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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
It will depend on how the group defines the category you submit the photo in.
LT |
Jun 30th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Mary Ann,
Didn't you say you were taking a Photoshop class? If it was you, how is the class going?
LT |
Jun 21st |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Fascinating insect, Kieu-Hanh.
I always wondered what these critters looked like. My brother lives in Arizona, and I have heard them singing at night; I had envisioned them to be large insects. I like the diagonal in which you captured the Cicadas, and I agree the background bokeh is good.
The only problem I see is the focus is soft. I quickly ran it through Topaz Sharpen for motion and it is possible to clean it up; even though it is a tiny file size; I don't use Photoshop so I do not use the high pass filter. The image requirements state 1200 to 1400 px on the long edge.
Thanks for sharing this cute insect!
LT |
Jun 21st |
 |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hi Lisa,
Good for you to do a portrait; they are not hard to capture, especially candid shots. I think the time of day has given you good light and no harsh highlights. There are no distractions, and it is obvious who your subject is in the photo. Her side profile is acceptable, and her coloring appears natural. With the chosen aperture, everything about her is in focus.
Though I find this woman interesting, I am unsure what the image is about because of the tight crop. Your description says it is a cultural show in Mexico, but nothing in the photo tells me this is Mexico; not enough of her clothing is visible to say it is cultural. For me, more details in the image are needed to complete the story you are telling.
I hope this is helpful.
LT |
Jun 21st |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Lovely photo, Ruth, and an excellent location to be able to photograph in Sedona! I like how you composed your image, with ripples in the water and a nice reflection. The rocks add to the scene's interest, making viewers wonder how long they have been there after falling from the ridge. The light speaks of a canyon environment with the shadows, organic diagonal lines of the walls, and natural desert southwest colors.
The only thing that catches my eye is the partial rock on the left side of the frame at the edge of the water. For me, I wish I could see more of it in the frame.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 21st |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Ruth, for your comments. I agree with the new crop idea. Thanks!
LT |
Jun 19th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hi Randy,
Marianne had a sizeable job to shuck those pigeon peas; the basket is pretty full. I like the story your photo is telling. As Kieu-Hanh pointed out, it must be the Christmas season. Then Michael's comment about a busy scene is also something to consider in post-production. Lastly, I agree on a new crop; this is just the ticket to enhancing this image.
In my sample edit, I also chose to lower the brightness of the highlight. It looks like you use an on-camera flash and the light was a bit bright. My crop is a bit different. I kept the wine glass in the photo because I see it adding to the story; this is a Christmas celebration and a perfect time for a glass of wine as well.
The Lightroom edits I used were contrast +14, highlights -100, whites -99. The crop was a 5x7 aspect ratio chosen in the Crop & Straighten box at the top of the Develop Module.
Thanks for sharing this special celebration with the group, Randy!
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Jun 19th |
 |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Thanks, Randy, for your comment. I can't explain the problem with the word string. I do know from Tom Pickering that the system is particular about the text sometimes. No worries, it all came through fine.
Someone else commented about the string and the ing pitcher handle pull the elements together; I never noticed it when I created the scene. Another thought I received from someone outside of this Digital Dialogue group is the top of the frame should come down to just above the top of the hydrangeas in the background.
I really enjoy learning from everyone's comments.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 15th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Your response was perfect, Dick; this is precisely why many members join study groups. Another thing I would like to point out to the group is don't be afraid to submit a photo that isn't perfect, as I did. We come together to learn, and having great visitors like Dick visiting our group today was an answer to why we are all here.
Have a wonderful day, Dick, and come back and visit sometime again!
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 13th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Hello Dick,
It is nice to have a visitor with a knowledgeable and extensive background in horticulture like yourself. You make a good point about the bud's connection to the stem; thanks for pointing that out. In addition, I appreciate your subjective opinion for columbine flower heads hanging down naturally; nothing is more pleasing than how nature designs things. I love Anne Belemont's photos of the columbine flower; she captures them in many different directions; her photographs inspire.
