Weekly Photo Contest March 5th - 12th: Stuck indoors!

[someoldguy]

This thing is an egg of the West African lamp eye fish Plataplocheilus miltotaenia . I suspect the egg is maybe 3 days old . You can see what appears to be the start of a spinal column running from below the central blob upwards to the right .

Canon 7D , 1950's (?) Unitron microscope I picked up in college , eBay Pentax M43 microscope adapter with an M43 to Eos adapter . The whole thing is controlled remotely ( except for focusing) via Canon's EOS utility

 

[oblomow]

Don't be sad. We all miss him. He produces great images. (but I still wonder why the image reminds you of him)

 

[kenoh]

Don't be sad. We all miss him. He produces great images. (but I still wonder why the image reminds you of him)

No idea... all i can think is that the wee red guy looks scary and rhst mede me think he was a bad guy... and the rest is as you know...

 

[The Bad Guy]

For some reason this image makes me think of @The Bad Guy. No idea why... where is he anyway? Maybe i miss him...

Naaaaaaw...how sweet. I've missed you too, Ken.

All my stuff is indoors, so here's an old photo from my old studio. Why post it? Well, because the behind the scenes shot was taken as this one was taken so I thought it was appropriate.

As a side note, this young girl is quite possibly the most beautiful subject I've ever shot. Just wish I knew what I was doing back then or had access to her now.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Okay guys times up. Back with the results in a bit.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Okay guys times up. Back with the results in a bit.

Looking forward to this.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well guys It falls on me to judge this weeks images. I’m just a hobbyist so please don’t feel offended by my comments. I am no more qualified to judge than the next guy, but just how I see it.

Thanks for all of you for entering and those of you that had a set up shot to post as well. Hopefully given a few of us food for thought.



@anotherscotsman

Nice job. Simplistic approach which had I not seen your set up shot I would have sworn was taken with some speed lights to give it that dark background.
Just shows what can be done with a bit of imagination and the simplest of gear.
B&W adds a nice affect. Orchids are a wonderful flower to shoot.


@kenoh

Nothing fancy except your back up Leica! Either way the lighting provides a nice shadow. In colour the view through the window would have been too distracting but in B&W it works well. Would have loved to have seen this light and shadow reflecting of a model, but I know you have trouble getting your girls to pose for you (or maybe you are just trying to hide yet another camera from the Mrs!).


@malofx

Another B&W. Proving popular this week. So I guess you have trouble with family models too, and have to resort to shooting them whilst they are asleep? Anyway I like the way you have filled the frame with a tight shot, but like most people shots the eyes are the key. I think this would work better as part of a photo story like at the end of a busy day or something like that.


@Hughmac

Again another simple idea that looks good. A simple set up (but man why did you choose that pink tripod!) that produced a great result. The reflection adds a little something extra to the image. I wonder if those wicker chairs might cast an interesting shadow with the right lighting.


@MacRy

Looks like the love child of Darth Maul and Jason from Halloween! Love the smoke effect with a couple of speed lights. I don’t give my speedlights the love they deserve.
Again not shot in a big fancy studio, but has produced a very professional result.


@oblomow

Keeping it real simple. Just an iPhone for lighting. Yet its produced a really nice image. Shows the subject totally engrossed in her phone. Probably why you got away with the shot! The result is a little too grainy for my taste, but as there was not much in the way of lighting hardly surprising. As a composition though I think you positioned it spot on with the negative (black) space providing a great contrast to the lit up face.


@someoldguy

Well I wasn’t expecting to see something microscopic! Not a photography area I know anything about. Totally fascinating. Is it hard to do? I suspect nailing focus would be tricky. Not sure where one picks up three day old fish eggs from though!


@The Bad Guy

I thought you might have an entry this week. I like the fact that we can see how you produce all those wonderful images! I did some head shots at work the other day and hadn’t got a clue how to direct my subjects! If this is you not knowing what you were doing, then I’m sure I don’t have a clue!



So could have called this a couple of different ways but I’m going with


· Third: @oblomow for the composition.

· Second: @The Bad Guy for being professional as always.

· First: @MacRy for a superb effort with basic props. Over to you.

