Mark Wilson, Author at Gizmodo

Shooting Challenge: Blurred Backgrounds

Life moves fast. Sometimes it even feels like a blur. And for this week’s Shooting Challenge, we’re celebrating the speed of life. The Challenge Take a photo where a subject is sitting still and their background is blurred by speed/motion. The Method So technically, there are a few ways to pull off a blurred background,…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Fall Leaves 2013

This week marks the end of summer and the first days of fall. It also marks the start of fourth annual Fall Shooting Challenge. Don’t worry if things are still green by you—the results aren’t due next week—but you can enter starting…NOW! The Challenge Take a photo that features the beautiful yellows, oranges, and browns…

Tech News Mark Wilson

29 Sudsy, Seductive Photos of Beer

Beer glorious beer! It’s Oktoberfest time. And to celebrate, Gizmodo photographers took one for the team, cracked a few beers, and got to work. Here are the results of this week’s beer Shooting Challenge. WINNER: Griffins Shot in my local Pub, Griffins of Kinsale, South Pasadena.. a chilled Guinness on a hot day, shot with…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Beer

It’s Oktoberfest time, or what some may call a far longer, far more lederhosened St. Patrick’s Day. And for this week’s Shooting Challenge, let’s celebrate it by celebrating the lifeblood of Oktoberfest itself: Beer. The Challenge Take a photo that features beer in some way. Oktoberfests optional. The Method Step one: crack a beer. (You’ve…

Tech News Mark Wilson

10 Vivid Rorschach Tests, Made By Camera

You can call them Rorschach tests, or you can call them inkblots. But what happens when you merge the idea of abstract symmetry with photography? You get the incredible entrants in this week’s Shooting Challenge. WINNER: Demon “Demon”—My approach to this challenge was pretty simple: take a picture of something colorful then mirror and overlay…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Colorful Rorschachs

There’s something hypnotic about perfect symmetry, even if it’s faked. For this week’s Shooting Challenge, photograph a mirror image like a Rorschach test…but don’t worry, you can use Photoshop! The Challenge Take a Rorschach-like photograph that mirrors the left and right sides of the frame. Feel free to use lots of color and ditch simple…

Tech News Mark Wilson

5 Photographs Taken Through Prisms

We all forgot when we grew up. Prisms are amazing. Here are a few reminders, compliments of this week’s Shooting Challenge. WINNER: The Dog On The Hill The passerby dog at the top of the hill was very interested, or so I like to think, in the 30-year old Cokin prism filter I was moving…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Prisms

Your 11-year-old self appears at your office. He or she takes a look at what you’ve become—some desk-jockey with yesterday’s Panera Bread crumbs on their cheek, some dystopian deformity of the 11-year-old who built their own time machine just to come see you. He or she doesn’t cry, but you can tell, they’re quite disappointed.…

Tech News Mark Wilson

22 Tantalizing Photos of Tattoos

Tattoos are painful. They’re also beautiful—an aesthetic commitment that someone chooses to adopt forever. And in photography, they can make a wonderful bridge between the human form and the artistic touch. WINNER: Personal Compass Camera: Olympus E-500 ISO 400 f/3.5 1/400 sec I took my son to the beach later in the late afternoon on…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Inked

Taking photos of other people’s art is generally not good photographic practice. But what about when art melds with the human form? For this week’s Shooting Challenge, you’re going to photograph a tattoo. The Challenge Take a photograph in which a tattoo is the focus. The Method Most tattoo photography is pretty horrible. Some dude…

Tech News Mark Wilson

33 Photos Taken In One Amazing Color

In photography, we have access to an unlimited palette of colors. But how good of a photographer are you, really? What can you do with just one? WINNER: Chamber My day job is testing aircraft avionics. We use an anechoic chamber during some of our tests, and it has always been my favorite place in…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: One Color

Last week, you showed off your monochrome skills in classic silver. This week, you’ll take a photo in a different way: Find a scene that’s predominantly one color, and capture that color to its fullest. The Challenge Photograph a scene that’s predominantly one color. You can find something natural, manmade, or even lit or painted…

Tech News Mark Wilson

18 Fiery Photos Of Grills And Charred Meat

It’s summer, which means it’s the time for open flame charring our dinners to perfection. Just like dad did it. Just like dad’s paleolithic forefathers did it. WINNER: Meat Man I hope I’m not breaking any rules with this photo, but I thought a story board style picture was necessary. After getting the little guy…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Grill

Yes, most food photography is boring. But most food photography doesn’t involve meat, flames, and char. So for this week’s Shooting Challenge, I want you to photograph food in flaming action. Photograph food on the grill. Last week, we looked at bugs. This week, I’m sending you back into the bush to catch more of…

Tech News Mark Wilson

58 Giant Close-Ups Of Plants

Plants are beautiful. But up close, they’re inspiring, terrifying, and, well, just quite large. WINNER: Burst I don’t know what kind of flower this is, but I love the green, yellow, and white together. A bright LED light made the captures possible at a small aperture. Workflow: Take 8 photos each focused gradually from back…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Giant Plants!

Last week, we looked at bugs. This week, I’m sending you back into the bush to catch more of nature’s nuance on the macro level. For this week’s Shooting Challenge, photograph the wonder of plants. The Challenge Photograph a plant—preferably as close as possible, as if Rick Moranis nailed you with a shrink ray and…

Tech News Mark Wilson

75 Close-Ups Of Bugs

Up close, bugs are terrifying. Heck, from far, bugs are terrifying. But with the safe distance through the lens of a camera? They’re amazing. WINNER: Mama? Shot with Canon 550D MC Helios 44-3 Macro extension tubes ISO 100 1/400 f8 I was hunting (for a pic) in my garden when this guy landed on my…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Insects And Other Creepy Crawlies

This is it. My favorite annual Shooting Challenge of the year. You go out into the grass and muck and photograph bugs. The Challenge Photograph an insect, bug, arachnid, whatever! The Method Many of you will dust off the old macro lens this week, which is fantastic. Others might repurpose a telephoto lens for ground-level…

Tech News Mark Wilson

8 Photos Of Wet, Wet Water Fights

My mother always told me, if you’re going to pick a fight, do it in water. Winner: Hatted Hurricane 5D Marklll ISO 200 f5/6 1/400 100mm This was one of the most fun challenges I have participated in. This weekend at my annual back yard tent party I brought up the shooting challenge with my…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Water Fight

Summer’s in full swing. So it’s time to make excuses. Excuses to use your camera, to be immature, and to hit somebody consentingly in the face with a water balloon. The Challenge Photograph something pertaining water fight. It can be a gun, balloon, or any other water-esque weaponry in any way. Be creative or just…

Tech News Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson

Shooting Challenge: Blurred Backgrounds

Shooting Challenge: Fall Leaves 2013

29 Sudsy, Seductive Photos of Beer

Shooting Challenge: Beer

10 Vivid Rorschach Tests, Made By Camera

Shooting Challenge: Colorful Rorschachs

5 Photographs Taken Through Prisms

Shooting Challenge: Prisms

22 Tantalizing Photos of Tattoos

Shooting Challenge: Inked

33 Photos Taken In One Amazing Color

Shooting Challenge: One Color

18 Fiery Photos Of Grills And Charred Meat

Shooting Challenge: Grill

58 Giant Close-Ups Of Plants

Shooting Challenge: Giant Plants!

75 Close-Ups Of Bugs

Shooting Challenge: Insects And Other Creepy Crawlies

8 Photos Of Wet, Wet Water Fights

Shooting Challenge: Water Fight

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