POTN G-series Speed Challenge #191 - LOW KEY

[Boutty]

RESULTS:

Thank you ALL for sharing your images with us. I hope you have as much fun researching & shooting your subjects as I do judging them.

Low Key lighting is one of my favourite technique as I enjoy seeing how the interaction between light and shape/form. It creates a certain kind moody felling to me.

Here're some of my poor comments and judgments on your images.
________________
Submissions

http://i.pbase.com/o3/49/607449/1/104584585.F1dksBEn.POTN_191_challenge_thumbs.gif

Kevan_G9
Night Hunter...
Spider & me are not friends. Kevan does a good job to make me look closer to the bugger. I like the contrast between the background and the subject including the web created by the main light source. Are all spiders hanging upside down? I am sure it mumbling "come closer & I will bite you!"

macroshot
elvis is still alive
I enjoy the tone of B+W image. I gather it's hard to calm the over exposed highlight on the left hand corner. I was told to fantasize Elvis's dancing style to be a good golfer!

WatchFan1
"Long Exposure Hong Kong Bar Crawl"
Umm... I am envy of you. The last time I went to nightclub would be before the turn of the century. The composition & the red lumination on the girl are awesome. The golden lumination beverage on the table are also well seen. However, the little spot lights seem to draw me eyes away from the subject.

marie
skylight
marie has a special gift in shooting people photography I reckon. Shooting into the sun does give an image a dramatic mood. The difussed light around the subject are wonderful.

rpolitsr
furry model
A cute little lamb or cow! My daughter would love this. I like the well balanced composition of both light and form of this image very much. The most sharp focus image amongst all.

Car
LIght of my Life
Very clever image of using the festive lights to illuminate Just enough contours of the toddler. Most of all I like the connection around the light held by her little cute hands.

Michael Wells
Sundown
I too love taking landscape pictures. I enjoy the great contrast creating between the reflected water and the trees. I am not sure if I could come up with a better composition.

teekay
Approaching Storm
I also a fan of IR photography except that I am terrible with controlling the tonnage range of the clouds. The main centre dark tree is well composed.

PicBug
Reflected candlelight
If I am the boss of an advertiser company I would hire you to shoot the glassware. Apart from the main light source from the candle, I couldn't figure how the contours of the holder was lited. You will come back & tell us won't you?

Maureen Souza
Cat's Eyes in Twilight
The composition and focus of the cat is perfect. However I would love to see if a bit of PP technique like dodge & burn would make it a tad low key light.

Randall n LV
Statue study Lowkey
Now you have touched my soft spot. Like a dark canvas, you have slowly brushed in the contours of the statue stroke by stroke. Just brilliant.

Rudi
Untitled
Another great composed picture - I like the angle of the model facing and how the difused light illuminate from the side. definitely one to print big and hang on the wall.

Gloubiboulga
Before the rain
For sure we need a lot of this in Australia. I am missing wash my car at home greatly! A very dramatic sky which most of us landscape photographer sought for.

mike_1
Statue
A nice statue with great background. Almost look like a toned B+W image. Please notice rule 3 about the image size though.

WINNERS:

1st - Randall n LV
Statue study Lowkey (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=310567&stc=1&d=1223260698) - A very simple but powerful low key image. Congratulations!

2nd - Rudi
Untitled (http://rudiphoto.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p584873718.jpg) - Great composition and expression of portrait. Well Done!

3rd - PicBug
Reflected candlelight (http://lh6.ggpht.com/calicorose99/SOgh7idrF-I/AAAAAAAAIAI/cU7kxYmitpY/s800/IMG_0200.JPG) - A fantastic lighting low key image. Great stuff!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Challenge #191 - Low Key

Using natural or studio lighting techniques, create a low key image which accentuates the contours of an object and throws other areas into shade.

"In a low-key image, dark tones dominate the photograph. Small, bright highlights punctuate the shadow areas, creating the characteristic mood of a low-key image.
The position of the light source for a typical low-key image is behind the subject or behind and off to one side, creating deep shadows."

I hope you enjoy finding and shooting the picture. Don't forget to use your spot metering function on your camera to assist with the shot! :cool:

________________________________

To submit, click "Post Reply" and put your Photo Name in the Subject Line. Don't forget your Camera Model.