 

[Hughmac]

Well, I think I got most of the winners right, even if not in the correct order - congrats to them

Thanks for your comments - I might try a chair outside in the sun and see if I can get a shadow as you suggested.
I bought a pink tripod because for some reason they were a lot cheaper, and I was strapped for cash at the time.

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Well, I think I got most of the winners right, even if not in the correct order - congrats to them

Thanks for your comments - I might try a chair outside in the sun and see if I can get a shadow as you suggested.
I bought a pink tripod because for some reason they were a lot cheaper, and I was strapped for cash at the time.

Cheers

Hugh

In what order would you have placed the winners? Or, which shots did you like, and why?

Well done, @Apple fanboy, even if I do think that your suggestion to show the set-up made things a bit more challenging than otherwise they might have been. But good and generous feedback, which is always appreciated.

Personally, I really like @malofx's image - it is nice and natural, not frozen or posed, and is a shot infused by and informed by a profound affection and love. The fact that the eyes are closed is irrelevant, to my mind - most models in professional shoots have dead eyes, soulless and utterly shuttered, so eyes aren't everything - anyway, this portrait is infused with a genuine and quite lovely warmth.

Likewise, I really like @oblomow's shot; yes grainy, but absolutely gorgeous and wonderfully atmospheric.

And, personally, I am also more than partial to @kenoh's and to @anotherscotsman's shots - they appealed to my sensibility.

 

[Apple fanboy]

In what order would you have placed the winners? Or, which shots did you like, and why?

Well done, @Apple fanboy, even if I do think that your suggestion to show the set-up made things a bit more challenging than otherwise they might have been. But good and generous feedback, which is always appreciated.

Personally, I really like @malofx's image - it is nice and natural, not frozen or posed, and is a shot infused by and informed by a profound affection and love. The fact that the eyes are closed is irrelevant, to my mind - most models in professional shoots have dead eyes, soulless and utterly shuttered, so eyes aren't everything - anyway, this portrait is infused with a genuine and quite lovely warmth.

Likewise, I really like @oblomow's shot; yes grainy, but absolutely gorgeous and wonderfully atmospheric.

And, personally, I am also more than partial to @kenoh's and to @anotherscotsman's shots - they appealed to my sensibility.

I think you just have a bias towards Leica!

 

[kenoh]

Why thank you @Scepticalscribe, great judging as always and yes @MacRy put in a very compelling entry this week. I would have thought it was much more complex a setup than shown. Wow! fantastic MacGyver'ing well done @MacRy

I have been messing about with speedlites and trying to replicate an image like the Bad Guy but so far I suck at studio lighting.

No, no chance of a pose from the girls at the window I am afraid.

 

[MacRy]

Thanks for the win AFB. I wasn't happy with the end result but I guess it was good enough. The little guy is Deadly Dudley, a promotion garden gnome from the Firetrap clothing company. Mrs MacRy bought him years ago at a charity shop. He was my avatar here on MacRumors for years.

I personally really liked malofx's imagine too. Simple and effective.

I'll get another contest up tomorrow night when I get back from work.

 

[kenoh]

I think you just have a bias towards Leica!

Hmm, hadnt noticed that from Ms Kettle, bias to a particular maker that is. It is not common on here is it Mr Pot?
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Thanks for the win AFB. I wasn't happy with the end result but I guess it was good enough. The little guy is Deadly Dudley, a promotion garden gnome from the Firetrap clothing company. Mrs MacRy bought him years ago at a charity shop. He was my avatar here on MacRumors for years.

I personally really liked malofx's imagine too. Simple and effective.

I'll get another contest up tomorrow night when I get back from work.

The picture of your eye is way more scary!
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This thing is an egg of the West African lamp eye fish Plataplocheilus miltotaenia . I suspect the egg is maybe 3 days old . You can see what appears to be the start of a spinal column running from below the central blob upwards to the right .

Canon 7D , 1950's (?) Unitron microscope I picked up in college , eBay Pentax M43 microscope adapter with an M43 to Eos adapter . The whole thing is controlled remotely ( except for focusing) via Canon's EOS utility

I thought that is a superb setup! wow! incredible. What else have you put under the microscope?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I think you just have a bias towards Leica!

Perhaps, but I like what a Lecia can do with light and composition, and - also - I have a liking for urban shots, city centres, slanting roofs, ancient buildings, urban atmospherics - and so on, so yes, this presses my buttons.

