|
| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Hi Mary Ann,
Yes, I noted in a comment above that you are supposedly able to do this in Photoshop with a half-toning sketch filter. It is fun to change things up a bit in what we photograph.
LT |
Mar 30th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I saw a YouTube video by Marty at Blue Lightning TV on 'Photoshop Tutorial: How to make a POP ART portrait from a Photo!; from 2013' He edits in Photoshop and uses a half-toning sketch filter; he said this is something Andy Warhol did with Marilyn Monroe images.
It's fun to try different things.
LT |
Mar 30th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
You're right, Michael, we all like something different and that is good. The 'meanwhile' statement came with the graphic texture. Now that you say Lichtenstein adds text, that makes it all the more fitting. I love textures my favorite way to edit for now.
LT |
Mar 30th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Ruth, I have never done retro and with the limited color palette, this application really makes the image stand out. I like the phrase too, meanwhile, as if the parked vehicles have something to say while they wait.
LT |
Mar 30th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I'm glad you like!
LT |
Mar 27th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thank you, Mary Ann, I hope your class is going well!
LT |
Mar 27th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hi Lisa,
Interesting photo, Lisa! I have never been to this location but hear it can be exciting to checkout.
I read everyone's comments and considered this photo for a while. It is uneventful but that is not a bad thing. I came up with a completely off-the-wall idea so you will have to let me know what you think. This is very abstract but seems perfect for a simple scene. It is called Roy Lichtenstein Pop Art and it does pop!
If nothing else, it is creative.
Hope you're doing well.
LT |
Mar 27th |
 |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Nice photo, Kieu-Hahn! I see your dilemma photographing black on black. Unfortunately, if the scene would have had sidelight or rim light this would have helped illuminate the drummer and separate him. I wonder, maybe because of the flames on his shirt, that is how he wanted the audience to see him; playing so well flames were coming out of the instrument; just a thought.
I appreciate Michael's attempt at separating him from the background, except the sample edit looks like it was edited; there are white halo's going around the man; maybe this came from the original image as I see them there too.
One option you might try, Kieu-Hahn, is to change the luminosity of the shirt to a lighter tone and darken the black background to pure black. You would need to mask the shirt to do this and Photoshop would probably be the best tool.
Any thoughts?
LT |
Mar 27th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Ruth,
Another option for a plain sky is to use a canvas texture. I added one in my sample through Topaz Studio 2. I do a lot of black and white images and one of my favorites was a sailing vessel in a bay. The sky was void of clouds after a storm but the mood was awesome. I added a watercolor texture and it made the image look like it was on the canvas.
Do you use textures?
LuAnn
|
Mar 20th |
 |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hello Randy,
Nice capture of your fellow gardener. I wish I could grow orchids, but I do not have a green thumb for botanicals as hard as I try.
I read through the comments and liked Kieu-Hanh's comment about the original version of the photo. She has a good point about including necessary details to complete this story.
Here is my version with a new crop and color balancing. I used a Marie Baersch preset in Capture One Pro that balanced the colors, highlights, and shadows. I like how the preset tempered the highlights' intensity and added warmth to the highlights, midtones, and contrast areas. I am not one to do labor-intensive edits, but if I can find a preset, it gives me a place to start from and tweak it as I go.
What do you think, Randy?
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Mar 20th |
 |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
What do you think, Lisa, about 2 birds versus 3 birds? I like your pano version!
LT |
Mar 20th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Ruth; it is always fun to try new and different ideas in photography. I think I would be bored if I had to photograph the same subject over and over in a career I love change.
LT |
Mar 20th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Nicely done, Lisa, I like that you shared your creativity! I think each example has merit especially the second one - nice!!
Best regards,
LT |
Mar 11th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Kieu, for your comment.
The softbox was on the side (2' wide x 3' tall) and at a 45-degree angle for this image. I chose not to open the fancy dinner forks' shadows as they clashed with the minimalist style of the image and egg; they were just the base for the egg; I liked the shape, color, and spots on the egg and felt it stood out more than the forks as a subject.
Maybe if you have time, you could submit a sample image to show the group what you are thinking with this suggestion.
Have a great day!