Post until Monday noon GMT, Date 6 Oct 2008

Photo Submissions

Camera -- Canon G-Series Camera (G1,G2,G3,G5,G6, G7, G9) or Pro 1 only.
Time -- any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.
Size -- photo must be EXACTLY 800 pixels on the longest side, with NO BORDERS.
Post-Processing -- do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.
Posting --
One photo per photographer in each challenge.
Photo Title in the message subject line.
Camera model.
EXIF data, if you like.
Commenting -- No commenting on photos by anyone, including the photographer. Once the winners are declared, photographers can add comments to their images and everyone is invited to discuss.
Photo Display -- Photos must appear in this thread to be eligible.


Time

One challenge every week, on the following schedule:

New Topic ... As soon as possible after winning.
Posting Starts ... Right after topic is announced.
Posting Stops ... Monday noon GMT
Winners Announcement ... Tuesday noon GMT.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please consider turning on Private Messaging in your profile.
This will allow the host to contact you about winning or ineligible photos. You turn this feature on by clicking "User CP, Edit Options, Enable Private Messaging" (about a third of the way down the page).
Thank you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click this sentence for Hosting Rules and Winners List. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=113480)

Click this sentence for Discussion of Rules thread. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=59640)

[Kevan_G9]

G9:

[macroshot]

G7

309519

[WatchFan1]

G9
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee69/FL_Investor/CanonForum/IMG_2096e.jpg

[marie]

Pro 1
1/2000 f/5

http://www.pbase.com/image/104009899/original.jpg

[rpolitsr]

http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit_7/pictures/potnentries/191_lowkey_CRW_2507.jpg

powershot Pro1

[Car]

G7

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc306/biya_photos/LittleLights800.jpg

[Michael Wells]

G9
310089

[teekay]

G1

http://community.netidea.com/teekay/temp/StormTree.jpg

[PicBug]

G9

http://lh6.ggpht.com/calicorose99/SOgh7idrF-I/AAAAAAAAIAI/cU7kxYmitpY/s800/IMG_0200.JPG

[Maureen Souza]

Pro 1

[Randall n LV]

Canon G9

[Rudi]

Canon Powershot G9:

http://rudiphoto.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p584873718.jpg

[Gloubiboulga]

G9.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3017/2912306035_51b500fe6e_o.jpg

[mike_1]

G9
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g145/fotomaker57/SHARED%20IMAGES/COPYCATHEDRALBASILICA17.jpg

[Boutty]

Thank you friends. The contest is now closed for judging. :cool:

Winners will be announced before Tuesday noon GMT.

[Boutty]

The POTN G-series Speed Challenge #191 - LOW KEY - results are post on first thread.

[Michael Wells]

Congrats to winners Randall, Rudi, and Picbug...all beautiful images! Thanks for another really interesting challenge, Boutty! I'm glad I didn't have to pick three favs...there were way too many that I really liked! Thanks again for another fun week!

Mike

[Kevan_G9]

Wonderful series of photos. Congrats to you winners.

I might be out of the running for a couple weeks. Off for couple weeks, traveling through a slice of Europe. This is going to be " The Three Amigos" tour. Three generations; me traveling with pop and son. The G9 is armed with 3 batteries at the ready and plenty of memory. Should be fun as long as the rains stay away.

Slide show to follow, with some hold outs for future competitions.

[Michael Wells]

We'll all be looking forward to your return ( with pics, of course )! Have a great trip!!

Mike

[Car]

Congrats to winners Randall, Rudi, and Picbug and thanks to Boutty for hosting and judging - good call.

Kevan hope you have a great trip, we'll hear all about it when you get back!

[teekay]

Congratulations to the winners of this interesting challenge which resulted in a diverse lot of entries - I wouldn't have known which to choose!

BTW my own entry was not IR, Boutty - just a straight conversion to greyscale and then increased contrast.

