# Alphabet Photo Project



## adamhiram (Jan 24, 2018)

I decided to do an alphabet photo project this year.  I've always liked the idea of a 52-week project, but wanted something I could do at my own pace, and loved @snowbear's recommendation in another thread.  My plan is to post each photo here with a brief description, and we'll see how far I make it.  All C&C is welcome!

*A - Apple*
I’ve gotten pretty good at high-key product photography where the subject is on a pure white background, but I never tried low-key lighting.  Lighting is from overhead through a DIY 6” snoot with a paper diffusion panel.  This is my take on this post from last year.  In retrospect a smaller aperture would have gotten more in focus, but I already ate the apple.




A - Apple by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Jan 24, 2018)

*B - Bicycle*
My son’s birthday was this week and his main gift was a new bicycle.  I loved his look of concentration and the back-lighting, and thanks to the magic of Raw files, I was able to bring back enough detail to make this one a keeper.  It was also a great opportunity to try out this recent tutorial on Fstoppers on sharpening and noise reduction, which were both very necessary after bringing back deep shadow detail.




B - Bicycle by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Jan 24, 2018)

*C - Close-Up*
I came across this Youtube video explaining how TVs work and it was fascinating to see the scan lines on an old tube TV refresh in slow motion.  I decided to take out my extension tubes and take a close-up macro shot of the pixels on my current TV.  Each pixel is actually 3 separate pixels making up the red blue and green components.  This entire image represents an area on the screen that is only 1.27x.85cm, smaller than a fingernail.  Shot from about 1cm away with a 50mm lens and 68mm of stacked extension tubes.




C - Close-Up by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## snowbear (Jan 24, 2018)

Looks good.  I've been too busy or sick to do much shooting, but I'll get into it this week.  You could have posted them in my thread, if you had wanted.


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## F5 Penguin (Jan 27, 2018)

Please continue, I'd like to see what you come up with. Pretty good with your A,B,C's already I see!


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## jeffp (Jan 27, 2018)

The apple is great! I like it very much!


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## adamhiram (Feb 4, 2018)

*D - Dusty Grooves*
3 second exposure using the 50mm f/1.8G again with 48mm of extension tubes.




D - Dusty Grooves by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## terri (Feb 4, 2018)

Great start!    Keep up the good work.


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## zombiesniper (Feb 4, 2018)

Very cool project and great progress.


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## petrochemist (Feb 5, 2018)

Nice idea.
We had a series of monthly competitions on this theme at our club but interest died out before they where completed (we don't usually do competitions). Some letters proved a bit of a challenge!


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## adamhiram (Feb 5, 2018)

snowbear said:


> Looks good.  I've been too busy or sick to do much shooting, but I'll get into it this week.  You could have posted them in my thread, if you had wanted.


Thanks!  I didn't realize you had started a thread as well, but I'll definitely keep an eye out!



F5 Penguin said:


> Please continue, I'd like to see what you come up with. Pretty good with your A,B,C's already I see!


Thank you.



jeffp said:


> The apple is great! I like it very much!


Thank you.



terri said:


> Great start!    Keep up the good work.


Thank you.



zombiesniper said:


> Very cool project and great progress.


Thank you.



espresso2x said:


> Good project! Great images.


Thank you.



petrochemist said:


> Nice idea.
> We had a series of monthly competitions on this theme at our club but interest died out before they where completed (we don't usually do competitions). Some letters proved a bit of a challenge!


Only 4 letters in and I already got stuck twice.  I'm determined to see it through though!


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## adamhiram (Feb 17, 2018)

*E - Eggs*
Overhead shot at 17mm, f/5.6, with lots of contrast and clarity.  Blues desaturated to correct for poor/mixed lighting, and square crop to match the circular subject as well as hide a dirty stovetop.




E - Eggs by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Mar 3, 2018)

*F - Feathers*
I needed a stand-in subject for portrait practice, and my kid's toys make for more interesting subjects than a styrofoam head.  3-light setup with a seamless gray backdrop.




