Silhouette and Stranger for 52Frames

52Frames's "challenge" for last week was the toughest yet for me, and I even mulled over the option of breaking my streak and just not doing it. But since I'm not a quitter and knew it was just something I must get over, I buckled down and did my best.

What was so hard for me? Honestly, it didn't involve equipment or conditions that are impossible. It's not even that far from what I do, very well actually, at work. We had to ask a stranger for permission to take his/her picture, "Portrait of a Stranger." I had chickened out when I was in Jerusalem earlier in the week and therefore decided that Kenes Shiloh was the place. I had planned on asking an attendee, but somehow they looked too serious and "unfriendly." I just had to get over that phobia and stop making excuses!!! Finally, I decided on whom to ask, and did it! Here she is:

"The Archeologist"
During the tour part of the Shiloh Conference at Ancient Shiloh, our guide pointed to a young woman who had found a number of artifacts while working at the archaeological "digs" at Tel Shiloh. Afterwards I walked over to her and asked if I could take her picture for a "photography group." She tried to tell me that she wasn't very photogenic, but I told her to look around at the much more elderly, much less attractive, people in attendance. Convinced, she agreed, but just wanted to choose the shot.
Her name is Tehilla, and she has been working at the archaeological site of Tel Shiloh.
She has a lovely smile and is very photogenic!

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Shutter: 1/125th of a second
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 800
Location: Shiloh, Israel

Critique: SHRED AWAY! I feel no pain.
This photo qualifies for the "Extra Credit" challenge: "Tell Their Story"

This week's challenge was completely different. Nothing is less personal than the vague outlines of a Silhouette. I took a number of photographs in a few locations, but I ended up deciding on this one:

"Silhouette Fenced In"
Here in Shiloh, the first sign of pool season is when the fence around the pool area gets covered by this green canvas/fabric. The swimmers, especially the females expect/demand privacy. That's why, in the morning, looking eastwards into the swimming pool all you see in Silhouette is the fence and some plants. 

Camera: Samsung GT-I9105P
Shutter: 1/500th of a second
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 100 and below
Location: Shiloh, Israel

Here are some of the "rejects." Did I choose incorrectly?

Night Shot for 52Frames

I tried all sorts of ways to get a decent night shot. Many of the other photographers have these fancy cameras with all sorts of controls and lenses. They keep telling me, in comments by my photos that my camera also has controls. Hah! Try to control it and read the menu especially at night. I've tried clicking all sorts of things, and it just doesn't do what the Canon site claims it can. And I can't trust automatic, because I don't want a flash to go off. Anyhow, I got a halfway decent shot, or so I think, considering all...

"Tabernacle Synagogue, Shiloh, at Night"

Here in Shiloh, our main synagogue is modeled after the Biblical Tabernacle which had "rested" here in Shiloh for almost four hundred years. A few months ago, it didn't look so bright and well-lit at night, but since then it has undergone a major sprucing up.

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Shutter: 1/8th of a second
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 800
Location: Shiloh, Israel

One night last week, I wandered around with my camera and a little tripod. I set it up on benches and walls. That's when I took the picture of the synagogue. Before then I had taken a couple I liked. Here's #2 choice:

The Pool at Night

And there were a few others I liked, but I knew they weren't up to standard. Ort maybe I haven't a clue as to what "standard" really is.

"Chaos" on 52Frames

I didn't have to go far to find chaos to photograph for 52Frames.

"Buried in Chaos"
Last week I sent in my "Calm" picture* before traveling to my brother's funeral. My friend was keeping me company here in the den as I did it. I was complaining to her that it would be hard to shoot "Chaos" considering the Jewish mourning restrictions would have me stuck at home during most of the week. She told me to look around the den where we were. "There's plenty of chaos here," she said. And she's right. What do you think?

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Shutter: 1/60th of a second
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 800

My life has been pretty chaotic as of late, but it was easier to photograph my husband's books and papers, a very, extremely small portion of them.

*In the end I photographed the cemetery for "Calm" and sent that one in. 52Frames allows a change of mind...

"Calm of Death," 52Frames

Even before my brother had passed away, I envisioned using a picture of the cemetery for the 52Frames challenge, "Calm." I imagined myself taking a picture of the cemetery with my phone at the time of his funeral, even though I had no real proof that he'd pass away that week. And I didn't know if I'd manage to send off the photo, even if I had a chance to shoot it.

In my mind was also a competing image, one I imagined photographing from the plane, on my way to my brother's funeral.

