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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
Ahh, so you did notice all the layers! As for size ratio, well I never even think about that. My basic rule for cropping, is just to crop for what ever looks goods the best. d If I decide to frame it, there is always a matte used and the window in the matte is cut to the size of the image. I hate being confined by pre-ordained sizes. The only time I worry about size ratio is if a client requires a particular size. |
Jun 30th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
Thanks Bill. There was a great deal of mist swirling everywhere. That is a typical Florida thing. As for processing I actually did very little but I should have darkened the reflection makes me mad because I know better. What really bothers me is that one cloud on the left---that is what looks fake--almost plastic. |
Jun 30th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
Thanks. Some images just seem to come together naturally. This was one. |
Jun 30th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
After I posted this and saw it on the forum I noticed the reflection was too bright. You are so right, it should be a shade darker then the actual sky. You have told me this before, guess I'm just a slow learner. :-) |
Jun 30th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
Thanks I appreciate your comment. |
Jun 30th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
For me the composition mostly works and I do like the zig-zag nature of the run of the falls. I do feel the inclusion of the sky at the top is not necessary, it is a bright area that does not contribute anything to the picture of the falls. I also feel the colors feel quite a bit off. There just seems to be too much green. I do not mind the tints in the water, sometimes that is just the way it is, but an adjustment to the white balance may yield a more natural appearing image. |
Jun 23rd |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
I feel like your editing of the image has brought some like to the scene but the image now has a but of a crunchy feeling to it. You may want to back off a bit with sharpening, clarity and perhaps dehaze.
For me the beauty of ruins such as these is to be able to examine them. while the wide angle lens does capture everything I can really see the detail of only the empty foreground. While it is clearly your choice as to how much to show, I feel I would prefer a closer view. This angle of view may work for something such as the Roman Forum where clear portions of buildings still stand, but to me this is just a pile of broken bricks. |
Jun 23rd |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
So often these "spur of the moment" shots turn out to be photographic gold. This one really worked out quite well. Like you I'm so often grateful that my wife will tag along for excursions such as this. You are a lucky lady. The addition of magenta to the sky adds some interest but as I'm a great lover of the blue hour I may not have added quite as much.
I think the street light is quite powerful and add much to the image. For me, I'd crop out the far left light post as it seems to draw my eye to the right and away from the drama happening on the right side of the images. |
Jun 20th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
I really like the character of the old stone bridge. for me the bridge makes the image. At first i thought the water spot onthe lens was just a cloud of mist on the hillside and thus it didn't bother me. then I thought as long as you were using AI technology to remove people. Why not try the Generative Fill of Photoshop and remove the lens spot?
I know it is a personal bias but I really hate white skies and find this sky to be especially annoying My only suggestion would be to crop down from the top and eliminate as much of that white sky as possible. |
Jun 20th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
You are so lucky to have gotten this shot before climate change reared its ugly head. So much of the coast line has change and any of these lovely homes are just no more. I think you have captured the cheerful character of the Outer Banks. I feel the bright color make this engaging and cheerful. After much thought, I just like this as it is. |
Jun 20th |
| 36 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
First I really like the color palette. The limited color give more weight to each individual color and add drama and I think the simplicity of the subject. I think I'd remove the dark cloud at the top as it would move the horizon to a higher position and even make the posts look more dominate.
This a a really impressive image |
Jun 20th |
6 comments - 5 replies for Group 36
|
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
Cindy makes a really good point. When ever I shoot a bird on a stick my first shot is just to get a picture of it before it takes flight. But I highly recommend that after getting that first shot that several more shots should be taken of the subject but change something in the shot. Perhaps a camera setting--likely aperture but also consider a different camera angle. It does little good to take twenty shots that are all the same.
After a few shots I suggest setting up everything to be ready for that taking flight shot.Since the bird will take off INTO the wind pump up the shutter speed (may require a raised ISO) and also position the subject in the viewfinder so it is off to one side. then when it stakes flight you are ready for the shot, It does take some patience :-) |
Jun 12th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
If you are taking the Photoshop course be sure you have an understanding of dodging and burning and how to use masks. These are editing skills that are vital.
I would be thrilled and honored to have you as a student in the Creating Images for Competition course.
Enjoy Photoshop! :-) |
Jun 10th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
Absolutely I would sacrifice bokeh for clarity/sharpness!!
