weekly GarethB's 52 challenge for 2019 - Week 51 & 52 - CHRISTMASSY & OUTTAKES - FINISHED!

impressive arrangement, I would have probably lashed them across the room at some point half way through arranging them, nice use of light too

As always I appreciate the effort you put in, which always pays off :clap: great take on the theme
 
Superb Gareth. Thought it was a garden windmill to begin with but the idea and the execution is fabulous! :clap:
 
Gareth - great image this week. i didn't see they were forks to start with, and the rainbow blending of the flashes is superb - very creative take on the theme.
 
Plastic
Beautiful colours there and a good arrangement. I can quite believe how long it took to set up, but maybe not as long as your pp on your water drops on a leaf shot.
 
Allan.H said:
impressive arrangement, I would have probably lashed them across the room at some point half way through arranging them, nice use of light too

As always I appreciate the effort you put in, which always pays off :clap: great take on the theme
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Thank you Allan, that's very kind of you to say!:)
I came this close (**places forefinger and thumb a few millimetres apart**) to wrecking the entire setup myself....getting that circle to look right, in the middle of the forks was a nightmare!:giggle:

Dave70D said:
Agree with what`s been said, Gareth that is a totally fantastic shot for the plastic theme and best one yet imo. Great placing of the forks and the colours are beautiful, so great job done mate :clap::clap:
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Thank you so much Dave, I really appreciate the very kind, positive comment as always!:)
Once I had the shape sorted, I spent quite a while messing with different flash gels - trying different combos of colours etc.
I was originally trying to get a kind of 'sunflower' look, with a darkish warm colour in the centre, and a bright yellow on the 'petals', but it didn't work out.
Finally I went with the classic RGB which worked out well....wish I could say that I planned it like this!:giggle:

mdpF2 said:
That's a great picture Gareth, excellent lighting and very creative.
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Thank you Mark, I really appreciate the positive comment!

Scots_quine said:
Superb Gareth. Thought it was a garden windmill to begin with but the idea and the execution is fabulous! :clap:
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Many thanks Joan, for the very kind comment, most appreciated!:)
You've just given me an idea of how to responsibly dispose of all those plastic forks!
I wonder how buoyant the 'Garden Windmill' market is these days?!:giggle:
I'll split it with you Joan....50/50!!;)

Turbo-G said:
Gareth - great image this week. i didn't see they were forks to start with, and the rainbow blending of the flashes is superb - very creative take on the theme.
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Thank you kindly Grant, very kind of you to say!:)
Can't go wrong with the ol' RGB gels!!
I don't know why I was so surprised when I saw how they blended to form the rainbow colours....you'd think I'd have known ahead of time!:D

rpn said:
Wow, you really spent some thoughts and times on each of the theme and always come up with some amazing shots and this one is no exception. Just brilliant, again. :clap:
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Thank you very much Stan!:)
A very kind and positive comment indeed, most appreciated!

Nostromo said:
Plastic
Beautiful colours there and a good arrangement. I can quite believe how long it took to set up, but maybe not as long as your pp on your water drops on a leaf shot.
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Thank you so much Dominic!:)
I really appreciate the positive comment!
Yes, not quite as long as the leaf image, but not far off either!
If I'm not knackering my wrist in PP, then it's my back that suffers....bending over those blimming plastic forks for several hours, nudging them into place with a pencil!!:giggle:
We're martyrs to our craft!:D
 
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Hi Gareth, you must be retired or single, you have far too much time on your hands.
Love the care and thought that has gone into this image and it works so well.

Pete
 
seaodyssey said:
Hi Gareth, you must be retired or single, you have far too much time on your hands.
Love the care and thought that has gone into this image and it works so well.

Pete
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HAHA! You're kinda correct on both counts, which indeed means that I probably do have too much spare time nowadays!:D
Thanks for the kind comment as always Pete, most appreciated!(y)
 
CliveH said:
That is very clever, great for the theme and lovely lighting and colour.
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Thank you Clive, very kind of you to say!:)

Leebert said:
Wow! Wow! Wow! Stunning! Great patience getting the shot set up and excellent use of gels (I assume) for the colour. Fantastic image Gareth :clap:
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Many thanks Lee, really appreciated!(y)
You assume correctly - red, green and blue gels.
I shouldn't have been surprised to see that they blended to make those rainbow colours....but I was!!:D
 
Week 34 - Empty
Week 35 - Building(s)

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Bit late for week 34, I had a tough time coming up with anything....and then I started thinking about how much money I've spent on camera gear (as we all do from time to time I'm sure)...

...so may I present, 'empty pocket':


TP-52-2019 wk 34 - Empty by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

The 'moth' is a paper cut-out, suspended from a thread which was then 'cloned out' in photoshop.

Moving swiftly on to building(s).
I thought I'd visit my old stomping ground at the UEA today, since they have some quite striking architecture, and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is particularly notable.
It was designed by Norman Foster in the mid seventies, and finished in 1978.
If you think it looks reminiscent of Stanstead Airport, then you'd be correct, because it too was designed by Norman Foster.