Do us one favor. Can you tell me why you feel the background suggestion I gave to Michael is distracting? It would be a benefit to the whole group to hear your opinion.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 12th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
You are very welcome, Mary Ann, my pleasure!
LT |
Jun 12th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Hello Mary Ann,
I used radial filters around the bird to focus the light in that area. Some times with radial filters you have to invert them if the light is outside the circle and you want the brightness inside the circle.
Here are a couple video links to Yuri Fine Art Photography a person I have learned a lot about editing from over the years. He does amazing editing in Lightroom and he is probably a master of dodging and burning. I think you said you use PS some the techniques can be done in Camera Raw as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f--qo5ETZQ
Here is a second video Yuri editing a flamingo. This video may help you the most as he goes into using the radial filter and brightening the bird who originally is dark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhrhZpRyYDs
I really like him because his editing typically will take 5 minutes or so; depending on his subject.
Lastly, Yuri makes a comment in one of the videos not to use too much contrast because birds are soft by nature and contrast makes them appear too harsh. This was a good comment.
Let me know what you think. I hope these videos inspire you in your editing process.
Best regards,
LuAnn
|
Jun 12th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hello Mary Ann,
I like your Cormorant photo because the bird is the apparent subject without distractions; very minimalistic. You have positioned the bird well in the frame in a comfortable lower left to upper right diagonal. There are lots of detail in the rocky ledge for the viewer to find interest in this photo. The Cormorant's striking blue color works as an excellent contrast to the rock wall. Several diagonal lines move left to right in the rock formation leading the eye through the image.
In my photo example, I re-cropped the image to remove the bird's tail above; there wasn't enough of that bird visible, so I found it a distraction. Then I adjusted the exposure and shadows via the levels adjustment tool and curves; I have heard from professional photographers online this is a better approach than using the individual sliders. I created a couple of adjustment layers to control the light on the bird and added a vignette to darken the area a tiny bit around the Cormorant. In my opinion, I recommend all adjustments should be subtle and not obvious, especially when adding a vignette.
Lastly, the image we have in this group to work with are small so these edits will work better when done on the original RAW file.
I am curious what you think, Mary Ann.
Best regards,
LuAnn Thatcher
|
Jun 11th |
 |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Being a dentist could very well be the reason, Michael. That actually makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing.
LT |
Jun 8th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Thank you, Michael, for your comments.
Many people in camera clubs like sharp focus in their images; most competitive photographers shoot for sharp focus. Is there any particular reason you like sharp focus over softer focus? Would you ever give soft focus a try sometime?
For me, I enjoy the variety. The Lensbaby lenses are manual focus only, so that adds to their intrigue for me.
Have a great day!
LT |
Jun 6th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
You are very welcome, Kieu-Hanh!
LT |
Jun 6th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Thank you, Kieu-Hanh, for your comment; I am glad you like my photo.
To answer your question, the container on the right completes the story.
For me, I see five compositional elements in the photo (an odd number). What I have learned about creating a still life is there are many forms. A standard still life tells a story, a close-up can show details, and abstract still life can take a part of an object and emphasize its texture, form, or color. So, in this photograph, the story was what I wanted to tell. The principal concept of a story, which is part of the elements of Impact (emotional response, point of interest, originality, intent, and story), is the ability to convey emotion, mood, narrative, ideas, or a message.
The story here could be about a gardener, a florist, or someone who loves flowers-taking from the green bucket in the back, working forward to trim and tie a grouping in a decorative copper pitcher lit by beautiful window light from the right.
I hope this helps you understand my point of view.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 6th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Hello Michael,
Yes, you are right, some columbine flowers do hang down. But, in my subjective opinion, I like the ones that have their heads up more. The stem is stronger then, and to me, it makes me feel like the flower has more life. It's ok to disagree. Google the flower and compare the different looks.
