|
| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 2 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
I like find the color palette on the left very appealing - the orange and teal are lovely to look at in my opinion. Personally, I think that without the right hand portion of the image there would not be a strong enough center of interest, so my vote would be against dividing it into two or more images. The panoramic crop seems to me to be perfect for this scene. |
Aug 9th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 2
|
| 35 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
I think your decision to add some clouds is correct - the sky adds a lot of interest to the scene and does not compete with the barn. (Isn't it great that all this software has made it so easy for us to do that? Ansel would have loved it!)
To me the tonal range does not quite have enough black - I may be wrong, so you might check in in Silver Efex to see what you have. I like the filters that have sliders for amplify white or amplify back in the contrast section because the let me do some good fine tuning. In any case, if it were my image I would darken the foregorund fence and the drive leading up to the barn.
What a great idea Stuart has suggested I too will be looking at my barn images to see if I can add interest this way. |
Aug 15th |
| 35 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
Like Stuart, I find that the colors in this image are pretty realistic which makes me curious. Some of the third party plug-ins that many of us use have filters that are meant to simulate IR, but they really do not look like the IR that is produced through an IR screw on filter or a conversion camera, and I feel the same may be said for this treatment. Have you considered a screw on IR filter for your camera? They are relatively inexpensive (compared to converting a camera).
In terms of the image as persented I think the old kitchen items are interesting and wonder if you could play with selective adjutments so that they become the center of interest. I think it would require some dodge and burn work - the bright window is currently where my eye wants to come to rest, and I do not believe you meant that to be the focal point. Having said all that, I do like the image - it has potential - and would continue to work on it to make it pop |
Aug 15th |
| 35 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
For me, the best think about this image is the toanl range you have captured.I wish there was boat on the water or another element that would serve as a strong center of interest. I'll bet you have someting in your catalogue that you could put there.
I too looked at the color version in Group 56 and I think it is lovely. This imae may be a diamond in the rough and I encourage you to keep working with it to make it a winner. One tiny nit pick - It looks like there may be a halo along the tops of the trees which could easily be removed. |
Aug 15th |
| 35 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
I think this image has a lot going for it. There is interest in the foreground, middle and background.; and it definitely lends itself to IR in my opinion. I like the zig-zag lines of the pond which lead me back to the interesting structure. I see lots of different textures and I just keep wanting to look around to see all the details. I think Lauren's suggeston is worth trying. This image in a keeper in my opinon. |
Aug 15th |
| 35 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
I think this is a good capture of a "vanishing point" scene. I understand why you wanted to return with a camera. I get the feeling of a pretty desolate location - my eye follows the tracks all the way to the back and it is still just flat open range land. I often wonder how people survived in these locations. So for me, it definitely evokes a feeling of lonliness. I like the prespective you chose. I do believe Debbie has a poing about the tonality of the mountains on the right. I wonder if making then even darker and ttrying to add some structure there would help then separate from the sky a bit more. |
Aug 15th |
| 35 |
Aug 21 |
Reply |
I make 3 exposures and create the HDR using NIK HDR Pro. Most of us in this group are using a combinaton of the CLir Panel and NIK and/or Tapaz Studio. Once I have the HDR image I de-noise using Topaz AI, make selective adjustments in NIK Viveza, then decide on the final look I want and go to either NIK Color Efex Pro 4, OnOne Effects, or Tapaz Studio. The CLir Panel is relatively new - several years on the market - and most of us have been experimenting with it, sort of learning by trial and error and sharing what we learn.
