OMG! How wonderful!! THANKS for the ribbon, the super comments and the great score (my first vote was a 10 and that has never happened before (thanks Jaime JaimeVinas for that and the comment).
The idea I had for this challenge was five, then six sheets of paper stapled together on one side flowing into a big old stapler. The lighting was a pain and I wasn’t really satisfied, even after doing a couple of hour long sessions. If I got the stapler good the paper looked crap and vice versa. Here’s an outtake
So I gave up the idea and decided to try something using the stapled paper and a white pen. Opened the pages with five on one side and one on the other lay the pen on it and…BINGO! Loved the composition at first sight. I ended up doing a load of shots before I was satisfied and in the meantime, I had the pages lying on top of some stacked printer paper. I thought this gave it a more businesslike look and made it less “artsy” looking.
Deb dsterner commented about “replicating cool shots” but this image just sort of evolved from my original idea and, although I know there are many paper/pen images, this is definitely my own interpretation and not a replicate.
O.k., I must tell you something. I bought a Nikon D700 the day before the challenge started and this image was from the very first batch I did with it.
I had NO intentions of buying anything at all when we went into our local camera shop, my husband only wanted to check out a second-hand lens they had in the window and I was just standing there waiting on him.
The shop owner (shifty devil ;-) walked past me and said “try this camera out while you’re waiting”. He’d put the 50mm/f1.4 lens onto it, so I did a couple of test shots in the shop with 1600 ISO. Also did a couple from the fairly dark shop out into the street. I was so impressed with the handling, the noise management and the accurate colours, I couldn’t get the camera out of my mind when we left the shop. After we got home I told my husband the D700 will be my next camera but I’d have to sell the D2X first. He said (quick as a flash) that he’d buy the D2X off me (I knew he’d had his eye on it since I got it ;-)
So... we made the deal and went straight back to the shop and I bought the D700. I’m totally in love with it – it’s a great camera.
Now I know I could have made this image with my D50 (or probably any camera) but the D700 is a gem to use and I’ve done plenty of testing with it this first week (done around 2000 shots) and I’m still very impressed. I’ve even been outside doing some photography (who’d have thought it? ;-)...
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 98 Avg (all users): 7.4091 Avg (commenters): 8.7941 Avg (participants): 7.6981 Avg (non-participants): 7.3034 Views since voting: 12167 Views during voting: 464 Votes: 198 Comments: 96 Favorites: 31 (view)
You lucky thing you I wish I could afford a camera like that
No way living on a pension but I am so pleased for you and you always get such great shots Keep them coming
Irene started out a house of fire winning in her very first challenge at DPC and picking up her second in just her 4th challenge. However, afterwards something happened. For some unknown reason she lost her powers. 45 challenges went by without Irene on the front page. DPC nearly collapsed as it slipped into a dark age. Then like a beacon of light she re-emerges and the Irene Dynasty begins and continues to this day.
Still people (i.e. me) question what truly happened. Why did she lose her powers? One person (i.e. me) wonders if it had something to do with her time on the Outcasts team back in the WPL/DPL days. Their captain (i.e. me) would have welcomed all those ribbons during those hard fought weeks the team had against it's bitter rivals. Surely they would have won multiple championships during that time if only Irene had worn the cape she wears now. The world (i.e. me) will never forgive her for this.
:P
My dear Outcasts Captain... in the "lost my powers" phase I was watching and learning ;-) AND don't forget I saved our asses by winning with this little beauty during the most critical end phase of the WPL which gave me/us my highest score to date, so don't be too hard on me :P
Irene started out a house of fire winning in her very first challenge at DPC and picking up her second in just her 4th challenge. However, afterwards something happened. For some unknown reason she lost her powers. 45 challenges went by without Irene on the front page. DPC nearly collapsed as it slipped into a dark age. Then like a beacon of light she re-emerges and the Irene Dynasty begins and continues to this day.
Still people (i.e. me) question what truly happened. Why did she lose her powers? One person (i.e. me) wonders if it had something to do with her time on the Outcasts team back in the WPL/DPL days. Their captain (i.e. me) would have welcomed all those ribbons during those hard fought weeks the team had against it's bitter rivals. Surely they would have won multiple championships during that time if only Irene had worn the cape she wears now. The world (i.e. me) will never forgive her for this.
Without knowing, the object looked like some sort of an eyeball. It's really an eyeball point pen. What no waterdrops? Maybe at least an ink drop. Congratulations on the prize (you gave yourself), a new camera.
Congratulations Irene :)
I thought the image was inverted then I saw the little portion at the bottom. If it was so I'd call this my favorite inverted image. You almost got me there.
So, Irene, am I to take from this image, that your trapped in an office, that's close to a flower shop where they put long grass in with the flowers, not to mention the dried out leaf, there must be a pile of them around, so I'll look for children playing in a pile of leaves, then there's the reference to an office again, (oh I think I'm getting close,) next to a bar that serves a flaming martini, where you can also get coffee with lumps of sugar, and the wait staff will torch your ice cubes if there to large for your glass, all the while their packing up your newly purchased Cds in a finely lite cardboard box, as they tickle you with a feather because you complained about finding dandelion seeds floating in your water.
I think I'm getting close to solving the mystery of where that tyrant has you hid, I just hope I'm not too late.
I see that he has tried to woo you with a new trinket, don't fall for the smoke and mirrors, he's a tricky one but I'll get you out, don't give up hope, Irene I'm getting closer.
I am just in AWE of, not only the technical side of things, with your amazing images, but also the simple ideas that you come up with, and execute them so perfectly.
Pure magic in every image, that you present to each challenge, that you enter.
I am also a huge fan of the 'square crop', as most people know.
CONGRATULATIONS Irene, and once again, you have added another ribbon winning image, to your portfolio.
I am going to ask the SC to drug test you! I think your taking performance enhancing substances! Only joking - what and amazing run you are having. Another fantastic photograph. Well done!
A D700? Nobody else is ever going to win anything again! ;-)
Oh...the image is great, too. Nicely lit and composed. Perfect. I racked my brain all week to come up with something for my job, but couldn't find a monkey to put in my cube. You aced it with a job that's even harder to represent.
It's a pen!
(I scratched my head trying to figure out what it was - looked like an eye)
Congrats on yet another blue ribbon Irene!
My only nit here is that it lacks soul. Creative, beautifully composed & lit, but it's sterile (to me anyway)
Come on out in the real world and take snapshots with the rest of us - lol.
Might have known ;^).
This was my fave. Beautiful tones.
Well done Irene. I think it's time you were banned. ;-)
Nice to see you have gone full frame.
If you ever want to borrow the 200-400 just pop round.
B
Congrats on your new toy and the highest rated shot with it (probably will only last a week or two til you improve it) and, of course, on your blue ribbon!
Irenechallenge wins again! and now you have the D700!...no one will come close to your achievements. Congrats on the image Irene, and the new camera (he says JEALOUSLY!) Enzo
nice shot, but i think it has been used a couple times in challenges. If you are like me and try to replicate cool shots - well done! I'll vote on that idea to keep you in a nice score range ;)
nice shot, but i think it has been used a couple times in challenges. If you are like me and try to replicate cool shots - well done! I'll vote on that idea to keep you in a nice score range ;)
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