This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (31 May – 6 Jun ‘09)

Weekly Assignment

This week we finished the Abandoned assignment. I think the most interesting part of this assignment (and it’s shown in the winners) is just how differently it’s possible to photograph a single topic. RiyaziM’s shot of “Those We Have Abandoned”. This shot really stood out to us. The face in shadow, the texture, and the overall lighting created a very melancholy effect that presented not only a picture, but a story. In complete contrast to the previous shot, we have rt80639’s “Diet Officially Abandoned”. Something that is abandoned doesn’t have to be depressing and this shot really shows it! We liked the humour in this one and it was overall really well put together with the lighting and depth of field. And last, but not least is SNOOPY’s abandoned tractor. Again, it was the lighting that made this one stand out to us. The dark lighting with that pop of red really catches your eye and the composition was really good. Well done to everyone who participated!

This week we started the Plants, not Flowers assignment. Sometimes it’s hard to look beyond the flowers to see the beauty in the plant, but it’s there as well and sometimes the plant itself can be even more interesting. In order to be eligible for the mini contest where you can have your photo featured in this weekly blog post, there are a few rules. First, your photo needs to have been taken between 27 May – 10 June. If it’s taken outside of those dates you can still include it in the assignment thread, but it is not eligible for the mini-contest. Second, if your photo is eligible, you must include the words “Assignment: Plants, not Flowers” in your post (to show your permission to include it in the contest) and the date that the photo was taken (to show us that it is a valid entry). And finally, EXIF should be intact and it’s helpful if you include the main points such as camera, lens, ISO, shutter speed, and aperture in your post. Next week’s assignment will be “Sweet Tooth” so get shooting!

Hot Threads

• Do you leave your lens hood on, inverted?: Lens hoods can be useful, there’s little doubt about that. But when you’re not using them, do you leave them on your lens backwards? Do you take them off? Do you keep them on normally all the time? What do you do with your lens hoods?
• I need that POP!: Sometimes it seems like everyone’s photos have that “pop” except for your own (we’ve all felt that way). This thread offers a number of suggestions about how to make a portrait “pop” in Photoshop, but come share your own tips and tricks for getting “that look” over in the forums.
• Growing a Thicker Skin: As a photographer, you’re producing some form of art. And as soon as you put that out there for people to see there is a risk of criticism and critique. But how do you grow a thicker skin so that you can deal with these reactions?
• What Would You Do: WWYD is our weekly post processing thread and we’re up to Week 97! Whether you’re new to post-processing or you’re able to create an entire scene out of a bunch of shots, you’re welcome to participate in this thread where you get a chance to edit the photo of another forum member. Come see this week’s photo and all the rules over in the forums.