2022 - My 2nd year with 52 Frames.

Redo - Golden Hour

Canon R5 - 1/10 - f'/11 - ISO 100

During our summer months in Dubai, golden hour is usually not that spectacular, and way too hot to go out. So in our winter months, it's fun to head out for sunrise photos.

Break The Rules -
Seeing Double

Canon R5 - 30” - f'/8 - ISO 100

Although I don't like admitting it, I'm a bit of a goody two shoes. So this week was fun breaking some rules.

I broke two photography rules

- Crooked horizon (my biggest pet peeve in photography)
-Placing subject in the middle

and one personal rule

- Photo manipulation, I love editing, but believe in photo enhancement over manipulation.

Roll of 24 -
Flying into the sunset

Canon R5 - 1/640 - f'/3.2 - ISO 160

Being a fairly new in photography, I've always shot digital, so this week was a bit scary for me. I've shot a total of 11 shots, and decided on this one (nr9) as the plane was nicely placed.

Shoot from Below - Alif

Canon R5 - 1/320 - f'/13 - ISO 100

My niece and nephew are visiting this week, so time was limited. Luckily we went to Expo City and visited Alif (Mobility Stadium) with them, and was able to capture this.

Animals - Feeding Swan

Canon R5 - 1/640 - f'/7.1 - ISO 6400

This swan was busy feeding, and I loved the reflection while still being able to see through the water.

I had to boost the iso a bit since it was a very overcast day, and the lake was under some trees adding even more shade.

Wabi Sabi -
Weathered Shed

Canon R5 - 1/8 - f'/11 - ISO 640

This shed, with the snow falling shows how much it has been through over time.

Food Photography -
Comfort for the cold

Canon R5 - 1/60 - f'/7.1 - ISO 100

We're currently on a trip in Sweden close to the arctic circle, mostly in search of northern lights. So I thought I'll use the stunning setting and light for this week's challenge. I took the photo quite quickly since the temp was -16'C at the time.

Street Photography -
Lunch for all

Canon R5 - 1/100 - f'/8 - ISO 2000

Just as we got out of the train station in Copenhagen, these two guys were happily sharing their lunch with the birds.

Chaos - Dragon Boat Race

Canon R5 - 1/4 - f'/14 - ISO 100

A fellow photography friend of mine participates in dragon boat racing and invited me to this weekend's race. This was the rowers in motion, with their arms working in unison.

Details - Top of Al Wasl

Canon R5 - 1/40 - f'/8 - ISO 1000

During Dubai Expo 2020, it was always so busy at Al Wasl (the concert dome meaning connection in Arabic) at night. They have now reopened the site as Expo City, which is awesome.

This is the top of the dome. The detail on it is amazing but HUGE! From sunset to 23:00, they have light shows on it, using 252 projectors in 42 pods around the dome which is roughly the size of an Airbus A380 engine. The "little" doves is the detail and work of these projectors.

I'll add a wide-angle view of the dome in my first comment to get an idea of the size.

Black & White Minimalsm -
The fog and two Ducks

Canon R5 - 1/16000 - f'/5 - ISO 500

Taking photos of birds in the fog was a lot more tricky than I thought. I couldn't see the birds coming from a distance away, only when they were in snapping range, plus the camera struggles to find focus due to the lack of contrast the fog brings.

But on the flip side, the fog is the ideal environment for minimalistic photos.

Shoot through something -
As nutty as they come

Canon R5 - 1/10 - f'/4 - ISO 100

"and the whole bunch of you are as nutty as they come!!!"

I mean who puts sticky tape across the lens to blur and mute parts of the photo more? Well I did for this challenge, and suspect I'm not the only one.

Rule of Odds -
Lanterns of Souk Madinat

Canon R5 - 1/8 - f'/8 - ISO 800

I had the privilege of having my best friend visiting from South Africa here in Dubai this week. I took my camera along mostly to capture the moments and memories with them, but kept the challenge in the back of my mind. I love how the challenges make you look at the same destinations with different eyes. Here I saw the five lanterns in the souk.

Letters -
Letters from my now husband

Canon R5 - 1/15 - f'/4 - ISO 1600

What a fun week, even if it's just for the fact that I got to go through my old letterbox. I've tried a few different things, but at last ended on a letter from my then boyfriend, now husband.

It's as if the letter at the door was asking me to open the door and join him in an amazing life with him.

One Light Source -
Dubai Water Canal Footbridge

Canon R5 - 1/60 - f'/11 - ISO 125

After attending the Photography show in Birmingham end of last week and beginning this week, I thought I had a photo in the bag, only to realise the photo was taken on Sunday and not this week.

