Week 22 challenge completed

Isolate and blur.

The challenge this week was to use the aperture setting to isolate the subject in the image so it stands out and blur the background so it is less distracting

This weeks image

This week I had the opportunity to photography foxes from a hide.

Mr. Fox

I tried to isolate the fox whilst blurring both the foreground and background. The image was processed in Lightroom using the Topaz sharpening and noise reduction tools.

Alternate images

Alternate images where I have isolate the subject by blurring the background

Week 21 Challenge completed

Decay

This challenge is almost two weeks late and I need to catch-up with the challenges The challenge was to make an image that shows something coming to the end of its life. 

This weeks image

Looked for examples of decay and on my daily walk during lockdown.

Past the best

An image of a bunch of flowers that are long past their best and we about to be thrown out.

Alternate images

A selection of images that I took as part of trying to meet the challenge, some are a selection of different edits to try and emphasis decay.

Week 20 Challenge Completed

Explosion of colour!

Another change to the order but challenge 20 of 52 completed. Getting closer to the halfway mark. The challenge this week was to take picture that should assail the senses with vibrant colour. Any saturation of the colours in editing software should be avoided.

This weeks image

For this I decided to take some image of the local graffiti. The image used was a close-up of a Lion's head.

Lion's head graffiti

This was taken to concentrate on the eyes and muzzle of the Lion, in real life it is a very vivid colour that stands out in the underpass.

Alternate images

Images of graffiti spotted in the underpasses in Stevenage

Week 19 Challenge Completed

Random Bird

Mixing up the order of the challenges to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Knew there was challenge on photographing the first bird seen. I have tried a couple of time to get a pictue of a bird and not got a good one, however today on my weekend walk spotted a bird on some abandonded farm equipment that I have photographed previously. The bird was singing away and stayed perched for a good 5 minutes.

This weeks image

Found this Yelllowhammer singing perched on some abandonded farm equipment

Alternate images

In the garden

in the woods

The end

Week 18 Challange Completed

Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)

Over the last couple of weeks I have been walking through a local wood and the trees make good subjects for intentional Camera Movement.

This weeks picture

Woodland ICM

Intentional camera movement involves moving the camera as the shot is taken and not a blurred short caused by camera shake. This image it is possible to see what a static image would of been and gives a pleasing effect.

Alternate Images

Week 17 Challenge Completed

Abandoned

Over a week behind now due to work and other commitments but hoping to catch-up. This week the image was on the theme of abandoned and I found some images on a walk through local countryside.

This weeks image

Farm equipment

Abandoned farm equipment in an area near a local farm that is being slowly overgrown by weeds, found the image to be better in black and white.

Alternate images

Gate and tyre

Old gate

Challenge update 19th April

16th Challenge completed

The 16th challenge was to intepret the theme Sugar & Spice which was completed with simple household spices and sugar cubes on two sheets of acylic, one black and the other white. The composition was lit by natural lighting. 16th Challenge - Sugar & Spice

THIS COMING WEEK'S CHALLENGE

As I need to work within the requirement to stay at home and only go out once a day for exercise that limits the actual challenges I can undertake. Thinking of a couple of options, the actual one done depends on what presents itself.

Potential challenges are Abandoned or "One shot only", "Levitation effect" in addition to the "make a splash" theme. Unlikely to do the landscape or panning challenges just yet, although there are some fields within walking distance. For abandoned I will be looking for abandoned objects around the home, garden or on my one walk a day, for the "Make a Splash" I do have a Pluto trigger and tube.

NEXT CHALLENGES

Currently the next few challenges are as follows, but the order may need to change based on circumstances and the need to do everything from home.

Abandoned (Target date - Sun 26th Apr)

The theme is abandoned and the photo must depict something forgotten? If possible it needs to convey a message in your photo, ie a call to action.

One shot only (Target date - Sun 10 May)

Just take one shot only – no chances for a second shot! Think of this challenge when you next take a shot.

Levitation effect (Target date - Sun 31 May)

Very much a camera trick and editing illusion, but should make the viewer believe in levitation. Need to think about props, accessories and expressions that will make the viewer really believe that the subject is defying gravity!

Make a splash (Target date - Sun 21 Jun)

Take a close up of a droplet splashing into water. It’s an old favourite photography project but lots to learn every time it is done. For added interest use liquids other than water!

Panning (Target date - Sun 19th Apr) - Very unlikely to occur until lockdown finishes

Take a picture of a moving subject whilst moving the camera so that the background is blurred to show movement. Shutter speed and handling your camera is crucial here. The subject should be crystal clear and the background a spectacular blur!

Landscape (Target date - Sun 3 May) - Very unlikely to occur until lockdown finishes

Use a tripod (or another way to avoid camera shake) and correct aperture and settings to capture immaculate detail in a scene if possible look to capture some movement in the composition.

Week 16 Challenge Completed

Sugar & Spice

Back on schedule and completed the challenge by the end of the week. This week the image was suppose on the theme of sugar and spice, at least not too difficult to do from home during the current restrictions..

This weeks image

Household spices and sugar cubes, can not get much more simpler than this.

Alternate images

Not many alternate images but they show the development process.

Challenge update 15th April

15th Challenge completed

The 15th challenge was to present a image involving patterns, it was initial described as patterns in local landscape or architecture but due to circumstances I did patterns within the home, eventually selecting an image of a cacti showing the pattern the leaves made.

THIS COMING WEEK'S CHALLENGE

This week I am aiming to do an image based on "Sugar and Spice", however this is dependent on finding suitable spices to photography. As I need to work within the requirement to stay at home and only go out once a day for exercise that limits the actual challenges I can undertake. Thinking of a couple of options depending on what presents itself.
Potential challenges are Abandoned or "One shot only", "Levitation effect" in addition to the "Sugar and Spice" theme. Unlikely to do the landscape or panning challenges just yet, although there are some fields within walking distance. For abandoned I will be looking for abandoned objects around the home, garden or on my one walk a day.