This is a Nature image and as such the STORY element is the most important part. Nature does not always allow for "pretty" images so while composing the scene is important having perfect bokeh is generally excused, especially if the story is poweerful. This image has done pretty well in two PSA competitions, earning a Honorable Mention and a Bronze medal. It is the story, the sharpness and the visible eyes that make the difference. This is interaction between species and that is a level 4 (the highest) nature story. |
Jun 10th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
I like the action and the full spread of the wings. You certainly got a fast enough shutter to freeze the action. Getting those white heads is always a struggle. I would suggestnot shooting on bright days (I prefer cloudy) and even then underexposing by a stop to save the heads. While I like the wing spread and the action I would prefer to see them coming move towards the camera. Remember nature images value getting the eye to be visible. Also, I need some help here, what happened to that tail? Is he tucking in underneath his body to bank? I just have not seen a black tail before. I also think the image is a bit over sharpened--probably as a result of the deep crop. Still it is always good the get eagles in flight. |
Jun 9th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
I really love these little, but flighty birds. We get them here in Florida in the winter and I really like the color they bring to the feeders. The D500 does a nice job making the capture. Personally I like the flip. Having the bird come toward me as I read the image adds greater impact. I can't tell if the image is still sharp with the deep crop because the image just does not show large enough on the screen. Thanks for sharing this beauty. |
Jun 9th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
Clearly you interrupted an important conversation between Mr and Mrs Duck. I sort of like the concept of the image, ducks on the pond on a foggy and dreary morning. But for me the image is just way too busy. But then I like simplicity in an image. I did a bit of cropping especially to cleanup the foreground and brought up the saturation a bit as it looked a bit washed out. It changes the feel of the image and that may not be to your liking, in which case I'm clueless. I do like the ducks, I just want to see them a bit better. |
Jun 9th |
 |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
I think you meant this comment for a different image. But what do I know?????
As for a warming filter---if you open Photoshop then at the bar at thetop of the screen click on Image>Adjustment>PhotoFilter when this opens you can select either warmfilters (they come in degrees of orange) or cooling filters (they come in degrees of blue) These will them be applied to the entire image.
Basically adding any of the warm colors will "warm" the image
|
Jun 9th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
I really like the image. It has a great deal of immediate visual impact. BUT I've got to say that after the initial "WOW my follow up impression is OH, No! The light on the front makes it look "other worldly" The sun cannot light the front while setting behind the mountain. Unless was live inthe world of Avatar where there are TWO suns. Thee is still a great deal of light in the area so maybe if you toned the front of the mountain a bit darker this would work. Still it is really pretty. |
Jun 9th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Reply |
Thanks Susan
The secret here is the 1/1500 shutter speed. If you want clear sharp images a fast shutter is your best friend. The original is a bit dark, but Lightroom masks make opening shadows really easy. There is some light coming in through trees from the high right and the birds are in the area of light so that helps them look a bit better. So the shutter was the key. The 7.1 aperture gave just about enough DOF and getting a focus lock on the spoonbill also helped.
Thanks for looking, |
Jun 9th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
Just a follow up thought. The two highest levels of nature stories and interaction between members of the same species and interaction between members of different species. This is usually expressed by nurturing young, or feeding young in the first instance and in the second instance a predator attacking prey. How can images like this be used to tell a better story? |
Jun 4th |
| 67 |
Jun 24 |
Comment |
I find this to be an interesting Nature Story. It is one that you see and know the fullback story so the story is richer for you. I see and understand the story but I have doubts that a judge would be as lenient. This is a topic that I think is worth exploring. How does one get the story across in a single frame given the limitations of cameras and lenses. This has frustrated me for years. I have a shot of a female stilt shielding her young while the male is playing broken wing as he tries to lure the approaching gator away. I can't put it together with adequate focus for a viewer to understand. I think (wish) the approaching/attacking bird was a bit more in focus but just how much DOF can you get into a shot like this? could you have raised the ISO to 800 or more and thus raise the aperture to f11? would that have even made a measurable difference.
I think this is a great topic for the group to discuss. Maybe we could get everyone to submit an image centered around this topic maybe by August and then discuss how this topic could be dealt with to advantage in the field. I'd love to know the thoughts of everyone else.
I do not mind the white flower since there is a bird that is part of the story sitting on the flower and that the flower brings in the concept of defending a food supply which adds strength to the story. Actually I think the composition as you show it enhances the story and that you used the composition more effectively than most would have.
I tried to use composition to enhance the story in my image this month. Some judges liked it, most hated it. So this brings up the thought just how much can composition add to an image and a story. This is something else we could discuss as a group. |
Jun 4th |
7 comments - 4 replies for Group 67
|
13 comments - 9 replies Total
|
