The other weekend I attended a group photo walk at Castleton and Pevreil Castle which was run by C3 Stockport. A good day out and luckily the weather held up. Heads up this is going to be a long post,
One part of this photo walk was going to be dedicated to a 120:20 challenge, the rules being that you have 120 minuets to take no more than 20 photographs, no deletions but you can use up one of the 20 shots to retake an image (say if you blew exposure). It was an interesting challenge to complete and is one of many you can do yourself.
We also walked around Peveril Castle before the challenge which gave everyone a chance to warm up before the 120:20 challenge which was run in the town centre. Below are my shots from Peveril Castle and the 120:20 challenge.
First up the images from the walk around Peveril Castle. You will probably notice I had a thing for black and white on that day.
I won’t be uploading these to flickr until I have renewed the membership (the free account limits your sets and collections).
#1 (Model of Peveril Castle)
#2 (Climb up to the Castle)
#3 (Lisa shooting the Castle on the Climb up)
#4
#5 (Grass and Dew)
#6 (Black & White – 1:1 Crop of another Grass and Dew shot)
#7 (Lisa – Shooting a landscape)
#8 (Part of the Castle Wall)
#9 (Part of the Castle wall and an old gate)
#10 Spiral staircase in to the Castle remains, not an original feature of course)
#11 (Shot through the window grates making a frame within a frame)
#12
#13 (Looking down from the top of the spiral staircase)
#14
#15 – Yup I know about the leaves and branches sticking in the right of the frame, but this was the composition I wanted for the elements with in the landscape and the people. I may try to remove the leaves and branches in post at some point.
#16 (Similar to 15 but included more washed out sky and shifted to get rid of the branches, Personally I prefer number 15 and will even more if I can remove the branches and leaves
#17 (Mark shooting the Canon EF 100mm F2.8 L IS Macro on his 7D)
#18 Naomi & I had a bit of fun at the end of the day, she ran around in circles whilst I tried to track her with the camera – 500D 24-105 F4L , these few frames are the best ones out of about 8 (got a bit too close for minimum focus distance)
I would also like to thank Naomi for being a model for me during the 120:20 challenge, speaking of which here are the images from that challenge.
Below are the images (Top = SOOC Bottom = My Edit) I am including the edited versions to illustrate a few things that shooting RAW allows. The only images SOOC that had post work are the black and white ones, this is due to them popping back to colour in Lightroom even though they were shot B&W in camera (RAW only captures the RAW Colour Data) and unlike Canon’s DPP the Adobe Lightroom does not pay attention to the Picture styles (at least the way I have it set up).
120:20
#1
Shooting in to light can cause loss of contrast, I expected this especially with the 18-55 kit lens, its not great at this.
Only some small tweaks in post to bring back some contrast in my edit.
#2
Long exposure of the stream/water. Achived using a very small aperture f/36 on the 18-55 as this lens will stop down more than the others in my set. ISO100 1/2” got me this result out of camera.
Slight tweaks in post and adjust white balance as AWB made it a bit cool.
#3
Should of upped the ISO to get a faster shutter speed here or opened up the aperture a little.
Not allot done in post in my edit. Just my own B & W conversion process and contrast tweaks.
#4
Landscape with human interest for this one.
+ 1/3rd Exposure in post as I was a little off with my compensation in camera.
#5
Place marker to show the location. On a side note always photography major signs or landmarks when you visit places as I will help to complete a set of images.
Not allot done here in my Edit.
#6
Ships wheel.
Only a few slight adjustments here, namely contrast and clarity.
#7
Naomi – I asked here to pose for me and she started winking both eyes one after another This is the shot I got. Naomi is quite the character, thanks for your help on the Day Naomi. Exposure was dialled in in Manual mode by using spot metering and metering of the cheek then adding +0.3 EV to get the right exposure before shooting.
Just a few basic tweaks to contrast and white balance (I always adjust white balance for portraits in post)
#8
#9
Wow fluffed this one.
I much prefer this version.
#10
Man again! Shows what happens if you rush things, exposure is fine but framing sucks. Whoops
Much better. Mental note watch the horizons and edges!
#11
That Sigma 10-20 ultra wide is fun. FYI I go nuts with that lens over the next few images.
Just a few tweaks for my edit.
#12 (Portraits with an Ultra Wide – Yup)
Now I would not normally shoot a portrait with this wide of a lens, this close… but some times its fun to play around. Thanks again Naomi.
#13
#14
Whoops, should of dialled in about – 2 ev. Cameras meter has tried to get the primarily dark parts of this image (camera, jacket) and make them 18% grey which = over exposed.
This is why I shoot RAW. A jpg would of been lost as the data is simply lost. RAW allows you to recover images in post, but Always try to get it in Camera.
#15
I was a little annoyed I blew that last one I shot a similar image again, but this time shifted right to crop the sign out in camera. Oh and this time dial in –1.7 EV
My edit. Not allot done.
#16
#17 (I like the rim light on the subject walking away)
Street scene. In this SOOC shot you can see the guy just coming in to frame on the right, I missed this as I am a right eye shooter, even though my left eye was open.. that and the 500D does not have 100% VF.
Slight Crop and my own black & white treatment for the edit.
#18
Quite like this crop in my edit. Not possible in camera.
#19
Group shot of Mark, Naomi & Lisa. I said say Cheese . which prompted mark to start to open his coat which would of revealed a Say Cheese T Shirt which is available over at www.newtophoto.com
#20
Last shot of the 120:20 is a portrait of Naomi and her mum Lisa. I decided to use the barrel zoom technique to create this effect in camera. If anything the zoom on this is a bit OTT but all good fun.
All in all a good day out shooting, and it made a nice change from shooting in studio or working with models/lights. I look forward to next years. As you can see from the images posted from the 120:20 challenge I don't do allot to my images in post beyond adjusting white balance, contrast and sharpening (with the exception of black & white conversions). I rarely crop unless its needed to make the final envisioned result, I’m a get in in camera shooter.
My take away from this day out and challenge is not only is it fun I can open your eyes to other things by going out and shooting something you don’t normally shoot, those who follow my work online know that I am primarily a portrait photographer and use off camera lighting allot.. but I am aware shooting other subjects can also help improve portrait work by looking at shape, patterns, different compositions and colours all of which you will get by going out and shooting different subject matters. Also its good to break away an get out of your comfort zone.
Thank you Lisa & C3 for a great day out shooting.
Rick