weekly blakesters 52 for 2013 Finally Complete! Last 3 weeks added

Hey Iain :wave: It was great meeting up with you again today.

Ok so I've not had much time on the commenting but as my shot for this week is somewhat similar to yours I thought I best be the first to comment here!

Obviously I think this is excellent, I especially like the conversion to B&W, great tones in it.

I've not got much time to go back through all the shots I've missed, but I think I've said a fair bit FB!

Now I best get a wiggle on and post mine!
 
Hi Iain

that works for me the statue has an isolated feel to it so fits the theme perfectly, being lonely even in a crowded place, the more I look at it the more I like it :clap:

Minor point you could try straightening it slightly
 
Hi Iain, yet another great B&W long exposure...... (y)

Liking the low POV, and the long exposure really captures the rush by feel of the city..
 
The goblin said:
Hey Iain :wave: It was great meeting up with you again today.

Ok so I've not had much time on the commenting but as my shot for this week is somewhat similar to yours I thought I best be the first to comment here!

Obviously I think this is excellent, I especially like the conversion to B&W, great tones in it.

I've not got much time to go back through all the shots I've missed, but I think I've said a fair bit FB!

Now I best get a wiggle on and post mine!
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And you too Marsha :)

I look on it more of a sharing of ideas ;)

Thanks for looking in/commenting (y)

alsjazzera said:
Hi Iain

that works for me the statue has an isolated feel to it so fits the theme perfectly, being lonely even in a crowded place, the more I look at it the more I like it :clap:

Minor point you could try straightening it slightly
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Thanks Allan (y)
I am glad you feel it fits the theme and isn't so much of a crowbar :D

Good point on the straightening, done now but acknowledging your point here so it is in context.

overbez said:
Hi Iain, yet another great B&W long exposure...... (y)

Liking the low POV, and the long exposure really captures the rush by feel of the city..
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Thanks Graham, (y)

I seem to have had a bit of a run of long exposure B&W's albeit this one was only a few seconds.

I stopped down to f20 (I think), low iso and had a 3 stop ND filter on too, to give me a 2-3 sec exposure.
 
Hey Iain :)

blakester said:
Are you referring to curve Dean?

If yes, its Felixstowe opposite side of the town centre to the docks (y)
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Ahhhhh.. never been there before, good find mate :)

Power - Oooo you bugger, that's a cracker, lovely smooth water and soft wispy sky, a real pleasing conversion mate :clap:

<EDIT> missed this

Solitude - I agree with Allan, the more I see it the more I like it, it's as if it is alone in time while the world passes by, very ghostly (y)
 
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Dark Knight said:
Hey Iain :)

Ahhhhh.. never been there before, good find mate :)

Power - Oooo you bugger, that's a cracker, lovely smooth water and soft wispy sky, a real pleasing conversion mate :clap:

<EDIT> missed this

Solitude - I agree with Allan, the more I see it the more I like it, it's as if it is alone in time while the world passes by, very ghostly (y)
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Thanks Dean (y)
My curve image at Felixstowe, I had a go photographing it when I first found it, went beck between times and there was a lot of coastal defences work going on. I thought this might be covered or changed during those works but it was a pleasant surprise that it remained untouched.

Power is probably been done a million times but I had never shot this view so had to have a go.

Solitude, when I first saw these sculptures, I knew exactly how I wanted to shoot them. I don't know for how long they will be there as they are part of a temporary art display so it was good to get them before they were removed.

Cheers
 
Hi ya Iain :wave:

Old slow coach here having a catch up yet again !

Power.....love it...no crit just love it :clap::clap:.........totally envious of this type of shot ,I'm struggling big time with long exposures :crying: Got myself booked on a course to point me in the right direction though !

Solitude.......lovely mono conversion & well thought of in connection with the theme....very ghostly but conveys the feeling of being alone so well :clap:

This is yet another type of shot that I have no idea how to do.....any chance of some instructions ?

ttfn :wave:
 
blondie606 said:
Power.....love it...no crit just love it :clap::clap:.........totally envious of this type of shot ,I'm struggling big time with long exposures :crying: Got myself booked on a course to point me in the right direction though !

