>>> challenge 18 - comments and critiques thread <<

[Andy]

right here guys. this is the place to put your images that you are considering entering into dgrin challenge 18, lines and curves.

remember, you've got to give, to get. so please, provide feedback, comment, and critique to your fellow dgrinners. try to hit 2 or 3 other photos each time you visit. and visit often.

have at it!

[ginger_55]

Can I get me a peacock, too, and the railroad tracks (I thought of those myself).

Curves and lines, only one, is that alright? If not unimpressive, or like the staircase, very impressive.

ginger

[Andy]

Can I get me a peacock, too, and the railroad tracks (I thought of those myself).

Curves and lines, only one, is that alright? If not unimpressive, or like the staircase, very impressive.

ginger

shoot anything you like ... my examples are just that, examples ;-)

i think that you can have a curve, a line, or both in the shot.

good luck!

[dugmar]

Okay, I'll go first. Just a snapshot of a curved building I took this morning.


http://dugmar.smugmug.com/photos/6606596-L.jpg

[Sandy]

It's a beautiful morning...try cropping. The windows are also curved.Okay, I'll go first. Just a snapshot of a curved building I took this morning.

[spockling]

This is a rooftop parkade. Just throwing this out for ideas comments etc...
http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Dgrin/curve1_ni.jpg

[dkapp]

Only if this contest would have started a few days earlier. I took this shot for a photo challenge at fredmiranda.com. The theme was circles.

http://davidkapp.smugmug.com/photos/6540616-M.jpg

Any comments appreciated. I'm always looking to improve.

Thanks,
Dave

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6612990-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6612994-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6613002-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6613008-L.jpg

[lynnma]

This is a rooftop parkade. Just throwing this out for ideas comments etc...
Definitely lines and curves spock. How did you get up there anyway:D

[lynnma]

Okay, I'll go first. Just a snapshot of a curved building I took this morning.


I agree with Sandy that a crop might make this scene even better. For me the lines and curves are a bit lost in the scene.

[lynnma]

Only if this contest would have started a few days earlier. I took this shot for a photo challenge at fredmiranda.com. The theme was circles.



Any comments appreciated. I'm always looking to improve.

Thanks,
DaveI like the shot dkapp.. specially the lighting. You're right.. it would have made a great submission for this challenge:D

[lynnma]

I really like your shots Ginger.. love the sun dial.:D I like the wood as well but not as much as the sun dial.

[wxwax]

Okay, I'll go first. Just a snapshot of a curved building I took this morning.


http://dugmar.smugmug.com/photos/6606596-S.jpg

I'll take a different tack. I think it needs more context, not more cropping. Have the end of the building only jut 2/3 into the frame, rather than the 3/4+ it does right now. Also, the horizon needs to be straightened a wee bit, no?

[wxwax]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6612990-S.jpg

Maybe a little more drama with the lighting? It's a really good idea.

[wxwax]

This is a rooftop parkade. Just throwing this out for ideas comments etc...
http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Dgrin/curve1_ni.jpg

Love this shot, Spockster. Lines AND curves, at no extra charge! A cool perspective, too. I love high contrast B&W, so I'd be tempted to tweak until I had an area of pure black, and an area of pure white, somewhere in the shot. But that's purely a matter of personal taste.

EDIT: You know what, I tried that and it ain't working. Maybe a little toning? Andy has great how to's in the Hall of Wisdom.

[GREAPER]

What are the dates that make a photo eligible?

[wxwax]

What are the dates that make a photo eligible?
Yesterday through two weeks?

[wxwax]

http://davidkapp.smugmug.com/photos/6540616-S.jpg
Dave
Gorgeous, rich colors, lovely lighting. Nice subject and composition. Maybe crop it at the outer edge of the first dark band? Feels a little unbalanced?

[Stan]

A snail because someone has got to

I like the slime
http://stan.smugmug.com/photos/6618003-M.jpg

More curves, less slime
http://stan.smugmug.com/photos/6618002-M.jpg

Any feedback is good feedback

[Stan]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6612990-M.jpg

I love the verdi gris with the shaddow on the sundial, can you pull it out some more? :dunno

[cmr164]

Here are a couple of shots from yesterday.

(rant)
It will be hard for me to get over not making the finalists in the last one and even harder to understand not having Rutt's entry make it. His might well have been the winner. Maybe we need to always have at least 10 or even better 15 entries. Certainly my picks of 10 to vote on would have been different. And I would rather have voted on them all.
(/rant)

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2248escal_s.jpg


http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2214_s.jpg

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2106path_pe.jpg

[ginger_55]

I have no idea what you, Sid and Charles are talking about. This is a different time of day, wild colors came out then.

I gotta go for now. ginger

How would I pull it out, Sid, Charles, I am not sure which one I used, I have about 50 or more of these things, but I liked the 3 D effect, I don't know what to do..........................so am going to leave home. HUH!

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6619856-L.jpg

[pathfinder]

Here are a couple of shots from yesterday.

(rant)
It will be hard for me to get over not making the finalists in the last one and even harder to understand not having Rutt's entry make it. His might well have been the winner. Maybe we need to always have at least 10 or even better 15 entries. Certainly my picks of 10 to vote on would have been different. And I would rather have voted on them all.
(/rant)


http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2214_s.jpg



I wonder if Rutt's lovely image of Yellowstone was not chosen because the subject was Reflections and the Pros felt it did not meet that criteria. I felt that Rutt's photo was very lovely and I liked yours also.
When I saw the picture of the reflection of the QEII by seemoon I jokeingly warned her not to submit it, because I KNEW we would all be in trouble!! - it is a lovely image and met the criteria to a T. I thought it might take home the gold. Rats!http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Pissed.gifhttp://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Laughing.gif
Rutt said there is a difference between a contest winner and a superb long term image and I think there is some truth to that statement. ( Hope I don't get in trouble with management over saying this. Comments, Andy? Baldy?http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Laughing.gif)
This is not saying that contest winners are not great images - some of them are excellent, but they may not wear on your wall as well over the long haul, as a more subtle, less saturated image might. But a great image that does not fit the stated Challenge criteria should not prevail either. Lots of things to consider here.

Seems like the addition of a modest amount of lucre is creating more tension in the contestants. http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Laughing.gif This can be a good thing, I hope.http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/lickout.gif Anyway, this has been a fun week of (reflections about) photography. Lets wait and give Andy and the judges a while to add their comments on why shots did not make the final selection. In that vein, I was disappointed that my daylilly did not make the final selection in Challenge 16 Quality of light, but after reviewing it a couple of weeks, I think the judges were correct that the light was not that unique or significant an aspect of the image.

Your picture of the boots is related to the casualties in Iraq? A subject we all need to think about carefully and seriously. Your picture is very moving. We are fortunate to live here in the USA.

[Andy]

What are the dates that make a photo eligible?

we've been starting on the monday that the challenges end. so, 7/26 for two weeks.

[Andy]

i dig the shot. it's a superb landscape, a wall-hanger for sure. a seller, too, i betcha. rutt should be proud of the shot.

here's my comment on rutt's shot in the challenge thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=21594&postcount=31)

when we judge, we're judging against the criteria of the challenge, and the other entries. i also said "up to 10 finalists" but there's no guarantee of 10 finalists. i wanted to only pick five finalists this time, the number of entries was low. (get out there and recruit some new folks, willya guys?? !!!)

rutt's entry imo and moti's opinion didn't do as well as the others in the challenge criteria of reflections. that doesn't make it a bad photograph, on the contrary, it's a super shot, as i've said now thrice :grin as a matter of fact, if rutt entered that shot in the wide angle challenge (coming up in 2 weeks, hehehehehehehe) he's got a winner, imo.

[cmr164]

Your picture of the boots is related to the casualties in Iraq? A subject we all need to think about carefully and seriously. Your picture is very moving. We are fortunate to live here in the USA.
Yes. Yesterday there was a meeting of Veterans for John Kerry and I was invited. In the afternoon I wandered through the Garden and the Boston Common and found the boots being placed. It was moving. As a disabled vet, whose father retired from the service and whose brother retired from the service it was a very moving thing to come across.

[wxwax]

Andy, thanks for the explanation. I was wondering about the omission, but didn't want to make a deal out of it, as I worry about making the whole challenge thing too much about the winning, as opposed to the participating.

Personally, I found challenge 17 to be extremely taxing, and didn't expect to make an entry. And I wasn't at all bummed about the prospect of not having an entry: I bummed that I was being flummoxed by a fairly basic photographic challenge. And that's the whole point of the thing to get out and shoot and try things so that you grow. :freaky

cmr, I love the boots. Be nice if we didn't see the shooters at the top? And the first shot, is that about the lines... or the circles? :evil :lol3

[Stan]

I have no idea what you, Sid and Charles are talking about. This is a different time of day, wild colors came out then.

I gotta go for now. ginger

How would I pull it out, Sid, Charles, I am not sure which one I used, I have about 50 or more of these things, but I liked the 3 D effect, I don't know what to do..........................so am going to leave home. HUH!

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6619856-S.jpg

So often when your images appear on the screen after the download I think wow and there's another one :D

[cmr164]

cmr, I love the boots. Be nice if we didn't see the shooters at the top? And the first shot, is that about the lines... or the circles? :evil :lol3
Course they are listening to their editor, "Whats with the shooter at the top" http://www.iisc.com/images/smilesmile2.gif

As for your second somewhat cheeky suggestion.... Seriously I didn't think that it was a good shot but it has something so I thought to bounce it off the grinners.

[wxwax]

As for your second somewhat cheeky suggestion.... Seriously I didn't think that it was a good shot but it has something so I thought to bounce it off the grinners.
I guess the bottom line is whether the shot has enough assets to make it compelling.


:rofl

[Stan]

I guess the bottom line is whether the shot has enough assets to make it compelling.


:rofl

Does for me, thankfuly it was not posted in a "no photoshop comp" way too many curves :rofl

[DJ-S1]

So often when your images appear on the screen after the download I think wow and there's another one :D:nod I feel the same way. Wax, Ginger, Rutt, Baldy, and Andy consistently amaze.

There are others too, but I can't remember the screen names. No offense intended guys!

[snapapple]

I have no idea what you, Sid and Charles are talking about. This is a different time of day, wild colors came out then.

I gotta go for now. ginger

How would I pull it out, Sid, Charles, I am not sure which one I used, I have about 50 or more of these things, but I liked the 3 D effect, I don't know what to do..........................so am going to leave home. HUH!

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6619856-S.jpg

ginger,
You may not know how you "pulled it out", but you sure did. Somehow you pulled out the colors on this thing and what great colors they are. Funny, I never would have thought, from the first shot, that there was so much color in it. I guess it was the light. Or, did you use some curves or something? Anyway, it's magnificent!
:thumb

[Mitchell]

Lines and curves on my brain coral. My first challenge entry, so be gentle with me.

mitch

[Stan]

Only if this contest would have started a few days earlier. I took this shot for a photo challenge at fredmiranda.com. The theme was circles.

http://davidkapp.smugmug.com/photos/6540616-S.jpg

Any comments appreciated. I'm always looking to improve.

Thanks,
Dave

I keep looking at this because I can smell the dust coming up from the floor.
What are the blemishes in the shaddow to the right of the barrels?
Crop right but leave some shaddow it gives the pic the mood and smell :thumb

[ginger_55]

ginger,
You may not know how you "pulled it out", but you sure did. Somehow you pulled out the colors on this thing and what great colors they are. Funny, I never would have thought, from the first shot, that there was so much color in it. I guess it was the light. Or, did you use some curves or something? Anyway, it's magnificent!
:thumb

Snappy, Rutt, everyone, I guess nothing is as it seems in this world! I don't know where those colors came from, and tennis balls, well they are a scam, just a scam!

That thing, the time teller, whatever, it is a dull green.

Will tell you all later, am looking at my beach shots, not a lot of color in the curved shots, but good shots, just plain shots, good sky, not what would I do with that, may use the waves, want to look.

Later, was real pretty. A blue moon on Friday.

ginger (The moon comes up over the ocean, a full moon, at the same time the sun sets, and a blue moon is a second full moon in the same month. Won't happen again while I am alive, so ..............back to the beach.)

[ginger_55]

Here are a couple of shots from yesterday.

(rant)
It will be hard for me to get over not making the finalists in the last one and even harder to understand not having Rutt's entry make it. His might well have been the winner. Maybe we need to always have at least 10 or even better 15 entries. Certainly my picks of 10 to vote on would have been different. And I would rather have voted on them all.
(/rant)



Charles, when did you get into doing photography with any studying, critiques, darkroom experience, etc.

It might make a difference on how you see things. I am noticing a pattern with Rutt's work, which is excellent. Last Challenge I got into the final ten using LAB Curves with Rutt helping me. Then when Andy critiqued mine, he mentioned that he would have liked some detail in the dark foreground. This time he mentioned, while critqueing Rutt's entry, he mentioned detail in the mtns, a bit far away for detail, but the same thing, detail in the dark areas.

