The ABC's of Photography - Letter C (Completed) [Archive]

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Antmeister

09-09-2007, 11:41 AM

Lorena

09-09-2007, 04:58 PM

First pictures have been uploaded. I anticipate a lot of cloud pics :)

wade moore

09-10-2007, 06:08 AM

I'm happy to see how folks are sticking to this. I'm sure there will be weeks when some people can't upload (it's going to get tricky for me because I give LS the DSLR we sort of "share" this weekend for awhile), but still everyone is making the effort to stick to this.

This whole exercise has already exceeded my expectations and we're only on the 3rd letter!

lordscarlet

09-10-2007, 06:27 AM

I get married on Saturday, so "D" may be tough for me. :) "C" as well, for that matter!

CamEdwards

09-10-2007, 12:32 PM

I get married on Saturday, so "D" may be tough for me. :) "C" as well, for that matter!

Oh man... the ribald comments I am keeping to myself right now...

lordscarlet

09-10-2007, 12:48 PM

Oh man... the ribald comments I am keeping to myself right now...

Good luck with that. :)

Lorena

09-10-2007, 01:32 PM

ColtTower... ahem... just you wait.

PadresFan104

09-10-2007, 01:53 PM

ColtTower... ahem... just you wait.

Is that Coit Tower/Golden Gate shot for real? I'm not sure if I should be impressed or pissed. :)

Lorena

09-10-2007, 02:03 PM

Is that Coit Tower/Golden Gate shot for real? I'm not sure if I should be impressed or pissed. :)

Heh, exactly :)

lordscarlet

09-10-2007, 02:23 PM

Is that Coit Tower/Golden Gate shot for real? I'm not sure if I should be impressed or pissed. :)

I'm hoping impressed, and if so I really want to know how it was done.

wade moore

09-10-2007, 02:35 PM

Lorena

09-10-2007, 02:42 PM

I'm trying to recall San Francisco... I'm trying to think and I don't think there's any possibility it's real, but my memory may be failing me...

The reason I say that is I don't think there is an angle where you can see up one of the hills clearly like that and have the Bridge in the background... but you guys may just have my crap detector dinging when it shouldn't be.

I'm curious as to what this picture actually is. Maybe a picture of a painting? There's no way this is a "true" photograph. I mean look at the buildings... they look plastic-y.

Lorena

09-10-2007, 02:44 PM

Anyway, I'll just leave it at that. I'll comment further during the discussion phase.

Antmeister

09-10-2007, 02:45 PM

That picture intrigues me. I think it is possibly a painting/mural on a side of a building or something and people are walking by it.

wade moore

09-10-2007, 02:48 PM

I'm curious as to what this picture actually is. Maybe a picture of a painting? There's no way this is a "true" photograph. I mean look at the buildings... they look plastic-y.

Ok, I just looked at the full sized image. There is no way this is a photo taken from a street in San Francisco. It may be a picture of a painting, a scale model, or something - but there's no way this is a totally unmotified photo of the city itself.

Maybe i'm wrong, and I'll gladly eat crow and kiss the fit of the person that took this if not - but I don't think this is a picture actually from the city - but I don't think the photographer necessarily is trying to say that.

I'm quite intrigued by this photo, that's for sure.

oliegirl

09-10-2007, 02:51 PM

That is an amazing shot, but I don't think it's real...the colors are very inconsistent and it's too "perfect". I think photoshop was at work here...

wade moore

09-10-2007, 02:52 PM

That picture intrigues me. I think it is possibly a painting/mural on a side of a building or something and people are walking by it.
That seems like a very logical explanation actually.

Damned clever/cool if so.

wade moore

09-10-2007, 02:53 PM

Dola: Somewhere someone is chuckling their ass off right now.

lordscarlet

09-10-2007, 02:55 PM

There also a lot of suspect "lines" that seems to be gaps between photos..

And, for reference, this is what the golden gate bridge looks like when at coit tower: http://flickr.com/photos/mikecaine/36156951/

No way it would be that big in a picture with the both in it. I actually am of the mindset that this is on the side of a building, although that would be one gigantic building.

korme

09-10-2007, 02:57 PM

Uploaded a file but it's not showing up in the slideshow

Antmeister

09-10-2007, 02:58 PM

Uploaded a file but it's not showing up in the slideshow

It has to be approved first. That way we won't allow your porn to show up. :D

korme

09-10-2007, 03:00 PM

i wouldn't mind if you deleted it so i can upload the bigger photo, I uploaded the shrunken-version on accident

Antmeister

09-10-2007, 03:04 PM

i wouldn't mind if you deleted it so i can upload the bigger photo, I uploaded the shrunken-version on accident

Okay....I will do that.

Antmeister

09-10-2007, 03:09 PM

Dola: Somewhere someone is chuckling their ass off right now.

And that's why it sucks knowing who the individual is. Even Dodgerchick doesn't know who is uploading what. But since I am not doing any shooting, I have to take care of admin duty as well.

wade moore

09-10-2007, 04:06 PM

And that's why it sucks knowing who the individual is. Even Dodgerchick doesn't know who is uploading what. But since I am not doing any shooting, I have to take care of admin duty as well.

I guess we've got some folks that DIDN'T take the shot... of course, we could just have a good actor in our midst... hmmmmmmm ;)..

Either way, I enjoy the intrigue of this shot a ton.. makes me want to do something clever that throws people off ;).

lordscarlet

09-10-2007, 04:19 PM

I guess we've got some folks that DIDN'T take the shot... of course, we could just have a good actor in our midst... hmmmmmmm ;)..

Either way, I enjoy the intrigue of this shot a ton.. makes me want to do something clever that throws people off ;).

Like submitting a kid picture? :)

sterlingice

09-10-2007, 04:28 PM

Dola: Somewhere someone is chuckling their ass off right now.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahaha hahahahaha haha haha ha *cough* *wheeze*! You'll never figure it out! :p

Oh, wait, never mind. I don't know either since it's not my picture. Guess we'll just have to wait until the end of the week :D

SI

Lorena

09-10-2007, 05:27 PM

I guess we've got some folks that DIDN'T take the shot... of course, we could just have a good actor in our midst... hmmmmmmm ;)..

So how is one a good actor on a messageboard? ;)

Just checking :p

sterlingice

09-10-2007, 09:02 PM

Isn't there a whole board dedicated to that around here? Wobblewolf? Werekitten? Something like that... :p

SI

dervack

09-10-2007, 09:11 PM

Can we submit a picture if we haven't before?

sterlingice

09-10-2007, 09:19 PM

Can we submit a picture if we haven't before?

I think we actually prefer ones that haven't been submitted before

I mean, I don't know how many more pictures of {Photo Subject} we can take from {Poster} and god forbid {he/she} submit one of those again or else we'll all collectively have to {Rude Bodily Function} before poking {him/her} with a {Sharp, Pointy Object} ;)
(well, I didn't want to actually insult someone but I figure this Mad Lib lets us all make our own joke)

SI

wade moore

09-10-2007, 09:38 PM

Can we submit a picture if we haven't before?

Hah, like si said - you definitely can. This isn't exactly a stringent rules system here.. it's not a contest or anything, just a fun way for all of us to work on our hobby.

Antmeister

09-10-2007, 10:08 PM

Can we submit a picture if we haven't before?

Yep, just follow these directions to sign up:

Anyone in the future who wishes to join this group, follow these steps:
Go to http://www.maverickmarks.com/abcphoto.
Click the "Login" link and register from there.
Once registered, login and click the Upload file(s) button to begin uploading your pictures.

dervack

09-10-2007, 11:31 PM

Done

Lorena

09-11-2007, 02:08 PM

These pictures are getting better and better, nicely done everyone!

lordscarlet

09-11-2007, 02:59 PM

I don't know if this effects anyone here, but Engadget has info about a firmware hack for some Canon point and shoots to get RAW, among other things.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/11/canon-firmware-hack-unlocks-features-on-digic-ii-based-cameras/

sterlingice

09-11-2007, 07:25 PM

Castlerock

09-12-2007, 07:33 AM

OldGiants

09-12-2007, 07:46 AM

Lorena

09-12-2007, 07:51 AM

Before people start critiquing, I wanted to let you know that I submitted CocaCola and I did sharpen it. I know it's against the rules but I wasn't going to submit the one right out of the camera because I don't like it. But I would like feedback on this. I'll post more about it at the reveal.

There are so many pictures I'd like to touch up, but don't. Sharpening an image is minor, but it's still post processing and I would be against it. I really, really like your pictures but it goes against what we're trying to accomplish.

