Welcome to Picture of the Week 06/07/09 - 06/21/09 #66

It is with great pleasure that I'm opening this famous thread--our weekly feast of extremely diverse images. I know it is hard to beat the enthusiasm manifested last week. It was such a joy to wander through the anarchical host of eye-catching-to-superb images. I can only hope posters will be even more numerous and inspired this time (although you don't need to prove anything!). There are no rules--except the ones below, which basically say there are no rules. Don't give us any sample of perfection: give us something you like, and leave the aesthetic judgment to us. (Nothing to worry about; critics are pretty lenient here.)

You can see last weeks POTW here.

All of the past POTW's are now linked below under the name of the host. So it's easy to go back and view some past weeks.

Rules as before:

1) No theme just your favorite stuff.
2) Let's keep it to about 4-6 images per post just so the thread doesn't get too big each week.
3) Any Pentax camera is fine, film, P&S, DSLR (or Samsung DSLR)
4) Date : Sunday 06/07/09 to Sunday 06/21/09. Enter anything you shot last week or during this current week until the thread closes.

Previous hosts: 1 Peter Zack, 2 Eaglerapids, 3 rmtagg, 4 Peter Zack, 5 daacon, 6 Bramela, 7 mtnbearhug, 8 dantuyhoa, 9 gawan, 10 roentarre, 11 daacon, 12 Kris, 13 mtnbearhug, 14 SCGushue, 15 daacon, 16 maxwell1295, 17 dantuyhoa, 18 daacon, 19 maxwell1295 19(2) daacon, 20 Bramela, 21 Syb, 22 maxwell1295, 23 maxwell1295, 24 dantuyhoa, 25 Gawan, 26 Peter Zack, 27 borno, 28 daacon, 29 gawan, 30 Damn Brit, 31 maxwell1295 32 maxwell1295 , 33 dantuyhoa, 34 daacon, 35 Peter Zack, 36 Damn Brit, 37 Borno, 38 Kevint, 39 Peter Zack, 40 Timbo13, 41 daacon, 42 daacon, 43 gawan, 44 dantuyhoa, 45 daacon, 46 rense, 47 daacon, 48 Rense, 49 borno, 50 Rense, 51 daacon, 52 Peter Zack, 53 Peter Zack, 54 dadipentak, 55 David Whiteley, 56 planedriver, 57 daacon,58 bramela, 59 daacon, 60 gawan, 61 virgilr, 62 daacon, 63 RickL 64. Peter Zack 65. Peter Zack 66. Causey


So to get things started. Over the last 4-5 days I have explored my (rather poor--or so I initially thought) equipment's capacity to take macros in my in-laws' garden. It turned out practice makes the best equipment. Here is a short series that I'd like to introduce as "Bumblebee and the beast":




... and a 100% crop of the beast. (I suppose the bumblebee is easily identifiable.)

[daacon]

Stefan thanks for hosting POTW - indeed there is no subsitute for pratice. Those are nice macros the 100% crop of that tic or whatever it is is really good.

I had a 'red/read' assignment last week and are a few examples.

Click on image for larger view

[Rense]

Stefan, thanks for hosting this weeks POTW! Nice macros, I will join you in your struggle !
Dave, that is a good series!

Here some of my macro attempts. It's quite a challenge ! Made with the SMC-Macro-Takumar 50/4 + 21 mm extension tube. The first is shot wide open, the second with a fully closed (f/22) aperture. Both are crops...

#1


#2

[causey]

Dave, lovely bird shot; colors go well together. As for the others, they show ordinary, unobtrusive things and parts can make interesting objects. Very sharp as well. (I like the brown sugar--or, if it's not brown sugar, I like the image of what I mistook for brown sugar.)

Rense, wonderful picture. Leaves me a bit lost for words...

Thank you both for a a vigorous start!

[dayah]

daacon - last one is my fav, it's very simple, ordinary, nice black&white

causey, rense - sorry, no comment, i won't say they are nice, i don't like bugs (even in normal size so macro-bugs are like horrorrrr!)

so, after that bugs, i'll put something we all love - something sweet and eatable



i made them today for desert, honey biscuit with caramel cream

and i promised to myself: next time i'll do my best to take much better photo then this one is...

[causey]

Dayah: hmm, yummy! I'm sure your cookies won't bug anyone! Well executed--but now I might be confusing picture and thing/s.

[legacyb4]

Great shots everyone; those biscuits look tasty!

From the last week, in no particular order:

[kevindt]

Thank you for hosting this week, Stefan.

Stefan and Rense - I DO like bugs, and those are nice pictures.