In the old days of slides and darkroom stuff, that was a goal, detail everywhere, no blown areas, no dark areas with no detail. I do remember that. I did a couple of sunsets just to prove I could get detail in the foreground and in the sky. It is not easy, or was not, it required thought, and intent.

I asked Andy about that very thing, as I grew up, photographically, in the late sixties, and first half of the seventies. He said that it was different in digital. I got the feeling he was saying not to worry about it. I do think, now, that it is something to be concerned about, detail in the dark areas.

I, too, think it is very difficult with only 8 finalists, and I have some kind of terrible foreboding that the way things are going, we are going to keep cutting finalists until our finalist is only one, so would be our winner, LOL.
I do not expect to be in the next "cut", if this progresses.

Want to upload my beach shots.

ginger

[DJ-S1]

...(The moon comes up over the ocean, a full moon, at the same time the sun sets, and a blue moon is a second full moon in the same month. Won't happen again while I am alive, so ..............back to the beach.)The next blue moon will be May 2007; I for one certainly hope you will be alive and shooting photos (and sharing them with us) for much longer than that! (Here's the full scoop on blue moons) (http://www.idialstars.com/bloon.htm)

[ginger_55]

A snail because someone has got to

I like the slime


More curves, less slime


Any feedback is good feedback

IMO, slime is best. Hate slime, but in this case, artistically, well, I gotta like it, it looks better.

ginger

[ginger_55]

How I did the time thing, will remember the name Sun Dial, I did it the same way I do everything............... you all can refer back, I just did more of it!

If I usually nudged something, in that case I pushed it, kicked it over.

Etc.

later,
ginger

[Sandy]

My daughter's dogs Clover and Daisy. Lots of lines here.http://sandra.smugmug.com/photos/6627339-M.jpg

[wxwax]

Lines and curves on my brain coral. My first challenge entry, so be gentle with me.

mitch

Mitchell, welcome to the playpen! :wave

Love the colors and the shape. It's always dangerous offering suggestions - I've done it a few times already, and I think I'm full of it. So take any feedback with a nice pinch of salt, and think about developing your own aesthetic... what you think looks like nice shot.

I was in my boss' office today, and suddenly became acutely aware of how three different light sources were beaming light in the dark-ish room. Rightly or wrongly, I thought I was seeing the light the way the camera might capture it. First time I've ever 'seen' light in that manner, it was kind of cool.

Anyway, back to the brain at hand. It looks a wee bit soft? Maybe a little sharpening, if you have the software? You might want to play with the light levels, or shoot it/light it so you can get some interesting shadows. And right now it's sorta dead center of the image. I dunno what the tank looks like (it's in a tank, right?) but maybe you can give it a little context, assuming the technical obstacles aren't too great?

Just some thoughts, man. And please don't worry about posting stuff here. I personally shoot about 100 truly awful photos for every halfway decent one. And I shoot everything six ways from Sunday, because you don't know what will make a good shot until you've tried it a few (hundred!) times.

God bless digital photography. Without the ability to shoot unlimited shots, I wouldn't be shooting today. No way I could afford film, the way I pile up the frames.

[wxwax]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6619856-S.jpg

Ginger, I hope you don't mind, I had some fun with your image. A possible composition? Just tinkering, I'll remove this if you object.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/6629491-O.jpg

[cmr164]

Charles, when did you get into doing photography with any studying, critiques, darkroom experience, etc.
ginger
I am also an old timer in B/W darkrooms, mixing my own chemicals, using potassiun-ferro(i)-cyanide for things like intensifying negatives. I did not get to do much color darkroom work but I did my own E4 and E6 slides in 35mm and 2 1/4. So I do remember the seeking of detail that you describe.

I will put my further comments in the thread about the challenge mechanisms.

[pathfinder]

.
In the old days of slides and darkroom stuff, that was a goal, detail everywhere, no blown areas, no dark areas with no detail. I do remember that. I did a couple of sunsets just to prove I could get detail in the foreground and in the sky. It is not easy, or was not, it required thought, and intent.

I asked Andy about that very thing, as I grew up, photographically, in the late sixties, and first half of the seventies. He said that it was different in digital. I got the feeling he was saying not to worry about it. I do think, now, that it is something to be concerned about, detail in the dark areas.
gingerUs old timers that remember color slides and black and white printing have got to stick together Ginger.http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/lickout.gif I don't mind a silhouette some times.

Keeping a good grey scale though out all tone values has always been challenging whether with slide film or digital files. It drove Galen Rowell and other landscape photographers to use neutral density gradient filters for sunrises and sunsets to keep tonality in the dark foreground without blowing the highlights in the much brighter sky - Like this for example, taken in Page Arizona a few months ago.


http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/4479372-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

Night shots with the Rebel are BLUE. I did very little to this, I like it and was afraid to hurt it, and time constraints, etc. I guess it was darker than I thought. My flash insisted on coming on. So I hope it is allowed. I like the effect here. ginger No I don't mind someone playing with my stuff, just don't post it on the Challenge, smile.


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6633312-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

On this blue thing, I don't know how it is supposed to be. Levels makes it a brighter blue which I "tone down" or try to. Tried the different colors in levels and ended up with green waves. Probably should try curves, but I really don't know how this stuff is supposed to be. I don't mind the blue here and in the other one, but some of them............ are blue. (The wave is a curve)
ginger (I am going to bed, have tennis tomorrow and have pushed to get this stuff on.)



http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6633314-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

I like this better than


http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6634305-L.jpg


This. I don't know what to do about the blue thing, especially when there is that nice reflection from the cloud. Make it nice and the blue is "blue". I have a lot of photos with the same problem. What is evening supposed to look like. I can see the blue as it gets close to dark, but not just evening, dusk, pretty clouds and sky.


http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632614-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

Us old timers that remember color slides and black and white printing have got to stick together Ginger.http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/lickout.gif I don't mind a silhouette some times.

Keeping a good grey scale though out all tone values has always been challenging whether with slide film or digital files. It drove Galen Rowell and other landscape photographers to use neutral density gradient filters for sunrises and sunsets to keep tonality in the dark foreground without blowing the highlights in the much brighter sky - Like this for example, taken in Page Arizona a few months ago.



That picture was wonderful, Pathfinder :clap . I really know very little technical stuff, never wanted to. But I was aware of what I "should" bring into the photography club, and I did it. I did not do slides much as I had a darkroom for black and white. When I look at it now, it seems so amateurish compared to the digital stuff I am doing. (And they say digital can't handle it, smile again)
Gotta go to bed! ginger

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632615-L.jpg

[Mitchell]

Mitchell, welcome to the playpen! :wave

Love the colors and the shape. It's always dangerous offering suggestions - I've done it a few times already, and I think I'm full of it. So take any feedback with a nice pinch of salt, and think about developing your own aesthetic... what you think looks like nice shot.

I was in my boss' office today, and suddenly became acutely aware of how three different light sources were beaming light in the dark-ish room. Rightly or wrongly, I thought I was seeing the light the way the camera might capture it. First time I've ever 'seen' light in that manner, it was kind of cool.

Anyway, back to the brain at hand. It looks a wee bit soft? Maybe a little sharpening, if you have the software? You might want to play with the light levels, or shoot it/light it so you can get some interesting shadows. And right now it's sorta dead center of the image. I dunno what the tank looks like (it's in a tank, right?) but maybe you can give it a little context, assuming the technical obstacles aren't too great?

Just some thoughts, man. And please don't worry about posting stuff here. I personally shoot about 100 truly awful photos for every halfway decent one. And I shoot everything six ways from Sunday, because you don't know what will make a good shot until you've tried it a few (hundred!) times.

God bless digital photography. Without the ability to shoot unlimited shots, I wouldn't be shooting today. No way I could afford film, the way I pile up the frames.
Sid,
Thank you for your comments and warm welcome to the board. I've always loved the lines and curves of that brain coral. It is in my own tank at home. I agree that the picture looks too clinical. My first thought was a tight macro shot, but I was concerned that nobody would know what they were looking at! A wider shot giving context with the rest of the tank just loses the theme of this challenge.

I'll keep on trying!! I've always loved the lines on this leaf.

mitch

[gubbs]

I like this better than
This. I don't know what to do about the blue thing, especially when there is that nice reflection from the cloud. Make it nice and the blue is "blue". I have a lot of photos with the same problem. What is evening supposed to look like. I can see the blue as it gets close to dark, but not just evening, dusk, pretty clouds and sky.


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632614-Th.jpg Ginger, I,ve read somewhere on here that the rebel's auto white balance struggles in certain circumstances, it could have been Charles when he borrowed one for a weekend???
You could try the manual settings or try shooting in raw then adjusting the WB on the computer when you get home. Hope I'm not leading you up the wrong path here, but I'm sure someone will correct me if that's the case.

[dugmar]

I'll take a different tack. I think it needs more context, not more cropping. Have the end of the building only jut 2/3 into the frame, rather than the 3/4+ it does right now. Also, the horizon needs to be straightened a wee bit, no?Thanks guys, this was just a snapshot. Saw it, picked up the camera and snapped it. Didn't really put much thought into it.

Doug

[cmr164]

Ginger, I,ve read somewhere on here that the rebel's auto white balance struggles in certain circumstances, it could have been Charles when he borrowed one for a weekend???
You could try the manual settings or try shooting in raw then adjusting the WB on the computer when you get home. Hope I'm not leading you up the wrong path here, but I'm sure someone will correct me if that's the case. No. I was the one qvetching about the dRebel's AF. JimF who actually owns the beastie was the one who was discussing the WB failings. I think he only shoots raw as a result.

[wxwax]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632615-S.jpg Ginger, that's simply beautiful. I love the lighting, the softness of the sand, the color of the image. Great work. :thumb

[DoctorIt]

I'll take a different tack. I think it needs more context, not more cropping. Have the end of the building only jut 2/3 into the frame, rather than the 3/4+ it does right now. Also, the horizon needs to be straightened a wee bit, no?yes please - thats one of those that is just so borderline off horizon that its making me a wee bit queezy :rofl

[DoctorIt]

No. I was the one qvetching about the dRebel's AF. JimF who actually owns the beastie was the one who was discussing the WB failings. I think he only shoots raw as a result.Yup, i usually do the same. Unless I want weird affects, then i pick the wrong WB and shoot away.

[pathfinder]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632615-S.jpg
Ginger, that's simply beautiful. I love the lighting, the softness of the sand, the color of the image. Great work. :thumbI agree here, waxy, I think this is a lovely image. I like the grainy look too. How did you get that grainy look Ginger?

[pathfinder]

I don't know what to do about the blue thing, especially when there is that nice reflection from the cloud. Make it nice and the blue is "blue". I have a lot of photos with the same problem. What is evening supposed to look like. I can see the blue as it gets close to dark, but not just evening, dusk, pretty clouds and sky.


Ginger....
After the sun goes down, there is an increasing amount of blue light, and as it gets dark out, the light turns really blue. Turn off AWB on the 300D when the sun is not shining and instead use the shade setting - that is the little building with a shaded side - this means you will have to shoot Tv,P,M, or Av.

If you shoot in the Basic zones ( portrait, macro, landscape,etc) on the 300D, you do not get to choose the color lighting setting. You get to choose only in Av,Tv, P, M or A-DEP. I think you will find the shady setting gives a much better color rendition than AWB. I found this to be true shooting snow scenes with the 10D also.

[wxwax]

Fred Miranda is currently voting on their "Circles" challenge. Link. (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/116069) One thing I noticed, and the first comment in the thread, is that the vast majority of the finalists are still life images. I admire the shots, but don't feel my skills are anywhere near the level required to create a shot from scratch. Not to mention the lighting equipment that appears to be employed for some of the pics.

[lynnma]

Ginger, that's simply beautiful. I love the lighting, the softness of the sand, the color of the image. Great work. :thumbDitto with Wx Ginger... it's stunning! boy you are crankin out some lovely stuff girl :clap

[ginger_55]

Fred Miranda is currently voting on their "Circles" challenge. Link. (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/116069) One thing I noticed, and the first comment in the thread, is that the vast majority of the finalists are still life images. I admire the shots, but don't feel my skills are anywhere near the level required to create a shot from scratch. Not to mention the lighting equipment that appears to be employed for some of the pics.

You wouldn't need to make a still life. We could all rent a plane. There is some terrific stuff taken from the air. I see it is books all the time.

Still lifes are not your thing, and they are not mine. We would have to hire a cyber alien to make them for us, like in that movie, or the tabloids.

Gubbs could run over and grab a picture of Stonehedge (sp?)

ginger

[DoctorIt]

Gubbs could run over and grab a picture of Stonehedge (sp?)

gingerShhhh don't tell him where to get the winning shot! :D

[gubbs]

Shhhh don't tell him where to get the winning shot! :D Stonehenge isn't far from me and I'm going down that way on the weekend after next, but I think that it would take more than a world heritage site for me to produce a winner! :D

[gubbs]

I've been messing around with this one since last night

http://Gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/6657813-L.jpg

[spockling]

Definitely lines and curves spock. How did you get up there anyway:D
lynnma, I got up there this way...

http://calgarytower.com/:wink

[ginger_55]

Stonehenge isn't far from me and I'm going down that way on the weekend after next, but I think that it would take more than a world heritage site for me to produce a winner! :D

Don't forget to rent a plane. I am sure it looks better, more complete, by air.
Our marshes are sensational from the air. I have only seen them that way in photography books by really good photographer, he is really good, because he goes up in planes, takes boats into uninhabited beautiful areas, one called the ACE Basin.

