|
| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Luminar allows you to add your own skies. which I have many, so I think I might join the crowd. The question for me was whether it was ethical, but I guess since all images have always required processing, this is just a new form. |
Apr 30th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I have taken a lot of background and sky images while traveling, and am now going to use Luminar to replace them, so I am happy for the discussions this month. |
Apr 16th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Avoid fire ants at all costs! |
Apr 16th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I'm probably being redundant, but from the time US kids begin to read our eyes begin at the left and work right, across the page. Same for frames. It is a great image nonetheless and doesn't require anything, except to frame it and hang ten, I mean on the wall! |
Apr 16th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
One today is worth two tomorrows. Benjamin Franklin |
Apr 16th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Almost any change is better in my opinion and I like the brighter sky, just not sure how all that paper showing when printed would work. Bob L's version would be a good print which is my media for competition. Dorinda competes in PID. Joe Hearst has necessarily suspended monthly print competition due to virus concerns. |
Apr 14th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I decided after our conversations to go with the flow and admit you can't ignore what beauty is available from using AI technology, and as Stephan mentioned it is already required by his clients. Dorinda has it installed now and loved that most of it is pretty user friendly. |
Apr 14th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
We live near Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the largest employer in Puget Sound, and they have quit sending virus statistics to the county as of 4/1. I assume that the Feds are tracking those numbers. The navy ships pose the greatest threat though, as spaces aboard ships are necessarily made small to maintain water-tight integrity. Stay safe, everyone. |
Apr 14th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Cruise ships may end up out of business, and I am fearful of the tallies the US Navy may sustain. |
Apr 13th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
The brand name didn't bother me either, but I admit it took me a longer look to see that it wasn't an Oriental language, just a fancy font upside down. |
Apr 13th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I agree with Karen and Judy that more sky and fewer birds and people simplify the image, especially for my rather limited brain. |
Apr 13th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I like the extra sky added by cropping the unsupported light pole and birds. Good idea. |
Apr 13th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
If the "diagonal at the top" means the hood shadow my crop excluded that, but if you want it included in any crop you wish to try, I support your decisions always.
You could also make a new layer, copy and invert the bottom of the louvers so they match diagonal direction and place it so the framework is in the middle. I'm pretty sure that Elements supports all those edits, and I know how much you love editing! |
Apr 13th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
All good points, and I am just weighing in. I understand all pros need more time to shoot and less time processing. Cameras themselves already rely on AI to produce the jpeg image on the screen. All of China has been submitting AI produced images with magic dust clouds etc, for years. Film photographers dodged and burned too. I am not anti-technology and in your case please provide the customer a product they wish to buy. I am only wondering if we are straying too far from "fine art" or fair competition. |
Apr 8th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I like your images, the color, tone and sharpness are all really good. I wish there weren't writing on the board as it would be nice flipped horizontally so that the tow rope leads in, rather than out of the frame. The whole series could be a nice montage. |
Apr 8th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I agree with Stephan about the image, but I'm sorry the birds cost extra. I too am studying all the AI programs. The jury in my head is still weighing the evidence. Here is a cheaper crop that eliminates the bird payments, although you'll still need to negotiate with the other photographer in the image. If not recognizable, no pay awarded! |
Apr 8th |
 |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
Not a part of RVN during my tour, but it is quite beautiful. The composition is okay, but I'd rather see more of the rock formations than the cruise ships, but you get what you get during cruises. I remember the monsoons quite well, so I know how rough it would have been to get a good shot. Well done considering the conditions. |
Apr 8th |
 |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I think this image is a great color and shape study. It doesn't make any difference to me that it is a butt shot. In fact I'd cut off his appendages and make it more like what you saw as an image, a fighter plane. This is a quick change and all I did was crop, clone out appendages and level the wings. |
Apr 8th |
 |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
Your image rocks! I like the processing and composition. If you could add some color to the rays, and move them to the left corner where I think the sun is, that would add authenticity. I like your camera position, no mergers on the boat. A good image for the wall in a den. |
Apr 8th |
 |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I like your attempt at what I consider to be a very hard subject to shoot well. Cars are just a way to get from point A to point B for me, so I am missing the passion needed. The image is rather soft, I think, but you have made the colors even. I think the red could pop a bit more, but I know how hard red is to keep from over saturating. B&W is another option. Good abstract. |
Apr 8th |
 |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Washington remains in lock-down at least until May 4th, and schools are now closed for the rest of the year. I'm not sure when my surgery will happen, but not until the threat is over. Thanks for your support.
