Featured Photos Weekly Challenge - HDR

/

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_hdrVia Toby - This week I was looking for images that provided a wide dynamic range without looking unreal - something the eye is capable of seeing but not taken to the extreme with saturation or clarity, or really even any additional color cast that happens in some HDR. I have a few small prizes I will be reaching out to our top picks soon. Next Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_animalsFind out more about upcoming challenges and past winners at photorec.tv/prtvYou can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv and the team:

Team FeatureTeam FeatureTeam Feature
Toby’s Features:

I have been here, I know it’s tricky to shoot into the sun through the arch and still get detail in the shadows! Maxence did a fantastic job of balancing the lights and the darks here to produce a detailed rich image.

Sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah during our trip last week with @rabiertour. It was packed but as we arrived early we managed to pick a good spot and keep it until the sun rises. What a great show! Many more pictures to come from this trip, I have a lot from England before that but I had to post for this week's #prtv challenge, #prtv_hdr challenge! . . . . . #mesaarch #canyonlands #nationalpark #utahisrad #igutah #utahgram #wowutah #focalmarked #sunshine #visitutah #sunsets #instasky #skyporn #earlybird #mothernature #skylovers #dawn #naturephoto #main_vision #artofvisuals #watchthisinstagood #landscape_captures #awesome_earthpix #natureaddict #rsa_rural #awesomeearth #nature_wizards #ourplanetdaily @focalmark

A post shared by Maxence Lefort (@maxencelefort) on

Roy’s Features:

Using HDR in the case of a night shot is a nice way to get a few stars and expose your subject with a bit less noise.

Featured Photos Weekly Challenge - Photojournalism

/

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_photojournalismJust as a good writer adds the story the news gains a lot from a good photographer. As you’ve seen from other stories two photos of the same event can tell different stories so it’s up to you to decide. Hopefully with the holiday you all went out and tried to get some photojournalism shots as it was a perfect time to go shoot something different this week. Next Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_hdrFind out more about upcoming challenges and past winners at photorec.tv/prtvYou can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv and the team:

Team FeatureTeam FeatureTeam Feature
Roy’s Features:

A group shot works well, taking it from an above angle worked well for your caption

As we began to ascend the trail, the quiet sound of spring snow pattered through the trees slowly catching up to us. The temperature dropped ever so quickly below freezing, although our bodies remained warm from the strain of carrying our large packs. Minimal conversation and the sounds of lungs gasping for every last bit of Oxygen is all that can be heard amongst the quaint forest. . . . . . . . . . . . . #mountain #winter #cold #snow #snowboard #ski #snowboarding #skiing #white #outdoors #mountains #mountainlife #wilderness #prtv_photojournalism #hiking #backpacking #mountaineering #beauty #skimountaineering #powder #longexposure #blizzard #natgeo #landscape #landscapephotography #snowpocolypse #snowy #snowstorm

A post shared by Carson Torchia (@carsontography) on

Photojournalism takes a hard view on life and sometimes as a race we have to look at how we treat the poor and neglected parts of our society, even if they are from a zoo

Tigers pace around in their pens waiting to be fed as locals look on @cattyshackranch The image here seems a bit sad, seeing big cats like this in cages, but this place is not a zoo. The Catty Shack is a sanctuary. These animals are not bought, sold or traded. They're often rescues, or taking in from zoos take a no longer care for them. Once they are here, they live out the rest of their lives as comfortable as possible. #nikonf100 #kodaktrix400 scanned on #epsonv600 #nikon #nikonusa #nikonphotography #kodakfilm #kodakphoto #kodak #trix400 #kodak_film #film #filmphoto #filmcamera #filmshooter #filmisalive #filmisnotdead #filmphotography #filmshooterscollective #igersjax #thatflcommunity #explorejacksonville #exploreflorida #explorejax #904jax #prtv #prtv_photojournalism

A post shared by Caleb Wilson (@calebwilsonphotos) on

Like I mentioned at the start it’s a good time for events and you caught a nice candid moment

#prtv_photojournalism #prtv

A post shared by Tony Lawrence (@tony_lawrence.sa) on

As I pointed out with his photo from today’s feature photojournalism hits all parts, even if it’s a tragic accident