Front:


TP-52-2019 wk 34 - Building Sainsbury 2 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

Interior:


TP-52-2019 wk 34 - Building Sainsbury 1 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

Next are the Ziggurats at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
These are the main, on campus halls of residence here at the UEA
They are split into two sections: Norfolk Terrace and Suffolk Terrace.
Norfolk Terrace is the nearest building on the left, and Suffolk Terrace is in the distance to the right.


TP-52-2019 wk 34 - Building UEA 2 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

Another of Norfolk Terrace from a different angle....I spent my first year at university living in one of these 'shoeboxes'!:LOL:
I seem to remember them being a lot grubbier back then (over 25 years ago!).


TP-52-2019 wk 34 - Building UEA 1 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

...as always, thanks for looking folks.:)
 
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Some really nice images there Gareth. Empty is very clever indeed, really nicely lit and composed. For Building, I like them all but I think you've chosen the best (for me).
 
Hi Gareth,

  • Building - #1 for me, because it showcases that the bulding is not a one off, but part of a cohesive design.
  • Interior - #2. Not really sure why, maybe because of the leading lines?
  • Empty - Nice bit of lighting there. Blue gel and flash / studio light for the background balanced with 56k for the foreground?
  • Plastic - This is very you :) Thanks of rhe explanation of the lighting. I was thinking it must be something like that. Great execution :)
  • Interior (again?) - I quite like the second of the coils, it's either than one for me or the close up on the bulbs.
 
Great idea and well executed shot for empty (y) not sure which of the building shots I like best so I won’t choose, any of them will do for the theme.
 
FlyPhot said:
Some really nice images there Gareth. Empty is very clever indeed, really nicely lit and composed. For Building, I like them all but I think you've chosen the best (for me).
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Thank you Jim, most appreciated!

Dave70D said:
Very nice shots for the themes Gareth, clever to use the butterfly cut out and think it`s a good shot. Building anyone would do but my pick is the 2nd to last one as like the composition of the pathway leading in.
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Many thanks indeed Dave for the positive comments!

LC2 said:
Hi Gareth,

  • Building - #1 for me, because it showcases that the bulding is not a one off, but part of a cohesive design.
  • Interior - #2. Not really sure why, maybe because of the leading lines?
  • Empty - Nice bit of lighting there. Blue gel and flash / studio light for the background balanced with 56k for the foreground?
  • Plastic - This is very you :) Thanks of rhe explanation of the lighting. I was thinking it must be something like that. Great execution :)
  • Interior (again?) - I quite like the second of the coils, it's either than one for me or the close up on the bulbs.
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Thank you most kindly Tim for the detailed comments.
Your point 2 is a good point...I sometimes get carried away with posting images here!!:sorry:
I thought it looked quite interesting inside (indeed, due to the leading lines), but maybe that doesn't really show in the image....I suppose it's one of those 'you had to be there' moments! When I look again, it does look quite cluttered....it is, afterall, just a big shed!!:giggle:

Spot on bit of 'CSI-ing' on the setup for 'empty'!(y)

rpn said:
Excellently thought out and set up for the Empty shot. Love the inclusion of the moth and the vivid blue lighting. :clap:

As for the Building theme, I prefer the main post #3 with the great use of the two curves as the leading lines to take your view to the modern building
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Thank you kindly Stan for the positive comments!(y)

Allan.H said:
Great idea and well executed shot for empty (y) not sure which of the building shots I like best so I won’t choose, any of them will do for the theme.
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Thank you very much Allan! Most appreciated!(y)
 
Really liking some of the building shots, the second one os my favourite. :)
 
Grerat building shots. Those stepped ones at UEA remind me of some I've photographed at one of the colleges in Cambridge. Near a statue of a young Charles Darwin I think.
 
-Oy- said:
Grerat building shots. Those stepped ones at UEA remind me of some I've photographed at one of the colleges in Cambridge. Near a statue of a young Charles Darwin I think.
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Thanks Dave, most appreciated.(y)

Curiosity got the better of me, so after a bit of googling I have found that the building that I think you're referring to is the New Court, Lasdun Building which is nicknamed the 'typewriter' building, and is located behind Christ's College, Cambridge.
And it was indeed designed by the same architect who designed the UEA buildings: Denys Lasdun.

Links:

Denys Lasdun
The 'typewriter' Building

He designed the UEA first though (1963)....**tut**.... just like that Cambridge lot to copy us!:LOL:
 
Yep - that's the one :)
 
Empty is a great idea Gareth, think most of us can agree with your statement ! If I am being totally honest or it could be my screen the blue seems really intense ? Unless that’s what you intended. The butterfly is a great addition though !
Building’s interesting architecture for sure. I do think a lot of the 70’s architecture though was a little clinical and modular. Nice shots though !
 
