Time for another 'JPEG Project'

[CarolineJensen]

I have been doing a 'jpeg project' every year since 2010 or so. Way back then, jpegs were pretty terrible. Sony has given me a lot of options lately. Thank you to Tokyo for listening to me beg for more in-camera processing options! I am thoroughly in love with the Creative Looks that are available to us. My favorite is the 'IN' option, sometimes with fade and other times with it removed, plus warm white balance. This combo is not my typical style, which is deep depth-of-field with OCF, BUT it is super fun to go back to my shallow-depth-of-field-loving roots. 😂

The point of this project is to challenge myself to see what is around me and shoot within tight constraints. This includes shooting what is available, in available light and shooting with the understanding I won't be processing the images outside of cropping. I actually shoot with the square crop chosen in camera to aid this process. 

Are these up to my usual standards...no, as I am an obsessive editor, BUT I really enjoy the freedom this gives me. Constraints on creativity always spur on MORE creativity for me. 🙂 My hope is to let go of some of my perfectionism and appreciate nature with all of its imperfections---for a while anyway. 🙂

 

[ST]

@CarolineJensen,
Wow, that's a tough challenge. When I first read your post, I thought, "Oh, I should try that." But, in the nine days since, I haven't been able to bring myself to change the Image Quality settings in my cameras. 

I'm possessed by the notion that each moment comes by, but once. However, photography gives us a chance to freeze a moment, and if we're lucky, we get it right. That's why I dove into shooting raw, and why post-processing takes more time than my daily camera outings.  I like the non-destructive edits and being able to recover detail in the shadows. A great deal of the time, I'm shooting just before and shortly after dawn.

Switching to JPEG (only), feels like jumping without a backup parachute.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/2000 sec ISO 800 EXP 0

Maybe tomorrow.  In the meantime, thanks for provoking the thought.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 1000 EXP 0

Edited October 6, 2023 by ST

[bmcdonough]

I love that creative challenge idea! A photo mentor of mine used to take away my favorite lenses to make me switch up my perspectives.  And the shots you made are beautiful! I'm going to give this a go this month. Thanks for the idea! 

[TrekRover]

On 10/6/2023 at 10:58 AM, ST said:

@CarolineJensen,
Wow, that's a tough challenge. When I first read your post, I thought, "Oh, I should try that." But, in the nine days since, I haven't been able to bring myself to change the Image Quality settings in my cameras. 

I'm possessed by the notion that each moment comes by, but once. However, photography gives us a chance to freeze a moment, and if we're lucky, we get it right. That's why I dove into shooting raw, and why post-processing takes more time than my daily camera outings.  I like the non-destructive edits and being able to recover detail in the shadows. A great deal of the time, I'm shooting just before and shortly after dawn.

Switching to JPEG (only), feels like jumping without a backup parachute.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/2000 sec ISO 800 EXP 0

Maybe tomorrow.  In the meantime, thanks for provoking the thought.

ILCE-1 FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS 
600 mm f/6.3 1/500 sec ISO 1000 EXP 0

The spotted seal is so cute! ^_^

[TrekRover]

On 9/27/2023 at 4:50 PM, CarolineJensen said:

I have been doing a 'jpeg project' every year since 2010 or so. Way back then, jpegs were pretty terrible. Sony has given me a lot of options lately. Thank you to Tokyo for listening to me beg for more in-camera processing options! I am thoroughly in love with the Creative Looks that are available to us. My favorite is the 'IN' option, sometimes with fade and other times with it removed, plus warm white balance. This combo is not my typical style, which is deep depth-of-field with OCF, BUT it is super fun to go back to my shallow-depth-of-field-loving roots. 😂

The point of this project is to challenge myself to see what is around me and shoot within tight constraints. This includes shooting what is available, in available light and shooting with the understanding I won't be processing the images outside of cropping. I actually shoot with the square crop chosen in camera to aid this process. 

Are these up to my usual standards...no, as I am an obsessive editor, BUT I really enjoy the freedom this gives me. Constraints on creativity always spur on MORE creativity for me. 🙂 My hope is to let go of some of my perfectionism and appreciate nature with all of its imperfections---for a while anyway. 🙂

 

As always, your photos are so beautiful and artistic! I need to try using the create look in camera more often.

I've thought about shooting JPG, but I am afraid I can't rescue a bad shot I made. I recently switched to uncompressed raw since I managed to get a couple 1 TB Angel Bird CF Express Type A cards.