Lorena

09-12-2007, 07:59 AM

dola,

Thanks for behing honest Castlerock. You could have let it go and said nothing, so it is appreciated.

Antmeister

09-12-2007, 08:03 AM

Before people start critiquing, I wanted to let you know that I submitted CocaCola and I did sharpen it. I know it's against the rules but I wasn't going to submit the one right out of the camera because I don't like it. But I would like feedback on this. I'll post more about it at the reveal.

Argh, you ruined the surprise. :D

And yeah sharpening is against the rules. Believe me, I know there are a number of people itching to do some post processing on their work, but you have to just let it go. Besides, on most DSLRs, there is an option to sharpen photos within the camera. If you need help with this, send me a PM.

wade moore

09-12-2007, 08:13 AM

Castlerock

09-12-2007, 08:20 AM

Lorena

09-12-2007, 08:35 AM

Ant, can you delete CocaCola? I will try again at some point to get something good right out of the camera with this type of shot. This was a first try at something like this and I did learn a lot even if I didn't get a good image this time.

I'd like to keep it and comment on it if you don't mind. I'm sure there are others that would like to discuss it as well.

Antmeister

09-12-2007, 08:36 AM

Ant, can you delete CocaCola? I will try again at some point to get something good right out of the camera with this type of shot. This was a first try at something like this and I did learn a lot even if I didn't get a good image this time.

Are you sure about this? Although you sharpened it, you did go through all the work to try and get the shot and we could talk about the other qualities of the shot. Like I said before, there are ways to set up your camera to sharpen images within.

So while it was against the rules, most DSLRs have this setting and all point and shoot cameras automatically do this. This wouldn't have been against the rules. The whole point of the exercise is to learn your camera to improve photos and we are trying to stray from post processing software during this stretch.

I will leave it up there for now. If you submit another picture to replace it, I will delete the other.

Lorena

09-12-2007, 08:38 AM

Yeah, sharpening aside, it's a fantastic shot and I'd like to know how you set everything up... keep it I say. :)

wade moore

09-12-2007, 08:44 AM

I'd be curious to see it pre-sharpen... while the tool works very well, it doesn't take a worthless shot and make it as good as (imo) that shot was. I think maybe you're underestimating the original shot and maybe some feedback on how to get a sharper image (including whatever ant is talking about inside the DSLR that I'm clueless about).

We shouldn't be overly worried about flaws in our photos in this thing, that's part of the reason for not doing post-processing - to learn how to get a better original shot. Don't feel like a flawed shot just shouldn't be submitted, it's not a contest.

lordscarlet

09-12-2007, 08:53 AM

I knew it! :) I showed it to people at work and I was like, "I love this shot, but there's something about the white edge along the can..." :)

Don't worry about it Castlerock. I don't think people should do it in the future, but I don't think it's a huge deal for this week.

oliegirl

09-12-2007, 08:58 AM

It is a cool shot, when I first saw it I thought, "hmm, someone else is playing a trick, like the Coit Tower shot...there is no way that is straight out of the camera." I agree with everyone else, not a problem this time, but don't do it again...

:)

Castlerock

09-12-2007, 09:04 AM

Well I'm not angry at Castlerock or anything, I do worry about the precedent. Not to be some sort of hardcore jerk but it does go against the real principle of what DC was initially setting out to do here.

I think it's not a huge deal, but I really don't want to make a pattern of this. I've said before, I think the "Sharpen" effect is purely magical and will improve 90% of photos out there.. I'd love to use it, but...
I understand your concern and I really don't want to set a precedent.

Are you sure about this? Although you sharpened it, you did go through all the work to try and get the shot and we could talk about the other qualities of the shot. Like I said before, there are ways to set up your camera to sharpen images within.

So while it was against the rules, most DSLRs have this setting and all point and shoot cameras automatically do this. This wouldn't have been against the rules. The whole point of the exercise is to learn your camera to improve photos and we are trying to stray from post processing software during this stretch.

I will leave it up there for now. If you submit another picture to replace it, I will delete the other.

Yeah, sharpening aside, it's a fantastic shot and I'd like to know how you set everything up... keep it I say. :)

I guess what I should do is upload the original even though it has problems. That might even be best because I might get better tips to use when I try again. I will try to get to this tonight.

Antmeister

09-12-2007, 09:08 AM

I'd be curious to see it pre-sharpen... while the tool works very well, it doesn't take a worthless shot and make it as good as (imo) that shot was. I think maybe you're underestimating the original shot and maybe some feedback on how to get a sharper image (including whatever ant is talking about inside the DSLR that I'm clueless about)...

Well here is an example of what I am talking about on Canon cameras. There is a setting called Parameters on this camera that allows you to control saturation, sharpening, color tone and contrast. Nikons has this too, but I can't recall where. I do have a link to it somewhere though.

http://www.imphotography.com/articles/10DParameters.htm

wade moore

09-12-2007, 09:26 AM

Well here is an example of what I am talking about on Canon cameras. There is a setting called Parameters on this camera that allows you to control saturation, sharpening, color tone and contrast. Nikons has this too, but I can't recall where. I do have a link to it somewhere though.

http://www.imphotography.com/articles/10DParameters.htm

I'm using a Canon. One of the Rebels (don't know the model off the top of my head, i know, bad). As much as I think I know about the tecnhnical aspects of photography it is all translated from film SLR's. So I don't know about ANY of this stuff.

I'll have to take a look at this at home tonight.

lordscarlet

09-12-2007, 10:13 AM

I'm using a Canon. One of the Rebels (don't know the model off the top of my head, i know, bad). As much as I think I know about the tecnhnical aspects of photography it is all translated from film SLR's. So I don't know about ANY of this stuff.

I'll have to take a look at this at home tonight.

D60

Lorena

09-12-2007, 10:16 AM

D60

I take it you have it now :)

wade moore

09-12-2007, 10:19 AM

I take it you have it now :)
;).. not until Friday...

Antmeister

09-12-2007, 10:52 AM

Yep, it is called Parameters on the D60 as well. In fact on this camera you can save 3 different combinations.

...and a new in-camera setting that allows photographers to store up to 3 sets of Shooting Parameters including contrast, saturation, sharpness and color tone.

Lorena

09-12-2007, 11:26 AM

Yep, it is called Parameters on the D60 as well. In fact on this camera you can save 3 different combinations.

All this power you didn't know you had wade.... and lordscarlet ;)

Antmeister

09-12-2007, 12:02 PM

Wow 22 photos with just under 11 hours to go.

Lorena

09-12-2007, 10:30 PM

B1 - Red_column
B1 - up_column
B1 - Coit_tower
B2 - ChristmasParty
B2 - Cloudscape
B2 - CondoForBirds
B3 - Comfortable
B3 - Cat
B4 - Chalk
B5 - churchfront
B6 - coins
B6 - childrens_stage
B6 - cash
B7 - cat_o
B8 - CapeCodBridge2
B9 - chicago
B10 - cloud_caravan
B10 - clouds_lit_up
B11 - candyland
B11 - cucumber
B11 - cat_tail
B12 - CocaCola
B12 - beforesharpen
B13 - cruiseships
B13 - coke

for tomorrow's discussion, unless someone adds something at the last minute.

Antmeister

09-12-2007, 10:51 PM

As far as the numbering sequence goes, try to at least comment on one group number. Each group represents a person's contribution. So, in other words, comment on at least one B1, one B2, etc.

Leaving both CocaCola pictures so that we can discuss the differences.

Lorena

09-12-2007, 11:07 PM

I guess it's officially discussion phase. Castlerock, the difference between the sharpen/unsharpen is very minor. I actually prefer the unsharpened version. The sharpened version has a hint of green.

lordscarlet

09-12-2007, 11:25 PM

I meant to get another uploaded, but wedding stuff got in the way. :(

Castlerock

09-12-2007, 11:37 PM

The sharpened CocaCola is not the one I had intended to upload. I mostly use Picasa and I took the raw image and clicked 'sharpen' twice. But for some reason Picasa won't save it. It saves the unsharpened image.

When I uploaded it, I picked the sharpened version but it was sharpened (and maybe other things, too because the color is different and I was messing around) with Picture Window Pro.

I can't save the Picasa-sharpened version which is too bad because it is better than the one which was uploaded. But people should really critique the unsharpened version otherwise we will just have a discussion on post-processing.

lordscarlet

09-13-2007, 08:37 AM

Castlerock

09-13-2007, 08:43 AM

I think "Export" should do it.
Nope. I can be looking at the sharpened version and 'Export' exports the unsharpened version.

I can be looking at the sharpened version, close Picasa, re-open it, and the the sharpen effect is gone.

