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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> The Best of CTF Challenges >> Best of 2007 > 1st: Bike by Rod
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22-SEP-2007 Rod

1st: Bike by Rod

Backyard Brissie Oz

Canon EOS 350D ,Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
1/25s f/4.5 at 33.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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ctfchallenge05-Oct-2007 19:53
Well done Rod! Congratulations on the first position!
-Cat
Rod 24-Sep-2007 09:45
Thanks Jano:-) Yes Tommy our zoom lenses have multiple personalities:-)
ctfchallenge23-Sep-2007 22:28
So well done Rod - this caught my eye right away. jano
ctfchallenge23-Sep-2007 20:15
Thanks the the explanation, Rod. You've reminded me that certain focal lengths fall between barrel and pincushion.. relatively straight, in other words. The challenge is to remember the idiocyncracies of each lens when taking the shot, when time allows. -tv
Rod 23-Sep-2007 19:40
Thanks Maurice & Tommy:-) The shot didn't have any barrel distortion that I could see Tommy. It was shot at 33mm which on our crop cameras is about 50mm & getting down on one knee so the camera was level the lines stayed quite good. The only line that bothered me was the one at the left side of the shot which was slightly off so I used the crop tool with the perspective box ticked. I could then select the whole shot & just pull the top left corner in a bit until it lined up with the line in the picy, double click & Photoshop straightened the line. Mind you I think we straighten things too much here, when I look back at all the great old photographers their background lines are all over the place. I think because we can with photoshop we try to get things too perfect but barral distortion never looked good.
ctfchallenge23-Sep-2007 18:27
Lots of modernistic arty stuff here Rod. Excellently framed an how did you get rid of the barrel distortion???? Miraculously straight lines essential to play against the other shapes. The 'eyes' provide a frame of reference that lead the brain to want to construct a face out of the other shapes like in a cubist painting, esp the moustache-like seat. The metallic parts compete with that impulse for an exquisite 'tension' that makes this unusually vital. I think the high contrast provides the essential glue to tie it all together in a modernist photographic way. Really a treat for the eyes and head. -tv
Maurice 23-Sep-2007 11:19
Really nice Rod, I like it being B&W and the exposure is great!
Rod 23-Sep-2007 08:03
This isn't a crop Mary Anne this is a vertical as shot. I took some landscape & vertical shots to get the whole bike in which the missus liked better but for the Seat challenge I went in close for this shot. Thanks again:-)
ctfchallenge23-Sep-2007 00:47
Well, this certainly shows what a difference a good crop can make!
--Mary Anne
ctfchallenge22-Sep-2007 22:28
Thanks Mary Anne Aamm & Tom:-) Those round things are the handles to open the garden shed doors Mary Anne, I thought I would use them in the shot....................tension you know:-)hehe
Here you can see the handles in context.

Rod
Guest 22-Sep-2007 18:26
Good lines & composition, simple. The darkening toward the bottom works well.
aam1234 22-Sep-2007 17:31
Good one, mate.
ctfchallenge22-Sep-2007 16:58
Those two round thingies on the wall (gaskets?) are a nice touch, Rod. Almost like someone's eyes looking at the bike seat.
--Mary Anne