[Randall n LV]

Bountty,
Thanks for a great challenge and the first place. Congrats to Rudi, and Picbug are in order! Great photos from all. This was a good week of learning for me. I had know idea what " Lowkey" photography was. A quick Google search and I had plenty of explanations and image samples.
Here are a few of the other photos I took. http://www.flickr.com/photos/29005507@N07/sets/72157606402694756/.

Unfortunatly I will not be able to host the next challenge, as I have some family matters to attend to.
Randall

[rpolitsr]

Congratulations, Randall n LV, Rudi and PicBug, certainly well deserved places.

Thank you Boutty, for the challenge and the comments. You did it well again!

As usual, I enjoyed the beautiful collection of entries, thanks for sharing your images, friends.

The little calf survived my sons toddling around chewing its horns and lived many years in the souvenirs’ room until I bought my Pro1. Since then, it is my favorite model to set up lights for small stages. It has contributed to test my slave flash trigger and to set the lights for other challenges too:

http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/29_toyportrait2789e640_thumb.jpg (http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/toyportrait2789e640.jpg) http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit_1/pictures/potnresized/80_portraitsetup_8037_b_thumb.jpg (http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit_1/pictures/potnentries/80_portraitsetup_8037_b.jpg) (Click the images to enlarge)

This time it was lighted by a 500 watts incandescent fixture just far enough to not burn the toy. When the Pro1 focus to the right distance, its L lens is tack sharp, and the tick eyelashes were easy to focus. Recently, I’m using a three step resizing-sharpening method to downsize to 800 pixels. I think it works better than resizing straight to the small size and then sharpening once.

[Randall n LV]

Rafael would you share your resizing technique with us. Awsome photo and very sharp. I am really impressed with the quality of the Pro 1.

[rpolitsr]

Bountty,
...Unfortunatly I will not be able to host the next challenge, as I have some family matters to attend to.
Randall

Sorry to hear that you can not be the host this week.

I hope that Rudi as the first runner-up will host it then.

Confirm that you can be the host or just post the new challenge, please :)

[marie]

:)

Congratulations to the winner # 1 Randall
to #2 Rudi and # 3 PicBug

Beautiful shots


Thank you very much Boutty for fitting in the tough task of hosting and judging, and doing a great job

:cool:

your little model must be thrilled to have survived so long Rafael
great set up and the shot is so sharp
I guess thats the son (in the photo) who, as a baby, used to chew the little model (but not enough to kill it)
:eek:
lol




I might be out of the running for a couple weeks. Off for couple weeks, traveling through a slice of Europe. This is going to be " The Three Amigos" tour. Three generations; me traveling with pop and son. The G9 is armed with 3 batteries at the ready and plenty of memory. Should be fun as long as the rains stay away.

wishing you all a terrific time Kevan . thats great news
hope all your photos come out really good (and right side up..not like mine) ;) lol
take care of yourselves
and don't you all end up upside down :shock:
lol

loved your shot too Carolyn
it's a gorgeous priceless treasure for the future
very beautiful in its soft light
I was in Derrylin for a spell and loved the
country side there, wonderful country!

this message is from the last challenge Gary. thanks
am delighted to hear you enjoyed your visit over here

many thanks Kevan, PicBug and Randall also for comments (last challenge)

:)

Congrats all


& Welcome to all the Newcomers


: )

[Car]

:)


loved your shot too Carolyn
it's a gorgeous priceless treasure for the future
very beautiful in its soft light



Thanks Marie - that was taken quite soon after last Xmas when I had just got my camera and was still very much experimenting and finding my feet. Still feel that it is a bit more on the 'fuzzy' side as opposed to 'soft' :oops: and probablt even OOF - but getting Eilidh to stand still for anything is easier said than done! :rolleyes: Maybe I'll try again this Xmas and see if she'll oblige this year:lol: (I won't hold my breath!)

[Gloubiboulga]

It was a great challenge ! Congrats to the winners, and, thanks to all for sharing your photos ;)

[marie]

It was a great challenge ! Congrats to the winners, and, thanks to all for sharing your photos ;)
your clouds are wonderful
was there a storm ?
:confused:

[marie]

Thanks Marie - that was taken quite soon after last Xmas when I had just got my camera and was still very much experimenting and finding my feet. Still feel that it is a bit more on the 'fuzzy' side as opposed to 'soft' :oops: and probablt even OOF - but getting Eilidh to stand still for anything is easier said than done! :rolleyes: Maybe I'll try again this Xmas and see if she'll oblige this year:lol: (I won't hold my breath!)
:)
even so, its lovely the way it is

[PicBug]

Kevan, spidey confuzed me, it used to be a really cool hutch shot! I like spidey though, how close did you have to get?

