|
| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Thanks Bill
Like you I don't mind the shadows since, as you say this is about light and shadow. I think the contrast is what makes this work. |
Nov 17th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Thanks Diane
I've always had trouble, when the image is generally dark to start with, keeping shadows from getting blocked when I downsize. I can get detail in the downsize version if I really open the shadows, but then they just look over cooked. If you find a solution I'd love to learn your secret. |
Nov 11th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Michael
Your comment about noted landscape photographers and their approach is quite interesting. I have considered myself a seeker of light for years. Often when I'm out I'll see some good light and then look for a composition. BTW---I sold completely out of this image at a recent fall craft show where I had a photo booth set up. The prints did not have the blocked shadows. :-) Thanks for commenting. |
Nov 11th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
Somehow I have never associated traffic jams with Dublin especially when connected to going to dinner at the "oldest pub." With everyone going, the food must be great! Your camera position certainly makes me feel caught in traffic.
I wish there was one more vehicle coming toward me in that blank section of road. The the traffic crush would be complete. I like images that make me feel as if I am right there, and this does.
Personally, I do not like the ray of light coming through the clouds because it just seems to be hanging there and does not reach or highlight anything. But that is just me, and I may be wrong. |
Nov 7th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
I like the lighting and the mood it creates, especially in the photo on the left. To me this feels like two photos as the trees on the right seem to unbalance the image, especially the tree on the far right. If the tree on the far left was not so close to the edge both it and the tree in the middle create a beautifully framed image of "an Evening at the Lake". The way the sun highlights the foreground rocks ties the image together for me. |
Nov 7th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
As a PSA photo judge I have seen subject countless times in color and filled with both human and nautical activity. This image literally shocked me when I first saw it. the surreal feel of created by the ultra long exposure is so unique that it grabs the attention. i truly enjoy images that show creative thought and originality and this certainly fits that bill. The conversion to B/W and seeming vignette that creates a darker top and bottom draws the eye to the center.
In some ways this reminds me of Louis Daguerre's photo "the Boulevard du Temple taken in 1838. Both images seem to carry me back in time to a by gone era. |
Nov 7th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
For me this has the feeling of a tapestry that is rippling and blowing in the breeze. There is a simplicity and abstract feel to the image that seems to allow me to drift aimlessly through the image. The blues on the upper and lower edges seem to embrace the reds and tie the image together. |
Nov 7th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
First kudos for the use of the ultra long exposure. It certainly creates an original look to the scene. Since it is not something that is built into the camera (30 seconds is maximum) it is something that few photographers employ. The long exposure you used completely changed the mood of the scene. The resulting "quiet " you created is the most powerful element in the scene. Additionally you have created an interesting of leading lines that extend from the foregound grasses to the posts and finally from the cloud whose finger like outer edge seem to point back into the scene. Tome it seems like everyth8ng points to infinity. I like the light patterns in the center of the bright area and limited tonal quality of the entire scene.
You better have this framed somewhere. |
Nov 7th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Thanks very much Barbara
There actually is detail in the shadow areas. When I reduced the image for posting here much of the detail vanished. Sorry, the detail does make a difference. |
Nov 7th |
| 36 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Thanks for commenting Isaac. If truth be told I actually took three shots. After my metering of the bright area of the moss, I took one shot. But I didn't like the amount of really deep shadow that still remained. So I stopped down, to make it darker and shot again. I went too far and opened about a half stop for the third shot. That was the one I processed. I did not blend to get the final. There was too much movement in the water and the leaves at the top. That is why I went to Lightroom's adjustment brush and worked on individual areas with dodging and burning. It took me several hours to get this result. In the end when I thought I was finished I ran a linear gradient across the top to tone down the leaves even more to get the feel I wanted. I visualized this while on location and just kept working until I get what I wanted. I'm really pleased with how the Color Range evened out the green tones---using that was my inspired moment. :-) |
Nov 2nd |
5 comments - 5 replies for Group 36
|
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
David and others
If you want to take a PSA Online Photography course go to the PSA Home Page. At the top click on EDUCATION. Then scroll and look for Online Courses. The place to start is Image Evaluation so you can sign up there. Just know there is a waiting list. You cannot sign up for the Creating Images for Competition until you have completed the Image Evaluation course. There are 6 instructors so the waiting time is not too long. |
Nov 25th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Cindy
In terms of PSA standards this image would score much higher. Here you have inter-action among members of the same species and you also have the stories of feeding and nurturing. I like the story of the feeding because of the bloody strings of flesh the cub has in its jaws. They aren't as prominent as I would like,but they are still present and pretty good. I can only recall one polar bear image that is stronger than this, so you did quite well. Most PB images show them standing on ice floes, walking with cubs or laying on the ice with a cub next to them. Your image has limited action, the bloody faces, the flesh strings. I like the legs sinking into the whale flesh and the reaching stance of the cub on the right. The head of the adult and the back might be a bit bright, hard to tell in the small image. The crop is about perfect and the extra gull looking on and waiting its turn is a special extra bonus and adds a participating extra species. This would qualify as a level 4 image. Can't tell if this would qualify for a top award, that depends on the competition. I would absolutely move this to the award round of judging based on the story it tells. Remember the story if the single most important element. Your technical score would also be high. A hearty Well Done on this one! |
Nov 25th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
David
I do not have a "link" for any recorded talks on competition. My best suggestion would be to have me judge a competition for your camera club as I do quite a few of those. In the process of judging a competition you and your club can record it and you will have the images to connect the commentary to for future reference. |
Nov 25th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Hi Frank. I didn't notice the artifacts so thanks for pointing them out. I used the auto aligne module to set this up and just assumed they were aligned. |
Nov 24th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Thanks Bud. Glad you liked this one. I've been at the top of the falls and waded almost to the splash pool during the time of year when the water table is low and let me tell you if you want to see more of the falls in the slot you are on your own---count me absolutely out!! I wonder of anyone has ever been in that slot. This area is one of the wildest in the eastern USA. I learned that the USA Army Rangers use the area for wilderness training. I've hiked the gorge up river from the falls, there are no trails and few photographic opportunities as the foliage is really dense. I've added a photo on gorge for reference. The top ridges of the gorge are about 3500 feel above sea level from the top down to the river is 2000 or 2600 feet |
Nov 24th |
 |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Hi Cindy
Glad you liked liked the image. I really pleased that you can't tell what I did----that was the goal. :-) I also liked the repeating pills of leaves in the water, they add some much needed color to the right side of the image. |
Nov 24th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
If you want me to look at the slot then crop from the right side. That is the bright area and draws the eye. If you crop from the right the only bright area will be the slot. |
Nov 22nd |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
David
This image has lots of possibilities but to bring out the magic you will have to spend a great deal of time dodging and burning. You will have to bring out the tones in the sea stacks and also the textures. The trick is to look at the light and how it falls on the rocks. Then brighten the highlights and progressively tone down the shadows. You might try working on the color version first. Make each color on the rocks stand out by degrees.
