CCYC-Wk-16-Colour-Basics

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 16

Colour Basics

I think I need to go and take a basic art class…and even then,

with my colour vision loss it is going to

 be difficult to discern colours/shades/tones.

Because I am behind with this challenge

I am cheating a bit this week.

I have taken one photo and hopefully created

one warm and one cool abstract image

using Picasa’s duo-tone settings.

MGW tells me that the green is not warm…however, a pale green is included in the warm side of the colour chart.

Forgive me if this is not a warm green.

My maternal Grandfather had an intense dislike of green

(Irish and all that), however,

apparently he looked good in green.

My Grandmother purchased a Green jacket for him,

told him it was brown and he loved it.

He passed away in August 1940 long before his daughter

married in to a family with Irish ancestors! 🙂

What has that got to do with this challenge…

I have inherited his colour vision problems.

However I do like green.

 This image does make me want to ‘rug up’.

The dark green and purple/blue (or whatever colour)

are colours are in the colder side of the colour wheel.

 This is a cropped version of the original.

The Barwon River on an overcast morning (March 9, 2016).

Definitely a need to rug up in this image.

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CCYC: Wk-16-Colour-Basics

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CCYC-Wk-15-Cropping

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 15

Cropping

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The New Holland Honey Eater was photographed with my

Nikon D90 and Nikkor 55-300mm zoom lens

set at 300 mm.

This is the original, out of the camera,

New Holland Honey Eater photo.

Cropping to keep the whole bird in shot is

not my favourite shape of photo.

This is my favourite version of this image, although,

I have sharpened, or cropped it, too much.

The beak is soft and I am not sure if this is a depth of field issue

or because the beak was constantly moving.

Someone in the family was getting

a right royal telling off that day.

Dad would have said that this photo was okay

as when placed behind a piece of glass

any imperfections would be covered by the glass.

Another friend of the family would have exclaimed:

‘A blind man would be glad to see it and

a galloping horse wouldn’t stop’  

Many times I have recalled that saying…and it is so true.

I was trying to capture the hand rails in this shot.

However, knees and back were not assisting me at all,

so I placed my camera on the concrete.

Camera: Nikon D90,

Lens: Sigma 50-500mm,

Focal length: 50mm,

f/11,

ISO: 200,

Shutter: 1/400

By cropping out the first bar I achieved my goal.

 I can see this fitting into a challenge of some

description down the track.

Many will guess this what this is, however,

I think it is a more interesting shot

than the original…

which leaves nothing to the imagination, except…

how did the photographer get so close.

Camera: Nikon D90,

Lens: Sigma 50-500mm,

Focal length: 116mm,

f/14,

ISO: 200,

Shutter: 1/200

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CCYC: Wk-15-Cropping

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CCYC-Wk-14-Symmetry

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 14

Symmetry

 

I am way behind with this challenge, my apologies.Symmetry in one’s prized pooch,

or other livestock is always valued.

Even though Taji has her head slightly

to one side a line down her face

would provide two near symmetrical sides.

Apart from the blown out background and

the angle of our lawn and the rest of the yard

providing a lopsided view,

there is something missing in this picture.

Why is a Labrador sitting a few feet away

from some bread and not eating it?

When I show the original shot, the magpie balances the scene.

At least in my eyes it does.

Still  not a good photo though.

I have posted this shot a long time ago.

Horizontal symmetry…

or at least as close as I have ever seen.

Yes…severely cropped

AND

upside down.

This is the way it should be viewed.

 And this is what we awoke to on our first morning in Botswana

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CCYC: Wk-14-Symmetry

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CCYC-Wk-13-Perspective

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 13

Perspective

With a bunch of roses and a Nikon D90 battery,

I found inspiration for

CCYC – Perspective.

All photos were taken with my

Nikon D7100 and Sigma 18-250 zoom lens

set at 18mm.

In each photo I have tried to keep the top

of the roses and their reflection in the photo.

The battery is too close to be sharp,

however, it looks huge compared to the jug/vase.

Also note how it compares with a regular kitchen chair.

Halfway to the roses – about 80cm – and

the battery begins to appear normal in size.

Note battery – chair comparison again.

Another 30 -40 cm and my battery is

starting to look like it may fit in the camera.

 Sitting alongside the jug and the grey battery is almost ‘lost’.

In all shots the chair size and roses have

remained static in size.

Did you also notice that the roses were nearly level

with the top of the window.

That window is 180 cm / 6 feet high.

The stems are not that long! 🙂

However, with the camera sitting

on the table and an 18mm lens the

flowers appear much taller than they are.

So another deceptive perspective

Perspective is something to be aware of when

taking family or group photos.

