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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Nick, I debated about the amount of color to remove. In the original, which is how the flower actually looked, it seemed too much.... almost artificial.
|
Apr 21st |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Thank you, John. I really like a black BG for this kind of image. It's also very easy to do which is nice! |
Apr 21st |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Thank you, Richard. I'm still experimenting with the Helicon software (both Remote and Focus). So, if you buy/use it, I'd love to hear about your experiences. |
Apr 16th |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Thank you, Stephen. The lighting was strictly overhead led shop lights with a white reflector off to the side next to the flower. I was using the Canon 100mm f/2.8L macro lens at about 2.5 feet from the flower. I exposed for a total of 2.5 seconds at f/20, but remember that the 2.5 seconds was the sum of 14 different images.
One thing that really helps my macro photography is my DIY dark-box. Basically, I opened a fairly large cardboard box and gave it a stable "floor" with a sturdy piece of cardboard. (I chose a large box since I wanted room for reflectors, etc.) Then, with the box and "floor" duct-taped securely, I spray painted it with a matte paint that happened to be on sale at Home Depot.
|
Apr 13th |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Phil, you're absolutely right to make this a monochrome! Nice. |
Apr 8th |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
I totally agree with Barbara.... very nice composition and colors! Although I used film for about three decades, I never tried this process. It really is eye-catching.
My eyes tend to go to the circle in the upper middle of the image. Then the green area and the intriguing lines make me take in the rest of the picture. Very nicely done.
|
Apr 8th |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Barbara, in determining the number of images to use for focus stacking, I cheat. (Smiles)
I use some software called Helicon Remote and Helicon Focus. The software runs on my laptop which is connected to my camera using a USB connection. Helicon Remote then shows a live view of my image on my laptop and it also controls the camera.
First, I use the software to focus on the closest point that I want to be in focus and I mark that as Point A. Then I have the software make the camera focus on the farthest point and I mark that as Point B. Helicon Remote then calculates the number of images needed based on both the aperature and the range that needs to be in focus. Next, I click on "Shoot" and Helicon Remote does its magic by making the needed shoots and refocusing my camera between each one.
After all the images are taken, I click on Helicon Focus which does a beautiful job of stacking the images and sending the result to Photoshop.
It's amazing software!
|
Apr 8th |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Phil, your concept is fantastic! Did you pose them for the shot? And, I think your choice of B&W is "right on"! Color would distract from the main focus of the image -- their faces. Well done!
I tried a couple of things to further increase the prominence of their faces. First, I cropped the image a good bit and did a bit of straightening. Then I tried to brighten and "intensify" the boys' faces. Please let me know if this still captures the feeling that you are striving for. |
Apr 8th |
 |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
I really like how the child "fits" into the contour of the man. And, the child's hat being perched sideways really draws my attention to him.
Richard, I don't know how you achieved it, but this image seems quite 3D... possibly because of the BG. Very appealing.
The man's closed eyes and expression almost tell a story, but (to me) the story is too subtle. I'd like to see his eyes open and more of his face, perhaps with him looking intently at the child, or off into the future. I think it might also be good to darken the harness strap a bit. Currently, it draws my eyes away from the figures.
The reflection of the child's coat is very nice, and it helps draw my eyes to him.
Nicely done.
|
Apr 2nd |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Nick, you have the most wonderful composites, and this is one of my favorites. Your choice of the green rays of light was masterful and your hand makes the perfect "anchor" to the image.
At first the fact that the rays of light don't emanate directly from the frog bothered me. However, I think that they would hide too much of your hand if they extended that far. Thus, I really don't have anything constructive that I can add.
Nicely done.
|
Apr 2nd |
| 5 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Barbara, I really like the BG that you've used for this image. The color and the fact that it has a bit of texture really set off the flowers.
