A new year and I have not made any New Year’s resolutions. Instead I joined a 52 week challenge, where the task is to make one photo per week, each with a different topic. What I liked about these challenges is that they give you an excuse to go out and photograph, and the different topics will probably make me try things and go places I might not have done otherwise.
The 52 weeks have the following topics. You can find the original list, with some comments at Dogwood Photography.
- Portrait: Self Portrait
- Landscape: Traditional Landscape
- Artistic: Red
- Portrait: Headshot
- Landscape: Black and White
- Artistic: Candy
- Portrait: Faceless
- Landscape: Wide Angle/Panorama
- Artistic: Shadows
- Portrait: Environmental
- Landscape: Reflection
- Artistic: Transportation
- Portrait: High Key
- Landscape: Zoomed in
- Artistic: Metal
- Portrait: Movement
- Landscape: Urbanscape
- Artistic: Texture
- Portrait: Messy
- Landscape: Nightowl
- Artistic: Fantasy
- Portrait: Hands
- Landscape: Weather
- Artistic: Sparkle!
- Portrait: Silhouette
- Landscape: Simplify
- Artistic: Blue
- Portrait: Family
- Landscape: Waterscape
- Artistic: Patterns
- Portrait: Street Candid
- Landscape: Colorful
- Artistic: Collaboration
- Portrait: Child
- Landscape: Nature up Close
- Artistic: Food
- Portrait: Fashion
- Landscape: Get Low
- Art: Handmade
- Portrait: Sitting in a Chair
- Landscape: Get High
- Artistic: Minimalist
- Portrait: The Elderly
- Landscape: A Tree
- Artistic: Nostalgic
- Portrait: Backlit
- Landscape: Abandoned
- Artistic: Bokeh
- Portrait: Dancing
- Landscape: Symmetrical
- Artistic: Art
- Portrait: Another Self Portrait
The first task is a self portrait. Simple enough. I had a few different ideas that I wanted to try out, using coloured gels, and double exposures. The intro sequence to True Detective has some inspiring examples and I was even considering using video to make an animated gif (but I ran out of steam).
For the self portrait I put my camera on a tripod, and turned on the self timer mode. I also got a second tripod with a snooted flash on, to act as my light source. One thing that immediately became obvious was that getting the focus right is very difficult, especially when you have to get up to trigger the next photo. I sat with my head against the wall, then checked if the eyes were in focus, or if I had to adjust the camera. In the end I found it easier to move the camera back and forth than to adjust the focus ring to fine tune the focus.
If you think this sounds fun then sign up for the Facebook group and join the party.
— Johannes
What a good idea and very well executed! I like all images, especially #1, 2 and 4. The pattern of the new flash is noticeable but here it doesn’t bother me. Have a great 2016.