My personal LPS16 Resolution:
PaulThomasMcKee
Registered Users Posts: 429 Major grins
“For LPS16, I will post a jpeg image directly from my camera without alteration of any kind ”.
(I’ll post the full resolution image to smugmug and let their magic “share” tool resize it to meet the requirements of the contest)
Please Note: This is my own personal challenge and chosen discipline for this round. Please (please, please) do not interpret it to mean that I don’t like/respect/idolize photographs/photographers that make use of image editing software. I am just feeling the need for a break from it on a personal level.
The idea to take the picture of myself with the SB800 in my mouth seemed like a funny/clever idea last night. I still think it’s (I’m) funny looking and that it turned out kind of cool. But, after ruminating on it for a day (pardon the pun) it seems mostly sophomoric and silly – so I deleted it. Besides, a participant (whom I respect) pointed out (very kindly and diplomatically) that it has been done before. Not being completely original doesn’t bother me greatly as I think that much of what we do as photographers is derivative of (or, put more positively, builds on) prior work in some fashion. However, upon reflection, I realized that I want more out of this round than a picture of my puffed out glowing face.
One of the reasons I've enjoyed participating in this contest series is that it has challenged my creativity and technique (which is easy to do since I didn't start with much). I’ve wanted to try using a flashlight to light a photo since seeing a couple of examples on the web (derivative – I know). I’ve posted my novice attempt at the technique below. It was amazingly simple and it gave me an excuse to use the new radio remote release I got off ebay last week. Anyway, that’s the direction I've decided to head in for this round. I’ll experiment with it some more as time allows. I’d love to hear what other’s may be thinking of doing.
-paul
(I’ll post the full resolution image to smugmug and let their magic “share” tool resize it to meet the requirements of the contest)
Please Note: This is my own personal challenge and chosen discipline for this round. Please (please, please) do not interpret it to mean that I don’t like/respect/idolize photographs/photographers that make use of image editing software. I am just feeling the need for a break from it on a personal level.
The idea to take the picture of myself with the SB800 in my mouth seemed like a funny/clever idea last night. I still think it’s (I’m) funny looking and that it turned out kind of cool. But, after ruminating on it for a day (pardon the pun) it seems mostly sophomoric and silly – so I deleted it. Besides, a participant (whom I respect) pointed out (very kindly and diplomatically) that it has been done before. Not being completely original doesn’t bother me greatly as I think that much of what we do as photographers is derivative of (or, put more positively, builds on) prior work in some fashion. However, upon reflection, I realized that I want more out of this round than a picture of my puffed out glowing face.
One of the reasons I've enjoyed participating in this contest series is that it has challenged my creativity and technique (which is easy to do since I didn't start with much). I’ve wanted to try using a flashlight to light a photo since seeing a couple of examples on the web (derivative – I know). I’ve posted my novice attempt at the technique below. It was amazingly simple and it gave me an excuse to use the new radio remote release I got off ebay last week. Anyway, that’s the direction I've decided to head in for this round. I’ll experiment with it some more as time allows. I’d love to hear what other’s may be thinking of doing.
-paul
0
Comments
Virginia
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus
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What an inspiring idea, not just for the competition, but as a challenge to each of us who do spend the odd minute/hour/day/month trying to improve a shot.
As a beginner I know I've wasted many "man years" trying to improve a bad shot, which should have been archived from the very beginning! I need to rise up to this challenge in order to improve my basic skills with the camera and understanding of lighting, rather than working to improve my Photoshop skills to try and cover up my short comings.
I don't think I can make the same resolution as your for this competition at the moment - but I can say that once I I feel that I am close to the same level as most of the other competitors in this competition I'll probably also make the same resolution.
Maybe LPS17 could be Untouched vs Retouched?
I look forward to seeing your results and being inspired. From this first attempt I am already in awe
Good Luck.
Peter
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Personally, I think too many of us (read: me!) will stick with what they know and get worried that by stretching too far for a challenge, they'll end up missing the mark. And I think that can stagnate us.
If this is SOOC, you're well on your way! This is a stunning photo, Paul!
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good on ya!