For the background, I noted above that I used software to select the background and replace it with something I found within the software. To me, the new background adds texture and interest to the photo; something to help a viewer want to stay and take in the whole scene.
Best regards,
LT |
Jun 5th |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hello Michael,
I hope you enjoyed your trip to Zion National Park. What a fantastic park. Years ago, I went on a family vacation there, and we rode donkeys through the canyon. Zion was my absolute favorite vacation spot.
I like your yellow columbine flower, and I appreciate your idea to color-tone the shadows. The color change gives the overall image a calmer, more relaxed feel.
As I study the image, I find the background is too dark for the delicate nature of the flower and bud. I also feel the angle of the bloom pointing down makes me feel like the flower is wilting. In my example photo, I changed the tilt of the flower, made color adjustments, suggest a new crop, and finally, I changed the background.
I changed the 2x3 format to a square crop and rotated the flower in Lightroom. On the colors, I raised clarity, -21 on dehaze, -6 on saturation. I also brightened the yellows and green a bit. Then in Smart Photo Editor, I selected and replaced the background.
I only had a small jpeg file to work with, so my image lacks quality, but my sample is just a suggestion of what you might consider with the original RAW file.
Let me know what you think.
Best regards,
LuAnn
|
Jun 3rd |
 |
| 3 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hi Mary Ann,
I am glad you like my photo, thank you.
I am just learning how to do still life, so I'm experiencing trials and errors along the way, trying to figure it out. I noticed I forgot to add my camera details, so I just added that to this photo above. I thought I used my Lensbaby, but I guess it was a mid-range zoom.
I like soft focus because it is different; I love to change things up every once in a while, so I do not get bored doing the same thing all the time. Most photographers like and want everything in focus. I love the photos by Kathleen Clemens, Tony Sweet, and Anne Belmont right now. These artists use Lensbaby lenses for landscape and flower photography (Tony uses a Singh Ray soft focus filter). I am determined to figure these lenses out.
I understand and appreciate the subjective nature of all photography styles and genres, where beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Do you shoot with a Lensbaby lens, Mary Ann? Do you shoot soft focus?
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 3rd |
9 comments - 11 replies for Group 3
|
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Hello Israel,
I did not use the word "revive." All I said was I thought the photo needs to be brightened up a bit. The exposure seems a little dark; raise the exposure up a little.
Does that help?
LT |
Jun 20th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Israel,
I think this photo needs to be brightened up a bit. What do you think?
LT |
Jun 19th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
This is a great idea, Bunny! I was going to say it now resembles a wolf's face with two eyes and a nose shape at the bottom of the frame. Very cool suggestion!
LT |
Jun 19th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Bunny,
Charles Needle has some beautiful photos of flowers! Thanks for sharing his name. I see he also has a special lens for the impressionistic style he shoots. I do love the photograph of the pink blossoms in the foreground overlooking a lake with the bridge in the background as the home page photo on his website-wonderful work.
LuAnn |
Jun 19th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
We are getting rather concerned that we haven't had any rain for a while. We unloaded some hay yesterday for my horse, and it was brutally hot out. The leaves on the plants in the woods are looking sad and wiery for lack of water. Unusual for Minnesota.
LuAnn |
Jun 19th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Bob,
I have a question. Have you ever photographed something like this close-up with a wide-angle lens like a 16mm?
Could you tell me about this lens? Is it a macro? Is it a Nikon?
I ask because I just bought a Fuji 16mm lens today for astrophotography. I am not expecting to do a lot of Astro work but for practice, I took it out into the woods and shot up close some large plants. I was amazed at how sharp a wide-angle lens is up close with plants.
LuAnn |
Jun 19th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Hi Bunny,
Thank you for your comments. I love Lensbaby lenses because of the bokeh, and they give me a challenge. I appreciate that they are not for everyone, and most people in the camera clubs will comment with the same dislikes as you noted in your comment, which is ok I will persevere till I figure them out.
