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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 83: Signature Images >> Challenge 83: Eligible > Tubes*
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11-JUN-2005 Paul

Tubes*

Sydney

I spend all week working outdoors often driving across the city to work so prefer to spend my evenings and weekends staying at home listening to music and reading. When i do take photos it tends to be of things around the house and in the garden so i reckon 'stuff at home' would be my signature.

This is a 3 valved headphone amplifier in the study.

Canon PowerShot G6
15s f/2.5 at 14.4mm full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Paul 19-Jun-2005 10:48
I'm glad you noticed at long last it was my bonce and the headphones side on. My moniker should be Abstract but someone else has got that one:>) The only torch we've got in the house was far too bright and all i managed with this painting by light lark was a very bright head so i did this with the glow from the mouse as it's one of those posh ones without the ball but has a light instead.
Rod 18-Jun-2005 12:37
Take another shot the same as this one & during the exposure you can shine & move a torch from the front to the back of your head. That should make it a lot clearer what is happening..............sort of.
Rod 18-Jun-2005 11:36
If you look just beyond the middle valve there's a shape that almost mimicks the valves shape, it has a dark circle on it looks like a shadow of a push bike wheel. I can see your head & shoulders just beyond that. That's why I thought it might be the back of a chair.
Oww gawd I can see it now, the thing I'm talking about is the bleeding headphone & the rest of it is yer bald head.
Paul 18-Jun-2005 10:29
Rod, all i can make out is my head side on with the right headphone facing the camera. There was a chair in the room but i can't make out a red glow no matter how i look at my monitor. Perhaps you mean a bit of my head?
Rod 17-Jun-2005 12:36
The tubes look a lot better now Paul, it's a bit hard to pick you out on me monitor, is that the back of the chair that's glowing red just behind you? The background looks quite abstract so it still works as a shot mate.
Paul 15-Jun-2005 10:51
I spent a while trying to get this image to show more of the tubes and them in use with me listening. I might still give this another crack as i've got a lot to learn about exposure ,iso speed and focusing and this is a good way to learn
Rod 13-Jun-2005 11:29
The Mark 1 is still sounding musical being hand made & it didn't mind being cloned into a Mark 2. I've heard the Mark 2 sounds quite good despite being mass produced in a sweat shop in Nimbin.
Don't forget to move the light around from the torch, if the torch is a bit bright then give it less time on the head. Also you don't have to wait until the end of the exposure to torch your head, it can be done anytime during the exposure & will have the same effect........................I think.
Paul 13-Jun-2005 11:11
Thanks Rod,
I was looking back to a shot Abs did in the I Drink Therefore I Am challenge and he did a great shot with a long exposure where he switched a light on himself at the later stages of the exposure which is pretty much what you're suggesting. I shall give it a go this week and see what i come up with. I took some shots with long exposures that had the composition bang on to what i wanted but the lighting was always rubbish. too dark or too light. What i really need is a 12 valve pre-amp and a 14 valve power amp to get that warm glow on a 1 second exposure but i havn't got $5000 to spend on a headphone amp combo. I've got an ME 550 Mark II power amp though, how's your Mark I? He he.
Rod 13-Jun-2005 06:42
Paul you can still get the glow of the tubes with a long exposure but get Emma to shine a flashlight on the back of your head for about 5secs during the long exposure. You can experiment with a point source type of torch which you move around the subject (painting with light (Pops uses this technique on some of his shots that you like) or a bigger torch that illuminates the whole head. (This will be a big big torch for your head)
Paul 12-Jun-2005 22:25
Thanks all,
Shu, i think this would benefit with more than just a crop, the refection at the top was something i didn't notice until i looked at my flat monitor from a different angle which made the image lighter. It's an unwanted reflection of the underneath of a shelf. I've tried a few times to retake this in a different way to show it in use with me wearing the headphones it powers but still getting the deep warm glow from the tubes which needs a long exposure. So far the results have been not so good so my challenge for this week is to get this one right.
alexeig12-Jun-2005 17:21
WOW, valved amplifier ... You are a real enthusiast. Nice that you explained, my first thought was that these are some Chinese lanterns assembled for some celebration
ctfchallenge12-Jun-2005 13:51
Nice image! Is the slight reflection at the top needed or would it benefit from a crop? This is a territory I'm not too familiar with so maybe I'd better refrain from too many comments. I see it as an abstract, but that's how I see a lot of images when I first look at them. Set me straight on this, will you? Shu
Guest 12-Jun-2005 02:12
I would have been lost without your explaination, Paul. Have not seen these "tubes" in ages. Neat! -Cat
Canon DSLR Challenge11-Jun-2005 01:10
I would try getting lower and closer. theFly
Paul 10-Jun-2005 22:54
Thanks Rod,
I wanted to get the feeling of the warmth of the tubes hence the long exposure taken in the dark but the photo is a tad uninteresting as it is so i will take what you say onboard and have a rethink.
Rod 10-Jun-2005 21:41
The glow of light at the top of the picy I thought was your head wearing ear phones until I whacked me brightness up 100%, & it turns out to be a part of the amp. If you could set this shot up where that is the back of your head (makes for easier viewing than the front) wearing the ear phones & just visible I think you would be onto a great looking shot. Maybe try a higher ISO as you won't keep still for long enough. Make sure you focus on the valves.