So on my last day of submission, I headed for this bridge and used the sun as my one light source, creating these exciting shapes with the shadows of the structure.

Portrait of a Stanger - Ryan

Canon R5 - 1/125 - f'/4 - ISO 640

This was my first time doing this challenge, and I did not know how many other people like me were out there that hated approaching strangers.

Ryan is a super friendly waiter and barista at a close-by cafe. Although we've seen him plenty of times before, and he knows my order by heart, this was the first time I actually asked his name and got to know him better.

I still hate approaching strangers, and this photo took about two hours to build up the courage to ask, and only took four photos. But I really feel like I made a new friend. Maybe I'll try it more times.

Golden Hour -
Chasht Nafl / Sunrise Prayer

Canon R5 - 1/2500 - f'/4 - ISO 100

According to Wikipedia, "It has been said that the one who performs chasht nafls, has a reward of 1 castle of Gold in Jannah."

I like that this to me also is kind of a Gold Castle.

Edited by someone else -
Dubai Creek Harbour

Canon R5 - 1/100 - f'/4 - ISO 200

Thank you Christina Trayah for the amazingly beautiful edit. She was able to capture the magic of the sunset that evening perfectly.

Peace - My Orizuru wish/peace I never knew I had

Canon R5 - 1/80 - f'/2.8 - ISO 160

I was inspired by the Orizuru origami in this week's content. I combined multiple photos to showcase how my wish (which I never knew I had) came true, brought my husband and myself together, and found peace in our love for each other and mostly when he's with me.

I've never folded an Orizuru, but it reminded me of an installation in Dubai mall. The photos of that with a Pep Ventosa technique made the first picture, combined with a photo of my husband and me, deconstructed and combined to create this week's photo.

Water - Bathtime Buddy

Canon R5 - 1/100 - f'/8 - ISO 100

Bubble baths at night makes me happy, and the rubber ducky just adds the additional bit of fun and makes me feel like a kid again.

Night Photography -
Sturgeon Super Moon

Canon R5 - 1/50 - f'/7.1 - ISO 6400

My record with the moon hasn't been that great in the past, this is probably my 7th try at capturing it. The hot (44'C) evening was worth it, as this was my best moon capture to date.

My biggest challenge was that by the time the moon aligned perfectly with the Burj Khalifa, it was already very bright, making the Burj less obvious but mysterious.

Choose a color -
Splash of Green

Canon R5 - 1/640 - f'/4.5 - ISO 500

Green is my favourite color, and is usually associated with nature. This is, however, Creme Soda also known in South Africa as the "Green Ambulance" for its hangover-easing powers.

Single Focal Point -
Rany Dubai

Canon R5 - 1/100 - f/6.3 - ISO 8000

Having rain in the middle of summer in the desert was amazing.
While on our balcony and taking in the freshness, I saw everybody on street enjoying the rain. I saw this kid cycling in the parking lot, creating a nice reflection.

My biggest challenge was getting my shutter speed fast enough (thanks high iso), and not having other people walk into my frame.

Common Object - Radioactive Pills

Canon R5 - 1/15 - f'/6.3 - ISO 200

My daily vitamins "spoke to me" this week. I love how arty something so simple can look with the right kind of light.

Silhouette - Ferrari F40

Canon R5 - 1/2 - f'/5.6 - ISO 640

This has been a challenging week. I went out three times, with two early mornings, to get absolutely nothing.

At last, in the final hours, I went with a home project of my husband's model car. I'm still not entirely happy with it (focus stacking could be a bit better), but it's as good as I could do this week.

Holding thumbs that next week would be better.

Negative Space -
Skating Buddies

Canon R5 - 1/125 - f'/6.3 - ISO 1250

Negative space is one of my favourite topics but had a bit of a blank this week. Hubby then started naming a few places/ideas. Although I did give the icerink (one of his ideas) some thought I still wasn't completely sold on the idea.
We went for a photo walk in Dubai mall with many "blah" photos. The moment we passed the icerink, I knew this was probably gonna be it.

I took a few photos, but this little girl with the penguin "assistant" stole my heart.

Thank you to my hubby, just wish he would join me on 52F. This week he would've had the winning photo in our house

Pattern -
Breaking the Pattern

Canon R5 - 0”6 - f'/9 - ISO 100

There are a few patterns I wanted to achieve in this photo. The pattern is found in the texture of the pencils, the placement of the pencils, and then the breaking of the pattern while keeping the triangle shape.

The apple pencil also brings contrast in color as well as between digital and manual/old school.

What is it?

Canon R5 - 1/4 - f'/4 - ISO 200

A very common and humble ingredient found in every kitchen.

