project 52 | week 12 - in the center (and/or at the edge)
A bit complicated theme this week. I was clueless for a while, when the inspiration came right in front of me. During our Sunday afternoon walk we happened to be right along the path of some motorbike parade. Hundreds (!) of bikes of all kinds, all honking and reving up the engines. Quite ugly background, so quick reaction was: do some panning! After a quick review on a display I knew I have the one for "in the center, or at the edge" ;)
project 52 | week 10 - ear (and eye)
This week it is a linguistic mystery, as the theme of the week is the Ear. Trouble is, that in my native language, sewing needle has an "ear", while in English it is a proverbial "Eye of the needle". So I am fulfilling theme only in one language ;) Unless the Eye theme will be selected again! ;)
Behind the scene shots inside the article...
Behind the scene shots inside the article...
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D800 with Macro 105mm lens and three additional Kenko extension tubes. f/40 @ 30sec, ISO 100. |
project 52 | week 9 - guess what?
In this case it is more "guess how and where", as "what" itself is pretty easy to recognize. Would you guess how this picture has been taken and what is behind? Read inside to see the "behind the scene" shot and a bit of the background.
V tomto prípade ide skôr o "Hádaj ako a kde" namiesto "hádaj čo to je", nakoľko samotný objekt je celkom ľahko rozoznateľný. Uhádli by ste, ako bola táto fotografia nafotená a čo to vlastne je v pozadí? Viac info je vnútri článku vrátane záberu "spoza foťáku".
We went for a family walk around...
V tomto prípade ide skôr o "Hádaj ako a kde" namiesto "hádaj čo to je", nakoľko samotný objekt je celkom ľahko rozoznateľný. Uhádli by ste, ako bola táto fotografia nafotená a čo to vlastne je v pozadí? Viac info je vnútri článku vrátane záberu "spoza foťáku".
We went for a family walk around...
project 52 | week 8 - it's a man thing!
OK, being a man it should be quite easy to come up with an idea specific for MAN, right? Well, it took me a bit of time to think - and then I got it! I've laughed and start to think how to visualize it the best way...
Disclaimer first - I swear I am not one of us, who keep it up all the time, even though it might happen here and there... ;) But, yes, I think we are quite notoriously known for not putting toilet seats down back... However, it might be also one of the stereotypical features.
So I had the visualization on my mind right from the beginning (especially when we had opened this week our PPSOP.cz Flash course) and the idea is, that we are probably scared to put toilet seat back down again, as there must be something scary with the toilet itself! It has definitely nothing to do with being lazy!!!
Two flash. One with blue gel - front lit with 1/4 power and second one with a red gel hidden in the toilet (! see behind the scenes below!) with 1/2 power. Camera set up: Nikon D800 with 24-70mm, f/5.6 at 1/200 sec. Happy toilet seating :D
So I had the visualization on my mind right from the beginning (especially when we had opened this week our PPSOP.cz Flash course) and the idea is, that we are probably scared to put toilet seat back down again, as there must be something scary with the toilet itself! It has definitely nothing to do with being lazy!!!
Two flash. One with blue gel - front lit with 1/4 power and second one with a red gel hidden in the toilet (! see behind the scenes below!) with 1/2 power. Camera set up: Nikon D800 with 24-70mm, f/5.6 at 1/200 sec. Happy toilet seating :D
project 52 | week 7 - odd or even (part 2/2)
This week picture has been taken during my last "painting with light" session, and can frankly fall under the sport session as well. But conveniently I am going to file it under "Odd or even" theme.
