rock in the river. But many problems. Shot with my 180 mm macro lens. There were trees on both banks so their leaves covered over the river giving a rather dark greenish light which meant having a go with all the wrong settings.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/40 F8 Iso 800. Needed quite a bit of cropping.

I am always looking out for local scenes which may be suitable for the next History Society Calendar but this means composing for a 4 x 5 ratio. These shots were attempts to find some unusual angles; shooting over a wall in a narrow lane running between two streets. Only had my little Fuji X20 'pocket sized' camera with me and these scenes were pushing it a little too far.



Fuji X20. 1/800 F8 Iso 200



1/1100 F6.4 Iso 200. I thought I was on F8 (which is equivalent to F11 on a 'real camera'. F16 is maximum)

Maybe have another look around this area with better equipment when the conditions are right.

[Geoff F]

Week 20 and some misty murky weather has allowed me to catch up on most of my insect photo editing and identification; but no good for thinking about any landscape scenes etc. Not even 'real fog' shots were available, just dull general greyness.

Anyway here are a few random moth photos. Caught in my home made moth trap and photographed for identification and recording before being released.

Iron Prominent



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/40 F11 Iso 400. All shot indoors under daylight quality light bulbs. Tripod used and a merge of 2 or 3 shots.

Peach Blossom



Pine Beauty



Yellow Shell



A daylight flying moth found on my last 'insect hunt'. Amongst the brambles and nettles so I just had to accept what angles I could find. 1/200 F14 Iso 400 with flash

[Cantab]

Geoff, this an interesting set of moth shots, well done--as usual!

The camouflage on the peach blossom moth works very well with the log on which you placed it. I have a vague recollection that your insect studio includes a log, or two?

[skitterbug]

Excellent photo work! Interesting critters with interesting names. I really like the details - especially the antennae of the Iron Prominent and the Pine Beauty.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments. Yes, Bruce I have a selection of bark pieces to use as backgrounds. Once the moths get their feet onto something they recognise they usually settle down and remain still; in fact with some species it can be a struggle to get them off the bark to make way for the next specimen. They then get placed into my garden where they feel at home.

The males of some moths have quite astounding feathery antennae. This is a Nut-tree Tussock.



And a 'head and shoulders' portrait of a Swallow Prominent.

[Geoff F]

Still a lot of murky weather here, but for a few hours of brightness I visited a nearby wildlife site. Never noticed any other scenes which inspired me to click the shutter though.

Week 21 - Caterpillars. Following on from the moths. Which came first, caterpillar or moth?

It can be a long hard climb for a little caterpillar.



And when you reach the top where do you go?



Another bright caterpillar - a Lackey Moth

[Geoff F]

Week 22 - Malborough Moon. It used to be said the the next village of Malborough always had the brightest moon of the area; because it was built on top of a hill making it closer to the moon than surrounding towns.

Anyway, I saw this scene a week ago and wondered about a 'snap' but not expecting any results. Eventually got around to looking at the shots and all the other attempts were definitely failures, leaving this one as just about acceptable - maybe.



7D with Canon 70-200 lens 10 seconds F6.3 Iso 400. Malborough is just over a mile away, although the moon is a little further, and although reasonably clear there was a bit of haze in the air.

An interesting experiment even if the results were in an expected failure range.

[Manfred M]

I find night scenes like this to be quite challenging. There are too many places with not enough light and other places there is so much that it is all to easy to clip the highlights. Blue hour is generally as late as I like shooting just because there is still enough ambient light around to work with. That being said, you have done well given the conditions. The lights in the town and the lit up church steeple nicely complement the moon hanging in the sky.

What struck me about this image is the haze around the moon and even more there seems to be a rectangle around that area of the image. Is that from PP work or does that have some other cause?

The other thought I have is white balance; unless all the light sources are sodium lights, that yellow cast seems just a touch on the heavy side to my eyes.