Project 52 by Rebecca Humphries

My week 15 was shot at the Seven Sisters Country Park in Sussex, which featured woodland, a long meandering river and a shingle coastline with cliffs. It was a great day out and I was blessed with some very rare sunny weather (although it was a bit chilly!). I had so many to choose from I have done a few photos this week; all have had minimal PP including cropping, contrast adjustments and the odd bit of cloning.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p...12%2520294.jpg
f/5.6, iso200, 1/2500sec, -0.3exposure, 200mm (35mm equivalent)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m...12%2520593.jpg
f/11, iso200, 1/400sec, 0exposure, 96mm

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-b...12%2520347.jpg
f/6.3, iso200, 1/2500sec, -0.3exposure, 300mm

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-B...12%2520007.jpg
f/4, iso200, 1/4000sec, -0.3exposure, 200mm

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-E...12%2520137.jpg
f/5.6, iso400, 1/4000sec, -1.3exposure, 600mm

All comments much appreciated.

Thanks, Rebecca

Oooh, #3 is my favorite! I like the composition, I like the perspective, and it's full of action! Very nice job. Thanks for sharing!

Although they are all good images, Rebecca. I particularly like the first on because the there is something of interest in the foreground, mid-ground, and background. Then I notice the dramatic difference in size between the people walking and the immensity and height of the cliffs. The full result is a heart-pounding dramatic scene on a grand scale.

Although it is hard to be sure, the coastline behind the geese makes it look like the image isn't level but that could be just the shape of the coastline as the people look like they are properly vertical.

A very fine set of images and I concur particularly with Frank's comments re the power of the first one.

I would suggest, if you ever felt the urge, that the tree shot is a perfect candidate for a B & W conversion.

I think that overall, the set illustrates the point well about learning to look as a photographer in order to 'see' the images that are all around us just waiting to be made.

All sharply focused and well exposed; but am I seeing a slight purplish tint in the last one?

Hi Rebecca,

I'd better comment quick before you do the next one, eh?

(For those unaware; I was with Becky when we visited Seven Sisters Country Park last Tuesday and we shot similar views of most things)

#1 good, but I do think it looks better with the 'horizon' level - I recall when shooting this that I struggled through the viewfinder to get it level, I had a tendency to want to make the cliffs more vertical than they are. I have since checked through my shots and I have vertical people with a horizontal mid-distance water line, so I agree with Frank.

Watch out for my one in due course, I will probably go for one with more height and people on the cliff :)

#2 I think you did better than me with this, my version has a boring flat horizon, not the complementary curve of the distant cliffs you captured, well done! I think I would have processed for more saturation in the sky, my shots on the Canon have that, probably because I was shooting about 45 degrees further around from the sun.

#3 I also don't think I would have thought of tilting this, so well done again. I have one minor suggestion for this, to wring the last 2% improvement from it (meaning you are 98% there) - I think the distant 'breaker' top right distracts slightly and could be cloned out, but that's so minor, don't bother to update it.

#4 I know how much time you have spent practicing 'birds in flight' recently and this shows it is paying off, a really good example

#5 I had to check mine to be sure I had some at least as good ;)
If it turns out 'not', my excuse will be I only have 450mm equivalent :)
I can see what Geoff means about a possible purplish tint, I think the cause is the shadow side being illuminated by blue sky with plenty of UV. Correcting that could be tricky without risking making the sunny side too yellow or even slightly green. I'll see how mine come out - if I ever catch up with my P52 backlog :o

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FrankMi

Although it is hard to be sure, the coastline behind the geese makes it look like the image isn't level but that could be just the shape of the coastline as the people look like they are properly vertical.

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Hi Frank. I think you are right about the coastline not being entirely horizontal. I have to admit this was one aspect I omitted to consider in PP! Thanks for pointing it out and hopefully I will remember to straighten any future pics :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave Humphries

#3 I also don't think I would have thought of tilting this, so well done again. I have one minor suggestion for this, to wring the last 2% improvement from it (meaning you are 98% there) - I think the distant 'breaker' top left distracts slightly and could be cloned out, but that's so minor, don't bother to update it.

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I completely overlooked the 'breaker' but yes I agree if I had noticed it before I would have cloned it out. Thanks for pointing it out, I think I need a checklist of all things to double check before I do my next PP of a picture :)

Thanks to everyone that commented on my week 15.