Story is easy. It was the night after the birthday party of our kids and balloons where everywhere. Once I have finished painting the bike, I just wanted to see how it would looks like, if I would paint from behind the balloon with the same small source of light. And when I saw on my display first result of just a one balloon I was amazed with a colorful results! "Olympic rings idea" came to my mind immediately, so I was rotating with the little light source behind each of the baloon. Obviously, balloons had no intentions to stand on each other as I have envisioned it, so a little transparent tape came handy. Final image is just flipped, as you can see on the behind the scene shot ;) You gotta admit, that looks cool, huh? ;)
Story is easy. It was the night after the birthday party of our kids and balloons where everywhere. Once I have finished painting the bike, I just wanted to see how it would looks like, if I would paint from behind the balloon with the same small source of light. And when I saw on my display first result of just a one balloon I was amazed with a colorful results! "Olympic rings idea" came to my mind immediately, so I was rotating with the little light source behind each of the baloon. Obviously, balloons had no intentions to stand on each other as I have envisioned it, so a little transparent tape came handy. Final image is just flipped, as you can see on the behind the scene shot ;) You gotta admit, that looks cool, huh? ;)
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D800, f/22, 101sec, ISO 100 |
project 52 | week 6 - sport (part 1/2)
It has been a while I have "painted with a light", so I decided to take this week "sport" theme as a challenge.
Unfortunately, my own painting skills are very bad, so I have used my kids' Strider bike as a template. In the middle of the night, when the rest of the family was sleeping already, I have created this lightning speed vehicle ;)
Shot below has been made straight in the camera with a pretty easy set up.
Camera on the tripod and shutter speed on Bulb mode. It took me exactly 111 seconds to paint it with a small, one single LED diode lamp. I have aimed the light into the lens and was trying my best to copy the shape of the bike. And voilá ;)
Below is one more "rainbow" version (talking about Olympics, this is quite favorite color combination in Sochi right now ;) Even though, there are no bike disciplines during the Winter Olympics... )
PS: And that night playing brought me one more fantastic idea and shot, which I will share later on. It is about sport again, and I can just say, that it was the night after the kids' birthday party! ;)
Below is one more "rainbow" version (talking about Olympics, this is quite favorite color combination in Sochi right now ;) Even though, there are no bike disciplines during the Winter Olympics... )
PS: And that night playing brought me one more fantastic idea and shot, which I will share later on. It is about sport again, and I can just say, that it was the night after the kids' birthday party! ;)
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D800, f/22, 111sec, ISO 100 |
Už dávno som "nemaľoval so svetlom", tak som sa rozhodol, že tohto týždňovú Športovú tému si dám ako výzvu. Bohužiaľ, moje vlastné kresliace techniky sú veľmi chabé (ako by potvrdila pani učiteľka z prvého stupňa ZŠ, ktorá mi dala sólovú dvojku z výtvarných prác a písania!) a tak som si pomohol odrážadlom mojich detí ako šablónou. Uprostred noci, keď celý dom už spal, som vytvoril toto bleskové vozítko. Záber vyššie bol nafotený priamo vo foťáku a nastavenie bolo veľmi jednoduché. Fotoaparát na statíve a uzávierka na voľnom "B-móde". Trvalo mi presne 111 sekúnd, kým som si toto nakreslil za pomoci malej LED diódovej lampičky. Stačilo namieriť svetlo priamo smerom na objektív a snažiť sa kopírovať tvar odrážadla. A voilá ;)
Nižšie je ešte jedna "dúhová" verzia (a keďže sme už pri tej Olympiáde, tak som počul, že toto je tam teraz veľmi obľúbená farebná kombinácia ;) hoci neviem si vybaviť žiadnu zimnú cyklistickú disciplínu...)
PS: A v tú istú noc sa mi pritrafil ešte jedne fantastický nápad a záber, o ktorý sa podelím neskôr. Je to znova o športe a jediné čo prezradím je to, že to bola noc po narodeninovej párty našich detvákov! ;)
Nižšie je ešte jedna "dúhová" verzia (a keďže sme už pri tej Olympiáde, tak som počul, že toto je tam teraz veľmi obľúbená farebná kombinácia ;) hoci neviem si vybaviť žiadnu zimnú cyklistickú disciplínu...)
PS: A v tú istú noc sa mi pritrafil ešte jedne fantastický nápad a záber, o ktorý sa podelím neskôr. Je to znova o športe a jediné čo prezradím je to, že to bola noc po narodeninovej párty našich detvákov! ;)
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D800, f/22, 111sec, ISO 100 enhanced with Photoshop CS5 using gradient overlay effect |
project 52 | week 5 - triangle
This tiny red triangle I met walking up the street this week morning. And as I was in a search for a triangles, this red one got my attention! With a help of my favorite wide angle (and lady in a red) I could tell my story...
