september is for taking chances - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/27/2007 05:58:14 PM · #1

I'd like to start a side-challenge for September. The idea comes from Freeman Patterson's "Photography and the Art of Seeing".

Take a wire coathanger, bend it into a circle (a hoop), then go somewhere, anywhere, out of doors, inside, it doesn't really matter where, and toss it through the air; the space it encloses when it lands becomes your area for making photographs for the day.

One rule: You can't pick the spot where the hoop is to land and you can't move it once it's landed.

Oh, and remember, be careful when tossing the hoop indoors.

Do I have any takers?

frisca

karmat

routerguy666 (maybe)

glad2badad

yanko

ancientimages

ursula

dsterner

goodman

nshapiro

Jutilda

NstiG8tr

bassbone maybe

hipychik

MelonMusketeer once in a while

annpatt

Gordon

A new thread for images from this exercise will be posted by September 1st.

Message edited by author 2007-08-28 14:14:17.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

08/27/2007 05:59:18 PM · #2

Are you saying where it lands is where you have to stand and shoot from?

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

08/27/2007 06:02:33 PM · #3

Originally posted by routerguy666:

Are you saying where it lands is where you have to stand and shoot from?

No, not at all. Where it lands, that is the space inside the hoop, is what you make pictures of. Anything inside that hoop. You get to make pictures of whatever is inside that circle.

Come to think of it, it could go the other way too. Hmmmm. Let's say it's your choice, you can make pictures of what's inside the circle, or you can stand in the circle and make pictures of whatever you see from there. Be careful if the hoop lands on a tree.

frisca

Nikon D70

08/27/2007 06:11:03 PM · #4

I'm with you, Ursula!

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

08/27/2007 06:16:08 PM · #5

Wow, a thread that's 75% SC posts. :)

Can I throw your hoop, Ursula? Then you'd have to come visit!

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

08/27/2007 06:16:26 PM · #6

i'm game. count me in.

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

08/27/2007 06:17:31 PM · #7

I'd be interested, at least in the subject inside the circle take on it. 10 day or 30 day? I already have the sept 30 day black and white to fail to complete.

08/27/2007 06:19:06 PM · #8

I'm a little confused. If it lands on the ground then you shoot the ground that is showing within the circle? I guess you could throw it on a roof, a glass structure, water, whatever but then you're litering if you can't retrive it. :P

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

08/27/2007 06:21:17 PM · #9

From a couple years ago...Freeman Patterson Workshop Group Thread

Might be helpful? Have fun! :)

08/27/2007 06:21:18 PM · #10

Originally posted by routerguy666:

I'd be interested, at least in the subject inside the circle take on it. 10 day or 30 day? I already have the sept 30 day black and white to fail to complete.

No restrictions on number of days. If you want to do 10, that's fine.

08/27/2007 06:23:31 PM · #11

Originally posted by yanko:

You're confused? I'm surprised :)

You shoot anything within that circle, that space where it lands. If it lands on the roof, you'll have to get out your ladder, climb up, and make pictures of the shingles inside the circle. If it lands on water, he, he, well, you'll have to make pictures while either swimming or rowing or running along the edge of the river, or get out your underwater gear.

08/27/2007 06:23:59 PM · #12

Originally posted by glad2badad:

From a couple years ago...Freeman Patterson Workshop Group Thread

Might be helpful? Have fun! :)

Are you in?

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

08/27/2007 06:27:44 PM · #13

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by glad2badad:
From a couple years ago...Freeman Patterson Workshop Group Thread

Might be helpful? Have fun! :)

Are you in?

Hmmm... ...

Ok. I'll play. :)

Do you plan on progressing thru any of the other exercises, or just this one for September?

08/27/2007 06:28:36 PM · #14

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by yanko:
I'm a little confused. If it lands on the ground then you shoot the ground that is showing within the circle? I guess you could throw it on a roof, a glass structure, water, whatever but then you're litering if you can't retrive it. :P

You're confused? I'm surprised :)

You shoot anything within that circle, that space where it lands. If it lands on the roof, you'll have to get out your ladder, climb up, and make pictures of the shingles inside the circle. If it lands on water, he, he, well, you'll have to make pictures while either swimming or rowing or running along the edge of the river, or get out your underwater gear.

Does the hanger need to be visible in the frame? I just noticed you also said being able to stand in the circle? Wouldn't that make it too easy? I say just what's in the circle! Where's the fine print???? :P

Message edited by author 2007-08-27 18:29:22.

