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| Group |
Round |
C/R |
Comment |
Date |
Image |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
The black-and-white version is nice. However, I don't think it is as strong an image as some of your previous work has been.
I am curious: have you noticed this vertical banding on other photos with this gear combination? Do you use the electronic front curtain shutter setting by chance?
lt
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Sep 25th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
I see the vertical stripes, Michael, and they don't seem to be in the original. I am not sure why that is. Banding is usually horizontal. You might research the topic or stop at the store you bought the camera from and see what they say. I quickly looked up on YouTube but found nothing on vertical banding.
Your edited color version looks nice. Have you entered it in a competition yet?
lt |
Sep 25th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hello Joan,
Thank you for your kind words on my photo. Creating original and unique work is challenging without breaking away from how we always seem to capture scenes.
I had to take a look at Eugene Smith's work. He was a photojournalist from the WWII era. Heartbreaking work capturing the pains of life and war back then. I think I saw the photo he took that you referenced in your comment. I think it might have been his children. It was in "The Family of Man" exhibition I read.
Have fun with your conference, and it's good for you that you have the energy to do it!
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Sep 25th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Thanks, Kieu-Hanh, for your comment. |
Sep 22nd |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hello Mary Ann,
Please see my response to Michael and Ruth's comments for clarity about the archway.
lt |
Sep 22nd |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hello Ruth,
Thank you for your comments on my photograph. The reason for taking the photo was that the couple I met at the tea ceremony allowed me to take their photograph in this public yet intimate setting. So, for clarity, the couple are not just included; they were the main subjects.
I have a couple of questions to understand your point of view better. What compositional rule or technique are you following that says the archway needs to be straightened and not used as though someone was peering through the opening (for example, through a window frame, as Michael did in his July submission)? The scene has many curving lines and shapes, and the vertical posts are in alignment, according to Lightroom. So, putting the archway at an angle follows the curves and organic shapes already in the image.
Opening up the archway's lower part exposes white stones that compete for attention with the viewer's eye, which should be directed at the well-manicured landscape ahead and the couple walking. The dead grass on the left is also a distraction and does not compliment the well-manicured garden lawn. Can you help me understand how you see this as helping the scene, as you noted in your reply?
I find this to be a great discussion. Thanks for your comment!
lt |
Sep 22nd |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hello Michael,
Thanks for your 'honest' review of my garden photograph. I am curious: did the crop ratio really 'bug' you, or was it just different from what you usually use or see? I attempted to use creative framing with the archway, similar to how you would look through the branches of a tree. As you can see in Ruth's example, opening up the foreground area does not add anything to the lovely garden idea. The worn stone is bright and distracts my eye from looking through the structure. The worn-out dead grass on the left doesn't add anything to say this is a beautiful garden area, so I removed it. I took the photo to capture the couple as they seemed to walk away quickly. Opening the archway up is now more prominent in the frame than the couple, so this defeats the purpose. To me, the human element in a photo should have a more powerful presence than an inanimate object. Lastly, the curved pathway compliments the angle of the archway as the archway curves and opens into the path on the other side. I was only allowed to photograph from the path as the garden was meticulous, and stepping on the grass was not allowed out of respect for the gardener. |
Sep 21st |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Joan,
I think it is unanimous that this pup (possibly a Miniature Pinscher) wins Best in Show in Group 3! Photos of puppies (big and small) are a great way to lift one's spirits no matter what the day brings. Thanks for sharing this perfect photo; she has certainly captured my heart!
LuAnn |
Sep 19th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
You have done a nice job photographing this mosque. There are a lot of geometric shapes and lines, along with a broad range of colors and tones, in the tile. You found a nice angle of view that includes areas that give the photograph depth, and the lines draw the eye into the frame.
The only point I will add is with historic buildings and architecture, try to keep your white balance accurate to what you saw. You can carry a small neutral grey card in your camera bag to use before you take your photos, which can help. You can also set the white balance on your camera through a user setting. I find a small grey card to be the easiest to use. The white balance in the edit seems too golden and possibly not true to the actual tones of the stones in the building (easy mistake for all photographers). That is what caught my eye and why I say to take a second look at your white balance.
When I look at this building online, it shows a beautiful tower. I assume you took many photographs of this location from various angles. Perhaps we will see more from your travels in the future.