Shoot from Above -
Voortrekker Monument - Ons vir jou Suid Afrika.

Canon R5 - 1/13 - f'/8 - ISO 1000

The Voortrekker monument in South Africa and Pretoria is quite a special piece of architecture. What makes it even more special, is that every year on 16 December 12:00 the sun shines through a small hole in the roof onto the stone at the bottom of the 40m high structure highlighting the words carved into granite "Ons vir jou Suid Afrika".

Triangular Composition -
Binghatti Apartments

Canon R5 - 1/200 - f'/11 - ISO 100

I struggled a bit with this week's challenge and finding a triangular composition (I will definitely practise it some more).

What draw me to this building and captured was that although it's all square balconies, the sun's position created these triangular shades plus the angle from below provided a zigzag/triangular form. The lines also go in hand with the golden triangle.

As a bonus, the complementary colors just add an additional pop to the photo.

Everything in Focus - Dubai Mall

Canon R5 - 1/500 - f'/11 - ISO 800

I wanted to get everything in focus, as all the elements helped frame the flower sculpture. I used a wide-angle lens, with a smaller aperture and then tried my hand at the hyperfocal distance.

Although I achieved the challenge, I still feel as though I could have taken a stronger photo for this week... maybe next week ?

Inspired by a Photographer -
Peaceful Beach - Anthony Lamb

Canon R5 - 13” - f'/16 - ISO 200

I came across Anthony's photos at Xposure held every year in the UAE. His photos have a calm to them, in my opinion, due to the soft colors and minimalistic compositions, which was what inspired me for this week's photo.
The sand was, however, a bit messy, thus I've applied the Adamski effect I've learned last week, to clean the photo up a bit.

Abstract - Blue Apartments

Canon R5 - 1/20 - f'/11 - ISO 100

Across the river Clyde in Glasgow, were these odd and interesting blue apartments with a touch of pink. The colors and lines worked so well for this challenge and the Adamski effect.

I took a photo of the apartments and their reflection in the river, but after applying the Adamski effect the balance felt off, so I cropped it so almost no reflection was left.

Architecture -
Sligachan Old Bridge

Canon R5 - 1/8 - f'/11 - ISO 100

From Dubai's shiny new and modern buildings to the old of Scotland. I somehow always love taking architectural photos despite nature being my first love.

Flat Lay - Touring Scotland

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Clueless at first, somebody on the facebook group shared how he/she started to put their photo together, and this inspired me to use what I’ve been using most during the last week and our trip.

I’ve set my shot up in our camsite for the night.

Due to my camera being a prop this is the first “non phone theme challenge “ I’ve used my phone for taking the photo.

Leading Lines - Spooky Bridge

Canon R5 - 10” - f'/13 - ISO 100

We've been visiting London this week, and I knew from the get-go I wanted to take a photo of the Millennium Bridge. The tricky part for me was to take an often photographed spot and make it my own. I went back a few times and was happy with the ghost-like movement of the people and their placement.

Lamp - Taking my baba for a walk

Canon R5 - 1/80 - f'/4.5 - ISO 400

I knew I wanted to capture the Arabic lamps, as they are absolutely stunning. I was struggling a bit to get a nice composition, when this little girl walked right into my frame, making my day and photo and giving me a huge smile.

I did a dramatic edit to emphasize the street lamp and the light it provides for the girl's stroll with her baba.

Extreme Close-up -
Easter Eggs

Canon R5 - 1/125 - f'/8 - ISO 100

I know this isn't an Extreme closeup, but it's the closest I could get without a Macro.

I've done focus stacking, and learned quite a bit since it isn't 100% sharp right through. The Orton effect adds a bit of softness to the texture of the foil, and color.

Nature -
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover

Canon R5 - 1/320 - f'/6.3 - ISO 1000

This butterfly blends in perfectly with its pale natural colors, but once the wings open they're a bright tanzanite blue.
I don't have a macro lens, but my 100-500mm did give me the opportunity to keep my distance a bit. I would have loved to capture the blue, but they were just too quick for me.

Emotion - Tenacious & Fierce

Canon R5 - 1/640 - f'/2.8 - ISO 200

Dubai has quite a few street cats. I went in search of some emotion since I know they live quite a hard life. This one just stared at me, as if to say "I'll not give up and I am strong in spite of my circumstances". It felt as if it was looking through my soul. This was a heartwrenching exercise for me since I can't help all of them.

Long Shutter - Deira Clock Tower

Canon R5 - 3”2 - f'/16 - ISO 100

Long exposures are one of my favourite topics, but this week it just didn't really pan out as planned, but I'm trying to embrace my mistakes and hopefully learn from them.