Why thank you @Scepticalscribe, great judging as always and yes @MacRy put in a very compelling entry this week. I would have thought it was much more complex a setup than shown. Wow! fantastic MacGyver'ing well done @MacRy

I have been messing about with speedlites and trying to replicate an image like the Bad Guy but so far I suck at studio lighting.

No, no chance of a pose from the girls at the window I am afraid.

To be honest, I am not all that crazy about @The Bad Guy's shot; yes, she is beautiful, but no, there is no - 'light' of character - or individuality - in her eyes. And none of the warmth that you can see in some of the other shots in this competition - just cold elegance and cool distance.

Thanks for the win AFB. I wasn't happy with the end result but I guess it was good enough. The little guy is Deadly Dudley, a promotion garden gnome from the Firetrap clothing company. Mrs MacRy bought him years ago at a charity shop. He was my avatar here on MacRumors for years.

I personally really liked malofx's imagine too. Simple and effective.

I'll get another contest up tomorrow night when I get back from work.

A very well composed shot - but not my personal favourite of what you have done.

Thought @malofx's shot gorgeous; years ago, - decades ago, I took some similar pictures of my brother asleep. Once, when he was a kid - my father couldn't understand why I took such a seemingly strange photograph, - as, clearly, it wasn't posed, and he wasn't formally grinning - yet, now, looking back, it is one of the nicest pictures taken of him from his childhood.

Hmm, hadnt noticed that from Ms Kettle, bias to a particular maker that is. It is not common on here is it Mr Pot?
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Mr Pot & Ms Kettle, yes, agreed. Fair comment.

Agree also re the microscope - that is an excellent shot.

 

[someoldguy]

[doublepost=1489358402][/doublepost]

@someoldguy

Well I wasn’t expecting to see something microscopic! Not a photography area I know anything about. Totally fascinating. Is it hard to do? I suspect nailing focus would be tricky. Not sure where one picks up three day old fish eggs from though!

I thought that is a superb setup! wow! incredible. What else have you put under the microscope?

Is it hard to do ? Actually it’s a whole lot easier with digital . I started out in the 1980’s with a Nikon film body and Nikon adapter on the same microscope . Focusing was tough , as well as nailing exposure . Plus you had to be careful about jiggling the ‘scope and knocking your subject out of the viewfinder . My initial information came from a booklet from Kodak , and worked it from there .

With my current setup , I control light via the diaphragm under the microscope’s stage , I shoot Manual determining shutter speed via a number of test shots until I come up with something I can live with . Focusing is done via the coarse and fine focus on the microscope .

What brings all this together is using Live View in EOS Utility . This enables me to view focus on a much larger screen ( like the laptop in the picture , or a stand alone monitor connected to a desktop ) than the one on the camera . There’s also a histogram to help some with exposure . Plus there’s an on-screen button to release the shutter remotely . I shoot in RAW and make the inevitable adjustments for exposure , contrast , color , &c ; in post as with any other image . Much better than eating up a 36 shot roll of ‘chromes and getting one , or maybe no , keepers .


Where do I get a 3 day old egg of an obscure West African cyprinodontid fish ?


Here :

This is about ½ of my fish setup . There’s around 30 tanks in all . Was up to around 65 in my previous place . The late Mrs. Someoldguy was very tolerant . As long as my hobbies stayed in the basement or garage , didn’t smell , cause the house to burn down , result in fines or imprisonment , or cause the kids to be shipped off to a foster home ; it was OK .


What else have I taken pictures of ? Plant sections , protozoa , bug parts ( bugs in their entirety are way too big ) , pretty much anything that’s around that I’m curious about . I’ve also got an MP-E super macro for the ‘big stuff’.

 

[The Bad Guy]

I thought you might have an entry this week. I like the fact that we can see how you produce all those wonderful images! I did some head shots at work the other day and hadn’t got a clue how to direct my subjects! If this is you not knowing what you were doing, then I’m sure I don’t have a clue!

Cheers for the second place, mate. And yes, direction is the hardest part of shooting people, hence why I mentioned wishing I knew what I was doing back then...I would've gotten some killer shots if only I could've directed her better. As hard as it is to believe based on appearance, she's not a model but a vet student who had never been in front of a camera before.