Thanks for sharing,
lt |
Sep 19th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Michael,
It is always fun to see photos from your worldwide travels! The Opera House is a beautiful piece of architecture. I read they used 105,000 sheets of 24-carat gold leaf, equivalent to 1.5 kilos of gold on the interior! Wow, I bet it was out of this world to see it in person.
You had a good cloud cover and golden light on the building, which also fits this beautiful structure. But for me, the colors are not rich in tone; they are more subdued and fading. The bright sun reflection on the top is not working well because it is too bright and too large. Have you tried this photo in black and white? I ran through a few samples in Lightroom, and I think it may have more potential as a black-and-white image. The water would look lovely if you have a long-exposure version.
Thanks for sharing this travel photo. You have memories that will last a lifetime.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Sep 8th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Ruth,
You registered a lovely scene of this bird on your camera's sensor. The colors are vibrant and natural. Along with the environment, the photo shows where you found the bird in a natural habitat. I also like the lines created by the shadows direct the eye to the bird in a left-to-right fashion. There also is ample space for the bird to walk into on the right side of the frame.
My only recommendation to help improve your photo is to adjust the brightness slightly. The histogram shows very minimal amounts of whites and highlights, so you have room to inch a bit more brightness into the scene, which will brighten the bird's head (as Rob noted in his comment).
I hope your photo does well in the competition. You will have to let me know how you do.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Sep 8th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Rob,
I had to look up the classification of figs to see if they were fruit and found they are actually tiny flowers growing inside an edible shell! I have never seen figs fresh off a tree, so this photograph was fun!
You have taken a lovely top-down documentary-style photograph of your figs. The clean white background helps the viewer focus on the figs. The narrow f/11 aperture helps show them in sharp focus, and the shutter speed for hand-held was good at 1/200 second. Usually, 1-2 times the focal length is a recommended range for shutter speed when you don't use a tripod.
I see your challenge in this composition is too many figs. Try shooting from a lower angle, composing the figs more invitingly, and trying a different background. Could you set up a small setting and show how you would present the figs to a guest at your table? You might also consider a different background, one that is complementary to the figs. This could even be a pretty complimentary colored napkin instead of a white plate.
You noted you are out of your comfort zone for doing still life. No problem there; you have to find the rules for starting as a beginner online, watch some videos on YouTube to see how others do it, and find out how they assemble the elements on the table. Then practice, practice, practice, and practice some more! PSA has a Still Life course, but I see it is unavailable now. Keep an eye open for this class in the future. I took it a while back when I first was interested in learning how to shoot still life.
Here are some tips to get started. Do you have a macro lens (great for small subjects)? Otherwise, a telephoto is suitable for more significant subjects. You might even try a 50mm lens or focal length.
Secondly, determine your aperture if you want a shallow depth of field or everything in focus. Then consider your composition, rule of thirds placement of elements, and overall balance in the image. You will also have to consider a background/backdrop for your photo. Next comes light. When starting, I recommend natural daylight from an east or west side window (it's softer than southern exposure). You can advance to flashlights or LED lights that are "daylight-balanced" light sources. With light, you can use bounce cards to direct the light on the subjects and create a mood. Lastly, keeping your composition relatively simple with odd number 3 or 5 elements (less is more) and keeping the scene only what you want the viewer to see is recommended when beginning.
This information should give you enough detail to start if you want to pursue still-life photography. Still-life is a fun genre; I think you will enjoy doing more of it.
Let me know if you want some references for YouTube videos; I have some favorites.
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Sep 8th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hello Rob,
This tea house is in St. Paul, Minnesota, at the Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden, and it is a symbol of peace and friendship between St. Paul and its sister city in Nagasaki, Japan. It has quite a story because the tea house was built in Japan and shipped to Minnesota for reassembling. I attended a tea ceremony this spring, and it was a beautiful experience. Do you have a Japanese tea house in your area?
After the tea ceremony, I was taking photos of the garden area. A Japanese couple I met at the ceremony were strolling in the garden, and I asked if I could take their photograph. The woman asked the man she was with, and they decided it was okay. I like how the wide-angle lens captures more of the environment to tell a stronger story. I did make sure the vertical poles were straight and left it at that. The walkway was narrow, so I had limited room to work in.
I am glad you like the photo!
