Photo Challenge 5 – Christmas

Sorry for the delay in this one, folks. Xmas tends to throw things into disarray.

I was just about to press “Publish” after writing that we’re “Ken-less” again this challenge. He’s stuck somewhere in the Canadian boonies with sporadic Internet access (and probably no electricity, telephone, food or water and fending off grizzly bears).  However just as I hovered over the button I received Ken’s submission.   We also have Katy from Brazil submitting her first photo, so I have five images to share with you this time.

First, some housekeeping – Katy has given me a little bio to publish.

“First of, I have to confess that photography has taken over my life. I’ve always loved taking pictures. Passion that flourished when I was a little girl with a Zenit 12XP.

So now let’s talk about my work. I take self-portraits mostly – as you might have noticed on Flickr – because I get complete satisfaction being able to express myself thru art along with the fact that I am the only model I have. Shooting myself allows me to have full control and I also have a lot of fun doing it. It is, beyond doubt,  a challenge I enjoy taking on for two main reasons: it allows me to grow as an artist and as a person myself – I used to hate having my picture taken because I don’t really think I’m very photogenic. 

Photography to me is a package. There is so much to it from setting up the shot to taking the image, and the processing – I tend to use editing software on most of my photos, though I try not to overuse it, unless I’m doing more illustrative work, which I love.

Please feel free to criticise, praise, or comment on any of my pics either here or on Flickr. 

Thanks for your time and, of course, for taking me aboard.”

Thank you Katy – now, on to our photos.

Steve’s submission

My thoughts: Xmas in Australia is represented by warm weather, blue and cloudy skies, simple cold meat or roast feasts, christmas pudding, quaffable Australian beer and the cricket on the telly. Here’s the chimney Santa tried to slip down this year in a typical suburban Melbourne dwelling. As long as he doesn’t break the aerial on the way down he’s always welcome.  Just wish he’d take some of the children back with him to work as elves through the year.

Shot on my Panasonic FZ18 with some Photoshop curves and mask magic applied to bring the chimney back out of the shadows. 

Joepi’s submission

Joepi says:

There are several things that can depict a Filipino Christmas. There’s the Belen which is a diorama of the Nativity scene; the Simbang Gabi (Night Mass) which is a 4am mass several days before Christmas; vendors selling Puto Bumbong and Bibingka - made with rice sugar and coconut sold after the mass; and lastly my favorite: Christmas Lanterns or the Parol which depict the star that shone the way to Bethlehem. Parols are made from whatever material you can find at home as long as in the end it forms a star! Of course, if you’re lazy and have had your share of Parol making as a kid (like I did with my dad!), you can actually go out and buy yourself one. This photo is one of the first corners in Manila that sold the more extravagant lanterns. It was always a sign that Christmas is in Manila (which typically starts in September) when these stalls are put up and the nights are lit with blinking stars.

This photo was taken on the 23rd of December – Christmas is already in full swing in Manila, but this hopeful is still waiting to sell more of his merchandise. Now I know I need more help in the whole shooting at night department, so I apologize ahead of time for the noise. This was shot at a very high ISO 1600 at f1.8. Somebody tell me how to get better photos of alternately blinking lights at night without using flash! It was drizzling too, so I was in quite a rush!

Oh and Merry Christmas to you Steve, Mat, Ken and Katy! Cheers!

My thoughts: Xmas in the Philippines sounds like madness. Just like every other aspect of it.  Good madness, mind you.  Love to have experienced it.  Re shooting this better than you already did – ask Ken.  I think you did fine.  A little fill flash, if you can work out how to do it on that cam, might have helped.  And cropping more tightly would stop me from straining my eyes to see the detail. 

Ken’s submission

Ken says:

Technically this shot is all wrong. I had no flash and only the Christmas lights to illuminate Cameron. I also had to push the ISO all the wait up to H1 (1600 i think). 50 mm lens at f1.4.  This is straight out of the camera as I have no editing tools in Canada. Actually, I have no decent pc even to open the files. Thankfully I found an late night Walmart to buy a USB cable.

This is Cameron’s first Christmas and I loved spending every minute with him.  He didn’t cry when sitting on Santa’s lap and enjoyed the tearing of Christmas wrapping paper to discover his  new toys

My thoughts:  Should have bought a Canon, Ken  But seriously, not-so-little-anymore Cameron in his Santa suit looks very cute and very warm in what must be a chilling Canadian winter.  This photo looks like it could have been taken in any Australian home on Xmas morning, and I doubt there are too many differences between us other than the weather.

Katy’s submission

Katy says:

Thinking of my concept for Christmas wasn’t a struggle at all.  First, I really love the whole Christmassy atmosphere all around the globe. Second, Santa has always been my favourite Xmas character of all – as for many others.

Cheer up, y’all! We, the Santa Katies, have something for you. All you have to do is drop us a line or give us a call, and “we’ll bring your shopping to you”!

