OPS Summer challenge

[OPS Notices]

Hello,

Restrictions are gradually easing, we can meet outdoors in groups of six and go for a walk, but more importantly, we can take more photos! For the 2021 summer challenge, five topics have been chosen. Your task is to take as many photos as you wish on each topic, there will be a forum topic highlighting one topic each month from April to August, in which you may post photos.

At the end of the challenge, in early September, pick one photo from each topic and create a collage, https://www.photocollage.com/ is your friend. Then at the first meeting of the new season on 14th September 2021, shoes us your five selected photos and your collage.

Go outside, stay safe and take some photos. This is only for fun but you may discover some great shots along the way, which you can use in the 2021/22 season competitions.

The chosen topics are:

Abandoned (April)

You can go the metaphorical route and photograph a person "feeling" alone or abandoned, or perhaps a physical object, something that people tend to leave behind (cigarette butt, a forgotten plant, sports equipment gathering dust in a corner). You can photograph an object such as this inside of an abandoned building which would really drive this emotion home. Of course an abandoned building would be an ideal canvas for a challenge of this kind, just make sure you are keeping safe and obeying your local laws!

Fast shutter (May)

We capture a moment in time with every photo we take, but with a fast shutter speed that moment is extremely small. Often only a long as 1/4000th of a second.
As we are capturing motion with our fast shutter speeds, how about capturing some cool action such as drips, spills, breaks or spins? Any type of movement, however, can be suitable for fast shutter speed photography. Think also of birds in flight, people in motion, and ink in water photography.

Leading lines (June)

Your photograph this month does not have to be “about” lines – but it should demonstrate a close attention to how lines build a composition. In particular, see if you can incorporate some “leading lines” – though it’s not required. Leading lines are simply lines in your photograph that draw the viewer’s eye to the photo’s subject. They usually “come in” from outside the frame; often from a corner, but not necessarily.
Feel free to construct a scene, or simply wander about looking for naturally occurring lines. Once you start keeping an eye out for them, you’ll begin to notice them everywhere!

Silhouette (July)

It’s time for silhouette month! This great lighting method is always a crowd-pleaser, and it’s a lot of fun to go out and capture.
Keep in mind that a silhouette is NOT the same as a shadow! According to Wikipedia, a silhouette is an image that is represented by a solid shape of a single colour, its edging matching the outlines of the subject. In photographic terms, it’s when a subject is completely “blacked out” by a brighter light source behind it. Apparently the French call this method “Contre-jour,” which sounds all fancy, so I think we’ll call it that from now on. Remember, the method is simple: “shoot against the light.” In other words, the source of light (the sun, the moon, a lamp) should be behind the subject you are photographing.

Reflection (August)

According to some ancient cultures, mirrors reflect the “shadow soul” – the truest nature of an individual. Other superstitions believe that breaking a mirror can yield 7 years of bad luck. Still others state that reciting “Bloody Mary” in front of a mirror can conjure a spirit.
There’s certainly no shortage of folklore related to mirrors and reflections. As early as the Greek Narcissus, reflections have captured our imagination for their ability to reveal something about ourselves and our world.