Antmeister

09-13-2007, 09:15 AM

Nope. I can be looking at the sharpened version and 'Export' exports the unsharpened version.

I can be looking at the sharpened version, close Picasa, re-open it, and the the sharpen effect is gone.

Yep, it looks like it is a known problem. This is from its help files:

Why are the sharpen edits not applied to my exported photos?

Sometimes users find that the sharpen edits are not applied to photos after they have been exported. This problem with the sharpen feature is a known issue. Added sharpness is not fully retained in an exported photo. However, all other edits should be applied when exporting. Our developers are working to create a solution to be included in the next update.

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

There does to be some ways around it however. Some people were successfully able to retain the effects by resizing it on export. If it is resized at 800 and below, you should be successful. Tested it out and it works fine.

Castlerock

09-13-2007, 09:30 AM

RTFM, eh? Good find Ant. I'll post a link to the (small) Picasa-sharpened version tonight.

'Sharpen' is an amazing tool. I don't know how it works but the whites come out brighter, the water-droplets pop, etc.

Lorena

09-13-2007, 09:31 AM

wade moore

09-13-2007, 09:34 AM

Lorena

09-13-2007, 09:51 AM

B1 - Red_column – Cool shot but I would have taken a picture of only one of the buildings. Beautiful architecture and detail.

B1 - up_column – This picture reminds me of some of mine. I like the symmetry of the column and my eye moves up the picture nicely to that… thing at the top. The building on the right detracts from the columns, but it’s a solid pic.

B1 - Coit_tower – The first time I saw this picture, something seemed off. As I looked closer, the buildings looked… fake. I don’t know if this is a picture of a painting, or what. Photoshopped maybe? I dunno… it’s driving me nutz though… what the heck is this? Was the photographer testing us?

B2 – ChristmasParty – Oooh, great pic. Everything that needs to be in focus is and I love the motion of the customers and waitress.

cartman

09-13-2007, 10:00 AM

Damn failed card reader. I had a great pic of a cock to upload, but I couldn't get it off of the SD card. :(

Get your minds out of the gutter. Ant and DC have seen the cock I took a picture of. :)

Lorena

09-13-2007, 10:22 AM

Antmeister

09-13-2007, 10:23 AM

Damn failed card reader. I had a great pic of a cock to upload, but I couldn't get it off of the SD card. :(

Get your minds out of the gutter. Ant and DC have seen the cock I took a picture of. :)

Exactly, and I must say it is much bigger than expected. And I hate when I have issues getting images off a SkyDog card. I always end up finding that the card easily splits down the middle and somehow manages to be on some stranger's porch with a patriotic sticker on it. :D

Lorena

09-13-2007, 12:14 PM

B2 – Cloudscape – I was expecting more cloud pics and we only got 1! Beautiful, white puffy clouds and I like the hint of blue sky. I’m assuming it was taken from a plane (?). So light and fluffy…

B2 – CondoForBirds – I really like the flapping blurriness of the bird’s wings. The sky is a bit overexposed and I have a hell of a time with this problem as well. Maybe metering off of a neutral color? Dunno… I tried it and didn’t get the results I wanted.

B3 – Comfortable – A little centered for my taste, but yes, he does look comfortable. I would probably get down a little bit for a different perspective.

B3 – Cat – Cute picture. The cat being off-center with the boy on the right gives good perspective. The cat is a little blurry… I would focus on the cat, push the button half-way down, and position the camera and snap.

B4 – Chalk – Awesome picture! I’m gonna sound really anal-retentive, but the only thing I would do different is move the tiny leaf on the right and perfect. Nice depth-of-field.

B5 – churchfront – It’s a tiny bit crooked, but I love the symmetry.

B6 – coins – Can you get any closer? LOL. Looks like the focus was on the pennies. Cool background too… not sure what I’d do differently.

B6 - childrens_stage – Nice colors… they really pop. I’d probably take the picture portrait instead of landscape. The lights are a tiny bit bright.

B6 – cash – The light seems a little green, but yes, it’s cash alright. I like the depth-of-field too. Is it a little centered? I can’t really tell.

B7 - cat_o – Hmm… the light behind the yellow cat makes it seem like he’s wearing a hat or something… I’d probably move a little to the left. I like the black cat in the back and if would work if he was a little blurrier.

lordscarlet

09-13-2007, 01:26 PM

B1

Red_column: Beautiful blue sky. The only complaint I have off the top of my head is that the column is not the focal point here. I don't think it was the focal point at the time the shot was taken, and it was selected because it fit. It falls back into the shadow on it, particularly with the bright sky next to it. To focus on the columns I think I would have preferred a more straight-on shot, but I like this shot in general.
up_column: Good shot. That's about all I have here. The only suggestion I could make is to put the camera on the tripod and keep the shudder open for a while to try and get some details from the top of the column that is in shadows.
Coit_tower: I think we've all decided this is very fishy. I'm pretty convinced this is a mural. It has to be a gigantic one unless you used some perspective tricks, but it's rather clever. Personally I believe the golden gate bridge is real, and the rest is a painting. Er. And the people and some other foreground items are real, I believe.

B2

ChristmasParty: My fiance thought this picture was too dark. I love it. The colors are excellent. I think this is another "cheating" one with the title, but that's fine. :) There is just no visual indication that this is a christmas party. I think the tone and colors are superb.
Cloudscape: Clouds. I see. :) I must say this is quite impressive to have come from the window of a commercial airplane, if that's where it came from. However, I'm not really sure how to critique it. A cloud shot from above the clouds.. I don't really know what you could ahve done differently than what was done here.
CondoForBirds: More clever naming! :) I'm going to have to cross-reference this individual with prior clever naming when it comes to guessing (if I get to it this week). The sky is a bit washed out, but I really like the fluttering wings of the middle bird in comparison to the sharp focus on the rest of the <strike>birdhouse</strike>bird condo scene.

B3

Comfortable: Who's a sucker for pet photos? This guy! I don't have much to say about the artistic qualities, but it's a cute shot. :) It's interesting to see the difference in the photos on my work machine as opposed to my macbook at home. This shot looks dark here, but I know it's not as dark as it seems. I think I would have liked to see the marble thing to the right cropped out, as well as the... toe of a shoe?... in the upper right corner.
Cat: Kids + pets! You've figured out how to combine forces into a photo twice as many people will enjoy! I think of this as a shot similar to "airplane" from week 1. The lack of focus on the cat, when he is such a large portion of the shot, amkes him a point of interest for me. You have, however, made the guessing phase very easy! I think a "perfect" shot would not have the laptop in it, but it doesn't bother me too much. You're capturing a moment, and it was there in that moment.

B4

Chalk: This one must have snuck in at the last moment. I like it. A lot. I've only seen it on my work machine, so it's slightly dark, but it may just be the monitor. I apologize, but I don't really have anything to critique here. It looks good, I think the focus is just about perfect, and I think (assuming this is your child) this is a photo you and your child will love in 20 years.

B5

churchfront: For my taste, everyone is stepping it up this week. Solid photo. I would have liked to see a small aperture focused on the cross, but that may not have looked good.

B6

coins: Very nice. I wanted to do a similar shot, but with comic books. I just didn't end up with time. No real complaints here, and last week has made me question any guesses on who took this. :)
childrens_stage: Seeing that I consider myself stronger on composition than on technique, you, Mr. (or Mrs.) B6, are going to get few comments this week. I like the tone, I like the framing.
cash: You need to take some crappier shots and I can be a little more helpful. :)

B7

cat_o: There are some distracting items in the background, but otherwise I like this one. I just want to know why you felt the need to steal B3's cute little cat.

B8

CapeCodBridge2: I like the focus and framing (I'm getting repetitious this week). I wonder if there was a better time of day to take this shot? The lighting seems fairly un-interesting. Otherwise, solid shot.

B9

chicago: This falls a bit flat for me. The composition is OK, but the focus is terrible. If you really wanted this shot it needed to be on a tripod, possibly with a slower shutter speed. I'm guessing this may have been from a moving vehicle. I also think there's a bit too much dead space. I like the positioning of the skyline, if we could see water (Is there water there? :) ) below it.

B10

cloud_caravan: Right place, right time. Great shot.
clouds_lit_up: I love the mood in this shot. I again dont' really have any complains. Eerie winter trees silhouetted against an ominous sky.

B11

candyland: This suffers where my bobbles do from last week. The item intended to be in focus is way too blurry. I like the composition and intended shot, though.
cucumber: Works for me. :) Someone like the high contrast in focus as much as I do.
cat_tail: Hm. Two weeks in a row with a white picket fence shot. The cat tail is a little too high in the shot for me, but it's more about where the base of it begins than the fact that it gets cut off at the top.