Playing with this sort of thing is where you learn processing and how to add punch to an image.
Have fun with it---don't try to do it all at once. |
Nov 21st |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
I really love the idea of this type of image. The whole concept of silhouettes on the horizon at sunset is dramatic. For me it feels like you are about 2-300mm too short. I took the liberty of trying an alternate crop. I did not include the big bush on the right because it seemed to overpower the animals. I didn't keep the white spot in the sky because it was the brightest part of the image and thus detracted from the animals as well. |
Nov 10th |
 |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
Speaking as one who lives in the land of the Ibis, there is a flock of 47--yes I've counted, that I pass every morning and evening you have captured the lookout quite well. I like the raised wings and the feather detail that has been revealed.
However, I would prefer if you had eliminated that foliage in the lower left corner. It does nothing to help the composition and just seems disembodied hanging there. |
Nov 10th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
I like the diagonal lines form by the animals and by the branch. And the way the youngster at the top looks back is quite endearing. What I really do not like is the upper of the adults has lost its face and that leaves me feeling like some thing is left out. |
Nov 10th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
For me the bird is lovely and as Richard mentioned the tail position is just what this bird does so the hidden part is not an issue one way or the other. Environmental images are fine but the just feels to it is too much and too busy. Especially annoying is the white out of focus branch on the far right. Overall there are too many competing bright areas that together make the bird seem secondary.
In nature shots I dislike vignettes because they look fake but I tried one on this image and it sort of works. What do your think?
|
Nov 10th |
 |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
I like your revised image much better. The issue with the foreground water isn't just that the reflection is not strong it is the the greater amount of water is not contributing to the image. Since the rocky background is somewhat busy and slightly darker than the water, the water draws the eye down and away from your bear. By reducing the water you put more attention on the bear.
If you use Lightroom try selecting the subject with a mask then duplicate and invert the mask so the rocks are selected. Then carefully just slightly reduce the luminance of the rocks. Do not make them dark, they will look fake, just slightly dim the highlights. The bear will literally jump right out at you. Experiment and do not go too far.
|
Nov 6th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Reply |
Thanks Michael. I would take your suggestion and eagerly amend my image IF you would tell me which slider I should move. There are so many. :-) (now I'm joking). I do appreciate your comment. Especially the humor. |
Nov 4th |
| 67 |
Nov 22 |
Comment |
I have been a PSA photo competition judge for a number of years. I also teach 2 PSA online courses (Image Evaluation and Creating Images for Competition). What follows is my explanation speaking as a judge a show your image would be regarded. However, if YOU are satisfied with your image then it is a truly grand image. The only one who has to like your is YOU. If I was in your shoes then I'd make a slight crop then print, frame and hang it on your wall. You made the trip and took the image and it is a great way to remember what your saw.
In competition the are many rules about how the image can be taken and how it can be edited. Those can be found on the PSA website under the nature division. However you are fine as your image has not violated any of those rules. Still you should review these. You might checkout the link below:
https://cdn.ymaws.com/psa-photo.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/pdf/divisions/nd/nd-judges-guide.pdf
As to your specific image the following will explain why your image did not score well. In the nature category the most important feature is storytelling. Your image must tell a story. No clear story, no score. Period! Nature story telling revolves around the four levels noted below. Winning images usually reach level 4 but a level 3 if it has other exceptional qualities such as lighting, exceptional technical skills, or exhibits incredible impact.
Level 1 - Deive stories. These are images that are limited to descriptive information about the subject - shape, color, size and so on - often with the subject in a static position (such as your bear) These are often referred to as portrait images. This would include a deer running or a bird flying.
Level 2 - Behaviour and life cycle stories. These are images that illustrate typical behaviour of the subject or tell a story about part of its rlife cycle. This covers such topics and bird building a nest or flying with nesting material.
Level 3 - Same species interactions. Images at this level illustrate how creatures of the same species (mates, parents/offspring, group members, and so on) interact
Level 4 - Different species interactions. At this level the nature story is often more complex because it involves more than one species. It may also show the result of an interaction.
As for your image, I'd suggest cropping about half of the water at the bottom off. I would also suggest reducing the highlights and trying to recover some of the over exposed area on the left side of the bear. If you have any questions, please ask, I'd be happy to help in any way I can.
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Nov 2nd |
6 comments - 9 replies for Group 67
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11 comments - 14 replies Total
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