I bought his book to take to the mountains with me, his mtn book, last time. No instructions, but it isn't difficult to get the shots, he provided the inspiration for my non arial shots.

We need a little imagination, and a LOT of money, :rofl :rofl :rofl
At least I can do smileys in rules of thirds.

Oh, that photographer spends this time of year in Vermont.........taking pictures and preparing another book, what else.

ginger

[spockling]

I've been messing around with this one since last night
http://gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/6657813-S.jpg
Nice one!!!http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/thumb.gif
Only thing I'd say is maybe a little more light behind the people at the tables?http://dgrin.com/images/smilies/ne_nau.gif

[Andy]

have you tried some of the tricks in here (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2055) ? just a thought. lots of things you can do when you shoot raw. did you shoot raw or jpg?

Night shots with the Rebel are BLUE. I did very little to this, I like it and was afraid to hurt it, and time constraints, etc. I guess it was darker than I thought. My flash insisted on coming on. So I hope it is allowed. I like the effect here. ginger No I don't mind someone playing with my stuff, just don't post it on the Challenge, smile.


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6633312-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6660849-L.jpg

Photography by ginger

[snapapple]

Here are some lines and "Golden Arches"
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644081-L.jpg

The Mall
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644083-L.jpg

Some very colorful geometrics
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644084-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

have you tried some of the tricks in here (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2055) ? just a thought. lots of things you can do when you shoot raw. did you shoot raw or jpg?
Andy, I have never shot raw, not that I am dying to do it. I shot that jpeg.
I like it, even though it is blue, as I think it was blue. I would like to "save" it, does anyone have a suggestion on that: saving the pictures I shot.

I am going back to that beach on Friday for the blue moon, but I am going by myself, and I am probably taking the dogs who are not allowed to run free at that time. I can use some of the stuff I read.

Doesn't raw put a lot more on your hard drive? I am having a major problem there anyway. In two months I have gone from 50% free to 19% free.

I actually love that picture, I am not good at curves, I destroy everything in curves, but I wouldn't know what to do anyway.

I use levels, what would anyone suggest doing. I could turn it into a blk and white, but I would like to save some of the color.

ginger

[snapapple]

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644089-L.jpg

This young man stopped here to put on his jacket and arrange some papers in his brief case. I assumed he was preparing for a conference inside as he was standing outside the Convention Center.

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6661130-L.jpg Photography by ginger

[snapapple]

The sky was completely cloudless. I suppose the simplicity is best for what I am trying to show here.

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644085-L.jpg

[snapapple]

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6658651-L.jpg


Another view. I used levels to brighten up the shadows. Is this too light now? Does it need more contrast?

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6658653-L.jpg


This one is actually in color. I kind of like the warm light.

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6658657-L.jpg

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6660848-L.jpg

Photography by ginger

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6667483-L.jpg

Photography by ginger

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6661127-L.jpg

Photography by ginger

[dugmar]

Wow, I go away for a day and boom! There are some really good shots here. I'm impressed. The quality of these challenges just get better and better. We are all obviously improving a lot here.

I'll get out there this weekend and see what I can come up with. Lots of ideas here.

Doug

[ginger_55]

have you tried some of the tricks in here (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2055) ? just a thought. lots of things you can do when you shoot raw. did you shoot raw or jpg?I just did this in LAB Curves, I have the book on it, but no time. Thank you so much for the tutorial, I just printed it out. Since I did not do it in raw, I will have to figure it out for me. Also I think there ought to be a simple dictionary for photographers trying to talk to other photographers, or understand would be more what I mean. I never use technical language, or not much, and I have no idea what white balance means. I see it mentioned everywhere, but when it is mentioned, the assumption is that I know what it means. I don't. Anyway, this is my best effort tonight. At least I have plenty of shots to work with.

ginger

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6667488-L.jpg

Photography by ginger

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6669658-L.jpg


Photography by ginger

[gubbs]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632615-Th.jpg ginger I really like the colours & textures but I'm not sure about the fence, have you got any other angles/perspectives??

[gubbs]

I'll keep on trying!! I've always loved the lines on this leaf.

mitch
Mitchell, like the way the leaf has a weird landscape feel to it :thumb

[gubbs]

Some very colorful geometrics
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644084-Th.jpg Cool building Snappy, is that a market behind there?

[Faith]

Hi, I'm Faith and I'm new to the site. My boyfriend got me a Sony 838 (?) and I like it. He doesn't like my photos though :( Do you like them? I really need feedback.

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6679926-M.jpg

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6679928-M.jpg

[Faith]

Ginger, all you pictures are so beautiful. You must have a very hard time choosing between them. I like some of my pictures, but I wish I could take pictures that look more like yours. My boyfriend says I just need experience.

[lynnma]

Ginger, all you pictures are so beautiful. You must have a very hard time choosing between them. I like some of my pictures, but I wish I could take pictures that look more like yours. My boyfriend says I just need experience.Hi Faith.. welcome to Dgrin Forum. You'll be able to pick up all sorts of great information here. There are many experts in all fielda who are more than willing to help. I like your shots but they are coming up very dark on my monitor. What are you using for software to process your pictures.. ie Photoshop? or some other? :wave

[ginger_55]

ginger I really like the colours & textures but I'm not sure about the fence, have you got any other angles/perspectives??
Gubbs, I do have others of the fence, I have some up here. But I assume you mean other close ones. I do there, too. They are all closer.......... I just don't think it is a WOW picture. Weather permitting, I am going back there tomorrow night.

Could you give me a better idea of what you would like to see the fence "do"?
I am not going to be that active in this Challenge after this weekend, I hope. Big family thing the following weekend, and I have to learn to use my Sunpak strobe.

Any hints on curves and things to practice with that on. I hope I can put down the challenge to get ready for the family thing.

However, I do have 6 folders of lines and curves photos, most of which I have culled and put up here. I don't plan on going out today. Tomorrow evening the beach. So be thinking what you would like me to do with the fence. It is not an entirely weathered fence, one problem with the close ups. Would you like me to leave it out and just do the sand?

Would you please look through my photos here and see if there are any you like besides the fence, for the Challenge. Off hand, I am thinking of one called "Alone" and one called "The Round House", also the multicolored sundial. Those come to my mind as possibles. In the round house there are curves all over. In alone, the shoreline is a curve, and the pattern of the wave is a curve.

I will look through my fence/sand shots.

Oh, I like the muted "workup" of the fence at night. It is from a different angle, a wide angle shot, really dark. Not WOW maybe, but I love that shot. I lightened it a bit for detail everywhere. A piece of the fence is still lit by that on camera strobe that I couldn't stop. It is muted, or dark, not dull, IMO. Remember, I finally did, that as it gets dark, the light goes and things actually lose their color. Without light it does become a blk and white world, if you are on the beach, woods, etc. I worked with Lab Curves of the fence last night.

I really need to put this obsession aside after Saturday at the latest. And I am about out of ideas now. To put it another way, I do need to wash my hair. Things like that.

(It is cloudy here now, and rain is expected, the dull kind not a shower with great light.)

ginger

[Faith]

This is all so new to me. I think my boyfriend uses Photoshop? He's a wedding photographer. I'll see if he'll show me how to use it. I have some pictures of some kitties.Hi Faith.. welcome to Dgrin Forum. You'll be able to pick up all sorts of great information here. There are many experts in all fielda who are more than willing to help. I like your shots but they are coming up very dark on my monitor. What are you using for software to process your pictures.. ie Photoshop? or some other? :wave

[digismile]

Only if this contest would have started a few days earlier. I took this shot for a photo challenge at fredmiranda.com. The theme was circles.

http://davidkapp.smugmug.com/photos/6540616-S.jpg

Any comments appreciated. I'm always looking to improve.

Thanks,
DaveDave,
I was really grabbed by this photo. Insomnia last night found me reading this entire thread ... :) and I kept returning to look at this photo.

Anyway, several suggested cropping the right hand side shadows for better balance, etc. I cropped it several times in my mind and my left handed, right brained imagination would crop more from the left. It's the strong shadows and beam of sun that I find the most compelling. The photo is clearly an image of the past (unless of course it's normal to have gunpowder barrels lying around!) The visual line from the barrels draws my eye to the shadows, straining, as if to see if something about to reveal itself ... A ghostly image from the past maybe?

For me, if you crop from the left, you simply have a nicely lit picture of barrels. This darkness on the right is very inviting, draws me in ...

Just my 2 cents worth (Canadian),
Brad

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681352-L.jpg


http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681353-L.jpg



Sullivan's Island, SC
Photgraphy by ginger

[cletus]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681352-S.jpg
Sullivan's Island, SC
Photgraphy by ginger
Ginger - I love this picture, but I think you can make it even better. I think if you were to crop out some of the sand on the left side, the image would become much stronger.

[gubbs]

Gubbs, I do have others of the fence, I have some up here. But I assume you mean other close ones. I do there, too. They are all closer.......... I just don't think it is a WOW picture. Weather permitting, I am going back there tomorrow night.
Could you give me a better idea of what you would like to see the fence "do"?

Would you please look through my photos here and see if there are any you like besides the fence, for the Challenge. Off hand, I am thinking of one called "Alone" and one called "The Round House", also the multicolored sundial. Those come to my mind as possibles. In the round house there are curves all over. In alone, the shoreline is a curve, and the pattern of the wave is a curve.


I really need to put this obsession aside after Saturday at the latest. And I am about out of ideas now. To put it another way, I do need to wash my hair. Things like that.


ginger Oh no, I've got to explain myself now.

Each of the 2 fence pictures are excellent for different reasons and I supppose I was hoping for a combination of the two :D (probably impossible but I know how much you enjoy a challenge. Wash your hair first though!)

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6667488-Th.jpg In this picture I really like the lines and curves that the top of the fence form,

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632615-Th.jpg in this one the tones and textures are lovely, particularly the sand.

I'm not sure which of your pictures to choose. It's a dilemna for me too. People have so many different opinions, that I think you have to choose the shot yourself and then look for guidance on how to get the best out of it. I do sometimes wish we could know when we've made the wrong choice though. :D

[cletus]

Hi, I'm Faith and I'm new to the site. My boyfriend got me a Sony 838 (?) and I like it. He doesn't like my photos though :( Do you like them? I really need feedback.

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6679926-S.jpg

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6679928-S.jpg
Faith,

Do me a favor and smack your boyfriend in the head. I really like both of your images. You've got a good eye, and the ability to creative with the camera.

If these were my pictures there are very few things I would change:
In my opinion the focus is a tiny bit soft in both images, but in the second image, soft focus was probably the way to go. However, if I had the chance, I would re-shoot the first image and try to get the focus a little sharper. If a re-shoot wasn't an option I would either not worry about it, or try to play with it in Photoshop.

I think the exposure is perfect in the second image, and the exposure in the first image is pretty good. If anything the first image just needs a little bump up in contrast and it would be spot on.

Composition wise, I would want to see what the second image looked like with some of the space at the bottom cropped out. I don't know if I would like it more or less, I would just want to see what it looked like.

So welcome aboard and keep up the good work!

[gubbs]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681352-S.jpg

Sullivan's Island, SC
Photgraphy by ginger ginger you beat me to it! That's more like what I was thinking,

I can't keep up, and I agree with cletus

[rutt]

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644089-S.jpg
This young man stopped here to put on his jacket and arrange some papers in his brief case. I assumed he was preparing for a conference inside as he was standing outside the Convention Center. I love this and I think I understand why B&W make sense for it. It has sort of a Kennedy era feel. The composition is very fine. The B&W conversion lacks snap, though. Perhaps you should review the digital darkroom assignment on the topic here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1062). Andy has also posted some ideas on the topic here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1062) and especially here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1465). If you really want to learn more about this, maybe more than you ever wanted to know, you should buy Dan Margulis' book Professional Photoshop (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764536958/qid=1091111288/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-0079989-7798272?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) and read the chapter: "Friend and Foe in Black and White".

[rutt]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6669658-S.jpg


Photography by ginger
Ginger, you are a force to be recokened with. This is my favorite of your most recent batch, perhaps because it is a portrait and the theme is abstract. Composition, exposure, color are perfect or close. There is a nice litle mystery about what exactly he is doing. Selecting fishing tackle?
On the other hand this migh just be a distraction without a clever title that is a clue to the mystery. What about cropping out the lower 1/4th to have head and shoulders only? I don't know, just a suggestion.

[AltPro]

Lines and curves on my brain coral. My first challenge entry, so be gentle with me.
mitch
Mitch...
WoW.... Your brain coral is absolutely beautiful! Excellent first submission!