B12

CocaCola: The edge created by the sharpen kills me.
beforesharpen: I haven't looked at the full-scale version, but I'm not sure why you sharpened it. However, candyland doesn't look nearly as blurry in the slideshow version, so maybe it was more obvious in the large version. I love this shot. Not sure what else can be said. I wonder who took it? (yes, I'm lame enough to make that joke) I would definitely be interested in hearing how you lit this.

B13

cruiseships: Other than being a little washed out, I really like this shot. Much like red column above, I don't know that the cruise ships were the intended focus in the original picture, but it works. Having the boat and the paraglider (or whatever he's called) there are great for a sense of scale.
coke: the two coke shots rival for my favorites for the week. I think this one wins out, however. The reptition matched with a mirror effect matched with the stacked cans that mimic the mirror effect just really do it for me.

Lorena

09-13-2007, 02:20 PM

B8 - CapeCodBridge2 – this is probably one of my favorite pictures. I love how the greenery frames the bridge and is slightly off-center. Not sure if the photographer timed the shot to capture the mini wave. Love it! This is one I’d frame… definitely.

B9 – Chicago – great, great shot, it’d make a great panoramic. I have 1 issue with it though… where was it taken because I can see something… not sure what it is in the foreground. It’s very minor but I can see it. I love skyline pictures… this one’s pretty cool.

B10 - cloud_caravan – the clouds look like they were painted or something… very interesting. I see the reflection in the water so they can't be.

B10 - clouds_lit_up – WOW! Another one of my favorites. The clouds look more like a bomb went off or something and the trees look dead. Gloomy pic but boy is it awesome!

B11 – candyland – Very cute…I like the placement of the card and how the little guy is slightly off-center.

B11 – cucumber – I would probably crop the bottom just a tad, but other than that, solid pic.

B11 - cat_tail – This is an interesting picture because the cat tail look straight, but the fence looks crooked. Nice depth-of-field.

B12 – CocaCola – whoever took this shot, if you’re not a Product Photographer, you’re in the wrong field. Great picture, sharpened or not. There’s a hint of green and I’m not sure if it’s the lighting or what. I’d love to hear how this was set-up, how long it took, the details please.

B12 – beforesharpen – there’s not much of a difference between this one and CocaCola. I mentioned greenish tinge in an earlier post and they both have it.

B13 – cruiseships – I.LOVE.THIS.PIC. You have the cruise ship coming from left to right, a boat speeding by from left to right (with a trail), and a parachuter just before he lands in the water. Great action pic, I love it!

B13 – coke – I’m assuming this is the same person that took the CocaCola picture. This one made me go, “Whoa!”. You guys know I love repetition and reflections, this has both. If you’re not a Product Photographer, you’re in the wrong field :p.

Castlerock

09-13-2007, 03:11 PM

B1 - Coit_tower - Looking at the full-size image, it is obvious that this is a mural. When I first saw it I thought, "It's just a picture of someone else's art". But now I really like it. It is technically very well done and I simply enjoy looking at it.
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B2 - ChristmasParty - I like the mood but it doesn't say "Christmas" to me. It would be better if the person on the left hadn't moved as much (but I think some motion-blur is fine). I don't know what the light colored thing next to the guy on the left is but I wish it wasn't there.
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B3 - Comfortable - the marble (whatever) on the floor and the spot of sunlight is distracting but it is a funny shot. Maybe crop out the black at the top-right and could be a little sharper.
B3 - Cat - the selective focus works and I like the tight crop. Also like to splash of color in the orange shirt. We know who you are B3!
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B4 - Chalk - Love this one. Great DOF and great sharpness. Love the touch of green grass and the texture of the blacktop. Only negative is the brown thing on the right.
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B5 - churchfront - nice symmetry but could be straighter (easy fix in the digital darkroom). Maybe try a polarizer to get rid of the reflection on the glass. Or try to get some brilliant blue sky reflected instead of the grey. Overall very nice.
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B6 - coins - Wow. That's a shallow DOF. What lens did you use to get this (I don't own a macro and know nothing about them). I like it. Maybe have the coins lay on paper currency? Nothing wrong with whatever is there, though... just a different thought.
B6 - cash - I like the green-tint but how did you get that? It doesn't look like the yellow cast of incandescent lights.
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B7 - cat_o - the cat looks like he is wearing a shriners hat. Maybe move to the right a little and maybe try a vertical composition as I don't think the black cat adds much.
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B8 - CapeCodBridge2 - light could be more interesting. Maybe if there was a family walking to/from the beach I would like it more.
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B9 - chicago - a lot too dark. I think it would be more dramatic after sunset but before the pitch-black of night.
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B10 - cloud_caravan - very cool cloud formation. I thought it was a photoshop trick at first glance.
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B11 - candyland - I like the composition but there is nothing really in focus.
B11 - cucumber - I don't know. This doesn't really speak to me. Nothing wrong with it but not terribly interesting.
B11 - cat_tail - Could be a little sharper. Maybe use a faster shutter speed because the leaves look like they are blowing in the wind? Maybe move the cat-tails away from the center? Overall, I like it.
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B13 - cruiseships - Too hazy and the time of day really hurts. The hills in the background are really lifeless due to the haze and mid-day sun. I really like the paraglider and the blue water but it looks over-exposed.
B13 - coke - I like the repetition. The water drops sometimes look like dings on the cans... maybe more water drops or none. The reflections on the cans are distracting but hard to get rid of (as I found out this week). :-) I like this one.

PadresFan104

09-13-2007, 04:15 PM

My quips for the week, as always, I'm not an ass in real life, I just play one on the Internet...:

B1 - Red_column - I really like the way this one is framed, looks like a shot I would try. Subject matter doesn't do anything for me though.

B1 - up_column - Kinda makes me dizzy looking at it. I understand the "unique" angle, but there's nothing holding my interest.

B1 - Coit_tower - Something is fishy in Denmark!

B2 - ChristmasParty - I love the colors and the motion. I think this is a fun photo.

B2 - Cloudscape - I am convinced that this has to be taken by a pilot, or by someone who got some serious altitude in a hot-air balloon, because I can't see any evidence of the scratchy dirty windows you typically see on an airliner. I really really like this shot. Bravo!

B2 - CondoForBirds - Interesting use of the letter 'C'. I like how you can see one of the birds wings flapping.

B3 - Comfortable - All I can think on this one is that you need to get your carpets cleaned.

B3 - Cat - I really like this shot and I don't care that the subject is out of focus. Obviously there is something going on in the unseen part of the room that has both the cat's and boy's attention. Fun shot!

B4 - Chalk - First time I saw this my jaw dropped, and I still think it's an f'in brilliant shot. This is my favorite shot of the week, and it wins out over Clouds Lit Up for me because you found something interesting in something so normal. This is the kind of shot that I am always on the lookout for but can never seem to find. The colors are awesome. Double Bravo!!

B5 - churchfront - meh.. (I'm going to hell for that one)

B6 - coins - First time I saw this I was pissed I didn't think of it first! I'm still pissed. What's with that thumbprint though? It's distracting.

B6 - childrens_stage - I really like this, but the issue for me is that the real art here is in the actual work that went into the stage, not the shot itself. Whoever put that together did an AMAZING job. Nice clean shot though..

B6 - cash - Ok shot, just seems like there is a better shot there somewhere. I think having all the money in focus would have worked better. Then it would have seemed better suited for an ad for a bank or something.

B7 - cat_o - We have one of walls painted that color too! I love that color.

B8 - CapeCodBridge2 - You almost got me with this one, but as it is, it's probably 3rd or 4th on my favorites list this week. I want to like it more than I do, but something doesn't seem "right". I think it's the bushes in the foreground and the fact that I want to see more water. Still, wish I was there! Looks nice!

B9 - chicago - I LOVE cityscape shots. This one, however, isn't one I'd keep. Maybe it's my monitor, but it's too dark and I don't get a good sense of the structures...

B10 - cloud_caravan - One of my favorites this week, let's call it #3. I see something else though. I see the hill on the far right as a locomotive, with the clouds being the puffs of smoke out of it's smoke stack. I'd print this and frame it if it were my shot. You captured a magical moment there!

B10 - clouds_lit_up - #2 on my favorites list. Maybe the lighting could have been better, but what fantastic timing. I love nature shots and your two photos this week are utterly outstanding. I'd love to know what equipment/settings were used for these shots.