An Activity -

Writing, Typing, Blogging

Canon R5 - 5” - f'/11 - ISO 100

I keep a blog about my husband and my travels. Because we like to enjoy the travel to its fullest, I usually only do the editing, and writing once I get home but try to finish it before the next trip.

This week I've been blogging like crazy, lining them up for the following few weeks.

I hate to admit how much effort went into this shot. It's all elements I use while writing (to get me in the right mindset and mood) but had to arrange it so it looks random but appealing.

I also used a slow shutter so my screen won't make any lines, and to get the motion of my hands typing. The wide-angle not only allows me to get everything in the frame but also distorts the outside elements to emphasise me getting in "the zone" and focusing on the work at hand.

Low Key -
Dark side of Solar

Canon R5 - 1/1000 - f'/11 - ISO 100

This photo's been taken at Expo2020 again. This time at the Sustainability side, with the Terra Pavilion and energy trees (all made of solar panels) surrounding it.

I underexposed the photo a bit and did most of the contrasting in post-production. I also played around with motion blur in Photoshop for the clouds.

Reflections -
Bending the Burj

Canon R5 - 1/40 - f'/5.6 - ISO 1000

I'm fortunate to be in Dubai for this challenge, as Dubai is the city of reflections. This photo was taken at Dubai Mall during blue hour. The reflection is cast of a shiny heart-shaped sculpture.

Tripods are unfortunately not permitted, as I would have liked to shoot this at a higher f-stop or use focus stacking to get everything in focus.

I'm still very happy with the result of the bent Burj Khalifa, and the amplified curve of Dubai Mall.

Rule of Thirds - Bougainvillea

Canon R5 - 1/80 - f'/7.1 - ISO 800

One of the easiest challenges and I struggled quite a bit (maybe too many options). This really was a last-minute submission not to break my streak. I did however apply the Orton Effect, which I haven't done before, just to add something else to the photo and learn something from the challenge.

Unexplored -
Michaelangelo in Dubai

Canon R5 - 1/10 - f'/6.3 - ISO 400

I've been in the fortunate position to go and explore the Dubai Expo 2020. This is a 3D scanned and printed replica of Michael Angelo. I also thought that it's a different and unexplored view since you are eye-level with him.

Dept of Field -
Living through our Phones

Canon R5 - 1/5 - f'/2.8 - ISO 1000

Although I asked my husband to assist me with this photo, almost 80% of people around us were busy experiencing this phenomenon through their phones, instead of just being in the moment.

It's the annual Sharjah light festival, where they choose nine locations to light up with a show and music to bring forward a message.

The show lasts about seven minutes. We used the first one for the shoot and the next one just to enjoy it.

I did manage to play around with the focal length and see how much more becomes in focus the wider you go.

Black & White -
In your Eyes

Canon R5 - 1/400 - f'/4 - ISO 250

Not much of a story. Just wanted to capture a photo of our family pet while visiting South Africa. We're back in Dubai, after a long and enjoying time with family. The cat is an old lady already and hopes she'll still be with us on our next visit.

Fun fact about the cat's name...
Official name: Sandy
Name given by my dad after living with her for a while: "Throttle" which in Afrikaans sounds almost like "Vrot hol" which means Stinky bum.

Minimalist - Lovebirds

Canon R5 - 1/200 - f'/7.1 - ISO 250

I've started to panic about this week since I didn't know where to find minimalism in my chaotic week.

The moment I've sat down and took a breather while brushing our cat, I noticed these two lovey lovey dovey doves framed by the top telephone line. Super excited I grabbed my camera and "ta-da".

Complementary Colors -
Reflecting

Canon R5 - 1/10 - f'/6.3 - ISO 100

It's amazing how much nature uses complementary colors. This was quite fun, and I've managed to frame the strawberry with it's own reflection, as well as frame the reflection as well.

Although not complementary the black and white/silver of the wineglass is also high in contrast which makes it "pop" even more.

Hello From… -
Dullstroom - South Africa

Canon R5 - 1/125 - f/11 - ISO 100

I'm originally from South Africa but are currently staying in Dubai. After our annual holiday in South Africa, we got stuck due to travel restrictions.

We're currently staying at my parents and decided on a weekend away in this absolute stunning country, and make the most of our stay.

Hollingsberg River Lodge is an absolute gem, and couldn't have asked for a better location for this weeks challenge, I even managed a sunrise on Sunday morning after a very cloudy week.

