tlc Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) Exploring isolating your subject Encompasses depth of field (so play with apertures and distance from backgrounds/subject/camera etc), watching out for distracting background elements (no posts out of heads, learn to move as you visualize your shot to eliminate/minimize funky extras you don't need in the shot etc), altering your shooting angle to get a cleaner background, giving your subjects room to "breathe" and others bits & bobs. I think it's a pretty flexible theme that allows for all kinds of lenses, techniques & photo opportunities while building on the strong base of "focus". Good step in the move from snapshots to more polished photographs. Edited September 1, 2012 by tlc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 What about focus stacking in macro? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Can you tell me what that is exactly? :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Taking a series of photos with macro and each shot has a different focus point. You then merge in your software so you get a wide DOF in macro shots. Is quite cool if done right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Not sure about any other challenges for basics, my mind automatically goes to new weird and wonderful techniques. I might start a focus stack thread like the Brenizer one when I'm caught up on things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 A challenge exploring window light might be nice :) I was thinking today of one to teach how to do composites (as I did another one for my selfie today), but again, it's limited to people with a tripod and PS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 How about straight out of camera? NO editing . We can play around with getting results , both accurate and 'interesting' by adjusting composition? speed/ISO, focus , etc ? Anyone game? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) I'm the same as Snook. Plus, the idea of someone playing with my images kinda makes me nervous ETA I don't mind a before vs after thing though. Edited August 29, 2012 by huga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Id love to see an example of the photo stack, that soulnds like too much hard work. :laugh: I think I mentioned about posting sooc photos and it wasnt real well received. What about a square crop challenge, that might be interesting? I really don't mine what we do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) My votes would be for something fundamental: - exploring the rule of thirds - shooting verticals - exploring negative space - exploring alternative ratios: squares, panoramics, cinematic (1:2.39 etc), 1:2, 1:3 and so on - capturing motion: fast and slow shutters; dragging the shutter; using speedlites/strobes etc - exploring shooting angles: ground level, from above, straight on, bird's eye... - isolating subjects from backgrounds: depth of field, shooting angle, watching for distracting elements... I like the ideas of editing in various ways(textures, composites etc) for ongoing challenges. I'm not a fan of SOOC as I shoot RAW for a reason; even when I shoot jpeg I think about how I am going to achieve what I want. To not use all the tools at one's disposal is like shooting film and leaving it undeveloped in the roll or putting the camera on P and firing away. What one does in camera is only part of the creation process. Edited August 29, 2012 by kja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I think Pers meant playing with our own images by adjusting the composition etc, not playing with each others images. she does :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 My votes would be for something fundamental: - exploring the rule of thirds - shooting verticals - exploring negative space - exploring alternative ratios: squares, panoramics, cinematic (1:2.39 etc), 1:2, 1:3 and so on - capturing motion: fast and slow shutters; dragging the shutter; using speedlites/strobes etc - exploring shooting angles: ground level, from above, straight on, bird's eye... - isolating subjects from backgrounds: depth of field, shooting angle, watching for distracting elements... I like the ideas of editing in various ways(textures, composites etc) for ongoing challenges. I'm not a fan of SOOC as I shoot RAW for a reason; even when I shoot jpeg I think about how I am going to achieve what I want. To not use all the tools at one's disposal is like shooting film and leaving it undeveloped in the roll or putting the camera on P and firing away. What one does in camera is only part of the creation process. I would like the above ideas, I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to photography so nothing too difficult would be nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) Oops, sorry Pers Edited August 29, 2012 by huga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are You Serious Jo Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I only shoot RAW too, so all pictures need to be processed. kja has some good suggestions, and even if some of us can already do it it is good to have incentive to go out and do it again for fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clicking Mad Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 like kja's suggestions was going to start a "square" thread, just because I've been inspired by possumcorner's link in "August" and came up with a few landscape ones this morning :) other than that, I'm game for most though textures, and macro stacking sounds too time-consuming for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 CM I started the texture thread as an ongoing one, you can start the square crop one since yours are so awesome! Then I'll be inspired to do one, oh I just did one in the texture thread! I'm on fire tonight! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Thanks :) What did you decide? Tomorrow's the first!! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 Kristin, everyone liked your ideas so you choose and I'll change the first post to suit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) I think others should chime in on what they want to do - I'll be on holidays for most of Sept and won't be able to participate much! Maybe a poll? 1st gets Sept, 2nd gets Oct etc? Save having to do a "what shall we do" thread every month? Edited August 31, 2012 by kja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) out of time! I guess I'd start with: Exploring isolating your subject Encompasses depth of field (so play with apertures and distance from backgrounds/subject/camera etc), watching out for distracting background elements (no posts out of heads, learn to move as you visualize your shot to eliminate/minimize funky extras you don't need in the shot etc), altering your shooting angle to get a cleaner background, giving your subjects room to "breathe" and others bits & bobs. I think it's a pretty flexible theme that allows for all kinds of lenses, techniques & photo opportunities while building on the strong base of "focus". Good step in the move from snapshots to more polished photographs. Edited August 31, 2012 by kja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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