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Unobtainium
3rd PlaceUnobtainium
Mick


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: School Days: Chemistry (Basic Editing III)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro
Location: Studio
Date: Sep 12, 2006
Aperture: 11.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 110 sec.
Galleries: Macro, Science and Technology
Date Uploaded: Sep 12, 2006

 Plasma discharges surrounding a solid 2" diameter sphere of 100% pure unobtainium.

1. Convert RAW file to 16-bit TIFF with Adobe Camera Raw
2. PTLens to correct barrel distortion
3. Crop to 5 x 4
4. Save For Web (640 x 512 pixels, 150KB max)
5. Add border
6. Save For Web (150KB max)

-----------< debrief >-------------

The setup was simple. The unobtainium is actually a 2” diameter chromed steel ball. I buy them online from McMaster-Carr. The background is black seamless paper, laid out on the floor of the studio. To raise the steel ball away from the paper I placed it on a ½” drive socket extension with a ¾” socket as the base. I mounted the camera on a tripod directly above the steel ball, with the tripod riser mounted horizontally. I created the ‘plasma discharges’ with a small keychain L.E.D. light. I used the button lock on a TC-80N3 Timer/Remote Controller to hold the shutter open for the 110 second exposure while I waved the light around randomly between the lens and the steel ball. Wearing pajama pants and a loose t-shirt helped tremendously.

Thanks for the ribbon folks!

BTW, this entry brought my average vote received stat up to 6.0203. WoHoo!


-----------< FYI >-------------

From the Wikipedia article on Unobtainium...

"Unobtainium is a colloquial term, used to describe any material that has properties that are considered unlikely or impossible for any real material and thus thought to be unobtainable."

...and...

"The word unobtainium is an informal one, apparently developed within science fiction fandom, and probably in ironic reaction to invented element names in, for example, Star Trek (see Treknobabble). It may also be a reference to the naming system for the heaviest actual chemical elements. In this system the letters "un" represent the digit 1 in the atomic number; for example, element number 111 was called unununium until roentgenium became the official name."



Statistics
Place: 3 out of 90
Avg (all users): 7.1286
Avg (commenters): 7.5789
Avg (participants): 6.6316
Avg (non-participants): 7.1978
Views since voting: 10009
Views during voting: 532
Votes: 311
Comments: 57
Favorites: 24 (view)

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AuthorThread
 11/30/2009 07:21:59 PM
Congratulations on getting the way you wanted it. The best feeling a photographer can have? Extra creds for the stunning photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/30/2009 05:12:07 PM
This is an impressive shot - being able to pull off something you have seen in your head is always satisfying, rare though it is (at least it is for me!)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2008 09:03:31 PM
thanks for the comment....and i love the color in this picture as well, awesome shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 06/09/2007 10:28:48 PM
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/22/2006 01:09:12 PM
w00t! congrats mick!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/21/2006 03:05:31 PM
Congratulations on a very creative, well-deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/21/2006 08:59:51 AM
Laff, I love the debrief. What a nice photo with such a simple sounding setup. Way to go, enjoy the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 10:12:54 PM
Congratulations on your well deserved ribbon. This is a great photo that has nothing to do with chemistry, but you rec'd a pass from the voters. More power to you. My image, which has a lot more real chemistry, was deemed to be DNMC. The lesson here is to excel with great photography and no one will care whether you actually meet the challenge. I think the voters in this challenge were exceptionally stupid. But, I really do like your entry and I'm very happy it won a ribbon. Just mad at all the low votes I rec'd. (Not your fault!)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 09:09:28 PM
after my first comment, i'm now more impressed that you've explained how you got this.

i really thought it was a mini plasma ball you can buy and use at home. but knowing it's a steel ball and infra red pen is pretty amazing.

you've definitely earned the ribbon with creativity and a great shot.

