It's here! LGK PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGE #1

[PuckHead27]

Originally Posted by ValleyFan

PuckHead27: Very interesting subject. My only comment would be that it has a very strong color cast, which I'm not sure if you where going for something like that, but for me it makes it feel like the white balance is off. I don't know what your workflow is, if you are brining it in with something like photoshop or lightroom, it is pretty easy to tweak the color. If you are just bringing it in from camera, try setting the camera from auto white balance to tungsten or sodium vapor.

Thanks for the input VF!

First off a little about my experience, I basically have none. LOL, I have to admit, I'm really a beginner at this. I just got the DSLR about a year or so ago and I haven't been practicing or "learning" as much as I should have been these past few months (I feel shame ). I don't have much in the way of equipment. Basically all I have is the camera, a couple lenses, a tripod and a monopod. I don't have any lighting other then the built in flash on the camera (Canon XTi), which is inadequate to say the least. I usually just shoot family, vacation type stuff so I'd probably be better off shooting something like a broken car windshield, a glass building or stained glass window on a church, something outdoorsy. Unfortunately, I'm also a lazy SOB so hunting that stuff down was not in the cards (although I have some time before this challenge ends so if something comes up?). I also figured I'd experiment with this and try to learn something in the process.

Now back to the photo...

I got that strong color cast because the background (the wall) I used is beige/taupe. I'm also lighting the ball using a small table lamp from below which probably adds to the yellowish glow. The room was dark other then the lamp, I used no other lighting in the room. I did try some shots using different colored objects in the background, but again I don't have much so it was basically just household items and they didn't work out that well IMO. As far as my workflow, heh, to be totally honest, I just uploaded the photo to my Smugmug account, made a copy, ran it through their "color effects" option, which just made it a little darker (the thumbnail is the original) and cropped it to show just the bubbles.

I was a bit apprehensive about doing this because I don't really understand half the stuff VF and FBJ talk about in the DSLR thread. That all just goes right over my head. , but I also want to learn how to make better use of my DSLR and all it's functions so I thought I give it a go. I'm probably not going to comment much on anyone else's photos right away. Hopefully down the line, when I feel more confident, I may start adding my .

Thanks again for the input VF and thanks to FBJ for taking the initiative and starting this.

If this response is inappropriate for the challenge thread, please feel free to move it to the current DSLR thread.

[FlyBoeingJets]

PuckHead27,

This sort of thing is just what you need to learn a bit and increase that experience level, man! Glad you're putting stuff up here!

As far as all the talk that's "over your head," in the DSLR forum, most of it's over my head, too! Just do what I do and ask for clarification or explanation! ValleyFan is GOOD at explaining **** to me both in Greek and in English!!

Everyone,

I got all Roman Catholic on yo' asses and put up two new pics on my pic post. Check 'em out and let me know what you think!

[ValleyFan]

Originally Posted by PuckMonkey

__________________________________________________ ________



Glow Cone
[/b]1/160 sec at f/22, ISO 100, tripod[b]
__________________________________________________ _______

Love the Glow Cone

[ValleyFan]

Originally Posted by FlyBoeingJets

I got all Roman Catholic on yo' asses and put up two new pics on my pic post. Check 'em out and let me know what you think!

I didn't know we could use a piety filter! Nice capture of the stained glass.

[blckbsct]

Very nice pics guys!

[FlyBoeingJets]

Originally Posted by PuckMonkey

Boogy Man Defense System
0.8 sec at f/36, ISO 100, tripod

That's so good it makes me hate you. :D

What lens is that? Is that a crop?

[FlyBoeingJets]

Originally Posted by ValleyFan

I didn't know we could use a piety filter! Nice capture of the stained glass.

Thanks. I'm not especially happy with it because I wasn't able to get the shot of that panel (the only panel of stained glass in the whole place, believe it or not) I wanted to. They wouldn't let me up into the loft where I could get close, so the only view I had was from the complete opposite end of the church. I couldn't even see the entire panel, so that's a crop for detail. Anyhow, that's done with the 70-200 and the 2x teleconverter at f/10. I was absolutely astonished at how sharp that image is.

Originally Posted by rinkrat

Obligitory glass shot.