Best regards,
LuAnn |
Sep 7th |
| 3 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Mary Ann,
I am glad you and your friend were able to meet up again! Your finch photograph is lovely. I like how you captured it in its natural habitat, surrounded by lush greenery and sunflowers. Your composition is good, and setting the bird off-center was a good choice.
The only adjustments I made were exposure in Lightroom (do you ever adjust the tone curve?), using the golden spiral positioned on the bird's eye in a slightly tighter crop, and a little sharpening in Topaz. I do not think you need to show all of the sunflowers on the lower half of the frame, so that is why a tighter crop works.
I look forward to your comments.
lt |
Sep 1st |
 |
6 comments - 8 replies for Group 3
|
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Thanks for the edit, Oliver. I like it.
lt |
Sep 25th |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Reply |
Hello Israel,
I used a film camera to capture this scene. Have you ever used a film camera? The camera is vintage 1970's. The film is rated for ISO 400, which I set the camera to for all photos on the roll. I could push or pull the film and use a different ISO setting, but I would have to set it once and use it for all the photos on the roll. Shooting film doesn't have the flexibility of a digital camera. I can change the aperture and shutter speed, which correlates to the available light. So, I am pretty limited with my camera settings. Why do I want to shoot film, you might ask? Because it is different, I am learning about light and exposure and having fun.
Best regards,
lt |
Sep 23rd |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Israel,
Lovely photograph. I share Emil's sentiments that I would never find a scene like this where I live. I like how the cloth around his face acts as a reflector and lifts the shadows on his skin. The beads in his hand tell a story but one that I am unfamiliar with. I feel a great deal of wonderment looking at this image and have unanswered questions. I think what you have shared has excellent potential for an exciting image.
Why did you choose not to include part of the Old City of Jerusalem in the background? Even just a hint would be helpful to give a sense of place and location. The photo's black background does not tell the viewer anything about the man in the white robe, his location, or his country. The missing information can thus create tension for the viewer. I look forward to your clarification.
Have a nice day,
lt |
Sep 22nd |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Bob,
Your photo has an emotive quality; I like how the steel anchor is hanging; I see it as something unique. Because I don't have the opportunity to see anchors where I live in the dairy and corn belt of the country, I see an expression of humanity in the wild, wild west world we live in today.
Thanks for sharing!
lt |
Sep 22nd |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
I love your "Dining Alone" image, Mark.
Because you photographed this in a city in Japan, I feel the edited image you have submitted tells the viewer a realistic story from Tokyo (haze on the windows, sticker on the door, busy back alley little restaurant), and I don't recommend changing any of it; this is life as you found it and I love having a chance to see what you saw. When I read what you said about the scene (the famous alley lined with little bars), the story came to life, and all the pieces fell into place. I see the shoulder of another cook, but the story is between the two individuals (the woman and the man at the bar), and seeing the man's shoulder is part of street photography.
This would make a great photo as part of a series of street photography from Tokyo.
I bet this was an amazing vacation. Thanks for sharing!
lt |
Sep 22nd |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Bunny,
Wow! This is an amazingly creative image. Usually, less is more, but you have gone over the top with more, and it works. I find myself trying to make sense of the reflections. On the lower left side, I feel like I am in a 1960s restaurant because of the shiny silver pieces. The two-point perspective draws me into the center of the image, but the lines and geometry help pull me back into reality. Excellent job, Bunny; thanks for sharing!
lt |
Sep 10th |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
Hello Emil,
Wonderful image this month! I am surprised you are doing dark and moody black-and-white Photography, but I have to say I love it! I like how the tones of the ferns appear like silver. The dancing light on the tree bark also grabs my attention as something new and different. Now, I am led deeper into the background, where there is ever so lightly a hint of something darker and mysterious. This photo would make a great book cover for Steve King's next novel!
Thanks for sharing your excellent editing talent this month. This is a winner for me!!
lt |
Sep 10th |
| 62 |
Sep 23 |
Comment |
I like your image, Oliver. The scene begs the viewer to decide whether the house is haunted.
I love the moody sky and the texture you pulled out in this black-and-white conversion, and the tones add to the mood you are leaning toward. In addition, the four mailboxes seem to tell a curious story. There is something to enjoy about these old buildings and homes, though.
Thanks for sharing your creative touch with "Haunted?."
lt |
Sep 10th |
6 comments - 2 replies for Group 62
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12 comments - 10 replies Total
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