| June 2011 Topic: "Night Photography" set by Sean |
| "Surfers" |
| "U Turn" |
| "Queenslander3" |
|
| NEXT MONTH: Minimalist photography- Set by Martin |
| "Orb" |
Overall with weighting 8.70 / 10
| "Last Rays" |
| "Star-Mountains" |
Sean's Pick - score and comments: "Surfers"
Good stuff mate – and got there in the end. A nice little catch bag this month with some running around the
place after dark for you. If we revisit this topic – mental note – let’s do it in summer!
Like you I struggled finding first place but had it down to 3 in the end. It really had to go to “Surfers”
however I decided after reading how well the long exposure and colour temp has created a sort of “urban
fire” place only reminiscent of the Gold Coast I know so well. The orientation and crop does also work for me
and the standpoint sort of leaves me as the person sitting on the outside looking in. The DOF well caught at
F8 I see you used one of your bracketed shots (was this to be an hdr?)
Next on the list I found to be “Moon Rise” you surely packed a lot into the 34mm you used here – Caught at
F4 I may have used a smaller aperture to increase the DOF and focus is out it appears. I do like the candy
likeness of the city lights all the same and crop is worthy too.
Good stuff mate – and got there in the end. A nice little catch bag this month with some running around the
place after dark for you. If we revisit this topic – mental note – let’s do it in summer!
Like you I struggled finding first place but had it down to 3 in the end. It really had to go to “Surfers”
however I decided after reading how well the long exposure and colour temp has created a sort of “urban
fire” place only reminiscent of the Gold Coast I know so well. The orientation and crop does also work for me
and the standpoint sort of leaves me as the person sitting on the outside looking in. The DOF well caught at
F8 I see you used one of your bracketed shots (was this to be an hdr?)
Next on the list I found to be “Moon Rise” you surely packed a lot into the 34mm you used here – Caught at
F4 I may have used a smaller aperture to increase the DOF and focus is out it appears. I do like the candy
likeness of the city lights all the same and crop is worthy too.
- High-rise Highway is a cool shot also and its good to see some of last month spill over into this month.
The way you have composed this shot is creative enough for me and reads surprisingly well. Colours –
movement – interest - nice!
- Lovers: I do like this shot but I feel there are two shots here to crop out (one of each couple) I can tell
it is a special place. The blasted handrail pees me off too.
- U turn: Nice opportunity caught well, how many shots did you take from this advantage point. I love
the starlike flares of the streetlight from your F14 Exposure good too! Does lack something but nicely
arranged all the same.
- Fleeting glimpse: Cool shot with the bus lights going through the merry go round. Perhaps a tighter
crop on the wheel would have been more punchy? So many moving things down you way!
- Juice Bar:- don’t get me wrong for leaving this one down here. I do like elements of the exposure that’
s for sure, I am just a little distracted by all the things going on and the movement. The juice bar could
have made the shot on its own and the human ghosts in the mall just a bit too busy for my liking.
- Last Rays: keep this shot for when we are doing “Sunrises and Sunsets” (not night photography!) not
a bad shot – infact very pleasing to look at. – Noticed it needs the white edging left from a slight
rotation? And focus again not tack sharp? Also at 4:45pm were you really thinking to get this one in
here!
| "Lovers" |
| "Moonrise" |
| "Startrails" |
| "Fireflys" |
Martin's photo notes:
Heres my lot for the month. Had some real dramas
with my shitty 24-120 being able to reproduce the
huge contrasts of night shooting with some sort of
clarity. My 50 was fine but I was wanting some wide
angles.
Heres my lot for the month. Had some real dramas
with my shitty 24-120 being able to reproduce the
huge contrasts of night shooting with some sort of
clarity. My 50 was fine but I was wanting some wide
angles.
- Fleeting glimpse - cropped, contrast
- Highrise Highway - Multiple exposure, cropped,
curves
- Juice Time - HDR, cropped, warmed
- Last Rays - Cropped
- Lovers - Cropped, curves
- Moonrise - Cropped, saturated (this was
spectacular, couldn't do it justice)
- Surfers - Cropped, curves
- U Turn - Cropped
| "Fleeting Glimpse" |
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| "Startrails24June2011" |
| "WildRide" |
|
Overall with weighting 9.03 / 10
Martin's Pick - score and comments: "FireFlys"
Outstanding effort all round. This is what I expect of a polished photographer who knows his
equipment, the importance of of composition, and the value of light.
A very difficult decision between four shots this month. I settled on the one that excited me the
most as opposed to judging on technical fluff and flour coated jam fancys. My pick for the month
is Fireflys.
I love the colour, the composition (almost), the amazing shapes and the fact that this was hot off
the sensor. It probably dos'nt hit topic to the tee, but who bloodt well cares. I do have to mention
the bottom right hand corner that looks as though you have some light bleed. Great punchy
image worthy of publish, print and pass me the bourbon.
Other shots in order of merit:
Realy really good submission. NFQ
Outstanding effort all round. This is what I expect of a polished photographer who knows his
equipment, the importance of of composition, and the value of light.
A very difficult decision between four shots this month. I settled on the one that excited me the
most as opposed to judging on technical fluff and flour coated jam fancys. My pick for the month
is Fireflys.
I love the colour, the composition (almost), the amazing shapes and the fact that this was hot off
the sensor. It probably dos'nt hit topic to the tee, but who bloodt well cares. I do have to mention
the bottom right hand corner that looks as though you have some light bleed. Great punchy
image worthy of publish, print and pass me the bourbon.
Other shots in order of merit:
- Star-Mountains - Exceptional exposure. Beautiful skyline bleeding from absolute black.
Tack sharp where it matters. Two thumbs. What was the "filter"applied??
- Queenslander 3 – Very nice HDR restraint. Terrific composition and right saturation.
- Startrails - Interesting staccato effect which is well framed by the foliage. Colours work
well.
- Orb - This would have benefitted from a graduated filter on the nose to get some black in
the sky. Like it, but I think the composition could have been improved to show the whole
power pole shadow.
- WildRide – Nice iPhone capture. Shows some drama. Maybe if a car was coming from the
other way it may have added some flair.
- Startrails24June2011 – It's a good star trail shot...... The clothesline adds interest. You
have given me better. I noticed this is the only shot you have watermarked. Have you
submitted this elsewhere??
Realy really good submission. NFQ
Sean's photo notes:
Here are my 7 for the month I seemed to
have had more time this month than other
months & really enjoyed playing & getting
used to my intervalometer!
Photo notes:
Here are my 7 for the month I seemed to
have had more time this month than other
months & really enjoyed playing & getting
used to my intervalometer!
Photo notes:
- Fireflys, Astronomy laser used to light
internal space over 30sec exposure.
“Unedited first go”
- Queenslander 3: HDR 8 exposure
using moon light and cars to assist
- Star mountain: 30sec exposure –
desat and filtered
- Star trails: 1st attempt (156 x 30s
exposures – battery ran flat) stacked
in third party software- grad colour
filter applied
- Star trails 24 June: 2nd attempt (412 x
4sec exposures, 1 every 30sec –
battery flat) stacked in third party
software only
- Orb: HDR 6 exposures cropped,
contrast added
- Wild Ride: Actually an iphone shot I
thought I would slip in just because I
sort of like the hectic gritty way it has
been composed, sure I could have set
up my camera in the back on a tripod
and technically got it much better but I
am using my phone more for planning
and sometimes they just work for me
– what do you think?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
| "Highrise Highway" |
| "Juice Time" |