And a good one, at that. Rich colors! I like the softness of the images beyond the focal plane.

[PuckMonkey]

Originally Posted by ValleyFan

...2 seconds hand held?! Do you have no pulse?...

Good catch, ValleyFan. I shake like a coke fiend, so it was definitely not handheld. I was trying different angles freehand and forgot that I locked in for the actual shot. I'm already finding myself wishing I'd taken notes on some things as I experiment since I seem to be forgetting more than I remember.

OK, trying to keep up here.

FBJ:
The highball/lens shot is so clean and I love the composition. The only thing wrong with the shot is the amount of Glenfiddich in the glass is painfully inadequate. What lens did you use?

The autopilot pic is nice. My favorite. Great composition. This pic tells a dozen different stories without forcing anything. The twisted angle and the busted instrument glass, while in the blurred background the horizon still reads level. Intended or not, the image is telling a story.

Goblets. Again, nicely composed. Makes me feel ashamed of not having more color in my shots.

Stained glass. Again, **** you and your colorful world.

Deuce:
Great subject, but show me more. There looks to be all sorts of holes and crevices for light do go in and out of. And don't be afraid to go in tight and experiment with angles. Just don't treat it like some people seem to treat their heirloom cut-crystal goblets.

\_==o IxxI:
Thought the same thing as Glenn when I first saw it. Maybe moving further away from the monitor then going longer on the lens would give you the space to get the distance blur.

nocturn:
Love the creativity here on both of these. Really nice shots.

Watti:
Great set of pics. I actually like the noise in the first pic. Looks like cross-processed film grain.

kingofdodgers:
The contrast bump made a big difference. On the far-right third of the higher contrast shot, there's is some really interesting color and light distortion happening. I'd experiment with that further.

BIG JOE:
You nailed the candy dish. Great image. Try the beer shot again at a lower ISO (100?) and a slower shutter speed (2-4 seconds?) . That should reduce the noise and give you a crisper background.

rinkrat:
Tell Broadway Glass that Christmas ended like three weeks ago. I like the tail light trail on the first shot. Was that intended on a happy accident? Would be neat to get one going across the entire frame.

KBM:
Nicely lit. And the blurred reflection compliments the focus area well. Let's see more.

Beerman:
SWEET! Period.

PuckHead27:
Very cool image. Good subject. I'm going to assume (maybe incorrectly) that you used auto-focus on this shot. If you did, you may want to try going manual to get a tighter focus on the bubbles instead of the outer glass. If you didn't use auto-focus here, simply reply to this post by saying "WRONG!!"

ValleyFan:
The guy has lights and shoots clean as a whistle. This is "raising the bar" stuff, VF. Great shots. The only thing that I have - and it's not so so much as a critique as it is maybe a question - is about the light box horizon on the Full Moon pics. I had a similar set-up with my vodka bottle and the horizon always seemed to cut through the subject in a way that never seemed to work. Is there a school of thought here that you are working with? A "rule of fifths" or something like that for dealing with where to have the light fall off? Am I making any sense?



Again, thanks Glenn for putting this together. Having a blast.

[PuckMonkey]

Originally Posted by FlyBoeingJets

That's so good it makes me hate you. :D

What lens is that? Is that a crop?

Thanks. :P Yeah, I had to crop to get the composition I wanted. My lens (18-55 f/3.5-5.6) couldn't go as tight as I needed it to, so I had to cut off the fat in post.

I'm in the process of creating a very expensive wish list, and on that list is a lens or two that would not have given me any grief about getting in tight. I forgot how addictive this stuff can get.

[OTTo VoN BLoTTo]

DAMN, dudes! Some amazing images so far, and a GREAT idea to do this, FBJ. Props!

Greetings! I'm a newcomer to the LGK photo culture, but bought my first DSLR in early December--an Olympus E-510 w/ 2 lens kit along with a SWEET macro and some other bits and pieces--so I'm hoping to join you all and contribute images soon. I loved film photography and darkroom work, but it's been YEARS since I've done any serious shooting and I'm still screwing around and getting acquainted with the new camera and boning up on what I've forgotten. But ****! Seriously, I'm extremely impressed and can't wait to see more from you all!