New challenge 11/4 - 11/10 Take Two!

[SquarePeg]

This challenge is about critiquing your photos in the field and getting it right in camera. Here are the rules:

Plan your shot - lighting, exposure triangle, white balance, composition, subject pose, etc...
Take your shot - take only one shot
Check your results and make any adjustments you feel are needed
Take your second shot - one shot only

No post processing allowed. RAW conversions shouldn't have any slider adjustments. Fuji shooters no in camera conversion tweaks or film simulations after the fact.

Post your results - if you got it right the first time, hooray! If you had to make adjustments, add a comment about what you changed and why. If you feel like your 2nd shot still didn't get it done, comment about that. We won't be critiquing others photos in the thread, just our own.

Post your photos in this thread!

 

[jcdeboever]

Sure, why not.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

I believe your whole intent in your challenges so far has been to get people out and using/learning their equipment. This challenge should do just that. It will make people think about the photo before they push the button. Relying on one's knowledge instead of editing abilities after the fact was what it was all about before digital.

 

[JonA_CT]

Seems like cheating for you WYSIWYG Fuji framers

But...a pretty cool challenge. My participation rate has been dreadful, but I could see using this as a tool to aid in my OCF skill building.

 

[SquarePeg]

Sure, why not.

Great!

I believe your whole intent in your challenges so far has been to get people out and using/learning their equipment. This challenge should do just that. It will make people think about the photo before they push the button. Relying on one's knowledge instead of editing abilities after the fact was what it was all about before digital.

Yes that is the goal! I've been trying to force myself to learn instead of rely on post processing. While I totally agree with using post to take a photo from good to great, I was using it too much to fix mistakes.

Seems like cheating for you WYSIWYG Fuji framers

But...a pretty cool challenge. My participation rate has been dreadful, but I could see using this as a tool to aid in my OCF skill building.

Boy you had me stumped for a few minutes with that acronym. My brain is in Friday mode. How about if I promise to only use one eye? LOL.

 

[SquarePeg]

Alright we're making this happen!

 

[Fred von den Berg]

Camera used: Leica Digilux 1.
100 iso, f8, 1/15 (calculated using Gossen Sixtar light meter at copper-coloured bush, incident reading)
WB: custom (set using piece of white card at the copper-coloured bush)
Hand-held (Toby our beagle pup was with me and just wasn't going to let me use my mini tripod!)
No adjustments made to original jpeg

I tried to compose this with the rudiments of the rule of thirds in mind: the forest floor taking up the bottom third, the two most dominant tree trunks near the vertical thirds lines and the copper-coloured bush also along a division.

I'm reasonably pleased with how this came out and think the exposure has captured the mood of the woodland scene. I'm especially pleased with the band of light on the right and the light coming through the trees in the background, which are both well depicted without being blown.

I'm not sure that I would change much, perhaps it could be a little sharper, but on the whole I'm happy with it as is.

Edit: this was the second shot. No further adjustments were made but Toby tugged on the lead as I took the first shot and it was a little blurred.

 

[jcdeboever]

One shot only. Fujifilm X-Pro 2, 23mm f/2. Velvia simulation, 1:1. Shot in jpeg fine. f5.6, 1/125s, ISO 200, +2/3 EC.

 

[Ysarex]

Getting it right in camera is very important to me and I work hard to do that. But for me getting it right in camera means getting the best possible exposure.

This is the last photo I took with my X-T2. I found a hydrangea in bloom end of October -- very surprising.

Apart from a slight crop in from the right side I'm completely happy -- totally nailed the exposure.

I never shoot camera JPEGs but you did say a raw conversion without adjustments was OK. Seriously? Fair enough:

That's a raw conversion demosaiced only. I can't imagine anyone would ever want to see one but there you go.

Here's the histogram of the raw file that shows what a perfect exposure looks like when graphed:

Joe

 

[Ysarex]

Seems like cheating for you WYSIWYG Fuji framers

I was really happy when I upgraded from my Fuji X-E2 to my X-T2. The X-T2 allows you to shut down all that WYSIWYG in the viewfinder so it doesn't distract -- I got that stuff shut off 60 seconds after the battery was first charged -- much better.

