Photo Contest #69 - Yin & Yang

[SharpByCoop]

With the contest at number 69 I thought it appropriate to find a them befitting of the number. (You dirty dogs... Don't go there!!! )

Yin and Yang definition:

The concept of Yin-Yang originates in ancient Chinese philosophy and metaphysics, which describes two primal opposing but complementary forces found in all things in the universe. Yin and yang are descriptions of complementary opposites rather than absolutes.

YOU consider how to embody this concept as you feel. Soft materials, hard edges, graceful lighting, stark background.... What-have-you. This will make you think of composition and materials to choose. Even if you don't think you can win, please give it a go. I promise a return after this contest with a short commentary on what I saw in each image. So may others.

We will try a few things differently:
A single voting post with the contest image links embedded.
Mid-week voting instead of over the weekend.

Think of what you can do. Then, just DO it!

Contest will start when we have at least FIVE entries by a Sunday eve. Voting begins then, if so. This contest is open to any and all participants.

Please post your entries in the Photo Contest Entry Forum with the same title format we have used previously ( Contest # and forum name)

Coop

[Gene Chapman]

Thanks, I'll try something with the camera. I have learned a great deal off this thread, especially the light tent.

I got to forge iron for a blacksmith conference to pay for the trip. This should be fun.

Good for keeping the contest going.




Gene

[Buddy Thomason]

Great idea, Coop! Thanks for making the contest happen.

[PiterM]

awesome idea... Yin & Yang, soft & hard, good & evil... sounds cool!

[Andrew Garrett]

If time permits, I'll be shooting for this (my first entry into a contest here) on Saturday. I have no 'real' photo editing software yet, so this will be an exersize in composition and lighting for me.

I have an idea and some friends to help me. I hope it goes well.

[Ice Tigre]

Originally Posted by Andrew Garrett

If time permits, I'll be shooting for this (my first entry into a contest here) on Saturday. I have no 'real' photo editing software yet, so this will be an exersize in composition and lighting for me.

I have an idea and some friends to help me. I hope it goes well.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yeah, what he said. I'm gonna give it a try too.......


Gary.

[tmickley]

Originally Posted by Andrew Garrett

If time permits, I'll be shooting for this (my first entry into a contest here) on Saturday. I have no 'real' photo editing software yet, so this will be an exersize in composition and lighting for me.

I have an idea and some friends to help me. I hope it goes well.

Andrew,
good lighting is a lot more important than software...but software helps. I'd bet almost anything you have some software to edit photo's. Look at your printer install disc's or for trial version photo album software. google photo editing software trial or demo. I think most of the 'regulars' here use Photoshop CS or CS2 -- there's a reason for that. Lot's of threads on software here, browse those before you chose.

[Andrew Garrett]

Tracy,

Yea, I have MGI Photosweet III, but it's really just a snapshot-cropper. I'll do what I can with it and may even open the picture in 'Paint' if cleaning up the back ground is in order. We'll just have to see.

I just want to approach this as an art project and capture the theme with the lines in the subject. The lighting will establish the mood.

[cwp]

Andy,

Go to http://www.gimp.org, click the download tab, and grab the binary for your system. It isn't all the way up to Photoshop, but it is a very good program, and will give you most of the features you see talked about here.

You can also go to http://gimp-savvy.com/BOOK/index.html and have access to a book about GIMP.

Tutorials: http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

You might as well do the download and use it until you need something else, won't cost you anything, and a lot of what you learn is easy to move to more advanced programs (for what it's worth, I went to this from photoshop a lot of years ago, for my uses, photoshop wasn't worth the money).

--Carl

[Ice Tigre]

you beat me to it Carl! I was just comming over to suggest the GIMP.
Having had both it and photoshop, I like the GIMP better.

Of course, its simpler for me because I could never get a good version of photoshop to work on my Linux system.

Thanks for the second link, I hadn't seen that before.....

Gary

[Andrew Garrett]

I'll check it out! Thanks!

[cwp]

Gary,

That is the other reason I prefer the GIMP, I like to work on Linux whenever possible.

I have a hardcopy of that book that I have had for years, it isn't 100% up to date, but has a lot of good info in it.

I was also looking through the tutorials last night, there are some really good ones for removing noise, doing layering and cloning to remove burnt out areas, etc. Some could be really usefull for a knife image.

--Carl

[SharpByCoop]

Just to be clear and to help whet the appetite for the future, I am going to have a contest for previous non-winners (amatuers?) next time, with an easier theme.

This one is "open to any and all participants", and is a complex theme.

There is only one way to REALLY get better and that is to immerse yourself in with the best. I say step in and then come what may.

Looking forward to all the entries for this and upcoming rounds!

Coop

[cwp]

I have a really good idea for this contest, only problem is it involves knives that are being made and not currently a physical reality.

Either way, I will post the photo when it is done, this one has my brain buzzing. Hopefully I can get the knives through heat treat this weekend and have them done by next weekend. After all, I don't think we'll get 5 by Sunday night.

--Carl

[Andrew Garrett]

Where are Jim and Buddy's entries? And yours too Carl! Hey, btw, how is that little knife workin' out? I haven't used the denim yet, but it looks good.