The flower on the right doesn't seem to me to be sharp and I find that disturbing. Thus, I tried removing that flower and adding a tiny amount of vignetting (if that's a word). At the same time, I attempted to give a bit more prominence to the new right-most flower. Your thoughts? |
Apr 2nd |
 |
6 comments - 5 replies for Group 5
|
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
It's my understanding that a release is not needed in a public place OR if the photo is newsworthy. However, if a photo is going to be used to promote a product or service, then a release is required... even if the picture was made in a public place. |
Apr 9th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Here's roughly how it would look with a bit more space over the phone. To me, it seems to be a little more "natural".
|
Apr 9th |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
LOL... Nick "creates" very unusual photographs, usually by combining multiple images. He's obviously creative but I agree with you, it's not a style that especially appeals to me. |
Apr 6th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
I like the reduced lighting on the table items and the less prevalent overhead light. However, I like seeing the waitress' legs and feet in LuAnn's original image. |
Apr 5th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Hattie, I completely agree with your idea of leaving more space around the picture. Some people take this to the extreme and produce amazing images... sort of like finding a picture within the photograph. The most amazing example of this that I've seen is a picture by David Cooke. If you get a chance, take a look at his before and after images in Group 5's July, 2017 round. (It's worth looking at his other rounds too, but since he travels, there are no submissions for some months.) |
Apr 5th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Paul, a "work in progress" doesn't need to be at any particular stage. The important thing is to submit it at a time that the group input will be the most valuable to you. I'm a member of Study Group 5 in addition to our group and if you look back through the months you'll see that some of my submission were very early in my editing process, while others were in a state that I was (almost) happy with. |
Apr 4th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Hattie, it's interesting that I hadn't initially noticed the picture's tilt. But, now that you mention it, it's quite apparent. Good observation!
|
Apr 4th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Hello, Hattie! Good to see you!
My original B&W submission had the back of a vehicle showing in the reflection to the left of Lincoln's face. I'm not sure it was a van or the back of a pickup truck. Nonetheless, based on LuAnn's imput I posted an image with the offending vehicle removed.
Thank you for your compliments!
|
Apr 4th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Pandula, this is a fantastic picture and your post-processing was outstanding! I agree with LuAnn's comments and I think your adjustments were excellent. I couldn't help but wonder if cropping the top and left side of the photo would be beneficial, so I gave it a try. The cropped image puts the train and the man walking on the tracks at the "magic third" of the image... but this isn't a "rule" that I really care about and I'm not sure it helps your picture. Nonetheless, please let me know what you think.
A fantastic photograph. Well done!
|
Apr 4th |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
LuAnn, thank you for your input! I totally agree that the van is an unfortunate anachronism (I've always wanted to use that word... smiles). Thus, I attempted to eliminate it in the image below. I tried adding a catch light in Lincoln's eyes, but it just didn't look right since it's a bust of him.
Again, thank you for the suggestion! |
Apr 4th |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Thank you, LuAnn. I read your story and see why you left the picture as it was. (It was an excellent story about a fascinating bit of history.) I've always loved diners and similar "places from the past".
I was a user/subscriber of Lynda.com for many years and learned a great deal from her excellent tutorials. At one point I also subscribed to Kelbyone.com but soon realized that the duplication between the two sites was too high to justify the added expense. I dropped Lynda.com since, at that time, Kelbyone.com offered more tutorials that met my interests. Frankly, I think they are both outstanding ways to learn.
Now, back to your image... smiles.
Although I understand that your intent is to focus on the diner and not just the three individuals in the front of the picture, I suggest a couple of changes. First, the brightness of the sugar and glasses keeps my eyes from easily moving back through the photograph. Also, I find the partial group of coat hangers a bit distracting. If it had been a complete set of hangers, then it would have been great. Finally, since you're showing the activity in the diner, I really like the fact that there is another customer at the end of the diner and that he's talking to the chef. But, I didn't see who they were or what they were doing until you pointed it out to me. If there had been a way to make them a bit more obvious when you took the picture, it would have been perfect! Perhaps a lens with a slightly longer focal length and angle would have captured them in their element.
However, as I mentioned initially, this is an excellent picture that shows the unique feelings of an historic diner in the middle of the night. It's both intimate and intriguing.
VERY well done!
|
Apr 4th |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Hattie, now when I look at our two images side-by-side, I see that one thing missing in mine is the brightness of their eyes. Your image captured that nicely. So, here's a slightly modified attempt. |
Apr 2nd |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
[This was an offline conversation that would have been done here if our group were already active.]