Solitude.......lovely mono conversion & well thought of in connection with the theme....very ghostly but conveys the feeling of being alone so well :clap:

This is yet another type of shot that I have no idea how to do.....any chance of some instructions ?
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Lynne it was really very simple, just a slow exposure! But it's quite a challenge getting the timing/ DOF perfect. I found 2 to 3 seconds was just about right. Using F4 meant I couldn't get a slow enough shutter speed. Using a variable ND meant the shutter speed was too slow and the people were too ghostly :bonk: I think mine was shot at F8. But I had to wait for the right traffic in the back ground. Blurry red buses were much better at the higher angle than stationary white vans!

It really is just lots of experimenting!

I hope that helps, a tiny bit!
 
Oh, yeah. That works for me :clap: I'm a great fan of Alexey Titarenko. The blur is bang on as is the contrast.

Do you have any with the sculpture central?

Cheers.
 
blondie606 said:
Hi ya Iain :wave:

Old slow coach here having a catch up yet again !

Power.....love it...no crit just love it :clap::clap:.........totally envious of this type of shot ,I'm struggling big time with long exposures :crying: Got myself booked on a course to point me in the right direction though !

Solitude.......lovely mono conversion & well thought of in connection with the theme....very ghostly but conveys the feeling of being alone so well :clap:

This is yet another type of shot that I have no idea how to do.....any chance of some instructions ?

ttfn :wave:
Click to expand...

Thanks Lynne,
Long exposures are as Marsha mentioned about experimentation.
I have found a way that works for me, its not prescriptive as each scene will work differently. I have my 10 stop filter on, as well as the ND grads to bring the sky down as that will obviously be brighter than the land/water below.

Then its a case of trying different exposures until I get something that looks to be about right on the back of the camera. I have the blinkies on too, just to see how much of the scene is blown, too many and I expose less. These are done with a B&W conversion in mind.

Solitude was done slightly differently to Marsha. I had quite a high f number, around f16 if memory serves, low iso and about a 4 second exposure. I also had a 3 stop ND filter on too, just to give it a bit longer. Too long and the people disappear which wasn't what I was after.
 
The goblin said:
Lynne it was really very simple, just a slow exposure! But it's quite a challenge getting the timing/ DOF perfect. I found 2 to 3 seconds was just about right. Using F4 meant I couldn't get a slow enough shutter speed. Using a variable ND meant the shutter speed was too slow and the people were too ghostly :bonk: I think mine was shot at F8. But I had to wait for the right traffic in the back ground. Blurry red buses were much better at the higher angle than stationary white vans!

It really is just lots of experimenting!

I hope that helps, a tiny bit!
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Thanks Marsha (y)
I did wonder how you shot yours :LOL:
 
Really cool shots those Iain! Definitely have a spooky / ghostly look to them - love how the statue contrasts so much with the movement of the surroundings, very cool. I actually quite like your second shot too - think I prefer the blurred people in this one, as you can see them a little more clearly? B&W works very well too, nice work! (y)
 
WMD said:
Really cool shots those Iain! Definitely have a spooky / ghostly look to them - love how the statue contrasts so much with the movement of the surroundings, very cool. I actually quite like your second shot too - think I prefer the blurred people in this one, as you can see them a little more clearly? B&W works very well too, nice work! (y)
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Thanks Matt (y)
 
Well week 39, a bit of a last minute submission again this week :D

Below is my take on the theme, a literal one though but couldn't put my other ideas into a photograph. C&C welcome as always.


Week 39 - Sweet by iain blake, on Flickr
 
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ams99 said:
As ever, another stunner from Iain.

Love the Rubik's theme. Great colours against a white background. Well thought out and executed. I'm envious. Good work fella.
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Thanks Alan (y)

Edible props too, I feel its the future of photography :LOL:
 
Yup that's great. I was thinking of doing something similar with sugar cubes so you've made my day. :D

I do have a criticism though - and I know it's really picky - but you can't have two centre tiles the same colour on a rubix cube, it's impossible to solve. Sorry to be negative Iian.

The colours and the background and the processing are perfect, as usual.

Oh, and we ate all the props after doing mine as well (y)
 
Brian_of_Bozeat said:
Yup that's great. I was thinking of doing something similar with sugar cubes so you've made my day. :D

I do have a criticism though - and I know it's really picky - but you can't have two centre tiles the same colour on a rubix cube, it's impossible to solve. Sorry to be negative Iian.

The colours and the background and the processing are perfect, as usual.

