Macro

Macro is an extreme close-up.
I believe these links deserve a close-up 😉

• Challenges: You can still submit, vote and see results on Celine’s blog.
• Kickstarted: If you have an Iphone and love Lensbaby, I suggest you have a look at this page that should put you over the moon.
• Abandoned: This article from PetaPixel reminded me of my expedition with Celine and Christine to the Long Island Farm Colony
• Phlearn: Not really a made up word, it’s one of my new source of inspiration. I loved the interview they did with Alexander Khokhlov. Felt really inspired.
• Crazy: FStoppers published an article about “Sharpening with Blur” to get realistic results. I just added it to the Tutorials page.
• Listed: 500px released recently the 31 sexy cars that will electrify your evening, 36 photos of precious puffins that will melt your heart  and 21 photos of cute baby giraffes that will make your day better. I’m pretty sure you will find at least one picture that will make your day!

Spring is finally here!

By Sebastien Grobelny

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know it’s not a Turkey but that’s the closest I have. Happy thanksgiving!

Click on the image if you want to see or purchase a bigger format.

By Sebastien Grobelny

Photoblog Challenges : Results #14

This week on Photoblogchallenges, the winners are Ruimnm for Best of 46 (04 Nov – 10 Nov) and Shaker for Theme 46 : Birds.Congratulations!

Celine and I are permanent guest judges and since the middle of the year we switched the roles a little. She has to pick one favorite from the winning pictures and I have to pick several “non-winners”. Each week I will try to shed some light on some of my choices.

• For Best of 46 (04 Nov – 10 Nov): Loved the creative shot from Ruimnm and the calm beauty from Wanderungen. I picked Harmonie for her dizzying optical illusion, Pictografio for great textures and colors in these details and Twiggy for once more a wonderful light.

• For Theme 46 – Birds:  I love the look of Shaker’s owl and Weib storks reminded me of my Alsace where I grew up. I picked up Boxman for a funny pictures of chicken with their heads out, Shiju Sugunan for a truly exotic bird (red-naped ibis), SteveF325 for a cinematic shock, very Hitchcock-like and Xerraire for a great portrait of a kookaburra

With a week full of birds, my pick of the week had to be one of them. I was split between several but finally set my heart on Ellebelle‘s lonely bird. I love the framing and the fact that this lonely cutie seems to be chirping.

By Sebastien Grobelny

Macro

Macro is an extreme close-up.
I believe these links deserve a close-up 😉

• Challenges: You can still submit for Best of 47 (11/11 – 11/17), Theme 47 : Rainy, Technique 24: Colorful Macro and Monthly Project 11: One Hour on Photoblogchallenges. You can still vote until Sunday too!
• Still no winner for the question in Buds in Monument Valley. Next will I will issue you a new challenge.
• Last week was mostly off for me: one day of work, beach and leisure with Celine and 2 photography seminars. On Wednesday  was Better Photographic Composition – Beyond the Rule of Thirds at B&H Event Space and on Thursday was Shoot like a pro with Scott Kelby at Javits Center
• Saw this on Gizmodo: You can browse some of the Smithsonian based on colors
• The new bike from Kawasaki is insane. Comfort mode looks ridiculous though
• Ad of the week : For FootLocker Tyson gives Evander his ear back!
• Fascinating article with robot and tigers! Curiosity…Kitty…
• If you follow me you know that I like birds. I’m delighted that Theme 46 was all about birds and you can still vote for your favorites until Sunday. Below is one of the recent bird pictures I discovered on 500px

  Crested tit by Neil Burton

By Sebastien Grobelny

Photoblog Challenges : Results #13

This week on Photoblogchallenges, the winners are Spectrum for Best of 45 (28 Oct – 03 Nov), Maboe for Theme 45 : Yellow Petals, Klaus Neuner for Technique 22 : People in B&W and Rue Du Lavoir for Monthly Project 10 : Fall. Congratulations!

Celine and I are permanent guest judges and since the middle of the year we switched the roles a little. She has to pick one favorite from the winning pictures and I have to pick several “non-winners”.

Each week I will try to shed some light on some of my choices.

• For Best of 45 (28 Oct – 03 Nov): I loved the cute birds from Vaido and the simplicity from Twiggy. I picked Mittened Hands for a very dynamic composition, Rue du Lavoir for a majestic paper lion rendition,  Shaker for a splendid light and a shell full of potential and promises and finally Tede for an acrobatic snail.

• For Theme 45 – Yellow Petals:  I picked Ben for a delicate yellow flower, Larans for inviting us to a such intimate moment of life and Vaido for an outstanding flower very well displayed.

• For Technique 22 – People in B&W :  I loved the joyfulness of the winning baby from Klaus Neuner. I picked the very focused in-action portrait from Deja and this intimate stolen moment from Rue Du Lavoir. Wish I could be able to capture such happiness.

• For Montly Project 10 – Fall: I picked Harmonie for a great range of fall colors and Shaker for the variety of his fall subjects

My pick of the week is Shaker for Best of 45 (28 Oct – 03 Nov). I really like the light in this shot and the details, but more than anything I like how this shot is a starting point for a bigger story. Is it high tide? Low Tide? Is the shell hiding or emerging?

By Sebastien Grobelny

Free as a bird

Do you remember the first job you ever wanted to do? I don’t think I ever wanted to be a cop or fireman. I wanted to be “like dad”, then an engineer when I understood better what he was doing (but still didn’t know how many types of engineer there were). Some people imagined me as a banker, others a priest but before all that, I wanted to work with birds.
I had books with pictures of the birds. I could recognize a couple of birds and their eggs.

Small or big, to fly is to be free.

Hope you will enjoy this video from Earth Unplugged