Self Portrait -
Reflection after becoming a 1st WW

Canon R5 - 1/100 - f/4 - ISO 800

I started the 52 Frames journey at the start of 2021, and after a full year, with a few photos Im really proud of, and few less so, I'll try to continue this journey and hopefully grow even more..

In my most self conscious challenge of the year, I thought I would reflect and strive for more. I've created a collage of all the photos I've taken last year, and left 4 empty puzzle pieces for my to represent the space I'll always have to grow.

I've then put the photo on a projector, sat in front of it to create my silhouette in the empty puzzle pieces.

2021 - My first year with 52 Frames.

Break the Rules -
Painting or Photo?

Canon R5 - 0.4” - f'/13 - ISO 100

This challenge was so much fun. I took a photo in my parent's garden of the leopard tree, with some grass and flowers along it.

The rules I broke, blurred photo, and camera movement during open shutter, as well as taking it in the middle of the day.

Combine 3 Challenges -
Little Bird

Canon R5 - 1/2500 - f'/7.1 - ISO 800

This has actually been easier than I thought. I did however think alot more about each photo I took for this challenge and what challenges would each photo tick off.

I managed to combine seven in this photo:
Nature - Take a breath - Fast Shutter - Wide Open Shutter - Negative space - Golden Hour - Line from a song -" He sings the clearest melody " - Little bird by Annie Lennox

In the Middle -
Pincushion Protea

Canon R5 - 1/80 - f'/9 - ISO 100

Taken at a local market, a flower kiosk was selling these lovely Pincushion Proteas. I wanted to emphasise the middle with the highlights coming out.

Black & White Minimalism -
Slowing Down Langebaan Lagoon

Canon R5 - 25” - f'/8 - ISO 100

Took this long exposure on a cloudy morning to even out the water and give it a mirror like look. The birds worked along quite nicely.

Common Object - Just some rocks

Canon R5 - 1’16” - f'/11 - ISO 100

For the normal person living by the coast (myself included), they/we would walk past this rocks everyday, and maybe never give them a second glance. With the correct light, correct tide and a big stopper to slow down the shutter, this becomes other-worldly or even heavenly.

Inspired by a Photographer -
Mads Peter Iverson

Canon R5 - 1/80 - f'/11 - ISO 100

I absolutely love Mads' photos. He's speciality is landscapes, and would love to be half as good. I'll keep trying and maybe one day, I'll get there.

We're currently on a trip in South Africa, and saw this lone tree when we arrived at our current location. I hoped for a dramatic sky, and golden light on the wheat for the contrast. Lucky for me I got everything I hoped for mere hours before the deadline.

Fill the Frame -
History has taken it’s toll…

Canon R5 - 1/13 - f'/4 - ISO 1000

Saw the History of the world books, that I can see has lived through some history itself.

Wabi Sabi -
Genie in a kettle?

Canon R5 - 1/160 - f'/7.1 - ISO 400

I came across this kettle, and thought it looked like something that a genie would live in, but are then trowed as soon as nothing happens, revealing the golden scratches.

It also has an asian feel to it, fitting in with the Wabi-Sabi theme.

Face a Fear -
Fear behind the beauty

Canon R5 - 0.3” - f'/11 - ISO 100

There's 2 kinds of fear in this photo.

The first is a quite literal, in the fact that being on street in Pretoria (South Africa) usually is not very safe. I took my dad along for this so I won't have to be alone on street with my equipment. The outing with him was as always a blessing and fun.

The second, is the fear for exams. In South Africa, the academical year is the same as a calendar year, which meant that as soon as the Jacarandas (Name of the tree) starts blooming it was time for year-end exams.

Shot with a Phone - Seeing Double

Apple iPhone X

After an early morning rainfall and spectacular sunrise, I managed to capture this photo with my phone using the Lightroom app.
For this photo I really did only have my phone to capture this.

Walls - Wall Light

Canon R5 - 1/50 - f'/7.1 - ISO 400

This was more of a commitment photo, than something I'm extremely proud of. I do like the way the light makes these interesting shadows on the wall, and the warm color.

Low Key - Buffalo in the Dark

Canon R5 - 1/5000 - f'/7.1 - ISO 500

I went for an underexposed look of a buffalo's nose, with only that in focus to capture the texture and wetness of it.

High Key - High Key Spring

Canon R5 - 1/250 - f'/13 - ISO 200

I've done a few high-key photos in the past, but always black and white, so this week I wanted to try and achieve the look but still make use of colour.

Dreamscape - My fairy princess

Canon R5 - 1/800 - f'/2.8 - ISO 1600

Although probably a bit predictive, I was really lucky to have been able to photograph my niece after almost 2years of not seeing her due to covid.
I'm usually not a big fan of heavy editing, but thought I would go big for this challenge and had quite a bit of fun.