Oh, and we ate all the props after doing mine as well (y)
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:LOL: Thanks Brian, you picky so and so :cautious:

Yes edible props are the way forward I feel ;)
 
Hi Iain

Another really well thought out and executed image, the colour is superb :clap:

never been able to do more than one side of a Rubiks cube due to the fact that life's too short so I can't comment on the placing of the colours

edible shots are indeed the way forward, I do hope this weeks theme is cheese or cows:LOL:
 
As usually cracking lighting and liking the take on the theme.

Crit...not keen in the composition/crop. Think it may suit a square crop.

Cheers.
 
alsjazzera said:
Hi Iain

Another really well thought out and executed image, the colour is superb :clap:

never been able to do more than one side of a Rubiks cube due to the fact that life's too short so I can't comment on the placing of the colours

edible shots are indeed the way forward, I do hope this weeks theme is cheese or cows:LOL:
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Thanks Allan (y)
I never managed to complete it either :LOL:

Cheese or cows?
You've seen what the Boy from Bozeat has done this week? Heaven knows what he would come up with if one of those were to be drawn :LOL:

posiview said:
As usually cracking lighting and liking the take on the theme.

Crit...not keen in the composition/crop. Think it may suit a square crop.

Cheers.
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Cheers Andy,
It is a square crop but thought a closer/tighter crop didn't quite work.
 
Ha ha ha, brilliant. At my previous unit there was a guy addicted to the Rubik's cube, he ended up teaching all of us how to do it. I could never master the last side. Yes Brian is correct you can't have two centre colours the same, but that's being rather critical! For a bunch of sweets it looks really good (y)
 
The goblin said:
Ha ha ha, brilliant. At my previous unit there was a guy addicted to the Rubik's cube, he ended up teaching all of us how to do it. I could never master the last side. Yes Brian is correct you can't have two centre colours the same, but that's being rather critical! For a bunch of sweets it looks really good (y)
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Thanks Marsha :D

The props are nearly all gone now :LOL:
 
blondie606 said:
Rubiks cube...my god that takes me back to wasted hours of frustration :LOL:

For the shot....as usual no crit , beautifully lit , super sharp & tasty to boot :clap::clap:
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Thanks Lynne (y)
There was still frustration even though it wasn't a real rubik cube, trying to get the sweets to balance :LOL:

JohnN said:
I really like sweet - nice idea well executed :clap:
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Cheers John (y)

HWest said:
The sense of movement in the solitude shot is lovely but that Rubik's cube is just fantastic.
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Thanks for looking in and commenting Tony (y)
 
Nice idea Iain, are these just balanced?? or did you poke cocktail sticks through from the back??

The only thing letting it down is the slightly droopy / misalligned top layer at the back. But I like it and the part turn makes it instantly recognisable as to what it is.
 
overbez said:
Nice idea Iain, are these just balanced?? or did you poke cocktail sticks through from the back??

The only thing letting it down is the slightly droopy / misalligned top layer at the back. But I like it and the part turn makes it instantly recognisable as to what it is.
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No cocktail sticks Graham. I used a small piece of clear acetate to balance the top layer so I could turn it as one would a normal rubik cube.

I don't think the top layer is droopy as such, the sweets were not uniform size so some are smaller than others but I take your point (y)
 
I have a question for you. please can you say if this has this been shot in a light tent? and with continuous lights or flash? Have you 'shopped' the reflections at all?

You are way too clever Mr Blake. Nice one. (y)
 
Brian_of_Bozeat said:
I have a question for you. please can you say if this has this been shot in a light tent? and with continuous lights or flash? Have you 'shopped' the reflections at all?

You are way too clever Mr Blake. Nice one. (y)
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No light tent Brian, shot using natural light through the window reflected back using a silver reflector with a little fill flash at the side to kill any shadow.

No photoshop involved on account of not having it, it died with my laptop :LOL:
I have got a mac now and use the basic iPhoto that came along with it. I am able to do basic changes with it, ie levels, shadows and highlights but nowt fancy like layers and such.

Thanks Brian (y)
 
The goblin said:
Another poor fork bites the dust.

You definitely have a competition for pebbles now with the forks.

Great as always, superb lighting and I like the square crop.
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:LOL: thanks Marsha, yes I'm afraid a fork was harmed in the making of this photograph, all 22p worth courtesy of tesco :LOL:

Gotta have a default option, this year it appears to be cutlery :LOL:
 
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