I have been messing about with speedlites and trying to replicate an image like the Bad Guy but so far I suck at studio lighting.

No, no chance of a pose from the girls at the window I am afraid.

The lighting part is simple enough, it just requires practice. It's all about ratios.

The talking your subject through the process is the tricky part. Family and friends probably trickiest of them all. Even though I earn my living through shooting people and my partner is very familiar with how it all works, she still hates it when I aim the camera at her.

Lighting tip: the bigger and softer the light, the more flattering it will be on your subject. Simple.

To be honest, I am not all that crazy about @The Bad Guy's shot; yes, she is beautiful, but no, there is no - 'light' of character - or individuality - in her eyes. And none of the warmth that you can see in some of the other shots in this competition - just cold elegance and cool distance.

To be honest, I couldn't really care what you think. Whilst I don't disagree with what you said, I feel it's way past time you posted some photos of your own instead of just chiming in with your two cents on what other people are doing like you do every week. I believe the saying goes: Put up or shut up.

 

[anotherscotsman]

Great contest AFB and congratulations to the winners.

I'm true to the concept of pure, natural lighting whenever possible. Well actually I only have a single speedlight and combination of meanness and lack of ability keeps me away from using anything more complicated.

 

[kenoh]

Great contest AFB and congratulations to the winners.

I'm true to the concept of pure, natural lighting whenever possible. Well actually I only have a single speedlight and combination of meanness and lack of ability keeps me away from using anything more complicated.

Yeah I kinda fit into the latter of this. I have a couple speed lights, stands, radio trigger, reflector, soft box, cheapie studio backdrop... But man it takes ages to set all that stuff up and I get shouted at by the boss for leaving my crap lying round! So I too am mainly an available light shooter.
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Cheers for the second place, mate. And yes, direction is the hardest part of shooting people, hence why I mentioned wishing I knew what I was doing back then...I would've gotten some killer shots if only I could've directed her better. As hard as it is to believe based on appearance, she's not a model but a vet student who had never been in front of a camera before.


The lighting part is simple enough, it just requires practice. It's all about ratios.

The talking your subject through the process is the tricky part. Family and friends probably trickiest of them all. Even though I earn my living through shooting people and my partner is very familiar with how it all works, she still hates it when I aim the camera at her.

Lighting tip: the bigger and softer the light, the more flattering it will be on your subject. Simple.



To be honest, I couldn't really care what you think. Whilst I don't disagree with what you said, I feel it's way past time you posted some photos of your own instead of just chiming in with your two cents on what other people are doing like you do every week. I believe the saying goes: Put up or shut up.

But that's the thing right? I got Youngno flashes 560s and so I need to dial them right down as I don't have the space to get the distance and it becomes very dicey with shoot through brolly's and other mad gear in a small space. I need to try more... No excuse really

 

[The Bad Guy]

But that's the thing right? I got Youngno flashes 560s and so I need to dial them right down as I don't have the space to get the distance and it becomes very dicey with shoot through brolly's and other mad gear in a small space. I need to try more... No excuse really

I shoot with the same guide number flashes (I think, might be a tad higher) and shoot throughs can be tricky suckers for sure, but I'd near guarantee you're over thinking it.

In an indoor environment anywhere above 125th of a second is going to kill your ambient light. Set your aperture anywhere above f8 and you're good to go, you can shoot them puppies off at full power.

But if I were you, I wouldn't be setting up backgrounds and all that ****, I'd be just using the brolly and flashes as fill for ambient light to start. Pop them up at about head height, point down at about 45º and set them to ettl or whatever equivalent your brand uses and just let them add to the scene.

Lack of room you say? Try again, buddy.

 

[kenoh]

I shoot with the same guide number flashes (I think, might be a tad higher) and shoot throughs can be tricky suckers for sure, but I'd near guarantee you're over thinking it.

In an indoor environment anywhere above 125th of a second is going to kill your ambient light. Set your aperture anywhere above f8 and you're good to go, you can shoot them puppies off at full power.

But if I were you, I wouldn't be setting up backgrounds and all that ****, I'd be just using the brolly and flashes as fill for ambient light to start. Pop them up at about head height, point down at about 45º and set them to ettl or whatever equivalent your brand uses and just let them add to the scene.