F - Feathers by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Mar 5, 2018)

*G - Giggles*
Happy kid in natural night.




G - Giggles by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Mar 14, 2018)

*H - Headshots*
Some test shots from a portrait lighting exercise that uses the same camera settings and key light, but slight adjustments to get 3 different looks using a seamless gray background.  The first shot used additional lights to overexpose the background, the 2nd used a grid on the key light to control spill, and the 3rd had the key light slightly more on-axis to create more spill, with the subject moved closer to the background.




H - Headshots by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Mar 18, 2018)

*I - Ink*
About 9 years ago, I decided I wanted a nice pen - nothing fancy, just something nicer than the usual disposable plastic ones.  I went for a bike ride to pick it up; my ride was about 12 miles round trip, and I think the pen cost about $8.  When I got back, there was smoke everywhere.  My apartment building had burned down and I lost most of my belongings.  But I had my new pen, and it's been in my bag ever since.




I - Ink by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## Dean_Gretsch (Mar 23, 2018)

Wow. Powerful backstory on the pen. You have some nice images here. Please continue!


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## adamhiram (Mar 27, 2018)

*J - Juice*
Learning portrait lighting gets expensive when the flashes use AA batteries.  Hopefully these will help!




J - Juice by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Mar 7, 2021)

After a 3 year hiatus, I decided to resume this series.  Why start a new photo project when I didn't finish the last one yet?

*K - Kiddo*
I always ask him to pose and smile for the camera, but goofy shots like this one show his real personality.




20210122-DSC_1677a by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Mar 7, 2021)

*L - Lego*
Once again, my kid's toys have become my subject.  Originally shot with a single light camera left, I decided to add a blue gelled backlight and a 2nd fill light camera right so Luke Skywalker's face wasn't in complete shadow.  I used a stacked second exposure to get R2D2 and C3PO in focus as well.  The background is black commando cloth, and the landscape is courtesy of an old space station Lego set from 1984.




20210306-DSC_1972a by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## smoke665 (Mar 7, 2021)

Great start, can't wait to see what Q and X bring!


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## Destin (Mar 7, 2021)

adamhiram said:


> After a 3 year hiatus, I decided to resume this series.  Why start a new photo project when I didn't finish the last one yet?
> 
> *K - Kiddo*
> I always ask him to pose and smile for the camera, but goofy shots like this one show his real personality.
> ...



This is an excellent family/lifestyle shot! Glad to see you pick this back up!


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## Space Face (Mar 8, 2021)

Some varied and fantastically original photographs in here.  Very pleasing.


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## adamhiram (Feb 9, 2022)

Back again 1 year later.

*M - Missing (teeth)*
Hard to believe he was only 3 years old when I started this project.

Nikon Z6II + FTZ + Sigma 135mm f/1.8
1/320s, f/4, ISO 100
Natural light




20220205-DSC_5892a by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Feb 9, 2022)

*N - Notes*

Nikon Z6II + FTZ + 68mm extension tubes + 50mm f/1.8G
1/40s, f/11, ISO 1600
Natural light




20220209-DSC_5895a by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## adamhiram (Feb 9, 2022)

*O - Optimus Prime*

One of the coolest Lego sets I've ever seen.  It really transforms!

Nikon Z6II + FTZ + Sigma 135mm f/1.8
1/100s, f/2.5, ISO 3200
Natural light




20220201-DSC_5849a by adamhiram, on Flickr


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## smoke665 (Feb 9, 2022)

Love the missing teeth. Lil'Bit has lost three so far.


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## adamhiram (Feb 12, 2022)

smoke665 said:


> Love the missing teeth. Lil'Bit has lost three so far.


I don’t think I noticed it in any photos, but I always think it’s a cute look!


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## smoke665 (Feb 12, 2022)

adamhiram said:


> I don’t think I noticed it in any photos, but I always think it’s a cute look!



Her's are on the bottom so they don't show as much.


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