My 2013 Weekly Photos - Part 3

Week 49 - Another Showery Day

Nearly at the end for this year, and weather plus other commitments are tending to make me fall behind while looking for subjects to inspire me. So a few snaps of a typical December day in the UK. Plenty of showers.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...2/original.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70 1/80 F11 Iso 400. Just nipped out into my garden, when the rain reduced, to try a few angles. This is the only shot which looked possible.

And during the afternoon there was a strange light for a brief period so I walked around the corner looking for something suitable. But by the time I picked up my camera and got there the light was starting to deteriorate again.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...3/original.jpg

1/80 F11 Iso 400

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...4/original.jpg

1/40 F11 Iso 400

Every time I look out of the window Geoff (in the midlands) if the weather looks like it might be suitable for a photo even in the rain 5 mins later it's changed. Any time it's been stable I have had something else I must do. There are 2 angles I want to try on a local church - one day maybe. I even bought a lens for that a few weeks ago.

John
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I know what you mean, John, there are a number of scenes where I keep returning, thinking that there is a shot to be had, but always go away disappointed. :(

And yes, best light can be so fickle. Also cloud shapes; so many times I see an interesting sky with good clouds and light, but by the time I get my camera ready (you never have the correct lens attached) everything has changed.

It needs a lot of luck - right place, right time, and doing the right thing.

The last element may include more in the way of skill; but luck sometimes seems to help even with this!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Week 48 - Rock amongst the leaves

Nothing very exciting. I was walking deep in the woods and liked the various textures of this rock amongst fallen leaves.

And some nearby fungi.

http://i39.tinypic.com/2w2ftlc.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70 lens; on tripod with fairly long exposures, so I used mirror lock up.

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It looks like I have missed quite a lot while I was away. This one caught my eye Geoff. I love the colors and patterns presented here and the way the leaves pick up the color of the fungi then present their own individual pattern.

Trying to catch up.

Week 50 - 'Go under the first tree and over the second'

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...3/original.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/125 F8 Iso 800. A cloudy scene, but even then the sky was tending to over expose.

I had taken a few shots from various angles when this young woman came down the road. I explained that it was possible to get through the second tree branches with care. Then as she walked on I thought that getting a person in the scene would add a sense of scale.

So I just picked up the camera and took a quick shot as she went under the first tree.

It looks as though this road will be closed until well after Christmas.

Clever use of a person in the scene to help tell the tale.

I take, Geoff, that this is the result of the storm that hit in the last 24/48 hours. It's now been battering the west coast of Scotland but hasn't really got to us yet. Don't wish to tempt fate, but maybe we're going to miss the worst. Have you got power etc? Seems it's not going to be the Christmas that many people planned, what with floods and power cuts.

Week 51 - More stormy weather

Looking seawards.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...2/original.jpg

1/1250 F 8 Iso 800. I wanted to have a fairly fast shutter speed on the surf, but the light was variable and generally poor so it meant having a higher Iso setting.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...4/original.jpg

1/1000 F8 Iso 800.

When I posted some views of Salcombe Castle recently I said that I would like to have had a bit more surf in the scene. Well hear it is. But there was obviously a lot of moisture in the air which reduced the clarity.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...7/original.jpg

1/2500 F8 Iso 8oo. I may have got away with reducing the Iso but I wanted to capture some of the spray.

Hi Geoff,

I adore the rainbow image... Did you use negative exposure compensation to better bring out the colours of the rainbow?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Week 49 - Another Showery Day

Nearly at the end for this year, and weather plus other commitments are tending to make me fall behind while looking for subjects to inspire me. So a few snaps of a typical December day in the UK. Plenty of showers.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...2/original.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70 1/80 F11 Iso 400. Just nipped out into my garden, when the rain reduced, to try a few angles. This is the only shot which looked possible.

And during the afternoon there was a strange light for a brief period so I walked around the corner looking for something suitable. But by the time I picked up my camera and got there the light was starting to deteriorate again.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...3/original.jpg

1/80 F11 Iso 400

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...4/original.jpg

1/40 F11 Iso 400

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Donald

Clever use of a person in the scene to help tell the tale.

I take, Geoff, that this is the result of the storm that hit in the last 24/48 hours. It's now been battering the west coast of Scotland but hasn't really got to us yet. Don't wish to tempt fate, but maybe we're going to miss the worst. Have you got power etc? Seems it's not going to be the Christmas that many people planned, what with floods and power cuts.