B11 - candyland - Cute, and a great idea for the week. Really hard for me to find the focal point however. Kinda makes my eyes feel strained.

B11 - cucumber - Meh. Sorry.

B11 - cat_tail - That's a very interesting fence, so I'm thinking there was a better angle to take this shot from. Maybe lower and against the fence looking up at the cat tail? Something to get more of the fence into the shot?

B12 - CocaCola - Great product shot!

B12 - beforesharpen - Can't tell much difference myself, looks just as good as the sharpened version on my monitor...

B13 - cruiseships - Too washed out, looks like a midday shot. Would look great in the morning or the evening though. Need more color coming from the hills and sky.

B13 - coke - Yes, yes it is. Would have liked to have seen maybe a Sprite can in the mix just to make the shot more interesting.

Castlerock

09-13-2007, 06:10 PM

Here is the sharpened version I thought I was uploading the first time: http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/6418/cocacolaaftersharpen2em4.jpg
It is the unsharpened photo above with 2 clicks of sharpen in Picasa. The difference is amazing.

wade moore

09-13-2007, 06:41 PM

I'm going to have to go the route of touching on one per person, and then if i have time go back and do others. I'm going to try and at least make very general comments about all of the pictures, but more detailed on at least one per person.

B1

Red_column: If this is what I think it is (Gold Domed building in San Fran?) I love this building and the gardens around it. Anyway - I like the technical aspects of this photo - good color, good wide Depth of Field, etc. But I think you got caught between two strategies here. Either really keying in on the tower, or getting more of the nice architecture. I think you needed to go a little farther to one extreme or the other. Either totally focus on the column, coming in tight and maybe even cutting off part of the bottom. Or, let's get down low, point up, turn slightly to get more of the nice work on the inside of the doorway, etc.

up_column: Cool shot, more extreme than I think to take, it works.

Coit_tower: I've said a lot on this shot. I think when we hear what it is it will be a very clever, well done shot.

B2

ChristmasParty: Favorite shot this week.

Cloudscape: Hard to get, curious how this was done.

CondoForBirds: There are some great things about this shot. I like the angle of the house that I think works with the centering. I love that you have birds in various states - including a bird flapping it's wings with the blur, etc. But I'm not a fan of how washed out things are on the left. It's so washed out that the light overrides some of the leaves. I think I'd see two strategies here - Either change what you're metering off of, or shrink your depth of field. I think if the leaves, etc. were blurry I wouldn't notice as much.

B3

Comfortable: If only cats were poseable like models. If we could have had the cat's arm in the sliver of sun I think that would have added some character to the shot. That being said, I like the shot. I'd like to see whatever is just in the corner on the top right to be cropped out.

Cat: Agreed with LS - the cat out of focus works for me.

B4

Chalk: A close #2 for me this week. I have absolutely no suggestions on how to make this better. This is one of those simple, but awesome shots where I think, "why don't I think of stuff like this?!" I like this both for memories as LS mentioned and artistically.

B5

churchfront: I'm having a hard time with this one. I feel like I should really like it, but instead I'm just not a huge fan. I think the angle is just a little too extreme for me. I feel like it makes it look like it's flat on the ground, which isn't a good thing in this shot for me. I would have taken a few steps back and tried it - but I have a feeling I'm in the minority on that one.

B6

coins: I love the idea of this shot. I personally think the depth of field was a little too small or in the wrong spot. I think the middle of the coins is less interesting and the edge is more interesting. I think I'd like to see it shifted right.

childrens_stage: Good technically, uninteresting subject for me.

cash: I considered a very similar shot. Pretty good job here.

B7

cat_o: My first thought: Uhh, is that black cat going to pull out nunchucks and kill me?! Anyway - I really like this - again, it has pets but is relatively artistic. The sharp red really adds a nice background and I like that the mysterious black cat is not fully defined.

B8

CapeCodBridge2: Hm. Good shot, good angle. There's something "missing" for me but I can't really place it. I think maybe I would have liked to see the water take up a bit more of the shot? I'm really not much help, but something is just a little off for me.

B9

chicago: I like that folks are trying some night photography - I really need to, but I don't have all that many options in this smaller town. I'm assuming this was a bulb setting, long exposure. It had to of had a tripod (i'm not sure what LS is smoking) I think because otherwise no way you get this much detail. It does look like it's possible that you didn't have a shutter release cable so there may have been some shifting? Anyway - I think I'd like to see a little more detail. Like someone else said, I think this would be very nice cropped as a panoramic image.

B10

cloud_caravan: I like the composition. I like the scenery. But you have a problem that I've been finding with photography - what's up with the weird coloring of the clouds? It's almost like they're glowing but with see-through blue. I have some shots that it is even more extreme than this. I wish I knew how to fix that, if someone else does please share - I think it would have improved this shot.

clouds_lit_up: Very nice! I'd love to know the settings/method used for this shot.

B11

candyland: Nice idea, agree with the others on focus.

cucumber: I see what you're going for with the focus on the flower. But I think I'd like to see this shot with the same composition, but with the small depth of field focused on the cucumber rather than the flower. Maybe taken from a lower position for a more dramatic angle also.

cat_tail: Pretty good shot, nothing that really draws me in though.

B12

CocaCola: I've got to say, I think I like beforesharpen better. The sharpen distorts the natural colors a bit. I like this shot. If I think of this is a shot for a print ad, I don't think I can find any flaws. It makes me thirsty. This is a good thing. I'm not sure what you used as a light source but it might be interesting (although it may be worse) to have the light source reflect off of the front or top some?

beforesharpen: See above

B13

cruiseships: This works for me a lot more in the big image than the small. That being said, it's kind of a boring shot for me. My eye kind of wanders with no real focus or pattern. I think a zoomed in shot of the boat and the parasailer would be more interesting to me.

coke: Damn you people, I'm trying to cut down on sodas and you do this to me - nice shot.

sterlingice

09-13-2007, 07:10 PM

Looking back, I just realized I forgot to upload a picture I meant to upload. Oh well. There's always another week...

SI

Antmeister

09-13-2007, 08:15 PM

Okay since I am the only one who knows the participants behind the pictures, I figured I would just be fair to write what I like and my opinion on what can be improved.

B1

Red_column What I like: I like the fact that you successfully captured the variance in color and the shot. You also do a good job of keeping the light balanced. There is no over or underexposure that I can see.
What can possibly be improved: If the red column was your focus, I would try to figure out a way to make it predominate. My eyes seem to be drawn to the center of the picture. There seems to be a lot of eye candy where you were at, so I definitely understand why you didn't want to miss anything.

up_column What I like: It's an interesting shot, because you wouldn't know what it was unless you read the title fo the image. Depth of focus is pretty cool.
What can possibly be improved: I realize that this may have been a vacation shot and I don't know how often clouds go over this area, but this would have definitely benefited at another part of the day (possibly sunset or sunrise). I also wonder how this would have looked with any of the various filters.

Coit_tower What I like: Best picture out of the bunch. I am convinced this is some sort of mural. The way the sunlight hits the people in comparison to the buildings is off. So I believe that whole background is a mural. However the tree to the right looks like it could be real. Great photo!
What can possibly be improved: It is slanted a bit. Rotate a bit and crop it.

B2
ChristmasParty What I like: I really like the rich deep colors and movement captured here. My eyes are constantly scanning the scene to see if I notice something new. I also like the fact that there is one person who seems to be still amidst of all that is going on. Thank you for not using flash for this.
What can possibly be improved: The darker portion of the image (which are at the bottom of the screen) should probably be cropped out so that you can focus more on the patrons at the bar.

Cloudscape What I like: Okay great view of the clouds overhead. You did a good job of not centering the horizon line and was even able to capture some good lighting on the top of the clouds.
What can possibly be improved: For whatever reason, this picture seems to be really grainy. I am not sure if you ISO setting was set real high or if you simply blew up the image. If this didn't occur, those clouds would have looks a lot more smoother.

CondoForBirds What I like: I liked the way you used the tree to give you shade and a way to be part of the photo. Also glad you didn't take this picture directly from one side and chose to use an corner instead.
What can possibly be improved: The bird condo is too centered. If you moved the camera a little to the right and captured a little more of the tree, it may have been a little balanced. And maybe zooming back a little.

B3

Comfortable What I like: It is always great when you are able to capture a moment and not stage a shot. Pleased that you did not use a flash for this since the natural light made for a better picture. The lighting seems fine and the timing of this is great.
What can possibly be improved: It is hard to do this in moments like this, but with the short time you have, try a variety of shots. The angle feels right, but try getting in closer around the head and two front legs, try going back a distance and shooting it at strange angles. And also try taking it off center a bit and compare.