Pickup truck vs bike at 23rd & 5th speeding drivers suck

A post shared by Mike (@fotogmike) on

Ending things off on a nice note sometimes photojournalism works well with street photography in a nice fluff piece for a caption

Featured Photos Weekly Challenge - Leading Lines

/

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_leadinglinesA fun but harder subject this week as we did have some entries that did not qualify as we needed a strong line in your photo. Leading lines in a photo is a harder composition as you need not just lines in a photo, but strong lines this week to draw your eye to a subject. Falling back on architecture and landscapes while out shooting you can find many things that can focus your photos from a road to a river or a sign.Next Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_photojournalismFind out more about upcoming challenges and past winners at photorec.tv/prtvYou can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv and the team:

Team FeatureTeam FeatureTeam Feature
Toby’s Features:

lines don’t always need to be so clear to lead the eye - the broken egg shells do a great job leading up to the bowl and I like the rest of the arrangement in this shot.

Thought I would try some food photography this morning! #prtv #prtv_leadinglines #iphone7plus

A post shared by Michael Homze (@mikehomze) on

Roy’s Features:

While I’m usually not fond of leading lines that make a chicane the angle is slight enough it still makes a great trail through your photo.

Longleaf pine forests and grasses with golden sunlight gently gilding them makes for a super end to the day!

A post shared by Becky Bardin Photography (@beckybardinphoto) on

A bit on the nose but I like the tiny mountain peeking out at the end of your trail.

10/10 recommend the Canadian Rockies 🌲 #prtv_leadinglines

A post shared by Cødy Anderson🏴 (@cody14anderson) on

Featured Photos Weekly Challenge - Architecture 2

/

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_architecture2In Architecture 2 looking up above, finding a hole to frame a composition, or even going for a mural worked out this week for some really nice shots. Compared to most things we shoot architecture is tricky since the subject is so much larger than most we shoot, limiting options in cases, but creating some in others. Next Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_leadinglinesFind out more about upcoming challenges and past winners at photorec.tv/prtvYou can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv and the team:

Team FeatureTeam FeatureTeam Feature
Roy’s Features:

Finding a bit of symmetry works great for this shot and it’s cropped with a nice border.

The ceiling of the Great Hall #prtv_architecture2 #prtv

A post shared by Jeff Kuhn (@jkuhn36) on

Some nice lines in your photo to direct the eye and a modern look.

#prtv #prtv_architecture2 #sagreat #glamadelaide #southaustralia #adelaidefootbridge #torrensriver

A post shared by Tony Lawrence (@tony_lawrence.sa) on

Rose’s Features:

I love this composition with the reflections on either side.

St Paul's Cathedral

A post shared by Caroline (@carolineefarrow) on

Featured Photos Weekly Challenge - Reflection

/

This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_reflectionOur 100th challenge with almost 200 entries, nice job guys! For this week Toby’s early callout on YouTube from Croatia and Rose’s Article hopefully gave you some ideas. Your challenge this week had you looking for the reflections in your surroundings with some great finds and as creating your own nice shots as well. Next Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_architecture2Find out more about upcoming challenges and past winners at photorec.tv/prtvYou can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv and the team:

Team FeatureTeam FeatureTeam Feature
Roy’s Features:

A really great shot for the challenge, using the floor to reflect the museum’s roof turns it into a tunnel view effect drawing the eye to the statues.

Reflections at the Victoria & Albert museum

A post shared by @andymac_photo on

Changing up a shot by playing with reflections was key this week and this works out as a great shot getting the mountains in the water. 

I throw away a lot of photos. #reflection #k1000 #shootmorefilm #prtv_reflection

A post shared by Korey (@korey_rowe) on

It’s a neat shot out at night getting the milky way captured in the water. Check out the time-lapse he took on YouTube. 

Rose’s Features:

Seemingly simple but so powerful and very well composed. (I wish there weren’t a distracting watermark, though.)

