Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #14 - Tiny Bubbles

[lavanut]

Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #14 -
"Tiny bubbles"


Welcome to Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #14 "Tiny Bubbles"

Your challenge this time is to take pictures of bubbles with your macro gear. Look for the creative, colorful or unusual view. Bubbles of any sort will do as long as they're the main subject of your picture.

I'll add one more suggestion... I know the rules say a photo taken at any time can be used, but take the opportunity to go out and shoot something new if you can. Heck, it's a challenge and a chance for you to go practice your skills!


Good Luck, Enjoy, and keep your gear dry!

Standard Rules apply:
Photo Submissions:

1. Camera - Any Canon DSLR camera
2. Lens - Any lens, or attachment that can give Macro (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=779256&postcount=2) photos (ex. extension tubes, bellows, macro filters, reverse mounted lens and of course a true macro lens.).
3. Time - any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.
4. Size - Please see the Image posting rules (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=194511).
5. Post-Processing - do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.
6. Posting -
* ONE MACRO PHOTO (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=779256&postcount=2) per photographer in each challenge.
* Photo Name/Title in the message.
* Camera model & lens used in the message.
* Post brief Exif data including ISO, shutter speed and aperture used in the message.
* Notes - anything you feel you need to explain.
7. Commenting - No commenting during challenge. When the posting is closed and a winner has been declared, comments can be made in this thread.
8. Questions - Use PM
9. Have FUN! :smile:

One challenge every week, on the following schedule:

* New Topic - After winner is declared.
* Posting Starts - Right after topic is announced.
* Posting Ends - 11:00pm Wednesday, February 18th, 2009. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.
* Winner from this competition decides the theme of the next one (and judges it for a winner) after this competition is closed.

Here is a link to our previous Macro DSLR Speed Challenge winners <-- click to see (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=606993)

[John_B]

Tasty Tiny Bubbles

http://johnbdigital.com/macro/tasty_tiny_bubbles2.jpg

Technical Details
for Tasty Tiny Bubbles

Shooting Date 2/12/2009
Camera - Canon EOS 40D
Film / Media - SanDisk Ultra II 2.0GB
Lens - Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Shooting Mode - Manual
Tv( Shutter Speed ) - 1/200th sec
Av( Aperture Value ) - F/16
Metering Mode - Spot
ISO Speed - 100
Focal Length - 65mm at 4:1
Flash - On
Flash Type - External E-TTL 580ex
AF Mode - Manual
White Balance - Flash
Color Space - sRGB
Camera set to Jpeg

[-g-]

Figured I better get in while I remembered....

"My turn to do the dishes"

100 2.8
1/45 @ f/4.0
ISO 400

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff44/genodm/Macro/IMG_9310-Edit.jpg

[Daniel2000]

"Straw + water + soap = bubbles"

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh26/Daniel2000/macros/IMG_9975.jpg

40D + 70-300 + tubes
ISO 200
1/200"
f/18
300mm

[Nanboh]

I'm just starting with some macro stuff and thought this would be a good way to get some ideas and practice. Cheers.

http://Nanigae.zenfolio.com/img/v5/p671669989-3.jpg

Data:
Title: Bath time again ???
Photo taken with Canon EOS 50D, f/2.8 @ 100 mm, 1/500, ISO 400, Flash, manual, spot

[BASmith]

Don Ho used to sing about this subject matter. While he was really singing about Champagne, I'm pretty sure a good Lager would do also.

So I present to you........

Air Drops in Lager

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/gerbalhunter/AirDrops.jpg

One Fine Lager Beer, poured in a clean crystal glass
Rebel XTi
Shutter Speed 1/200Sec.
Aperture Value F10
Centerweighted average metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 100
Lens EF-S60mm f/2.8 Macro USM with 36mm tube
Focal Length 60mm

[frenchfx]

40D | 60mm macro | 1/100 @f16 | ISO 100
Soap bubbles on the end of a knife, w\color added.
http://frenchfx.smugmug.com/photos/474837627_QCNwZ-L-0.jpg

[monty28428]

Looks like we have a few beer drinkers here :-)

40D, f/14, 1/250, iso 400

[lavanut]

This challenge is now closed. I'll try to post the winner before I go to bed.