Cat What I like: Okay, I like this shot the best out of your group. One of the reasons is because you are using the light source available to make the scene feel more natural. Are they watching TV? Although the title says cat, the focus is clearly on the young man with gives an interesting depth of focus.. You also did a good job composing this shot. It definitely does not look like your standard family shot.
What can possibly be improved: I like the angle of this shot, but the angle seems to be suited to the cat. Because of this, it makes me feel as though the cat should be the focus. And int the shadow portions onthe boy's arms and legs, they seem pixelated. If you find that many of your low light pictures have this and you have a point and shoot (I can't remember if you did or not), then that can be fixed in post processing. You can also check the camera to see if you can adjust the sharpen settings (which also brings out a lot of noise).
B4
ChalkWhat I like: Nice depth of field. Nice use of natural lighting. Good composition.
What can possibly be improved: Can you get any lower? Okay just kidding. All I could say is experiment with filters (if you have any). Especially ones that give that soft light to a scene. Otherwise there really is nothing else.
B5
churchfront What I like: There is a good balance of shadows and highlights. And I like the way the cross stands out from everything else.
What can possibly be improved: When I was first loading this, it looked like a staircase going down. I would be curious to see what the image would look like if you focused only on the cross with the wall that looks like a staircase. And it is slightly tilted. And I am not sure where this wall is facing, but I wonder how this pic would look at sunset with a starlight filter.
B6
coins What I like: I defintley like the creative composition and the subject you chose.
What can possibly be improved: There seems to be a yellow color cast. You probably need to adjust the white balance settings.

childrens_stage What I like: Nicely framed. I am very curious ot know where this was taken at.
What can possibly be improved: The owl seems to be a little too close to center for me.

cash What I like: I liked the way you were able to capture the detail of the bills and was still able to get a good depth of field. The number 20 stands out.
What can possibly be improved: Only thing that can be improved is the white balance and maybe crop the top left which show the surface a bit.
B7
cat_o What I like: I liked the way you captured the cat without getting the dreaded red eye. The eyes on the black cat stand out.
What can possibly be improved: Move it off center and try the lighting that was available. If that would have reduced the likelihood of seeing some of cat's details, using some tissue paper over the flash to diffuse the light. It just seems a little strong. And possibly crop the door frame.
B8
CapeCodBridge2 What I like: I liked the way you framed this between the trees. It makes it feel as though I just come across this bridge on my way to the beach. Good composition.
What can possibly be improved: This may be one of those times where you could either experiment with filters or just mess with the white balance. I am curious to see how this shot would look with a much warmer look and softer edges.
B9
chicago What I like: Knowing how difficult it could be to capture a good night shot, I appeciate what you were able to accomplish with this shot. In fact, actually like the fact that you captured mostly the lights and less of the building.
What can possibly be improved: Might need to use the bulb setting on your camera and a tripod to capture more of the detail of the night. I see a little something on the bottom of image, but can't make it out. You may want to crop as well since there isn't much going on the right side of the pic.
B10

cloud_caravan What I like: This person was not only at the right place, but was able to capture this with good quality. If it were me, I would be scrambling and would have came up with a poor shot due to trying to come up with the perfect setting to capture a moment.
What can possibly be improved: It seems to be a tad bit underexposed, but that's about it.

clouds_lit_up What I like: Wow! Great shot. Got an impressive looking silhouette, variance of color in the clouds, and perfect composition.
What can possibly be improved: Only thing I could think of was using a color filter, but then again, this may be one of things you just don't have time for.
B11
candyland What I like: Although I didn' t play this game as a child, it does have a nostalgic feel to it. Good use of color and focus since the piece does stand out from the board.
What can possibly be improved: Maybe lower the angle of the shot. Maybe move it a bit offcenter.

cucumber What I like: Good color contrast. Makes the plant stand out a lot more because of this and good use of focus as well.
What can possibly be improved: Zoom in on the flower a bit more since it appears to be the focus and maybe position it so that the cucumber is in the background of the closer shot.

cat_tail What I like: Very interesting subject since it is basically monochromatic. Good color contrast with the fence.
What can possibly be improved: Possibly try a lower angle, keeping the fence and catail in view so that it contrasts much more nicely with the contrast of the sky.
B12
CocaCola What I like: This pretty much reminds me of those cola ads from the 70's and 80's in the magazines and TV ads. Definitely has a throw-back feel to it.
What can possibly be improved: Seems to be sharpened too much that is caused haloing which tends to give off a glow on the edges and cause weird color casts.

beforesharpen What I like: Nothing wrong with this shot at all. I do see why you wanted to make it a bit sharper to make the lettering stand out, but that could be simply a product of the lens or how it was shot:
What can possibly be improved: Maybe use a fill light, but with not much strength.
B13
cruiseships What I like: This is one of those shots that you just happen to catch at the moment. Nice vacation shot
What can possibly be improved: Use a gradient filter to prevent the sky and moutains from being overexposed.

coke What I like: Awesome product shot and great reflection and the depth of focus is done superbly.
What can possibly be improved: Maybe a tad underexposed, but if you shot in RAW this is fine. Experimenting with filters might be an interesting experiment.

wade moore

09-13-2007, 08:23 PM

It's funny to me how much ant and I said things that were very similar..

One thing I realized in his though, I have not even begun to experiment with Filters. I did a LOT with B&W film, but filters are ENTIRELY different in that world. Looks like I have something to read up on.

sterlingice

09-13-2007, 08:40 PM

Dang, I'm going to be out of town again this weekend for the discussion phase. I feel bad since I really haven't contributed many comments :(

SI

Lorena

09-13-2007, 08:49 PM

Dang, I'm going to be out of town again this weekend for the discussion phase. I feel bad since I really haven't contributed many comments :(

SI

Banned from the Challenge! :p ;)

Castlerock

09-13-2007, 09:33 PM

chicago: I like that folks are trying some night photography - I really need to, but I don't have all that many options in this smaller town. I'm assuming this was a bulb setting, long exposure. It had to of had a tripod (i'm not sure what LS is smoking) I think because otherwise no way you get this much detail. It does look like it's possible that you didn't have a shutter release cable so there may have been some shifting? Anyway - I think I'd like to see a little more detail. Like someone else said, I think this would be very nice cropped as a panoramic image.

Or, if you don't have a cable-release, use the self timer. Press the shutter and by the time it takes the photo any camera shake should be gone. I don't have a cable-release and I do this all the time.

Antmeister

09-13-2007, 10:36 PM

kOr, if you don't have a cable-release, use the self timer. Press the shutter and by the time it takes the photo any camera shake should be gone. I don't have a cable-release and I do this all the time.

Ok that is a cool trick.

wade moore

09-14-2007, 04:17 AM

k

Ok that is a cool trick.
+1

Castlerock

09-14-2007, 08:28 AM

k

Ok that is a cool trick.
Just remember to set it back when you are done. I can't tell you how many times I have picked up the camera after doing this and pressing the shutter only to have it pause and miss the shot I wanted to get.

Lorena

09-15-2007, 12:33 AM

My guesses:

B2 - sterlingice
B4 - Chalk - CamEdwards
B8 - CapeCodBridge2 - padresfan
B9 - chicago - wade

I'm too tired to think... I'll leave it at that.

lordscarlet

09-15-2007, 08:04 AM

OK, no time for guesses, but I can reveal. :)

I am B7. This week was a case of looking through my old photos. Well, not really. I have this photo printed out in my cube so it was right in the front of my mind. I didn't actually go looking through any. It's definitely a case of taking a one-off shot that I didn't expect to keep, but knowing the personalities of my cats it turned out perfect. If I had it to do again I would definitely not have the light or the door in the shot.

OldGiants

09-15-2007, 09:58 AM

I'm B1 this week, so I'll get straight to the reveal about Coit_tower.

I was standing approximately 2600 miles from SF when I took this shot. The trees in the right foreground, the top of the old phone booth, the people and the sawhorses behind them are real. The rest is a mural made by some of the best illusionists out there, the Imagineers of Walt Disney.

This was taken in the park soon-to-be-renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios in WDW. Its on a wall at the edge of the park. Behind it is 'off stage' as my daughter says. I'd say that wall is no more than 2.5-3 stories tall, about the max height for a non-castle structure in WDW. It's hard to find a spot to stand that allows the whole mural to be in the image, along with enough people walking past and get the tree and phone booth on the right to create the illusion, and eliminate a few things close by that would spoil the 'reality'.