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No serious weather problems here, Donald.

These shallow rooted old trees fell and a few people had damage to fence panels in exposed locations but otherwise nothing serious.

Looking at the weather chart it did seem that the north east coast of Scotland was going to get severe winds and possibly snow. And it looks like more rough weather is to come in a couple of days.

Christina, that was a rather dark scene so I exposed chiefly for the foreground tree; but then had to slightly reduce the green fields brightness when editing.

Thanks Geoff... You brought out the colours of the rainbow so beautifully, not easy to do!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Christina, that was a rather dark scene so I exposed chiefly for the foreground tree; but then had to slightly reduce the green fields brightness when editing.

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Week 52 - Flowering between the spells of rain and gales.

Iris unguicularis

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...4/original.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70. 1/40 F11 Iso 400.

These flowers open during brighter spells but the blooms don't last long in our wet and windy weather.

Garrya elliptica

This shrub produces long catkins during the winter.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...5/original.jpg

1/250 F18 Iso 400. Impossible to shoot against this sky so I used some fill flash and set the camera using manual settings for the sky plus some fill flash with a little bit of flash output compensation. Whilst experimenting with getting this correct I forgot about reducing my Iso so there is a bit of noise on the sky.

And remember - Sprouts aren't just for Christmas!

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...6/original.jpg

1/200 F5.6 Iso 400. I suppose I could have reduced the Iso but I don't think it made much difference in this case.

All shot with a tripod.

The most beautiful image of brussel sprouts that I have ever seen. Indeed I've never seen them growing but that is a gorgeous image.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Week 52 - Flowering between the spells of rain and gales.

Iris unguicularis

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...4/original.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70. 1/40 F11 Iso 400.

These flowers open during brighter spells but the blooms don't last long in our wet and windy weather.

Garrya elliptica

This shrub produces long catkins during the winter.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...5/original.jpg

1/250 F18 Iso 400. Impossible to shoot against this sky so I used some fill flash and set the camera using manual settings for the sky plus some fill flash with a little bit of flash output compensation. Whilst experimenting with getting this correct I forgot about reducing my Iso so there is a bit of noise on the sky.

And remember - Sprouts aren't just for Christmas!

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...6/original.jpg

1/200 F5.6 Iso 400. I suppose I could have reduced the Iso but I don't think it made much difference in this case.

All shot with a tripod.

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Thanks, Christina.

In reality, they aren't perfect as there is a little bit of mould growing on the outsides; due to all the rain we are having here. But the outer leaves get peeled off so I haven't bothered to spray with a fungicide.

And below what is visible there is another foot of bare stem.

In the UK, and possibly elsewhere, sprouts are considered to be part of the traditional Christmas Dinner and even people who don't like sprouts will eat them on Christmas Day!

Hence my 'advertising slogan' title. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geoff F

Week 52 - Flowering between the spells of rain and gales.

Iris unguicularis

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/imag...4/original.jpg

7D with Tamron 24-70. 1/40 F11 Iso 400.

These flowers open during brighter spells but the blooms don't last long in our wet and windy weather.

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I love the iris photo. I'd never seen an iris blooming this time of year (our weather is much like England's). I looked the plant up on the RHS website and see that it's evergreen so I'll have to see if it's available in this part of the world.

I'm hoping you'll continue your weekly posts in 2014!

Well something along these lines, Bruce. But as most people who started out with weekly posts seem to have 'fallen by the wayside' I am asking for any thoughts which might encourage other members to also post regularly.

Comments welcomed here https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...hread34562.htm

Hi Geoff, the Iris is a burst of colorful cheer at this time of year. Very nicely done!

I found that for the weekly posts it is sometimes better to post a new thread each week as longer threads seem to discourage some from searching for the parts they are interested in. On the other hand, threads like Project 52 are a great incentive for the posting photographer to get out and shoot. ;)

Gorgeous images indeed; truly great :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FrankMi

I found that for the weekly posts it is sometimes better to post a new thread each week as longer threads seem to discourage some from searching for the parts they are interested in. On the other hand, threads like Project 52 are a great incentive for the posting photographer to get out and shoot. ;)

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I see there are pros and cons but my preference as a viewer is the continuing thread approach as it ensures that I won't miss any posts if I'm not closely following forum posts in a particular week.