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Fortnightly Challenge - Dec 18 thru Jan 8 - Topic: Holiday

J

JohnMC

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 5, 2006
386
1
Duluth, MN
Fortnightly Challenge - Dec 18 thru Jan 8

Challenge topic: Holiday (the Holidays, a Vacation, be creative)

The challenge will run from right now until : 11:59PM Jan 8 (extended so everyone can take part in New Years.)

Rules:
1. Photos should be your own work.
2. Produced within the challenge period if possible.
3. All positive feedback and criticism is encouraged and welcome if you posted or not.
4. There is no real limit to the number of photos you may enter.

Challenge topics:
1. Suggestions for the bi-weekly's challenge are made in a single thread which will be set up the week before.

Lets have fun!!!
 
Designer Dale

Designer Dale

macrumors 68040
Mar 25, 2009
3,950
101
Folding space
Holiday Colors

4196731700_07a2fbc8ee_o.jpg

EXIF Summary: 1/400s f/4.5 ISO100 60mm

Dale
 
Chappers

Chappers

macrumors 68020
Aug 12, 2003
2,247
1
At home
OK - three photos so far - all of them make me wonder what I can post

Dale - very clever - how long did it take and how did you do it ?

CK - This has a truly season feel about it.

Maxx - Also very seasonal - its got a retro olde world feel about it - good quality.

So I'm a bit stuck...... of I go to look for something - anything.
 
Designer Dale

Designer Dale

macrumors 68040
Mar 25, 2009
3,950
101
Folding space
Chappers said:
OK - three photos so far - all of them make me wonder what I can post

Dale - very clever - how long did it take and how did you do it ?

CK - This has a truly season feel about it.

Maxx - Also very seasonal - its got a retro olde world feel about it - good quality.

So I'm a bit stuck...... of I go to look for something - anything.
Click to expand...

Thanks and I agree with all you have to say. Maxx has a nose for good clean exposures that most of us would have botched. Great depth and feel.

As for my leaf photo, it took 1/400th of a second, and I'm not being smart. I was looking up framing leaves with similar colors when I looked down and saw this single leaf. I snapped a quick shot just before the wind picked up and made it unshootable. I call it my Lucky Shot.

Your conundrum: Turkey?? Work from the theme of colour or "Holiday" as referring to a vacation in Europe.

Dale
 
Chappers

Chappers

macrumors 68020
Aug 12, 2003
2,247
1
At home
Designer Dale said:
As for my leaf photo, it took 1/400th of a second, and I'm not being smart. I was looking up framing leaves with similar colors when I looked down and saw this single leaf. I snapped a quick shot just before the wind picked up and made it unshootable. I call it my Lucky Shot.
Click to expand...
Dale - Respect - a bit lucky maybe - still damn good!

Here is mine that I'd forgotten about.

4199442110_d6f8dcdc43_b.jpg
 
M

Maxxamillian

macrumors 6502
Nov 16, 2004
359
0
Utah
Some very kind comments in regards to my picture…the feedback is very much appreciated. The picture by CK Williams makes me want to be in Europe. My wife and I were talking about making a trip to Germany just the other day. A sign perhaps? :)

Deep Diver asked for a walkthrough--no secrets here so onwards and upwards:

1.
Original (this is my tree from last year):
745868652_y3rrm-L.jpg


Result (posted here to allow for a more direct comparison):
744714594_tW9B7-L.jpg


ISO: 100
Exposure: 2sec
Nikkor 24-70mm @36mm tripod mounted MC-36 trigger
Nikon D3

2. Crop (doing this before applying the filters I worked with is critical--cropping @ finished product translates into more work (adjustments) after).
3. Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0: Darken / Lighten filter. This is a global application with about 5 points where I selectively dialed back the global effects.
4. Nik Viveza. There are about 23 points that were adjusted on this layer. Many of you know I like my darks--this is one of the ways I make sure the focus is where I want it to be. Each of these points are selectively dialed for contrast, brightness, and saturation.
5. Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 Darken / Lighten filter (again). Same as step 3. A note for those familiar with this filter--I used the odd shaped ornament next to the doll as my center.
6. CS4: Various blurs to selectively soften.
7. Nik Viveza. Same as step 4 only this time there are about 20 points dialed.
8. Thoughts: All told there were about 70 adjustments made to the photo--captured in 7 layers. I wanted to bring out the doll's face a bit more, saturate colors, and add warmth to the entire pic. I sacrificed my white temp for the latter and am pleased I did not need to re-adjust for the whites. I also wanted to bring the purplish ornaments out more (directly above and also to the right of the doll). Finally I selectively adjusted exposure across the picture in order to control focus points. Last year's pic is this year's card. This year's shoot will include some high f-stop numbers in order to get the star effect around the lights. I'd also like to try some very light light-painting and see how that turns out.

