Taken Thursday evening at 8.15 iso 400 1/100 at f4.2 . Light is vitally important and tends to be more dramatic early morning and late evening.

Focus - Brief 4 - Adam

Finally found some time today to take some shots for Brief 4

I setup a small studio with a white background to help focus on my chosen object.

I have used 2x85W 5400K Lighting and some smaller 5400K lights to remove shadows and make the object look more dynamic due to its glossy surface.

I chose this location in my house due to the natural lighting coming from behind the back drop from the french windows and the sky light above the object I was shooting

The brief outlines the use of light and how at different time of the day the light will effect the shot taken.

At this stage I have take all my shots around Mid Day and have used the Dynamic Bracketing function on the camera to demonstrate how different exposure levels effect my object.

The 3 shots of the object were all taken in Manual mode and originally in RAW

 

-1/3 Exposure selected by the AE

 

0 change to the camera AE

 

+1/3 Exposure to the AE

Having all histogram next to each other I can see how the camera has increased the dynamic range making the shots lighter until it is over exposed in places

  

I will see if I get time later to take the shots again with less light coming from the sky light as the sun goes down.

I am not sure how close to the brief this experiment is but I wanted to play with lighting and dynamic range in a controlled manner and the overcast grey sky didn't change all morning. I believe there have been some interesting evening skys in Leeds this week but unfortunately I haven't been around but I did snap this with my iPhone 4 on the train back to Leeds yesterday evening around 20:00

Think it would have been an awesome shot if I had my HS20 and wasn't traveling so fast inside a train behind a thick glass window, alas!

Added a Panoramic Crop

Lighting

Here are two images. The same subject matter and shot within 2 minutes of each other. One is using natural, available light. The other is mostly flash light. Of course one is colour and the other is black and white but just look at the difference in atmosphere. Try it some time.

In addition to lighting, Alex has been asked to look at the Rabbi. The emphasis of the shot changes to the engagement of the boy from reading to listening.

It can be so easy to change the message of the shot.

Understanding Histograms

Hello all,

I found this web tutorial which helped to explain to me how to use the histogram button on my camera.

I think it is particularly relevent to Brief 4 as you can use the histogram in say Picasa 3.8 to look at the difference between your photos taken during different lighting conditions or times of the day.

I also found it useful understanding how the Bracketing function for the Dynamic Range of my camera is manipulated by watching how the histogram moves around on the graph's axis.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml

Hope this is useful

Please add comments if you have found any other useful tutorials understanding histograms

Adam 

Focus - Brief 4

Good morning all,

Just to formally set this weeks brief.

I would like you all to set up some kind of still life/object at home and photograph it at different times of the day. The object should have some personal significance.

I would like you to observe the different lighting conditions and adjust you camera setting accordingly.

Please keep bracketing and experimenting a little with ISO if you feel there is a need.

I would like you all to present 3 photographs of the same subject so that you can talk about  each one from a technical and creative point of view.

The Sunday session just gone (12th June) was very interesting for me and I can clearly see the potential that you all have. There were some lovely photographs shown - well done!!

Hope you all found the photoshop tips useful - there are plenty more to help you tweak your shots.

See you all next Sunday!

Kind Regards

David

------------------------------------------------

David Cole,

cole-creative design and photography

28, Primley Park Crescent, Alwoodley, Leeds LS17 7HZ

www.cole-creative.co.uk

e: david@cole-creative.co.uk

t: 07742 580474

Focus - Brief 3 - Hannah

Brief 3 -

"Just to clarify this weeks brief that your photograph to represent 'Your Leeds'
has to include a person within it. Taking pictures of people has different challenges to landscapes, architecture and still life and I want you to try and use your skills to take an image that reflects either their personality or your relationship with that person.

Please remember to bracket and consider your lighting carefully along with how you want your subject to look. "

I find it very challenging to take portraits because I often feel that I have failed to capture the inner beauty or personality of my subject which for me is why I take portraits, so I was pretty nervous about this weeks Brief. Also because of Yom Tov, and then shabbos I was very limited on time, and I'm afraid I'm not up quite a early as Penni (to whom I doff my metaphorical hat) so it had to be monday, after work.

Vicky (my subject) and I spend a lot of our time together either cooking, chatting, reading, either snuggled in the house, or when weather permits, lying out in the garden. So this weeks photograph is again set in my garden:

This photograph was taken at 18:55 F4.5, ISO 100, 1/280 sec.