LuAnn
|
Mar 11th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
That is awesome to hear, Mary Ann! You will be happy you made this decision. Photoshop is a very intense application but there are a few tools that come in handy and no need to learn all that it offers. I know the basic for photography editing and that is about it. Have fun!
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Michael,
You can use a flashlight, light bulb, or a LED light if you use them at home for a flash. If the light is harsh, put some paper toweling around the light or tissue paper, or even a white cotton dish towel to diffuse it.
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Mary Ann,
You can easily take the towers out in Photoshop with the patch tool.
LT |
Mar 7th |
 |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Michael,
You could, in a future shot of these containers, use a diffuser to soften the light on the scene then perhaps the light wouldn't be so harsh and change the colors on the blue pitcher.
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
That is what I think it is as well, the light and camera angle.
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Michael,
How about if she made the birds bigger instead of removing them? I think three birds adds to the story of a beach scene.
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Wow, Randolph, I didn't know you used to surf that is awesome!!
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I redid the edit, sorry I accidentally deleted the first one.
In addition to what I said I did in Silver Efex, I lowered the grain to 420 and re-cropped the image by moving the lower-left corner of the frame up diagonally so the bottom of the frame was closer to their shadows and the center child was on the right vertical rule of thirds line.
Curious what you think.
LT |
Mar 7th |
 |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I redid the edit, sorry I accidentally deleted the first one.
In addition to what I said I did in Silver Efex, I lowered the grain to 420 and re-cropped the image by moving the lower-left corner of the frame up diagonally so the bottom of the frame was closer to their shadows and the center child was on the right vertical rule of thirds line.
Curious what you think.
LT |
Mar 6th |
 |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I know, I accidentally deleted it. I will have to recreate it. I hate that delete button.
LT |
Mar 4th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Randy, for your kind comments!
Have a great day,
LuAnn |
Mar 4th |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks for a visit, Beverly!
Amazon is amazing; they have everything we could ever want, but I hope they don't put Michaels out of business; I enjoy getting out to shop as we did in the old days.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Mar 2nd |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hi Ruth,
Great image; children make great subjects at the beach! I like the silhouette, so the story is more about what the children are doing than who they are. The birds in the background add to the story; they could be seagulls. The mist also adds atmospheric perspective, all making me wish I were there!
My image example I did in Silver Efex Pro. I selected the high structure - smooth preset, lowered the grain slightly but left some in the sky area as the sky is very plain, so there is a little vignetting and grain. I also had to add a third bird to complete the rule of odds in the photo. Lastly, I did a small crop bringing the bottom of the frame up to the kids' shadows.
What do you think?
LT |
Mar 2nd |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
If you get a large piece, you can cut it down to small sizes if your subjects are small. I typically buy white, black, red, gold, green and use them for backgrounds with flowers and other subjects. Then into Topaz for a texture, and it seems to work well.
Even out in nature if you use a small 8x10" card behind wildflowers it helps simplify your photo.
LT |
Mar 2nd |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your comments!! I am finding the more simplistic an image is the more likely it is to be successful in salons.
I buy foam core at Michael's Arts and Craft store. Any art store, Walmart, or place that sells crafts typically has foam core in a variety of colors and sizes. I have been working a lot on still life so this is one I did for a PSA Still Life class.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Mar 2nd |
| 3 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Great pottery collection, Michael, in a triad color palette of red, yellow, blue, and a splash of orange for pop. All the elements have a cylindrical shape, yet some pieces have handles, a top, or a spout, while the bowl is simple and just round. The light nicely accents the containers on the shelf. I like the orderly fashion they are in; the handles and one spout face the camera-a charming collection.
What stands out for you in this image? If you were to retake the photo, is there anything you would change?
Thanks for sharing this image!
LuAnn
|
Mar 1st |
8 comments - 22 replies for Group 3
|
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
How about this one, Bob?
I have been using the image you submitted in B&W and that seems to work.
No, I have not used my trigger yet. It sits still in its pretty box waiting for me to find time to unpack it.
LT |
Mar 20th |
 |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Are you in West Virginia, Bob?
LT |
Mar 20th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Lovely edit, Oliver!
LT |
Mar 20th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I see what you are saying, Leah. I wonder, Emil, do the clouds you added reflect in the water? It seems like I should see more detail of them in the water since they are so pronounced in the sky.
