Weekly Challenge :: Part I :: The Reboot

[WannaBe_80z]

Let the games begin.

This is the official reboot of the "Weekly Challenge"(formally Themed Photography). I hope you all enjoy.

The Mission
I could go on a long rant here about what we want to accomplish here but really in the end all I want to see is some fine photography out of all you fk'ers

How it will work
Each week I will announce a subject or theme. Everyone participating will have to go out and shoot a new photo based around what was announced. You can post your images at anytime but all are due by midnight of the last day(just to keep procrastinators away).

What to post
Post an image of at least 750px wide for landscape or 450px for portrait. Please include at least the files EXIF data. Also a before photo would be awesome to see for the processing you did. If you really want brownie points a shot of your setup would be great especially for lighting shots.

Week 1
GO OUTSIDE
We will ease into this weekly shindig with an assignment to just GO SHOOT. But since it is free to shoot whatever you want I want to see at least 5 images from everyone to make up for it.

Now go shoot and let's see what you all do in a week.




Note: All images and/or photographs posted in this thread are the private property of the individual posting. No rights are given to anyone viewing this post. Use of any image posted in this thread is illegal and punishable by law, unless express permission is given by the photographer.

[azphotoguy]

Going to throw two up here.

The Snow Running Off
This is a two shot pano taken at 6 PM looking into the sun. Not a cloud in the sky. Only PP work was using the exposure slider in PS to balance the two images, along with sharpening and levels.


We All Get Old

I added a Black and White texture layer to fade out the background and played with sharpening and levels. I got a kick out of the rough and tough look and the reading glasses kept close by.

I hope that I have done this the right way, let me know please.

[el-Ignoramus]

I like the second one, very nice but myself I'd center the guy to the side to balance the picture more and emphasize on him, and this is a HUGE IMO but I think PP shouldn't be that MUCH, otherwise it becomes Fauxtography and not Photography.

First one, the EXTRA bright sky is too much

[azphotoguy]

In hind-sight, I agree with both crits. The pic of the guy was one that was done very quick and at 200 mm, I pointed shot and kept going. If I see him again, I will talk with him and get some more shots.

[loydall]

I like the way the river draws your eye up, into the photo - you've got decent clarity through that photo but maybe it would be good to mix in a lower exposure of the sky.

I've been out today so will post mine later/tomorrow.

[frex]

went out with my lady last night and took my cam with me...settings: ISO 500 to 1600, no flash, 50mm,1.4 prime...all shots taken by free hand at LOW light conditions...pp nothing but noise reduction and a tad USM...

[loydall]

Frex - these are nice - my fave is the waiter at the til in the restaurant - it looks like it could be Paris. Nice composition and lighting.

[loydall]

OK -Here's mine. Went out yesterday on a very grey and cloudy day. I'd rather not do too much processing but these were a little drab so I did fair bit of PS work on them (but hopefully not obviously so).

All shots on a canon 5D with 24-70

#1:

F/2.8, ISO 400, 1/320 SEC, @70MM
ps - levels, sharpen, saturation, boost in both warm and cool areas to increase contrast of shadow.

#2:

F/2.8, ISO 400, 1/1600 SEC, @70MM
PS: levels, sharpen, drop saturation of non-green colours to bring out leaves

#3

F/2.8, ISO 400, 1/640 SEC, @70MM
PS: levels, saturation

#4

F/2.8, ISO 400, 1/1600 SEC, @24MM (wish I'd shot at smaller f number - 2.8 is wrong)
PS - Gradient exposure in RAW editor, levels, saturation

#5
I'll link to this one:
http://johnloydall.co.uk/others/chal...ama1_small.jpg
19 Shots merged in PS. Levels over whole shot and then further levels on the sky, masked out. If you look closely you'll see that I didn't do a great job of masking the sky at the horizon.

Overall I'm not overly happy with the shots - was hoping for something a bit moodier but the light was flat and boring.

I have some others I may post if I can get a decent edit out of them.

[ctranter]

last one's pretty sweet loydall, masking job looks pretty good from here.

[frex]

#1 shows nice colors, almost crystallized water...what exactly is it? I see a guy on the phone

Thanks for commenting in my shots...it was quite fun to go shooting in the Theater and Bar...the barman is my fave too right after my lady of course ;D

[loydall]

#1 Was just a shallow pool at the bottom of a series of waterfalls.

[ctranter]

Trip to the coast


8s f/18.0 at 17.0mm iso100
.6 nd grad + 2.7 nd + circ polarizer


15s f/20.0 at 17.0mm iso100
.6 nd grad + 2.7 nd + circ polarizer



30s f/16.0 at 17.0mm iso100
.6 nd grad + 2.7 nd + circ polarizer


8s f/18.0 at 20.0mm iso100
.6 nd grad + 2.7 nd + circ polarizer


20s f/18.0 at 17.0mm iso100
.6 nd grad + 2.7 nd + circ polarizer


1/1000s f/8.0 at 560.0mm iso1000


1/640s f/8.0 at 560.0mm iso800


1/800s f/8.0 at 560.0mm iso320

[loydall]

Really, really nice - what are you using to get the purple sky?

And what processing did you use on number 5? I really like the contrast/detail you get on the rocks.

[ctranter]

Sky was a bit pinkish anyway and stacking all the filters gives it a weird colour cast, so it was just there. Actually only some minimal edits to all these.

Black and white conversion was done in photoshop using the "Black & White" adjustment - just played with the sliders till it looked good. Levels, bit of dodging and burning and that's it.

http://www.phtgrphy.co.uk/flashkit/compare.jpg
http://www.phtgrphy.co.uk/flashkit/comparebw.jpg

[WannaBe_80z]

Damn. Some fine stuff already coming out over the weekend! I didn't even take my camera out once! Been such crap weather.

Loydall that is some really nice stuff. I love the pano but there is 1 SMALL little thing to fix. If you go all the way to the bottom all the way to the right near that last patch of tree there is a little overlapping mismatch. Very easy to fix but figured I'd point it out.

[littleMatt]

wow! There is some amazing stuff going on here!

[azphotoguy]

The grounds at work are starting to say Spring - Shot these yesterday during lunch. The sun was high and the sky was very clear. PP included: Levels and Sharpening.

link to larger


link to larger

[loydall]

It almost looks like #2 has some odd colouring on it but then you realise it's the pink of the blossom from the tree behind.

Interesting pics.

[WannaBe_80z]

I actually really like #2. The only SMALL tidbit I see as a distraction is that dead branch in the upper right and the couple of stragglers across the pink on the left.

Awesome shots guys!

Been super busy getting our new warehouse at work ready so I have only taken a few shots but I think some are worthy of an edit. Should have a post up and new topic tomorrow!

[frex]

#1 seems to be skew a tad
#2 is nice...love the colors and yes, the twigs are distracting