I'm not against digital compositing, just not sure that eliminating masking via AI technology is good for the future of photographic art. AI to me is just using average image data info to create the base image. I can move my replacement skies around in layers in PS but I don't know yet where I'll stand on any AI fixes. Topaz is also raising ethical questions with it's AI. Just another technology advancement to ponder for me. |
Apr 8th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I am still trying to decide if Luminar is ethical for us. One-click sky replacements are not digital dark room adjustments made by the artist, just a computed enhancement, even if you use a sky from your own files. What are your thoughts? |
Apr 8th |
| 29 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I don't know, but I may have worked this image from a tif file, as that is what I get from Topaz. Your sky selection seems to overwhelm the tree, but maybe that was the point for you. I haven't quite decided yet if I like the idea of one click sky replacement. Too close to cheating for me. |
Apr 8th |
6 comments - 17 replies for Group 29
|
| 30 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I think you have a winning image, and I can't see a sharpness issue myself. I do think a crop and horizontal flip helps. I only did a curves adjustment to add a little more separation from the background, which I believe is allowed in Nature division. |
Apr 15th |
 |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 30
|
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Paul will probably answer too, but there is no "rule" I know of either. What we have in the group are opinions and experiences about each others' images that may, or may not be helpful. As far as I'm concerned your point is quite valid. The bench becomes more a focal point than a reference point for scale. It will be up to Paul as to what he sees as the purpose of the "man in the middle." |
Apr 26th |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I guess that is the real reason for advanced photo editing software. When we cannot move our feet, we have to edit, which is helpful but not yet perfect. Excellent image. |
Apr 15th |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
I will, Thanks |
Apr 12th |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
This image has beautiful color and exposure. The composition is very symmetrical with the exception of the man and bench. I can move the man in PS but the bench would be harder. One or two steps to the right (if available) might have been perfect. |
Apr 12th |
 |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
Another beautiful travel image. Colors and exposure are excellent. You could as Paul recommends, open the shadows up a tad in the mountains. I also find the one tiny cloud in the center to be distracting, and I would remove it. |
Apr 12th |
 |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I really think your composition is great. If you are using NIK (now managed by DxO) there is no better B&W converter than Silver Effects Pro, in my opinion. That being said, you have a couple options in my opinion. You have a greet PJ image and whatever processing they allow you can enter it as a moody image. In a general category, I'd dodge your subject area and burn the foreground and sides some. Excellent image. |
Apr 12th |
 |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I love your composition. I'll just speak to your question. Alpenglow is caused by sunlight reflecting off the clouds, and in this case probably ice crystals in the sky. The reflections are generally strongest at sunrise and sunset. I used auto tone, then HSL sliders to try to increase the rosy reddish hue associated with alpenglow. I wouldn't eliminate the clouds so much. I'd look at the reflected colors in the lake, and if they match your memory (or vision) then I'd try to adjust the color of your sky. In my opinion the clouds add to your image. I would also look to see if in creating your HDR image you had cloud movement (ghosting)that needs attention. You have done a lot of work putting this together for us to enjoy. I want to play John Denver! Rocky Mointain High. |
Apr 12th |
 |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I think your image composition is good, and the image is probably accurate to what you felt and saw on a dreary day. I encourage you to seek your vision.
Like Randy, here is a brighter version, but without the reduction in tourists. I think I prefer fewer people unless they are the subject.
|
Apr 12th |
 |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Comment |
I'll answer your question first. I think that the vignette is probably not needed, and the outline of it is visible especially on the sides. To me there seem to be a couple of areas in the mountains and sky that appear too dark, but when I tried I couldn't do anything about it. I'm wondering if your RAW conversion was done on an older program or version and that is causing the issues. I too like going back through to see if older images I took can be improved by newer versions of software. Thanks for sharing. |
Apr 12th |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Yeah, just a fedora. This is another tour participant. but our guide had a regulation hat. I asked him if I could take a photo, but he didn't want his face to show. Not sure why, but maybe he was a desperado! |
Apr 11th |
 |
| 33 |
Apr 20 |
Reply |
Level isn't a nitpick in my estimation. This is one of my harder images to decide what to use for a reference. See if this seems more level to you. We were all standing around where the sand was not level anywhere. The clouds rolling away did not appear level nor even straight. I am using Auto in LR and don't really have an idea what it is referencing, but it rotated slightly. See if this looks level to you. Seems like I lost space on the left. Click the thumbnail to make it larger. |
Apr 9th |
 |
6 comments - 5 replies for Group 33
|
13 comments - 22 replies Total
|
