[Wasp]

WHAT!?!?! That's crazy!

It doesn't look even half as appealing on google maps - I think it must be older imagery they've used, or it looks completely different during the drier seasons.

Man, I was not expecting that to be part of a farmer's market/outlet sort of place! I like it! This is a good world!

--EDIT--
PS - I can't find any other good photos of it online, so either my google-fu has failed, or there's a chance you actually have the best publically available photo of the gardens there!

Here are a couple more that I took on the same day.



In this view, I was on the other side of the pond when I took the image in my previous post.

[MossyRocks]

Here are a couple more that I took on the same day.

That garden area reminds me a lot of the area of Como Park near the Conservatory in St. Paul, MN.

[cprobertson1]

Remember to follow social distancing and lockdown guidelines. I would usually filter random subjects with a clear "outside" bias during the lockdown period - but I figured this one could be done from gardens.

If anybody wants me to re-generate it, just let me know

Also, remember that "puddle" is just inspiration - it can mean anything you want it to. For instance, is the sea "a puddle"? What a bout a pond? A spillage? A clump of tall grass might be considered a "grass puddle" - the sky's the limit. The sky's a puddle.

---

Week: №15
Duration:2020/05/04--2020/05/10



Subject: PUDDLES
Focus on: LONG-DOF
Style: DECONSTRUCTIONIST
Optional Challenge: Maximum of 30-shots - Take a MAXIMUM of 30-shots

---

This week's challenge will use PUDDLES as the subject matter, with a focus on the concept of LONG-DOF in a DECONSTRUCTIONIST style.

---

The optional challenge is: Maximum of 30-shots - Take a MAXIMUM of 30-shots

Let us harken back to the days of film: you have only 30 shots to spend on your journey... use them wisely!

(The purpose of this is to encourage photographers to plan and treasure every shot, and to use their resources sparingly)

[savoche]

I'm once again pulling up a shot from the archives, titled "Molten gold".

Subject: It is a puddle, a tiny one
Focus on: Stretching the term one might say DoF is long in that both the ground and the reflection are in focus - mostly
Style: Does it convey reality? Is it a reflection of reality? Is it just an imitation of reality?

[cprobertson1]

Very nice - I love moire-like pattern where the two ripples intersect!

There's also a random smattering of little highlights in the dark regions that break it up - I like it!

[MossyRocks]

I'm once again pulling up a shot from the archives, titled "Molten gold".

I like it it is interesting and a good attempt.

[Wasp]

Big puddle in the road, plenty of DOF. Deconstructionism is all about eliminating any assumptions. This was taken in Johannesburg, so it helps to eliminate assumptions about the place.

[cprobertson1]

Feel free to substitute any other bird if you can't find any gulls!

Week: №16
Duration:2020/05/11--2020/05/17



Subject: SEAGULL
Focus on: POINTLESSNESS
Style: EASY-GOING
Optional Challenge: Single Lens - Do not change lenses: choose one and use it for the day!

---

This week's challenge will use SEAGULL as the subject matter, with a focus on the concept of POINTLESSNESS in an EASY-GOING style.

---

The optional challenge is: Single Lens - Do not change lenses: choose one and use it for the day!

Use only a single lens for the duration of your journey; choose beforehand and don't take any spare with you!

For bonus points, make it a prime lens!

(The purpose of this is to encourage photographers to become intimately familiar with their lenses - and to practice footwork rather than merely zooming in (or out) of their subject)

[Wasp]

Here is a swan, the closest that I have to a seagull. It is pointless because the AF missed the mark and the bird is not sharp. I am easy-going about the lack of perfection, so I am posting it anyway.

[savoche]

Here is a swan, the closest that I have to a seagull. It is pointless because the AF missed the mark and the bird is not sharp. I am easy-going about the lack of perfection, so I am posting it anyway.

I think the focus on the powerful wings and the flying droplets while having the head blurred creates a stronger sense of movement than a perfectly in-focus head probably would have. But then that invalidates the pointlessness of the image, so never mind

[cprobertson1]

Here is a swan, the closest that I have to a seagull. It is pointless because the AF missed the mark and the bird is not sharp. I am easy-going about the lack of perfection, so I am posting it anyway.

I love the depth of field on the water droplets and the sunlight glinting off them - gives a real sense of 3D-ness, and emphasises the movement of the swan.

I'm actually thinking... see if you "cheated" and drew a black line at the high contrast areas on the bill and the border of the eye, you might actually be able to trick the mind into not noticing that everything in the area is defocused. What I mean is that its most obvious in these high contrast areas where you expect to see a line but instead see a blurry transition that there is defocus - if you can be bothered, it might be a fun experiment to try - if you can't be bothered, worry not, for I still like it!

