Category Archives: Weekly Photo Challenge

Photo Challenge: Minimalist

Posted by Mike on

The Daily Post Photo Challenge: Minimalist

It has been forever since I participated in one of The Daily Post photo challenges. My friend Dawn at Change is Hard commented that one of my posts would fit the recent Descent theme and then another for this theme. So this morning I decided to get off my lazy butt and see what I had that fit this week’s theme of Minimalist.

I have spoken to minimalism before in a few posts (here and here) and I was originally inspired by the work of Tom McLaughlin who I found on Google+. Tom created a blend of minimalism and abstract that he calls ministract. He has some very interesting images at his site ministract.com. But this challenge is only looking for minimalism. I am inspired to find more throughout the week and for that I want to thank Dawn but for now here is my first attempt…

Light and Dark Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/25s, 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Light and Dark
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6, 1/25s, 200mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Going Wide

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Challenge – Club P52 – Wide Angle Lens

The last week has been a catch-up week for us as everyone was busy with life stuff. Our latest assignment was to use a wide angle lens for something other than a big, expansive landscape. We were going to try to look for creative ways to use all that angular light collection. Shall we see how well I accomplihed our task…

Rescue Boat Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 1/160s, 12mm, f/11, ISO 200

Rescue Boat
Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 1/160s, 12mm, f/11, ISO 200

Border Line Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 1/4s, 12mm, f/16, ISO 100

Border Line
Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 1/4s, 12mm, f/16, ISO 100

No. 25 Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 1/500s, 12mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

No. 25
Nikon D5100, Tokina 12-28mm f/4, 1/500s, 12mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Silhouettes

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Challenge – Silhouettes

Hasta la Vista Nikon D5100, Nikkor 35mm f/1.8, 1/1600s, 35mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Hasta la Vista
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 35mm f/1.8, 1/1600s, 35mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

General Gansevoort Nikon D5100, Sigma 17070mm f/2.8-4, 1/500s, 70mm, f/5.6, ISO 400

General Gansevoort
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/500s, 70mm, f/5.6, ISO 400

Picnic Ready Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/800s, 24mm, f/11, ISO 400

Picnic Ready
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/800s, 24mm, f/11, ISO 400

Railroad Triptych

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Challenge – Triptych

I went a little crazy in selecting this weeks theme for our weekly photo challenge, or more appropriately, our Club 52. I thought creating a triptych would be something that would push us in a story telling direction. I always read about how the really good images tell a story or can provide enough of a hint to allow the viewers mind to fill in a story of their own.

Not that I always believe Wikipedia provides the best information it does at times help me with ideas or concepts so here is what it has to say about triptych. For me a triptych is a way of displaying related or similarly themed images. I have created one once before when I was attempting a 365 Project but it was more of an experiment rather than a statement. You can see it here if you are interested.

Basically, a triptych is a work of art, or digital photograph in my case, divided into three sections. The center image is generally flanked by two images of smaller size in support of its theme. This is the original intent although I have seen some wonderful compositions that are organized in different ways but for mine I had to stay closer to normal. Not that I didn’t try other arrangements, I just could not make them work… lol!

So here is my triptych of the railroad line…

Railroad Triptych

Railroad Triptych

Going to the Zoo

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Theme – The Zoo

I found out a little late in the week that the local zoo is only open until 4:45pm. With me working until 4pm that just was not enough time to properly explore (little as it is). I had to drop my daughter off at a friends house early in the afternoon on Saturday and drove down to the zoo. I now remember why it has been so long since I last visited. It just doesn’t work for me. The fences are made of too large of wires to properly focus through them and there are only a handful of the animals visible without fences. It definitely did not hep my exploration going midday as quite of few of the animals were enjoying a siesta! I did manage to come away with a few worthy images. Next time though I will make the trip back to Syracuse.

Harv! They're lookin' at us again... Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/500s, 58mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Harv! They’re lookin’ at us again…
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/500s, 58mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

Undecided Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/320s, 56mm, f/8, ISO 200

Undecided
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/320s, 56mm, f/8, ISO 200

Is this all there is? Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/100s, 85mm, f/5.6, ISO 800

Is this all there is?
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/100s, 85mm, f/5.6, ISO 800

Restaurants

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Theme – Restaurants

My friends exploring these weekly photo themes with me were very generous again with the theme for the week I was to be at Disney. They suggested restaurants and I thought I would have too many choices so this one should be a cake walk for me. Of course, when I get into the World my mind sometimes (OK, always) forgets the rest of the real world and I fell a little short on this one. I did manage to get my head back into the game on the last day to manage a few images from Epcot.

My first image is from the Boardwalk area. There are numerous places for eating and entertainment but it is the atmosphere I love the best. One afternoon as I walked back toward Epcot, this sign for Kouzzina caught my eye. Kouzzina is a restaurant by Cat Cora and features a Greek inspired menu. I have never had the opportunity to eat there but I think the next trip it should be on my list.

Reserved for Kouzzina Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/100s, 52mm ,f/8, ISO 200

Reserved for Kouzzina
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/100s, 52mm ,f/8, ISO 200

Walking around Epcot’s World Showcase there are opportunities to eat at each of the country pavilions. The next two images are of two of the more popular places to eat. In France the up-scale Le Chefs de France and in England the pub styled Rose & Crown.

