Camera Labs

Don't give up just yet!

There's still a couple of days for people to decide if they join or not. I personally am already carrying my camera and lens with me.

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Canon 500D and 10D with grip; 580 ExII

Canon EF 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM; Canon EF 75-300 mm f/4.0-5.6 II; Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3; Canon EF-S 18-55 IS (broken); Canon EF 50 f/1.8 II

I wouldn't get too upset phil - just because one person disagrees isn't a reason to throw this out the window. Take it like criticism on a photo, if someone doesn't like it, would you then delete it?

I too agree that this section need invigorating I have yet to think of a solution. This sort of goes against my morals a bit - but perhaps a free cameralabs.com neck strap for the winners

But honestly, lets put it out there. Any ideas? Props on Phil for going out there and giving a go at it. Anyone else up for the challenge?

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Trevor Harris

Nikon D200
SB-600
YN-560 II
YN RF 603 x 4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8
Nikon 50mm f/1.8

I think the photo side of it is sound. The only minor question may be how to handle the posting, where Gordon and/or the mods would come in.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Phil's idea is great!
The interest in the assignments hasn't exactly been great the last months and this is a great idea to get people to shoot and post more without being restricted to a certain topic

PS: Phil, I'll be boring and use a standard zoom, the 17-55/2.8, on the 50D

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Canon DSLRs: 5D Mark III, 7D
Canon lenses: 17-40/4L, 24-105/4L, 24/1.4L II, 50/1.4, 85/1.8, 100/2.8L Macro, 70-200/2.8L IS, 100-400L
Other stuff: Canon 580 EX II, Canon 430EX II, Velbon Sherpa 600R
Apple: MacBook Pro 15", iMac 27", iPad III, iPhone 4S, Apple TV

My deviantART

Here's my suggestion for handling the posting: Each user creates a photo album (Google photos, Flickr, etc.) for their own photos. In a SINGLE THREAD, users participate in Decemberfest by adding a single post with:

1. the camera/lens combo they've chosen
2. a link to their photo album
3. a small number of sample photos

Then maybe their should be a second Decemberfest thread for comments (as with the normal assignments).

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Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

Ha ha Phil, stop throwing your rattle out the cot so quickly!!

Its a good idea and I'm keen to try and post 31 photos in 31 days decemberfest stylee

BUT

There will be chunks of time when I wont be able to access laptop because I'll be out and about. Maybe 3 to 4 days at a time.

I dont see anything wrong with the thread each.

Suggested title syntax (for me) would be "Decemberfest 2011 - ianganderton"

First post would be explaining my aims and goals for the month then 31 posts, one for each day. I'd like to aim to post a photo taken on that day even if I dont manage to actually post it that day. Cant hide from exif data

Maybe a seperate "Decemberfest 2011 - Comments and questions" thread would be worthwhile to keep the photo threads clean and neat.

I quite like the idea of voting once the month is up (new thread for this I'd suggest) on the complete photo sets that have been produced. No prizes needed, praise, C&C and glory is all thats needed imho.

So count me in

Now I'm going to be brave and pick my Sigma 35mm F1.4 lens (none of this easy life zoomy malarcky . I like the idea of limiting myself to force me to be creative within its confines

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Canon EOS 550D (with Magic Lantern)
18mm - 135mm Kit Lens, 50mm f1.8, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
430EX II Flash with Phottix Strato Wireless Tigger Set
Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 with 496 Ball Head. Gorilla Pod SLR
Canon Powershot A720IS with CHDK and intervalometer script. Pentax Optio W90

My Blog - http://www.ianganderton.wordpress.com

To quote Homer Simpson ..... "If something is hard to do, don't bother". 'On Assignment' tasks have not been easy of late, some too prescriptive, others too diffuse and the result has been a severe falling-away by regular competitors, but proposing a softer option is not necessarily the way to make Assignment better. Perhaps we need more editorial input from the Management Team to ensure that tasks proposed by monthly winners are credible and achievable without necessarily being vague or easy? Busting my brains against the requirements of a well-conceived and tightly defined challenge has been the best stimulus to my photographic creativity that I've experienced in years and I for one would be mortified to see it 'binned'.

Some sort of rejuvenation of Assignment is essential, but I concur with Naniani's stance on this. 'Decemberfest' is an OK idea and could be good fun, but if it is to happen let it run parallel to rather than instead of Assignment and in a separate part of the forum, possibly with a link.

With respect, I do not agree with mikes comment "some too prescriptive, others too diffuse ", I come to this conclusion by the good photos entered in the last few months assignment and the fact that posts in all sections of the forum has diminished in the last few months. Perhaps many are like me, I did not have a photo worthy to enter. I agree with Naniani's comment.

Any new initiative is good and it seems there is good support for this.

Cheers

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Nikon D7000, D40X, Nikkor 18- 200 VR II, f3.5-5.6, 70-300 AF non VR, Kit Lenses.

Toys back in the pram!

I think there's enough interest to get something going for Decemberfest. As requested above, it's probably best if we post in the Off Topic section of the forum so we don't clog up the On Assignment section. In the absence of a mod setting up some guildelines, how about:

Posting directly into the Cameralabs forum (as some people cannot view Flickr and other hosting sites)

Posting into the Off Topic Section

Sticking to one lens and body for the posts

Posting as often as possible - picking a subject for the day, anything festive, anything out of the ordinary, trying something different with the lens, different perspectives/point of view

Each contributor posting one thread and adding to it as and when, with comments from everyone else directly to individual posts

Each contributor's thread being named "Decemberfest - username", with the first post stating camera and lens being used.

Seems O.K. to me.

I was about to suggest something along the lines of your "Posting as often as possible...". December is almost always a busy month for me...

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Canon 500D and 10D with grip; 580 ExII

Canon EF 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 USM; Canon EF 75-300 mm f/4.0-5.6 II; Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3; Canon EF-S 18-55 IS (broken); Canon EF 50 f/1.8 II

I'll set up my thread now as a starter in the Off Topic section

Is it worth having a decemberfest comments and questions topic in the same way as we do for the on assignment. It would be cool to keep the threads clean of clutter, just images posted by the participant.

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Canon EOS 550D (with Magic Lantern)
18mm - 135mm Kit Lens, 50mm f1.8, Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM
430EX II Flash with Phottix Strato Wireless Tigger Set
Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 with 496 Ball Head. Gorilla Pod SLR
Canon Powershot A720IS with CHDK and intervalometer script. Pentax Optio W90

My Blog - http://www.ianganderton.wordpress.com

Will there be a December assignment then? New member, new camera in hand (got my D5100 last night) and looking forward to these monthly assignments

Got another friend thats going to join for the same reason.

I guess so. The decemberfest is an "unofficial addition with far more shots" - the "official" december assignment won't be disturbed by that.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466