I like the idea of blurring the lettering on the canoes and will try it. Thank you. |
Aug 3rd |
5 comments - 1 reply for Group 35
|
| 38 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
Kurtis, in my opinion this is a fine art photogrpah. Your post processing has enhanced the scene, and I find it very painterly. I also like the way you have cropped it. My only suggestions is that there appears to be a slight halo around the front of the Waxwing. In PS I would use a soft brush on darken to remove that. I know that is a nitpick, but I believe this image is too good to not take care of that one tiny issue. |
Aug 9th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 38
|
| 48 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
Jamie, I love the rich colors you have given this image. To me - even though I am familiar with the subject matter - it has s sense of mystery i.e., how far does this structure go, and what in the world is back there? Like the others, my eye was drawn immediately to the hot triangle on the right. If you can tone it down remove it entirely, this image would have great potential. I might consider using the rectangular marquie in PS, find a patch of brick in the shade tha would work there, selcet>copy>paste and move it over the hot spot. |
Aug 9th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 48
|
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Reply |
So you are a fellow butterfly enthusiast! Wonderful! I have a series of polinator gardens around my house which I add to every year. Your curator is correct. That is why I go out in the morning as soon as there is enough light to shoot. Here in Arkansas it will not be cold again until long after this year's butterflies are gone, but I do try for "cooler" mornings. It was about 70 degrees on this particular morning - about as cool as we can expect here in summer. |
Aug 15th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
I really wish I could zoom in on this more so I could be sure of what I am seeing and my reaction to it. First, I really like the effect of the long exposure on the water. I am a big fan of images with soft," cotton candy" effects on water. Another thing I like about this image is that the position of the rocks allows a smooth path for my eye to travel to be back of the scene and a light path leading me to the Milky Way. I think your post processing is masterful, and you have done as well with the light pollution as possible. To me the Galactic Core looks a tiny bit too pink. My monitor is calibrate, but maybe no one else sees that. One last nitpick (as you say) - would you consider removing the shooting star? |
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
I believe you have done quite well dealing with a very bright contrasty background. The orchid is a perfect specimen and, in my opinon it would be worth the time and effort to continue to improve it. The others have made some good suggestions which I will not repeat. However, I am thinking that if you added a curves layer and tried to pull your darkest tones down even more it might go from greenish to black. Another idea I had was to add a texture to the background so as to make the variations work for you in this image rather than distracting from the beauty of the flower. |
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
For me the golden sidelight on the bird is very pleasing and it contrasts well with the blue background. Good job getting down low - it makes me feel as if I am right there eye-to-eye with the bird. The raised foot gives a sense of motion. It appears the bird is moving forward and slightly its right, so I believe it would help to have more space on the that side of the subjec - I generally try for twice as much space in front as I have behind the subject. As it is I feel it is about to move out of the frame. |
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
As a Hummingbird fancier I immediately pulled out my Sibleys to see which hummer this was (we rarely see anthing but Ruby Throats). I am guessing it is an Anna's, but can't be sure since I can't see the tail.
That is beside the point, I know. You have captured an interesting moment - which is not easy to do given how fast these little guys move around. I do agree that the square crop works because it puts more space in front of the subject - gives him a little room to breathe. Maybe a dark vignette would help take the viewer's attention away from the out of focus bloom on the bottom right. All in all, I like this image and find the colors very pleasing. |
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
It looks to me like the HDR worked well for the shadows - I especialy like that the "folds" inthe mountain on the left are visible. I think you made a good decision to wait until the sun was blow the horizon. The light is still lovely and you did not have to deal with any blown out clouds. I think this is a petty image and quite moody.
|
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
Thanks, Pam. I will give your suggestion a try ans see if it helps. |
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Mike. This is another of those situations where the only way to really get entirely rid of the distracing blooms would be cloning, so I did the best I could to tone them down. |
Aug 12th |
| 52 |
Aug 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Jamie. Butterflies are beautiful but it is sometime hard to catch any interesting action. I was hoping to be able to get the whole story...maybe next time. |
Aug 12th |
6 comments - 3 replies for Group 52
|
| 90 |
Aug 21 |
Comment |
Wow, Dan!. This looks tack sharp to me and there is nothing in the back groudnd to distract me from the subject. I hope to see tis image in NPPC nature competition soon! |
Aug 9th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 90
|
15 comments - 4 replies Total
|