I have several Lensbaby lenses, the Velvet 56, Composer Pro with the 35mm, 50mm, and Twist 60 optic, and I just purchased the Sol 45. I also have the macro filters, which is a bonus for me. I enjoy botanical photographers like Anne Belmont and Kathleen Clemens I find their floral photography fascinating with just a sliver of a petal in focus. But I also want to be different, so I am experimenting with woodland subjects because that is what I have the most access to right now.
What is your favorite style of photography, and what lenses do you prefer?
Talk again soon,
LuAnn
|
Jun 16th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Great image, Bunny!
I wanted to learn a bit more about these jellyfish, so I went online and found a live cam for Monterey Bay Aquarium jellyfish! I was memorized just watching them float online. I also like your original blue image; the photo looks great both ways.
My edit is a bit different. I was inspired after watching the jellies swim, so I decided to turn your jelly upside down too. I love the border idea, so I tried to mimic the black and white of your image and hopefully contrast the organic lines of the jelly's tentacles.
I am curious what you think! Thanks for sharing a great image.
LuAnn |
Jun 15th |
 |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Hi Emil,
I am stumped with this image. I am not a sky person but what I can comment on is I like the symmetry in the photo and the action of the clouds. I also like the silhouette of the tree line because it makes the sky a more significant focal point. If the shadows were open on the trees, it would take away from the action in the clouds. Finally, there is an excellent tonal range from white to black.
The only thing I adjusted was the highlights by -12.
I look forward to what the others have to say about this image.
LuAnn |
Jun 15th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hello Israel,
I think of you and your family often; I hope you are safe and doing well.
One day, a group of us have to go to Israel and see the sights you show us from your photography excursions. I find this photograph fascinating and informative. I rode a camel in a zoo in Florida once in a small circle. They are amazing animals. These guys look like they are just pulling a big puppy around on a leash (smiling)!
I like the telephone poles, black-top highway with the painted lines because together they tell an interesting and unusual story; life as a Bedouin in the 21st century; who would have guessed.
My suggestion to help enhance your photo is to raise the exposure and crop in a little tighter. I put the camel on the left vertical rule of thirds line and the two men on the right vertical line. Then I recommend removing the dirt pile and weeds from the right side of the frame; I couldn't see how they could contribute to the scene. But the telephone poles and highway help complete the story and make this a very original photograph.
I am not sure it would qualify for a travel competition, though. I am not sure if the photo contains enough information about the culture or environment. What do you think, Israel? Would you enter this image in a competition, and which category would you submit to open or travel?
Shalom, my friend,
LuAnn |
Jun 12th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hello Emil,
I had a great comment set to send for this image; then, I noticed Bob's statement that the clouds didn't cooperate with your plans. I think I better ask why first before I send my critique. What do you feel is missing in this cloud formation?
LuAnn |
Jun 12th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Good afternoon Emil!
Thank you for your kind words. Yes, part of the trunk is in focus by design.
The basic idea is to start with the lens locked in the center of the frame until you figure out how the tilt lens works. Focusing is manual, and the minimum focal distance is 14" from my elbow to the tip of my middle finger.
I should have submitted a photo of the scene from a distance away because the tree stump is outside the door to one of our barns. The light was on the mushroom and caught my eye. I took the photo around 3:00 pm and used my body as a light filter, so the light wrapped around me. I like the dark editing because it looks like I found the mushroom in the deep woods, but it was actually out in the open.
I am having fun using my lens in a nontraditional way.
Have a great day,
LuAnn
|
Jun 12th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Bob, you have inspired me; I have to find some of these milkweed pods on my property when they are around. This photo shows lovely details, and you did an excellent job controlling the highlights. I also like the three white puffs from the pod this gives the image a noticeable balance.
What caught my eye upon viewing this photo was the tight crop. I felt it might have been a little too close. So, with my edit, this is what I tried.