Featured Photos Weekly Challenge - A Feeling

/

As a note we've switched to a new format for challenges. Same great challenges, just with a new look!This Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_afeeling#PRTV_afeeling had you thinking about your shot with feeling, composing your photo with emotion to connect to the viewer. This can get a little tricky as not only do you have to think about light, placement, settings, but also the connection to your subject and a bit of creativity in cases to get what you need. Happy faces, somber moments,  and feeling the balance this week with some nice shots that show the emotion in your photos. Next Week’s Challenge: #PRTV_reflectionFind out more about upcoming challenges and past winners at photorec.tv/prtvYou can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv and the team:

Team FeatureTeam FeatureTeam Feature

 

Toby’s Features:
Roy’s Features:

Babykins! A nice happy shot with eyes that pop!

5 months old, happy baby #prtv #prtv_afeeling

A post shared by Joe McClure (@mcjoe45) on

It’s a great relaxed shot and the B&W works well.

Cowboy Festival.. #cowboy #relaxed #content #prtv_afeeling #sony #sonyalpha #sonya6500 #sonyimages

A post shared by Allan Santiago (@acestakes) on

Instagram Winners - Shadows

/

As photographers, we normally shoot the light and this week flipped the book with Shadows. Shadows can tell a mystery, paint an object, add to a story, or tell one of its own making creativity key this week. Being a harder subject we've got a few nice entries below that play with the theme nicely.This time with feeling for next week! While shadows can play on emotion we want you to show us the emotion for next weeks challenge. When you take a photo that gives you the unique chance to connect with the viewer, tell a story, and bring out emotion. That’s the goal this week and you can be creative, emotions don’t always mean people. You can use atmosphere for a spooky scene, red to show love, happiness in a cute baby gosling, or sorrow in a cherished memento of someone gone. So get yourselves out and go shoot, just remember to tag us in your shots with feeling.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_shadows.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPzfjhujVCd/Love it! Strong shadows, carefully framed, the sun just off the edge - really nice.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTHoWXuA5kC/Thoughtful placement of all lineshttps://www.instagram.com/p/BTCyhiLF6a0/Soft abstract not typical shadows but a strong image

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTHTrnVArXl/Shadows can play on horror elements and this works well for a grindhouse shot this week with the focus on the shadow casting the story versus the figurines themselves.  

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTHZ03xlaKX/It’s a nice shot and you gave it room to breathe, using the gate and it’s shadow frames the shot nicely drawing the eye up to your daughter.https://www.instagram.com/p/BTGk2wiBoco/Playing with shadows and having a butterfly going to the flower is the creativity I was talking about for this week. Using shadows as a creative tool you can add them to a photo if you just think out of the box.

Instagram Winners - Centered

/

Architecture, portraits, and more this week with some nicely thought out shots in the Centered Instagram Challenge. Compared to the rule of thirds or other methods a strong subject is a must this week as all the attention is front and center. With that in mind for centering your subject, the composition for the whole shot also played a rather large part whether using minimalism, framing, symmetry, leading lines, or mirroring an image.We’ve got a trickier subject next week for the Shadows Instagram challenge. Paint a subject in shadow or shoot just a shadow, it’s up to you, but creativity is key this week! P.S. as someone already asked no silhouettes, we’re looking for a casted shadow.To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_shadows.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BS1d9b7hG6R/I honestly thought this week would be more food photos and this makes for a great shot! Going centered in the photo gives you just enough room to layer a few extra elements into the frame making it more appealing.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSqj7Etj9VU/A somewhat popular angle shot by Maxence focuses on that blue hour color in a long exposure that really makes those city lights shine. It’s a great centered photo that works well for this week's challenge letting the reflection fall down through the photo. https://www.instagram.com/p/BSrcwNPD-yl/A mirrored reflection shot turning the horizon on end makes for a great shot this week. It’s a creative subject and a nice way to think outside the box.  https://www.instagram.com/p/BSxCWQujvMs/Caleb’s pelican party is just after the sun sets giving the photo that rich blue hue with the fiery orange which works well for a nice tone. With the sunset at the forefront we also have a nice bit of symmetry for the four pelicans on posts. https://www.instagram.com/p/BSn3Tk8hbq1/Another creative shot this week using photoshop (yes that’s allowed) to mirror a photo of this building. It’s a nice way to force the symmetry for a shot and creates a nice vanishing point pulling the photo to the center. https://www.instagram.com/p/BSqpVk3DtGi/Oak Alley Plantation makes a mention again this week with the great path leading up to the house just visible enough by the house lights. Framing works well for this shot as the trees push the focus center along with the leading line of the pathway.