My own personal goal, starting way back at LPS#1 was to use my contest entries to study light. It is not as strict a discipline as yours by a long shot, but my goal is to have the light be an active player in the story of the shot. That approach has definitely payed dividends. I think and shoot differently now than I did 9 months ago.
About the processing though, whew, I saw an image of a baby the other day and honestly, those eyes were so sharpened that if my baby ever looked like that, I would have called in the priest for an exorcism BUT there was typing standing ovations and oh wow's so that is so fantasmo, give me your autograph going on.
Scary!!
I LOVE how some photographers can use PS but at times, I really think they need to step it down a touch and remember that real is just as beautiful as fake.
especially
those eyes!
Actually, edit - I think I am the only person in the world who can not stand sharpened eyes! I sharpen an image because digital makes me but never mask and sharpen eyes. No doubt why I don't get accolades but I don't give a hoot. Eyes just don't look like that and I have no aspirations to work in glamour.
I'll join you on your quest for purity.
No pixel pushing this time around sounds like fun! in fact
how about a step further? - no RAW just JPG out of the camera... oh cool. <---- this is a big step for me as I rarely shoot anything JPG - I always shoot RAW.
After all it is a photography contest
Joe
Thanks Linda. I think you may be right, I’m not sure I’ll be able to improve on this first attempt much. I was kind of amazed because it turned out pretty much exactly as I had envisioned it in my minds eye and it only took six trial exposures to do it. The funny thing is that I had wanted the flower’s stem to be curved out to the left (it was standing straight to begin with) so I steamed it over a tea kettle to put the curve in it. I left it for a bit to watch a TV show and when I came back the stem had broken – which turned out to be a bit of serendipity because I like it better with the kink in the stem and the flower facing down.
Agreed. Real can be, and often is, just as beautiful as fake (or even enhanced). In my own experience with PS (which is only a few months) I have trouble knowing when to stop with all the tweaks and adjustments. For me, sometimes the excess comes from just wanting to experiment with the program and learn its capabilities.
Sean & Joe (& anyone else…) Welcome aboard! I’ll enjoy your company!
My resolution was to post jpeg directly from the camera with no alteration of any kind (including transition from RAW). In fact, part of the inspiration for this was that I ran out of room on my HDD and indeed the picture that I posted yesterday was uploaded directly to smugmug from the camera’s CF card – it doesn’t even reside on my computer.
I experimented with the multiexposure function of the D200 for the first time last night. I'm not sure, but I think that the double exposure may dilute the impact of the original image – but now I know how to use that function of the camera (see below). Comments?
I like the orginal better.
How many exposures can you shoot? My old T90 was limited to nine which was rather sad. If you have unlimited multiple exposures, an army of flowers would be amusing.
That shot is scary.
I used to play all sorts of games like this when I was shooting film. I made up a mask which I mounted in a filter holder and flipped over between exposures. Now my current camera doesn't support multiple exposures either. Hmmm. I still have my EOS-3, maybe I should try one round shooting film. All I need to do is find a new battery for it
That's really cool! How did you get the two lined up so well!? (live view? & a mirror? Or registration marks on the lcd?) I’m not sure I can wait ‘til the LPS16 Behind The Scenes thread…I’m glad your playing along and having fun.
One of the first thoughts I had for my little vase and flower was to do something like a three view mechanical drawing with a top, side and end view in three quadrants of the frame. But the vase has a picture on the other half that I would need to paint over or something. Another idea is to do 7-10 multiple exposures with the flower and vase receeding into the distance and getting darker and more out of focus. Or to do a mechanical zoom while it is lit to accomplish something similar.
Also, this technique can allow some flexibility with light sources (same flashlight different bursts of light) from several different angles at different intensities or with different colored gels.
Lots of ideas, not so much time.
-paul
I think the D200 is limited to 10 – and I think the series ends if you take longer than 30 seconds between shots. I thought of making a mask too, but I’ve found I don’t really need one because I’ve been shooting in the pitch dark of my garage with a black background.
I’ve got an old Graflex Speed Graphic that I bought film for about a year and a half ago (just before I bought my D200) and never got around to using…I might get it out and shoot a couple frames. I wonder if the film would still be any good?
-paul
Lining things up was mostly just persistence. And swapping things out of a chair in the dark.
I totally agree and sympathize with the time thing.