I tried to shorten my focal length (as much as my camera would permit) to get Vicky in focus, and blur the background, however I couldn't manage this the extent that I wanted so I blurred it further in Picasa 3.8.

Vicky has naturally very soft, pale brown hair so I tried to positioned her to get the sunshine to really show this off and then used the book as a prop, both to show something of her and our relationship and to bounce some light back onto her face.

I also borrowed Adam's lens hood to remove glare.

Below are a couple of other photographs I took that afternoon that I liked but discarded as I didn't feel that the met the Brief - My Leeds.

This photograph was taken at 18:23 f7.1, ISO 100, 1/140 sec.

This photograph was taken at 18:10 f4.5, ISO 100, 1/85 sec.

This photograph was taken at 17:41 f4., ISO 800, 1/26 sec.

This photograph was taken at 17:23 f4, ISO 800, 1/12 sec.

Focus - Brief 2 - Hannah

The Second Brief -

"Please remember that in many ways the brief is wide open. The only two parameter are that it has to represent Leeds and has to be personal to you - Your Leeds. This brief is about interpretation so these two words are key".

This shot was taken 15:20, 1/340sec, ISO 400, f5.6.

As the Brief was to take a photograph that was my Leeds I immediately thought of doing something in my garden. I then asked Bruce to model for me as I thought his black coat would make a nice contrast against the bright colours of the grass and flowers (as opposed to Wayne, who is white).

Bruce is in a tunnel of ferns, next to a dry stone wall (though I have cropped most of the later out as the photo looked too busy). I particularly liked how the light coming through the leaves created interesting shadows on his face.

Focus - Brief 1 - Hannah

For our first brief David asked us to bring with us 2 photographs:

The first photograph was a picture that inspired us as photographers and also an image we aspired to be able to take ourselves:

The image I chose was of a female longboarder. It was taken right in the drop zone (the part of the wave that is just breaking and the surfer uses to take off from), at sea (or foot/board) level. It is a shot that is physically quite difficult to take as you have to remain steady in the water whilst the waves (which will be at least 4ft high) are breaking right on top of you. As a surfer I love the elegance of longboarding and would love to be able to take these shots with a better success rate than 1 in 20.

The second photograph was a picture that meant something to each of us personally:

Taken at F2.8, at 10:46, 03/01/2010 on my iphone.

I chose this photograph of my garden in winter. For me the garden is a place to relax; passive or actively, solitary or with loved ones, and is a place of calm and peace. I love the winter light coming through the trees and the sense of imminent adventure from the fresh snow fall. I would have liked to have taken the washing line down to keep the shot soft and natural, but didn't want to ruin the new snow.

SHOT OF THE DAY: "Evening shadows in Roundhay Park"

Thought you might like to see this. It's a good example of choosing the right place at the right time. Hope you like it. Shot 7.45pm Thursday evening.

Focus - Brief 3 - Adam

Brief 3 -


"Just to clarify this weeks brief that your photograph to represent 'Your Leeds'
has to include a person within it. Taking pictures of people has different challenges
to landscapes, architecture and still life and I want you to try and use your skills to
take an image that reflects either their personality or your relationship with that person.

Please remember to bracket and consider your lighting carefully along with how you
want your subject to look. "


As I have been away all week it has been difficult to find anytime to go out hunting for 'people' or even stage a photograph.


I decided I would put faith in being in the right place at the right time so went for a walk with my camera around Roundhay today.


I was lucky enough to find some potentially interesting scenes and my top three images are below

1/350, F5.6, ISO100, 95mm

My first picture was taken in the 2008 Chelsea Flower Show garden for Leeds. I came across a woman of Asian decent surrounded by Bamboo and couldn't believe my luck.


The purple backpack she was wearing was too much of a distraction but manipulating the photo to make it look older solved that problem (I hope?)

Next

1/250, F5.6, ISO250, 706mm!


This was a sneaky photo taken from a looooong way off using the telephoto feature on the camera.


This is my view of the couple from where I was standing

It isn't easy to see the couple but with the zoom almost at full and without the use of a tripod I managed to snap the photo of the couple above.


Next

1/800, F4.5, ISO 100, 331mm


I called this photograph 'Garden Gossip'


This was also taken in the Chelsea Flower Show Garden next to Roundhay Park.


