Project 52 by Bob R

[SpiderBob]

Wow this is going to be tuff for me. As some of you know I'm not fond of B&W photos. The thing is in the 60's that is all I could afford to do, I had my own darkroom, color was just too costly. So for 15 years to about the early 80's I started to really dislike B&W. I need to change that. Some of the wonderful B&W images I've seen here are for the lack of a better word, awesome. While I still prefer color, I'm going to force myself to start shooting and/or converting to B&W, OK I'll say it Black and White, with some images in sepia once in a while. At this point I have no idea what is going to come of this. I'll start sometime with my first post by the end of the week. What a challenge this is going to be.

[ScoutR]

Hi Bob, I love B&W shots so I look forward to your project. I hope the project changes your mindset about Black & White. You already have experience from the film days. I think you will enjoy once you get started there's a big difference in doing something because you have to compared to because you want to. ENJOY

Wendy

[Ricco]

Bob - I'd have a look through some of Donald's images. I think he usually focusses on B&W. From what I have seen, this forces you to think more about composition, lines and framing even more so than a colour image.

Personally, I love B&W and am trying to do more of it myself however am not as adventurous as you to embark on the entire project in B&W!

Good luck!

[SpiderBob]

Donald's images are indeed what have inspired me to take this on. I hope he don't kill me too much in is comments just kidding Donald. This is like starting over. Been out early this morning and as I said I will post later in the week. Have some work to do on it first. I had read somewhere (might even be from Donald) that there is a way to set you camera to B&W as I shoot RAW + Jpeg, I would still have the RAW in color. But as I've always avoided that, I don't know how to do that. Any suggestions?

[Donald]

I had read somewhere (might even be from Donald) that there is a way to set you camera to B&W as I shoot RAW + Jpeg, I would still have the RAW in color.

I am that man!

Not sure how the menus are set up on your camera. But on my 40D it's the second menu option from the left (starts off with AEB as the first menu choice at the top of the list on the screen). Second from the bottom is 'Picture Style'. Set that to Monochrome.

[SpiderBob]

Thank you Donald, that was way too easy. Now for the hard parts

[SpiderBob]

Hi Bob, I love B&W shots so I look forward to your project. I hope the project changes your mindset about Black & White. You already have experience from the film days. I think you will enjoy once you get started there's a big difference in doing something because you have to compared to because you want to. ENJOY

Wendy

Wendy, I certainly hope you are right. I'm actually looking forward to this - I think.
Thanks for the encouragement.

Bob

[SpiderBob]

OK, so here we go. I think I might have overdone this (too much PP). I think I should have stopped almost as the original I took. It seems a bit dark in some areas and almost too light in some others where I might have used too much Shadows / Highlights.

[Ricco]

Bob - I have been starting at this photo for a good ten minutes and hence I thought that I should probably comment - trouble is I'm having trouble putting my finger on what I want to comment about. Please take my comments as constructive.

Initially, I would say that is well executed generally - it is sharp, vibrant and a good range of contrast. You certainly did a good job of capturing the scene in front of you. The only downsides in this regard are I think are the hot tree in the middle of the frame which has gone to white and the bright building on the skyline but these are probably minor in the scheme of things.

What I couldn't quite put my finger on is the flow through the shot. It is very busy and there is nothing to draw and hold the eye. Initially I thought about whether you could crop part of the right side so that the eye can follow a leading line from the corner of the frame but I'm not sure this actually helps the shot because you lose the reflections in the water which I think were a valuable part. Perhaps a different angle from around the pool would have allowed for a different composition?

So you captured my interest with a well executed shot - just not sure if you directed my eye to something to hold the interest in the composition.

All in all, I reckon a good start!

[SpiderBob]

Peter, please feel free to comment on any and all. I totally agree on the hot spots. They bothered me too. There are many lights wrapped around that tree which made it so hot as well as the bright lights around the top of the bank building (tallest building in LA) they are beyond hot, they almost burn a hole into the photograph . They disturbed me. I thought about taking down the light on top of the building, but the tree, was not sure how to attack that one, and leaving just one hot spot would have been even worse, in my thoughts. And yes, it is busy (but you should see the color pic). I think in the next few days, I'll walk around and see if I can find a better shot. Perhaps the water / reflection really does not have to be part of the picture. If I can get into a position to lose the hot spots, I just may get a better picture. I tried several crops as well, but they didn't seem to go anywhere, hence the picture you see. Next weeks project is coming alive already.

Thank you for your comments. I hope others will chime in as well.

Bob

[ScoutR]

Hi Bob, I think Peter has provided a great analysis and I reall can't add much at all. I think it is a well executed shot but the highlights and hot spots are distracting and like he says there is just a bit too much going on but no central point of interest. To me this looks like it would be a very difficult shot to take, so I think it is a very good job. I wish I could come up with something more constructive, the only thing I see that I would do is to crop the edges of the tree on the right and also crop a little on the left where there is something covering the pillar.
Great start, I'm looking forward to see what you come up with next week. It looks like there are a lot of individual shots that could be made out of this one. Zoning in on one area might help with the hot spots too and you would be able to expose for just that area. For instance the tables around the pool with some of the reflections OR one of the skyscrapers between the pillars, that kind of thing

Wendy

[SpiderBob]

Thanks Wendy, I've been walking around thinking along those lines, but have not really hit anyting that stricks me yet. But I will.

[SpiderBob]

2nd week "Clockworks"

OK, so I was thinking (that usually gets me in trouble) that I should concentrate on a subject instead of a vast picture with many subjects and get this down so here is one I did not take this week, although I could have as I still have the clock. What do you all think?

[Rob Douglas]

The first image was pretty well commented on. The only thing I can add is to maybe try and tone down the hot spots with a brush tool & negative exposure or brightness, or a combination of both.

The 2nd image is great! Amazing detail and the vignette is well done.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Great detail Bob. I like the composition although I agree with Rob about toning down the vignetting. I have one main comment and I'm not sure there's anything that you could have done about it. Of the four main cogs, three of them have axles that seem to be pointing to a similar spot. However the bottom one is pointing in a completely different direction which unfortunately I think takes away from the image. It would have been great if they appeared to be all pointing towards the same location.

[SpiderBob]

Yes Malcolm, that wheel is pointing a different direction as removing the side plate let them wander a bit. That particular bushing is the most warn of the group allowing that arbor to move as it is. Not much I could have done with that one, until I replace the bushing. But I'll go to work on some of the other comments. Thanks all.

[ScoutR]

I like this a lot Bob, but i agree with Malcom on the axel. Something was bothering me about it - I thought it was because it was out of focus but when I read Malcom's comment I went back and looked again, and low and behold, that is what was bothering me.

Hope you get a chance to reshoot. Is there any way the part can be temporarily shimmed or held in place for the shot without damaging the parts. I know it will be difficult when shooting this close to keep any kind of prop or shim out of the shot but I think its worth the effort. It's a nice subject.

Wendy

[SpiderBob]

Unfortunately, the movement has been repaired and already returned to the customer. But there will be plenty chances for more. Perhaps one even older than the 100 year old movement in the picture

[SpiderBob]

So, I did some work on last weeks pic, and this is what i came up with. I used a new layer for the tree and brought down the hot spot. I then used the healing brush to give it some more of the surrounding tree. For the tower I just turned off some lights

I also removed the offending tree in the right side of the picture, which also means I did a bit more cropping.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Great job, Bob. A definite improvement!