110 second exposure is smart. you wouldn't have used any external lighting ... it's a great effect!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 06:56:02 PM
Atta boy Micheal !!! Congrats on a well deserved ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 05:43:10 PM
Suberb shot. Congrats on the ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 03:33:06 PM
Great technique and picture. Congrats on your ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 03:20:50 PM
fantastic shot
congratulations to the yellow ribbon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 02:02:39 PM
Your technique is fascinating - I never would have thought of that. I was sure it was a plasma ball from looking at the thumbnail. Gorgeous image, congrats on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 02:01:59 PM
What a great idea, great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 01:46:58 PM
cool idea, wish i had thought of it. congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 01:20:42 PM
Another ribbon! Wonderful! What a great idea and beautiful image! Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 12:42:53 PM
Cleverly created, a deserved ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 12:24:33 PM
Soooo coool! The color is just fabulous!! Congrats on the yellow ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 12:24:01 PM
Way to represent for Oregon Mick! A great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 11:53:11 AM
Mick,

Congrats on the ribbon... you are starting to get a collection of them. This is a dynamite shot! It is one of my personal top 3 picks for this challenge. So is Scalvert's. I picked two out of three.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 10:47:06 AM
Way to go Mick! What eye candy... Love that title too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 08:45:29 AM
play around with the colors too. change the rbgs, and it gets really cool
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 08:20:13 AM
psycodelic!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 07:43:10 AM
I really like this one, great colour. I hope the PTLens doesn`t get you in trouble.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 05:43:37 AM
Congrats on your ribbon, great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 03:57:35 AM
Cool beans, Mick! One of my top picks!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 03:45:55 AM
Congrats on obtaining the Mick!
These things are so hypnotic and make such great photo ops.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 02:54:35 AM
Congrats! :D Great shot:)

(btw, did you know that Oakley has tradmarked Unobtainium for some rubber compound they use? Just a bit of related trivia for you)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 02:51:49 AM
Excellent picture, well done, congrats on your yellow!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 01:15:17 AM
Originally posted by super-dave:
this is brilliant ... congrats on the ribbon.

did you do this with one of those small plasma balls you can use at home?? i'd love to know more about how you got the shot! :)


My guess is he used a flashlight although I could be wrong.

Message edited by author 2006-09-20 01:16:12.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 01:09:58 AM
this is brilliant ... congrats on the ribbon.

did you do this with one of those small plasma balls you can use at home?? i'd love to know more about how you got the shot! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 01:01:50 AM
cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 12:59:18 AM
Mick!! congrats on your ribbon, terrific image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 12:23:02 AM
Nice comp and lovely colours Mick. Congrats on your 3rd place.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/20/2006 12:14:01 AM
Congrats Mick...Cool shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/19/2006 04:44:50 PM
Clever title. Abstract and interesting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/19/2006 03:40:03 PM
This is a FANTASTIC image. But is it Physics rather than chemistry?.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/19/2006 03:09:02 AM
That looks so awesome... I want to know how you did that and what it is ^^
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/18/2006 09:14:11 AM
Very cool! Love the intense magenta - really looks like something you'd see under an electron microscope or something.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2006 12:13:39 AM
This is a really cool picture and would make a great wallpaper. Unfortunately it doesn't involve much chemistry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2006 09:36:54 PM
Very cool, love the colour, one of my favourites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2006 09:22:19 PM
Love the title! And the picture is pretty, too. :)
This is fascinating. I feel like I don't really want to look away, like it keeps pulling me in...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2006 04:44:06 AM
BOOM ! what an impact...i gotta try this...great stuff ! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 10:12:49 PM
Besides being very cool, I have no idea how this meets the challenge but I'll pretend it is a chemical thing and give you a 7 anyhow. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 12:54:57 PM
Quite a nice looking abstract.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 09:04:56 AM
Very cool with the color and the...well whatever you call those line squiggly things. Great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 11:57:15 PM
A bit of a stretch for chemistry...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 10:44:54 PM
I love the color. It looks shocking real.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 09:37:09 PM
really nice capture of this ball. Great lighting did a very nice job here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 07:18:01 PM
awesome
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 03:43:30 PM
love the energy in this!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 12:35:10 PM
i love all the leading lines. nice composition. i feel electrified!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 10:24:22 AM
Wow - this really jumps out - Great colors - very nice effect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 10:20:06 AM
Nice idea and pleasant graphic rendition. 7.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 08:39:20 AM
Nice abstract way of meeting the challenge, I like it! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 01:19:21 AM
Well, most deffinetly a top 10 for me, simply brilliant and not a word more about that !
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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