August Challenge Theme?

[1designguy]

Drawing nearer is the end of July. Any ideas on a theme for the month of August?

In the past we have done "ambient achromatic" (available light & devoid of color), "transportation" and "come and go". I think that covers the last three Augusts by my best recollection.

Maybe I'm boxing myself in but here go a couple of "AA" themes that I think could push me into experimentation:

(1) August Aberrations (aberration- in optics, a defect in an image caused by failure of a lens system to form a perfect image. ie; lens flare, wide angle distortion, vignetting, etc.) NOTE: these aberrations can be manipulated on purpose with the equipment (ex. Lensbaby, fisheye lens, etc) or in processing.



or

(2) Abstract August (well, this pretty much speaks for itself but it is about the relatively unidentifiable but artistically creative form found within otherwise identifiable elements/subjects. It becomes more about form, shape, color and/or light/shadow than the element(s) from which it is taken)



Any thoughts???

[tygrys50]

I am in !
3x AA

[amoxtli]

Both great ideas Scott, and I would love to participate, but can not as August will be a very busy month for me. Have fun!

[emmelafoto]

I like the abstract idea.
greetz!!
Maaike

[marielou]

Hello Scott !
I'm for the Abstract August (AA2).
Cheers !
Marielou

[travelingrabbit]

August Aberrations sounds interesting to me!

[lynnh]

I don't care for Abstracts, and I don't have any lights or equipment to shoot indoors. I would prefer Aberrations... you know me... I love vignette.
However, I think that the Aberration might be difficult for those who do not have photoshop or use a PS camera.
Any thoughts on that from the rest of ya'll?

L

[1designguy]

Most of my abstracts are outdoor/nature. I have done several indoors with available light, flames, flashlights, tight compositions of ordinary objects, etc. I think just about anybody can create abstractions and it can be quite challenging (kind of the purpose of a month of challenge) and intriguing to attempt, share and learn.

That being said, aberrations also fit into this concept nicely. I was shooting using aberrations (flare from forward sun angle, star bursts, wide angle distortion, shallow DoF, etc) back when I was shooting all film and did nothing in PS. Distortion filters, using other things to shoot through, vasoline on a UV filter and other efforts markedly effect the purity of even the best lenses. PS just offers more opportunity to manipulate after the capture often allowing fulfillment of original vision.

I can go either way. I look to tally the votes or other suggestions late tomorrow.

Thanks!

[borisalex]

Abstracts would be great, leaving room for a lot of creativity!

[borisalex]

Hi all!
I do agree with Lynn, first I thought abstracts would be great, but I have Photoshop and all the filters needed to create easily some abstracts! For some who don´t have that equipment or software for either ideas by Scott needed, we need an alternative idea!

I was thinking about "The Blues in Your Life"!! It´s summertime, outdoors, festivals, music, feelings, remembering of coming home with impressions, sharing, no studio work, just let your eye wander around you, don´t you feel the Blues? Preferable in B&W!!

I´m just thinking!

Cheers
Boris

[yazziegirl]

I like Boris' idea. It would work for summer up here or winter down "south" in Australia, Argentina, etc. Kerry

[abrazo]

Abstracts for me, and maybe without the use of Photoshop/Lightroom - just what your eye sees??

Ann

[1designguy]

Either of the themes do work straight out of the camera. The abstraction is all in the illusion of the framing/composition. Most of my abstracts are pretty much straight out of the camera (normal level adjustments, sharpening, resizing for Pbase and/or occasionally desaturation). The same goes for aberrations. These need no processing. You can however use processing/PS to create or hype these effects. That is just optional. A matter of taste or expression.

If it is too easy, it really isn't much or a challenge. If these are themes that are too much to carry a full month, I can understand that. In' the past I have personally taken on these themes to stick with and experiment for a given month.

I'll check back tomorrow.

[kathybrown]

This is a tough one. Both are excellent challenges. I do believe abstract would be great for those of us that need to think outside the box.
If you want to put a twist on it, each photo could suggest an emotion, a color, a number or something that you assign to the challenge.
August has 31 days you could do something like: 5 photos of an emotion, 10 photos of color, 10 photos of numbers, 5 photos of food, 5 photos of what we want, etc, etc.

Or, August challenge could simply be about angles. Angles on anything at anywhere at anytime. Just angles and more angles. The other part of the challenge would be no photo shop!!!!

In the future, would it be possible to have custom voting catogories for the challenges? An exp. with the Beatles might have been: most creative, best photo for song, etc.
When the challenge is over, the winners could be published in this forum.

[texces]

I'll go either way.....both sound fun!

Cindi