Instagram Winners - Black and White

/

The pictures we take should tell a story and the switch to black and white puts the focus on the subjects even more. This week focused on composition and form letting you skip a messy colorful scene, push the contrast (or drop it), or even change tones to get the feeling you want in your shot. 114 photos for #PRTV_bandw this week but I could only pick so many winners, unfortunately, but there are a ton of really great photos. Try to take a second to visit #PRTV_bandw and spread a few likes around to the shots that catch your eye.As a fun tip, before I really got into photography my composition starting out was that I put my subject in the exact center of every photo. Now that we all hopefully have an idea about basic composition it’s time to center compose your subjects in #PRTV_centered, and maybe get a bit of nice symmetry as well. As a tip for this challenge try using some framing for your shot as a strong subject will command the focus and the frame will support them. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_centered.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSjb2i7jB_Q/https://www.instagram.com/p/BSjb2i7jB_Q/It’s a great night time shot with a healthy amount of contrast to get the rock and roll hall of fame to really pop behind the Cleveland script sign.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSegS4TAozo/https://www.instagram.com/p/BSegS4TAozo/Something I didn’t mention from the intro last week is that silhouettes work great for a black and white shot. Using the section of tube works out great as it makes for a bit of framing for your subject that blends in being black.https://www.instagram.com/p/BSeZmu_Av0J/https://www.instagram.com/p/BSeZmu_Av0J/ In contrast to the last two photos, Heather has this great low contrast shot leaning more to the grays without a strong black point. Being black and white with the soft depth of field it makes for a nice soft and dreamy photo.https://www.instagram.com/p/BSfMSciAR79/https://www.instagram.com/p/BSfMSciAR79/If you follow the features on Instagram and Facebook I mentioned this one earlier as using a rose works well in black and white as we all know the color. Taking that color away lets the focus be on the great shape and petals versus that brilliant red color. https://www.instagram.com/p/BScZla9jI-a/https://www.instagram.com/p/BScZla9jI-a/A great bit of symmetry by Justin, this really makes for a great architectural shot with the shadows leading to the bright museum door above and framed nicely.

Instagram Winners - Bokeh

/

Challenging yourself with a small depth of field and lots of blur was the goal for this week’s #PRTV_bokeh. While sometimes using that faster aperture is a necessity of the situation using bokeh also can be an artistic choice. You used this to your advantage this week with a great shot of bokeh balls created from traffic, separating your subject out for a portrait, the tiniest macro shot, and the largest landscape with a foreground focus. All great photos and nice entries for this weeks challenge. For next week, if a picture is worth a thousand words, what if we remove the color? Your challenge for next week is Black and White, simplify a photo by cutting out the color or make it more personal and intimate. Even from an editing standpoint, going black and white lets you push the contrast up to 11. Your choice for your photos and I’m sure we’ll see some great ones next week for Black and White. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_bandw.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSMHlQXhRtB/I like the soft sunflower fields with the low contrast gives your portrait a nice painterly feel.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSJVtQFF0So/This is where getting the strong bokeh, but not crazy bokeh balls. The nice soft background keeps us in the plants nicely with the focus on your bug.https://www.instagram.com/p/BOryPAAAP4j/An older shot but there's something about the cool tones and soft yet distinguishable background. You could argue the bright spot on the frosty flower is a bit too much but the contrast makes it stand out.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSRkVRJjHcF/A nice spring photo by Maxence with the focus thrown on the main subject. The shallow depth of field gives a nice bokeh and separates your subject from the pack.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSQmCK3hWFF/This portrait from Gergö is great, especially with the bit of smoke making a nice touch. Using a nice heavy bokeh we’ve got a great leading line going towards your sister and the background is recognizable yet clean. https://www.instagram.com/p/BSGHerbhUi-/Holy macro bokeh balls! It’s a nice macro shot with these dew drops giving it a nice color tone to the image and those nice bokeh balls everyone loves to see.