Daily routine - Endless Laundry

Canon R5 - 1/4 - f'/3.5 - ISO 800

Although not a fun routine, it certainly is a neverending one, that can't be easily skipped. The circle shape of the washing basket also represents the neverending cycle.

Curves - The Script

Canon R5 - 1/3200 - f'/2.8 - ISO 100

High-key photo taken of just a portion of a monument close to us.

Man - Dubai Superman

Canon R5 - 1/3200 - f'/2.8 - ISO 100

With all of Dubai's many glass skyscrapers, there are quite a few of these spidermen hanging from buildings cleaning them.

To me, these and all the other hard labourer’s are superheroes, as they're in the scorching heat most of the day, and what makes Dubai this clean, sparkling and world-class city, without taking or getting any credit for it.

Woman -
Ingredients to a confident woman

Canon R5 - 1/100 - f'/4 - ISO 500

After being dropped by my model at the last minute, I was kinda with my hands in my hair about what to do this week.

As I got out of the shower and putting on my perfume, I realized that every woman has her secret ingredient to feeling confident, special, and powerful. For some, it's perfume, other lingerie, jewelry, a bit of makeup, and even a pair of heels can just give that extra "WawaWoom" that day.

Nostalgia -
Baking with my Granny

Canon R5 - 1/4 - f'/11 - ISO 100

What started out as "what a crap topic" turned out to be one of my favorites. I went down memory lane all week long and settled on the memory of me baking with my granny. Since I can remember I would stand on a chair next to her.

This is her recipe, and although I've baked this cake so many times before, I've never attempted a replica of how she would decorate it, and this is the closest I could get.

I am very lucky to still have her alive but sadly couldn't bake this with her due to distance. This was really a sweet and wonderful photo and memory.

Texture - Bread & Jam

Canon R5 - 1/4 - f'/11 - ISO 100

I would sell my soul to a nice piece of bread and strawberry jam, thus the ciabatta was the first thing that came to mind, and no matter how much I try to come up with other ideas, I kept circling back to it.

Night - Sheik Zayed

Canon R5 - 20” - f'/11 - ISO 100

Dubai is the worst place to take astrophotography photos since there's so much light pollution, but on the flip side, that's Dubai's "prettiest" time as well with all the lights. This is also my favorite thing to photograph here.

I took five bracketed shots and combined them into an HDR using photoshop and luminosity masks. I then went back to lightroom to refine my photo and make it pop even more.

Line from a Song -
”It’s a cruel, (it’s a cruel) cruel summer”

Canon R5 - 1/60 - f'/8 - ISO 100

Cruel Summer - by Bananarama

For most people summer is the best part of the year, and I used to be one of them when I still lived in South Africa.

Since moving to Dubai, summer has become very cruel and unpleasant, with extremely high temperatures, and sometimes high humidity. During this shoot of golden hour, I was lucky with having very low humidity but still managed to capture a high temperature.

Wide Aperture - Inside a Lego Camper

Canon R5 - 1/250 - f'/2.8 - ISO 200

I used my wide-angle to capture the inside of our Lego Camper. I used the shallow (widest I could go) depth of field to isolate and emphasize the wine glass.

Distorted - Wildflowers

Canon R5 - 0.3” - f'/22 - ISO 100

I kinda borrowed an idea from a photographer I follow, where he uses one sharp, and one motion blurred photo. I rather went with four different motion-blurred photos (zoom while exposure is taken) to have a version of the Pep Ventosa Technique, with one sharp photo.

Product Photography - Malibu

Canon R5 - 1/2 - f'/8 - ISO 100

I used some stuff/props I've brought back from Zanzibar, added some dried coconut in the back, and made use of two photos and focus stacking to get everything sharp.

Transportation - Race from Above

Canon R5 - 1/10 - f'/2.8 - ISO 200

I took this panning shot from our balcony to add an alternative perspective to an everyday transport method. I took the photo early evening, so I could get some shadows and headlights highlights.

Black & White -
Nespresso Espresso

Canon R5 - 1/6 - f'/9 - ISO 100

I shot our Nespresso machine as it was done making espresso, and having that last drip with some steam still on it. I decided to go with an alternative and cropped composition to simplify and enhance the subject.

I did some basic edits with local adjustment and a little color tone.

Just Breathe - Breast Stroke Breath

Canon R5 - 1/2500 - f'/11 - ISO 1600

This week I went with a literal approach, by taking a self-portrait as I came up for air during breaststroke swimming.

I've put the camera on a tripod, and used the intervalometer, to take a shot every second. I then went into the pool and started swimming (hoping for the best). I went back three times and was kinda satisfied with the shot.