Hattie, I love the composition and the fact that it tells a story. Also, the expressions of the couple are wonderful, especially the woman's. I also think that you cropped the image very nicely to create a good balance and to emphasize the people and the smart phone.
Personally, I thought there was a bit too much contrast. The faces are a little too bright in spots and too dark in other areas. Also, I found the darks in the jackets and the surrounding areas somewhat overwhelming. I played with it a bit and came up with the attached photo. I mostly used the adjustment brush in Camera Raw (same as the Lightroom Develop capabilities if you're more familiar with those). I added a significant amount of clarity to the man's hand and phone in an attempt to make it stand out.
What do you think?
|
Apr 2nd |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Those of us who started with film fondly remember Tri-X and the amazement when Kodak announced the T-MAX series of B&W films. Just imagine, you could push-process it and go all the way up to ISO 3200 (LOL).
By all means, please try some of your other negatives and slides. It would be a real treat to see them! |
Apr 2nd |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Thank you Paul, very kind words. This particular image was a challenge since I was certain that there would be differing opinions about the reflections. I was hoping that they would add context instead of being distractions. |
Apr 2nd |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Reply |
Patrick, I've been using Photoshop (and teaching it) for decades and there's still a huge amount that I don't know. And, that's further complicated by the fact that Adobe continues to change/improve it. I've found that youtube tutorials on the various features are invaluable... especially since you can "work along" with them. |
Apr 2nd |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Paul, this image fascinates me. At first, I thought you had submitted two totally different pictures. Only after closer examination did I realize how you had changed the original photograph to create the final image. Your adjustments of the lighting and the addition of the clouds were excellent. The photograph really zings.
I especially like the fact that you have a strong foreground, middle ground and background. They draw my eyes into the picture in a very dramatic way.
My only suggestion, a nit, is to lighten the distance mountains just a bit so that it's easier to see detail in them. Also, I added a touch of light to the near ridge to make it a little more distinct. Below is what I came up with. Your thoughts?
It's really a nice shot and outstanding post-processing. I think you handled the non-flat negative extremely well.
Nicely done!
|
Apr 1st |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
I love the intimacy of this photograph. It really feels like a diner at midnight. The waitress and two customers are wonderfully positioned in the image and the fact that the rest of the diner stretches out behind them gives perfect context to the photo.
Removing the hat and tripod was well done. I don't see any trace of them in your final image. Although you may be new to Photoshop, you've clearly mastered the use of the clone tool.
In an attempt to make the photograph even more intimate, I tried simplifying it a bit more by eliminating the two customers at the far end of the diner. I also removed the partial set of coat hangers at the top left of the picture. And, to further draw attention to the three central characters, I slightly darkened some of the brighter objects (long row of fluorescent lights, the sugar container, the water glass, etc.). I'm not sure that these changes made a significant difference to the picture. Please take a look below and let me know what you think.
BTW, many photographers swear by the value of the free NIK collection of Photoshop plugins. One of my favorite parts of the collection is the Silver Efex Pro 2 plugin which does an excellent job of converting to B&W. If you aren't already familiar with it you might find it worthwhile to try.
LuAnn, I really like this picture. It's one of those that made me immediately think, "I wish I had taken that." Well done.
|
Apr 1st |
 |
| 62 |
Apr 18 |
Comment |
Patrick, I think you did an amazing job capturing and post-processing this image. The fact that only the single skater's face is in focus truly draws the viewer's attention. And, the remainder of the image shows a sense of motion beautifully and cries out "speed".
The fact that the in-focus skater's uniform is darker than anything else in the picture also makes her the clear center of attention. It reinforces the importance of that skater in the image.
I attempted to crop the image a bit more at the top and also tried cloning out the blurry skaters behind the in-focus skater. However, I didn't think this improved your outstanding picture.
It amazes me that you were able to achieve this result with the panning that you did. I've never had much luck with this technique.
Extremely well done! |
Apr 1st |
6 comments - 13 replies for Group 62
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12 comments - 18 replies Total
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