I like the color, and the texture of the coral... Good example of lines and curves. I might mess around a bit with cropping just to see if it would work.

ginette

[rutt]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6660848-S.jpg

Photography by ginger
Oh I didn't see this one. I like it better than the hat picture and better than the more abstract ones which seem sterile by comparison.

[ginger_55]

I love this and I think I understand why B&W make sense for it. It has sort of a Kennedy era feel. The composition is very fine. The B&W conversion lacks snap, though. Perhaps you should review the digital darkroom assignment on the topic here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1062). Andy has also posted some ideas on the topic here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1062) and especially here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1465). If you really want to learn more about this, maybe more than you ever wanted to know, you should buy Dan Margulis' book Professional Photoshop (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764536958/qid=1091111288/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-0079989-7798272?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) and read the chapter: "Friend and Foe in Black and White".Though not addressed to me, I have all these "blue" night shots to convert to black and white, as some of them appeal to me that way. Armed with five books on PS, I was going to depart to the living room. I appreciate knowing where to zero in, so to speak.

Thanks, Gubbs for your comments, and time. Too.

ginger

[ginger_55]

Oh I didn't see this one. I like it better than the hat picture and better than the more abstract ones which seem sterile by comparison.

Yes, I do like this one. I did not expect it to be noticed. I swear that boy makes a curve all by himself, and the reflections, of course, are lines. I was photographing the boy with the hat, lost him, turned around and grabbed this photo, glad to hear a comment on it.

ginger

[ginger_55]

Ginger, you are a force to be recokened with. This is my favorite of your most recent batch, perhaps because it is a portrait and the theme is abstract. Composition, exposure, color are perfect or close. There is a nice litle mystery about what exactly he is doing. Selecting fishing tackle?
On the other hand this migh just be a distraction without a clever title that is a clue to the mystery. What about cropping out the lower 1/4th to have head and shoulders only? I don't know, just a suggestion.
HeHe, Rutt. Remember your baseball playing boy? I took a lesson from Andy's comment on that, and I did lighten the face of this child, though his eyes are not seen.

I certainly thought of you while doing this. (I think his face is a distraction, I certainly did not lighten it to be a center of focus or anything)

ginger

[rutt]

Here are a couple of shots from yesterday.


http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2214_s.jpg

The other shots don't have the potential to be contest winners, but I think this does. It needs work, though. LAB steepening in the A channel is always good for frass and vegatation in general. Together with wihte/black threshold correction, you could increase the contrast of the boots on the grass. Sharpen in L, maybe a lot to make the grass and boot texture more realistic. I was also thinking about a radical crop. The people are interesting, but the composition would be more dramatic without them. I made a quick stab at all these suggestions and got this:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6682674-M.jpg

which is still not quite what you want, but perhaps it will inspire you a little.

[rutt]

The other shots don't have the potential to be contest winners, but I think this does. It needs work, though. LAB steepening in the A channel is always good for frass and vegatation in general. Together with wihte/black threshold correction, you could increase the contrast of the boots on the grass. Sharpen in L, maybe a lot to make the grass and boot texture more realistic. I was also thinking about a radical crop. The people are interesting, but the composition would be more dramatic without them. I made a quick stab at all these suggestions and got this:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6682674-M.jpg

which is still not quite what you want, but perhaps it will inspire you a little.
Now that I look at these side by side, I don't think my crop is working, but I do think the LAB steepening and sharpening work. I like the long lines of boots in your shot better. Maybe crop just where the people start?

[snapapple]

I love this and I think I understand why B&W make sense for it. It has sort of a Kennedy era feel. The composition is very fine. The B&W conversion lacks snap, though. Perhaps you should review the digital darkroom assignment on the topic here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1062). Andy has also posted some ideas on the topic here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1062) and especially here (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=1465). If you really want to learn more about this, maybe more than you ever wanted to know, you should buy Dan Margulis' book Professional Photoshop (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764536958/qid=1091111288/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-0079989-7798272?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) and read the chapter: "Friend and Foe in Black and White".
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644089-S.jpg

I know nothing about B&W. All I can do is convert by sliding the saturation bar to zero or click convert to B&W. Then maybe some lightness or darkness and contrast. The shot had so little color to begin with. Just the green vines. To emphasize the lines, I thought black and white, but I was disappointed too. No pop. I'm so glad someone looked at my shots. Seems I was uploading at the same time as Ginger and our shots got all interspersed. (sorry ginger). I did several in B&W because there was little color anyway and I hoped to emphasize the strong lines. Would you look at the trolly station too? Thanks. And thanks again for all the info on B&W. I'll give it some attention.

[DoctorIt]

[QUOTE=snapapple]http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6644089-S.jpg

I know nothing about B&W. ...QUOTE]I know pretty zero too, but i like this shot. the way i've made some of BW pop more is to use some selective layers and give them more contrast. this is probably a poor way, but try selecting the man and you don't have to be too exact, copy just him onto a new layer. Since he's exposed and detailed pretty well, leave him be in that layer, and then just up the contrast or some other stuff to make the rest of the background stand out more. make any sense.

did i say i like this one?
:D

[DoctorIt]

Ok, so its hard to take a break from these threads, cause when I do, ginger puts in about 18 more pages. A force to be reckoned with indeed... Its hard to give input to so much, but since I want to get back, here goes:

I like all the shots (and wish i had the photo time and dgrin time you do!)
comments:
- the fence is nice, seems like you're on the verge of overdoing it with all the levels and blah blah blah. i'm a simpleton though.
- the boys are both very nice, but i didn't feel lines/curves there. amazing shots, perfect color, exposure, composition... just don't know if as a lines/curves judge those would say anything to me.

[rutt]

Now that I look at these side by side, I don't think my crop is working, but I do think the LAB steepening and sharpening work. I like the long lines of boots in your shot better. Maybe crop just where the people start?
Here is another attempt:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6683100-L.jpg

I cropped the top a little and did some really bad cloning to clean what was left up a little. I've oversharpened, but you probably alrady did sharpen. It will all look better when you do it starting with the original RAW image. There is a sharening trick that I think would work particularly well in this shot. Do you have Professional Photoshop? If so look at the treatment of the Morman Tabernacle at the end of "Sharpening with a Stiletto". If not, let me know, and I'll try to explain. (But I won't do as good a job as Dan did.)

[lynnma]

This is all so new to me. I think my boyfriend uses Photoshop? He's a wedding photographer. I'll see if he'll show me how to use it. I have some pictures of some kitties.We'd love to see your kitties Faith.. post away! :D
Lynn

[lynnma]

A snail because someone has got to

I like the slime


More curves, less slime


Any feedback is good feedbackHmmmm well Stan let me see now.. slime? or no slime...I quite like the idea but not the slime methinks but thats cos I'm a girl and you are a boy...:rofl

[lynnma]

Here are a couple of shots from yesterday.

(rant)
It will be hard for me to get over not making the finalists in the last one and even harder to understand not having Rutt's entry make it. His might well have been the winner. Maybe we need to always have at least 10 or even better 15 entries. Certainly my picks of 10 to vote on would have been different. And I would rather have voted on them all.
(/rant)

Hi Charles.. I think the guy walking up the walkway speaks to me most. I quite like the escalater too. The rows of boots are interesting but to me not as appealing.

[lynnma]

Yes, I do like this one. I did not expect it to be noticed. I swear that boy makes a curve all by himself, and the reflections, of course, are lines. I was photographing the boy with the hat, lost him, turned around and grabbed this photo, glad to hear a comment on it.

gingerHi ginger.. I like this one too but my all time favorite is the sand and fence shot. I just love it.:clap Lynn

[cmr164]

Here is another attempt:

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6683100-S.jpg

I cropped the top a little and did some really bad cloning to clean what was left up a little. I've oversharpened, but you probably alrady did sharpen. It will all look better when you do it starting with the original RAW image. There is a sharening trick that I think would work particularly well in this shot. Do you have Professional Photoshop? If so look at the treatment of the Morman Tabernacle at the end of "Sharpening with a Stiletto". If not, let me know, and I'll try to explain. (But I won't do as good a job as Dan did.)
I had tried various crops and decided that none of them worked. I ended up feeling that the shot needs people for an emotional context. Your cloning does work somewhat but I am stongly opposed to cloning shots in the photo-journalism context. I'm thinking to go back out to shoot some pictures for the last day of the DNC. Maybe I'll get another chance to shoot the boots.

[rutt]

I had tried various crops and decided that none of them worked. I ended up feeling that the shot needs people for an emotional context. Your cloning does work somewhat but I am stongly opposed to cloning shots in the photo-journalism context. I'm thinking to go back out to shoot some pictures for the last day of the DNC. Maybe I'll get another chance to shoot the boots.
Yeah, I guess I agree. I think the boots are important. If you can, lie on the ground and shoot the horizontal wide angle (as wide as you got). Be sure the camera is very level. I think you want the camera just high enough to see to the end of the lines but low enough to make the lines look very long. And wide enough to see a lot of lines.

And the cloning thing, I argee with you, too. I was just looking to make the composition work.

[Andy]

reminder to all participants: if you have a specific question for me, please pm me with your question or the direct link to a thread.

thanks

andy

[ginger_55]

Hi ginger.. I like this one too but my all time favorite is the sand and fence shot. I just love it.:clap Lynn
Which one Lynn? Please, I am trying to get a handle here. Do you remember which one, or do you have a number, it is in the right in a corner somewhere.

ginger:wave

Maybe I am putting too many up, but if not, I might miss one that would be received well.

[DoctorIt]

so there I was thinking about lines and curves, when my buddy comes over and asks me to take some shots of his new car. Hmmm, cars have good curves, I've always thought so... now we need some lines... How 'bout a 10ft step ladder and a parking lot???
:D

this is my favorite:
http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6683374-M.jpg

or landscape:
http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6683378-M.jpg

or how bout this, does it make you seasick?
http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6686284-M.jpg

So which one do you like best? And also, any idea on how to make this image pop a little more? I think I have some basics, we'll pick the best composition, but then what... :ear

[rutt]

And also, any idea on how to make this image pop a little more? I think I have some basics, we'll pick the best composition, but then what... :ear
Always try LAB steepening as the first attempt to get more pop. A good car image, looks like a toy.

[DoctorIt]

Always try LAB steepening as the first attempt to get more pop. A good car image, looks like a toy.yeah, i'm not so good at the LAB. but i'll try.

[ginger_55]

I like Rutt's crop with the photographer and the cloning. I have nothing against cloning, but then again, I might slant the news, too.

It is the artist's call, though. Sure nice not to have an editor screaming at you, IMO.

Worst thing the editor did to me, in my part time job, was to have another photographer work on my picture, changing the story a bit. In retrospect it was a minor happening, at the time it was big to me.

ginger
(Oh, that is not the same as someone working on my shots on this forum, don't mind that at all. Because, as the artist, I still have the final say, and I might learn something. So feel free.)

[ginger_55]

so there I was thinking about lines and curves, when my buddy comes over and asks me to take some shots of his new car. Hmmm, cars have good curves, I've always thought so... now we need some lines... How 'bout a 10ft step ladder and a parking lot???
:D

this is my favorite:
http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6683374-M.jpg

So which one do you like best? And also, any idea on how to make this image pop a little more? I think I have some basics, we'll pick the best composition, but then what... :ear
Erik, I am with you on your favorite, but it might just be a personal preference. Rutt knows how to work LABs, and his suggestion was rather basic, I would try that for pop.

ginger

[lynnma]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6632615-L.jpgthis is my favorite Ginger.. I think it's lovely.

[Andy]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681352-S.jpg


Sullivan's Island, SC
Photgraphy by ginger

ginger, this is *mint*

[gubbs]

Stopped on the way home tonight and took this one, do you think the lines and curves strong enough??
http://Gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/6687091-L.jpg

[rutt]

yeah, i'm not so good at the LAB. but i'll try.
LAB is easy and fun. Read this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2042)if you haven't already. Don't worry about the L curve for now. Just steepen the A and B curves symetrically. You're an engineer, it won't be hard once you start.

[rutt]

Stopped on the way home tonight and took this one, do you think the lines and curves strong enough??
http://gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/6687091-S.jpg

I really love this shot and love the toned B&W. I'm not a good judge of Andy's taste, he says to PM him with questions like this.

[gubbs]

I really love this shot and love the toned B&W. I'm not a good judge of Andy's taste, he says to PM him with questions like this.
Thanks, much apreciated, especially about the B&W. As I converted it I thought "Rutt won't like this!" :D

[Andy]

I really love this shot and love the toned B&W. I'm not a good judge of Andy's taste, he says to PM him with questions like this.

well i try to be really objective. and we have another guest, this time, a very good friend of mine, fine photographer, too, named harry behret.

i think the curve in this shot is quite good, gubby - and i really dig the tones. lovely shot

[lynnma]

Stopped on the way home tonight and took this one, do you think the lines and curves strong enough??
Thats a lovely shot gubbs... do you feel the curves are strong enough?:wink

[gubbs]

well i try to be really objective. and we have another guest, this time, a very good friend of mine, fine photographer, too, named harry behret.

i think the curve in this shot is quite good, gubby - and i really dig the tones. lovely shot Cheers Andy!:D
Hit submit and you're there too Lynn, thanks

[rutt]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6688637-L.jpg

Nantucket is like any tourist destination, Main Street is teaming, but just a block or two away there are these little streets in town that are totally quiet. That's where the dog and I like to go.