Does this help? I'd be happy to explain further. I wince each time I expose a raw shot to the world. This is no exception. At least it isn't as bad as the raw motorcycle shot I used that had a porta-potty in it's blue glory for all to see, and of course, comment on. ;)
 
C

cmustin

macrumors newbie
Oct 2, 2009
26
0
15340_702994571208_12701165_40281109_6616389_n.jpg


^ Caught on my way home from doing some Christmas shopping...

15340_698793809568_12701165_40148658_7256059_n.jpg


^ Parked in my neighbor's driveway to get this perspective
 
deep diver

deep diver

macrumors 68030
Jan 17, 2008
2,709
4,512
Philadelphia.
Maxxamillian said:
Deep Diver asked for a walkthrough--no secrets here so onwards and upwards:

1.
Original (this is my tree from last year):

Result (posted here to allow for a more direct comparison):

ISO: 100
Exposure: 2sec
Nikkor 24-70mm @36mm tripod mounted MC-36 trigger
Nikon D3

2. Crop (doing this before applying the filters I worked with is critical--cropping @ finished product translates into more work (adjustments) after).
3. Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0: Darken / Lighten filter. This is a global application with about 5 points where I selectively dialed back the global effects.
4. Nik Viveza. There are about 23 points that were adjusted on this layer. Many of you know I like my darks--this is one of the ways I make sure the focus is where I want it to be. Each of these points are selectively dialed for contrast, brightness, and saturation.
5. Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 Darken / Lighten filter (again). Same as step 3. A note for those familiar with this filter--I used the odd shaped ornament next to the doll as my center.
6. CS4: Various blurs to selectively soften.
7. Nik Viveza. Same as step 4 only this time there are about 20 points dialed.
8. Thoughts: All told there were about 70 adjustments made to the photo--captured in 7 layers. I wanted to bring out the doll's face a bit more, saturate colors, and add warmth to the entire pic. I sacrificed my white temp for the latter and am pleased I did not need to re-adjust for the whites. I also wanted to bring the purplish ornaments out more (directly above and also to the right of the doll). Finally I selectively adjusted exposure across the picture in order to control focus points. Last year's pic is this year's card. This year's shoot will include some high f-stop numbers in order to get the star effect around the lights. I'd also like to try some very light light-painting and see how that turns out.

Does this help? I'd be happy to explain further. I wince each time I expose a raw shot to the world. This is no exception. At least it isn't as bad as the raw motorcycle shot I used that had a porta-potty in it's blue glory for all to see, and of course, comment on. ;)
Click to expand...


I am hard to impress. I am officially impressed. I can't even imagine having your eye that allows you to see so much and so far ahead. My hat is off.
 
Chappers

Chappers

macrumors 68020
Aug 12, 2003
2,247
1
At home
Maxx - thanks for the info and for being kind enough to share. Your work is lovely and provides great contrast and style for the site in general. Good work.

I was going to post a swan picture this morning but I've been awake for 1.5 hours as someone left their water on, which is pouring down the elevator shaft of our building - its 5:20am and I'm awake. So enough water - (except for the frozen stuff) - here is Cambridge's Jesus Green - looking seasonal - taken with a disposable Kodak 35mm

4201056360_e45e9efe08_b.jpg
 
Designer Dale

Designer Dale

macrumors 68040
Mar 25, 2009
3,950
101
Folding space
Chappers said:
Maxx - thanks for the info and for being kind enough to share. Your work is lovely and provides great contrast and style for the site in general. Good work.

I was going to post a swan picture this morning but I've been awake for 1.5 hours as someone left their water on, which is pouring down the elevator shaft of our building - its 5:20am and I'm awake. So enough water - (except for the frozen stuff) - here is Cambridge's Jesus Green - looking seasonal - taken with a disposable Kodak 35mm

4201056360_e45e9efe08_b.jpg
Click to expand...

I saw this on your Flickr. This is a very nice shot. Nice clean cold (very cold) feel of the holidays. My weather is all rain and chilly now. This is what the college green in Athens, Ohio looked like at this time of year.

Dale

Share your photos:: Photo of the Day | Fortnight Challenge | Weekly Contest
 
CK Williams

CK Williams

macrumors 6502a
Dec 27, 2008
842
15,521
Las Vegas
Maxxamillian, absolutely a sign that you need to take the trip. :) Looking through them makes me want to hop on a jet right now. Thanks for the PP lesson. Definitely something I need to get better at.

A couple of other street scenes. (clickable)
 

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