Well, it may sound a bit harsh, but that’s exactly the idea of what Xmas has become to me. Nobody, broadly speaking, can be bothered getting off their seats and actually getting outside to buy something meaningful – as Christmas itself should be- to the ones they love.

That was my very brief description. Hope you work out the rest.

This picture was taken with my Sony DSC-W55. Yeah, still haven’t purchased a decent camera! I did some kind of Photoshoppery to that image: Multiplicity or Clone Shot, which most of you have heard about. It is a simple process of taking two or three images of oneself in different areas of the same frame (ideally mount your camera on a tripod) and layering each figure into one frame on PS using the pen tool and moving layers into the master composite.

My thoughts: Katy, this is an absolutely perfect start to your contribution to our little club.  Having also seen some of your other shots, I like the way you think your ideas through to every little detail of the composition – possibly something the rest of us don’t do quite to this extent. The shadow on the wall & the props really add story elements, and of course the stockings are a real attention grabber as well as a talking point.  This is an image full of conversation starters, and I think your style will add yet another level of balance to our group. I’ll chat to you offline about cloning/multiplicity, as I don’t know how to use PS to that extent yet, and am interested.  I was thinking of creating a collage but didn’t know how to use PS to make a professional one, so had to choose one image.  You might be able to help me skill up in that area.  Once again, welcome.  I just hope the boys in our club are going to be able to objectively critique your images.

Mat’s submission

Mat says:

Christmas often seems to be about family and food. As my family are
all on the other side of the planet, here’s the food that I enjoyed on
this Christmas Day.

My thoughts: I saved the best for last.  I absolutely adore this image. I could see it up on my wall. Great presentation of simple, yet telling images. Even the mobile phone in the breakfast composition helps to tell the story.  For some strange reason I think that baked beans “meal” is being eaten off a placemat on your polished floorboards!  Well done, Mat.

Next challenge

Time to do something a little different.  Well, not really that different. I’m just going to turn over the choice of themes to you guys.  BUT – to give you all time to send me suitable themes, the next challenge has been chosen by one of our readers, Veena Rusli.  V is the Bureau Chief of Berita Harian (Wikipedia is your friend) in Sabah, Malaysia. She’s a top journo in other words. So to have her as one of my regular readers is an honour. Mind you, she seems to be more interested in words than images, but you can’t win ‘em all.

So, V has suggested “Temptation”, and I’ve gone with it because I know it will challenge some of you in a new way.  Please have your submissions in by Sunday 18th January.

Photo Challenge 2 – Submission

I’m really pleased with the “submissions” for this fortnight’s challenge. All four photographs are very well thought out, technically and conceptually interesting, and once again show four very distinct photographic styles.

Steve’s submission:

My thoughts: Shot on my Canon 30D at 55mm, ISO 100, F8 & for 1/2 a second, this is a natural light image with some Lightroom and Photoshop treatment. I solarised a copy in Lightroom then layered the result onto the source image and painted back most of the original detail.  I love the effect this has on the shadows, turning them into what could be a power lead, and giving the previously dull laptop text some futuristic personality.

Regarding the concept – originally I wanted to shoot myself on all fours with the laptop on my back, but realised that was far too obvious (and I was too shy). I like this idea better.  It doesn’t necessarily reflect my own personal opinion on the often unhealthy relationship between computer and geek, but it does raise questions about who controls who, and by what means.  Perhaps you might ask those same questions about human to human relationships. Those stilleto boots could assist you in your analysis.  This photo is intended to be completely open to your interpretation.  Now please discuss it amongst yourselves and let me get back to my computer.   Thank you.

PS – This arrived in my mailbox today. China classes Web addiction as clinical disorder. Personally, I think not being plugged in and wired up is the real clinical disorder! Phone calls and actual human contact are so 20th Century, people! Get with the program!

Mat’s submission:

My thoughts: I was hoping to see something like this from Mat. He’s a creative guy and I like it when he puts his creativity into action. The only one of us to present an image directly referencing the sexual definition of the word, he is also the only one I would have put my money on to do so. His chosen digital treatment enhances and perhaps sanitises what could have been an uncomfortably personal photograph (at least for me). I like that I can choose which of the four versions works for me, although in the end I’ve decided that all four are inseparable, working together to present a lovely textured aesthetic.  Andy Warhol might have created something this interesting with a bit more practice and a mentor with good taste.  Unlike Andy’s rudimentary creations, this could actually hang on my wall.

Mat says: Here’s my submission for Submission. Which kinda means I could send in anything and it would fit the theme because it’s a submission, but I went for the sub part of the mission and here’s the result.

The most fun part of this shoot was getting to tie my girlfriend up in her lingerie, because it was for an artistic challenge. At least that’s what I told her. I fiddled with the final shot in Paintshop Pro to add a frame and some arty textures and then merged four of the best results together.