I was, however, standing in SF a few days later when I took the other two pictures. red_column. as Wade_Moore guessed correctly, was taken at the Palace of Fine Arts, as was the other column shot. I was after color in this shot and wanted the well-defined areas of red, blue and brown as the point of the shot. I might try cropping out the urn, for as Antmeister pointed out, its distracting.

up_column was taken at the same location. I held my camera before me and set it against the column and took the shot straight up. I had no idea what I'd get. I do like the straight lines set against the sky blue, and some PS tinkering will bring out the detail in the crown molding.

I'll post my comments on other pics later, as this is a busy weekend for me.

Be forewarned, I dislike cats.

Antmeister

09-15-2007, 12:08 PM

Great job with Coit tower sir. That is one pic that makes you want to look at it numerous time, because somehow you mind knows there is something odd. And good job blending in the trees and the phone booth into it in the foreground. Nicely planned shot.

PadresFan104

09-15-2007, 12:19 PM

I was standing approximately 2600 miles from SF when I took this shot.

Now that's a zoom! :) Great shot & good job making us scratch our heads!

PadresFan104

09-15-2007, 12:32 PM

This week I was B13

cruiseships: Other than being a little washed out, I really like this shot. Much like red column above, I don't know that the cruise ships were the intended focus in the original picture, but it works. Having the boat and the paraglider (or whatever he's called) there are great for a sense of scale.
coke: the two coke shots rival for my favorites for the week. I think this one wins out, however. The reptition matched with a mirror effect matched with the stacked cans that mimic the mirror effect just really do it for me.

Thanks. There was really no one intended focus, just had to capture that cool moment as we cruised into Cabo.

The Coke cans were my "Staged" shot for the week. Got a bunch of cans and stacked them on the glass table in our backyard. Got a spray bottle to add the water affect and started taking lots of shots. I was happy how the mirror effect turned out.

B13 – cruiseships – I.LOVE.THIS.PIC. You have the cruise ship coming from left to right, a boat speeding by from left to right (with a trail), and a parachuter just before he lands in the water. Great action pic, I love it!

B13 – coke – I’m assuming this is the same person that took the CocaCola picture. This one made me go, “Whoa!”. You guys know I love repetition and reflections, this has both. If you’re not a Product Photographer, you’re in the wrong field :p.

Thanks DC. But no, I didn't do the other (better in my opinion) Coke shot. I thought you might like this one!! :)

B13 - cruiseships - Too hazy and the time of day really hurts. The hills in the background are really lifeless due to the haze and mid-day sun. I really like the paraglider and the blue water but it looks over-exposed.
B13 - coke - I like the repetition. The water drops sometimes look like dings on the cans... maybe more water drops or none. The reflections on the cans are distracting but hard to get rid of (as I found out this week). :-) I like this one.

Thanks, and I agree, the hazyness of the cruise shot hurts it. I had some Coke shots without water, but in the end I decided to go with the "wet" shot as it looked more interesting.

cruiseships: This works for me a lot more in the big image than the small. That being said, it's kind of a boring shot for me. My eye kind of wanders with no real focus or pattern. I think a zoomed in shot of the boat and the parasailer would be more interesting to me.

coke: Damn you people, I'm trying to cut down on sodas and you do this to me - nice shot.

Good feedback, thanks!

cruiseships What I like: This is one of those shots that you just happen to catch at the moment. Nice vacation shot
What can possibly be improved: Use a gradient filter to prevent the sky and moutains from being overexposed.

coke What I like: Awesome product shot and great reflection and the depth of focus is done superbly.
What can possibly be improved: Maybe a tad underexposed, but if you shot in RAW this is fine. Experimenting with filters might be an interesting experiment.

Filters? Filters!! To be honest, before your post, I didn't know what filters were or what they were for. Having done some research in the past couple of days, now I know. I've seen some samples of the effect they can have on a shot and now I can't wait to start experimenting with them!! Thanks!!

Castlerock

09-15-2007, 07:42 PM

I was both B8 (CapeCodBridge) and B12 (CocaCola).

CapeCodBridge is the bridge I have used to go to the beach since I was a kid. My parents have a house on the Cape and this is how we get to the beach. So many great memories and I would love to take a great frame-quality photo of this place. As a kid, the bridge was rickety and crooked (it has been restored over the years and unfortunately doesn't have as much character as before). I am there all the time so I can/will keep trying. I wonder if a family walking to/from the beach would improve this one or detract?

CocaCola was an attempt to create a product shot and experiment with lighting.

B8
CapeCodBridge2: I like the focus and framing (I'm getting repetitious this week). I wonder if there was a better time of day to take this shot? The lighting seems fairly un-interesting. Otherwise, solid shot.
B12
CocaCola: The edge created by the sharpen kills me.
beforesharpen: I haven't looked at the full-scale version, but I'm not sure why you sharpened it. However, candyland doesn't look nearly as blurry in the slideshow version, so maybe it was more obvious in the large version. I love this shot. Not sure what else can be said. I wonder who took it? (yes, I'm lame enough to make that joke) I would definitely be interested in hearing how you lit this.
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I shot CapeCodBridge2 on Sat evening. There were clouds in the west and as the sun got low, it went behind them, ruining the light. This was the last one I took. The earlier ones had better light but I think I like this compostion the best.

I didn't like the unsharpened photo (almost didn't submit this one at all). A product shot has to be tack-sharp and this is not. I was (mostly) happy with the lighting but will have to work on the sharpness. I'll post separately how this was lit.

B8 - CapeCodBridge2 – this is probably one of my favorite pictures. I love how the greenery frames the bridge and is slightly off-center. Not sure if the photographer timed the shot to capture the mini wave. Love it! This is one I’d frame… definitely.

B12 – CocaCola – whoever took this shot, if you’re not a Product Photographer, you’re in the wrong field. Great picture, sharpened or not. There’s a hint of green and I’m not sure if it’s the lighting or what. I’d love to hear how this was set-up, how long it took, the details please.

B12 – beforesharpen – there’s not much of a difference between this one and CocaCola. I mentioned greenish tinge in an earlier post and they both have it.

I think the greenery frame is one of the reasons I liked this shot. I had another one I liked that showed the path leading up to the bridge but you couldn't really see over the dunes to the water. And the wave was luck.

I don't see the green tint but this was taken in a room with green painted walls. Maybe that effected the color???

B8 - CapeCodBridge2 - You almost got me with this one, but as it is, it's probably 3rd or 4th on my favorites list this week. I want to like it more than I do, but something doesn't seem "right". I think it's the bushes in the foreground and the fact that I want to see more water. Still, wish I was there! Looks nice!

B12 - CocaCola - Great product shot!

B12 - beforesharpen - Can't tell much difference myself, looks just as good as the sharpened version on my monitor...

I want to like CapeCodBridge more than I do, too. I absolutely adore that place but I don't know how to make the photo say that. I cropped some of the water out of the original shot because I didn't like the look of it. Kinda dark. I'll try again and see if I can get more water.

B8

CapeCodBridge2: Hm. Good shot, good angle. There's something "missing" for me but I can't really place it. I think maybe I would have liked to see the water take up a bit more of the shot? I'm really not much help, but something is just a little off for me.

B12

CocaCola: I've got to say, I think I like beforesharpen better. The sharpen distorts the natural colors a bit. I like this shot. If I think of this is a shot for a print ad, I don't think I can find any flaws. It makes me thirsty. This is a good thing. I'm not sure what you used as a light source but it might be interesting (although it may be worse) to have the light source reflect off of the front or top some?

beforesharpen: See above

PadresFan104 had the same things to say. I'll try your suggestions.

The lack of sharpness kills this for me. Glad it made you thirsty as I was trying for a product shot.

B8
CapeCodBridge2 What I like: I liked the way you framed this between the trees. It makes it feel as though I just come across this bridge on my way to the beach. Good composition.
What can possibly be improved: This may be one of those times where you could either experiment with filters or just mess with the white balance. I am curious to see how this shot would look with a much warmer look and softer edges.
B12
CocaCola[INDENT] What I like: This pretty much reminds me of those cola ads from the 70's and 80's in the magazines and TV ads. Definitely has a throw-back feel to it.
What can possibly be improved: Seems to be sharpened too much that is caused haloing which tends to give off a glow on the edges and cause weird color casts.

beforesharpen What I like: Nothing wrong with this shot at all. I do see why you wanted to make it a bit sharper to make the lettering stand out, but that could be simply a product of the lens or how it was shot:
What can possibly be improved: Maybe use a fill light, but with not much strength.

I actually do have a polarizer. I have not really learned how to use it though. Maybe if could help this one.

