Christmas at Kew 2016

CCC: Season 3 - Colour Competition 3

A Little Rough: Taken on an workshop.  I have moaned a little of late about members who only enter images that have been taken on workshops under controlled situations/conditions - where perhaps lights, costumes and direction are taken from an expert.  And although this was taken during a workshop - the conditions were not controlled - and I had actually moved away from the main group to do my own thing at this point - I have entered it as its an image because I really like.  I don't really expect any more than a 7 because it's technically not a great image but it's completely different to other images I have taken and entered this season.  Tidy up sensor marks, shadows and highlights and perhaps a small crop.

Final Version: It really does surprise what you can achieve from a raw file - I love the details I managed to save in the wall. Not so happy with the waves but considering the raw file - I'm pleased with it.  My particular like of this image is the two red lifebuoys/rings on the wall. Printed on Permajet Oyster (271g).

Judges Comments: Not the best image being presented but for me (him) very evocative memories of childhood. Not as good as other images. Score: 8.5


Cathedral of Mirrors - My Way: Winter Lights in the posh part of London.  I loved playing with the lights on this outing.  Going with three friends - I have seen one set of outstanding images - completely different to anything I took. I've always said the most interesting things I enjoy about my hobbies (quilting, crochet and now photography) is when the same pattern/scene is on offer how very differently each person sees/interprets whats in front of them.  So for this image, clarity, contrast shadow highlights and a good swipe to the right on saturation and vibrancy is needed.

Final Version: Very happy with this but expect nothing more than an 8 as it's not what at the level of the advance section. Printed on Permajet Oyster (271g).

Judges Comments: An image I would class as judges bate.... just not sure what to do with it. No idea how it has been produced/achieved, What it is of. Would work much better as a PDI. Perhaps not going to give credit to a good image because of this. Score: 8.5

Note: Some of the comments made by judges frustrate me SO much!!!  To use the wording 'Not the best image being presented' is, I think, completely unnecessary.....I am three seasons in and competing against members who have been photographing for 40/50 years. The images I present in the advanced group, I suggest, will never be as good as theirs. I have no problem with my scores tonight - both did better than I had expected and a good steady progress is being made!!  BUT I enter my images into competitions so I can be guided on how to improve that image - at no point during the comments of the first image was anything constructive said.

Winter Lights - Canary Wharf

Winter Lights - a night out in the posh part of town with three photographic friends.

Not really your standard photographs but when photographing other peoples art, it's important to make it your own.....and I'm pretty sure this is mine, as no one else would want it!! :)

Cathedral of Mirrors: Mads Christensen & Quays Culture

Our Spectral Vision: Liz West

 
Origin: Philipp Mohr & Selektivton

Selected Works: Aphra Shemza

Bloom: Squidsoup

Horizontal Interference: Joachim Slugocki & Katarzyna Malejka

Reflections: Carole Baker (Snigger snigger)

Baby Blankets for Heavenly Gowns

Small blankets made for Heavenly Gowns - using wool I've been given, charity shop finds and lefts overs from bigger projects. I think this is the very last of my charity shop wool!

C2C

  

 

 

 

 

Granny Squares

 

 

 

 

CCC: Season 3 - PDI 3

The Real Hungry Caterpillar - unedited. Taken in the summer at the butterfly house at NHM (Just love that place). This year there seemed to be many more butterflies and many, many caterpillar (not something I had notice in previous years).  Struggled with the light and sharpness of hand held so have to open the aperture right up. 

First version: cropped square and just altered the shadow and highlights. Acceptable. Not entirely happy with the depth of field on the bottom right hand of the image.

Final Version - reprocessed the first week of January - I have altered my white balance setting in LR - can't believe the difference it makes (shot in auto WB) - much happier with the overall colour - the green is so much better than the grey background.  Having looked again at the unedited version I have decided to go for a letterbox format, and include the baby caterpillar on the top of the leaf. Not sharp on the right hand side of the image because of the DoF but I do think it adds to the image.

He munched through that leaf in seconds - it was fascinating to watch (I came away with about 500 images of this little caterpillar - most, may I add out of focus!)

Judges Comment: Simple image, back-lighting works well, head pin sharp, letterbox format works well, however - too much to green on the left of the picture - and too light. Score: 9

The Mist - unedited. (The whole morning can be found here). One of those lucky mornings when mother nature gives you everything on a plate - and its just your technical knowledge that let you down!  Shot in raw, so adjustments to shadows and highlight  must. Crop and a major clean up from my very dirty sensor.

The Mist. Final. These are the days when you are so glad you got out of bed.... and make every morning when you got out of bed and achieve nothing so very worthwhile. Love this set of images.  You may see another one entered at some point!!

Judges Comment: Nice base to the image - not too much included, Nice sky - perhaps a little too much but because of the detail it's OK, Dark tree works well to contract the bright sun. Composition good. Score: 8.5