[ginger_55]

I really love this shot and love the toned B&W. I'm not a good judge of Andy's taste, he says to PM him with questions like this.
Yes, I do like it, and I also think that it is enough lines and curves, but then again I thought my kid shots were, too, and I also thought my waves were.
So, what do I know, the problem is that if things are not clear and spelled out, there can be dissenting views, and I have seen people burned with that, as in left out of the final ten.

I love that shot, I don't know............ If I didn't think I could write "curves" with a pointed arrow, and then I don't even see the lines, but Andy said both were not needed together, in the same shot. I have relooked at his, and both are there in his. So I would play it safe. Or ask Andy, or put an arrow in with Lines pointed out and the same with Curves. :rofl :rofl :rofl

Or not!

Depending on my resources and on my goal. I do love that shot, and I do think there is enough of the assignment in there, but, as I said, people have been burned before, only so many finalists, and only so many winners.

ginger :thumb

[ginger_55]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6688637-S.jpg

Nantucket is like any tourist destination, Main Street is teaming, but just a block or two away there are these little streets in town that are totally quiet. That's where the dog and I like to go.
Oh, My, Rutt, I do like this photo! I love the colors. There is a curve, and it is leading right out of the picture, with your back up against the left side, hehe.

I guess I am not very nice today.

I honestly do like this shot! Really, honest to g.
But get some other opinions.
I love your photographs, I was waiting for you to post, and I do love it, but it is dangerous.........

Ok, don't hit me anyone. I love the photo and the colors, and I would love to be there. Etc.

ginger
(At least I didn't put any moving smileys in the "reply", smile)

I just saw the little curved thing at the "back" of the photo where my eye goes, good one.

[DoctorIt]

LAB is easy and fun. Read this thread (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2042)if you haven't already. Don't worry about the L curve for now. Just steepen the A and B curves symetrically. You're an engineer, it won't be hard once you start.Oh yeah, fun and easy. this looks terrible. :wxwax

http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6688921-M.jpg

Can I just tell you that I took a break from work just now because I've been cracking my head over a problem all morning and I hate it. So my advisor came in and he says "its simple, what are you doing!?... just redo it like this!".

I'm about 5 minutes away from throwing my books (3 of them at this point for my "simple" problem) out the window, pulling the plug out of the wall, and going for a bike ride. At least pedaling is fun and easy, in a very plain way for me, apparently the idiot today.

[rutt]

Yeah, I have a bike date right now, too. With a real beast. When I get back, I'll be tamed.

Don't do anything to the L curve. Make the A and B curves steeper, but still straight lines. Move the end points inward equally so the lines still cross the center point. Use the numerical input to make sure of this.

[Andy]

guys, look at my examples .. some have curves only. some lines only. some with both...

either or both, it's way ok with me :deal

Yes, I do like it, and I also think that it is enough lines and curves, but then again I thought my kid shots were, too, and I also thought my waves were.
So, what do I know, the problem is that if things are not clear and spelled out, there can be dissenting views, and I have seen people burned with that, as in left out of the final ten.

I love that shot, I don't know............ If I didn't think I could write "curves" with a pointed arrow, and then I don't even see the lines, but Andy said both were not needed together, in the same shot. I have relooked at his, and both are there in his. So I would play it safe. Or ask Andy, or put an arrow in with Lines pointed out and the same with Curves. :rofl :rofl :rofl

Or not!

Depending on my resources and on my goal. I do love that shot, and I do think there is enough of the assignment in there, but, as I said, people have been burned before, only so many finalists, and only so many winners.

ginger :thumb

[snapapple]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6688637-S.jpg

Nantucket is like any tourist destination, Main Street is teaming, but just a block or two away there are these little streets in town that are totally quiet. That's where the dog and I like to go.

I like this a lot. A very nice line and curve. Leads me right in there. Lovely colors too. :thumb

[snapapple]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681352-S.jpg


Sullivan's Island, SC
Photgraphy by ginger

Stop right here! This is my absolute favorite. The light is beautiful and the textures are awesome. It's got lines, curves, mood, light, everything. Just put this in the entry thread and go on to your family thing. Please don't agonize over all the shots. This is great! :thumb

[snapapple]

:wave YooooHooo Lynn,
You put some comments in the submission thread again. It's a no no. Put them in this thread. Or send a pm if you don't think the person will see your message. I'm just trying to help out. We said we wanted to keep the "entries" thread nice and clean. Just the pics. :deal

[lynnma]

:wave YooooHooo Lynn,
You put some comments in the submission thread again. It's a no no. Put them in this thread. Or send a pm if you don't think the person will see your message. I'm just trying to help out. We said we wanted to keep the "entries" thread nice and clean. Just the pics. :dealYou are absolutely right Snap... where is my head today.. It's been like that all day actually.. methinks I'm losing it altogether. Thanks for the prompt.
:wxwax

[gubbs]

I did different ones, and one the same........... ???
or
http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6681352-S.jpg This one (last one)

[ginger_55]

Stop right here! This is my absolute favorite. The light is beautiful and the textures are awesome. It's got lines, curves, mood, light, everything. Just put this in the entry thread and go on to your family thing. Please don't agonize over all the shots. This is great! :thumb
Snappy, I plan to do exactly that............except for the not agonizing over my babies. I really like them all, all that you all have seen anyway, smile. And in each case they are not something I went with the expectation of getting.

I could bore you all with examples, but that is one of the surprising things to me, getting to a place, the picture is nowhere in sight, so I shoot because that is who I am........... and I end up with something nice, just not what I came to shoot, LOL.

If my PC holds up, I will put one on the Challenge when I know exactly................. something. Any feedback would be appreciated. I put one on, it is posted somewhere below this.

Thanks so much for all so far.

And I will be watching. Smile.

ginger

[ginger_55]

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6691940-L.jpg

Photography by ginger

Sullivan's Island Beach
South Carolina

(I know this is the critiques thread, I just put this up here to let you know, also, if you all have anything to say....... please do. I did clean it a bit, except I left in a little bit of two weeds, hard to see)

[spockling]

Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.

http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Dgrin/1_ni.jpg

[DoctorIt]

Yeah, I have a bike date right now, too. With a real beast. When I get back, I'll be tamed.

Don't do anything to the L curve. Make the A and B curves steeper, but still straight lines. Move the end points inward equally so the lines still cross the center point. Use the numerical input to make sure of this.My numerical input doesn't work, i don't think...

But I solved my math problem. I cheered, then my advisor said it should've taken me 15 minutes. :wxwax

[gubbs]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6691940-Th.jpg

Photography by ginger

Sullivan's Island Beach
South Carolina

(I know this is the critiques thread, I just put this up here to let you know, also, if you all have anything to say....... please do. I did clean it a bit, except I left in a little bit of two weeds, hard to see)
Nice one ginger, enjoy your break and wash your hair!!

[snapapple]

Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.

http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Dgrin/1_ni.jpg

Spockling, this is good, very good. You really made the black and white pop. However, it seems a bit tilted to me. I think you should line up that post at the point of the bench with the right side of the picture. The little girl is precious.

[snapapple]

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6690946-L.jpg

I went back to the color original on this. It seems better than a B&W to me now. What do you think? Does it need more contrast? I don't want to lose the bottom part in the shadows.

[snapapple]

Flying Buttress

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6692422-L.jpg

Comments please.. :dunno

[Faith]

Here is my kitty. She loves :lust my camera. Every time I take a picture of here she just has to find out what is going on.

I think her whiskers are wonderful curved lines and her ears are very nice curves. I feel like I am cheating because I just took a picture of her, but she is beautiful.

Is she too cute for a photo contest? My boyfriend thinks so.

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6689208-L.jpg

[Faith]

Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.

http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/Dgrin/1_ni.jpg

It sounds like you did a lot of work on this and I think it was worth it.
:thumb She looks lonley and I know how that feels.

[Bodwick]

She looks lonley and I know how that feels.

"Is she too cute for a photo contest? My boyfriend thinks so."


Sounds like time to dump the miserable boyfriend and find someone with a bit of of buzz for life.

You should pop down to 'wide angle' post a rant and maybe a photo of the 'loved one' and I'm sure you will get some good advice on how to deal with 'negative attitude'....


Your pic's are just fine.... :thumb

Bod...

[rutt]

It's like the reflection thing. Nothing going on and the next thing you know everything is lines and curves. Even when I'm trying hard to lead a balanced life and take some photos that aren't monomaniacal.

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6698407-L.jpg

[lynnesite]

Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.


I like it very much, strong repeating theme and attractive/optimized tonal range. :thumb

[lynnesite]

I entered this image, shot last night, just to remind myself to get busy in the coming days and shoot something better. Lynn, I can't crop less tightly because I shot it that tight (on purpose), but yeah, a bit more ear and leg would have been helpful. :scratch Off to Auburn tomorrow for the 50th Tevis (endurance) ride, shooting it, hopefully I'll find something there more interesting. Like the No Hands bridge.

http://lynnesite.smugmug.com/photos/6687543-M.jpg

[ginger_55]

Flying Buttress

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6692422-S.jpg

Comments please.. :dunno

Snappy, I washed my hair :D, before that I stole your other photo and tried cropping it. I thought about it in the shower, I usually get ideas there.
Nothing.

What I am really thinking is, "What are you trying to say?", "What are you focused on?". A city is teeming with things, people, rats, whatever, they are there. But they can't go in the same photo. Now I feel terrible.

I think I know what is happening. One, I think you see something I don't, but I think, IMHO, that you need to come in tighter and show it to me.

I read from some photographer sometime that when he goes somewhere "new" on a shoot, he spends the day before, the night before, whatever time he has, going around taking photographs just to get them out of his system, so he can settle down for the assignment.

I remember that a lot. For myself. I do it, I get somewhere, and I take photos on the first day that are not the better photos on the second day. I am nice to myself because I remember what that photographer said about "new" places.

You know your home so well, I was so jealous because all you have to do is put two hills, mtns, whatever, together, and you would have a really good photo. Now, remember, that is not the photo you would probably get, as I never get what I imagine. But I think it would be lovely, lots of curves, back rds, curving, all sorts of things. And you are so used to them and so bored that you would isolate them so I would know what you are trying to show me.

So, that is what I think. Basically, I think there is too much in your "city" scapes for me to "see" what you see.

Now, someone is going to come along and contradict me, I am sure. I hope they do, but I don't know what else to say. Sid said he shoots like I do, a gazillion photos to get the right one, and he is a city photographer, I think.

By the way, I do like that one photo better in color, smile, too.

ginger :wave

[ginger_55]

It sounds like you did a lot of work on this and I think it was worth it.
:thumb She looks lonley and I know how that feels.
Spockling, your picture of the girl, and lines, must be good, I am starting to feel very sad every time I see it.

Is she your daughter? Someone you know? Did you take away her favorite thing?

I am not seeing the lines as much as I am the emotion in the girl.

It is a very compelling photo.

ginger:D

[mercphoto]

My first submission to a contest. :) The circles are obvious (tires, brake, gears), the line is the axle, frame. I used to race these. A friend is keeping his kart in my garage for a month. Bad mistake... Working on some other interesting shots that one might not normally take of a car/kart.

Also first use of my new 50/1.4 lens. :) This was at f/4.

[snapapple]

Snappy, I washed my hair :D, before that I stole your other photo and tried cropping it.

What I am really thinking is, "What are you trying to say?", "What are you focused on?". A city is teeming with things, people, rats, whatever, they are there. But they can't go in the same photo. Now I feel terrible.

I think I know what is happening. One, I think you see something I don't, but I think, IMHO, that you need to come in tighter and show it to me.

So, that is what I think. Basically, I think there is too much in your "city" scapes for me to "see" what you see.

Now, someone is going to come along and contradict me, I am sure. I hope they do, but I don't know what else to say. Sid said he shoots like I do, a gazillion photos to get the right one, and he is a city photographer, I think.

By the way, I do like that one photo better in color, smile, too.

ginger :wave

I'm sorry Ginger, what do you mean. Which picture do you think needs cropping. Certainly not the one in your post. It is already cropped down to two lines and two arches. I'm trying to show the bold line of the roof here, with two colorful arched windows.

The other photo you like better in color, do you mean the trolly station. What I am trying to show you is the many lines of the steel structure, including curves in the roof. The subtle color of the lights add to it, I think. The two people walking at the bottom right give it scale. Do you think this needs more cropping? Please explain.

[snapapple]

[QUOTE=spockling]Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.