[lavanut]

You folks did a great job capturing your bubbles this week! I admit I took some time to try to get a few shots myself, and I gained a new appreciation for the focus and depth some of you managed to get on your bubbles. And yes, beer did seem to be a favorite topic for several of you!

OK, so here we go. My top 3 this week were frenchfx with the "bubbles on the end of a knife w/color", Daniel2000 with his "water+straw+soap=bubbles", and BASmith with "Air Drops in Lager". Several others were very good and very close to making the cut, but these were my top 3.

I'm giving this week's win to BASmith and his "Air Drop in Lager" shot. I kept going back to it. Your lighting, clarity, and color made for a great shot in my book. Congratulations!

[lavanut]

OK, just for fun here, this was my fave bubble shot of my hour or two attempt tonight. Most of yours were better than this, but it made me smile when I saw it. I'd strongly recommend the one posing the challenges try to go out and make some shots on his/her own to see what others might face when doing the challenge. It's good practice if you haven't done a shot like the assignment in a while.

I call this one "Glasses in a Glass". I used baking soda & vinegar to get my bubbles.
343530
40D
100mm+50mm (reversed)
f11
1/160 sec
ISO 160
Dual off camera flashes

[-g-]

Congratulations Mr. Smith!

[John_B]

BASmith,
Congrats on the win... Looking forward to see what you pick for the Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #15

Just curious how much cropping did you do? ??? as my photo was of a similar subject (my favorite beer) and it was a 4:1 with no cropping.

[RiKaN HaVoK]

I was trying to figure out why was this post at the very top .. then I realized the OP made the mistake of putting 2008 .... I thought I was going crazy ....

[John_B]

RiKaN HaVoK,
:lol: I didn't notice that either, see time flies..... :lol:

[monty28428]

Congrats BASmith -- Nice job.

Nice shots everyone!

[Daniel2000]

congrats BASmith
good choice, I would have made the same
nice entries all

[Flo]

WTG BA!

[Nanboh]

Beautiful BA!

[lavanut]

I was trying to figure out why was this post at the very top .. then I realized the OP made the mistake of putting 2008 .... I thought I was going crazy ....

D'oh! Sorry about that. I guess quite a few of us missed it! Fixed now, but a little late.

[monty28428]

LOL -- I do it at least once a week still when I write out checks!

[frenchfx]

Congrats Mr. Smith!

[BASmith]

Thanks everyone. So many kind comments.


BASmith,
Congrats on the win... Looking forward to see what you pick for the Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #15

Just curious how much cropping did you do? ??? as my photo was of a similar subject (my favorite beer) and it was a 4:1 with no cropping.


I believe I did about a 60% crop on this one. After all when you shoot RAW at 3888x2592 pixel size it leaves a lot of room for nice crisp cropping. It also leaves a lot of room to remove unwanted areas allowing you to focus on the spot of the picture you want.

I'm posting the original, tho greatly reduced in size to fit forum rules and you will see why I chose to crop as I did.
There is nothing wrong with cropping when you want to show people the best of a photo rather than a lot of the outside mistakes that makes a photo crappy.

Also, this was taken 1:1 with a 60mm lens with a 36mm tube and on a crop sensor which brings it down to a 3:1 ratio, I think, but I could be wrong, as the math part of crops and tubes and sensors tend to leave me mind boggled.

So, are you sure you were actually at a 4:1 ratio, and if you cropped, would your tiny bubbles not look as large if you posted at 1024x on the longest side?

The Original with no PP'ing done.....

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m139/gerbalhunter/IMG_10207.jpg

As you can see there are a couple of water drops on the glass I chose to use, and a couple dust bunny's that I did not want to take the time to heal out and then there was the cascading iridescent lighting on the glass that I found a bit annoying.

It is here I wish to implore all posters to use the max limit size of the posting rules, 1024 on the longest side, as I'm sure John's photo would probably had as much of an impact.
It has gorgeous colors too with great focus.

A large .jpeg or jpg can come across well at proper compression sizes.


Never be afraid to crop when it makes the most of an image that you know will look grand in the end.

So is that considered as cheating? If so I will gladly let frenchfx or Daniel2000 take over.

I'm humble that way.

So I leave it in your hands kind folks.

If the call is to allow me to continue, I have a fine idea that would make all of you work hard for the next win.

Let me know as if cropping is considerd cheating, I will gladly let another step up and I will have learned something.

Happy Macro shooting to one and all.

