Week 4

Creative Process

What is it? How does one become "creative"? Why is it so easy for some people and not for others? Why do some people learn to be creative, while others just "don't get it"?
I don't know.
I can say about myself, that I am not inherently "creative". I don't have blinding flashes of ideas that spring fully formed into my head. For me, the process is one of "see something, think about it, try it, see where it takes me" rather than original thought.
On my good days, I'm OK with that. Bad days are another story.....

So, to this weeks photo - an attempt to represent the start of the creative process.

Here is the finished photograph:


Infinite Possibilities

I was going for a high-key picture of the almost limitless possibilities of the creative process at the very start.
In my mind, an artist staring at a blank canvas represents all the choices they have, but the minute the first line is drawn, the process starts to narrow the choices...

Anyway, enough of the navel-gazing.

Here is the setup shot:

Setup Shot

Yes, that is a Pringles can there - you can read all about it here - and I am using my wireless triggers for flash activation. I find they are more reliable than the built-in "wireless" mode on the camera.
The flashes were set on manual, and the light was incrementally adjusted until I got what I wanted. No magic bullet, just trial and error.

I liked the end result, despite the loss of definition of the canvas on the left hand side. That blown area ( to me ) speaks of the creative process arriving in a flash of light.

The final photo is now in the Project 52 gallery

Week 3

The Runners

This weeks picture is a simple one - a shot of a local beach with three lonely-looking runners with dogs.
When I look at this picture I remember what it was that "spoke" to me about it - the seeming loneliness of the three people.
They were all running with their dogs, why not do it together? Also the spacing between the closer runners seemed quite contrived - but maybe that's just me?

Taken with my K200D and 55-300mm lens at 300mm. Slight colour boost and levels adjustment in Aperture were all the pp I thought it needed on this one.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The final image is also in the "Project 52" Gallery

Week Two

The Vault.

I have wanted to see if I could make an HDR image from the Canon S90 for some time, and I knew that "The Vault" at Glasgow University was a challenge to photograph because of its low light inside and its often brightly lit courtyards just out side.
Here's the first of 3 images to go into the HDR:

I exposed for the highlights, making the interior very dark - even so, I think the highlights are just a bit too bright still. (F3.2 1/15s 6mm)
Here's the second of the three images:

We can see that the interior exposure is much better, but the outside highlights are almost totally blown. ( F3.2 1s 6mm)
And here is the last shot:

The floor is overexposed, and there is no detail left at all in the outside area. ( F3.2 2s 6mm)

For the final image I used Photomatix Pro, setting the "Align the images by matching features" and "Reduce Chromatic Aberrations" to on.

Here's what it ended up like (with a few adjustments in Aperture (dodge and burn, exposure adjustment and a crop)):

I am quite pleased with the result, despite the blown highlights in the middle and right-most outside areas.

Here is a 100% crop of some of the detail:

I think that's pretty good for a shirt-pocket size point and shoot, don't you?

I think I will revisit The Vault again when I have more time and try the HDR route again.

The final image is also in the "Project 52" Gallery.

Week One

The Guitar.

I have a long standing wish to be musical. Since I have the music ability of a brick, this is one ambition that will probably go unrealised.
A few years back, my grandson got a guitar for Christmas, as he thought maybe he would be a rock star. Unfortunately, he realised that there was more to it than just strumming the Guitar, and so the guitar sat, unused and unloved. I got hold of it, cleaned it up and tried to make some music by taking a few online courses.
Didn't help.
So this picture is an attempt to do something useful with the guitar.


Here is the original as shot.
I was using f22, iso 100, an 18-55mm zoom and two flashes.

You can see in the set-up shot (below) that the shoot occurred in a corner of a spare room. I was using a reflector as a flag and had the curtains closed as much as possible. There were two flashes at camera right - I started with one, but found two provided a more even light. The flashes were triggered by Cactus V4 wireless triggers.


Post-processing consisted of cropping, a levels adjustment, some retouching to take out the blue walls and it was all done in Aperture.

You can view the finished article here

If you have an opinion, please comment. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments.

Project 52 - Overview

Why?

A commitment to provide a picture a week will (hopefully) allow me to develop the discipline to produce, even when I don't feel like it.
It will provide a timeline on which I can judge if my photography is evolving. ( I won't say improving!)

How?

By an entry in this blog for each weekly photograph.
With a gallery of the completed images here

Come along for the ride. Make a comment. Contact me. Express your opinion. Participate.
But mostly, just enjoy.