Recently we had a family photo taken.

The person taking the photo decided,

for reason best know to  himself, to move to our right.

Number 1 son was standing on the right extremity,

while I was on the left extremity of the group.

Photographer takes the shot after moving to our right

and suddenly yours truly is no longer a centimetre

shorter than Number 1 son.

I appear head and shoulders shorter than

nearly all of the family.

By the way…I hope everyone has a

Happy Valentine’s Day.

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CCYC: Wk-13-Perspective

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CCYC-Wk-12-Critique-My-Work

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 12

Critique-My-Work

First let me say that I have not looked at any

other comments (apart from Chris’) or photos

about this challenge…as yet.

So, may be way off the mark.

Also the links to enlarge images were not working/opening

when I tried, so I have restricted my editing to

cropping and some colour, contrast enhancements.

With each of Cee’s photos I have included

the original followed by my version.
White Wall and Door.

I listened to a camera club judge criticise an image similar

to this…’too much sunshine, harsh shadows etc‘.

However, I think these type of images reflect the

hard and long life that the shed/wall/door has had.

Cropped and contrast added to accentuate

the corrugations and shadows.

Probably should have left some wall

on the left of image as well.

I think if I had taken this shot I would have

taken a front on shot to ‘level’ the wall.

However, having said that it would have

lost corrugated shadows in so doing.

My initial reaction to Red Umbrella was that the

point of interest/subject and to small.

However, I do think that this shot gives the impression

of a lost umbrella and that its owner

may have gone in either direction.

In cropping this shot I wanted to make the umbrella,

undoubtedly the focal point with some leading lines

away from it to suggest the direction of its owner.

After cropping to enlarge subject, I must confess to

seeing photos with a small subject gain many

online Facebook likes…which left me

questioning my photographic eye.

I found the background a bit too busy here and

was not too sure what the focal point

should be…lights, tyre, numbers or lettering.

Cropping has helped, but I still think

the reflections are distracting.

Instead of the taxi filling nearly two-thirds of the frame

it now fills nearly the whole frame.

Better or worse??

Sunset at the Marina.

First thing to do was straighten the horizon.

I do like the sun’s rays and the line drawing

one’s eye to the background/sun

Again cropped and played around with colours.

Not really happy with the result.

Coloured Chairs.

A riot of colour and too many reflections, got me.

Also I think the chairs are fighting with the window reflection/car.

 even cropping does not help a great deal.

There are still lines running all over the place.  Finally, it has taken two days since completing this post to decide to post it.

And I have added bits and pieces here and there.

Apologies if I have blown this Cee.

Nearly did not complete this week at all.

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CCYC: Wk-12-Critique-My-Work

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CCYC-Wk-11-Breaking-Rule-of-Thirds

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 11

Breaking the Rule of Thirds

I think this is something I always do.I think the sun looks best filling the frame as it does.

The small amount of foliage, at the bottom,

indicating how low it is.

Similarly the moon looks at its best slap bang in the centre.

A few weeks ago I posted this (cropped) photo.

The antennae again as close to middle as it can be.

This is the original.

Again I was not taking too much notice of rules

when I shot it, just the cockatoos,

but it is a little off centre.

I think the first version is the winner here.

Again the moon is scrambling to be in the centre third,

however, for my liking there is too much of nothing around it.

This is by far my favourite version.

This was taken to mark the ten weeks old milestone,

possibly through the glass door.

I was watching her tail slowly wagging and thinking of

how you can train the Lab but you can’t train the tail.

The focus leaves a bit to be desired, however,

I think the overall effect is better after cropping

to centre Taji’s head/body in the shot.

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CCYC: Wk-11-Breaking the Rule of Thirds

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CCYC-Wk-10-Using-Two-Thirds-of-the-frame

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 10

Rule of Thirds  Introduction.

Time to catch up.

When it comes to rules…well they are a dim distant thought

when taking and composing a photo.

This series is out of the camera shots with little or no editing,

and all shots taken back in the winter or late autumn.

Using two-thirds of the frame…

In my mind this hits the two-thirds mark.

However, my two-thirds are spread across

the upper bottom to the lower top third.

I did consider cropping our the foreground grass

which would give  a better 2-1 aspect ratio,

however, it would take away the fact that

this is a roadside fence.

I like this sunset and it does fit the two-thirds challenge,

leaving negative space in the foreground

to allow the sky and sun to create more impact

Next two shots…same trees different composition.

The tree tops probably stray into the left third a tad, however…

I like it more than this shot…

even though the top of the trees

do fill the top two-thirds.

As I said at he beginning, little or no editing…

which means tweaking sharpness and

straightening one horizon a tad, in these shots.

