36 - my go at it

[ChrisLumix]

It was a lovely sunny Saturday afternoon, and I had 30-60 minutes to spare, so I thought "Why not?" That's before I failed - to borrow a weird Americanism - 'Photography 101'. Yes, I didn't check to see if my battery was charged! After not much more than half an hour of shooting, it gave out completely, but I was later surprised to discover that in that time I had actually managed to take 26 pictures.

 

I took BP's advice and shot everything at full wide (27mm) as the FZ38's readout doesn't give the focal length being used. I had no idea how to prevent PG Tips, but I restricted it to the 1 second 'still' that appears immediately after taking the shot - I didn't go into Playback mode at all, so I hope that's allowed.

 

Here is the contact sheet, created in PSE6, and I'll also put up 5 of my favourites.

 

 

Whether you judge it a success or failure, I did really enjoy the exercise and I hope I learned something from it. For one thing, framing the 'final' composition in the viewfinder with no thought of cropping, brought back some good memories from the days of 35mm.

 

Technical notes :

 

Camera - Lumix FZ38

Focal length - 27mm (equivalent)

Mode - P(rogram)

EV - minus 1/3

Filter - HOYA Polarising

Edited March 18, 2014 by ChrisLumix

[ChrisLumix]

[ChrisLumix]

[ChrisLumix]

[ChrisLumix]

[ChrisLumix]

BP set us an interesting challenge with the "36". I guess a lot of us are busy people and mean to have a go at it sometime. Meantime BP, Barbara and I have all had a go and uploaded our efforts, which probably cost a fair amount of time and effort, not least producing a 'contact sheet' in Photoshop.

 

A bit of feedback and constructive criticism would be welcome. Otherwise, why don't I just go ahead and delete this topic, if it's of absolutely no interest? 

Edited March 19, 2014 by ChrisLumix

[ChrisLumix]

See above, please.

 

(Oh, and thank you Colin and GreenKing for your "Likes".)

Edited March 19, 2014 by ChrisLumix

[Kobione]

Only just got to look at this Chris. As I would have expected, you also did better than me. I would like to give it another go, but I really do have to learn more about the settings on the FZ before I do.

 

I agree with you about the composition - you do have to think a little more, but that's a good thing too.

 

Well done, Chris.

[Black Pearl]

Firstly thanks for having a go - I realise it is an odd challenge but I hope one that will make members think about every press of the shutter.

 

 

As to your post Chris - gotta say well done. You went out, shot a range of images under limited conditions and they are able to stand on their own because of it. It really does make you think about the final image before you press the shutter knowing you can't (aren't allowed) to crop it further. I know I really concentrated on the framing when i shot mine and I hope I have re-learned some of my film day skills. If the next time you go out and take pictures you concentrate more then you have developed ( ) as a photographer and we should all strive to do that.

[FUJI]

My pennorth now........What a great project to set BP, a real, stop to think process.........I admire those who took it on and who may yet try it.

During the past year or so, despite having a camera welded to me most of the time, and time to shoot off hundreds if pics a day.......I now like to think that I have developed and internalised that economically creative mind set.

I have made an ongoing decision to ration my picture taking, to compose in camera, and to visualise the end result.......in effect doing your project on a daily basis, but not shooting a specified number of frames.

I can only encourage other members to have a go, because it certainly concentrates the photographic mind, especially if you have never used film......... I well remember the days, when you had waited a week for prints to be returned, then be horrified by most if the results and waste of hard earned dosh.

FUJI

[ChrisLumix]

Thanks for your feedback Dee, Robin, Fuj.

 

It's been a valuable experience. I actually think I've ended up with a nice little 'roll of film', unlike normally, where - as Fuji observes - the tendency is to rattle off frame after frame, knowing that most can be junked later and the best one or two cropped and kept.

 

I still have some processing to do on some of these - mostly sharpening, and one or two need a touch of exposure or contrast increase. But one thing I won't be doing is cropping, because I did that when I took the picture in the first place. 

 

I think this was an excellent challenge, and a good learning (or rather, 're-learning') experience. Digital sometimes encourages profligate laziness, and it's good to be reminded how differently we approached things when we had costly film in our cameras. Thanks BP!

[NannyFerret]

I did have a quick look, Chris, and liked what I saw, but feeling to naff to concentrate on commenting very much on anything, as you will see from my post in Shout.

[ChrisLumix]

I did have a quick look, Chris, and liked what I saw, but feeling to naff to concentrate on commenting very much on anything, as you will see from my post in Shout.

 

Aww, sorry to hear that Tina. I haven't read that post yet, but I can well understand how physical conditions affect one's social interactions.

[NannyFerret]

I'm not a bit social when I feel ill, Chris. Lol.

Thanks for the thoughts.