As savoche said, it gives a stronger sense of movement

---

Added some new keywords:
subjects:
"Big difference"
"Birds of prey"
"Droplets"
"Splashes"
"Turbulence"
"Water birds"
"Whatever that is"

Modifiers:
"Inappropriateness"
"Inorganic shapes"
"Life"
"My terms"
"Unfairness"

The list was originally intended for my own personal use - which is why I could afford such specificity - but now that it's running a weekly challenge, not everyone is going to have access to seas and seagulls and swans like I do.

Should replace specific terms like these with more generic, audience-friendly terms? (For instance "Seagulls" and "Swans" could be replaced with "water birds", "sea" and "lake" could be replaced with "bodies of water", etc).

Mind let me know what you think

[ramseybuckeye]

I made a point today to do the random challenge, I used one lens all day, and I shot a seagull with it. The one lens just worked out right, This morning my wife and I took a walk on a beach, so I took the DA*300, hoping to get birds. I did not want to shoot photos of people, and did not want to do macro or something that took too much time, after all, we were walking. Then we were invited to go on a boat ride with out daughter and son in law. We planned to go to an island that happens to be partially managed by Audubon, so again the DA*300. I could have took the 55-300 PLM lens to both of these places, but it seemed more true to the challenge to use a single focal length. Well I did not see that many birds to shoot at either place, so improvise. Here's the gull:


And I did get a nice shot of a young Sanderlng:


Some kind of heavy equipment made these tracks at the first beach:


I caught these wind tracks on a sand dune:


And the dunes themselves:

[jquill]

I went out Wed evening to do a little Tern hunting. It was low tide in the marsh and the evening sun gives the shots a rich look. I enjoy shooting around sunset; very peaceful and serene, especially on a low tide. I wanted to get some diving shots however the Terns were not cooperating. Still, I did get three nice shots from the dock. The most interesting one was the Aerobatic Tern shot. I missed the entry, but I caught him inverted as he did a 360 barrel roll coming out of the water. These were all shot using a 645Z and a 150-300 zoom.

Tern over the marsh

Tern Climbing out of a Dive

Aerobatic Tern

[cprobertson1]

Aww, what good shots!

I failed to get out - been held back at work a lot last week fixing problems!

@ramseybuckeye - Love the texture shots in particular! I'm a sucker for texture I also love how crips that gull is - the last few times I've shot birds it's been dull so I've not been able to get the shutterspeed up high enough for sharp shooting - I tend to be out near blue hour so the ISO needs to be up, and even then the F/stop on the 55-300mm PLM isn't too wide. I'll hopefully get out more in the sun - I've been going to the same spot again and again of late trying to shoot deer.

I think I'll make an excuse to visit the beach soon - I'll take the bike and use a hook-on-some-paracord as a DIY string-tripod (it can hook on railings or the crossbar of the bike and extends long enough to be used as a regular string-tripod too).

Also, I'm actually glad you posted that sanderling - at first I thought it was a sandpiper (which are common in this area) - but now I know the difference beteween the two! ::thumbs-up::


@jquill - What!? Those are some fancy acrobatics - I love that you caught it upside down! I've only seen terns in action on documentaries - not had much luck around here - there's a salt marsh and plenty of dunes: plenty of waders but the divers tend to head out to sea. There is a colony of terns that live on a nearby island called Lady Isle but I'd have trouble getting out there (and I think you need permission to land on the island). I've actually been there quite a few times for scuba diving (much to the amusement of the seal colony that live there as well! Those things are FAST underwater - they look kinda slow and cumbersome on land - but underwater, ooft!).

I'd love to take a land-trip out ot Lady Isle actually - set up with the camera, maybe camp out overnight - I'll need to see if I can get in touch with whoever owns the reserve.

Anyway - thanks for that folks! Checking those pics out has made my day

---------- Post added 2020-05-18 at 00:22 ----------

Week: №17
Duration:2020/05/18--2020/05/24



Subject: DAYBREAK
Focus on: GAIN
Style: LANDSCAPE
Optional Challenge: Strangers - Ask strangers if you can take photos of them

---

This week's challenge will use DAYBREAK as the subject matter, with a focus on the concept of GAIN in a LANDSCAPE style.

---

The optional challenge is: Strangers - Ask strangers if you can take photos of them

You may only take photos of strangers you have sought (and gained) permission to photograph. Approach strangers on the street and ask (politely!) if they might mind if you captured some photos of them. If they say 'yes' then you're good to go! For added challenge, you may find it rewarding to pose them.

(The purpose of this is to encourage confidence in your photography, and in overcoming shyness. It also reinforces portrait photography.)

[ramseybuckeye]

I don’t have a lot of knowledge of these shorebirds and I think they can be difficult to identify. Anyway your comment was spot on, I was at a website yesterday telling how to distinguish between sanderlings and semipalmated sandpipers, which I got photos of both this weekend, I was lucky enough to get a photo of the sandpiper showing the semi webbed feet, and after seeing several photos you might differentiate them by body shape.

Now you’re forcing me to get up at daybreak!😉. Lately I’ve been getting up late, although looking at this weeks weather here, it may not fly. Oh well!