Friday, January 30, 2009

Julie (22/100) - At the dairy

This was a first for me: I requested permission to photograph in front of a friend and the subject was busy. So, of course, I messed up big-time! Yes, I remembered landscape and portrait: but could I remember where the zoom button was: not on your nellie! And did I remember to up the ISO rating because I was inside? Duh!!

So, here is Emily at the Yarra Valley Dairy last Saturday arvo giving us a free-tasting of 5 cheeses. She was gracious, yet self-conscious. And, of course, camera-shake was all over the place. When I went up to Emily to thank her later as she was cleaning down the side benches, she said that my request for permission was so appreciated rather than the usual flash flash flash ... interesting ...

We bought a goat's milk cheese and a terrine of pork and ... and ... what are those nuts that you have to husk which are salty and sort of sickly green ... anyway, I bought stuff there and Di bought two bottles of Rose to go with it at our next Yarra Valley stop. All we needed was chocolate and we had 5 food groups.

Left on the dark-room floor:

8 comments:

bitingmidge said...

It's crook when it just gets down to " if only the plate had been positioned differently".... But this isn't too bad all up.

I'd have loved the horizontal one if that'd come off. I'd have loved the other one too.

There are three different people in these three shots.

I think that one of the signs that we are getting somewhere will be when we can publish a photo of the person we want to portray rather than the best one that turned out on the day. That's certainly my objective and I'm a thousand heads away from doing that consistently!

Julie said...

My aim was the horizontal shot - I wanted to do a few with context and a few with varying layouts. But I rushed it because I was self-conscious. Otherwise, I should have waited for the blonde girl to disappear behind Emily. Not much I could do about the plates looking like targets ... except choose differently.

Yes, my aim is to just post one, once I show myself that I can move all around the subject and that I can flip for vertical to horizontal and that I can zoom in and out ... all on the fly. This being what my mini-aim is over the next few posts.

Ann said...

My preference also would be the horizontal if it had come off. I'm having problems with indoor shots, and movement. My ideal would be to capture someone at work, not posed at all.

freefalling said...

See, now, I think the second one does come off.
But I'm all for a blurry photo.
It shows us something of mood.
It shows she's busy and full of life - like she is so full of life she can't be contained.
I think it is lovely.
I don't really like the one you have chosen - am I allowed to say that - I don't want to offend you.

Julie said...

You most certainly can say that! To me - absolutely. But you need to say why ... I agree it is not a flattering photo as it emphasises the chin and the redness. She was actually listening as my friend spoke to her, so the blank look is of concentration.

I would have gone with the second shot if I had deliberately blurred it to create mood - but I simply stuffed it.

Joan Elizabeth said...

If it was me I would have gone for the horzontal one, photoshopped out the blond and claimed that the blur was artistic effect.

I think just because you didn't do something deliberately doesn't mean you can't use it ... serendipity is the delightful contributor to nearly all my photos. Clearly I am not as pure or committed as you guys.

Julie said...

This will sound like I am up myself, so I want to claim the 5th from the outset!

If I get a crook photo trying to branch out, then I really am not phased. This is why I set myself all these mini-aims: so that I have something to judge the result by. I am more interested in the process, than the product. WHEN I reach 100, then I will have enough skills and experience to get miffed when I stuff it because I will be wanting to end up with a product that pleases me. I really dont want to replicate shots too frequently.

I am starting to see 100 Strangers knowledge drip-feed my Sydney Eye images. Take the one of "Heat Wave" at the tennis: I would never have thought of that context without listening to all you(se) guys rabbit on.

freefalling said...

Oh - I didn't know Sydney Eye was still going!!!
I thought it was put to bed.

Re: why I don't like photo - I find it difficult to put into words. I have next to no technical knowledge of how my camera works and i try not to think too much about why I like a shot or not - I just go with the way it feels. I'm kinda scared that if I do start to think about it, I won't know what I instinctively like anymore.

So having said that.....I don't like her chin(!!) - which is kinda weird coz the thing I really liked about Ann's Indian lady, was her chin.

I'm glad you posted the steps/tips.
It helped me to understand where it is you are all going.