Joepi’s submission:

My thoughts: This shot scares the crap out of me, and I think it fits the brief very well. Great use of lateral thinking by Joepi. The look on the guy’s face is priceless, and from this distance even she looks rather hesitant. I think for one moment they’ve forgotten the modern submission associated with marriage (he submits his credit card, and she submits her domestic abilities) and are truly submitting to the all powerful Him who must be obeyed.   Either that or the guy is actually one of the Reception Centre waiters who was called in to replace the groom at the last minute when he scampered.  Hmmm – looking at the clothes he’s wearing I’m going with that option.

Joepi says: Submission is spelled in three ways in this photo. One would be the obvious submission of the couple to each other. The other is the couple submitting to the looming figure of the pastor as he lays down the foundations of their marriage. And lastly to the commitments the pastor is asking them to verbalize through that microphone to make their submission public.

Canon 400 D
Focal Length 18.0 mm
Exposure: 1/30
Aperture F/4.5
ISO 1600
Edited in Picasa

Ken’s submission:

My thoughts: You may not be able to read the fine print down the bottom, so in summary Ken has provided five dictionary definitions of the term “submission”, and chosen to present the first, “Yielding, or readiness to yield”.  At first glance I thought this was an accident waiting to happen, and apparently it almost was.  However, Ken explained he used multiple exposures to drive (Get it? “Drive” ha ha – hmmmm, why is it so quiet in here?) his interpretation of the theme home.  One thing is for sure, Aussies don’t seem to be able to understand roundabouts and the simple rules governing their use. And I imagine many Aussies think yield is how you describe this year’s wheat crop.

Ken says: This was a little more challenging as i wanted to think as far out of the box as possible.  You may recognise the intersection on Boardwalk Blvd.  I shot this intersection with the Tokina 12-24 at f22 and 1/13th second (iso 100).  It is amazing how many times i experience the failure to yield at this intersection…!

Photo Challenge – Introductions

Welcome to the first of what I hope to be many Rock Portrait Photography Challenges.

My idea is to present each of my photographer friends with a regular challenge to create one image in a particular theme. Nothing ground-breaking about this idea, but each of us has very different points of view, artistic visions, experience, skill sets and countries of origin, and can therefore present images that cover the gamut of the photographer spectrum – from basic enthusiast to experienced professional.  As site owner, I get to be the reviewer – for now (until one of the others regularly writes more than I do, and by default becomes head reviewer).

I intend to review these images from the point of view of you – the uninformed viewer.  I may, or may not present the point of view of the photographer as well.  We’ll see how I feel.

You see, whenever I look at images online, or in a gallery, I generally have no idea how or why it was created, so I make up my own view. Whether my conclusions are right or wrong are irrelevant. In fact, it’s my opinion that this is what art is all about. Art is just a word to describe the result of one person creating something (usually not particularly practical) that another person can interpret in an entirely different manner.

The four contributors at this time are:

1. Ken Warmington
   Ken is the most experienced of us all.  He’s an Australianised Canadian who has been shooting since before birth, uses Nikon exclusively, is particularly interested in black and white and HDR (high dynamic range) images and knows too damn much about photography.
2. Mat Ward
   Mat is a miserable Yorkshireman doing his very best to cheer up in the warm Aussie sun.  Well, he’s not as miserable as he seems, and he proves it by occasionally wearing orange t-shirts and funny hats.  Mat is learning the ropes with a Canon EOS 450D or something, and spends a lot of time trying to make the camera capture his world the way his very unusual mind sees it.
3. Joepi Paloma
   Joepi is the only cosmopolitan of us still living overseas, and she takes full advantage of her Manila home to go scuba diving in some of the very best locations in the world every weekend (grrrr!!!).  Joepi has recently purchased a 400D which is put to good use above water whilst her Canon A620 in it’s housing goes nuts in the depths of the tropics.  Joepi clearly has too much time on her hands as she is easily the most prolific photographer of us all.  She’s also a Nudibranch fanatic!  If you don’t know what that is you have two choices – either giggle uninformatively under your breath or go look it up in Wikipedia for the correct definition.
4. Stephen McGrath
   That’s me, of course. I’m the only real Aussie, although I tell everyone I’m Irish whenever Paddy comes over here to hand the Aussies a drubbing in International Rules football. I once tried telling an Irish girl that I was Irish and nearly got bonked over the head with a mouldy potato.  ( I did say “of Irish descent”).  Anyway, I use Canon gear – a 30D and 350D – and try to shoot in natural light (I hate flash), capturing candid moments.  Ken is my mentor, but we also work very well together due to our complimentary and very different points of view about everything.

Hopefully this challenge will kick off some excellent discussions, learning experiences and, at the very least, inspire the more busy of us to take photos more often.  And if we get enthusiastic enough, we may even start a podcast!  But let’s not get too excited…