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D7000, Tokina 11-14mm, f/14 |
Tento maličký červený trojuholník som stretol, keď som kráčal jednou ulicou tento týždeň. No a keďže hľadám trojuholníky, tak mi hneď padol do oka. A s pomocou môjho širokouhlého objektívu (a dámy v červenom) som mohol porozprávať tento príbeh...
project 52 | week 4 - resolutions
This week theme is "RESOLUTION" - we are still quite at the beginning of the year, so it makes sense. And my resolution is to use those Brooks babies below more often then last year. After three half-marathons in a row, year by year, I become quite lazy last year. So... I really want to have less excuses why I can't go run outside today. But hey, what if that would mean to cut more on photography?! Hmmm, let me think... ;)
Once I have realized what resolution I am going to photographer, the idea came quite quickly - typical approach: when you do not have an idea, pick up you macro lens.. and just play.
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D800 with Macro Nikkor 105mm with 3 Kenko extension tubes, f/14 @ 1.3 sec, ISO 100 |
Keď som už vedel, ktoré predsavzatie si nafotím, tak s realizáciou to už bolo celkom jednoduché - aplikoval som klasický postup: keď nemám nápad, tak vytiahnem makro objektív... a len sa tak hrajem.
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| © Patrik Banas, Nikon D800 with Macro Nikkor 105mm with 3 Kenko extension tubes, f/32 @ 25(!) sec, ISO 100 |
project 52 | week 3 - yellow
Yellow idea came when I was enjoying an excellent dark chocolate, which was packed in a yellow box with unique pattern. So my background was clear. And then I have borrowed one (of the millions) small car of my son. Arranged. Added motion. And to emphasize the size, added a human element (my lovely daughter in this case ;). Monika helped with set up. Clearly a family teamwork... Thank you all!
PS: Behind the scenes are at the bottom...
PS: Behind the scenes are at the bottom...
project 52 | week 2 - legs
Well, second week of project 52 and I am still catching up and I am on time! ;) This time THE opportunity came quite easily. I have been first time ever playing curling - and there were a lot of legs in a very different angles and positions. This one came out perfectly. Motion, action, lines... and of course LEGS!
PS: Shot with my small point and shoot Leica D-Lux4...
Tak, druhý týždeň projektu 52 a ešte stále stíham a dodávam načas! ;) Tentokrát sa príležitosť vyskytla pomerne jednoducho. Bol som si prvýkrát v živote zahrať curling - a bolo tam k dispozícii kopec nôh v rôznych uhloch a polohách. Tento jeden záber mi vyšiel skvelo. Trochu pohybu, akcie, línie... no a samozrejme NOHY!
PS: Nafotené malým kompaktom Leica D-Lux4...
PS: Shot with my small point and shoot Leica D-Lux4...
Tak, druhý týždeň projektu 52 a ešte stále stíham a dodávam načas! ;) Tentokrát sa príležitosť vyskytla pomerne jednoducho. Bol som si prvýkrát v živote zahrať curling - a bolo tam k dispozícii kopec nôh v rôznych uhloch a polohách. Tento jeden záber mi vyšiel skvelo. Trochu pohybu, akcie, línie... no a samozrejme NOHY!
PS: Nafotené malým kompaktom Leica D-Lux4...
project 52 is back! - week1 | first
OK, this year I am back in project 52 - thanks goes to Monika for organizing it all and pushing me to not be lazy (thanks sweetheart!). Let's see how this will be developing this year! If you are not familiar with project 52, it is easy actually pretty easy. Every week there is a theme of the week announced within a small and very active photo community and I will do my best to force myself to take a picture with that theme. So please stay tuned. Theme of the first week is - what a surprise - "first".
And here's my my first week assignment. Our FIRST mold of this year in our fridge! :) Yeaah, this one raspberry didn't make it! But the rest of them were delicious!
PS: Macro shot has been lighted with my fantastic new "pringles softbox". I love it!
