Not so easy...

[rutt]

... to capture the look of Nantucket in the late afternoon light. This guy and I were both working on it.

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/30789009-L.jpg

Critique away.

[wxwax]

Rutt, here's my take. The idea and the composition work really well to my eye. The lighting feels flat, not very dramatic, doesn't seem to help tell the story. Robs the image of the impact it ought to have. I don't have any useful suggestions for changing the light, just that it strikes me as being flat an uninteresting. Pity, because you have such an appealing shot.

[rutt]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/30802892-L.jpg

Thanks, Sid. I didn't take my own medicine, used my eye instead of the numbers. Jeez, take a month off from photography and it's like starting from scratch.

So I punched up the contrast to make real black points and increased the saturation by LAB A+B steepening to make the colors less flat. Might be working now, eh?

[ginger_55]

Thanks, Sid. I didn't take my own medicine, used my eye instead of the numbers. Jeez, take a month off from photography and it's like starting from scratch.

So I punched up the contrast to make real black points and increased the saturation by LAB A+B steepening to make the colors less flat. Might be working now, eh?

Now the face is too dark for me.

I don't think you can make this one perfect. I like it, but I like "subjects". You really can't change the lighting. Why don't we shoot all of our photos at the "right" time of day.

I wonder, just to myself, if fill flash would have helped. I have noticed people using that more.

ginger (what time did you take that photo? I took one about like that at about the complete wrong time. Then the head newspaper photographer here came along and took one of him at the wrong time, too.) He did have the guy stand on a ladder with all of his tools flowing in his hand. Kind of more of a dramatic movement. Maybe that was to make up for the lighting.

I like mine, and I like yours.

[wxwax]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/30802892-Th.jpg

Thanks, Sid. I didn't take my own medicine, used my eye instead of the numbers. Jeez, take a month off from photography and it's like starting from scratch.

So I punched up the contrast to make real black points and increased the saturation by LAB A+B steepening to make the colors less flat. Might be working now, eh?
Definitely better. Is it just me or does it still feel like something's missing in the lighting? :dunno

[pathfinder]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/30802892-S.jpg

Thanks, Sid. I didn't take my own medicine, used my eye instead of the numbers. Jeez, take a month off from photography and it's like starting from scratch.

So I punched up the contrast to make real black points and increased the saturation by LAB A+B steepening to make the colors less flat. Might be working now, eh?


John, Welcome back. I've missed your posts.
I think the second frame is a little warmer in tone - looks like a little later in the day perhaps. Even more late afternoon sidelighting might have helped even more. Maybe some fill flash for his face.

I like the idea, but I find myself trying to figure out just what I am supposed to look at. The artist, the painting, the seascape, or just what. I wonder if a closer in shot of the painting, perhaps with a wide angle, to emphasize the painting more, and also retain the lighthouse in the background as a counter point. Perhaps omitting the artists legs and the stool - concentrating more closely on the painting, his face and hands, and the light house.

Once again, welcome back - I enjoy your diversions into LAB :):

[wxwax]

Rutt, I did a crop that tightened the left side almost to the easel leg, and brought down the top a bit. That opened up the right side, made the painter even more dominant, and seemed to help guide the eye and tell the story.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/30877249-M.jpg

[DoctorIt]

Hey Rutt! How's the beach?!

My take on this shot - the face of the painter is in the "in-between" realm. As in, you can see just enough mustache to want more face, but not enough to really give you an idea. Does that make any sense? It just makes it hard to get a feel for the subject.

The lighting is better in your fix, but look at his arms, skin is looking a little too "tan" there. I'd bring it back a notch.

[pathfinder]

Rutt, I did a crop that tightened the left side almost to the easel leg, and brought down the top a bit. That opened up the right side, made the painter even more dominant, and seemed to help guide the eye and tell the story.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/30877249-M.jpg

I like your crop waxy - I think it helps tie the sundry parts of the image together better.
http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/30877249-S.jpg

[ian408]

John,

I like what you've done with the color over the original. The skin tones look
ok for late afternoon too.

For me, the lighthouse is a bit of distraction. Perhaps a selective blur to
de-emphasize it?

I love finding painters and matching their interpretation with the original
scene. Nice work!

Ian