Macro - Mother of Pro Gaming

Canon R5 - 1/2 - f'/2.8 - ISO 400

I wanted to go for something different, so I used my husband's gaming PC (without a Graphics card) for this week's photo.

I don't have a macro lens, YET... So I made use of my wide-angle since its minimum distance focus is the closest.

I used a red light from the side and my cellphone light from above. The ventilation gaps, made for interesting light streaks. I photo stacked 16 photos in Photoshop, and then did basic editing, with a bit of color toning.

Door - Colorfull Invite

Canon R5 - 1/500 - f'/2.8 - ISO 100

I'm usually not a big fan of selected color sections in a monochrome photo, but I wanted to emphasize that the world inside that shop is a blast of color in comparison to the outside world.

My story is that It's like a less secret but very inviting, expensive and exclusive fairy garden inside with all the exotic flowers.

Music - Sunset over a bridge

Canon R5 - 1/500 - f'/2.8 - ISO 100

I placed a friend of mine's guitar on the rail of our apartment on the 27th floor during sunset to capture this shot. This made me extremely nervous, and thus the shot did not work out exactly as planned as the sun did not properly align as hoped for. A better-looking sunset would also have been helpful, but sadly this is what we get in Dubai summer months.

I used photo stacking (my first attempt) to create more focus on the guitar by blending 40 photos in photoshop.

Wide Angle - Dark side of the vinyl

Canon R5 - 1/320 - f'/6.3 - ISO 400

I used our vinyl player as my model this week. I wanted the emphasis on the cartridge, and texture of the vinyl. Making the photo dark and low-key, I was able to get my details through with the highlights (provided by the flash) being on the texture and cartridge.

Portrait - Etosha Portrait

Canon R5 - 1/320 - f'/6.3 - ISO 400

It was my last week in Etosha National Park (Namibia), thus surrounded by a lot more animals than people. Especially a giraffe. During late afternoons, about 30 or more giraffes would come and drink water at the nearest waterhole to Namutoni Rest Camp.

I then waited for the soft, golden light of the sun during golden hour as lightning for my portrait this week.

Although I really wanted to do a human portrait, I think this is quite appropriate for me this week, and am quite happy with the shot.

Red - African Bush Sunset

Canon R5 - 1/2500 - f'/5 - ISO 200

The most "red" thing I saw this week.

We are fortunate to be in Etosha (Namibia) this week, however red is not a common color in this shades of beige.

ISO 100 -
A Bugs Life

Canon R5 - 1/200 - f'/11 - ISO 100

Usually, I have a fair idea of what I want to capture each week. This week was purely opportunistic.

I was so excited to see a candelabra tree at our holiday accommodation we're staying just outside of Windhoek in Namibia. During mid-day, it buzzes with all different bugs.

Although I don't have a macro lens, I managed to capture this photo with a zoom lens and did some basic editing in Lightroom.

I managed to capture this in mid-day, which made this week's challenge so much easier for me and am actually very happy with its results.

Fabric -
Hand Weaving

Canon R5 - 1/25 - f'/10 - ISO 1600

I wanted to take a picture of hand weaving, but could only find their product store, and not the weaving itself ? I did manage to capture the yarn they used with some of the final products.

Nature - Mono Ostrich

Canon R5 - 1/500 - f'/2.8 - ISO 100

I'm lucky to be in South Africa for this challenge. We went to a nature reserve close to my parents house in Pretoria, and managed to get a few pics. I decided to go with a more artistic monochrome picture with some color toning.

Edited by someone else -
Fossil Rock Sunrise

Canon R5 - 1/25 - f'/11 - ISO 100

Thanx to Gary Baker for doing a good job with my edit this week. I have to add, that more care went into the shoot of the photo, so my editor will have something decent to work with.

Trapped -
Locked up Passport

Canon R5 - 1/320 - f'/2.8 - ISO 100

With travel being very restricted, I thought to capture my passport locked up. To add an additional layer, South Africa is currently the most blocked country.

I build a little "cell" with black and used metal straws for the cell bars. I then used a little flashlight to light it up from the front and add the additional bar shadow. The light also represents the light that traveling might very well be on its way again.

Fast Shutter -
Strawberry Dive

Canon R5 - 1/2500 - f'/14 - ISO 2500

I wasn't sure if this shot would work, since I don't have any flash or studio lights. I then positioned the glass in from of the window, with a lower shooting angle so I wouldn't get any of the buildings next door's shadows, and keep the shot clean.

I used the shutter-release and put the camera on burst mode, and went for a few rounds.