I just tilted it to the left a little and cloned in the wall and the ground to fill in. What do you think? I love the picture, regardless of the lines, which are good, the girl is great. There is a story there.

[ginger_55]

[QUOTE=spockling]Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.

I just tilted it to the left a little and cloned in the wall and the ground to fill in. What do you think? I love the picture, regardless of the lines, which are good, the girl is great. There is a story there.
Hey, Snappy, you really did something good with that picture. It was good in the first place, but now I am seeing the lines better. Even the girl fits better however you did it.:thumb

Yes, the one I liked better in color is the trolly one, I think that is what you called it.:D

I don't know what I mean. You know, I am going to hang up the computer, but I did want to say something, but I didn't know what to say.

So, I wouldn't pay that much attention to it. We all know I am photography "tired", glad to be taking a break.

I probably won't be able to think of a single photo in Wide Angle, but I will be glad to slap one lens on, if I can't get it with that, and on the short end, haha, it isn't eligible.

But for now I am through, so I was just trying to meddle in everyone else's photos. I am going to rest. Tennis tomorrow.

You know, it kind of takes away from the "blue moon" trip not to know that I have to take photos. I mean I can, but I don't Have to. Maybe it will rain, and I will watch a DVD, or torment the rest of you while waiting for my husband to come home from his weeklong "away" work thing.

ginger

[lynnma]

I'm finding this challenge quite difficult.. I'm muttering "lines and curves, lines and curves" where ever I go... Is anyone else?

[damonff]

That's an awesome shot Lynn...yeah!I'm finding this challenge quite difficult.. I'm muttering "lines and curves, lines and curves" where ever I go... Is anyone else?

[Mitchell]

Mitch...
WoW.... Your brain coral is absolutely beautiful! Excellent first submission!

I like the color, and the texture of the coral... Good example of lines and curves. I might mess around a bit with cropping just to see if it would work.

ginette
Thanks for your kind comments. I would be interested in any cropping advice to make this more interesting.

mitch

[cmr164]

Comments Anyone? Process was USM, LAB, Curves, RGB, Convert to B/W, USM.


I am seeing a strong moire pattern that is distracting. You might try dropping the first USM.

[mercphoto]

I like how your photo is calm on the right, then gets into motion as the water falls, then into chaos on the left.

[snapapple]

I'm finding this challenge quite difficult.. I'm muttering "lines and curves, lines and curves" where ever I go... Is anyone else?

Lynn,
That's quite a line. It looks like a good one for wide angle too. Heheheh.
Great shot :thumb

[pathfinder]

I'm finding this challenge quite difficult.. I'm muttering "lines and curves, lines and curves" where ever I go... Is anyone else?
I think your shot of the dam has real potential appeal, Lynn, but I do find the large blown out areas distracting. I examined your image and have outlined where there is no information. All pixels are 255,255,255 inside the red lines I drew on your image.

Could you shoot again and try to hold some detail here - I know there are specular highlights in this image, but this big an area has to be dealt with I think. Like I said, I like the composition and the golden color of the water, but would like to be able to see some of the water surface also.

[spockling]

My Little Girl

Thanks to all who responded. With your comments in mind I made some changes. This is actually a different picture than the first. I took the advise of losing the first USM and voila! Moire gone. (That's a new for me). I straightened up the picture using a different reference point. The first time I used the flagpoles. Thought they'd be straight. By the way...she didn't do anything wrong, or have anything taken away. This was on the way out the zoo this morning and she just posed this for me.:lust

[gubbs]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6688637-Th.jpg
Lovely shot Rutt, it would be good to see you and your dog walking down that road

[gubbs]

I'm finding this challenge quite difficult.. I'm muttering "lines and curves, lines and curves" where ever I go... Is anyone else?
Hi Lynn,
I agree with pathfinder, and if you do get a chance to reshoot, I wondered what it would be like if you got more of the calm side in to help dramatise the waterfall and rocks. Maybe a 50/50 diagonal split :dunno

[rutt]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6688637-Th.jpg
Lovely shot Rutt, it would be good to see you and your dog walking down that road
That's a good suggestion, but I don't quite know how to accomplish. Will work on it.

[lynnma]

I think your shot of the dam has real potential appeal, Lynn, but I do find the large blown out areas distracting. I examined your image and have outlined where there is no information. All pixels are 255,255,255 inside the red lines I drew on your image.

Could you shoot again and try to hold some detail here - I know there are specular highlights in this image, but this big an area has to be dealt with I think. Like I said, I like the composition and the golden color of the water, but would like to be able to see some of the water surface also.Yes you are right Path. I need to look at the raw again or reshoot completely. I was in denial about the blown out parts:D

I just looked at a the raw again and there's no hope.. it was late in the day and the light was low but I think it might be worth a return trip? what do you think is it? it's not too hard to get to which is appealing :D By the way Path. Thanks for taking the time to critique so well, it's so helpful.

[rutt]

Yes you are right Path. I need to look at the raw again or reshoot completely. I was in denial about the blown out parts:D
Lynn, it's very likely that you can recover the blown parts via raw conversion , highlight/shadows, plate blending, and curves. The whole battery of Dan Margulis type moves. Just ask if you need some help. Clue: convert very dark and then do highlight/shadows, LAB curves.

[lynnma]

Lynn, it's very likely that you can recover the blown parts via raw conversion , highlight/shadows, plate blending, and curves. The whole battery of Dan Margulis type moves. Just ask if you need some help. Clue: convert very dark and then do highlight/shadows, LAB curves.I dunno Rutt.. I just looked at it and it's pretty blown out in RAW but I may have a go later. Do you want to have at it?
I'm loading it up in Smugmug.. this is right up your alley. But I'm going to reshoot for the challenge maybe. I'll pm you.:D

[Faith]

"Is she too cute for a photo contest? My boyfriend thinks so."


Sounds like time to dump the miserable boyfriend and find someone with a bit of of buzz for life.

You should pop down to 'wide angle' post a rant and maybe a photo of the 'loved one' and I'm sure you will get some good advice on how to deal with 'negative attitude'....


Your pic's are just fine.... :thumb

Bod...

My boyfriend is really really nice. He's just a little hard to please sometimes. Last night he showed me how to use photoshop to crop my pictures and some other things that I'm still trying to understand. Do you like my kitty better now?

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6715240-L.jpg

[cmr164]

My Little Girl

Thanks to all who responded. With your comments in mind I made some changes. This is actually a different picture than the first. I took the advise of losing the first USM and voila! Moire gone. (That's a new for me). I straightened up the picture using a different reference point. The first time I used the flagpoles. Thought they'd be straight. By the way...she didn't do anything wrong, or have anything taken away. This was on the way out the zoo this morning and she just posed this for me.:lust Glad my suggestion vis a vis the USM/moire worked. Probably straightening the image also helped. As a general rule moire patterns are caused by interactions between varying angles of straight lines. In images the stepping of pixels can make moire patterns leap out at you. Anything that reduces the resolution or which increases inter-pixel contrast increases the possibility of a moire pattern. Jpeg compression and USM both decrease true resolution by reducing image content and USM's mechanism is to increase inter-pixel contrast. So you never gain by doing USM until the last step. It is more work but you will get much better final images if you turn off the in camera sharpening.

[rutt]

My boyfriend is really really nice. He's just a little hard to please sometimes. Last night he showed me how to use photoshop to crop my pictures and some other things that I'm still trying to understand. Do you like my kitty better now?

http://faithjoiner.smugmug.com/photos/6715240-S.jpg
I like this quite a bit now. Before you cropped it the background was distracting and I think your beautiful cat was a little lost in a sea of white with and some other stuff. You also seem to have gotten better details in her fur (I'd like to know what your boyfriend showed you how to do.) I have found it hard to get animals to pose this well, your cat is clearly curious about the camera, and that makes this an interesting picture even though there are zillions of cat pictures out there.

Lines and curves? I see them. Whiskers, ears, fur in ears. But you really can't listen to me on this; you need some other feedback here. I'm famously bad at seeing contest elements in shots where the judges don't.

[spockling]

Glad my suggestion vis a vis the USM/moire worked. Probably straightening the image also helped. As a general rule moire patterns are caused by interactions between varying angles of straight lines. In images the stepping of pixels can make moire patterns leap out at you. Anything that reduces the resolution or which increases inter-pixel contrast increases the possibility of a moire pattern. Jpeg compression and USM both decrease true resolution by reducing image content and USM's mechanism is to increase inter-pixel contrast. So you never gain by doing USM until the last step. It is more work but you will get much better final images if you turn off the in camera sharpening.
Thanks again Charles. I don't think I can turn off the in camera sharpening in my little A75 though:rofl .

[spockling]

I went back to the color original on this. It seems better than a B&W to me now. What do you think? Does it need more contrast? I don't want to lose the bottom part in the shadows.Hey Snap, I'm finding in the trolley picture there's just too much to look at. It seems too busy:scratch
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6690946-S.jpg

As for the Flying Buttress, I think(newbie again) that it's needs to be rotated like this.....to give it a different angle.

[DoctorIt]

Hey Snap, I'm finding in the trolley picture there's just too much to look at. It seems too busy:scratch

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6690946-S.jpg
I have to agree with Spock here... but you did ask earlier about the bottom. I would have cropped out the light part, so that it ends in the shadows. It would give a good gradient from the light up top, to shadows down below. Heck, I might even crop off most of the bottom and turn this portrait into a landscape of just that curved roof.

[winger]

Ok I have lineshttp://winger.smugmug.com/photos/6219075-M.jpg

Here I have curveshttp://winger.smugmug.com/photos/5549096-M.jpg
I guess these two have both????
http://winger.smugmug.com/photos/5549233-M.jpg
http://winger.smugmug.com/photos/5552083-M.jpg

I aint going to get better if I dont start submitting right?

[gubbs]

Here I have curves
http://winger.smugmug.com/photos/5549096-Th.jpg

I aint going to get better if I dont start submitting right?
I like this one :thumb

Problem is, once you start, you can't stop :D

[Andy]

i'm in sf again, and i went up to the marin headlands and shot the gg bridge, and the city, again. was hoping for a moonrise but alas, the city's famous fog settled in. i settled for this:

http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/6716755-L.jpg

some lines, some curves for ya. shot with my 10d, 16-35L f/2.8 aboard, 10 secs at f/4.5

cheers all!

[winger]

I like this one :thumb

Problem is, once you start, you can't stop :D
Well this site is so image heavy that the good news is I can only access it on campus so that will keep me from spending too much time here. ( I live in the woods and only have dialup at home)

The last three photos are from Austin Texas, the First one was Muskegon MI

[DoctorIt]

Ok, I tried this one again:

http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6718954-M.jpg

I like the colors better, little USM, now something still doesn't look right. If you take a look at the Large version (http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6718954-L.jpg) does it look like the edges are weird? Or like a weird graininess came in? I don't know what I did, or maybe I've been staring at this one too long.

[DoctorIt]

Ok I have lineshttp://winger.smugmug.com/photos/6219075-M.jpg

Yo Winger - I liked this one when you showed it to me a few days ago. BUT, fix the horizon that tad bit, brighten up the sky, put some more contrast on those pole shadows, maybe add some detail to the sand.

Got it? Good that should keep you busy all weekend. Come borrow my Photoshop book if you need it...

:rofl

[spockling]

Ok, I tried this one again:

http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6718954-M.jpg

I like the colors better, little USM, now something still doesn't look right. If you take a look at the Large version (http://doctorit.smugmug.com/photos/6718954-L.jpg) does it look like the edges are weird? Or like a weird graininess came in? I don't know what I did, or maybe I've been staring at this one too long.
I think it's the asphalt! It turned really grainey (?) for some reason.

[rutt]

I think it's the asphalt! It turned really grainey (?) for some reason.
Probably this was USM. What were the values? Try looking at a 100% zoom while USM'ing. First turn amount up all the way and threshold down all the way and play with radius until it's as big as you can get it without obscuring detail anywhere. Then adjust threshold upward so that you aren't getting sharpening you don't want, like on the asphalt or whatever but still are sharpening things you do want. Lastly, turn down amount until it actually looks good.

[ginger_55]

i'm in sf again, and i went up to the marin headlands and shot the gg bridge, and the city, again. was hoping for a moonrise but alas, the city's famous fog settled in. i settled for this:

http://williams.smugmug.com/photos/6716755-S.jpg

some lines, some curves for ya. shot with my 10d, 16-35L f/2.8 aboard, 10 secs at f/4.5

cheers all!Hey, Andy, I am now inspired, and I will run right out there and take that photo, or one just like it. HEHE I was going to mention that I went through books last night and big bridges make very good curve subjects. Have you tried stopping in the middle of the bridge, might get some dramatic photos, I saw one in the book, cool. (Here we would be arrested)

Also macro. I would have tried some macro shots, not my normal thing, but I would have. And staircases, I think one of those is mandatory.

