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IreneM


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: The Four Elements III (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Nikon D700
Lens: Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f2.8D
Location: My Bathroom
Date: Apr 27, 2013
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/125 s
Date Uploaded: May 2, 2013

 SO pleased that this one did well, especially after all the carry-on I had doing it.
Of the four elements, water is my favorite….(bet you’re all very surprised here ;-)
Started off going for a “tap water running into a tight necked vase and photograph the water spurting out again” sort of photo. After taking a LOT of photos and checking them on my laptop, I trashed the lot.
Next day, whilst cleaning the bath I thought to myself “the water looks lovely the way it gently flows out of the shower head… Wait! Water? Shower head? Photo for challenge!?!
Got my camera and my 2 flashes, plus a sheet of black plastic, which I got from our local DIY store, and sometimes use as a background.
The flashes, which I wanted to place in the bath under the flowing water (dangerous, dangerous), I covered with those small plastic, see-through bags you can use to pack sandwiches in. The shower head sits in a wall fixture which is about 1 ½ ft. above the rim of the bath so I knelt on a towel in front of the bath, the shower head pointing in my direction… (which turned out to be the biggest mistake)…
I had the sheet of plastic taped to the wall behind the shower head, because it looked better as a contrast than the white tiles.
Anyway, I was kneeling in front of the bath, one hand resting on the edge of the bath holding the camera and with the other hand I was fiddling with the tap to get the water to come out of the shower head in a gentle flow. Well, it gushed out at about 100 miles an hour straight into my face, absolutely soaking me, my glasses, MY CAMERA AND LENS. After about two seconds of complete shock, I grabbed a towel and dried off my camera, lens, glasses and myself as best I could. I thought “ok, now you know what NOT to do when adjusting the water flow”, so I went through the whole procedure again - and soaked myself, my glasses AND the camera/lens for the SECOND time. I couldn’t believe it…
Dried everything off again, I was terrified my camera would die on me. Thankfully it didn’t. I then adjusted the water flow very carefully with the camera down on the floor with a towel covering it ;-)
Took what seemed like hundreds of shots at every conceivable angle of the water coming out of the shower head and, after checking them on my laptop – I trashed the lot.
I was very disheartened. After nearly killing my camera and my most favorite lens in the whole world, I had nothing even close to a challenge entry. My back was killing me from bending down, holding the heavy camera/lens at all the artistic angles I could think of…. And all for nothing…
I untaped the sheet of plastic and laid it in the bath and, just for the sake of not being able to accept the fact that I wasn’t getting anywhere except wet and frustrated, I laid the shower head on the plastic sheet and turned the gentle flow of water on again. BINGO! My challenge entry!
I’m SO glad I didn’t give up.
Thanks for the comments and great score!
p.s. I’m on holiday since yesterday – mountain trekking in the South of Germany. Take care, y’all.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 58
Avg (all users): 7.1648
Avg (commenters): 8.3636
Avg (participants): 6.4000
Avg (non-participants): 7.6429
Views since voting: 3643
Views during voting: 212
Votes: 91
Comments: 44
Favorites: 11 (view)

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AuthorThread
 05/16/2013 01:36:25 PM
Stunning shot! Congrats on the Blue! Thank you for sharing your process. I have to learn that not every wonderful shot comes together the first try. Glad you the camera and lens survived the dousing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/15/2013 03:37:56 AM
Irene - you are amazing! Love this shot and just about everything you do!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2013 09:27:20 AM
So glad to see you out there!!! Congrats on your new ribbon...Sure do miss you not being around more
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/14/2013 03:33:06 AM
...its not only the image, its the story behind !!!
Congrats to the blue Irene, i like it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/13/2013 06:04:11 PM
Congrats Irene, gorgeous image and a great description of how you did (and almost didn't) do it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/12/2013 07:35:44 PM
Brilliant Irene!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/12/2013 08:18:41 AM
Congratulations Irene, great work and enjoyed story too. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/12/2013 07:13:07 AM
Hey Godess! It's so good to see you back! :)
'Grats on the ribbon!
Edit for spelling, but I'm still not sure that it is right..... LOL! You are still the Goodest! in my opinion, but you are unequivocally "The Godess" LOL!

Message edited by author 2013-05-12 07:17:29.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/11/2013 11:12:36 AM
Ha...I haven't commented in a while but this is SWEET! Good job as usual.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/11/2013 11:02:09 AM
Congratulations
I loved your shot form the moment I saw it. Very original, Very creative and very well executed. I'm so happy you won. I love everything about it! ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/11/2013 09:49:28 AM
Brilliant as usual. What I like about your entries is that the story behind it. While we know all members go to great lengths to produce quality entries here, not many take the trouble of explaining what it took to get the shot they thought fit for entering the Challenge. It is education for those rare few here like me who just watch the output but are not skilled enough to participate in the Weekly Challenges.

So Congratulations on the Blue and thanks for the story behind it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 11:38:46 PM
Impressive!!! :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 08:27:43 PM
Congratulations on the blue ribbon for a wowza of an image, Irene. And the back story is great!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 08:20:55 PM
Oh, Irene. Another stupendous image from you. I hope you somehow
are rewarded for your artistry in your 'every day' life.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 06:28:54 PM
Back on top!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 05:14:44 PM
Every time I look at this I appreciated it more and more.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 02:12:59 PM
Congratulations Irene! Amazing!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 01:21:25 PM
Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 12:43:47 PM
oh yes, wonderful
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 12:41:48 PM
Perseverance, Irene!!! And you are the Water Whisperer!!! Congrats on winning with this fabulous image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 09:32:15 AM
The water is AWESOME Irene. And I love the colors. Your still life photos always impress me!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 07:32:58 AM
This was my favorite shot of the bunch Irene. So well done and I'm glad you got the blue for all that work! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 04:51:30 AM
Amazing story and photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 04:37:28 AM
Congratulations Irene! I knew your entry would win, and I also knew taking that shot was much harder than it looked... I had no idea I was THAT right! Very happy you didn't give up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 04:16:05 AM
Absolutely fantastic and the story behind it too
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 04:14:05 AM
Congrats Irene, well done - next time try the most simple solution first :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 01:53:45 AM
Oh wow Irene! Wow, wow, WOW!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 01:45:33 AM
Congratulations Irene. That's a beautiful shot. I'm glad your hard work (and risks) paid off.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 12:24:23 AM
That is an impressive shot! Sad to see those 3/4 votes from usual trolls. Congrats ona well desrved blue, outstanding shot and clearly took a lot of effort!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 12:24:03 AM
Wheeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!! Irene is back!!!!!!

Huge congrats, Irene!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/10/2013 12:17:13 AM
Congrats!

Message edited by author 2013-05-10 00:25:03.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
05/09/2013 11:16:26 PM
Looks amazingly perfect
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/09/2013 12:40:25 PM
My favorite. Love the details.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/09/2013 07:24:36 AM
Great shot very sharp and I can almost hear the rush of water. Lovely
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/08/2013 03:15:52 AM
great idea! very creative image and execution! love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/07/2013 11:15:03 AM
Like this idea , has a little style I feel.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/07/2013 09:48:08 AM
very interesting and nicely done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/05/2013 11:51:19 PM
Wow, that is a lovely curve.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/05/2013 12:47:46 PM
amazing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2013 01:09:13 AM
Great colors, sweet and unexpected bokeh. Very cool shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/04/2013 12:05:23 AM
Best in show award, congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/03/2013 10:44:33 PM
Wonderfully captured!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/03/2013 11:09:57 AM
7 from me. well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 05/03/2013 01:36:37 AM
Wonderful capture
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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