121. Up Shot - October 4-10, 2015
Deron-
Urban Light (2008) is a large-scale assemblage sculpture by Chris Burden located at the Wilshire Boulevard entrance to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The installation consists of 202 restored street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s. Most of them once lit the streets of Southern California.
The cast iron street lamps are of 17 styles, which vary depending on the municipality that commissioned them. They range from about 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters), are painted a uniform gray and placed, forest-like, in a near grid. The lights are solar powered and switched on at dusk. Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Susan Freudenheim described the restored lamps as displaying "elaborate floral and geometric patterns" at the base, with "fluted shafts and glass globes that cap them...meticulously cleaned, painted and refurbished to create an exuberant glow." (from Wikipedia)
Urban Light (2008) is a large-scale assemblage sculpture by Chris Burden located at the Wilshire Boulevard entrance to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The installation consists of 202 restored street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s. Most of them once lit the streets of Southern California.
The cast iron street lamps are of 17 styles, which vary depending on the municipality that commissioned them. They range from about 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters), are painted a uniform gray and placed, forest-like, in a near grid. The lights are solar powered and switched on at dusk. Writing in the Los Angeles Times, Susan Freudenheim described the restored lamps as displaying "elaborate floral and geometric patterns" at the base, with "fluted shafts and glass globes that cap them...meticulously cleaned, painted and refurbished to create an exuberant glow." (from Wikipedia)
Kevin-
How to interpret the Up Shot theme? One way is to make Up Shot into Upshot (conclusion, outcome, final result) which is I suspect what many will do. But I got hung up right away on treating the two words of Up Shot separately, the way that Deron had written in. So of course I starting thinking about things that could be photographed from below, with the camera pointing up. Giant Redwoods would have been great, but are totally lacking in Minnesota. There are other trees, clouds, airplanes, birds and such that could be photographed that way, but I got hung up on the idea of taking it further, with the camera pointing up while the subject was shooting up. Perhaps a bow and arrow? Or a Jart? Wait, why not a model rocket launching? Model rocketry was a very, very early hobby for me, and through model rocket club connections I got involved with things like photography!
Now the problem with model rockets is that they accelerate so fast that they are tough to capture. I had thought about placing the camera directly below the pad, aimed straight up. But I was worried about the engine exhaust smoke obscuring everything and when I saw the color of the trees turing in the park where the launch took place I shifted, wanting the tree in the background. So the camera was very close to the pad, but not directly underneath. I manually focused on the end of the launch rod.
But the rocket is not crisp. So is it out of focus? Or is it blurred from the motion? I’m not certain. It might be a bit of both, but to me the image still works. With my brother Brad’s help we only launched the rocket twice. The first time I only got the end of the nose cone in one frame, and the end of the fins in the next frame. The second time I got this. Was there a third flight? No, the first flight landed by parachute 6 feet from the launch pad. But in this flight it landed and stayed on top of the tree behind. The upshot was that the flying was over.
Nikon D4s set to 10 frames per second, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens set to 70mm, tripod mounted, ISO 3200, f/16 @ 1/2000 of a second.
How to interpret the Up Shot theme? One way is to make Up Shot into Upshot (conclusion, outcome, final result) which is I suspect what many will do. But I got hung up right away on treating the two words of Up Shot separately, the way that Deron had written in. So of course I starting thinking about things that could be photographed from below, with the camera pointing up. Giant Redwoods would have been great, but are totally lacking in Minnesota. There are other trees, clouds, airplanes, birds and such that could be photographed that way, but I got hung up on the idea of taking it further, with the camera pointing up while the subject was shooting up. Perhaps a bow and arrow? Or a Jart? Wait, why not a model rocket launching? Model rocketry was a very, very early hobby for me, and through model rocket club connections I got involved with things like photography!
Now the problem with model rockets is that they accelerate so fast that they are tough to capture. I had thought about placing the camera directly below the pad, aimed straight up. But I was worried about the engine exhaust smoke obscuring everything and when I saw the color of the trees turing in the park where the launch took place I shifted, wanting the tree in the background. So the camera was very close to the pad, but not directly underneath. I manually focused on the end of the launch rod.
But the rocket is not crisp. So is it out of focus? Or is it blurred from the motion? I’m not certain. It might be a bit of both, but to me the image still works. With my brother Brad’s help we only launched the rocket twice. The first time I only got the end of the nose cone in one frame, and the end of the fins in the next frame. The second time I got this. Was there a third flight? No, the first flight landed by parachute 6 feet from the launch pad. But in this flight it landed and stayed on top of the tree behind. The upshot was that the flying was over.
Nikon D4s set to 10 frames per second, 24-70mm f/2.8 lens set to 70mm, tripod mounted, ISO 3200, f/16 @ 1/2000 of a second.
Paul-
Several times during my last 2+ years contributing to the WPOTM, I have asked store managers (local and regional) if I could take pictures inside different types of stores. I’ve been extremely polite and forthright about it in each instance: explaining what I wanted to photograph; emphasizing the results would not be used for commercial purposes; that no employees or customers would be photographed*; asking if I could move something (if applicable); and underscoring it all with a brief description of the WOTM. As a result, I have never received a “No.” Yippee, and all that.