Instagram Winners – Pets

/

Coincidentally, with March 23rd being National Puppy Day, this week was your chance to show us your best pet photos. Whether they are your furbabies, or the furbabies of others, pets have a lot of character and personality you can capture in camera from a playful side to that doggy sass.Bokeh is key for your shots next week for #prtv_bokeh. Bokeh does not mean bokeh balls necessarily, bokeh is actually the quality of the out of focus parts of your photo. A semi-recent term as Bokeh is turning 20, having been coined sometime around 1997 in Photo Techniques magazine by Mike Johnston. Boke (ボケ) translated from Japanese means haze or blur. So that said we’re looking for the quality of bokeh which means intentional blurring, of an aesthetic choice, that helps to improve your photo.Try a fast prime lens or get closer to your subject this week for some great bokeh -  Aperture & Bokeh - Kit Lens vs a Prime LensTo enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_bokeh.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR_-JixggZk/I just love the pose, gaze upward, and it really works for a great photo. I'd just like the shadows to be just a bit slightly brighter.

Toby’s Honorable Mention:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR6zXQrgAKH/Angela, you've got a cute pooch. The focus is bang on and the focus nails the shot.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR5Dz2NgUla/

A tiny little ball of fur exploring, cropping in close with a shallow depth of field helps make the scene for your kitten.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR_-JixggZk/Gidget did well staying for a portrait and you managed to get a great portrait on black. Happy she got a treat out of it!https://www.instagram.com/p/BR2QYKhjvge/Something I always try to tell people starting out is that when it comes to certain subjects a portrait is a portrait regardless if a dog, horse, or a deer. You captured a nice scene at the park on the bench with your “niece” and it makes for a really great shot.  

Instagram Winners - Details

/

This week the devil was in the details and your challenge to make those detail elements the key subject in your photos. We had a lot of great entries this week and it was honestly hard to pick a winner with so many nice shots. Details can tell their own story or add another element to a larger subject, especially as part of an album, making them a key point to master. This didn't mean all macro shots this week, and it's nice to see some of you focused on the larger picture such as a trap door, a tattoo, or a candid photo of shoes in a special moment. Whether it’s furry, feathery, or scaly we want to see the pets of the world next week in #PRTV_pets. Pets are friendly which makes them an easy subject to photograph, or a hard one, if you have my dog that hates a camera. Your not limited to your own pet, so if you don't have one of your own borrow a friend's or hit a dog park. Have fun and take this chance to be creative! To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_pets.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRrgS4Zjxak/

It’s not so much the details as the composition here, I love the simple framing and soft light.
Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJqBpCTBoDu/

A macro of your own EYE!!?!?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRvCsp-hFJP/

At first I though this was a drill bit - great tight shot!

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRpiNFEhMdO/

Going super macro with the Sigma 105 lets you really get into another world. Getting this water droplet is a nice detail that lets you see more with the view of the park.  

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRvbLk8A5n9/It’s great when you can get a detail that shares a story like this one. Not only is it a great detail in the cabin and a nice shot, but also a fond memory. https://www.instagram.com/p/BRp8o0jDzWD/Actually part of what made me think of detail shots was people, why the challenge for 10/7 is faceless. This is a great photo that works well with your lighting, focuses on the details of the eyes, and makes them pop!

Instagram Winners - Portraits

/

People were the topic of the week with portraits. At some point having a camera, portraits are going to come up that you have to shoot. With the challenge this week it was up to you to put your skills to the challenge with a little help from Toby’s videos and lightroom editing tutorial. Some excellent photos this week, you guys really had some great entries that showed off your skills. For next week, as they say, it’s all in the details and with that your new challenge. We want you to focus on a detail of another subject. An interesting subject has a lot of elements that comprise your photo to tell a story. Focusing on only one plays on that strength as the weight of your photo has now shifted to one aspect of the subject which can tell a story by itself. In the case of Toby's previous work as a wedding photographer, detail photos in weddings show the elements that make the day (like the ring shot) and help add to the big moment. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_details.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRSZH8hhmwm/It tells a story and includes a strong portrait - from corner to corner this is a thoughtful photo and that makes it a powerful photo.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRTJR3Chj3d/That backlit glow so nicely separates the subject from the background and yes she is still exposed wonderfully and the gaze off to the side - wonderful!https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ7thmJAMh6/Nice catchlights, soft lighting wonderful depth of field but I do wish that pineapple wasn’t there.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRTJR3Chj3d/This is a great job of balancing the soft golden light with another source yet still getting that nice backlit glow.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ1ZBExAQ3C/A big part of portraits is that your subject doesn’t have to be looking at the camera. That disconnect can sometimes cause confusion but can be a powerful tool to focus and give context to a photo like this great shot. https://www.instagram.com/p/BRUzbUVB4Im/A nice hiking shot with light almost reaching the point of Rembrandt lighting as you can just start to see the triangle forming on the opposite cheek. I would point out, as Toby normally does, even with trees watch out for odd intersecting lines with your subject as Toby’s going Uncle Martin.