In post-production I took desaturated the blue caused by the sky and the window tint, to give it the clean white, high key look. I also had to lighten the strawberry, since the main light source was at the back, and the front was a bit dark.

Overall I had fun, splashing water everywhere with the strawberry's diving. I also enjoyed looking at all the different patterns I got during the shoot.

Slow Shutter - Buzzing Fun

Canon R5 - 1.6” - f'/11 - ISO 100

I knew I wanted to take a fun and bright photo of some ride. The busy park, bright light trails of the rides and the blurry people moving around, gives a sense of a buzz happening.

My biggest struggle at the amusement park was the shutter speed of 1"6 of the photo since a tripod was not allowed, and I couldn't find a spot to set up my camera for this spot.

I then braced my body in the most stable position possible, and put trust in the latest camera technology while pushing its limits.

Window Light -
Big City Bunny

Canon R5 - 30” - f'/10 - ISO 100

Our Bugs Bunny soft toy was an excellent subject this week. Looking out onto the big Dubai with all it's lights. It's also a representation of how many of us feel in the current situation, longing to go outside, while cooped up due to restrictions.

I used the HDR technique with some luminosity masks, to get the most out of the picture.

Color Relationship -

The warmth of cinnamon

Canon R5 - 1/500 - f'/2.8 - ISO 1600

I went to our Spice Souk, in search of a photo with earthy colours.
This cinnamon photo with its warm analogous colours of red yellow and orange are was perfect. Just like the colours, cinnamon always manages to warm up my body and soul. Thus this earthy array of warm colours work well together in this photo and in the symbolism.

Negative Space -
Half a Quack

Canon R5 - 1/125 - f'/8 - ISO 1600

I've been wanting to take this shot for a while but initially wanted to add the entire duck. In one of the previous years, I saw somebody use "half an object" composition and wanted to try it. It had some difficulty as the duck kept on "swimming" away as the pool jets made a current in the water. I had a lot of fun taking this photo and felt like a kid again.

Details -
Museum of the Future

Canon R5 - 1/8 - f'/11 - ISO 100

The museum of the future in Dubai is almost complete. The detail of an Arabic poem on the building was the first layer of details. The second is the two construction workers hanging on ropes, as the building's rounded shape makes it difficult for the usual scaffolding. The two constructions workers also give scale to the building.

Roll Credits -
The call on hold

Canon R5 - 1/40 - f'/8 - ISO 100

The overall darkness of the photo and clouds represent the brutal and sad fact that the call would probably not be answered by the loved one it was intended for. The bright pink flowers are the little hope the caller has for the phone to be answered.

Golden Hour -
House of Wisdom’s Scroll

Canon R5 - 30” - f'/11 - ISO 125

The photo was taken at a library in Sharjah called House of Wisdom. Although it was taken at golden hour, the nd filter I used created a more blue feel to the overall picture. The scroll managed to capture the sunset golden hour light perfectly.

Single Focal Point -
Green in the harsh desert

Canon R5 - 3.2” - f'/11 - ISO 100

None of my photos I had in mind managed to pan out as planned. Then with a day trip out of the city, I got this opportunistic photo. It's a little bit of green with dew on in the harshest of landscapes. Although I don't own a macro lens (yet), and would have liked a crisper look, I am still quite happy with this shot.

Horizon Lines -
Stripy Blue Hour

Canon R5 - 3.2sec - f'/11 - ISO 100

I took the photo with a long exposure from my balcony. We face the ocean, with a bit of bay coming inland. During blue hour I panned my camera on the tripod to get the stripy lights, with the horizon still straight. and the mosque in the left corner. Even the street lights along the bay can be seen in a curve form.

Water -
Unicorn Water

Canon R5 - 1/125 - f'/4 - ISO 320

I placed a wineglass full of water on leftover wrapping paper in the sun. With a shallower depth of field, I lost the detail and pictures on the wrapping paper but managed to get these pastels like colours as a reflection on the glass and water that makes me think of unicorns.

Get Low -
Trees into the mist

Canon R5 - 1/40 - f'/5.6 - ISO 1000

The photo was taken on a very Misty morning. Although the trees are right next to the highway in Dubai, the mist gives it a clean look.

Leading Lines -
Benched Palm Tree

Canon R5 - 1/500 - f/5.6 - ISO 250

A bench at our local beach was the ideal leading lines to a palm tree.

Self Portrait

Canon R5 - 1/1250 - f/5.6 - ISO 400

I love being out in nature, and what better place to take the photo. I tried to keep it as natural as possible, with my everyday look. I used a mirror for my reflection, and the camera to "hide" behind since that's where I feel most confident.