08/27/2007 06:28:48 PM · #15

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by glad2badad:
From a couple years ago...Freeman Patterson Workshop Group Thread

Might be helpful? Have fun! :)

Are you in?

Hmmm... ...

Ok. I'll play. :)

Do you plan on progressing thru any of the other exercises, or just this one for September?

Just this one.

08/27/2007 06:31:33 PM · #16

Originally posted by yanko:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by yanko:
I'm a little confused. If it lands on the ground then you shoot the ground that is showing within the circle? I guess you could throw it on a roof, a glass structure, water, whatever but then you're litering if you can't retrive it. :P

You're confused? I'm surprised :)

You shoot anything within that circle, that space where it lands. If it lands on the roof, you'll have to get out your ladder, climb up, and make pictures of the shingles inside the circle. If it lands on water, he, he, well, you'll have to make pictures while either swimming or rowing or running along the edge of the river, or get out your underwater gear.

Does the hanger need to be visible in the frame? I just noticed you also said being able to stand in the circle? Wouldn't that make it too easy? I say just what's in the circle! Where's the fine print???? :P

Just what's inside the hanger, not the hanger itself (hanger is not visible).

I don't think it would make it too easy to include standing within the circle, it's an interesting option, although the original idea was to study and photograph what's in the circle. I'd like to keep the option open - a month is a lot of time, and it's good to have at least one other option.

Message edited by author 2007-08-27 18:34:56.

08/27/2007 06:40:18 PM · #17

I think it's all starting to sink in now!

08/27/2007 06:49:25 PM · #18

Originally posted by yanko:

I think it's all starting to sink in now!

Good :) So, are you going to take a chance and join us in the circle?
[YIKES! I'm making myself sick just writing this, ughhhh!!!]

Seriously, think of it, just go somewhere, toss that hoop, and shoot away; you'll get to see all sorts of things that you normally would overlook.

08/27/2007 06:57:53 PM · #19

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by yanko:
I think it's all starting to sink in now!

Good :) So, are you going to take a chance and join us in the circle?
[YIKES! I'm making myself sick just writing this, ughhhh!!!]

Seriously, think of it, just go somewhere, toss that hoop, and shoot away; you'll get to see all sorts of things that you normally would overlook.

Yeah I'm in but I'm not good at these daily things. I only did 11 days in the blur challenge, which for me is a lot.

08/27/2007 06:59:57 PM · #20

Originally posted by yanko:

Originally posted by ursula:

Originally posted by yanko:
I think it's all starting to sink in now!

Good :) So, are you going to take a chance and join us in the circle?
[YIKES! I'm making myself sick just writing this, ughhhh!!!]

Seriously, think of it, just go somewhere, toss that hoop, and shoot away; you'll get to see all sorts of things that you normally would overlook.

Yeah I'm in but I'm not good at these daily things. I only did 11 days in the blur challenge, which for me is a lot.

Don't worry, no pressure. I'm not good at it either, the only one I completed is the flower thing. It's something to try.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

08/27/2007 07:10:09 PM · #21

So, if it lands over something, does the entire something (like a stalk of flowers) become fair game, or do you have to stay within the 2D area encompassed by the circle, and is there a specific size for the circle? Can we tie a short string on a Lawn Dart, and shoot whatever we can touch with the string where the dart lands? How about hula hoops? It sounds like this may be a "macro' challenge.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon

08/27/2007 07:23:09 PM · #22

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

Wow. Lots of questions :)

It's not a macro challenge, although by necessity if you make images in a small area, you'll likely have quite a few closeups.

The idea behind this is chance, experimenting with new ideas, seeing in new ways; rather than going by preconceptions of suitable subject matter, leaving it up to chance. Rather than going about making pictures in the way that we always do, trying something different. The hoop is simply a prop or a ruse to promote this. To me personally, it doesn't matter if you toss a hula-hoop, or shoot a lawn dart, as long as you figure out a way to leave the subject matter to chance. That's the important thing here - seeing and photographing things that you normally might overlook.

I think it's worth trying. I haven't tried it myself, and it's possible that I won't be happy with the images I get from the exercise, but it might be fun, and it might help me with new ideas, even new camera techniques.

levyj413

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max

08/27/2007 08:34:57 PM · #23

But, but, but ... wait, I've written up a list of 104 more questions.

C'mon people. Random chance. Shoot what ya find.

This isn't hard. :)

And no, Ursula, I'm not in. I'm still trying to finish blur, and I can't do two side challenges in a row.

pmichaud

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/27/2007 08:44:55 PM · #24

I'll try (emphasis on "try") :)