Lack of room you say? Try again, buddy.

View attachment 692075 View attachment 692076

Really!?!?! you shot that image - which is great BTW - in that space?

OK, I may be over cooking it...

Will Try again...

 

[MacRy]

New contest is up.

 

[malofx]

In what order would you have placed the winners? Or, which shots did you like, and why?

Well done, @Apple fanboy, even if I do think that your suggestion to show the set-up made things a bit more challenging than otherwise they might have been. But good and generous feedback, which is always appreciated.

Personally, I really like @malofx's image - it is nice and natural, not frozen or posed, and is a shot infused by and informed by a profound affection and love. The fact that the eyes are closed is irrelevant, to my mind - most models in professional shoots have dead eyes, soulless and utterly shuttered, so eyes aren't everything - anyway, this portrait is infused with a genuine and quite lovely warmth.

Likewise, I really like @oblomow's shot; yes grainy, but absolutely gorgeous and wonderfully atmospheric.

And, personally, I am also more than partial to @kenoh's and to @anotherscotsman's shots - they appealed to my sensibility.

Thank you for your kind words.
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Well guys It falls on me to judge this weeks images. I’m just a hobbyist so please don’t feel offended by my comments. I am no more qualified to judge than the next guy, but just how I see it.

Thanks for all of you for entering and those of you that had a set up shot to post as well. Hopefully given a few of us food for thought.



@anotherscotsman

Nice job. Simplistic approach which had I not seen your set up shot I would have sworn was taken with some speed lights to give it that dark background.
Just shows what can be done with a bit of imagination and the simplest of gear.
B&W adds a nice affect. Orchids are a wonderful flower to shoot.


@kenoh

Nothing fancy except your back up Leica! Either way the lighting provides a nice shadow. In colour the view through the window would have been too distracting but in B&W it works well. Would have loved to have seen this light and shadow reflecting of a model, but I know you have trouble getting your girls to pose for you (or maybe you are just trying to hide yet another camera from the Mrs!).


@malofx

Another B&W. Proving popular this week. So I guess you have trouble with family models too, and have to resort to shooting them whilst they are asleep? Anyway I like the way you have filled the frame with a tight shot, but like most people shots the eyes are the key. I think this would work better as part of a photo story like at the end of a busy day or something like that.


@Hughmac

Again another simple idea that looks good. A simple set up (but man why did you choose that pink tripod!) that produced a great result. The reflection adds a little something extra to the image. I wonder if those wicker chairs might cast an interesting shadow with the right lighting.


@MacRy

Looks like the love child of Darth Maul and Jason from Halloween! Love the smoke effect with a couple of speed lights. I don’t give my speedlights the love they deserve.
Again not shot in a big fancy studio, but has produced a very professional result.


@oblomow

Keeping it real simple. Just an iPhone for lighting. Yet its produced a really nice image. Shows the subject totally engrossed in her phone. Probably why you got away with the shot! The result is a little too grainy for my taste, but as there was not much in the way of lighting hardly surprising. As a composition though I think you positioned it spot on with the negative (black) space providing a great contrast to the lit up face.


@someoldguy

Well I wasn’t expecting to see something microscopic! Not a photography area I know anything about. Totally fascinating. Is it hard to do? I suspect nailing focus would be tricky. Not sure where one picks up three day old fish eggs from though!


@The Bad Guy

I thought you might have an entry this week. I like the fact that we can see how you produce all those wonderful images! I did some head shots at work the other day and hadn’t got a clue how to direct my subjects! If this is you not knowing what you were doing, then I’m sure I don’t have a clue!



So could have called this a couple of different ways but I’m going with


· Third: @oblomow for the composition.

· Second: @The Bad Guy for being professional as always.

· First: @MacRy for a superb effort with basic props. Over to you.

Thank you! great entries this week, Congrats to the winners.

 

[AngerDanger]

What a fantastic theme this week; great job, @Apple fanboy. Every week, I think we've seen the most fascinating contest theme, and then I'm proved wrong next week.

 

[Apple fanboy]

What a fantastic theme this week; great job, @Apple fanboy. Every week, I think we've seen the most fascinating contest theme, and then I'm proved wrong next week.

Thank you kindly.