61. Z - August 10-16, 2014
Paul-
When I announced “Z” as this week’s theme. I did so for two reasons: 1) I really wanted to try and have no set idea in mind beforehand. I’d look though a dictionary of Z-words and see what grabbed me when the week began. 2) I wanted to see how zany or commonplace everyone else would choose to go with the theme. Zoo? Zinc? Zygote? (Good luck with that, guys.) Zoroastrianism?
Trying to be too clever, I considered:
Zildjian: A centuries-old cymbal company. But I’ve already submitted two pictures from the local music store.
Zetetic: Seeking; proceeding by inquiry. Nope, already turned in a picture with a magnifying glass in it.
Zoanthropy: A kind of monomania in which the patient believes himself transformed into one of the lower animals. No, I’ve already had enough dates suggest this was the case.
Zoophilist: A lover of animals. Best to leave well enough alone.
Zeppole: A variety of doughnut. Tried It. Ate the subject before I got the picture.
Zugzwang: When a player is put at a disadvantage by having to make a move; where any legal move weakens the position. When I play chess, every move I make is Zugzwang.
Zither: Couldn’t find one.
Zimb: A large, venomous, two-winged fly, native of Abyssinia. Didn’t want to find one.
Zumbooruk: A small cannon carried on the back of a camel. I figured everyone else would submit this one, so I stayed away from it.
Zebu: A type of ox with a hump. Our children’s zoo doesn’t have one.
I settled for “zest.” Not terribly original, true. But it was inexpensive to put together and provided some fun colors to work with (though not as vibrant as I had hoped). And it gave me a chance to shoot a subject against a black background which I very rarely do. (Sorry, Kevin.) The only down side: I smell like a citrus orgy. Seriously.
Our Story So Far…Forensic teams aside, the entire King’s cavalry were gathered at the scene of what was initially deemed to be an accident with far-reaching consequences not only for the kingdom, but for neighboring principalities. Though medical staff struggled mightily to put together the King’s broken body and scrambled entrails, it was to no avail. The fall had been too great. The impact too devastating. Though their grief was great, it still fell to the subjects to address the two questions that were foremost on everyone’s minds. First: What possessed King Dumpty to sit on such a lofty ledge in the first place? Carelessness? Addled wits? The dark schemes of disgruntle courtiers come to fruition at last? Second: Why was the victim wearing an enormous egg costume? The answers—silently mused by the Royal Society’s crime photographer—would have to wait. First he needed pictures of the late King’s shattered corpse. He used an Olympus E-500 with a 14-45mm zoom lens (shot at 14mm); set at 1/40 sec. and f3.5. The ISO was 100. Lighting was from both above and the side. The camera was mounted on a copy stand.
When I announced “Z” as this week’s theme. I did so for two reasons: 1) I really wanted to try and have no set idea in mind beforehand. I’d look though a dictionary of Z-words and see what grabbed me when the week began. 2) I wanted to see how zany or commonplace everyone else would choose to go with the theme. Zoo? Zinc? Zygote? (Good luck with that, guys.) Zoroastrianism?
Trying to be too clever, I considered:
Zildjian: A centuries-old cymbal company. But I’ve already submitted two pictures from the local music store.
Zetetic: Seeking; proceeding by inquiry. Nope, already turned in a picture with a magnifying glass in it.
Zoanthropy: A kind of monomania in which the patient believes himself transformed into one of the lower animals. No, I’ve already had enough dates suggest this was the case.
Zoophilist: A lover of animals. Best to leave well enough alone.
Zeppole: A variety of doughnut. Tried It. Ate the subject before I got the picture.
Zugzwang: When a player is put at a disadvantage by having to make a move; where any legal move weakens the position. When I play chess, every move I make is Zugzwang.
Zither: Couldn’t find one.
Zimb: A large, venomous, two-winged fly, native of Abyssinia. Didn’t want to find one.
Zumbooruk: A small cannon carried on the back of a camel. I figured everyone else would submit this one, so I stayed away from it.
Zebu: A type of ox with a hump. Our children’s zoo doesn’t have one.
I settled for “zest.” Not terribly original, true. But it was inexpensive to put together and provided some fun colors to work with (though not as vibrant as I had hoped). And it gave me a chance to shoot a subject against a black background which I very rarely do. (Sorry, Kevin.) The only down side: I smell like a citrus orgy. Seriously.