Instagram Winners - Rule of Thirds

/

Hitting the fundamentals this week, your goal for composition had you looking to shoot with the rule of thirds. A learning point for some while a bit of practice for others always is great for brushing up on your skills. While mainly landscapes we had some nicely done portraits and other shots that fit the challenge well! For next week’s challenge, you’ll be tackling portraits for a change of pace. Portraits, or a self-portrait, can be tricky as we’re dealing with people. Compared to some of the other subjects we can pick up errors in shooting people quite easily. It’s a harder subject but one you have to get down as eventually, you’ll have to take a photo of a person at some point. Also sorry, introverts, you can do a self-portrait. Watch our helpful videos on this and how to get picture-perfect lighting:

As a reminder, the Lightroom Tutorial Pack has a great tutorial on basic portrait retouching when it comes to doing your editing for this week’s challenge. Also one of the perks for becoming a PRTV member as well. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_portraits.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRDp3N7FYhi/Hits all the points of interest and leads the eye nicely following the rule of thirds.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BREMr6GDNbm/ Love the use of negative space to balance.https://www.instagram.com/p/BRFKtLUj40A/Similar to the last one, the eyes hit those power points and the cat creates negative space to balance.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQ6u2VyjTIW/You're roughly breaking the foreground into ⅔’s while nicely leading up to the bridge making the last third of your frame. It’s a nice shot.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRCXnpsjHV3/A nicely lit portrait and it follows the rule of thirds well. Usually holding arms like that detracts but keeping them a bit open makes for a nice friendly pose. https://www.instagram.com/p/BRDp3N7FYhi/A great composition with a lot leading to the mountains focal point but putting that focus on the right third of your photo balances the weight nicely.

Instagram Winners - Transition

/

Transitions, your challenge for the week, and honestly one of the trickier subjects from our 52-week list. Trying to catch a process or period from one state to another can be difficult when you consider your camera only can catch one moment in a photo. We had some interesting choices this week, some with complicated editing and others with nice timing, you guys did a great job.Going to a technical challenge next we’re going back to basics with the rule of thirds. When starting out it’s good to learn the rules of composition for a place to start from as a photographer. From there we learn how to break the rules for photos, but having those basics down are key.Watch Toby’s quick tip on just this at: Quick Tip #10 - Rule Of ThirdsTo enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_ruleof3rds.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMlvxgdBWkb/The smooth water to the turbulent falls, the salmon returning to stream, the moment caught all transitions and I like this shot!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQyurAbDH_L/I love the colors here, a lovely example of ombre!https://www.instagram.com/p/BQvhtGil-Ez/The from behind perspective, the other car in the future - this image is balanced really nicely.https://www.instagram.com/p/BQtz1ByD1kI/A little tricky down on the bridge but a nicely done transition.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQtz1ByD1kI/

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQzFYg3jpv3/Brakes! Well that’s one transition I didn’t think I’d see but a nice one and I’m glad the horse is okay.https://www.instagram.com/p/BQJDJBugKQS/Alternatively to Justin’s photo another day to night transition but this time in camera. It’s a nice transition shot.