LT |
Mar 20th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
I see your point, Bob, and I agree with you.
LT |
Mar 20th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks for the tip and link, Bunny, I will definitely check it out!
LuAnn |
Mar 20th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hello Israel,
I took some time to ponder your image; it helped me to see others' comments first. You titled the photograph Chevrolet in the Sands of Namibia. Who doesn't like a classic Chevy pickup and one with such texture! I also like the windmill as it goes with farm-style aesthetics.
I like the options Oliver gave you with the sky and tint. Bunny's idea of adding something in the window of the truck sounds fascinating; I wonder how you would do that-hm.
My question for you is, if the title of the image is about the Chevy, then the focus and attention should be on the truck, don't you think? In my opinion, a sky replacement will take the viewer's eye away from the truck; the subject of the photo, and add another element of distraction.
You might try blending a new background layer in Photoshop to eliminate some of the unnecessary elements in the background that do not contribute to your story; I have never done this but have seen others do it a gaussian blur might do it. I think the challenge here is the aperture used to take the photo was too narrow at f/13 so all the background details are sharp and in focus.
In the future, if you like the whole scene and a single subject within the scene, take a couple of different aperture settings (narrow and wide) so you have choices when you go to editing. Think about the scene and what you might have to remove from the image by checking the back of your camera after taking the shot. I also recommend taking both landscape and portrait style formats, and at least three different exposure settings especially if you won't have an easy chance to revisit a location.
I hope this information helps, Israel. I remember visiting Alaska and coming home wishing I would have shot with different shutter speeds. I stood for an hour watching bears eat fish at a stream but at home, my photos came out blurry and I was unable to fix them.
Best regards,
LuAnn
|
Mar 20th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Hello Bob,
Hope you are doing well. Great photo this month, I love the balloons in black and white and I think you did an excellent job processing the dark rich black tones. You noted the dilemma with all the people; something that is hard to avoid with this type of activity.
In my example, I gave the image a new crop. I don't know if the original file has more pixels to crop it this tight but we will see what you think. I left enough of the crowd to tell the story; no reason to have to see the vehicles, in my opinion. I captured the cool balloons that attracted my attention. Now you tell me what you think.
Have you had your covid shot yet? I am thinking about it. Two great photographers Layne Kennedy and Steve Perry came down with the virus and were hospitalized recently. Layne was in pretty bad shape in a special ward in the hospital. His wife had it too but she was able to go home. This is all very sad.
Have a wonderful day, my friend!
LuAnn |
Mar 19th |
 |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Great photo, Bunny! I do not do much architectural photography, but this is an exciting building to capture because of its triangular shape. I also like the one cloud mirrored on the face of the building as if it were transparent.
I do find the trees in the bottom to be a bit of a quandary. In most architectural photos I have seen online, the photographer seems to eliminate trees. They do seem to distract the eye from looking at the geometry of the building.
The one thing I did adjust in my example was the perspective. In LR, I rotated the photo -4.5 degrees in the Transform tool, so the right side aligned with the golden triangle diagonal line. I left the trees; they do not bother me. I also did add a little clarity to bring out the lines in the glass.
Thanks for sharing!
LuAnn |
Mar 19th |
 |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
This is an amazing photo of this dragonfly, Oliver, sharp, sharp, sharp! Well done!!
LT |
Mar 18th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
This is a lovely scene, Oliver, and I like how the golden spiral falls on the building's cupola. The golden triangle also puts the turret at an impact point and the water's shore at the other end on a diagonal. You can see these overlays in Lightroom.
I have to agree with the others on the light; kudos to you for the hard work you did to experiment with light in that area. It seems to have changed the texture of the tree line, as everyone was noting. The only other area I see that may need some tweaking is the exposure. The histogram shows the light to be heavy in the blacks and mid-tones, with minimal light in the highlighted area and the whites. With the original file, this is something you could easily adjust to a little brighter level.
I hope this helps,
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Mar 18th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Hi Bunny,
Thanks for your comment; I am humbled.
I have not worked in PS on frequency separation. The images you have shown using this technique are amazing. One of these days I will have to find a video that explains the process; it's crazy, I have to see things done to learn them.