Rebecca.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beckyhumphries

I think I need a checklist of all things to double check before I do my next PP of a picture :)

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Yes, just a case of getting into the habit of looking all around a picture for anything that doesn't contribute and do something about it (if possible).

However, I expect you'll still miss things occasionally, I do - the more time I spend on a photo (e.g. dealing with a big problem) makes me rush to finish it and overlook things.

Hi all

My week 16 was taken at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire. We were looking for something undercover as rain was predicted, but we were lucky and it stayed dry most of the day.

Parrot flying display:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G...12%2520030.jpg
f/4, 1/4000sec, iso400, 0exposure, 200mm

Wallaby walkthrough enclosure:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-O...12%2520187.jpg
f/4, 1/250sec, iso800, 0exposure, 200mm

Monkey walkthrough enclosure:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S...12%2520291.jpg
f/4, 1/1300sec, iso400, -0.7exposure, 200mm

Black bear in safari park:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f...12%2520583.jpg
f/5.5, 1/320sec, iso640, 0exposure, 550mm

Thanks for looking,

Rebecca

A nice set of images Rebecca.I do enjoy these images of animals that give you the time to look at the detail of them. Maybe, the Black bear lacks the same sort of clarity and details as the others?

Cheers for now

Gary

Nice set, Becky! I'm amazed at how quickly you have improved. There will always be the possibility if a little soft focus here or a different crop there but your ability to 'See' a great composition comes through to make very interesting images. I'm sure you make your Dad proud!

Just catch up and I have to say Becky your last series of shots is absolutely fantastic! Nice work!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Goldcoastgolfer

Just catch up and I have to say Becky your last series of shots is absolutely fantastic! Nice work!

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Nothing to add what the gentleman says.

In particular .........

Quote:

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Originally Posted by beckyhumphries

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-G...12%2520030.jpg

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What a good colour image should be about - Colour!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oldgreygary

Maybe, the Black bear lacks the same sort of clarity and details as the others?

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Hi Gary, yes I'd agree that the black bear was the least sharp, this was shot through the car window quite far away (so not ideal!) whereas the other 3 were 'up close'. Thanks for your comments, Rebecca.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Goldcoastgolfer

Just catch up and I have to say Becky your last series of shots is absolutely fantastic! Nice work!

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Thanks very much Mal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Donald

What a good colour image should be about - Colour!

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Thanks Donald. The weather was not on my side this day, patchy blue sky with dark grey rain clouds. Hopefully I have managed to lighten the sky in this shot a bit so that it is not quite so 'contrasty' as it might have been. I picked this picture as it had the burst of green colour in the background as well, and it was one where I had managed to get both birds pretty sharp without chopping a tail off by accident! Thanks for your comments, Rebecca.

My week 17 was taken at Bushy Park near London. It was a great place to take pictures, with free roaming deers and lakes with lots of birds including Coots which had started nesting and Egyptian Geese which had a few little chicks already. I went with my dad and we got extremely lucky seeing a heron almost within touching distance which posed for us whilst we took some pictures, before catching a fish which it ate right in front of us. We also came across a stag on its own drinking water, which then went for a swim through the water which made for some great pictures. Shame the day came to an abrupt end with a thunderstorm and torrential rain!

A white deer that caught my eye:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q...12%2520303.jpg
f/5.6, 1/1600sec, iso200, 0exposure, 600mm (35mm equivalent)

Stag by the water:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U...12%2520359.jpg
f/5.6, 1/800sec, iso400, 0exposure, 456mm

Swim through the water:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R...12%2520426.jpg
f/5.6, 1/500sec, iso400, 0exposure, 300mm

Heron:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q...12%2520491.jpg
f/5.6, 1/500sec, iso800, +0.3exposure, 272mm

Catching a fishy:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...12%2520544.jpg
f/4.5, 1/800sec, iso400, +0.3exposure, 300mm

Thanks very much,

Rebecca

They all work for me.

Pity that last shot of the heron with it's dinner is a bit on the dark side. But I think that attempting to add brightness would just make things worse, particularly the water.

good captures Rebecca, i'm enviuos...!
in my monitor I see a sort green cast on the deer pics... do you?
cheers
Nicola

Hi Rebecca, The white deer is cute but all of the images have a greenish tint on my monitor.

I would have given the stag a bit more room at the top and bottom to complete the scene and reflection without crowding. Same with the first heron.

Compositionally, I like the first and last best.