Instagram Winners - Love

/

Love was in the air and it meant a good time to get your camera out to shoot the holiday. Theme’s like this are nice to include as love is universal but also means something just slightly different for each person. Those differences bring us together, tear people apart, and make for some great photos this week that vary from photographer to photographer. This week we also had a tutorial by Rose for the DIY Heart Shaped Bokeh for Valentine’s Day and thank you to those who participated.For next week as love was a bit of an easier assignment for everyone with the holiday, next week’s will be a bit trickier. As we are slowly seeing spring come closer and winter start to fade your challenge this week will be shooting a transition. A process or period of changing from one state or condition to another. This could mean life to death, such as cut flowers, or here in Michigan the coming of Robins as the transition to spring. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_transition.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQa7slfBnt_/Lovely moment - I like the off-center subjects and the soft muted colors.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQnxWjogBWN/A for effort and A for execution - nicely done!https://www.instagram.com/p/BQiqd6wgqvD/Simple, pretty though I would have cropped it enough to fill the frame with the pink rose.And final mention - Rose had lots of great examples but I really like the cute little playmobile people with heart bokeh - Thanks for taking the time to share your articles with the Photorec.tv community Rose.

Rose’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQeYZ6LAlXKWith so many great shots I picked a bokeh winner and a non-bokeh winner! I love the composition and the monochromatic treatment.https://www.instagram.com/p/BQa7slfBnt_This image is so sweet, and I love the soft treatment. It’s perfect for the subject.

Rose’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQaUlivDswqhttps://www.instagram.com/p/BQg5ayVgVPT

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQnxWjogBWN/Incorporating Rose’s tutorial from a background element to prop works well. It’s a nice cute shot that works well for this challenge.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQa7slfBnt_/Looking to the future in love can make for a great moment. Shooting down the path with the trees acting as a natural frame puts all the focus on the lovely couple. https://www.instagram.com/p/BQZT5n5lAYp/What’s Valentine’s without candy? You made a really great photo that incorporates the color theme well with your shot and used a pile large enough to fill the frame nicely.

Instagram Winners - Candid

/

Your challenge this week was shooting candid photos. Typically this means only people (sorry again introverts) but depending on the shot pets would also count. The goal is to catch people in the moment but a looser definition would be an unposed portrait. We had a nice amount of entries, but as a reminder, we are looking for new, or recent photos, not your one shot that fits the bill from last year.  For our next challenge, with the holiday coming it’s time to get mushy with a #PRTV_love challenge. It’s an open concept up to interpretation but you may want to try Rose’s DIY Heart Shaped Bokeh How to for Valentine’s Day. Love is something that can be conveyed by a shape, action, touch, meaning and more giving you plenty of ways to come up with something for this challenge. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_love.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQEZJ_eg_oW/Great on the street candid capturing a character!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQTxf39gHzr/I really like the out of focus curl connecting the foreground to the person in the back - the tone and grain here as well as the worn backdrop all work well together.https://www.instagram.com/p/BQF-yqmlp04/https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGuPkuju6h/Kids can be difficult to capture truly candid moments as they are often very aware of the camera and immediately stop being candid when a lens is pointed their way - in both these cases the kids are distracted and I love the off-center framing and capturing moments other than smiling at the camera.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQSrsJkFt8x/A cute little protester and the heart of being candid on the street, getting a moment of the Women’s March in NYC. As photographers, we catch glimpses of history on occasion and this photo of yours is a nice candid moment of the day with a sign and person that puts a lot of power to the event.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQF-yqmlp04/Kids love hiding, finding that moment and angle without her noticing is hard but worth it for this photo. It’s a nice capture of your child's growth and a moment of history for her to look back on later. https://www.instagram.com/p/BQLB_vggG2N/Finding subjects at the park always works well for candid photos. Usually, they are not focused on others and you can sneak in and get a photo that captures the moment well like in this nice shot.

Instagram Winners - White

/

This week was a color challenge and one of the trickier ones at that focusing on white.  White needs to be white, like I mentioned before exposure and your histogram is key. Otherwise, you end up with gray or blown out photos. For the most part looking through entries, you guys did great. That said there were a few entries that didn't make it due to being quite dull to the point of a gray photo, watch that histogram! White was key this week and beyond a lot of swan entries, we had varied subjects from snow to bubbles, great for a color challenge. As for next week’s challenge, we apologize in advance to the introverts out there as you’ll be trying to go for candid photography. This doesn’t mean you're stuck doing street photography, albeit that’s what most think starting out. Candid photos focus on getting your photo without a posed appearance, catching people in the act, and that’s your challenge this week. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_candid.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCXwtHBp1r/This is a cute, cute, photo! Not super sharp, with focus just starting to hit her face but this is white! The color of the bathtub really makes it stand out.

