Photo Comp Feb 2014 - 'Not Just a Snap'

[RiK]

February then...

As I won the January comp, I get to choose the theme, and I'm going to make it another fairly open one..

This months topic is 'Not just a snap'.

You can shoot an image of anything you like, but this is all about encouraging you to get creative and think about the shot a bit. Try to put a little bit of personal creativity into the image, think about composition, maybe look for a better angle etc.

These competitions are supposed to be about encouraging people to get out an take photos so lets see everyone make an effort to do so, and don't be afraid to post a few different ideas in the thread, the more the merrier (just remember to nominate your preferred entry by the deadline).

It was great to get some feedback from PFVA and Dvorak in last months comp, so lets try and get some more comments and constructive advice going this month too eh? I'll happily chip in with some feedback and I'm sure the other more experienced photographers would be happy to do so to..

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Shortlist:

Right then, a short, shortlist this month.

Paula's great reflection shot:

I liked the rock and the boats too, but I think this first one you posted is by far the best fit for the creative theme..

Meow's snowy avenue..

Wasn't actually the last one posted, but I made an executive decision as I think this is the strongest of the ones you posted.

"Arkham Tempest"

(I'd love to include most of Dvorak's awesome photos, but just the nominated one for fairness)

Usual rules apply

[RiK]

Oh yeah, and I should add, brownie points for actually including a description of how your went about taking your shot, I.e. What was your creative input?

[Dvorak]

Warming up then...

Wonderful sunny sunday today, so the GF and me had a little stroll through the city and surroundings.
There was some dispute about whether it'd be a good thing to take my 'big' cam (in fact just a little GH2) with me or not.
The GF was afraid, knowing me quite well, that I'd be quite soon quite absorbed in my usual creative endeavours, so that what was supposed to be just a little stroll soon would turn into a serious shooting session.

She really had a point there, I have to admit, and so it was agreed that I take just my little ixos with me.



And there it was: the totally weirdly constructed window of one of the former BFG homes in the neighbourhood.
While the construction in itself may inspire some interesting reflections about the nature of craftmanship as such - for me it was the trigger to something that I definitely will explore deeper this month: working title may be "Structural Formalism" (well, it needs to have a name ). I imagined an entire series of symmetric, formal images, square-cut (or maybe with these silly monochromatic borders I love so much). And in pale colouring.

Have yet to work out that.
The image above is just a reminder for myself how it might look. Let's see.




To be honest: I love to see when my images get this slightly uneasy and slightly irritating touch they get so often...
Like this one.
The lighting as if flashlight-lit (It wasn't of course. That's just the slowly setting sun frontally illuminating the scene).
Something like the entrance to a cave to the left. The fence. The silhouette (might be myself).


From unease to shudder:



It was bright daylight this afternoon when I made the image of this burnt out house.
The noise is artificially added and comes from a filter for film stock noise.
Too Nosferatu maybe... but definitely film (though the only image here that does not stretch for cinemascope 2.35:1 format...)





One with my beloved silly borders again. Important for the image and an integral part of it. But I cannot tell you why.
(Well, has something to do with the stern and rigid, eh, vertical graveness. Or so.)


Four images. Four wildly differing styles.
None of them declared as my entry yet.
I hope, I'll be able to elaborate on some of them a little more this month.

[RiK]

Now we're talking...

Cracking start to the month mate. Exactly what I was looking for :-)

[Meow]

Ruby.

This required me to hold a ball in one hand and use the digital camera in the other, in order to take the photograph and keep her focus.



I'm sorry it's my dog again.

[RiK]

I'm sorry it's my dog again.

Don't apologise for that.. I have a whole album full of my cat :-)

See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardolp ... 5731570377

[Meow]

I'm sorry it's my dog again.

Don't apologise for that.. I have a whole album full of my cat :-)

See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardolp ... 5731570377

Ow. Bless his/her little heat.....

[RiK]

Ow. Bless his/her little heat.....

Her. She's awesome :-)

[PFVA]

Tried this AM.

Upside Down

The pic of the reflection is upside down. The stones give it in since the top is a too straight line, the water mark on them is on top, etc.

[Truder]

Tried this AM.

Upside Down

The pic of the reflection is upside down. The stones give it in since the top is a too straight line, the water mark on them is on top, etc.

If I could +1 or like, I would have, this looks great!

[RiK]

Tried this AM.

Upside Down

The pic of the reflection is upside down. The stones give it in since the top is a too straight line, the water mark on them is on top, etc.

Awesome.. See, this is what we want, some actual creative photography. Good effort so far folks, keep 'em coming!

[Meow]

Says it all.



Winter storm. Standing outside in a snow trying to capture the feeling of a storm.....



Orange. I put the camera on the ground. To really capture perceptive for an alternative view and the orange glow from the street lamps.

[Dvorak]

And another walk in the bright sunday afternoon of my home town.
No aim, no destination, just the odd snapshot here and there - and the pleasant anticipation of sighting the shots later at home and then working out with my little tools what lays hidden in those images.
Actually, that's exactly what I did on the sunday two weeks ago.

Stuff used:
- Ixus 230 HS
- Sony Vegas Pro 12.0
- Magic Bullet Looks 2.0
- FilmConverter (no idea what version)




"One Hundred Years / Kriegerdenkmal"

Both, war memorial and this spooky spider-like tree are of the same age.
Strangely, I found that there were quite some sinister trees around, standing leafless and threatening in their cold early spring rigour. Or maybe it was just me...







"Magnolia"

This gives an exact description of the actual progress of early spring in my home town.
So, I think, this image will be the first in a series of images showing what nature was like in the early 60s... in full Technicolor(tm) of course.







"Arkham Tempest"

The ancient house has always been there, and people say One dwells within who talks with the morning mists that come up from the deep.







"Hole"

After having explored in quite some images in the past the true nature of Nature (which would be sinister, alien, and evil) I lately found that there also is a clear indication for Nature tending to be inherently obscene.
I feel that I'll have to elaborate on that a bit more.







"untitled #1 (Stone by the Water)"

Now we're leaving the trodden paths of classic photography a bit (and no problem if you will not follow me there ... )
I think, if I can find an appropriate reproduction method, then a series of grossly underexposed shots (printed on glass?) could be quite interesting.
Something changing from deep black to not so deep black...
Stone, water, trees, maybe concrete... I'll definitely have to explore that a bit more...







"1979"

First image of another upcoming series of images dealing with the wistful nostalgia of eary small-town streets and houses, and the memory of childhood.
I havn't seen this street before. But tried to pretend it would mean much to me. In my dreams.


Still have not chosen any of the images as my entry for the comp.
But right now I don't even feel the need for doing so. For me it's just the fun of giving my creativity plenty of rope...

[(o)(o)]

"1979"

Nice. Very atmospheric!

[RiK]

Still have not chosen any of the images as my entry for the comp.
But right now I don't even feel the need for doing so. For me it's just the fun of giving my creativity plenty of rope...