Your Photography Assignment: Assignment #2 Theme: Out Of Focus Timeframe: Jan 2nd to Jan 15th, 2013 Entries are to be submitted inside THIS thread (below). The challenge is to take a BRAND NEW representing the given theme. About This Assignment… Usually, the goal when taking photos is to produce the sharpest, most realistic representation of the “real life” scene you are photographing. So why on Earth would we want to take an intentionally blurred photo? By taking the details out of the equation, we can work on telling a story through the remaining elements of an image – light, form, and colour. I urge all of you to try this assignment, especially those who have never intentionally shot an image out-of-focus. Concentrate on those remaining elements and remember that details aren’t always part of the big picture. What story will your photo tell us? Important (Please Read): With all of our photo assignments, the object (besides having fun) is to learn something new, even if that means learning how to see the world around you in a different way. Therefore, we only accept entries for new photos which have been taken during the assignment time frame (see above). You may submit up to 3 entries in total. Why Should You Participate? In our efforts to help photographers grow and improve, our photography assignments are designed to test and push your creativity to the limit. These photo assignments are intended to encourage our members to see the world in different ways, try new camera techniques, and photograph subject which you may normally shy away from. We feel that in doing this, you will ultimately find new challenges for yourself which will help us to all grow as photographers. Our photography assignments are open to everyone at all skill levels and are to be submitted through our assignments section in the PhotographyBB Community. Membership is completely free and you can register in seconds, then do fun things such as sharing photos or discussing photography all day long. We have a supportive and friendly community of photographers and beginners, and this is a great way to get to know one another. Have fun, and happy photographing!
Sorry to disagree, but this is not for me. I try to take tack-sharp pictures, so I'll pass on this this out-of-focus assignment. Success!
Interesting. Going to have to think about this and try a few things. Sounds like fun and certainly a new way to look at things as I have never deliberately set out to creat a blurry image. I like it! Thanks for making me think.
Rik, That's the whole point of an assignment like this. To force you out of your comfort zone and try a new technique you may not have thought to use. Sure - you may decide to don't like it and never use it again, but you'll never know if you don't try. I am in the same boat as you with trying to take tack-sharp images, but my brain has been turning this one over in my head all morning trying to think of something I can shoot that will work well for this. I hope you reconsider. - Bill
I am not usually one for many words, but I thought this photo deserved a little explanation. Originally, I wanted to make an out of focus photo of a sharpener... thought it would be an interesting contrast. After setting it up, I began to add a few more elements to help with the composition and it bloomed into this image. Why B/W with two elements in color... I asked my daughter what she stared at when her math problems were not clear in her mind and she replied "my pencil or the chalkboard". Thanks for the assignment, I really enjoyed this one! Billythekid
Rik, I totally respect your thoughts and I ALWAYS love your photography. If you're up for it, please do reconsider. I always try my best to make tack-sharp photos also (I even go so far as to remove the UV filter while shooting for better clarity, then replacing it after), but I find when I step way outside my "norm", that's when I discover some happy-accident type shots. Either way, I look forward to all your photos
My first attempt at this created something that was so out of focus it was barely recognisable - probably not a good idea. Unless I went totally abstract I think a hook is still needed. So here is my second attempt.
It really goes agains the grain to shoot out of focus. It made me think really hard about a subject. Here it is, titled Broken Nation:
It does go against the grain or at least what we always try to do. But there are soooo many ways to be "out of focus". Here is one way . . . just deliberate out of focus: "Fuzzy Logic":
View attachment 1580 View attachment 1580 Nikon 70-200 - 2x extender lost 2 apertures here - Copenhagen Zoo. Using the same technique as shooting a race car. Using auto focus and following the subject as it goes. 800 ISO. 5.6 Nik Software for single HDR and Vignetting corners. Just before this photo was taken, the little one was roaring at us