I am not sure which is my first choice yet but they are the 3 I have so far submitted for Brief 3. I shall see if I can find someone to pose for me before Sunday and take some portrait shots but I am pretty busy and Hannah has already got an excellent portrait shot for her photo.

Focus - Cabbages

During the second workshop - 


In this session we each practiced manipulating the shutter, aperture and ISO on our own cameras and took photographs of a 'model'


The model in this case was a cabbage and vine tomatoes sitting on a white backdrop.


I decided to have a quick play in photoshop after the workshop with an image I had taken of the cabbage :)

Lets see if we can create something even more spectacular with ermm a cabbage?

Focus - Brief 2 - Adam

The Second Brief -

"Please remember that in many ways the brief is wide open.
The only two parameter are that it has to represent Leeds and has
to be personal to you - Your Leeds. This brief is about interpretation
so these two words are key.

If you can email your shots before our next meeting that would be great.

Next week we will be looking at your individual cameras and first picture
taken so please bring both. I will also be setting up a simple still life for you
all to shoot. The format will be much more practical than our first class."

I unfortunately was unwell most of the week which meant that going out an exploring Leeds wasn't really an option for completing this brief.

As I am not originally from Leeds or even Yorkshire for that matter (Liverpool Rules!) I don't have any childhood memories etc for Leeds. I also don't work in Leeds and haven't done so for a number of years. So why am I living in Leeds and what does it mean to me?

What I love about Leeds is the contrast between the noise and pace of life working in a city like London and then leaving it behind at the end of each week and coming home to a lovely house and garden I have designed and nurtured to create a relaxing and calm atmosphere.

I wanted my photograph to incorporate a similar notion and chose an image that had many contrasting elements.

I called this photograph "Escape the run"

It is a picture of part of the rabbit run in the garden right after a rain shower. 

The detail around the wood markings and the screw poking through, contrasts nicely with the droplets of water. The background also contrasts with the wood making the effect even stronger. The Chicken Wire gives a sense of imprisonment which links to the 'Escape' part of the caption.

I think it nicely sums up why I come back to Leeds every week by escaping my professional life in the busy harsh south.

The Runner up photograph is below

Focus - Brief 1 - Adam

For our first brief David asked us to bring with us 2 photographs

The first photograph was a picture that inspired us as photographers and also an image we aspired to be able to take ourselves

The second photograph was a picture that meant something to each of us personally.

The two photographs I selected are below

1/400, F4.5 ISO200 37mm

This image was taken by me in the Red Sea last year using a simple point and shoot Fuji FinePix F50fd camera and underwater housing. I used this photograph to demonstrate the type of photography I had done to date and as a contrast to my inspirational image which couldn't be taken with a point and shoot compact camera.

This inspiration photograph was taken in Iceland. I was in Iceland in January and I was unable to take a picture of the Northern Lights with my compact camera. It was seeing these photographs and not being able to capture them myself that inspired me to purchase a more advanced camera and start progressing my photography skills

I have purchased a Bridge Camera as it gave me many of the features of a D-SLR but without the cost and complexity of purchasing many extra lenses. 

I selected a Fuji HS20 Camera because it had many Automatic and Manual features and a lens capable of  taking wide angle photographs and also a 30x optical zoom which provided an excellent telescopic function (24 - 720mm (35mm equivalent)) Having all these features in a single lens seemed like good value before taking the leap into SLR land. So far I have been very pleased with the camera and it easily produces images as good as any budget to mid level D-SLR.

My second photograph for the 1st Brief is below

This image was taken by me with my Fuji HS20. I was at Fountains Abbey near Ripon N Yorkshire. The photograph of a blue bell means a great deal as it is my girlfriends favourite flower, taken in a location that is special to both of us.

I took the photograph using my camera's macro mode 

Shutter 1/640

App F4.0

ISO 400

Zoom 79mm

The having the aperture as open as I could, allowed me to keep focus on the main subject and blue the background.

FOCUS - Photography - Introduction

Hello,


Welcome to a brand new blog following my time on the FOCUS photography course in Leeds, UK

I wanted to record my experiences and thoughts and as the course is very visual with many pictures I thought a blog would be an excellent medium to record the tasks, progression and lessons from the course


The course is run by David Cole of

www.cole-creative.co.uk