90. Overgrown - March 1-7, 2015
Deron-
Overgrown and time for a haircut!
After Kevin's remark about just cutting his hair, I went in a different direction, but my photo of a palm tree growing out of a tennis court just didn't do it for me. So, I came back to the haircut photo, by laying white paper over the back of the couch, then hanging upside down over the back of said couch. Crazy things happen to your face when your inverted for so long!
Overgrown and time for a haircut!
After Kevin's remark about just cutting his hair, I went in a different direction, but my photo of a palm tree growing out of a tennis court just didn't do it for me. So, I came back to the haircut photo, by laying white paper over the back of the couch, then hanging upside down over the back of said couch. Crazy things happen to your face when your inverted for so long!
Paul-
I was thinking how much easier the theme “Overgrown” would have been during the warmer months. Neglected lawns, ivy-covered buildings on the University campus, and hulking men with great swaths of hair on their backs down at the pool. Rich pickings for grabbing a good shot, right? So I was a little perplexed about what I was going to do during this intemperate weather. Sure, I have relative whose toenails would have qualified, but I shelved that one of out of consideration to you all. I shelved that one.
Credit where credit is due: It was actually my daughter who suggested this building. (She’s very bright in a sly, plotting, and shadowy way.) Anyway, the structure is draped in a lush net of vines and greenery in the warm months, and I’ve always loved the masonry. So I drove out around 4:00 to get what was left of the afternoon sun, and hoping I’d find something interesting. I think I did.
I also got a chance to try out the in-camera, high dynamic range feature in the Nikon D5200. Shooting in aperture priority, I set the overall range for a “normal” exposure, but had it bracket between 0 and -3EV. To compensate for a very slight vertical distortion due to the angle and focal length, I used the “Effects” feature in Lightroom.
Our story so far…or lack thereof: 18-55mm lens (dialed in at 18mm); ISO 800; 1/200 sec. at f10. Oh, and besides getting cold hands, I felt like a voyeur.
I was thinking how much easier the theme “Overgrown” would have been during the warmer months. Neglected lawns, ivy-covered buildings on the University campus, and hulking men with great swaths of hair on their backs down at the pool. Rich pickings for grabbing a good shot, right? So I was a little perplexed about what I was going to do during this intemperate weather. Sure, I have relative whose toenails would have qualified, but I shelved that one of out of consideration to you all. I shelved that one.
Credit where credit is due: It was actually my daughter who suggested this building. (She’s very bright in a sly, plotting, and shadowy way.) Anyway, the structure is draped in a lush net of vines and greenery in the warm months, and I’ve always loved the masonry. So I drove out around 4:00 to get what was left of the afternoon sun, and hoping I’d find something interesting. I think I did.
I also got a chance to try out the in-camera, high dynamic range feature in the Nikon D5200. Shooting in aperture priority, I set the overall range for a “normal” exposure, but had it bracket between 0 and -3EV. To compensate for a very slight vertical distortion due to the angle and focal length, I used the “Effects” feature in Lightroom.
Our story so far…or lack thereof: 18-55mm lens (dialed in at 18mm); ISO 800; 1/200 sec. at f10. Oh, and besides getting cold hands, I felt like a voyeur.
Jerry-
I went through a couple of ideas, one a selfie with my hair "overgrown" with gray. The other was an old gravestone, overgrown with grass and dead leaves. While in pursuit of the ideal gravestone (all covered with snow) I noticed some icicles and worked on the idea of lots of "overgrown" icicles. It didn't pan out until I took the dog for a walk and discovered these icicles on the warming house roof at the local park. Armed with my cell phone, this is my favorite image.
iPhone 5c, f2.4 @ 1/120, iso 64, 4mm lens (about 33mm on a 35mm camera)
I went through a couple of ideas, one a selfie with my hair "overgrown" with gray. The other was an old gravestone, overgrown with grass and dead leaves. While in pursuit of the ideal gravestone (all covered with snow) I noticed some icicles and worked on the idea of lots of "overgrown" icicles. It didn't pan out until I took the dog for a walk and discovered these icicles on the warming house roof at the local park. Armed with my cell phone, this is my favorite image.
iPhone 5c, f2.4 @ 1/120, iso 64, 4mm lens (about 33mm on a 35mm camera)
Kevin-
Well, Overgrown was certainly a challenge. And the challenge increased once I decided what I wanted to do. I even casually mention the idea to Byron, but I’m convinced he went in a different direction. We’ll see.
It’s always frustrating for me to find how quickly my toenails become Overgrown. Rather constant use of clippers ensues or else my foot is uncomfortable and my socks get ruined.
The real challenge was doing this all, photographically, by myself. Setting up, posing, trying to move my foot to the right focus point with the right background behind. Both hands to hold my foot and trim the toenail. No ability to look through the viewfinder to check composition or focus. No hand free to trip the shutter.
Nikon D3s, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens set to 150mm and with a short extension tube to allow closer focusing. Three Nikon SB-900 series flash units. One was mounted on the camera purely as a Master, one was to the right bounced off the ceiling and one was low and to the left providing a slight amount of fill.
ISO 400, 1/250th of a second (flash sync speed) at f/11, tripod mounted. The shutter was tripped by TriggerTrap’s sound settings keyed to the sound of the clippers snapping. I would have loved to capture the trimmed toenail flying off the clippers but there was more trimming yet to do.
Well, Overgrown was certainly a challenge. And the challenge increased once I decided what I wanted to do. I even casually mention the idea to Byron, but I’m convinced he went in a different direction. We’ll see.
It’s always frustrating for me to find how quickly my toenails become Overgrown. Rather constant use of clippers ensues or else my foot is uncomfortable and my socks get ruined.
The real challenge was doing this all, photographically, by myself. Setting up, posing, trying to move my foot to the right focus point with the right background behind. Both hands to hold my foot and trim the toenail. No ability to look through the viewfinder to check composition or focus. No hand free to trip the shutter.
Nikon D3s, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens set to 150mm and with a short extension tube to allow closer focusing. Three Nikon SB-900 series flash units. One was mounted on the camera purely as a Master, one was to the right bounced off the ceiling and one was low and to the left providing a slight amount of fill.
ISO 400, 1/250th of a second (flash sync speed) at f/11, tripod mounted. The shutter was tripped by TriggerTrap’s sound settings keyed to the sound of the clippers snapping. I would have loved to capture the trimmed toenail flying off the clippers but there was more trimming yet to do.
Byron-
In the Palm Springs area not all Palm trees are neatly manicured. Some are allowed to grow naturally. This is an example of a tree that has let itself go.
ISO 200, 18mm, -.7 EV, f4, 1/2500 sec.
In the Palm Springs area not all Palm trees are neatly manicured. Some are allowed to grow naturally. This is an example of a tree that has let itself go.
ISO 200, 18mm, -.7 EV, f4, 1/2500 sec.