Camera Settings Challenge #15

[Patty]

First, I’d like to say I am a wee bit thrilled to have actually won a challenge, it’s my first!

And second, I apologize for the lag in getting this challenge up and posted in a timely manner. We are all so incredibly busy with our “other” lives sometimes, and I think that both Jerry (@orangecrush) and I are up to our eye-balls in it right now…Given that these challenges tend to start on a Thursday, I wanted to get this out on time, so apologies to Jerry, for just “taking the ball and running with it…”

Do some of the camera settings intimidate you? Do you want to learn how to develop your photography skills and learn how to use your camera effectively without always going back to the “auto” function? These challenges are for you!

This week’s challenge is:
Impressionism in your camera

I struggled to come up with a camera settings challenge that quite frankly, hadn’t been done yet. Given that we are now up to #15, we’ve covered so many camera settings already, so what to do next…

I think it would be nice for us to show how we’ve tied all these challenges together and do something that is reflective of the compilation of our recent development.

One way we can tie it all together is to aim for a specific composition style, while shooting. I ran across this idea while googling ideas, from a Flickr group challenge. I liked it and thought it would be fun for our group to try.

The idea is to feel rather than simply see the image.

So this week's challenge is to use your camera: its lens and setting - aperture, shutter speed, focus, etc - as well as things like motion, to change the picture, to give a sense of movement, color, scale or otherwise lend an emotional impression to the photo rather than simply depict the scene. This is a shooting challenge, not a Photoshop/software exercise. You can enhance what you capture, but try to make the camera the primary tool.

Be creative, think outside the box, and above all else, have fun with it!

The original challenge link is below:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/neverprofessional/discuss/72157631557584620/

Examples of photographs using this technique:
http://www.redbubble.com/groups/impressionist-photography

Experienced photographers who are knowledgeable in this particular setting are encouraged to offer “kind and constructive” suggestions on the posted entries. Those entering this challenge want to learn and improve.

This challenge starts on Thursday, Oct 25 and will run through Saturday of the following week (November 3, 2012). All dates given are in Pacific (PDT) - UTC/GMT -7 hours.

All photos must be taken during these dates to be considered. Enter as many as you would like- the idea is to practice & learn. TAG YOUR PHOTO CSC-15 AND post your picture in this thread to receive feedback from other experienced photographers specific to this challenge.

Voting will take place on Sunday, Nov 4 (and remain open 24 hours) and the winner will be announced Monday, Nov 5th. The winner of the challenge will select an experienced photographer to host a new challenge. It is the winner’s option on who they want to host the next challenge; it may be someone they follow whose work they admire, or someone who is active offering suggestions on previous CSC challenges. The winner may also select an experienced photographer for the list of photographers who have agreed to host future challenges as another option. Here is the link to that list: http://365project.org/myhrhelper/365/2011-12-12

Expect to receive constructive suggests on how to improve your skills.

How to post your photo on this link:
1) Go to your page that has the photo you wish to post.
2) Copy the “share” code in the bottom right section of that page.
3) Return to this thread and paste the code under comments

I hope you find this challenge enjoyable and look forward to seeing what you create with it!

[jerry plume]

Sorry I couldn't help in time with this one, Patty! I'm looking forward to things slowing down a bit! Your challenge sounds so interesting! Can't wait to give it a go!

[Kathy Burzynski]

Thank you so much Patty for the challenge!! Jerry, we will keep you in mind for future challenges (you won't get away that easy lol).
@orangecrush @socalgal

[Kathy Burzynski]

@socalgal Do you want to tag others to let them know about the challenge from previous camera setting challenges? We actually extended the dates for these challenges to 10 days but it is up to you. Some people said with new challenges they like to have two weekends to play with the settings.

[Patty]

@myhrhelper Thanks for the guidance Kathy, I've amended the dates to reflect 10 days of challenge, followed by voting. Sorry, I had counted both events as the 10 days. I'll try to locate and tag as many as I can, to let them know. I hope I created an appropriate challenge. If I haven't, please don't hesitate to let me know. I can always reach out to another resident expert on our list.

[Kathy Burzynski]

I'm tagging you since you have been involved in other camera settings challenges.

@tigerdreamer @welcometocarolworld @tthompsonca @aromatic @salza @wenbow @lstasel @tctime @tryeveryday @myhrhelper @mikehamm @aleksandra

@traeumerlein @debrac @bernicrumb @geocacheking @northy @hehe1308 @rosiekind @tulipgirl @ferry_tjan @chapjohn @polarvrtx

[Lisa]

@synke here is the next challenge :)

Thanks for tagging me, @myhrhelper

[Synke]

Cool challenge I can't wait to start experimenting! @socalgal
Thanks for tagging Lisa, I would have missed it! @traeumerlein

[John W. Cundiff]

This image shows some emotions. Joy because of blue sky. Depression because of the clouds. Hope of life becase of the trees.