And as you see, I did photograph the sky and clouds as we flew over Europe. But I was bothered by the flashes, and I had no way to edit the photo.

Before flying to my brother's funeral, I sent in a very different photo.

Between Takes

There's a calm on the movie set when we're not needed. Yes, I was on a movie set this week, as an "extra." It was a TorahLive.com production.

Finally, I went with my emotions, rather than anything else and chose this one:

"Calm of Death"
I just took this photo at the cemetery after my brother's funeral. Death is a reminder that we have little real control. In the end no matter who or what we were, rich or poor, successful or not. 
There is a certain calm at a funeral, as if we are all under a heavy blanket, a strong embrace.

Location: Long Island, New York

Did I choose right? What do you think?

"Light at The End of The Tunnel" 52Frames "Low Key"

I'm learning all sorts of new terms and techniques as part of 52Frames, the facebook based photography group I joined a few years ago. I've really always loved taking pictures, and when I look at some I took as a very young child, I can see a similarity in composition to those I take now. Of course, in those days, I  had a simple film camera and only got black & white film. There was no such thing as "wasting a shot." Each one had to be perfect, or my parents would threaten that they wouldn't pay for more film and developing costs.

Today people just shoot and shoot some more. I get dizzy when I have to choose between many photos. Even when I take a lot of photos of the same scene or theme/challenge, there aren't all that many, not the dozens others take.

"Low Key" means dark in layman's terms. It can have something lit up, but that must be a relatively small percentage of the view. I ended up with two similar photos that fit the bill and didn't have the patience nor visual skills to choose, so I asked for help from the 52Frames Photographers facebook page. That's how this was chosen:

"Light at The End of The Tunnel"
I tried to escape the summer's heat by going inside the Walls of Jerusalem's Old City this week and in one of the covered areas, I shot this photo.

Camera: Canon IXUS 145 Canon IXUS 145
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 100 and below
Location: Jerusalem Old City, Israel

Which would you have chosen? Here is the other:

Water for 52Frames

Yes, the latest 52Frames theme/challenge was "Water."

"Water for Coffee!"
No water would mean no coffee, which would mean foggy brain. Most mornings I write coffee haikushttp://me-ander.blogspot.co.il/search?q=coffee+haiku 
52Frames shoot-
every week a new challenge-
this week is water-

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: Shiloh, Israel

PS Just that you know I did this, meaning took the picture without any assistance. That means that one hand was pouring boiling water into the French Press, and the other was holding the camera and shooting!

5am for 52Frames

Am I insane? There I was still jetlagged in the eastern direction,which is the hardest to recover from, and I still set my alarm for 4:56am in order to grab my robe, scarf and camera in time to shoot a 5am photo for extra credit. Crazy for sure. But I'm going to let you in on a secret... remembering to shoot at 5pm is sometimes more difficult, even after setting the alarm for 4:56pm. I can get so quickly distracted and waylaid in the afternoon.

52Frames can sure make me do the strangest things.

"5AM!"
I set my alarm to get up and shot this early morning photo!

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: Shiloh, Israel

Critique: SHRED AWAY! I feel no pain.
This photo qualifies for the "Extra Credit" challenge: "In the Morning"

Anna Karenina and 52Frames

This week's theme/challenge for 52Frames was "Books," and the "special credit" was to photograph something that tells the story. I was in New York, commuting between a friend's apartment on the Upper West Side and a family member in a Long Island hospital. 

And I saw a lot of train-tracks and had very little time to do anything much besides travel and help. Photography had to stay on the back-burner, even 52Frames.

It had been quite a few weeks since I could qualify for the extra credit, so I tried to think of something I could photograph which would bring me back to a story line. Yep, the traintracks spoke to me. Nope, not to jump like Anna  Karenina, Gd forbid, but all those gorgeous leading lines...

"Anna Karenina"
Yes, those train tracks....

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: New York City

This photo qualifies for the "Extra Credit" challenge: "Tell the Tale"

Not every photo is a work of art, but at least I didn't miss a week!

Abstractly 52Frames

This week's theme for 52 Frames is Abstract, and each year I have more fun with it. I took a number of shots which I didn't use:

And now for the drum roll....

Here's the one I chose.

"Up and Away"
I looked up and shot this at the Jerusalem Light Show. Although I had been taking lots of photos in all sorts of genres and locations for this week's challenge, Abstract, this very simple blue and white, slightly blurred photo stands out. At least, that's how I feel. Sometimes, simple is perfectly abstract.

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: Jerusalem, Israel

Did I make a mistake?