Weekly Photography Challenge Thread (see first post rules and then the poll at top before entering)

Entry



Sorry as I will be spamming this across at least three threads on the site: here, the Death Valley thread (which btw is where I took this last night), and perhaps someday, my own.

Took at least an hour to set up with 12 LEDs along ~100 feet of mine shaft. Hit my head twice, tore a CV boot, blew out a shock, and skipped a tooth or two on the steering rack. Those all might be operator error though. I had a great time and I can't wait to get out there again. So this is something that makes me happy. Cheers y'all.

 

“Finna win”

 

I am curious to know what camera, lens, and settings were used. It is a great shot, I love what you did in the mine with the lighting.

 

Entry. My kids are silly and my baby girl pulled this out while we were hunting Monday.

 

Couple of weeks ago…non entry…

 

Thanks!

This is a Sony A7C, my first real camera since the film era. The lens is a Rokinon 12mm/2.8, which I have to say is a fantastic lens. All manual of course, but for a fisheye, I'd say that's more of a benefit than a drawback. The exposure was 30 sec, f/2.8, ISO 5000. That, plus a tripod, is my go-to recipe for night shots.

As mentioned I had placed a dozen LEDs along the shaft to light it up, but several were ultimately turned off for the final shot, as I found that having some areas dark enhanced the presentation of depth. These are inexpensive LED pucks, sold in sets of 6, rechargeable, and can be set to varying colors and brightness with a handheld remote. Although the remote only reaches a few feet, it's still quite convenient for adjusting the lights after stashing them in precarious or inaccessible positions. My only complaint is that, even at minimum brightness, the LEDs are often too bright. This was the case in the mine shaft. So, the nearer ones have been placed in various objects to subdue their intensity: two climbing shoes, three black socks, a gold pan (lol), and a fast-food burger wrapper... whatever I could find in the truck! The front-most (white) light resides in the pouch that Rokinon supplied with this lens--the least-distracting object I had on-hand to be placed in frame. Even then, the white light was too bright, so I wound up starting the exposure with the light off, counting to 20, then running through the frame to click it on with the remote. I love that even the lens bag helped to make the shot though.

I've long been seeking a night exposure worthy to be printed, framed, and hung in our house. But that requires winning the ultimate photography challenge... passing the judgement of my wife! Her simple request: No creepy mine shit. And there is no reward greater than than watching the exasperation wash over her face each and every time I reveal my latest work to overdramatic triumph. God, I love that woman. It's what keeps me coming back out for more... the journey, not the destination. Well, that, plus the creepy mine shit.


If that isn't too much information, I don't know what is. So let's top it off with some additional non-entry shots from the trip:


This one was genuinely creepy at night--I literally chickened out on the originally planned composition.


That 12mm works magic in daylight too!

 

I dig it, I have the last years release of the sony 14mm f/1.8 its great, night shots are fun, addicting as hell. if you ever want to next spring summer, come up my way and we can make a trip to the black rock desert its a night photographers wet dream my dude! Do you have a flickr?

 

Entry:
Spending time with family is always my happy place! We are always doing things together with our 20 something year old sons, lucky us, and this week we hit our first Kraken game as our NY Rangers were in town!!

 

Entry: Tacos always make me smile. Taking our new Taco on its first trip to a state park makes me smile even more.

 

Lol, I'm afraid my deluge of mediocrity is exclusive to Tacoma World! (And I still feel kind of new here, too.)

And hell yeah, I will absolutely hit you up if and when I make it up to your neck of the woods!

More non entries, hot off the press:


More fisheye shenanigans...


Back to the workhorse, a 24-240mm Sony zoom



The above turned out kind of cool for what it was... just pulling up to a gated adit at dusk:

 

Entry: art.. make happy

 

@Fargo Taco - time to pick a winner!

 

I have always loved astrophotography and have tried it a time or three but have never gotten anything even remotely decent.

The spooky mine shit is just a bonus.

Congrats, @mk5! Hit us with the next theme!

 

Congratulations @mk5

 

Congratulations @mk5 That is an amazing shot.

 

Congratulations @mk5

 

@tclavell coming out swinging this morning!

 

Congrats @mk5

 

Called it!!!!!

congrats @mk5

 

Yay! Thank you!

So, do I type another challenge topic here now?

I didn't think this through.