Earth Oliver's class sounds interesting.
Best regards,
LT |
Mar 15th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Yes, I agree, I am so happy spring is around the corner!!
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thank you very kindly, Bob, I am glad you like this photo!
Have a wonderful day, my friend!
LT |
Mar 7th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Hello Israel,
To answer your questions about the surface my setup was all black foam core boards on top and the three sides. The glass was on a small box in the center of all the darkness and I used a large piece of dull stretchy black fabric so the light would not reflect and covered the box and the tabletop. Some photographers use velvet but that can be expensive and some varieties collect lint so I used this stretchy fabric and nothing sticks to it.
I used low ambient lighting and a narrow aperture of f/22. I set up the camera to work with flash and then focused manually. Then I turned off the room lights and took the photo. It took me a few days to accomplish the task and a little over a hundred photos. The hardest part was controlling the light but this was an excellent way to understand the process.
The key to lighting the glass is the light the edges and the top rim. The rim is the hardest. There is a photographer on YouTube #Workphlo and this is his video: Sparkling Drink on Black | Beverage Photography Tutorial. He walks you through all the steps. For the most part, what he said worked but there were a few tweaks. He calls this low-key, catalog black setting and others call it dark field.
Give it a try, I'd love to see what you come up with!
Best regards,
LuAnn
|
Mar 7th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Leah, for your comments. You will find help on YouTube; there are some guys that explain dark field photography. It is time-consuming and a challenge but it is achievable with the right glass. Simply is better. I think I got lucky with this glass; I did not expect the etching in the glass to come out so well.
Thanks,
LuAnn |
Mar 7th |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Here is another Topaz edit I did this morning. Sorry, Leah, I'm addicted to Topaz!
Hope you like it.
LT |
Mar 6th |
 |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
What type of photography are you looking forward to doing this spring? I am looking forward to more work with my macro lens.
LT |
Mar 2nd |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Here is a sample with a second application of an Impression filter to the one I just uploaded before. I like the effect of distorting the background as it makes the subject pop!
LT |
Mar 2nd |
 |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
I share your sentiment, Leah, I am looking forward to spring too.
Lovely hydrangea photo. An incredible flower that can be dried and last for quite a while. The image shows a nice left to right diagonal as well as a golden spiral from the large bloom circling down then up to the upper right corner of the frame.
In my sample, I simply lightened and brightened the photo in Topaz Studio 2. I added a bloom filter to brighten midtones, and an Impression filter to distort the background. I applied a rock granite texture to just the background to smooth out the dried flowers in the background so the bare stems weren't so noticeable.
What do you think?
LT |
Mar 2nd |
 |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
My Godox trigger is very similar to your Flashpoint R2 trigger, Oliver.
LT |
Mar 2nd |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
It all takes time, Michael. I have Godox speedlights and really like them. I also have a Nissan speedlight I used with my Nikon gear. I use the Nissan as a slave and I use a Godox trigger for all 3 flashes; it works pretty well. If you are ever interested in lights check out used equipment at your camera store. I bought several stands and a boom cheap that way.
LT |
Mar 2nd |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Reply |
Yes, Michael, you could do this too. These two photos are all about light. The high key one has more light, and the dark field has less light directed specifically at the edges of the glass and some of its detail. It is a fun project! If I can do it, anyone can do it; it takes determination and experimentation to get it right.
The treatment was Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, Agfa Scala 200x film type, 008 High Key 2 preset on the high key photo. The preset helped bring in the grey shading.
LT |
Mar 2nd |
| 62 |
Mar 21 |
Comment |
Your image this month, Emil, is impressive! I love the texture in which the white puffy clouds catch my eye at first glance. I find the trees are well spaced, not implying chaos or distraction, and the reflection in the water adds drama and balance to the composition. I like the unusual vignette at the bottom of the frame.
If I were to suggest anything, it would be to leave a little more space at the center trees' tips in the reflection at the bottom of the frame. Lastly, I wish there were a small border around the photo (top and bottom) to know where the frame's edge is; with the black background PSA uses for groups, black on black takes away from the image; but this point is not your fault.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Mar 2nd |
7 comments - 17 replies for Group 62
|
15 comments - 39 replies Total
|