Le Chefs de France Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/160s, 24mm ,f/11, ISO 200

Le Chefs de France
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/160s, 24mm ,f/11, ISO 200

Rose & Crown Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/125s, 48mm ,f/11, ISO 200

Rose & Crown
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 1/125s, 48mm ,f/11, ISO 200

Motion

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Theme – Motion

The week before my trip to Walt Disney World (week of June 1st) we had chosen the theme of Motion. My thought was to capture some images that convey motion. Normally a picture is a static instance of a continuously moving world. But us photographers know how to play with our exposures to achieve images that capture a sense of movement.

Sometimes, the method is a long exposure like my water images, where the water becomes silky smooth but if the exposure is just right you get a feeling of moving water. Other methods involve fast moving objects, like cars, where the exposure is perfect for the stationary objects but the car is moving too fast and becomes a blur through the image. You can also reverse this approach and pan your camera with the car to capture the car as a stationary object but the panning motion will blur the background.

I had a few ideas of what I wanted to d for this theme but in the hectic time leading up to my trip nothing really worked out for me. I thought I would find plenty of opportunities at Disney (and I would have) but my head was not in that mode and I totally forgot. So I have been playing catch-up and these are my attempts at Motion.

For my first image I stayed with my classic moving water image. Maybe a little boring but I enjoy climbing all around the parks looking for these views so in the end I suppose it is good for me as it keeps me out and moving (OK, pun intended). I converted this one to monochrome as the green foliage was really powerful and was drawing my eye away from the water. I wanted to keep it in the image to help frame the falls but did not want it distracting from the main attraction.

Water Stairs Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 4s, 24mm, f/16, ISO 100

Water Stairs
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 4s, 24mm, f/16, ISO 100

The second image is an experiment that didn’t quite turn out as I had hoped. I think it was more timidness on my part rather than a failed concept. I was trying to combine two themes (last week’s theme was Restaurants) into a single image but I felt uncomfortable setting up the camera outside the car to capture Applebee’s with the cars blurring by. I tried to make this dual view image work but I am still not sure about it. Hopefully I’ll get some courage up and go for my original concept.

Whizzng By Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 0.4s, 38mm, f/16, ISO 100

Whizzng By
Nikon D5100, Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5, 0.4s, 38mm, f/16, ISO 100

The last image is another concept I think I could improve upon if I used my DSLR but I wanted to try experiment some more with the camera in the iPhone. I had a really good time in Disney getting images for instgram with the phone and thought I could use it for other projects. It is a lot less conspicuous than my DSLR and people seem more willing to ignore the act of taking a photo when you use your phone. Anyway, this was out the car window and the intent was to get the tree in the field while the roadside fence and grass blurred away. I think I can get this better but need a few more practice runs up and down the road. lol

Drive By Shooting iPhone 5S, 1/60s, 4.1mm, f/2.2, ISO 40

Drive By Shooting
iPhone 5S, 1/60s, 4.1mm, f/2.2, ISO 40

Dams

Posted by Mike on

Weekly Photo Theme – Dams and Locks

What a beautiful week! I don’t know if everyone had nice weather this week but I think Mother Nature was throwing us a little present for putting up with all her crap over the winter. Whatever her reasons, I liked the result. So much sun and warm temps had me jumping in the car to go exploring with the camera almost every evening. It also allowed me to get in some good field trips for this week’s them of dams and locks. I ended up with plenty of images of a few of the local dams that I didn’t even need to resort to following the Barge Canal or the old Erie Canal for locks. Although, that is still a great theme I will have to pursue this summer. 😉

The first dam I visited is at Hinckley Reservoir. The reservoir was initially created to supply water to the Erie Canal and since 2003 is the source of water for most of Utica, NY. The ‘Ethereal‘ image I posted a few days ago was also taken at Hinckley. The sun was almost below the horizon when I setup for this image so I needed to get a good bracket of images in order to capture the whole dynamic range in the scene. I brought all six images into Photomatix to create the HDR image and finished it of with a few tweaks in Lightroom.

Just a Little Over the Left Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, {1/5, 1/8, 1/10, 1/15, 1/20 & 1/30s bracket}, 21mm, f/16, ISO 100

Just a Little Over the Left
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, {1/5, 1/8, 1/10, 1/15, 1/20 & 1/30s bracket}, 21mm, f/16, ISO 100

The next two images are from one of my favorite playgrounds, Delta Lake State Park. It was another great sunset evening and the light on the dam was irresistible. Of course I forgot that the other residents of the area, mosquitoes, would also be out and I was driven away after a short visit. The grand view of the dam is another HDR image processed through Photomatix. I only needed three exposures to capture the light. I didn’t want lose the great clouds above the dam while trying to get all the shadow detail.

No Trespassing Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, {1/30, 1/60 & 1/125s bracket}, 17mm, f/16, ISO 100

No Trespassing
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, {1/30, 1/60 & 1/125s bracket}, 17mm, f/16, ISO 100

As you can see in the first Delta Lake dam image the lake level was sufficient to allow water over the spillway but not in the great torrents I usually see in the Spring. The patterns of the falling water were mesmerizing and I was hoping to capture that with a close-up of the spillway itself. I was also going for a non-traditional image for this series as I knew the first two where kind of classical landscape views of dams. 😉

Patterns Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/15s, 50mm, f/20, ISO 100

Patterns
Nikon D5100, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4, 1/15s, 50mm, f/20, ISO 100