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Weekly challenge 7/28 - 8/3 Trying something new (technical)

SquarePeg

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This week’s challenge is to break out of your comfort zone and try something new technically. Maybe you’ve never tried a panorama shot (either in camera or stitched) or you’ve tried it but gave up when it didn’t work out the first time. Does your camera have a macro or double exposure mode that you’ve been curious about but haven’t gotten around to experimenting with? Give it a try this week. Intrigued by focus stacking? There’s no time like the present.

If you feel you’ve tried every feature that your camera has, or there’s nothing new that peaks your interest, try something new in post. Try a composite image or some high frequency separation skin smoothing or add a texture to a landscape or fine art photo. Try adding light or blur to a photo that needs a little something else.

This is a technical challenge. Shooting portraits when you usually focus on landscapes is not meeting the challenge.

As always, new photos only please. However, if you’re trying something new in post, you can use an existing photo if you must.

Get out there and try something new!
 
Fairly recent, first stitch attempt. Forgot to push the final stitch button on the camera like an idiot and had to sort out the various captures before I could stitch it in the software. Poor choice of views, too much junk in the way like poles.
[url=https://dennynoll.smugmug.com/Niagara-Falls/i-RdjbwTV/A][/URL]
 
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I gave it a try today and failed miserable. I wanted to get running shots of the pups, but out of focus. Tried the different settings in AI servo on the Canon. This is one area that I am not familiar with. At least the pups got plenty of treats.
 
OK. This is awful. But, in the spirit of the challenge, I do need to practice this before I use it for my intended purpose: Live Composite on my Pen-F.

20180729_0030_A-XL.jpg
 
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OK. This is awful. But, in the spirit of the challenge, I do need to practice this before I use it for my intended purpose: Live Composite on my Pen-F.

20180729_0030_A-XL.jpg

I have no idea what Live Composite is but sounds interesting.
 
Please don't vote me off the island for this, but I shoot in jpeg. I just don't want to spend any more time in front of a computer than I have to. So I've mastered the settings in the camera and then I download through Wi-Fi to my phone and do some edits through Snapseed. I know there is less information.

My technical challenge then, was to shoot in raw and edit. This is not a particularly good photo, but these guys are really hard to catch in flight...at least for me.

DragonFly-01.webp
 
OK. This is awful. But, in the spirit of the challenge, I do need to practice this before I use it for my intended purpose: Live Composite on my Pen-F.

20180729_0030_A-XL.jpg

I have no idea what Live Composite is but sounds interesting.

It's like a long exposure, but an initial base image is generated. After that, the only additions to the base image are any changes that increase the illumination in any areas of that base image. In this case, it created a rather odd motion blur effect where the brighter pool balls tracked over the darker green felt. People use it for light painting, but I think it could create some interesting effects when used where long exposure would be the usual technique used. For example, in crowds where long exposures would make moving people disappear, you can see where this might create a very different effect.
 
This week’s challenge is to break out of your comfort zone and try something new technically. Maybe you’ve never tried a panorama shot (either in camera or stitched) or you’ve tried it but gave up when it didn’t work out the first time. Does your camera have a macro or double exposure mode that you’ve been curious about but haven’t gotten around to experimenting with? Give it a try this week. Intrigued by focus stacking? There’s no time like the present.

If you feel you’ve tried every feature that your camera has, or there’s nothing new that peaks your interest, try something new in post. Try a composite image or some high frequency separation skin smoothing or add a texture to a landscape or fine art photo. Try adding light or blur to a photo that needs a little something else.

This is a technical challenge. Shooting portraits when you usually focus on landscapes is not meeting the challenge.

As always, new photos only please. However, if you’re trying something new in post, you can use an existing photo if you must.

Get out there and try something new!
Just a few hours ago I came upon this quote from Thomas Jefferson: “ If you want something you’ve never had, be willing to do something you’ve never tried”.
 
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Please don't vote me off the island for this, but I shoot in jpeg. I just don't want to spend any more time in front of a computer than I have to. So I've mastered the settings in the camera and then I download through Wi-Fi to my phone and do some edits through Snapseed. I know there is less information.

My technical challenge then, was to shoot in raw and edit. This is not a particularly good photo, but these guys are really hard to catch in flight...at least for me.

View attachment 161273

I shoot 2 cards, one raw and one jpeg. I rarely need to bother with the raw files. Not sure what you’re using for gear but if you love the convenience of jpegs, check out Fuji!
 
I gave it a try today and failed miserable. I wanted to get running shots of the pups, but out of focus. Tried the different settings in AI servo on the Canon. This is one area that I am not familiar with. At least the pups got plenty of treats.
I use back button focusing. On my 6D it's already programmed (AF-ON), you may have to program another button to do this. I set my camera to AI servo. When something's moving, I just hold down the back button focus button and fire away. Because the shutter button no longer focuses, I can leave the camera in AI servo. When I take a picture of something stationary, I press the back button focus and release it. The focus won't change when I take the picture. It's much easier to do it this way rather than changing the focus mode each time I want to take a picture. If it's stationary press it once. If it starts to move, hold the button down.
 
This is exactly what a challenge means! Would a clear, crisp and exceptional photo meet the requirements since that would be new for me:1398:

I'm waiting for the answer, too. Maybe she's just not home.
 
I gave it a try today and failed miserable. I wanted to get running shots of the pups, but out of focus. Tried the different settings in AI servo on the Canon. This is one area that I am not familiar with. At least the pups got plenty of treats.
I use back button focusing. On my 6D it's already programmed (AF-ON), you may have to program another button to do this. I set my camera to AI servo. When something's moving, I just hold down the back button focus button and fire away. Because the shutter button no longer focuses, I can leave the camera in AI servo. When I take a picture of something stationary, I press the back button focus and release it. The focus won't change when I take the picture. It's much easier to do it this way rather than changing the focus mode each time I want to take a picture. If it's stationary press it once. If it starts to move, hold the button down.

I have watched a few back button focusing videos a long time ago. The 5D has custom function. Can I have the set up as you described and set as a custom function? I then can set the camera back to my normal set up? I don't get much action shots since I only have primes. The longest one is 85mm.
 
I have watched a few back button focusing videos a long time ago. The 5D has custom function. Can I have the set up as you described and set as a custom function? I then can set the camera back to my normal set up? I don't get much action shots since I only have primes. The longest one is 85mm.

I can't really say. I've never felt the desire to go back. I use the AF-ON button on the back of my 6D and I disabled the focusing function on my shutter button. I leave my camera in AI Servo. If I want one shot, I press the AF-ON button until the camera is focused. If I want continuous focus, I keep the button pressed. The focus doesn't change when I take the picture because the shutter button focus is disabled and only sets the exposure. From Tony Northrup

 
I use back button focusing. On my 6D it's already programmed (AF-ON), you may have to program another button to do this.

I have a 6D Mark II and so am familiar with the back button focus. My biggest impediment to using it is, well, me. I just forget and fall back into old habits.
 

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