Thanks, Boutty, for hosting a really challenging challenge, and Randal and Rudi too! I, like Randall, had no idea what low-key meant, and had to look it up, and look at lots of shots and lighting techniques. I appreciate what these challenges are all about this week, we had to really get creative and put some thought out there. Randall, I have to mention that the other images you did this week and posted are really remarkable and stunning. Go check them out if you have not seen them, everyone!

I am inspired by Rudi's photograph too, I think I'll make my son my next target and see what happens!

Boutty, to answer your question on the comments section (and thank you too!), this was one of my first propped photos, concocted in my kitchen! The candle is next to my black shiny oven door, and the lighting came from either the kitchen lights from the vaulted ceiling, or from the afternoon light I let in, as you said exactly, to capture the contours ever -so-gently of the full glass, as the candle alone was not enough. I tried all sorts of things. Even the flash, which wasn't too bad, but came out too orange. Funny on different monitors these low key images take on different degrees of darkness.

Tough job, Boutty, and thanks for a great week and a different, fun learning experience! :-)

[Maureen Souza]

Congrats to Randall, Rudi and PicBug!! This was a fun challenge for me because I had never deliberately shot low-key before :)

Boutty, thanks for the Challenge. It is always fun to learn something new. :)

[Kevan_G9]

Kevan, spidey confuzed me, it used to be a really cool hutch shot! I like spidey though, how close did you have to get?

The spider photo was taken about a month ago, off to the side of my house just below a floodlight that baths the walkway leading up to the house. The spider is smart to lurk just inside the shadows as the moths do their dance around the bulb and beyond. In fact, we had two of these pretty large spiders setting up shop near and on our front porch. During the day, they were tucked away, hidden from sight. Only when the sun went down did these two come out and stand guard. This one wasn't at all flustered by my photo setup. I can't recall the exact specifics of the shot. I do recall adjusting the power of the onboard flash and I used a small LCD flashlight, held at an acute angle, to help highlight some of the web and the spider too. If I recall right I was hand holding the camera and jockeying the flashlight for the best results and probably was about 8-12" away from its fangs.

My son is a somewhat brutal critic and he thought the spider was a much better photo that that of the sideboard. I don't know...

I would imagine my Flickr account will be bulging with photos in a couple week's time. My son will be bringing his mac along for the ride so who knows, maybe using his machine, I'll crash the next challenge with a photo taken that day.

You folks are fun and an inspiration.

[Gloubiboulga]

your clouds are wonderful
was there a storm ?
:confused:
Thanks marie, Yes… I took the photo at about 1:30 PM and the heavy rain started in the end of the afternoon. The clouds were on multiple layers, it was impressive ! There was a lot of wind and my sons were terrified by the thunder. The day after, the sun (and warmth) came back.:cool:

[Maureen Souza]

Hmmmmmmmmmm.......Rudi hasn't checked in and Randall is out of commission.

PicBug...are you up to hosting the next Challenge?

[Rudi]

I'm back, and will post the next challenge shortly. My apologies for the delay, life got in the way. :)

[Boutty]

Good sport Rudi!!! Not too hard a challenge okay?!? ;)

[Rudi]

Good sport Rudi!!! Not too hard a challenge okay?!? ;)

Ummmm, too late! Just posted it. :)

[Boutty]

Ummmm, too late! Just posted it. :)

Good on ya!!! Grouse topic mate. :cool: We shall see ya there!!!

[PicBug]

Whew! :oops:

[Rudi]

Whew! :oops:

LOL :)

[rpolitsr]

We got it! Challenge #192 – TEXTURE is now open :)

Please note that the new PowerShot G10 was added to the list of allowed cameras.

We are lucky: the images are shrunk to 800 pixels on the longest side :) :)