15 Minute Interval Shots

Steve asked me to use my tripod all the time from now on.  He also said try taking one shot then waiting 15 minutes before taking another one and only take 5, before moving on.  I decided to try this experiment in the garden because I thought it would be easier than being out somewhere and having to wait 15 minutes hanging around.  If I was in the garden I could grab a cup of tea in the interval times I thought...  As it happened,  I didn't bother with the tea until the last shot, because I used the time focusing and taking more time to decide on the composition, so I learned something with that.

These are the shots:
I was also to take two shots of each scene, one in focus and then move the tripod as I was releasing the shutter for the second shot.

1)

                                      shutter 1/12 aperture f22 iso 400 Focal L 93mm
                                                            
                                                                           Time 9.08

2)

                                    shutter 1/10 aperture f22 iso 400 Focal L 80mm

                                                                          Time 09.24

Now here I did have to take another as I realised I hadn't metered for the light correctly as I took the shot above, so I had to take  another:-

3)

                                    shutter 1/50 apertue f22 iso 400 Focal L 97mm

                                                                         Time 09.39

In some respects the image where I didn't meter for the light correctly is better because there is no shadow as there is here, in the foreground bush, and also the colours show better in front of that foreground bush in the incorrect one.  It was however over exposed in parts.

4)

                                     shutter 1/20 aperture f22 iso 200 Focal L 88mm

                                                                          Time 09.53

The images above and below are of the same scene but from a lower angle as I wanted to show the full shape of the foreground branches of a plant and bring in a little more colour to the scene with the bottom left foreground yellow (see below).  I noticed this bottom shot whilst I was waiting the 15 minutes after taking the above one... I was looking through the viewfinder and moving the angle of the camera on the tripod down when I saw this next shot quite quickly....so then I made the tea, to come back just before the last 15 minutes to check the composition again before releasing the shutter.

5)

                                    shutter 1/16 aperture f22 iso 200 Focal L 80mm

                                                                        Time 10.08

The 4 images above are quite comlex in composition and I have read that such shots are not always carried off,  but I wanted to have a go at some busy scenes to see how they turned out.

What I learned:

I took 5 images (and their doubles) in 1 hour 15 mins approx and from this exercise I found that I did study what was included and not included in the scene alot more than I would have normally.  I don't think any of the images are anything to shout about, in my opinion now, they do not show the study that went into them:-

  Ie. in image 1) deciding to centre the brightness of the sunlight highlighting  the flower plant,  leaving greenery to the top right and left and brown twigs to the bottom foreground sides, which would balance to the wood branch upper centre stem.

In image 2) deciding the have the flower plant going off to the side (right) with connecting branches coming in to join it from the right and then going from it off to the bottom right.  To show some red flower and left green leaves at the base of the scene to balance it to the centre red flower and same green leaves.

In image 3) deciding to include some stones to contrast to the flower plants and fill the frame with stones, greenery with splodges of red here and there.

In image 4)  deciding to show form of the thicker tree branches against the wooden fence and foreground thinner branches of a plant, with some colour (red) and greenery to balance with scene.  To show sun light reflecting on the leaves in the left of the scene.

In image 5) deciding to just lower that same scene, angle wise, to show the shape of the thinner branhes of the plant, with a little more colour being introduced to the bottom left.

I also learned that there is not that much difference between the clear shot and the moved one,  though I moved the tripod slightly as I released the shutter for each second shot, the movements are not that evident, maybe because a tripod was being used.

I learned that it is good to take more time over the set up,  you see more and there is opportunity closer than you think.

All in all I found it a worthwhile exercise.  I was glad the time lapse had been set to 15 minutes and not any longer, because it would take hours longer to achieve a minimum amount of images.

What I would do differently next time:

I would choose more interesting compositions overall and take from varying angles, as all these were taken seemingly from a similar side view to the subjects. (I did just carry the tripod to the next scene, keeping it much in the same height position, except for the lowering of it slightly for the last 2 shots).

I would increase the iso speeds for the latter 4 shots as they are too dark.

I would not choose such busy compositions within a small area.

I have returned to this blog to add this last comment (at the end of the course):-
   I would not have known at the time of doing this exercise how much it would benefit me... to take my time more for the set up of each composition (which was obviously Steve's intention when he gave me the exercise)....now I do see how my picture compositions improved.