May 2008 Winner - Play

[electrolyte]

| 1/25s | f/1.8 | ISO 1600 | Canon 350D | 50mm f/1.8 II | 2008:05:16 19:24:07 |

My son playing with his Nintendo DS.

Lightroom: Exposure increased and converted to greyscale.
PS CS3: Neatimage plugin noise reduction, high pass filter & resize

[kevin glover]

Nice shot mate, it's amazing how still they can be with a console in their hands isn't it?!!!

[SweetGirl]

Very nice electroyle....

I like the black and white conversion.

I had my little boy lost in his DS today

[tryingtimes]

Very nice. I love the DoF and how it's just caught the hand/stylus with enough detail to be meaningful but not distracting. The facial expression is a cracker too - just what you'd expect from someone absorbed. Excellent shot.

[bodoman]

It certainly looks like he is genuinely engrossed, rather than posed.
nicely exposed and focussed, a good job all round

[iandrews]

Great photo, love the way the eye is in focus, and everything else slightly out. Like the way the screen is lighting up his face.

Ian.

[T0MAT01]

This is great Simon, nice and sharp for only 1/25th of a second!

The lighting, composition, B&W conversion are all top notch. There is something a bit odd looking about the noisey background though - it looks like frosted glass rather than bokeh.

If I'm reading your post correctly I guess you must have sharpened the image after you had run it through Neatimage? If so I think that is probably the cause of it. I think it's usually better to sharpen before using noiseware, especially with a portrait where sharpness isn't quite so crucial.

Still, it's a great shot and bang on theme so it's definitely a front runner.

[onefunkypenguin]

damn, i was gonna have same pic of my gf doing it, maybe il get her topless playing with ds to see if i can swing the vote in my favour!

really nice pic though dude.

[electrolyte]

Thanks for all the comments.

Originally Posted by kevin glover

Nice shot mate, it's amazing how still they can be with a console in their hands isn't it?!!!

I know. He sat there perfectly still and contented for 10 minutes while he played his game and I took about 100 photos...

Originally Posted by SweetGirl

Very nice electroyle....

I like the black and white conversion.

I had my little boy lost in his DS today

Thanks Anita - they're like a drug for kids aren't they? I do try to limit his time on it though and am quite happy when he leaves it at his Mum's house

Originally Posted by tryingtimes

Very nice. I love the DoF and how it's just caught the hand/stylus with enough detail to be meaningful but not distracting. The facial expression is a cracker too - just what you'd expect from someone absorbed. Excellent shot.

Thanks tt - yep, he was certainly absorbed.

Originally Posted by bodoman

It certainly looks like he is genuinely engrossed, rather than posed.
nicely exposed and focussed, a good job all round

No, no posing here. He sometimes doesn't like having his photo taken but when I explained that I was going to make it as dark as possible in the room so that the DS would light up his face he got really excited and was happy to play for 10 minutes while I shot away...

Originally Posted by iandrews

Great photo, love the way the eye is in focus, and everything else slightly out. Like the way the screen is lighting up his face.

Ian.

Thanks Ian - that's how I imagined the shot looking before I took it so I'm pleased with the result.

Originally Posted by T0MAT01

This is great Simon, nice and sharp for only 1/25th of a second!

The lighting, composition, B&W conversion are all top notch. There is something a bit odd looking about the noisey background though - it looks like frosted glass rather than bokeh.

If I'm reading your post correctly I guess you must have sharpened the image after you had run it through Neatimage? If so I think that is probably the cause of it. I think it's usually better to sharpen before using noiseware, especially with a portrait where sharpness isn't quite so crucial.

Still, it's a great shot and bang on theme so it's definitely a front runner.

Yes, I was surprised at my steadiness (and Jonny's too!) at 1/25th. Who needs IS hey!

I know what you mean about noiseware but in my experience if I shapen before noiseware I find that noiseware makes things soft again. And I'm tempted to sharpen a second time.

But the light was so low that taking this at ISO 1600 was the only option which means loads of noise from my 350D. I think I need a 40D!

Originally Posted by onefunkypenguin

damn, i was gonna have same pic of my gf doing it, maybe il get her topless playing with ds to see if i can swing the vote in my favour!

really nice pic though dude.

Good idea mate. I think you would need someone to act as an independent assessor as to whether a shot of your g/f topless is too "adult" a shot to be entered so if you want feel free to email it to me and I will decide for you...

[Antpink]

This is really good. Mine are not at the stage when sitting still is an option unless conked out in bed! Lovely.

[onefunkypenguin]

Good idea mate. I think you would need someone to act as an independent assessor as to whether a shot of your g/f topless is too "adult" a shot to be entered so if you want feel free to email it to me and I will decide for you...[/quote]

lol. i dont think its worth losing my manhood over, shes ok with the other pics i have on my flickr and some on here where you clearly see more than an outline...

[werewolf40]

Nice entry. Looks like hes in a world of his own(like most kids,mine included).

[Biscuit761]

Great entry, going to have to do well to beat that.

Bill

[electrolyte]

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Antpink

This is really good. Mine are not at the stage when sitting still is an option unless conked out in bed! Lovely.

He is still pretty full on. This was during a rare moment of stillness...

Originally Posted by onefunkypenguin

lol. i dont think its worth losing my manhood over, shes ok with the other pics i have on my flickr and some on here where you clearly see more than an outline...

OK - but the offer is still there if you change your mind...

Originally Posted by werewolf40

Nice entry. Looks like hes in a world of his own(like most kids,mine included).

Yes, it is a bit worrying now I look at it again. I will have to seriously limit his playing of this I think.

Originally Posted by Biscuit761

Great entry, going to have to do well to beat that.

Bill

Thanks Bill, that's very kind of you to say. But I reckon someone will quite easily beat me. There are lots of entries this month that are better IMO.

[Tobers]

Superb shot!