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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
I really like this one too. The one you submitted when you first joined the group is different still... |
Dec 28th |
 |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
I'm an expert at giving up and throwing away many of my photographs! lol
After using DeNoise AI, I often use Topaz's Sharpen AI plugin. It frequently does an excellent job with sharpening. Additionally, it can help to use the new Lightroom/Photoshop masking tools... especially the brush. Simply make it small enough to cover the eye and add a bit of clarity. (Note that the Adobe sharpening tools aren't very good.)
|
Dec 14th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
There are a number of tools available. Both Lightroom and Photoshop (including the Camera Raw filter if you have a raw format) have cropping tools. Is that the kind of thing you're looking for? |
Dec 14th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Each time someone in our study group makes suggestions or comments on one of my images, I learn something. That's true even if I don't completely agree with what they are saying.
If you get stuck with your editing (especially when using Photoshop), let me know and I'll see if I can help. |
Dec 13th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Sophia, I used the Camera Raw filter of Photoshop. It's the same program that's used in the latest version of Lightroom Classic's develop module. Using the new masking tool, I selected the subject and then clicked on invert. At that point everything except the birds was selected. I then lowered the exposure a bit, making the water darker. Next, I added another mask and again selected the subject. This gave a good selection of the birds. I then added just a bit of clarity and texture so that they would be even "crisper".
Hopefully, this makes sense. If not, let me know and I'll see if I can offer more help.
|
Dec 13th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Richard, you've captured a study in humanity. It's a fascinating image and provides both intrigue (what is the lady thinking) and a story. I love the expressions and how they differ. Well seen and well captured.
To me, the image's primary points of interest are the two people. Because I found the background a bit distracting, I played with the photograph in Photoshop and Camera Raw to see how I might further highlight the people.
Your thoughts?
|
Dec 12th |
 |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Sophia, I completely understand. I always find it difficult to add to what everyone else has said. So, I usually try to comment early.
Happy to have you in the group! |
Dec 12th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Sophia, welcome to the group! Glad to have you join in!
Since I spent my college years in South Carolina but had never heard of Green Pond, I looked it up. (Thanks, Google.) What a fascinating area! It looks like a treasure chest for photographers.
Your Ring-billed gull image is wonderful. I love the action and the position of the upper gull's wings. Also, I think it was a good idea to crop the reeds from the top of the photograph. The whole image speaks well of your Nikon/Lens combination AND your skill as a photographer! Well done!
You'll probably discover that I enjoy playing with images that I especially enjoy. It's how I practice my post-processing. Using your image, I slightly darkened the water and added a tiny bit of contrast to the birds. Also, I cropped off most of the reflection of the reeds at the top of the image. The changes were certainly not extensive, but it was fun. Your thoughts?
|
Dec 12th |
 |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Candia, I'm having trouble with this image. My first thought was that there was a relationship between the legs and the hand. Maybe a "disconnected man". Then, reading your description, I understood your concept. It's very clever; however, for me, it needs to be a bit more obvious.
But, as David pointed out, we aren't taking pictures for each other. Instead, it's how we feel about them that's important.
|
Dec 8th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Mark, this is a fabulous image. You really did a wonderful job capturing and processing it!
Like others, I feel that it would be useful to crop the sky, since to me, the focus of your image is the magnificent sunset and the water with its reflections. In addition to that modification, I attempted to make the sky/clouds "glow" and bit and to also lightly emphasize the waves and provide a tiny bit of detail in the land on the right of the photograph. Your thoughts?
|
Dec 6th |
 |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Barbara, you did a wonderful job with the timing of this photograph. I love the fact that the bull has all his hoofs in the air. Since the rider's raised arm leads my eyes down to his face, it doesn't bother me that I can only see a portion of the face.
The additional spot healing has been well-discussed so I won't mention it. However, I really like the vignette that David added. It's sufficiently subtle but definitely helps emphasize the subject.
|
Dec 6th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
David, I like your modifications... especially to the lighting. Your version of the image helps pull my eyes into the line of geese while still leaving them as the center of interest. Thank you!
|
Dec 6th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Interesting questions, Mark. Good "food for thought". To me, the scene was about the dilemma facing the lead goose. Or, as Shakespeare might have put it, "To leap or not to leap, that is the question". Although the image is clearly about the birds, I felt that the surrounding area added to their apparent thoughts. If, for example, there were no land showing on the opposite side of the stream, then they would appear to simply be looking out over the water. |
Dec 6th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Richard, I originally played with a tight crop but felt that the context added to the feeling of the ducks' travels. I made a minor crop but left much of the background intact. |
Dec 6th |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Thank you, Candia. I attempted to incorporate your suggestions; however, instead of re-cropping, I simply brightened the ice leading up to the geese.
|
Dec 4th |
 |
| 5 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Wonderful capture and post-processing, David! I love your cropping and your decision to remove the people. Also, your use of color to draw attention to the three people is excellent... though the faces feel just a bit too saturated to me.