[Hailey Renee]

I just made my first attempt at Impressionism. I cannot seem to get my picture or a link to it to post on here, however. It keeps telling me "invalid data", not quite sure what I'm doing wrong. But, if you can be kind enough to check it out, it is my second photo on my page (out of my only two). Thanks, hope I got it right (:

[Patty]

@haileyreneephotography

Hi Hailey,
Have you tried this tip, for posting here:
How to post your photo on this link:
1) Go to your page that has the photo you wish to post.
2) Copy the “share” code in the bottom right section of that page.
3) Return to this thread and paste the code under comments

If you still run into issues, we'll continue to work on it, until we get you posted to this thread :-)

[Hailey Renee]

@socalgal, I've done that, and it just keeps telling me there is "Invalid Data"' ):

[Patty]

As submitted by Hailey Renee

[Patty]

@haileyreneephotography
We gotcha covered Hailey. Had no trouble grabbing your code from my end, must be those pesky Friday computer gremlins again... :-)

Beautiful capture! Love that you captured a dreamy effect with this...FANTASTIC!

[Hailey Renee]

@socalgal Thank you! And thanks for your help! I will definitely have to look into how to do this, maybe I just have a bad case of the Fridays (:

[John W. Cundiff]

Life and trees sometimes get in the way of seeing hope clearly.

[Laura]

My first try. It was rainy and overcast all day so that helped with slowing down the speed. F/11, .3 second, about 1/2 stop underexposed. Moved camera to get motion.

I was trying to keep the tree trunks in focus and the leaves blurred.

[Laura]

@haileyreneephotography beautiful shot Hailey.

[Hailey Renee]

@lstasel Thank you!! Same goes to you! Love the blur of the leaves. It's like the color is blowing right off of them!

[Wendy Bowden]

[iqscotland]

[Kathy Burzynski]

Here is my attempt

[Debra]

[☠northy]

here's mine... slow-ish shutterspeed to get some motion blur for a sense of hurry...

[Patty]

@myhrhelper
I'm not able to continue with this challenge. Would you have the ability to manage the votes? I'm sorry.

[Kathy Burzynski]

I will not have internet access most of this week. I will post a vote on the date you specified. @socalgal

PLEASE NOTE TO ALL EXPERIENCED PHOTOGRAPHERS KNOWLEDGABLE WITH THESE SETTINGS & EFFECTS
---------------------
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO OFFER COMMENTS & SUGGESTIONS PLEASE DO SO!

[Karen H]

[Synke]

[iqscotland]

@lstasel That works well and the overcast weather has muted the colours nicely.

@wenbow Great use of simple blocks of colour and a little camera movement( I think), really nice.

[Wendy Bowden]

@iqscotland Thank you, I move it left to right to try & keep the hills & banks to their shape. I like this spot especially when the tide is out

[iqscotland]

@synke Nice movement and the colours work well against the blue sky :)

@tigerdreamer I'd like a little more sideways movement to blend the colours a bit more, but that might just be me :)

[iqscotland]

@chapjohn @debrac I see where you are coming from in trying to evoke an emotion but these are a bit static for impressionism. Impresssionistic images are more abstract, about light and movement often involving longer exposures and you might have to use the camera in ways that may seem wrong. Deliberate movement during exposure, throwing entire images in or out of focus during exposure or changing focal length (zooming) during exposure are some popular techniques worth trying :)

[iqscotland]

@myhrhelper I'm guessing zoom burst but your exif says 1/3 sec so you're either really quick, you started to zoom before pressing the shutter or I'm guessing wrong :)

[John W. Cundiff]

@iqscotland I disagree! You talked about emotion, then you disqualify these images because they do not meet some interpretation of yours. It is fine if you do not like the images, but to say that the artist/photographer did not meet criteria is another.

Does this one work for you?

[Debra]

@iqscotland I totally missed what you were looking for, sorry. I can do that.

[iqscotland]

@chapjohn I never set the challenge but there's no one currently running it or commenting on it. The primary theme is Impressionism, not emotion. I just thought you were a bit wide of the mark but that's only my opinion :)

[Trevor Baird]

Emotion is the Best Kind of Motion

[Mike Gifford]

Nature's emotion - feel the image

[John W. Cundiff]