I like empty Gareth, a great idea of including the cut out moth there! I think next year could be an expensive year, if I can save enough that is!

Building, a great set of images of an interesting building. I do think the one linked in the photo's thread is my pick of the bunch, nice clouds in the sky and great composition.
 
chrispp said:
Empty is a great idea Gareth, think most of us can agree with your statement ! If I am being totally honest or it could be my screen the blue seems really intense ? Unless that’s what you intended. The butterfly is a great addition though !
Building’s interesting architecture for sure. I do think a lot of the 70’s architecture though was a little clinical and modular. Nice shots though !
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Thank you kindly Chris!(y)
I see what you mean....that blue is a bit 'nuclear'!!:giggle:
When I took the photo, the blue looked a bit washed out, so I messed with a bit, to give it some more punch....maybe I went a bit over the top!!:sorry:

michael23 said:
I like empty Gareth, a great idea of including the cut out moth there! I think next year could be an expensive year, if I can save enough that is!

Building, a great set of images of an interesting building. I do think the one linked in the photo's thread is my pick of the bunch, nice clouds in the sky and great composition.
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Thank you Michael, most appreciated!!(y)

Michael also said:
I think next year could be an expensive year...
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It's our duty as photographers to buy all the shiny new stuff, otherwise 'normal' people would buy it!!:D
 
Empty
Very good idea and well executed. The inclusion of the moth is really good, even if it's not real (I can't believe you didn't go and find a really moth ;))

Building
The 1st shot is pretty interesting and is my pick of the bunch.
 
Nostromo said:
Empty
Very good idea and well executed. The inclusion of the moth is really good, even if it's not real (I can't believe you didn't go and find a really moth ;))

Building
The 1st shot is pretty interesting and is my pick of the bunch.
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Many thanks Dominic, always appreciate your positive comments.(y)

Re. the moth: perhaps I should have captured a real one.:giggle:
Ultimately I sourced an image from the googles....I merely looked for one that looked quite striking and still had a moth-like quality.
I should have spent more time researching however, because the moth I chose, is actually not a resident species of the UK!:facepalm:
It is actually called a Brahmin Moth (Brahmaea hearseyi), and is found in The Far East and The Philippines! (I just googled it now!)
And another thing....it's huge! Way bigger than I portray in the image!! It can have a wingspan of up to 20cm!!:eek:
 
Hi Gareth

Iconic buildings, I like the last one best, but all interesting.
For the third one I like the leadin line created by the path, but the railings? clash with the buildings in the background. If you where taller and seperated it from them it would be much better.

Pete
 
seaodyssey said:
Hi Gareth

Iconic buildings, I like the last one best, but all interesting.
For the third one I like the leadin line created by the path, but the railings? clash with the buildings in the background. If you where taller and seperated it from them it would be much better.

Pete
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Many thanks Pete.(y)

Pete said:
If you where taller....
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Blame my parents for that!!:LOL:

You make a good point however, although I did try to frame it so that the buildings weren't 'chopped' off at their base, and I retained the leading line of the curve....I suppose it was one or the other....I chose the other!!;)
 
As always, stunning shots throughout. Your work/dedication week after week is inspirational. Totally nailed the PLASTIC theme!!

We done, mate. Keep rocking!!!
 
BobBCN said:
As always, stunning shots throughout. Your work/dedication week after week is inspirational. Totally nailed the PLASTIC theme!!

We done, mate. Keep rocking!!!
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Thank you so very much Bob!(y)
I really appreciate the positive comments!

full
 
Week 36 - Soft

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Here is my entry for the soft theme.
I was thinking I wanted to do something with cotton wool, and this is what I came up with.
It's quite a simple setup: a sheet of opaque perspex with cotton wool balls spread over the top, and a yellow gel flash underneath pointing upwards.
For some extra 'flavour' in the second image, I placed another red gel flash over the top of the balls, and in the third image, yet another blue gel flash opposite the red one.
I think they sort of look like hot coals on a fire, though quite how that relates to the theme, I'm not entirely sure!


TP-52-2019 wk-36 - Soft 3 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr


TP-52-2019 wk-36 - Soft 2 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr


TP-52-2019 wk-36 - Soft 1 by Gareth Bellamy, on Flickr

...as always, thanks for looking folks.:)
 
Very nice abstracty softness :)
 
Brilliant! If you hadn't explained it, I'd have thought you were under a bbq!
 
mdpF2 said:
Brilliant! If you hadn't explained it, I'd have thought you were under a bbq!
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Thank you most kindly Mark!

....I'd have thought you were under a bbq!
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I usually am....most likely after drinking heavily!!:LOL:

I wasn't entirely sure how it would turn out, but I was quite pleasantly surprised when I saw the result.
I'd been messing around with those blimming cotton wool balls all week, trying to think of something, then, just an hour ago, I came up with this!
Just in the nick of time!!
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Soft
When I first saw these, I thought they were marshmallows.
Very good concept, with great light. I really like the last one, with the added blue gel.
 
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