NEXT CHALLENGES

Currently the next few challenges are as follows, but the order may need to change based on circumstances and the need to do everything from home.

Panning (Target date - Sun 19th Apr) - Very unlikely to occur until lockdown finishe

Take a picture of a moving subject whilst moving the camera so that the background is blurred to show movement. Shutter speed and handling your camera is crucial here. The subject should be crystal clear and the background a spectacular blur!

Abandoned (Target date - Sun 26th Apr)

The theme is abandoned and the photo must depict something forgotten? If possible it needs to convey a message in your photo, ie a call to action.

Landscape (Target date - Sun 3 May) - Very unlikely to occur until lockdown finishes

Use a tripod (or another way to avoid camera shake) and correct aperture and settings to capture immaculate detail in a scene if possible look to capture some movement in the composition.

One shot only (Target date - Sun 10 May)

Just take one shot only – no chances for a second shot! Think of this challenge when you next take a shot.

Levitation effect (Target date - Sun 31 May)

Very much a camera trick and editing illusion, but should make the viewer believe in levitation. Need to think about props, accessories and expressions that will make the viewer really believe that the subject is defying gravity!

Sugar and Spice (Target date - Sun 7 Jun)

An artistic still life that interprets the theme in any way.

Week 15 Challenge Completed

Patterns

A day late but better than missing the challenge completely. The image was suppose to be of patterns in nature but with the lack of being able to go out in to the countryside looked to do images involving patterns in the home.

This weeks image

Cacti

An overhead picture of a cacti that I got for Christmas. Also the closest to patterns in nature.

Alternate images

A range of pictures of everyday objects arranged into patterns.

Challenge update 5th April

14th Challenge completed

The 13th challenge was to present a image straight out of camera, however did the Triptych. This week decided to do the straight out of camera (SOOC) based on a still life of fruit image for the 14th image.

THIS COMING WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Still need to change the order of the challenges to cover the requirement to stay at home. Thinking of a couple of options depending on what presents itself. Potential challenges are Patterns, Abandoned or One shot only. Unlikely to do the landscape challenge just yet. With patterns will look for potential patterns around the home, for abandonded looking for abandoned objects around the home, gardent and on my one walk a day.

NEXT CHALLENGES

Currently the next few challenges are as follows, but the order may need to change based on circumstances and the need to do everything from home..

Patterns (Target date - Sun 12th Apr)

Find and take  images of some interesting patterns in the local landscape or architecture, if possible get repeating patterns.

Panning (Target date - Sun 19th Apr)

Take a picture of a moving subject whilst moving the camera so that the background is blurred to show movement. Shutter speed and handling your camera is crucial here. The subject should be crystal clear and the background a spectacular blur!

Abandoned (Target date - Sun 26th Apr)

The theme is abandoned and the photo must depict something forgotten? If possible it needs to convey a message in your photo, ie a call to action.

Landscape (Target date - Sun 3 May) - Very unlikely to occur until lockdown finishes

Use a tripod (or another way to avoid camera shake) and correct aperture and settings to capture immaculate detail in a scene if possible look to capture some movement in the composition.

One shot only (Target date - Sun 10 May)

Just take one shot only – no chances for a second shot! Think of this challenge when you next take a shot.

Week 14 Challenge completed

Straight out of camera

Like everyone else in the UK I'm spending time at home and restricting my hobby to the home environment. This is limiting the topics for completing the 52 week photochallenge I'm trying to complete this year. This week doing Straight Out Of the Camera (SOOC) where an image is taken and then presented as it was taken in the camera with no post processing.

This weeks image

Fruit still life

 Took a series of images of a fruit still life using various lighting techniques

Alternate images

Some of the images taken as part of the challenge.

Challenge update 29th March

The 13th challenge was to present a image straight out of camera, however as we are in self-isolation decided to take advantage of some daffodils and do a Triptych which is 3 images made into a single panel. Used images from across the week as a daffodil went from bud, to flower to dying.

THIS COMING WEEK'S CHALLENGE

Need to change the order of the challenges to cover the requirement to stay at home. Thinking of a couple of options depending on what presents itself. Potential challenges are SOOC, Patterns and Abandoned. With patterns will look for potential patterns around the home, for abandonded looking for abandoned objects around the home, gardent and on my one walk a day.

NEXT CHALLENGES

Currently the next few challenges are as follows, but the order may need to change based on circumstances and the need to do everything from home..

SOOC (Target date - tbc)

Straight out of the camera (sooc). Take a great shot and publish straight from the camera. No editing allowed. Use RAW? Just auto convert to a simple JPEG.

Patterns (Target date - Sun 12th Apr)

Find and take  images of some interesting patterns in the local landscape or architecture, if possible get repeating patterns.

Panning (Target date - Sun 19th Apr)

Take a picture of a moving subject whilst moving the camera so that the background is blurred to show movement. Shutter speed and handling your camera is crucial here. The subject should be crystal clear and the background a spectacular blur!

Abandoned (Target date - Sun 26th Apr)

The theme is abandoned and the photo must depict something forgotten? If possible it needs to convey a message in your photo, ie a call to action.

Week 13 Challenge completed

Triptych

Switched the order of the challenges, completed the Triptych instead of the Straight out of Camera challenge, due to the curent COVID-19 situration it was easier to complete the Triptych.

The cycle of life

Took three images of a daffodil at various stages to create a Triptych that tells a story. Each image was cropped to the same size in Photoshop before being merged into a single image and a bit of brightening on the 3rd image.

The individual images

These are the three images used to create the Triptych