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP81bVQFybf/This is one of those shots where I was like "ooh this could be a little whiter". Still, it's one of those shots that the thumbnail really stood out to me. It could be a touch brighter and the gray in the corner could go but it's still a strong photo.https://www.instagram.com/p/BP-1BW9FBY0/This is one of those easy things to get, a toy or model. The white is a bright right, it's centered and makes for a nice photo.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6IzDlATdA/Lots of white in Yellowstone with this photo. Throwing it black and white helped as the sky doesn’t detract from the overall monochrome look of the land below.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQCXwtHBp1r/Honestly, bubbles were not one that came to mind for a white challenge but it does well to frame your daughter in the shot. It’s a fun photo with an honest expression that makes for a cute entry. https://www.instagram.com/p/BP6o26lFL19/A northern shrike in the sky is a great way to get a white photo. Not to mention from a birding standpoint they are one of the harder subjects to shoot without flying away.   

Day 7 - Nature Photography Challenge

/

Randall Bryett a great friend and wildlife photographer (@aussiewild on Instagram) has nominated me for the #naturephotochallenge. And in return I nominate ALL of you :) Anyone who wishes to participate each day - Upload a suitable nature photo and tag your photo #PRTVwildchallenge I will pick a few each day that were UPLOADED the day of the challenge.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

#prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Dave McIntosh (@dave_mcintosh) on

Christmas Tree Rock, #PRTVwildchallenge

A photo posted by Bryan Reynolds (@bryanjrey) on

El Calafate, Argentina #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Natalia Tkacheva (@tkacheva4474) on

Arizona sunset #prtvwildchallenge

A photo posted by Donald Lynskey (@slinky49) on

Instagram Winners - Product

/

Continuing on our last challenge of flash photography a product Instagram challenge this week really narrows the field. It was up to you which product to shoot but each presents their own challenges in getting a photo to look just right. Especially considering in a lot of tabletop setups you need lighting equipment to get the product lit how you’d like for the shot. There were some nice entries this week from traditional tabletop setups to larger outdoor shots that really showed off some great camera skills. One of the harder challenges to shoot for next week, you'll be shooting white as a color challenge. White can be tricky as any exposure to high and you’ll blow out a photo. Going too low as well ends up with dull colors and a gray photo. Just like in the shooting red article you will have to keep a keen eye on your histogram. To enter post your photos on Instagram before noon next Friday with the tags #PRTV and #PRTV_white.

You can follow Photorec.TV on Instagram at @Photorec.tv

And the team!Toby – @Photorectoby Roy – @RoyMcKeeIII Rose -  @Randomcreativeart

Toby’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPo-yEVD1oO/Frame filling perfectly lit goodness.  Only critique - the fried fish in the bottom is just ever so slightly out of focus and now I am hungry!!

Toby’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPqbndhBDWc/The lighting here is superb and showcases the guitar beautifully.https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtl_ecA_36/Nice location and the converging clouds really help to lead the viewer to the snowmobile.   I would crop in a little tighter and remove the trail stakes in the background.

Roy’s Winner:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPo-yEVD1oO/Seemingly chaotic scenes can be some of the best for food. Having plates slightly cropped off help fill the frame nicely and give the photo depth. As Toby said the fish is a bit soft but considering the angle and depth of field it still worked out nicely.

Roy’s Honorable Mentions:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPwREZQlvFt/This works great as a food shot using brightly colored spices. Considering they are reflective going with a smaller depth of field played nicely with the highlights. Guessing these are copper but you’ve got an off orange reflection to your left I’d try to tone down with a hue/saturation layer in photoshop. https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtbSU8BqdN/Not a big surprise to see our entrepreneur of the group Heather putting up her nice camera straps. A more traditional product shot you used a reflective surface to get that great reflection working down the photo but also included a bit of fill light.