Monthly Shooting Assignment - Nov/Dec 2014: "How to catch a light beam"

Thomas Bertilsson said:

Now that all the entries have been submitted, I'll submit one. I didn't want to be part of the competition, but still would like to contribute to the thread. I have an extremely busy semester ahead, so this is likely the last photography related activity for me for some months.

I loved everybody's ideas in this thread and followed its course. These more abstract ideas are right up my alley.

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Hi Thomas,
Sneaking in a few shots while I was typing, didn't you? Glad you did though for it are nice ones. Beautiful use of back light. I think I like the third image best - almost like caterpillars crawling on your lens

I understand if you don't want to enter the competition but you would have made my top 4 a top 5 with this image. But studying is a priority! I wish you all the best in your next semester.

And thank you for sharing your images!

TheToadMen said:

MattKing attached a thumbnail called “empty skies” in post #22 of what I believe is a memorial wall with names on it. I’m not sure if it was meant as an entry or just as a “tutorial” for Barbara Ann on how to upload images to the MSA thread. But it is a fitting image anyway. There are some large walls with some names on it. I don’t know where it is and why these names are engraved, but the large empty spaces on the wall give me an eery feeling. As if there are many more people to come who’s lights will leave this world and therefore will be put on this wall so whe won’t forget them. The title “empty skies” seems fitting. (Matt, if I misread this image completely, please let me know).

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Bert:

That uploaded image was actually Barbara Ann's, and it was actually meant as an uploading tutorial. I thought it only appropriate to use Barbara Ann's image (from her APUG gallery) for the purpose.

Hope it wins - for Barbara Ann

EDIT: and the song "Hurt" was written by Trent Reznor and originally recorded by his band, "Nine Inch Nails"

MattKing said:

Bert:

That uploaded image was actually Barbara Ann's, and it was actually meant as an uploading tutorial. I thought it only appropriate to use Barbara Ann's image (from her APUG gallery) for the purpose.

Hope it wins - for Barbara Ann

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Thanks for clearing that up. I doubted indeed if it was yours or hers. But since it was made before November (and entered in a previous MSA) it can't win in this MSA. Sorry.

Ahh the suspense!!!!

Just to clarify - with the three-panel Rollei panorama, the "stitching" isn't done in-camera. You have three discreet negatives, one after the other. The panorama head doesn't give you a single 6x18 negative. When you print them, you print them full-frame, then align and trim them so they match, then mount them together. That, or you're Jerry Uelsmann and know how to blend them with a LOT of pre-planning of each exposure.

grahamw said:

... here are some November light beams caught in water here in Bristol, UK....

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This is very nice, there is a wonderful harmony. I found myself staring at it for a long time, and it does something that I really love in a photograph: it made me wish I was there. Welcome to APUG!

It is time to announce the winner. I viewed all the image again and again and read all the descriptions given. I liked them all and I was impressed with the diversity of the interpretation of this theme. I think the MSA is a great way to inspire people to make more photographs outside their comfort zone. (So I can't wait to see what the next theme will be). So I want to thank you all who joined me in this MSA and were so kind to shoot an image for my theme. I'm honored!!

Okay, here we go. It was hard to choose so I also asked the opinion of my wife and daughter. This is my top 4 for the MSA Nov-Dev 2014 - "How to catch a light beam" (in random order):

(MrBrowning)

(NedL)

(Sly)

(StoneNYC).

I also liked the last minute entry of Grahamw "November light beams caught in water" very much. As my daughter said: "a fine example of Impressionism". But since the other four photographs above fitted the theme of this MSA better, it just didn't make it into the Top 4.

How to choose from these four images? I like the composition and scenery of MrBrowning. I admire the perseverance of NedL: seeing the image in his mind and having to wait for 19 days to realize it - and shot with a pinhole camera. I also love the panorama pinhole image made by Sly: what a perfect use of a light leak. I was impressed by the infrared image from Stone: beautiful scenery for IR - like catching the angels in flight on their way to the shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem.

So - after some hesitation - I narrowed it down to the two most impressive images: NedL and StoneNYC ....

And the winner is .....................

AND THE WINNER IS:

I pronounce StoneNYC as the winner of this MSA: "How to catch a light beam".

I do love the perseverance and ingenuity of NedL to shoot such a lovely pinhole image so well fitting the theme of this MSA. But somehow I keep coming back to the fine photograph made by Stone. It proves his skills with a LF camera, the use of IR film and composition a fine scenery. I really love the atmosphere in this image. The glowing leaves - looking like angles - are just amazing. There is so much to see in this image. Like a fairy tale.

This print is also an example to me for when I'm going to try infrared film myself. And this is certainly a print I would like to own and hang on my wall to look at.

So, Stone, congratulations. You are a very active member on APUG and here you proof to be a fine photographer too. Now it's up to you to come up with a new and inspiring theme for the next MSA. But somehow I think that won't be a problem for you since you've got enough imagination, don't you?

I thank you all for participating in this MSA: it was fun!
And wish you all good health, love and God's never ending blessings in 2015!!

Bert from Holland

Wow!!! I'm so humbled!! I really didn't think I would win with such amazing images, especially the clever pinhole of a guy actually "catching" the sun in his hands hah! I'm so excited! Now I have to think of a theme... Hmm....

TheToadMen said:

Siompa entered (for the first time) a very nice shot of trees in the dark, lit by some beaming lights. What better to do after dinner than to catch some light beams with a Rolleicord on a foggy night? Night photography is very interesting and I like how those trees came out in this image! I think the Rolleicord, the Tri-X and the Rodinal are a good combination in your hands. Would love to see more of your images. BTW: was this shot handheld?

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Thanks for your kind words!

This shot was not taken handheld, it was taken with a really crappy tripod which is only slightly steadier than my own hands

And congratulations stone! Well deserved win!

That was a fun MSA, thanks for the great topic Bert! I spent a lot of time chasing but not catching rays of sunshine like the "Early Rays" that Heinz photographed. Besides good exercise, I'm looking forward to printing other photos made along the quest.

Congratulations Stone, that's a wonderful photo! I like the glow and the highlights in the background too, so much light!

OK new MSA is up!

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Sometimes at this Pacific Coast overlook, there are big beams of sunlight that light up patches of the sea at sunset. During this MSA I went there 10 or 12 times for sunset, if it seemed like the sun might break through. I never caught the big "God beams" of sunlight, but I certainly did enjoy the quiet of watching the sunset and not once was I disappointed that I'd taken the time to be there. Yesterday I printed one of the sunsets.. I'm not sure this is a good photograph, but there is something about it that I like. Thought I'd post it here, since MSA was the reason I was there. This was Christmas Eve sunset.

Christmas Eve Sunset par Ned, on ipernity