This is quite reminiscent of the first image you submitted in January 2017. Both are outstanding, but it's interesting to see the improvements/changes in your post. Well done!!
|
Dec 4th |
6 comments - 10 replies for Group 5
|
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Bob, you've got my Thumb's Up! I like the zoom effect very much. With the placement of the center of the zoom, you might consider a bit more cropping on the left. However, it's definitely a winner! Well done!
|
Dec 19th |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Bob, I think your imagination and creativity are wonderful! Although I like your submission for December, my favorite is Original 3. That image has a moodiness about it that is captivating. As others have mentioned, I think a focus point might help make the image even more compelling. With that in mind, I did a bit of playing in Photoshop and Camera Raw. A bit of cropping seemed to me to provide a nicely balanced photograph. That was followed by providing an area of interest. This was accomplished by brightening and increasing the contrast of the most prominent "spider web". That was followed by a second use of the gradient radiant tool to darken the areas outside of the prominent web.
I don't know how successful my efforts were, but I certainly had fun doing it. Your thoughts?
|
Dec 17th |
 |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Bunny, I understand completely. When my wife and I took a river cruise several years ago, I found that the water being pumped out was fascinating. Some countries were actually objecting to the locks since they said that it significantly altered the river's flow. However, Germany came up with an innovative way to avoid the problem. Wish I could remember the details!
In any event, thank you for providing such a wonderful image to play with!
|
Dec 11th |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Bunny, your image offered a wonderful opportunity for me to play with some of the new capabilities in PS and ACR. I probably went overboard (no pun intended).
Since I found the bright water to the right of the image a bit distracting, I cropped it out. Then, I felt that the lock "door" became the highlight, so I brightened it and modified the lighting to lead the eye in that direction. I'm certainly not sure that it was all successful, but it was fun!
Your thoughts?
|
Dec 11th |
 |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Leah, I struggled with your submission this month. Somehow it didn't feel balanced to me. I actually liked the idea of including only a portion of the sign, since this provided intrigue. I finally decided that it might be the bland expanse of sky that bothered me. So, I tried a sky replacement and also cropping out a good bit of the top. I just used one of the skies included in Photoshop. (If it were my photograph, I wouldn't do that but would use one of my own sky images.)
What do you think?
|
Dec 7th |
 |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Emil, it's really impossible for me to suggest any modifications to your image. You did an outstanding job converting a wonderful color image into a memorable B&W. I like how you eliminated the distracting bright object on the hood outside the right window. And, the dark steering wheel is set off beautifully by the contrast in the monochrome. Well done!
|
Dec 7th |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Sure! I find that I use the brush about 60% of the time and the radial gradient tool about 30% of the time. They provide fantastic masking capabilities. |
Dec 6th |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Bunny, I'm glad you like the change. It was pretty simple to achieve. I use PS and its Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) filter, but the LR Classic develop module could be used the same way. All I did was select the new ACR masking tool and choose the radial gradient option. Then I drew an ellipse around the cranes in the center of the foreground (with moderate feathering). Next, it was easy to use the clarity, dehaze, texture, and sharpen sliders to bring the cranes in the ellipse into a stronger visible presence.
I hope that makes sense. If you haven't tried the new masking tool of ACR and LRC, give them a try. I think you'll be amazed at their power.
|
Dec 6th |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Israel, there is a wonderful feeling that I get when viewing your image. It brings thoughts of nature and the treasures of the past. Very well done!
Like Bob pointed out (and Bunny confirmed), I thought that having a group of birds that stood out might capture the viewers' eyes before they move through the rest of the image. With that in mind, I tried to bring some of the nearby cranes into a sharper focus and contrast. Your thoughts?
|
Dec 5th |
 |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Reply |
Thank you, Bunny. I don't give enough thought to the titles I use for my images, but you're right... they can add a lot. I'll give more thought to it in the future.
Unfortunately, the other images that I found were mostly of old statues that were scattered around the annex grounds. Since that subject gets into the topic of "photographs of the art of others", I decided not to use them.
|
Dec 5th |
| 62 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Sheesh, now I feel "guilty" since I thought it was a very sensual image. lol
Nonetheless, it's truly well done. I love the lighting on the table. The small, relatively bright patch of light behind the pears definitely accomplishes your goal. My eyes started with the pears but then traveled back to that light area. Nicely designed!
I tried adding even more contrast to the pears so that the dark side almost merged with the dark background. Not sure that's an improvement... your thoughts?
|
Dec 5th |
 |
7 comments - 4 replies for Group 62
|
| 84 |
Dec 21 |
Comment |
Kamal, this is an extraordinary video. You are definitely a Super Hero (as Dick said)! The attempts to resuscitate the patient by giving him chest compressions were amazing. I found myself pulling for him and wanting to see signs of movement.
Your skills as a videographer are top-notch, and your personal characteristics are clearly those of a true humanitarian. My hat's off to you!
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Dec 19th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 84
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14 comments - 14 replies Total
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