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PyroTechnical
PyroTechnical
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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Impressionism III (Standard Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens: Helios 44 58mm f/2.0 in M42
Location: Bonfire Night
Date: Nov 5, 2016
Aperture: f/4-ish, square
ISO: 3200
Shutter: 1/40
Galleries: Abstract, Floral
Date Uploaded: Nov 6, 2016

 Those of you who have been following my abstracts on here (Hi Sid!) will immediately recognise the lens; it's the vintage Soviet Helios lens modified to have a square aperture, which I used to produce another urban abstract, Taxi Noir:


This is indeed a shot of real fireworks, on bonfire night. Square aperture set to a value that approximately parallels horizontals and verticals (with this lens nothing is very precise, because the bokeh tends towards the oval at the corners, as is typical for the type), then de-focused an appropriate amount to get a pleasing degree of spread, while watching in live view. Once the correct settings were found, however, I switched to shooting from the viewfinder (despite not seeing a true preview of the bokeh) to be able to catch the right moment without the additional mirror movement delay of shooting from live view.

Editing: crop, cloning out a distracting street light, increasing saturation on the blues and reds, subtle curves, resize and sharpen.

Statistics
Place: 39 out of 64
Avg (all users): 5.1897
Avg (commenters): 4.0000
Avg (participants): 5.0833
Avg (non-participants): 5.3636
Views since voting: 865
Views during voting: 118
Votes: 58
Comments: 3
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Sony Alpha a1 II
Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS
 11/14/2016 11:53:08 AM
Hello from the critique club

An appealing image that does not meet the challenge

You’re right Eugene, I recognised that amazing lens immediately! Whilst I do like your image, I have to agree with your commenters, in the strict interpretation of the challenge brief it is more abstract than impressionism. As an abstract it is excellent a truly unique representation of fireworks that I doubt any viewer was able to figure out without your engaging explanation. I very much like your creative approach in using the amazing array of lenses in bold experimental ways that enable you to create some very original images, keep up the good work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon RP
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro
 11/13/2016 06:58:04 PM
It's more abstract than impressionism. I don't know what it is but I like the effect very much. If this is done in camera, I think only that old Russian lens from Jupiter can produce such an effect. In my top 5. A 7 from me
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony Alpha a7
 11/09/2016 09:33:42 AM
Good technic but this isn't impressionism, maybe cubism or abstractism
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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