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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 5 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Richard, I love this photograph for many reasons. First, it is beautifully composed and processed. Second, I lived in Taiwan when I was a young teenager and saw rice paddies being plowed just the way your image shows. Wonderful memories!
Since I enjoy playing with images that are especially meaningful to me, I tried to see what I could do... using the comments of others in our study group, plus adding a bit of vignette. Your thoughts?
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Nov 16th |
 |
| 5 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Mark, my sharpening was fairly straightforward. First I selected the orange center of the flower in Photoshop... using a significant feather. Then I used the Topaz Sharpen AI filter. (I've found that the Topaz AI filters are amazing.)
|
Nov 3rd |
| 5 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Mark, this is an incredibly beautiful image. The colors are spectacular and the way that the viewer's eye immediately moves to the red center of the flower is amazing. And, even the red lines in the pedals lead to that point of interest. Absolutely fantastic.
I did have a small problem with the center of the flower. It doesn't appear to be perfectly sharp. So, I played with it in Photoshop (using my favorite sharpening technique) to see what I could do. While I was at it, I also played a bit with the contrast. What do you think?
|
Nov 2nd |
 |
| 5 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Barbara, this is such an elegant image! It is perfect -- composition, tones, concept, focus, and cropping. I love the soft folds behind the flowers. Their shapes accent the shape of the flowers and the vase. And, the image would not have nearly the same appeal if you hadn't included the beads trailing down the vase and piled in the fabric below. A beautifully created image. Well done!
|
Nov 1st |
3 comments - 1 reply for Group 5
|
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
LuAnn, I must admit, I have no idea of the type of lily. lol
Your edit is amazing. Using the petals as a foundation and divider for the image is brilliant. It gives a base for the critical stamen which now seems like a royal offering. I really like it. But, for me, the most extraordinary aspect of your creation is the imagination that it required.
I am astounded. Thank you for doing this. It provides an insight into another approach for seeing beauty.
|
Nov 25th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Thank you, Bob. As I mentioned to Leah, I wanted to emphasize the stamen and the colors of the original photograph seemed to distract from that focus. |
Nov 12th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Leah, I couldn't agree more. Exploring the archives allows one to bring new skills and software capabilities to old, promising shots. Like you, I prefer the B&W version. The original has some merits, but I wanted to emphasize the "ball at the end of the stamen" and the color seemed to distract from it. |
Nov 12th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Thank you, Emil. I occasionally use a tripod, but prefer not to need to carry one. My new camera claims over 7 stops of image stabilization. I haven't had the opportunity to put it to the test yet, but if it does even close to that the need for a tripod will diminish.
|
Nov 12th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Nice job, LuAnn! I like how you brightened the darker areas of the photograph! Well done! |
Nov 11th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Israel, that's wonderful volunteer work that you're doing! I'm sure that your photographs are extremely meaningful to the soldiers and their families. And, what's more, they will remain as valuable keepsakes in the years ahead.
|
Nov 11th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Leah, if you aren't already using the Nik control points, I think you'd find them very useful. There are several Youtube videos about them.
|
Nov 10th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Thank you, Stephen. I debated about including the stem on the right of the image, but decided that it would be "another nice photograph of a flower" without something that is a bit different. I'm also eager to hear input from folks like you and the study group members. |
Nov 4th |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Emil, I kept returning to look at your image. After the 4th or 5th viewing (and after reading about Artisan Pro X), I decided to try playing with it in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. You achieved such a wonderful smooth tonal range that I wanted to see if I could come close to your success. Starting with your original color image, I delved into Silver Efex to see what I could do. I used control points to lighten/darken selected areas. Also, I did a bit of toning since that seemed to fit the old car.
Frankly, when I compare your image with mine, it's hard for me to determine if I made any improvements.... or even came close to the one you created. Your thoughts?
|
Nov 3rd |
 |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Bob, this is wonderful. As you know, I'm intrigued by images of old, rusty vehicles.... and yours is an excellent example. The rain makes this a bit different, which is great.
Your image might benefit by having a bit more space in front of the truck. But, other than that, I have no suggestions.
Well done.
|
Nov 2nd |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Leah, this is not only a very well-made image, but it is a bit nostalgic for me. Something that few people know is that I own a farm in Georgia where my father was born and raised. Then about 40 years ago, he gave me a gift. It was an old Ford pickup truck. He had painted the body red and the Ford on the rear white. The brush strokes were quite obvious since he was definitely not an artist. (LOL) Well, I still have that old pickup truck under a cover on my farm. And, frankly, I had forgotten all about it until I saw your image.
I really like your handling of this photograph. You managed to bring out all of the wonderful character reflected in the paint. And the rear of the horse brought a smile to my face. I don't have any suggestions for improvement. But, I do have a heart-felt thank you for reviving a cherished memory.
|
Nov 1st |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Reply |
Israel, I'm always happy to share my thoughts. But, it's your opinion that really matters.
I find that the comments and suggestions from you and others in our study group often (but not always) leads me to reevaluate and change my initial thoughts. For me, this is a tremendous learning experience. Thank you! |
Nov 1st |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
Israel, I REALLY love this image. It captures the feeling of history. The tractor was a fantastic "find". Your family vacation together sounds like a tradition that will be rich throughout the lives of the children, grandchildren, etc. I can't think of a more valuable gift.
Your post-processing is well done, providing excellent tones. And the composition of the photograph is wonderful.
As with many of the photographs that I like, I played with yours in Photoshop and Camera Raw. I changed the lighting a bit to emphasize the tractor and added a bit of "space" in front and below the tractor. I was hoping to give it some room to move forward. Your thoughts?
|
Nov 1st |
 |
| 62 |
Nov 20 |
Comment |
LuAnn, like you I really like images of old, rusty metal. And, your image is a fantastic example of why photographs of this type are so appealing. Your post-processing is outstanding. I love the tones that you obtained and the "dark feeling" that you're so accomplished at producing fits this perfectly! I also think your camera settings were excellent. You managed to keep every bit of the subject in perfect focus while blurring the background. Nicely done!
My only minor suggestion pertains to cropping. I think that trimming a bit off the left side might enhance the image. I'll attach a sample of what I did to try it. Somehow (to me) it seems to further emphasize both the wonderful spider web as well as the strong diagonal. Your thoughts?
|
Nov 1st |
 |
5 comments - 9 replies for Group 62
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8 comments - 10 replies Total
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