Tak, a tento rok som tu znova s projektom 52 - a to všetko vďaka Monike, ktorá to všetko vymyslela, organizuje a pomáha mi, aby som nezlenivel (ďakujem láska!). Uvidíme, ako sa to bude tento rok vyvíjať a či to dotiahnem až do konca. Ak nepoznáte projekt52, tak to je vcelku jednoduché. Každý týždeň je v rámci malej a veľmi aktívnej foto komunite vyhlásená téma týždňa a všetci sa budeme snažiť nafotiť niečo na túto tému. Takže ostaňte naladení. No a téma prvého týždňa je - tadááááá - "prvý" (prvá, prvé...).
No a toto je moje spracovanie témy. Prosím pekne, toto je naša PRVÁ tohtoročná pleseň v chladničke. Veru tak, táto malina to už nerozchodila. Ale zvyšok bol veľmi vydarný!
PS: Makro záber bol nasvietený s mojím novým "pringles softboxom". Obľúbil som si ho!
landscape layers
Sidelight (close to a sunset) can play miracles with a hilly landscape.
Bočné svetlo (obzvlášť teda tesne pred západom slnka) dokáže v kopečkoch robiť zázrazky.
Or would you prefer black and white version? I was amazed, how many details are hidden in a hazy distance and are able to show up from the RAW file. Have a look on the third from the top level and compare versus the previous version...
PS: Happy new year!! ;)
Bočné svetlo (obzvlášť teda tesne pred západom slnka) dokáže v kopečkoch robiť zázrazky.
Or would you prefer black and white version? I was amazed, how many details are hidden in a hazy distance and are able to show up from the RAW file. Have a look on the third from the top level and compare versus the previous version...
PS: Happy new year!! ;)
swatch detail (with pringles softbox)
In my previous post I have shared how to create a simple and very effective and versatile softbox with the empty pringles tin. Below you can find a close up picture taken with the help of this softbox.
As I have found WITH and WITHOUT the softbox picture remarkably different, I wanted to share the result with you as well. The first shot is obviously taken under the pringles softbox. You can see in the top right quadrant white shape of the long light source. I love the effect, which adds third dimension, adds "liquidity". Overall lightning is evenly distributed.
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| Nikon D-800, f/11, 1/200 sec, ISO 100. Nikkor 105mm micro. Remotely fired flash Nikon SB-900 (with pringles tube) on 1/4 of the power. |
DIY mini softbox with Pringles
Let me clear this out right at the beginning - this came as an inspiration from diyphotography.net. And after the "aha moment" I had to try it on my own! So while playing and creating my own Pringles softbox, I have decided to share my version and mainly my pictures - which I found pretty awesome ;). Taking into a consideration what a simple lightning set up has been used.
So what can you get? Pretty cool "softbox", which can direct your nicely diffused light to a very narrow beam. It will utilize your own electronic flash (Nikon SB-900 in my case). And it will cost you almost nothing. Well, 3 bucks for a tin of Pringles, but those will be eaten by your family members anyway! ;)
What you will need:
- tin of Pringles (no, it really doesn't matter what flavors)
- duck tape
- white fabric (old pillow cover, in my case)
- sharp knife
- your electronic flash
Cut out rectangular shape on the Pringles tin. Please be careful with a knife! Size is apx. 3 cm (1 inch) wide and will go almost through the full tin. Keep a bit a space on the side, so you can stretch fabric around it and the tin will still hold the structure.
Below you can see the aproximate size of the final cut.
Next step is to fit your flash into it. This is a bit tricky part. Every flash has a different size of the head. My LumoPro flash wasn't able to fit it into a tube. Nikon SB-900 went inside, even very, very tight.
Red beauty
This picture follows my previous post. Extremely simple composition and well... easy lightning set up with one light source only. Picture taken in the middle of our kitchen, hmmmm, excuse me, I mean our studio. And believe or not, is still has something to do with Pringles!
So here's the set up itself, or so called "behind the scenes" picture, where you can see, that for the lightning I have utilized my new softbox, made of... well, Pringles tin! You can find the step by step guideline how to build your own here.
So here's the set up itself, or so called "behind the scenes" picture, where you can see, that for the lightning I have utilized my new softbox, made of... well, Pringles tin! You can find the step by step guideline how to build your own here.
Foggy, foggy, foggy
It was almost scary to watch today afternoon fog surrounding us. It literally came within a minutes! And also created a magic hat above one of the nearby mountain. Obviously, perfect timing, sunset and golden light helped a lot...