 Any and all comments welcome.

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CCYC: Wk-10-Using Two Thirds of the Frame

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• https://cxianliu.wordpress.com/2015/12/09/two-third-of-photo-frame/

• Cee’s Compose Yourself Photo Challenge: Week #10 Using 2/3 of your photo frame | ladyleemanilasphotos
• The Magic of Two Thirds | The Hood ~ MLJ Photos
• Cees Compose Yourself photo challenge: week 10 using 2/3rds of your frame | Christine Giberson
• https://juliepowell2014.wordpress.com/2015/12/09/cees-compose-yourself-challenge-top-of-bottom-thirds/
• CEE’S COMPOSE YOURSELF : USING TWO-THIRDS OF THE FRAME | SERENDIPITY
• Compose Yourself Photo Challenge Week 10 | lifelessons – a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
• Rule of Thirds (2) | theonlyD800inthehameau
• CYY Week 10: Using 2/3 of Your Photo Frame | The World Is a Book…
• http://aseasonandatime.blogspot.com/2015/12/cees-compose-yourself-challenge-week-10.html
• Cee’s Compose Yourself Photo Challenge -Week #10 – Using Two Thirds of the Frame | My Other Blog
• #21 Dance | You Inspire Me
• A 2/3 Safari | NihongoJapango
• http://lessywannagohome.blogspot.be/2015/12/23.html
• Cee’s Compose Yourself Photo Challenge: Week #10 Using 2/3 of your photo frame | RLUphoto
• Practicing Two-Thirds | Shedding Light
• Two-thirds | XingfuMama
• https://mukhamani.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/cees-compose-yourself-photo-challenge-week-10-using-23-of-your-photo-frame/
  

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Compose-Yourself-Wk-9-Rule-of-Thirds-Introduction

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 9

Rule of Thirds  Introduction.

I have been painting some verandah posts

during the past couple of week

and today realised that I have missed

a few weeks of this challenge.
This is one of the early shots taken on our

walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge.

While the Bridge is in the left third and

the tower (or whatever) solely in the right third,

I don’t like this shot from a photographic point of view.

I’m sure experts with Photoshop would pick up the rough editing

I have done…however, I think this version is more pleasing to the eye.

There was lack of balance in the first short even though each third,

except the centre column, contained something.

My eye runs along the concrete (handrail), to the pylon

and then is drawn to the buildings on the other side.

The left and top third intersect in the hole in the pylon.

While not a true thirds shot I think it works

because it is more balanced.

The left third contains mostly trees and bridge pylons

and half the right third is filled with the modern building

which is also reflecting the left side of the photo.

Again the bridge acts as a leading line (I think) drawing

the viewer’s eye to the other side of the Harbour

and away from the messy bottom third.

Again the right and top third intersect low down

on the major sail of the Opera House,

leaving the wake of the ferries to add

some interest in the middle third.

To my eye, even though I have cropped this photo

there is still too much empty space

Cropping, only seeing a portion of the moon,

adds more interest although

perhaps not a true thirds photo

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Cce’s Compose Yourself Photo Challenge:Wk-9-Rule-of-Thirds-Introduction

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Compose-Yourself-Leading-Lines

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 5

Leading Lines

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Some random photos which may fit the

‘leading lines’ theme. 

These lines track the boat from one corner

to the next corner of the photo.

An outing to Corio Bay one winter evening…

and I think it fits the theme.

Across the other side of the Bay with more leading lines

than one could poke a stick, I think.

This was taken just to the left of the previous photo.

Finally, a coastal road.

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Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge: Wk-5

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Compose-Yourself-Always-Take-More-Than-One-Photo

Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge

Week 3

Always Take More Than One Photo.

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I learned quickly to take more than one photo

while in Africa in 2013…

although I did not need much encouraging.

By the time I sighted this African Harrier Hawk I really

had a lead finger and have included the photo numbers

to give an idea of how many shots were taken.

129

Of the first four photos…

130

there is little difference…

131

and either one…

132

of them would look okay.

At least in my opinion.

133

However, by keeping the shutter clicking away…

136

I captured several other poses, followed by…

140

my favourites of the series.

141

Although the bird’s head is obscured by its wings,

it is a good lead…

144

 for the final shot included in this post.

I could have settled for one shot but would probably

have missed this shot, which I think is the best.

There is no cluttered background…and a bird in flight.

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This afternoon I took a few shots for the Travel Theme.

and included two in CCYC also.

Pig-Face under our Lipstick Maple
And a closer view of the plant.

This morning, before the sun warmed up

all the flowers were closed and all we saw

was a mass of green.

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Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge: Wk-3

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