CCC Forum

S 44: Autumnal Monet Water Colours

Challenge: Abstract; Extra Credit: Impressionist Photography

I have not tried doing much abstract photography, but I think I can do impressionist likenesses.
So last week’s park outing had to have water for what I had in mind.
Dull light from a cloudy sky was perfect for capturing soft Monet like effects.
Lots of patience and shots were required to isolate just a trio of geese in suitable positions.

S 45: Mirror, Mirror .…..

Challenge: Signs; Extra Credit: An Omen

The SOTW challenge, Signs, did not really inspire me.
I guess outdoors there are loads of signs with interesting back drops.
Where to start though in a diminishing time frame?
Hence, as usual, the challenge got pushed back to the weekend.
Luckily, I found an interesting sign in the cupboard that started Mirror, mirror ....
Yes, another mirror based image was formulating in my mind.
I did a quick recce on the Saturday night to check feasibility.
On Sunday morning I went ahead and did the selfie under natural light.
I was rather pleased with the results.

It is a selfie! Honest!

S 46: Self Portrait

Challenge: Mobile Phone; Extra Credit: Studio Portrait

I haven’t been very good at taking self-portraits with the mobile phone.
This challenge gave me the opportunity to spend an hour or so working out best angles.
I adjourned to the loft where a skylight provided soft light from a cloudy sky.
As the mobile phone selected camera setting, I was able to concentrate on composition.
Minimal cropping off the top and a tiny amount of Photoshop was all that was used on this image.

Hi Iggy

I barely recognised you when I first saw this shot. Not due to our infrequent encounters since our club was forced to meet online, but simply it did not look quite right. Then I saw that you had taken it with a mobile phone, the lenses of which are usually the equivalent of 28mm on a full frame camera. Such a short focal length is rarely used in portraiture as the wide angle view distorts perspective at close distances. Lenses of arround 85mm are typically put into service for this purpose as this gives a more realistic depiction of the subject. Nevertheless, your shot is a good example of what the camera in a mobile phone can achieve.

Mike said:
I barely recognised you when I first saw this shot.

Thanks Mike.

I compared the mobile image to my side view in the mirror and I cannot tell the difference. Ha ha!

My basic Samsung A10 has a 13MP, f/1.9 lens with LED flash on the back.
However, the front-facing lens used for the portrait is just 5MP, f/2.0 (no mm specified).

On the other hand, the iPhone 12 has one 12MP, f/2.2 TrueDepth front-facing lens.
But three on the back 12MP lenses - 13mm f/2.4, 26mm f/1.6, 52mm f/2 lenses and LiDAR.

I took a few straight on selfies of myself, the view of me that you are used to seeing.
The challenge was to take a portrait rather than a selfie with a mobile.
I therefore experimented with the side shot which worked out rather better.
The mobile was handheld and ~2 feet from the face that filled the frame.
The soft light from the skylight above was the critical factor in this image.

S 47: Fading ROSE in Lens Hood

Challenge: Circle Extra Credit: Natural Framing.

Little chance of going out this week for one reason or another.
Hence decided to interpret the remaining challenges loosely for simplicity & achievability.
Looking round my study I saw the circle in a largish black lens hood.
Set up a faded rose to complete the frame my way.

S 48: Fly Bye Bye

Nature Extra Credit: Use a Tripod. Sunday,

Cold weather is not too conducive to live nature photography.
So I decided to give the Sigma 17-70mm macro lens a run around indoors.
Ideally could have done with the set of autofocus extension rings that I have ordered.
Additionally, the 72mm lens adaptor for the Canon M14 ring flash might have helped.
So experimental again with just a torch, a dead fly and the Sigma on a Canon 400D.
Result was the sad Fly Bye Bye with an imposing shadow!

The autofocus extension rings arrive by Amazon Prime Sunday afternoon.
So I had a little play with them and found that the 20mm worked best.
Distance between lens front and fly was around 5 cm.
Hence stayed with the torch as the light source.
Attached is an uncropped image of the new “Fly Bye Bye”.