Our Story So Far…Forensic teams aside, the entire King’s cavalry were gathered at the scene of what was initially deemed to be an accident with far-reaching consequences not only for the kingdom, but for neighboring principalities. Though medical staff struggled mightily to put together the King’s broken body and scrambled entrails, it was to no avail. The fall had been too great. The impact too devastating. Though their grief was great, it still fell to the subjects to address the two questions that were foremost on everyone’s minds. First: What possessed King Dumpty to sit on such a lofty ledge in the first place? Carelessness? Addled wits? The dark schemes of disgruntle courtiers come to fruition at last? Second: Why was the victim wearing an enormous egg costume? The answers—silently mused by the Royal Society’s crime photographer—would have to wait. First he needed pictures of the late King’s shattered corpse. He used an Olympus E-500 with a 14-45mm zoom lens (shot at 14mm); set at 1/40 sec. and f3.5. The ISO was 100. Lighting was from both above and the side. The camera was mounted on a copy stand.
Jerry-
Z proved difficult, I thought of zipper, zodiac, zagnut, zebra... But while looking for an elusive zagnut candy bar (should have stopped at Minnesota's Biggest Candy Store) at the local quick stop, I did find a Little Debbie Zebra Cake! I took some of it all by itself but settled on this pose with the blue sky in the background. The camera was a fancy point and shoot Canon G15, 1/640 second at f 8 at ISO 100, flower (macro) setting.
Z proved difficult, I thought of zipper, zodiac, zagnut, zebra... But while looking for an elusive zagnut candy bar (should have stopped at Minnesota's Biggest Candy Store) at the local quick stop, I did find a Little Debbie Zebra Cake! I took some of it all by itself but settled on this pose with the blue sky in the background. The camera was a fancy point and shoot Canon G15, 1/640 second at f 8 at ISO 100, flower (macro) setting.
Kevin-
This week we made the drive up to Ely, Minnesota. Ely, up in the “Arrowhead” region is the most popular entry point to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. While in Ely we visited the North American Bear Center. the International Wolf Center and a few other attractions including the cabin that the last permanent resident of the BWCA, Dorothy Molter (aka the Root Beer Lady) lived in until she passed away in 1986. The cabin was dismantled and relocated to Ely in 1987.
Immediately upon arrival in Ely we spotted the local grocery store. Zups Food Market. I was hoping that the store would be open late and the sign outside might be illuminated. But sadly Zups closes at 8:00 PM when the sun is still in the sky at this time of year. So I made due capturing the store post-sunset to get some sky color and added a bit of fill-flash to make the building visible.
Nikon D4s, tripod mounted, 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor set to 24mm. 1/20th of a second at f/8. ISO 100. Nikon SB-910 flash.
This week we made the drive up to Ely, Minnesota. Ely, up in the “Arrowhead” region is the most popular entry point to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. While in Ely we visited the North American Bear Center. the International Wolf Center and a few other attractions including the cabin that the last permanent resident of the BWCA, Dorothy Molter (aka the Root Beer Lady) lived in until she passed away in 1986. The cabin was dismantled and relocated to Ely in 1987.
Immediately upon arrival in Ely we spotted the local grocery store. Zups Food Market. I was hoping that the store would be open late and the sign outside might be illuminated. But sadly Zups closes at 8:00 PM when the sun is still in the sky at this time of year. So I made due capturing the store post-sunset to get some sky color and added a bit of fill-flash to make the building visible.
Nikon D4s, tripod mounted, 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor set to 24mm. 1/20th of a second at f/8. ISO 100. Nikon SB-910 flash.
Byron-
As I was thinking about what "Z" to photograph, my interest in shooting closeup or still life things steered me that way. What is small easy to carry around yet would look attractive? I decided to shoot a photo of a Zinnia. It is a small colorful flower. After searching several garden stores and nurseries, I found a place that carried them. I thought I had the "Z" assigment done when I shot a closeup of a single blossom on what, yes, a black background. After a couple of days I decided to shoot the entire arrangement in front of a more interesting background. So this weeks submission is "Zinnias at sunset"
f/22, 1/25 sec, using a -3 Neutral Density filter and fill flash.
As I was thinking about what "Z" to photograph, my interest in shooting closeup or still life things steered me that way. What is small easy to carry around yet would look attractive? I decided to shoot a photo of a Zinnia. It is a small colorful flower. After searching several garden stores and nurseries, I found a place that carried them. I thought I had the "Z" assigment done when I shot a closeup of a single blossom on what, yes, a black background. After a couple of days I decided to shoot the entire arrangement in front of a more interesting background. So this weeks submission is "Zinnias at sunset"
f/22, 1/25 sec, using a -3 Neutral Density filter and fill flash.
Deron-
This is the 'Z' striker from a 1930s or 1940s, front strike Underwood Typewriter.
This is the 'Z' striker from a 1930s or 1940s, front strike Underwood Typewriter.