[monty28428]

Of course you are to continue -- I don't think John was bashing you! I crop out junk all the time.

It's a great photo BASmith!

[-g-]

I don't think cropping is cheating, I think it's normal... Cloning isn't cheating either.

[frenchfx]

I don't think cropping is cheating, I think it's normal... Cloning isn't cheating either.

Agreed!

[BASmith]

I'm not saying he was bashing me. Please in no way take my post in the wrong light, I'm merely trying to clear up any confusion about cropping a macro photo.

It could be an issue for some, and if so, we should hash it out and add an amendment to the the rules if need be.

If it could be a problem, lets fix it now.......

[-g-]

If it could be a problem, lets fix it now.......

It's not a problem. Post a new challenge already. :)

[BASmith]

Fine....... so be it.......

But I would really like to see John's phot cropped and at 1024x...

I'm sure it is outstanding as his post was only 600x something.

So John, please post us a better size.. and make my curious mind happy.


New challenge, forth coming.

Good luck all.

[John_B]

BASmith,
I was just asking how much cropping you did, however I first congratulated you on the win so please start up the next macro challenge already!...

[lavanut]

My 2 cents here.... I don't have a problem at all with cropping before posting unless the rules specifically say no cropping, and the ones here don't. I think part of the "eye" of the photographer is to judge when a photo is improved with cropping, now that we all live in the digital age. It's just another tool at our disposal.

Also, rule 5 says:
5. Post-Processing - do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.

This is supposed to be a fun and learning experience for all of us... see what others have done and learn from it. That's my approach anyway. I looked at some of the shots posted and wanted to try those myself. That's when I realized how tricky it can be getting the lighting and focus right on these kinds of shots.

If I had to guess, John was just raising a question instead of being critical on cropping. I still give my vote to BASmith and his lager. I think John_B initiated this new macro DSLR speed challenge idea, and if he wants to change the rules, I'll defer to him since this thread was his idea. We PM'd a couple of times on making a rule change to make it mandatory to take a new photo for the challenge instead of the "suggestion" I posed. Again, I'll defer to majority on that too. I like the challenge of doing something new and different, but that may just me my take on this.

Let's have fun and keep this idea going!

[BASmith]

I made an amendment in the new challenge in rule 4 about image size.

I hope it sticks for the comp but I realize not everyone has a decent image host.

I will post the challenge with in the next 5 minutes........

[Daniel2000]

I was just about to mention rule #5 as well
now lets go and start the next challenge :D

EDIT: lol posted at same time... :p

[monty28428]

We PM'd a couple of times on making a rule change to make it mandatory to take a new photo for the challenge instead of the "suggestion" I posed.

Let's have fun and keep this idea going!

I try do this for all the challenges I participate in, it's easy for this one as I really don't shoot with the macro lens very often... 100-400 is usually the only thing attached to my camera.

+1 on the fun!

[John_B]

I made an amendment in the new challenge in rule 4 about image size.

I hope it sticks for the comp but I realize not everyone has a decent image host.
Why do people have to change the rules? ???
I created this to give us macro shooters some ideas on what to shoot, with a bit of competition for fun. As stated in the rules I made for the Macro DSLR Speed Challenge
* Winner from this competition decides the theme of the next one (and judges it for a winner) after this competition is closed. It does not say the winner can change, alter or make an amendment to the rules!

I have asked BASmith politely to stick to the original rules via PM and now I ask politely in the challenge he won to please use the original rules and not make amendments.

I hope BASmith and future winners will adhere to not changing, altering and making amendments at will to the rules.
Instead, lets stick to enjoying macro photography :)

[blackwize]

Title: Bubbles and Crayons

Shooting Date: 11/24/08
Camera: Canon EOS 40d
Film/Media: Inteegral CF Card/ 4gb
Lens: Canon EF 100/f2.8 Macro
Shooting mode: Manual
Shutter Speed: 1/100th sec
Aperture Value: f5.6
Focal Length: 100mm
Flashtype: Off Camera triggered with STE2
White Balance: AWB
Color Space: sRGB
Camera set to RAW

[-g-]

This is my first time entering any of the competitions on here :)

It's an excellent capture and probably would have been in the running to win!

Too bad you're a week late. :lol:

New competition is here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=649502

[blackwize]

Yeah Genodm, I just noticed I was late. Haha. That's so funny.