alexr
Established Forum Member
Posts: 555
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by alexr on Oct 1, 2021 9:08:56 GMT
Thank you all for your continued contributions to these B&W threads as they form a real source of inspiration to me and, I am sure, others. I've been thinking a bit lately about what keeps inspiring me to come up with (hopefully) interesting images, and so I wanted to come up with a Challenge this month that forces us to be creative in a slightly different way. So this Challenge is to look around wherever you are reading this, and to choose a subject that is within no more than a couple of metres of you. Of course, you might be reading this in your home, garden, car or local coffee shop, but look around, select a few things right now, then at some point in the month go and grab your camera, come back, take the images, process and play. And then please share them, whether they worked or not. I happen to be in my study right now and looking around I've got some rows of books that might look kinda interesting in mono, some ornaments although they are a bit cluttered where they are so may have to go macro, my computer drive looks like it could be be sort of interesting in the right light. The important thing is that by constraining yourself quite tightly you are foced to be ultra creative. Hope that is ok, though it does sound like I'm working through my own therapy with you...  Most of all, have fun. |
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Oct 1, 2021 16:05:00 GMT
To think I used to like you, Alex! Reading this on my phone as I was cleaning off my placemat at breakfast.....there really wasn't much left on the table within approx. 6 1/2 in. of me. So trying to think in the abstract mode from last month's challenge I came up with these three taken with the phone:  I use a hinged box that a bracelet came in on top of a wooden block as an easel for my phone. I blacked out the window.  Salt in the salt shaker.  One of those tabs from a carton of milk that I hadn't thrown away after opening the milk carton! If I extend the distance to about 12 inches there are a few items on a near-by shelf that I could use. |
|
|
|
Post by tonyw on Oct 1, 2021 23:32:27 GMT
Interesting challenge - our last night in a cottage "up north" - lots of wood and antique fittings - this is looking straight up from my laptop while reading the challenge. The ceiling back home is going to be a lot less interesting so will have to look for something else.  Tony |
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Oct 2, 2021 0:15:01 GMT
hmmmmm.....using a zoom lens might give me more options.
Good idea, Tony.
|
|
alexr
Established Forum Member
Posts: 555
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by alexr on Oct 2, 2021 9:57:14 GMT
Sorry for exasparating you, hmca, I hope you'll forgive me in time... But I bet you've never dreamt of taking any of those images before! I do like the salt; initially I wondered about whether I would have cropped the best before date to make it more abstract but I think you were right to leave it as at gives context but doesn't intrude. But my favourite is the milk carton tab as you have brought out the distinct textures so well. tonyw, thanks for sharing, and sorry it is your last day of a break. I do like the symmetery you have achieved with the three lights, and the ceiling boards create an interesting backdrop. And of course you can 're-set' and enter again from back home... |
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Oct 2, 2021 15:22:22 GMT
I hope you'll forgive me in time... Maybe......  initially I wondered about whether I would have cropped the best before date Thanks for noticing that, Alex. Usually I would have removed it; but for some unexplainable reason I made the decision to leave it there. I appreciate your comment. |
|
|
|
Post by tonyw on Oct 6, 2021 22:06:08 GMT
Back home and looking around the study where the computer lives and a newel post on the stairs caught my eye as something that I never thought to take a photo of - so here it is with some playing around in Silver Efex Pro2 starting from one of the antique presets.  Tony |
|
alexr
Established Forum Member
Posts: 555
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by alexr on Oct 10, 2021 9:23:18 GMT
Thanks tonyw that works really nicely, good depth of field, sufficiently 'off-symmetrical' to show that it was planned that way and it gives a sense of the path of the stairway, and the reflected light source actually adds a point of interest rather than distract. Most importantly for this challenge, the removal of colour makes you focus on the grain. |
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Oct 10, 2021 17:00:09 GMT
Still using the phone and sitting where I was when I first read this I decided to see what I might get if I turned around. Filled in some shapes with black and cropped to a square. Not sure if it works but fun trying to see if I could makes "something" out of "nothing".  |
|
|
|
Post by blackmutt on Oct 11, 2021 0:36:22 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by hmca on Oct 11, 2021 0:38:10 GMT
Ahhhh.....but much more interesting than a toaster, Judy!
|
|
|
|
Post by blackmutt on Oct 11, 2021 0:42:13 GMT
Not so sure about that, Helen. I am going to use the photo for a woodcut. I think the shell will be easy to carve and make a nice simple design.
|
|
billz
Senior Forum Member
Posts: 828
|
Post by billz on Oct 11, 2021 23:21:08 GMT
I've been thinking and thinking about what to do for this, and the answer has been staring at me from the bookcase next to my desk the whole time. Edited in ACR with some dodging and burning in PS.  Thanks for the challenge Alex. |
|
alexr
Established Forum Member
Posts: 555
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
|
Post by alexr on Oct 12, 2021 9:31:55 GMT
hmca Thanks for persevering. There are elements that do work, I definitely like the diagonal and reflection. blackmutt I really do like the way the light falls across and the individual shadows and light of the shell. Plus the background shows interest right around the frame too. Nice. billz A classic still life, just sat there nearby! If that was by an old master (not saying you're not  ) art critics would be studying the symbolism. The classic skull as a memento mori, to show the shortness of life and the inevitably of the end, so counterbalanced by the books showing the need to learn and travel while we can, and the camera saying that we need to capture our memories as we do that travelling. With the owl overseeing the wisdom of it all. Or is it just stuff on a bookshelf? As a photographic image it is really well lit, catured and processed to bring out all the detail.
|
|
billz
Senior Forum Member
Posts: 828
|
Post by billz on Oct 12, 2021 17:01:50 GMT
Thanks for the thoughtful comment Alex!
|
|
) art critics would be studying the symbolism. The classic skull as a memento mori, to show the shortness of life and the inevitably of the end, so counterbalanced by the books showing the need to learn and travel while we can, and the camera saying that we need to capture our memories as we do that travelling. With the owl overseeing the wisdom of it all. Or is it just stuff on a bookshelf? As a photographic image it is really well lit, catured and processed to bring out all the detail.