Joe

 

[SquarePeg]

Getting it right in camera is very important to me and I work hard to do that. But for me getting it right in camera means getting the best possible exposure.

This is the last photo I took with my X-T2. I found a hydrangea in bloom end of October -- very surprising.

Apart from a slight crop in from the right side I'm completely happy -- totally nailed the exposure.

I never shoot camera JPEGs but you did say a raw conversion without adjustments was OK. Seriously? Fair enough:

View attachment 149224

That's a raw conversion demosaiced only. I can't imagine anyone would ever want to see one but there you go.

Here's the histogram of the raw file that shows what a perfect exposure looks like when graphed:

View attachment 149228

Joe

Joe - although I’m sure you know this, the point of not using the raw conversion sliders was to try to get a great photo in camera without relying on post processing. Not sure of the technical terms involved in converting the raw file without adjusting WB, exposure, shadows etc. (and don’t really care) but the point was to accommodate the “I only shoot in raw” folks with that “rule”. I think the intent of that was clear enough, if not the terminology, and I have no desire to get into a technical discussion about raw conversions or whatever point you’re trying to make with your post. I purposefully didn’t use the term SOOC in order to avoid having to weed through that tired conversation.

Cropping would be post processing, IMO. Not that it matters but the point was to try to make whatever adjustments were needed after first shot, including composition (so reframe instead of crop), to get an improved 2nd shot. Anyway, that was how I was imagining the challenge. As I’ve said before, the challenges are not contests so how you participate, or not, is up to you.

Our hydrangeas are also blooming now after failing to bloom this summer. Must be the weird weather we’ve had.

 

[Ysarex]

Joe - although I’m sure you know this, the point of not using the raw conversion sliders was to try to get a great photo in camera without relying on post processing. Not sure of the technical terms involved in converting the raw file without adjusting WB, exposure, shadows etc. (and don’t really care) but the point was to accommodate the “I only shoot in raw” folks with that “rule”. I think the intent of that was clear enough, if not the terminology, and I have no desire to get into a technical discussion about raw conversions or whatever point you’re trying to make with your post. I purposefully didn’t use the term SOOC in order to avoid having to weed through that tired conversation.

I know and I don't want to be too much of a jerk -- just a little with an apology. You're trying to get the best photo you can from the camera's image processor. Which is absolutely fine and that's what you need to call it. The challenge is to take the JPEG the camera software renders as delivered and you get one chance to shoot evaluate and alter the camera's JPEG picture controls before taking the committed photo; a worthwhile exercise and fun challenge.

It's nice that you tried to be as inclusive as possible but there really isn't any accommodation for "I only shoot raw" folks like me. That's OK. Your challenge needs to be what it is: get your best camera rendered JPEG -- you get two shots at it. If I want to participate I can switch over my camera to save JPEGs.

Now to me being a jerk; you tried to avoid the term SOOC because you knew it was charged. The "get it right in camera" term is probably more charged. Unfortunately it carries the implication that folks who save raw files are sloppy behind the camera and are saving raw files because they have to since they lack the skill to "get it right in camera." I've had that term directed at me with that meaning many many times. I know you didn't use it that way or intend to imply that but it's a hot button. So I'm proud of my hydrangea shot because I did totally nail the exposure but I got nothing I can show that's appropriate here. That's OK, sorry for the interruption and carry on.

Joe

 

[SquarePeg]

First shot:



Crooked and stray branch in the top right too distracting. Reframed and shot again from same spot:
https://flic.kr/p/Gg8HCV


Over corrected on the straightening of the horizon. Despite using the electronic level feature. I admit that I struggle with this on every landscape shot. Must be my lopsided brain!

 

[Derrel]

Today as my son and I were walking back to the car after Sunday breakfast out. Big leaf maple leaf on sidewalk. First shot was a horizontal, second shot was made as

a vertical. Uploaded to Facebook so that the files would be shrunk down, to get around TPF's new file size limitations. We both preferred the vertically framed shot.

 

[Fred von den Berg]

These two were taken this morning with my Leica Digilux 1. Settings are the same for both (iso 100, WB: cloudy/overcast, f5.6 1/180) but in an attempt to improve the framing I zoomed in a little closer for the second shot. Both (?) need straightening: the second shot certainly.