And BTW, here's a shot of the fog itself, approaching us in the middle of the tiny countryside road. Those tree and house shapes had disappeared literally in within a 10 minutes! I have to admit it was an experience I never had before. Kudos to all landscape photographers...
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| © 2013 monika and patrik banas |
christmas angel (and pringles?!)
What those two things have in common?!? Well, you will discover soon. Pretty neat! Stay tuned ;)
Meanwhile, have a beautiful pre-Christmas time and lit up some candle too...
&
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| photo © foodbeast.com, property of kellogs inc. |
= ?
To najlepšie z pražského workshopu
Môj októbrový Zážitkový Workshop v Prahe bol úžasný! Počasie bolo... no nie úplne kooperujúce, ale rozhodlo sa nepršať úplne celý deň, takže nám aspoň netieklo do topánok a mierne chladné októbrové počasie sme zvládli v pohode.
Čo bolo ale dôležitejšie - mal som šťastie na fantastickú, kreatívne nadanú a najmä po nových veciach dychtiacu skupinu, s ktorou sme si užili kopec srandy. Lucia a Dagmar mi už poslali aj svoje zábery a rád sa s nimi podelím... Sú skvelé, však?
Čo bolo ale dôležitejšie - mal som šťastie na fantastickú, kreatívne nadanú a najmä po nových veciach dychtiacu skupinu, s ktorou sme si užili kopec srandy. Lucia a Dagmar mi už poslali aj svoje zábery a rád sa s nimi podelím... Sú skvelé, však?
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| © Lucie Portešová |
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| © Dagmar Petrásková |
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| © Dagmar Petrásková |
sunny forest
Indian summer in its best! End of October and over 20°C! So great and so unexpected! And so peaceful in the forest we have found just by a chance...
lonely, but very determined surfer
During my Brittany trip I was shooting this monumental arch with the unique view at the Atlantic ocean, when proverbial "photographer's luck" struck and sent me right to my composition this lonely, slowly walking surfer with his fluorescent board.
This is what I call adding a perspective and human object into the frame!
shuter speed games
No doubt playing with shutter speed is one of my favorite activity! There are zilions way how you can utilize shutter speed, but panning and zooming is one of the most common. So it is not a surprise we have spent a lot of time playing with a shutter speed during my recent workshop in Prague! And while I am waiting to get pictures from my "workshoppers", here are couple of those, taken during the lovely Saturday in Prague.
Shutter speed used in the pictures below was somewhere between 1/8 - 1/20 sec.
Shutter speed used in the pictures below was somewhere between 1/8 - 1/20 sec.
Zážitkový fotoworkshop | Praha, sobota 12.októbra/října Pridajte sa!
Nový termín!
Radi fotografujete, ale zvyčajne na to nemáte dosť času a príležitostí? Túžite po jednom dni, kedy sa fotografovaniu môžete venovať naplno? Chcete sa naučiť aj niečo nové, stretnúť sa s podobne naladenými ľuďmi alebo proste len tak fotiť? Vyjdite z rutiny, užite si jeden intenzívny fotodeň ďaleko za hranicami všednosti!
CEZ OBJEKTÍV - zážitkový fotografický workshop, Praha 12. října/októbra 2013.
Celý deň od východu do západu slnka na viacerých lokalitách - obrysy starej Prahy za úsvitu, makro fotografia rannej rosy, kreatívne techniky ako zooming, panning, rotating s fotoaparátom, tradičné aj netradičné použitie externých bleskov, fotenie ľudí, interakcia s neznámymi ľuďmi, street photography, použitie širokouhlého objektívu pri rozprávaní príbehov alebo fotografovaní zblízka. Použitie filtrov – od polarizačného po prechodové filtre neutrálnej hustoty.
lines 2 (brittany uncovered)
Mystery lines mentioned in my previous [teaser] post were taken during my trip to Brittany (Bretagne), where in the port I was fascinated by all masts lighted by the golden evening light against thick grey clouds. And as always when possible, I was "working my subject", trying what the long shutter could make with such opportunity. It turned out it could make very interesting abstract, don't you say? ;)
More sailing pictures soon!