But I do have this concern re my photo, I am beginning to think of it as my orphan child. I notice that it is not as "tall" as the others, mine are not, mine are about 500 pixels, others run about 600, I think. And it is not framed, so I feel kind of like the poor picture needs something..... It is the whole shot, I mean it is not a cropped photo, so I can't add more to the top that way. (It fits all the criteria for last weeks assignment, except a small bit of clean up work with the clone tool, not much done at all. Composed in the camera)

Andy, I have a serious question. Maybe others might like to know and maybe they wouldn't, but I would. Why do you frame your photos? I mean just personally why? Not whether we should, but why do you?

Also, do you frame them for the contests that you enter, in any way.

I am really bothered by my little fence shot, sure looks good in a frame, better, I think, but I lose "size" if I frame it. Though, I do think that if I use the browser, it does not appear to lose size and they have a bit of black around them, then white outside that. I think it makes the pictures look even bigger. That is by not going through Smugmug, I think. The picture right above mine has that effect.


Do you really like your frames as a presentation method, or is it to get your name on it or what? Do you frame for contests?

ginger

Thanks, I would really appreciate it if you would address this issue in your thinking, not what we should do, but why you do whatever, and what you have heard on it.


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6721176-S.jpg


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6691940-S.jpg



I feel like such an idiot, agonizing over this each Challenge.

[cmr164]

One rotated and one rotated/cropped....

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2577_ducks_sr.jpg


http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2577_ducks_csr.jpg

[spockling]

How bout these? I think I like the duotone on the second one.
http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/FM/lines1_ni.jpg
http://members.shaw.ca/betlin/FM/lines2_ni.jpg

[pathfinder]

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6688637-Th.jpg
Lovely shot Rutt, it would be good to see you and your dog walking down that roadOr maybe just the dog with its famous camo green ball?http://www.dgrin.com/images/icons/Laughing.gif

[pathfinder]

Ok
Here I have curveshttp://winger.smugmug.com/photos/5549096-M.jpg


I aint going to get better if I dont start submitting right?I think this is a very dramatic image if you can capture and display the tonalities in the lighter and the darker areas equally. This may require more than one shot to combine them in PS or may require two shots created from one RAW file to capture the detail in the highlights and the shadows.

This is an edit from home - We need to be very careful how we evaluate images because at work the dark part of this image seemed without detail, but on my calibrated monitor at home this is quite lovely as is. My apologies for my previous statements.

[DoctorIt]

Probably this was USM. What were the values? Try looking at a 100% zoom while USM'ing. First turn amount up all the way and threshold down all the way and play with radius until it's as big as you can get it without obscuring detail anywhere. Then adjust threshold upward so that you aren't getting sharpening you don't want, like on the asphalt or whatever but still are sharpening things you do want. Lastly, turn down amount until it actually looks good.i kinda like the grainy asphalt - its on a seperate layer from the mini at this point. So I USM'd them differently. Maybe I'll try again, but I think I'm through with this one. I start to hate my photos when I mess with them too much. Plus, I'd rather go out and shoot more than beat this one to death. But as usual, thanks for the comments.

[winger]

Erik, I think you just made my head explode with all the photoshop stuff. Maybe you could show me sometime while I am work :D.
I guess I should stop be scared of it and just sit down and play with it.

As for the texas state capital dome shot, I have only been shooting in Jpeg, cause the Raw stuff scares me even more than photoshop. And lately I have been doing most of the stuff on my laptop, which I also need for school so I dont want to make it blow up just yet.

Here are the ducklings the other way. hehe. I should go back to Boston with my camera and go on a spree (especially since I maybe moving out of the area soon.

http://winger.smugmug.com/photos/3408244-M.jpg

[DoctorIt]

Erik, I think you just made my head explode with all the photoshop stuff. Maybe you could show me sometime while I am work :D.
I guess I should stop be scared of it and just sit down and play with it.

As for the texas state capital dome shot, I have only been shooting in Jpeg, cause the Raw stuff scares me even more than photoshop. And lately I have been doing most of the stuff on my laptop, which I also need for school so I dont want to make it blow up just yet.

1. keep giving me pizza and i'll show you a few things (not that I know all too much)

2. its ok that you don't have it raw. you can still "develop" the picture 2 ways and then combine them, harder, but similar process.

Mostly, dig through here for tips. The Digital darkroom challenges are a great place to start. That'll get you going with selecting those dark areas and light areas in your dome shot.

[ginger_55]

One rotated and one rotated/cropped....


Charles, Iike your marching ducks, rotated and the second one, too.

ginger

[cmr164]

Here are the ducklings the other way. hehe. I should go back to Boston with my camera and go on a spree (especially since I maybe moving out of the area soon.


Yea, I took them from that direction also but the curve of their line shows better from the rear view (IMHO)

Ginger;
Thanks. Which do you like better, cropped or just rotated?

[ginger_55]

How bout these? I think I like the duotone on the second one.


Spockling, I like the duotone, also. What is the difference between a duotone and sepia?

ginger

[ginger_55]

Erik, I think you just made my head explode with all the photoshop stuff. Maybe you could show me sometime while I am work :D.
I guess I should stop be scared of it and just sit down and play with it.

As for the texas state capital dome shot, I have only been shooting in Jpeg, cause the Raw stuff scares me even more than photoshop. And lately I have been doing most of the stuff on my laptop, which I also need for school so I dont want to make it blow up just yet.

Here are the ducklings the other way. hehe. I should go back to Boston with my camera and go on a spree (especially since I maybe moving out of the area soon.

http://winger.smugmug.com/photos/3408244-S.jpg

I like this one best, but I am confused. Are these community ducks?
On the rotated vs straight, I like the rotated best, something different, and the white is like a frame, and remember I am the framing maniac.

ginger

[lynnma]

I ripped off the ankle brace and drove myself back to this waterfall and there were men fishing!!! so I pushed them in.. no just kidding.. I went back AGAIN and retook the shot. I'm not sure whether to crop the top out more.. is it any better?? and is it any good? don't worry bout my feelings.. it's all a learning curve for me..:D

[cletus]

I ripped off the ankle brace and drove myself back to this waterfall and there were men fishing!!! so I pushed them in.. no just kidding.. I went back AGAIN and retook the shot. I'm not sure whether to crop the top out more.. is it any better?? and is it any good? don't worry bout my feelings.. it's all a learning curve for me..:D
I like the new version Lynn :thumb

[Andy]

this has come up a lot, and i'm happy to address it.

i'm not a fan of fancy frames, the ones that mimic what a real picture frame looks like.

but i do feel like "finishing off" my shots for web presentment in some manner. i feel that a simple white border, and a small bit of shadowing, enhances the viewing effect. now some like it, some don't, that's okay becuase the great thing about our art is that it's very subjective. to me, when i frame it the way i do, it says: okay folks, here's a shot i'm happy with, proud of, and want to share it with you (or via my public website). i also put my name stamp on it and company id so that the image is declared as mine.

in the end though, it's really a matter of personal taste :wink

thanks for asking the question. did i answer it well enough for you? holler if you'd like more ....



Hey, Andy, I am now inspired, and I will run right out there and take that photo, or one just like it. HEHE I was going to mention that I went through books last night and big bridges make very good curve subjects. Have you tried stopping in the middle of the bridge, might get some dramatic photos, I saw one in the book, cool. (Here we would be arrested)

Also macro. I would have tried some macro shots, not my normal thing, but I would have. And staircases, I think one of those is mandatory.

But I do have this concern re my photo, I am beginning to think of it as my orphan child. I notice that it is not as "tall" as the others, mine are not, mine are about 500 pixels, others run about 600, I think. And it is not framed, so I feel kind of like the poor picture needs something..... It is the whole shot, I mean it is not a cropped photo, so I can't add more to the top that way. (It fits all the criteria for last weeks assignment, except a small bit of clean up work with the clone tool, not much done at all. Composed in the camera)

Andy, I have a serious question. Maybe others might like to know and maybe they wouldn't, but I would. Why do you frame your photos? I mean just personally why? Not whether we should, but why do you?

Also, do you frame them for the contests that you enter, in any way.

I am really bothered by my little fence shot, sure looks good in a frame, better, I think, but I lose "size" if I frame it. Though, I do think that if I use the browser, it does not appear to lose size and they have a bit of black around them, then white outside that. I think it makes the pictures look even bigger. That is by not going through Smugmug, I think. The picture right above mine has that effect.


Do you really like your frames as a presentation method, or is it to get your name on it or what? Do you frame for contests?

ginger

Thanks, I would really appreciate it if you would address this issue in your thinking, not what we should do, but why you do whatever, and what you have heard on it.


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6721176-S.jpg


http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6691940-S.jpg



I feel like such an idiot, agonizing over this each Challenge.

[ginger_55]

this has come up a lot, and i'm happy to address it.

i'm not a fan of fancy frames, the ones that mimic what a real picture frame looks like.

but i do feel like "finishing off" my shots for web presentment in some manner. i feel that a simple white border, and a small bit of shadowing, enhances the viewing effect. now some like it, some don't, that's okay becuase the great thing about our art is that it's very subjective. to me, when i frame it the way i do, it says: okay folks, here's a shot i'm happy with, proud of, and want to share it with you (or via my public website). i also put my name stamp on it and company id so that the image is declared as mine.

in the end though, it's really a matter of personal taste :wink

thanks for asking the question. did i answer it well enough for you? holler if you'd like more ....
Yes, Andy, you could not have explained yourself better..........from my perspective. I only frame the ones I am proud of, not the ones I am trying to prop up, I overwork those until they are too weird to show.

Thank you very much for putting my thoughts into words.

Ginger

(Not usually at a loss for words, think I may have been intimidated by all the great photographers here. Yet, the creative side of my brain would not let the other side alone, or something like that. I just wanted that frame, in my gut, and I thought it was wrong........ as a serious photographer, on the other side of my brain.

I feel so good when I finish a photograph and present it, but only the really good ones, IMO, do I frame. That is my message that I really like it, and that is what you said.)

In fact my signature, Photography by ginger, says a lot from me. I don't think people pick up on that, but it is very important to me.

In a disagreement with my husband over something with my photography, I said, "I sign my pictures", not meaning that literally, but somewhere, if it is serious stuff, there are the words, Photography by ginger, note the small "g", everything means something to me. And that means, I take responsibility, am proud of it, etc. So he had to learn not to make decisions for me with other people.

I just couldn't get a handle on the framing thing..........thanks, muchly

ginger

[lynnma]

I like the new version Lynn :thumbanother version.. I'm not sure...

[rutt]

It's like the reflection thing. Nothing going on and the next thing you know everything is lines and curves. Even when I'm trying hard to lead a balanced life and take some photos that aren't monomaniacal.

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6698407-L.jpg
Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.

[mercphoto]

another version.. I'm not sure...

I like both your new water falls better than the first version. You might try a polarizer to aid with the appearance of the water on the right hand side. It can help wipe out any hot spots, and can adjust the amount of reflection on the surface.

[snapapple]

I ripped off the ankle brace and drove myself back to this waterfall and there were men fishing!!! so I pushed them in.. no just kidding.. I went back AGAIN and retook the shot. I'm not sure whether to crop the top out more.. is it any better?? and is it any good? don't worry bout my feelings.. it's all a learning curve for me..:D

Lynn, I like the first new shot of the falls. The detail in the still water is beautiful. The colors are beautiful. I don't care for the misty blur in the second shot. I think that may just be personal preference, but that's mine. You did a great job on that shot. Was it a different time of day? That's my problem, getting there when the light is best.

Nice work!!

[snapapple]

Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.

I like your flower Rutt, but I didn't comment because I didn't think you were serious. I don't think it's up to your usual quality for an entry. I would like to see the flower more perfect, unblemished. But, that's not the point. I just think you can be more creative. It's not a bad picture at all. Well done and all. Just give us more imagination. :) :D

[mercphoto]

Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.

Its ok, nobody commented on my kart tire picture either. :) I like your flower. I think it works very well. Flowers with a bit of water drops look cool to me. I also like the shallow DOF. The entire flower is in focus, but the background is completely void.

This is one rose I did about two months ago:
http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/photos/5438787-M-2.jpg

[cmr164]

Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.
The concept is good but the subject is too imperfect. (JMHO)

[rutt]

I like your flower Rutt, but I didn't comment because I didn't think you were serious. I don't think it's up to your usual quality for an entry. I would like to see the flower more perfect, unblemished. But, that's not the point. I just think you can be more creative. It's not a bad picture at all. Well done and all. Just give us more imagination. :) :D
A perfect reply. People weren't taking it seriously because I usually do better. Wow. Thanks! Flower shots used to be my big thing, but I guess you can't go home again. At least not quite. (Look at Irving Penn's flower shots sometime.)

[spockling]

Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.
http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6698407-S.jpg

OK, I'll bite......To me the dark yellow ring closest to the white petals is blurry/fuzzy and is distracting from the complete image. The water droplets work well as does the center of the flower. Also, the yellow is a bit muted. Any way of brightening/toning it up?

[rutt]

Its ok, nobody commented on my kart tire picture either. :) I like your flower. I think it works very well. Flowers with a bit of water drops look cool to me. I also like the shallow DOF. The entire flower is in focus, but the background is completely void.