Dave - interesting "reds" - the last one is "read" I suppose

Dayah - the photo is good, the subject looks wonderful!

Legacyb4 - all good but love #2.

A few from the latter part of last week to keep it going.

[georgweb]

Thanks for hosting Stefan (hey that does not sound american?), the 100%-bug has bitten me, excellent !

Dave, you're one of those photogs who I think do very well in minimalistic compositions. Was that assignment part of your photo-lessons?

Rense, that starts scaring me :-) Real good detail on that fly and makes me wonder how you could get so close from the same side of the window.

Dayah, I've seen on your flickr that you are in a 'World of Muffins ...' group :-) Also, the '50mm f/1.4 shooters', which I've joined right in. Your photo is quite good imo but what do I know of the world of muffins :-)

Legacy before, really like that portrait with the sparkling OOF stuff on the red cloth.

Kevin, love those flowers' colors. Looks like those pics are in the shadow, still real good colors.

Here's two pics from a street festival. Human beat box and whatnot coming out of his mouth, 'Doeme' from Budapest.


A real good magician/comedian/clown, the tattoed guy in front ('Rock IT', british I guess). Crowd is split into laughter or disbelief.


Keep them coming,
Georg (the other)

[eccs19]

Thanks Causey for hosting.

Here are a couple from today's venture.

1. Tight crop of a cute little bug!



2. More flowers for this weeks thread.

[Light_Horseman]

FA 35mm



A 50mm f/1.2

[Scottnorwo]

I got my young model to pose for me today. Then of course she ran off to ride her bike and left me to take pictures of flowers.

Thanks Causey for hosting
Light_Horseman--nice capture of the fire breathing thespian
eccs19-- cool shot of bug, and purple flowers
georgweb-- like that bokeh on the first shot of the singer
kevindt-- nice street shots, very colorful. like the marracca lady
legacyb4-- nice flower, cute kid, and tasty looking raspberry
dayah-- yummy yummy bokeh
Rense-- cool bugs, just hope they are on the outside of the window
daacon-- sharp bird and like the shadows on the picnic table
causey-- great bee shot, and that beast nice shots, but that bug there just loves to invite himself into my house every fall

[daacon]

Rense - Thanks for the comments sharp bugs crop or not well done

causey - thanks for the comments , it is actually the spinkles you spread on birthday cake

dayah - thanks for the comments , my mouth is watering right now , ummm ummm looking so good. Nothing wrong with that shot thanks for posting.

Jeff - nice variety - love the shot of the little gril.

Kevin - thanks for the comments, looks like a farmers market ? Great street shots whever they came from.

Georg (the other) - thanks for the comments that is nice - yes the assignment was 'red' and you could use it phoenetically - Nice rapper in #1 not sure what to make of the guy in #2

eccs19 - cute is in the eye of the beholder - that is a sharp shot well done. Nice flower as well.

Light Horseman - great shot of the fire - nice timming ! And a wonderful fairy

Scott - thanks for the comments, nice flowers and nice shot of the young lady - at that age you do indeed only have a few minutes.

[daacon]

Went out for a shoot with my wife today at the Devonian Botanic Garden. It needs a few more weeks yet for full bloom I think still it was a great day and the wife took the istD with her

There will be lots of shots from there in this POTW thread for sure. Here are a few shots of well me, the wife captured through out the day

It was a hot day (hit low 30's Celsius ) and yeah that pack was heavy , I hate not having a lens I need and you know what I still left some at home !!

Click on image for larger view

[causey]

Dare I say this week photos look a bit better than last week?

legacyb4: impressive shots, outstanding portrait

kevin: nice capture of market motion & colors, the portrait stands out here too

georg: you're right. I'm not American, but nor German (I know Stefan in a name in German as well)--I'm a Romanian doing graduate studies in Boston (I'll put this piece of info in my profile). cool human shots. I like the expressions of the faces in the crowd.

eccs19: hmm... your bug looks crisper than mine. everything in focus... goes well with the clear'n'sharp flower photo.

Light_Horseman: two vivid scenes there. something theatrical about them--very well framed. the first one appears a bit dark on my screen. I like the second a bit better (very graceful).

Scott: the first two (portrait of kid + flower, & flower) are simply wonderful. thanks for posting them. that bug has a bad reputation here too. (I'm spending the summer in Romania with family and friends.) everyone who's seen the pictures I posted above had this reaction: expression of disgust + "this is the kind that smells really bad if you step on it".

Dave: looking armed and dangerous (well, not so dangerous). nice to meet you 'in person'.