More sailing pictures soon!
lines [small teaser again]
I am retrieving my recent folder and I couldn't resist to ask: What is it? Answer will be here soon!
bretagne... is coming!
I had recently a fantastic trip to Bretagne, France. Expect more ocean view pictures soon!
foggy day
It is just a mid of September, but it is already so foggy depressing...
I am definitely a summer type!
malmo: at the pier
Third and last post from my Malmo trip. Still only with point and shoot camera ;) At the end of the my morning roaming I have found such a photogenic pier! Monika's envy it! It was probably 100m long and a combination of the elements of the design (in this case line and color) were so irresistible... Enjoy!
Malmo: blue "thingy" and turning torso
Those strange big blue metal things were next to the sea. They looked like some huge old boat spare parts - perhaps an anchor holders? Not really an expert... But they were so attractive, that is for sure!
And below also few shots from Malmo's iconic "Turning torso" tower...
PS: BTW, did I mentioned all of those picture has been taken by point and shoot pocket size camera? Yup! Leica DLUX4 rocks!
And below also few shots from Malmo's iconic "Turning torso" tower...
PS: BTW, did I mentioned all of those picture has been taken by point and shoot pocket size camera? Yup! Leica DLUX4 rocks!
Malmo, early morning
My first trip ever to Sweden. To Malmo. This city always reminds me the end of the Jule's Verne and the end of his book 20000 leagues under the sea. For a long time I thought it is the same place as Maelstrom! Maelstrom!, which are actually the last words Captain Nemo is shouting at his submarine Nautilus, before disappearing and sinking...
Anyway, trip was a short one and again, only with a compact point and shoot!
But I managed to get one early morning for myself and it has been proven again, that my little Leica with a combination of a great light can do miracles! Look at this one "snapshot", which has been enhanced just a slightly.
More to come! Stay tuned...
Anyway, trip was a short one and again, only with a compact point and shoot!
But I managed to get one early morning for myself and it has been proven again, that my little Leica with a combination of a great light can do miracles! Look at this one "snapshot", which has been enhanced just a slightly.
More to come! Stay tuned...
Kiev in all colors (and only with a compact camera!)
Kiev, I do apologize. For my prejudice going there to expect a "little Moscow". Kiev, you are nothing like Moscow, you are much better! Full of colors, green areas, less rush, less traffic and a much more smiles.
It is funny to realize, that I have travel all around the world, but I haven't visited country which is neighboring my home country.
And I also did an experiment. As Monika needed my the most favorite travelling lenses for her sessions, I've decided to travel only with my compact Leica D-LUX4. And it was a fantastic experience! Leica allowed me to shoot in RAW, to shoot in a manual mode, but the most important fact was, that I had no choice of lenses. So I have to milk the situation with what I had. Obviously, that means, I was more in a "street photography" mood, which was a good decision when you get to places like Saturday's flea market or one of the thousands churches in Kiev. Enjoy!
It is funny to realize, that I have travel all around the world, but I haven't visited country which is neighboring my home country.
And I also did an experiment. As Monika needed my the most favorite travelling lenses for her sessions, I've decided to travel only with my compact Leica D-LUX4. And it was a fantastic experience! Leica allowed me to shoot in RAW, to shoot in a manual mode, but the most important fact was, that I had no choice of lenses. So I have to milk the situation with what I had. Obviously, that means, I was more in a "street photography" mood, which was a good decision when you get to places like Saturday's flea market or one of the thousands churches in Kiev. Enjoy!
Best of the Prague's workshop
I was so thrilled, when one of my Prague's workshopper - Monika - shared with me her pictures taken during a workshop! You have to admit - it is hard to believe that all pictures were taken just during a one day! Thanks Monika! It was a joy to have you in the group! Full album can be found here.
Ani si neviete predstaviť, ako som sa potešil, keď mi jedna z účastníčok môjho pražského zážitkového workshopu zaslala svoj výber! Je naozaj ťažké uveriť, že takto rôznorodé fotografie boli nafotené v priebehu jedného dňa! Díky Monika, som naozaj rád, že sme strávili taký skvelý deň! Viac Monikiných fotografií nájdete tu.
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| © Monika Kocourková |
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| © Monika Kocourková |
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