Archive for October, 2009

Nikon D80 Challenge #90 – Band Name

This photo was taken for the Nikon D80 Challenge #90: Band Name.

The objective of this challenge was as follows:

If you enjoy music and photography, here is a chance to combine both of those subjects into one fun challenge.

Once again it’s time to put your creative talents to the test. In this challenge you must create a photo that is based on a Band Name.

Any new photo where a Band Name is clearly identifiable in the finished product is welcome. The manner in which you create your photo and the post processing is entirely up to the individual.

NOTE: The Band Name must be internationally known or at the very least extremely popular in its country of origin. Provide a link under your submission to information on the band if you’re not sure.

This was an interesting challenge and there were a lot of great submissions. But I did want to represent the greatest band to walk the face of the planet. Yes, I’m talking about the one and only Earth, Wind & Fire. I got the opportunity to meet them in Houston a couple of years ago and I’m still pretty giddy about it.

I’m not sure if I got my message across because it’s hard to show “wind”, but I gave it a shot anyway.

Nikon D80 Challenge #88 – Selective Focus

This photo was taken for the D80 Challenge #88 – Selective Focus. The objective of this photo challenge was to:

One photography trick that will help your subject stand out is selective focus. With this technique, we can choose one part of the image to be sharp and in focus, while the rest of the image is kept out of focus.

Using a larger aperture, say 2.8 or 5.0, can leave the background out of focus while keeping the main subject sharp and force the eye to it. Of course the distance between the subject and the background will impact what aperture you use.

For this contest show me selective focus by blurring out the background to draw more attention to the main subject.

While Macro lenses may give some people an unfair advantage in this challenge, I encourage everyone to give it a try even if they don’t own a macro lens….like me.

Any new photo where Selective Focus is achieved is welcome. The subject and the post processing is entirely up to the individual.

It was a last minute idea for me to take this shot. I’d been busy that week and didn’t want to miss another challenge, so I took a picture of the item I use the most. I used my 20mm Kenko Extension Tube and 18-55mm lens.

Nikon D80 Challenge #87: Minimalism

This photo was taken for D80 Challenge 87 – Minimalism. In this challenge, we were asked to do the following:

This challenge focuses more on composition rather than technique.

Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art where the work is stripped down to its most fundamental features.

Too often a photo can be inundated with too many objects and the crowded frame detracts from the intended subject. Your task, for this contest, is to enter an image that is distilled to the essence of what you want to say. No elements should be included that do not directly support your subject or theme.

This was another one of those photos where I had no idea what I was going to do. One afternoon while driving, I decided to take a back route and saw this tractor parked under a tree.

It caught my attention because there weren’t many trees left and I wanted to get a picture before “progress” came. I don’t know what’s going to take the place of the trees, but I’m sure whatever it is will be another sign of growth in our community. More homes, more stores, more restaurants means more stuff for us to buy. We are a country of consumers and spenders because he who has the most toys at the end wins…or do they?