Until this past week.
A manager at a local mall’s Pier 1 was just fine with me taking pictures there. I started doing do until another manager—apparently with greater authority or concern—asked me to stop shooting immediately. (My submission for this past week isn’t from Pier 1.) Rolling the dice again, I walked over the Bed, Bath & Beyond and gave the store manager the litany I described above. Not only was she very supportive, she even helped me pull some glassware down and move it elsewhere so I could try to get the image I wanted.
* One exception: For the WPOTM theme “Roll,” I shot one of a music store’s percussionists sitting at a drum set. However, the picture was shot in such a way that you couldn’t see his face.
Our story so far: 1/100 sec.; f/5.6; aperture priority; ISO 800; 18-55mm with lens set at 22mm; aperture priority; +2/3 EV; center-weighted metering.
Several times during my last 2+ years contributing to the WPOTM, I have asked store managers (local and regional) if I could take pictures inside different types of stores. I’ve been extremely polite and forthright about it in each instance: explaining what I wanted to photograph; emphasizing the results would not be used for commercial purposes; that no employees or customers would be photographed*; asking if I could move something (if applicable); and underscoring it all with a brief description of the WOTM. As a result, I have never received a “No.” Yippee, and all that.
Until this past week.
A manager at a local mall’s Pier 1 was just fine with me taking pictures there. I started doing do until another manager—apparently with greater authority or concern—asked me to stop shooting immediately. (My submission for this past week isn’t from Pier 1.) Rolling the dice again, I walked over the Bed, Bath & Beyond and gave the store manager the litany I described above. Not only was she very supportive, she even helped me pull some glassware down and move it elsewhere so I could try to get the image I wanted.
* One exception: For the WPOTM theme “Roll,” I shot one of a music store’s percussionists sitting at a drum set. However, the picture was shot in such a way that you couldn’t see his face.
Our story so far: 1/100 sec.; f/5.6; aperture priority; ISO 800; 18-55mm with lens set at 22mm; aperture priority; +2/3 EV; center-weighted metering.
Jerry-
I struggled with the Up Shot theme and started out with a few photos with literal interpretations and you can see those on my attached "montage" (not shown). But the one I feel works best is of the University student studying underneath a beautiful tree surrounded by greenery. Maybe you could say the up shot of attending the fabulous University of Minnesota is that you get to learn in a beautiful, park like setting that just happens to have attractive members of the opposite sex lounging about.
This was taken with the D5200, the 16-85 zoom was set to 85mm. Exposure was 1/80 @ f8, ISO 800.
I struggled with the Up Shot theme and started out with a few photos with literal interpretations and you can see those on my attached "montage" (not shown). But the one I feel works best is of the University student studying underneath a beautiful tree surrounded by greenery. Maybe you could say the up shot of attending the fabulous University of Minnesota is that you get to learn in a beautiful, park like setting that just happens to have attractive members of the opposite sex lounging about.
This was taken with the D5200, the 16-85 zoom was set to 85mm. Exposure was 1/80 @ f8, ISO 800.
Don-
My town's airport is frequently used by the local military to practice flying their Osprey. Normally it flies right overhead. Not now though. I tried other options and took many other pictures. I didn't like any until this morning I tried the water spray pointed up. I like how the little trails formed.
Shot f:9 , 1/250 sec, Manual exposure, Manual focus to 32 mm and flash.
My town's airport is frequently used by the local military to practice flying their Osprey. Normally it flies right overhead. Not now though. I tried other options and took many other pictures. I didn't like any until this morning I tried the water spray pointed up. I like how the little trails formed.
Shot f:9 , 1/250 sec, Manual exposure, Manual focus to 32 mm and flash.
Byron-
There is a product called Up Shot. It is an aerosol paint product for painting the ceiling. I could have done a product shot of that but it seemed too mundane. I then thought about boxers on the receiving end of a punch from under the chin. I don't have boxing gloves but I do know someone that does. An Osseo kid that was 1 year older than Ben is a professional Boxer. His name is Caleb Truax (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleb_Truax). He spent a lot of time at my house when he was growing up so we contacted him. He drove over and dropped off a pair of boxing gloves. When I told him my plans for the picture, he offered to punch me with an up shot to the chin. I declined his offer because I didn't want to be unconscious for the next week.
Anyway here we go- ISO 200, 50mm, f/8, 1/80th second. I used 2 flash units, one on each side of the camera with a black background behind.
There is a product called Up Shot. It is an aerosol paint product for painting the ceiling. I could have done a product shot of that but it seemed too mundane. I then thought about boxers on the receiving end of a punch from under the chin. I don't have boxing gloves but I do know someone that does. An Osseo kid that was 1 year older than Ben is a professional Boxer. His name is Caleb Truax (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caleb_Truax). He spent a lot of time at my house when he was growing up so we contacted him. He drove over and dropped off a pair of boxing gloves. When I told him my plans for the picture, he offered to punch me with an up shot to the chin. I declined his offer because I didn't want to be unconscious for the next week.
Anyway here we go- ISO 200, 50mm, f/8, 1/80th second. I used 2 flash units, one on each side of the camera with a black background behind.