I used Nik Silver Efex and selected the Low Key 1 preset. I used the Kodak Plus-X - 125 Px Pro film type, turned off-grain, applied the copper toner #16, burned all the edges - 1, used border 14 at 80%, raised the yellow color to 2%; which opened the shadows on the pods lower edge. I chose the copper toner because this was a nature scene and thought it was fitting to use.
The border was and burning the edges helped darken a bit on the four edges of the frame. I am curious what you think!
Best regards,
LuAnn
|
Jun 7th |
 |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
I am glad you liked my edit, Oliver. I think Gary Stiger would have liked it too had he not left the group. He did all his images in sepia-tone.
What did you think of the design principles section of the Image Evaluation course? This is the hardest part of the entire course.
I share your thoughts on competitions. I personally have more fun helping others evaluate their images than entering to compete myself.
Have a great day, my friend!
LuAnn |
Jun 6th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hi Bob,
Yes, my image is a departure from what most people shoot with Lensbaby's; I'm just experimenting with different subjects.
Yes, I am on Instagram, but I haven't been over there for quite some time. I am not sure if the average person really spends time looking at images on Instagram, or maybe they scroll and like, so I shied away from it.
I watched Anne Belmont on YouTube the other day; she is fantastic. I think she said she is an art therapist.
I hear what you are saying about manual lenses and not holding still; I have that problem also. I use a tripod when I can or a faster shutter when the light is suitable to compensate.
I took this mushroom photo the first afternoon I received the lens in the mail. So, your comment about not getting the Lensbaby bokeh is good feedback.
Thanks for the help!
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 6th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Reply |
Thank you, Bob, for your kind words. Remember Gary Stiger? He always liked to do sepia-tone images. I seldom see this tone in monochrome, so I thought it might be an excellent place to experiment since this was a nature photo; I think the bird blends well with his environment. Oliver said he took this photo 12 years ago, and you are correct, Bob; he did an excellent job on the composition.
I hope you're doing well.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 6th |
| 62 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hello Oliver,
Isn't it amazing how we can go back to photos from our earlier years and re-edit them into amazing images!
You did an excellent job with your composition. The bird is positioned well in the frame, the horizon is straight, and the overall image looks balanced.
Like you, I thought I would try something in Lightroom; the only thing I find is the highlights on the bird are a bit overexposed. I took them down about -49.
In my sample image, I thought I would try something completely different. I edited in Nik Silver Efex Pro and used Full Dynamic smooth preset, Agfa Scala 200x film type; I darkened the yellows -10, and used Sepia tone 19.
My use of Sepia was to bring out warmer tones for a bird; and something different. I dropped the yellow slider to bring out the contrast in the underside of the leaves behind the bird. I liked the smoothness of the preset and how the bird blends in nicely (for camouflage) with its surroundings.
I'm curious what your thoughts are.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Jun 6th |
 |
8 comments - 9 replies for Group 62
|
| 99 |
Jun 21 |
Comment |
Hello Michael,
This photo is an engaging capture of the west rim of Bryce Canyon. Bryce is one of my favorite travel destinations because of the beautiful scenery; it is indeed breathtaking.
I agree with Gerard and his suggestion for a new crop. A simple grouping of pine trees, free of distractions and unnecessary branches, gives the image a clean sightline for the viewer in the foreground. The trees also contribute to the proportion and scale of the rugged landscape. As others have noted, there are many details in the rock formation, all contributing to a successful image with good potential.
I also like the miniature tree version you did in color. I believe there is a good chance you could make a wonderful black and white photograph if you go back to the original raw file. I suggest using selective dodging and burning on the rocks and a subtle vignette around the edges (as needed; a vignette that is felt but not seen is vital) that guides the viewer's eye to the tree. Right now, the luminosity levels of the overall image are too bright.
I hope this helps, and thanks for sharing this photo from your travels!
Best regards,
LuAnn Thatcher |
Jun 12th |
1 comment - 0 replies for Group 99
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18 comments - 20 replies Total
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