This is one rose I did about two months ago:
http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/photos/5438787-M-2.jpg
Beautiful rose.

[rutt]

Perhaps the path with the trees and fence is still my best shot so far. I like the idea of trying to get the dog in it. Still, I though this was appealling, too.


http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/6724498-L.jpg

[lynnma]

Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.Hey darling... did'nt get to see your daisy.. I"m missing a lot these days.. including my brain.I love the daisy but I don't like the flaw on the right.. I love the ides tho.. can you reshoot???

[lynnma]

I like both your new water falls better than the first version. You might try a polarizer to aid with the appearance of the water on the right hand side. It can help wipe out any hot spots, and can adjust the amount of reflection on the surface.Brillient!!!! ask me where my polarizer was when I took this....

in the drawer.. at home..DRAT! :rofl thanks for the input

[lynnma]

Perhaps the path with the trees and fence is still my best shot so far. I like the idea of trying to get the dog in it. Still, I though this was appealling, too.


Rutty dear.. I'm not keen on this tatty flower thing you have going..it's not you. :rofl

[lynnma]

Two new ones.. Thanks for the great critiques so far. This is the color version and I think I like this one.. I may use it for the challenge.. even if everyone hates it:rofl

[lynnma]

and black and white conversion...

[lynnma]

Thanks Merc and Snappy. you are right about the blur thing.. I'm addicted but in treatment for the cure. Yes it was a different time. The light was better. Should have seen me with my walking cast on trying to get the shot, staggering about in the bushes...:rofl I'ts sooo great to be out ALONE in the woods. Driving was a breeze, bare foot. he he he

[ginger_55]

Beautiful rose.
Rutt, have you read Le Petit Prince? Well, I didn't comment, because I liked my beach flowers better, they were a grab, early morning last weekend, and they were wet with dew, I will try to find one or two for you. (I don't think a centered daisy would work in this assignment).

Mine is not perfect, but I loved all that natural dew, I even loved the imperfection, no I don't think it would work either, I think the only way the flower would work would be to not show it as a flower, but somehow make the emphasis on the design of curves.

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6533720-S.jpg

This next one is probably better, but I am not an expert on flower photography. Just grab some to and fro, on the way to here and there.

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6533704-S.jpg

I do like that composition better, but I saw some really cool photography of flowers last night in a book. I do like the dew here, almost feel I should show it to you large enough to see the dew.

http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6533704-L.jpg

Multiple comments on my flower shots? They are still, no matter how one cuts it, shots of flowers, and the curves are not good enough, IMO.

ginger

[ginger_55]

Rutty dear.. I'm not keen on this tatty flower thing you have going..it's not you. :rofl
It used to be, he said so!

HAHAHAHHAAAHAHAHA, :rofl :rofl :rofl

I entered the fray, too.

Lynn, you are on a roll.

On the original idea, the colored shot, I agree with whoever said it, I like the first of the second try the best. The less cropped one.

ginger:clap

Rutt won't even read this with all the moving/jumping people.

[ginger_55]

Two new ones.. Thanks for the great critiques so far. This is the color version and I think I like this one.. I may use it for the challenge.. even if everyone hates it:rofl
Lynn, I would never hate any art you choose to give us. I think I like the other one, the water going over the thing, better.

But who knows.

(I am tempted to say I hate it,:rofl :rofl :rofl )

One thing, I don't notice a lot of color, is there any way you could play around with bringing out the color a bit more. There is so little color in the rocks and water, I think that might be neat: more viewable color in the green and things. Maybe more saturated, just brought out more.

g

[ginger_55]

So, you all can kill me, it was something fun to do. I had problems with PS, so I didn't play too long. This was kind of what I was thinking when I mentioned macros earlier. I would be playing with them, if I were looking for something to do.

Rutt, sorry, I had to borrow your flower, I like it better like this, as a shape, not a flower. g



http://gingerSnap.smugmug.com/photos/6728371-M.jpg

[rutt]

http://gingersnap.smugmug.com/photos/6728371-S.jpg

Thsi is a good idea, Ginger. Why didn't I think of it? Thanks.

[cmr164]

Differing shutter speeds convert the motion in different ways.

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2342_spin_s.jpg


http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2344_spin_s.jpg

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2338_spin_s.jpg

[snapapple]

My first submission to a contest. :) The circles are obvious (tires, brake, gears), the line is the axle, frame. I used to race these. A friend is keeping his kart in my garage for a month. Bad mistake... Working on some other interesting shots that one might not normally take of a car/kart.

Also first use of my new 50/1.4 lens. :) This was at f/4.

Bill, you said you got no comments on this, so I went back to look for it. I must have missed it earlier. I don't know about this one. It didn't grab me. I think the large Bridgstone label on the tire detracts from the curve line. The background is all blurred out so there is no context. But, that may be OK. It could be considered abstract art. But then, if it was to be an abstract, I would want to see the tire all alone and real sharp. I guess that's it. It needs to be sharp and bright to get my attention. I may not be the one to critique this, being a woman. Maybe men are more drawn to tires. :wink

[snapapple]

I like it! It's a better composition. I was just hung up on keeping that dark line absolutely horizontal because it's a building. However, since it has become an abstract, it may not matter. Opinions anyone?

And one more thing, that dark line. The beam or whatever. I lightened it enough to make the detail visible, but I don't know. As an abstract, it could go all the way black. Or maybe lighten it as much as possible so it blends more with the rest. Comments anyone?

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6725577-M.jpg

Or the original one...

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6692422-M.jpg

[snapapple]

This makes a pretty good abstract too. It is simpler this way. That's the sun up in the left corner. I could clone it out. Used curves for the color and it brought out the sun, which was not visible before. Strange.

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6726529-M.jpg

Or the original one...

http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6690946-M.jpg

[snapapple]

Gubbs asked if it's a market. It's a shopping center with one whole level as a food court. Behind those windows are eating areas and bridges across to the other side of the shopping center. The place is huge. Seven levels, I think. There were plenty of people that day. I would have liked just one in a window, but when ever there was a person, they were right smack in front of my camera. Or else there are very few people. I may have to go back next week. Without people, it just looks like abstract art.

There's this one...
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6658658-M.jpg

Or this...
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6726603-M.jpg

Or this one - (has some people in the window)
http://snapapple.smugmug.com/photos/6658668-M.jpg

[pathfinder]

Hey, I've gotten no feedback on this one. Does it really just not work? I thought it was a pretty cool take on the theme. My skin is thick, negative critiques are just as welcome as positive ones.

John, I think Ginger is right - this flower is too dead center. I like the colors and the tonality, but too dead center.

And I strongly suspect that an ideal subject for lines and curves will be manmade rather than organic, Ginger's sandy beach fence may be an exeption to this rule.

Also I know what you said about shooting flowers in the past. But it is a lovely shot of a flower with nice soft light, and just needed to be cropped off center. A great shot, but not right for "Lines and Curves" I think.

[pathfinder]

http://www.dgrin.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2014&stc=1

I ripped off the ankle brace and drove myself back to this waterfall and there were men fishing!!! so I pushed them in.. no just kidding.. I went back AGAIN and retook the shot. I'm not sure whether to crop the top out more.. is it any better?? and is it any good? don't worry bout my feelings.. it's all a learning curve for me..:D
This is much, much better Lynn! I like the color and reflections in the surface of the water.:thumb

This should have been your entry for reflections too!:clap

[cmr164]

I am really flondering on this... here are some lines with a touch of curves

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2337_qmkt_s.jpg

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2457_govctr_s.jpg

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2465_govctr_s.jpg

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2464_govctr_s.jpg

http://www.iisc.com/dgrin/2468_govctr_s.jpg

[gubbs]

http://Gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/6740897-L.jpg

[rutt]

http://gubbs.smugmug.com/photos/6740897-S.jpg

Boy, is that ever nice! I see the lines and curves. I love the composition. This is one of the best flowers that's ever been posted in dgrin, IMHO.

[rutt]

Boy, is that ever nice! I see the lines and curves. I love the composition. This is one of the best flowers that's ever been posted in dgrin, IMHO.
In spite of how nice it is, it does have a little blown out spot on the top right of the bud. Is there anyway to recover some detail there? Did you shoot raw? Maybe shadow/highlight? Maybe the L curve in LAB? It's worth doing a lot of work to fix.

[ginger_55]

Boy, is that ever nice! I see the lines and curves. I love the composition. This is one of the best flowers that's ever been posted in dgrin, IMHO.

WHY?

I don't get it. I mean I see the lines and curves, particularly the curves, and I have not followed the posting of flowers on dGrin, or most anywhere.

But why are you so excited about this one, Rutt?

ginger

Good idea to get close in Gubbs, that part excites me, I would get closer, but then I seem a bit ignorant on this flower thing. I don't even know how to spell ignorent/ignorant, I think you all ought to add a dictionary, at the least, in the choices up there.

[wxwax]

Went to the ballpark last night, took the small camera for some fun. Some heavy handed Photchopping, prolly too heavy handed. Just for fun and effect.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/6744500-L.jpg

[Andy]

But I do have this concern re my photo, I am beginning to think of it as my orphan child. I notice that it is not as "tall" as the others, mine are not, mine are about 500 pixels, others run about 600, I think. And it is not framed, so I feel kind of like the poor picture needs something..... It is the whole shot, I mean it is not a cropped photo, so I can't add more to the top that way. (It fits all the criteria for last weeks assignment, except a small bit of clean up work with the clone tool, not much done at all. Composed in the camera)


when you resize a canon rebel image to 800px on the long side, the short side will be 533 px. that's why...

and i thought all the girls say: "size doesn't matter!"

[ginger_55]

when you resize a canon rebel image to 800px on the long side, the short side will be 533 px. that's why...

and i thought all the girls say: "size doesn't matter!"
Thanks Andy, I have been trying to solve this mystery by talking to Snappy. And I have discovered that all digital is not created alike, or something. She talks resolution 72 with big size numbers, I talk resolution 180 or 300 with big or large numbers, equaling big enough prints. 72 is e-mail for me. She also has some setting called HQ or SHQ, I think I can decipher that. I just put it on the one where I get the fewest pictures per memory card. I think it is the one clear to the left, it is definitely an end setting. (See that is how my mind works)

But I have decided that this is a growing field, and until it is internationalized into one language, I will just go along...........talking only to those who own dRebels, and only those who will speak very slowly for me to try to understand the technology.

Oh, please, never tell me why, just how is fine. Once I know how, I can go back to "why" with some comprehension and much less stress. I operate kind of on a need to know basis.

I have decided that if I want taller horizontals, I am going to have to crop them to like a 4 X 5, then make the long side 800 and the other side will come along with me. I will wait to see if I find a photograph I want to do that to.

I might experiment on Rutt's daisy, it is a subject with limitless possibilities, IMO.

ginger

And why is that other flower, stick, better? Is it depth of field, species?

[ginger_55]

Went to the ballpark last night, took the small camera for some fun. Some heavy handed Photchopping, prolly too heavy handed. Just for fun and effect.

http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/6744500-S.jpg
Sid, I love it! You found Fog Man :clap :clap :clap

It is nice.

ginger

(And Rutt will never know as I put all those annoying clapping people here)

[rutt]

Went to the ballpark last night, took the small camera for some fun. Some heavy handed Photchopping, prolly too heavy handed. Just for fun and effect.


http://wxwax.smugmug.com/photos/6744500-S.jpg
This is a wow, Sid. I get the heat. I get the game in the distance. The figure is very ambigious.

OK, since this is just for fun, B&W is very dramatic here. But what about the color? Show us. Perhaps that can be even more dramatic. Give me a chance to make the point.

[Andy]

reminds me of the "mean joe green" coke commercial. eh?

[rutt]

WHY?

I don't get it. I mean I see the lines and curves, particularly the curves, and I have not followed the posting of flowers on dGrin, or most anywhere.

But why are you so excited about this one, Rutt?

ginger

Good idea to get close in Gubbs, that part excites me, I would get closer, but then I seem a bit ignorant on this flower thing. I don't even know how to spell ignorent/ignorant, I think you all ought to add a dictionary, at the least, in the choices up there.
What don't you get, Ginger. Did you like my daisy better? I want to go out and shoot some ore of them now.

Actually the flower thing is deceptively deep. Here is a homework assignment. See if you can get this book:
http://www.meccanica.jp/image6_bsp/b_ip01-02.jpg

Amazon has some used ones for as little as $50. I've been meaning to write an appreciation of Penn. He is probably my second favorite photographer after Cartier-Bresson. My books are all on the mainland, though, so I won't get to it until fall.

Anyway, just when you think something is simple, a genius like Penn can come along and open your eyes to the possibilities. This is a book that will change the way you see flowers. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Back to Gubbs flower. I think it was technically spot on. Composition perfect. Colors perfect. Well, there whas the blownout spot, but I think that could be fixed. The bud itself was perfect. I loved the selective focus. I like the way it fits in with the subject. I asked myself, could this be a Penn? Well, no. But closer than we usually get on dgrin.