I don't like that I had to sharpen via post-process. If I could get it sharp right out of the camera then ugly glow problems go away. The lens is actually very good. It's a Canon 70-200 F4 L-series. The only L series lens I have. It's gotta be the way it was shot. I chose this lens to shoot with because it is the best glass I have. I actually think my cheap tripod must be at least partly to blame. The camera plus the 70-200 is kinda heavy and I can tell it is not rock solid.

Castlerock

09-15-2007, 08:02 PM

Lighting for CocaCola:
I didn't really know what I was doing so the whole thing turned out to be jury-rigged. I wanted a black background but couldn't find anything to use. Any tips on things that might be around the house to use for a black background? I had read that the 'other side' of wrapping paper works well as a background so that's what I ended up using. Put a cardboard box on the table and draped the wrapping paper over it onto the table. Got my shop-light (twin 500 watt halogen lights) and set that up. Had bad reflections from the light and reflections from things in the room. Added 2 more cardboard boxes (draped with wrapping paper) on each side and made sure the light was behind the boxes and bounced off the white ceiling. Better... but the front of the can still had a reflection from the edge of the table. Another low box in front and positioned the camera to shoot 'just' over the top of the box. There was still a dark spot on the top-front of the can but I couldn't get rid of that because that was where the camera was. Positioned the dark spot so it hit right where the can changed shape so it would be less noticible. Then took a spray bottle and misted the can.

All the light came from the top as the can had stuff on all 4 sides. Would be better of the sides were opaque so that I could shine light from the sides but have it very diffuse. As it was, the top of the can gets over-exposed.

I could reproduce the shot much quicker now but I spent a couple of hours doing trial and error. I learned a lot.

Lorena

09-15-2007, 11:41 PM

Castlerock, the greenish tint isn't really bad, but I'd say the green walls might have something to do with it, even if the light bounced off the celing.

As far as a black background... dunno what household item you can use, but maybe investing in some black fabric at the fabric store might not be a bad idea. I'm looking to do soon for future projects.

Lorena

09-16-2007, 12:17 AM

I am B6 - coins, childrens_stage, and cash.

coins - I wanted to experiment with my macro lens (sorry Castlerock, I'll have to get back to you on that) and set-up a stack of coins on the counter. I used a few $20.00 bills as background and unfortunately, I did not have a tripod or shutter release cable. The slightest movement messed up my photos so I had to take about 20 shots and the one you saw was the best one. It was actually a cropped version. I'll post the original tomorrow. My camera has a setting for tungsten light so I had that on to get rid of some of the harsh, yellow tinge.

childrens_stage - this shot was taken at a Barnes and Noble. The colors and light looked beautiful and I had to take the picture.

cash - I used the same macro lens for this picture too. I attach my macro lens to my 28-80mm, so I zoomed back a little and took the shot... again, no tripod. This picture was 1 of like 10 or so. This picture was taken before coins and was experimenting with the tungsten setting. I had our 6 year old hold a regular piece of blue paper over the light, and thus the tint on the pic.

B6 – coins – Can you get any closer? LOL. Looks like the focus was on the pennies. Cool background too… not sure what I’d do differently.

B6 - childrens_stage – Nice colors… they really pop. I’d probably take the picture portrait instead of landscape. The lights are a tiny bit bright.

B6 – cash – The light seems a little green, but yes, it’s cash alright. I like the depth-of-field too. Is it a little centered? I can’t really tell.

Yeah, I think children's stage would have looked better portrait instead of landscape because we didn't get to see the actual stage.

I think the combination of yellow light with blue paper created the green lighting effect. I was experimenting but I think next time, I'll use some other kind of diffuser.

B6

1. coins: Very nice. I wanted to do a similar shot, but with comic books. I just didn't end up with time. No real complaints here, and last week has made me question any guesses on who took this.
2. childrens_stage: Seeing that I consider myself stronger on composition than on technique, you, Mr. (or Mrs.) B6, are going to get few comments this week. I like the tone, I like the framing.
3. cash: You need to take some crappier shots and I can be a little more helpful.

1.) I would of loved to have sen a close-up of a comic book. So, did ya think it was me?

2.) Mrs. thank you very much. Thanks for the compliment.. it does have a warm kind of feel huh?

3.) I like this picture, but put it #3. Thanks again :)

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B6 - coins - Wow. That's a shallow DOF. What lens did you use to get this (I don't own a macro and know nothing about them). I like it. Maybe have the coins lay on paper currency? Nothing wrong with whatever is there, though... just a different thought.
B6 - cash - I like the green-tint but how did you get that? It doesn't look like the yellow cast of incandescent lights.
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coins - The original image is on Ant's computer, and I'll update at some point tomorrow with the settings. I don't know anything about macros either and was totally experimenting. Yeah, that was a $20.00 you saw there.

cash - Yeah that yellow cast really bugs me. I know some like the warmth look, but I'm not crazy about it. Like I meantioned earlier, next time I'll use a lighter diffuser.. I'll have to look around for something that's not so heavy.

B6 - coins - First time I saw this I was pissed I didn't think of it first! I'm still pissed. What's with that thumbprint though? It's distracting.

B6 - childrens_stage - I really like this, but the issue for me is that the real art here is in the actual work that went into the stage, not the shot itself. Whoever put that together did an AMAZING job. Nice clean shot though..

B6 - cash - Ok shot, just seems like there is a better shot there somewhere. I think having all the money in focus would have worked better. Then it would have seemed better suited for an ad for a bank or something.

coins - There must be some kind of thumbprint on the new $20.00, but I didn't notice it until you mentioned it.

children's stage - yup, that's why I took it.

cash - yeah, I need to work on my aperture-priority more. My issue with this is that I need to compensate with shutter speed; the more that's in focus, the lower the shutter speed number has to be in order to have a correct exposure.

B6

coins: I love the idea of this shot. I personally think the depth of field was a little too small or in the wrong spot. I think the middle of the coins is less interesting and the edge is more interesting. I think I'd like to see it shifted right.

childrens_stage: Good technically, uninteresting subject for me.

cash: I considered a very similar shot. Pretty good job here.

coins - I'll have to post the original pic tomorrow so you can see what I was working with. Out of the 2, I personally liked this one better. Didn't think about the edge, good recommendation.

cash - thanks :)

B6

* coins

What I like: I defintley like the creative composition and the subject you chose.
What can possibly be improved: There seems to be a yellow color cast. You probably need to adjust the white balance settings.

* childrens_stage

What I like: Nicely framed. I am very curious ot know where this was taken at.
What can possibly be improved: The owl seems to be a little too close to center for me.

* cash

What I like: I liked the way you were able to capture the detail of the bills and was still able to get a good depth of field. The number 20 stands out.
What can possibly be improved: Only thing that can be improved is the white balance and maybe crop the top left which show the surface a bit.

Thanks for the comments and recommendations.

Bonegavel

09-16-2007, 09:23 AM

B4 Chalk

My daughter was out on the driveway doing her chalk-thing and my 70-300mm was still very new and I took many shots that day with this one being one of my favorites.

300mm/5.6 (which is actually 450 because of the 1.5 multiplier).

Since I'm not very good with the camera, I believe in the "take a lot and at least 1 or 2 will turn out fine" philosophy. A good DSLR will allow you to do just that. I think I've deleted 2 to 3 times as many shots as I've kept in the 2+ years I've had my D70s (and I've kept about 3500).

CamEdwards

09-16-2007, 11:28 AM

My picture was the churchfront picture... I was bound and determined not to post another picture of one of my kids. :)

In retrospect I should have used a tripod instead of going handheld, and it would have been nice if it had been a sunny day. Right now however, it's all a matter of squeezing in some picture taking when I can, even if the conditions aren't optimal.

PadresFan104

09-16-2007, 11:58 AM

cartman

09-16-2007, 03:18 PM

Here is a link to the picture of my cock that I wasn't able to upload. I was playing around with a couple of different ways of handling the lighting. I ended up using my big ole 15 million candlepower spotlight.

http://www.thegreatcornholio.com/pictures/cartmancock.jpg

dervack

09-16-2007, 07:08 PM

Dude that is one nice looking cock

OldGiants

09-16-2007, 07:36 PM

I can hear it crowing :)

OldGiants

09-16-2007, 08:05 PM

Okay, here are my comments, hopefully helpful

B2 Christmas Party--a bit too unfocused for my taste, both optically and target-wise. That is, I can't really understand the point of this one.

B2 cloudscape-- One of my favorites for the week. Increased contrast would make this one a real keeper. That is brightening the whites and darkening the ridges inbetween would greatly increase the impact of this shot.

B2 condo for birds. Nothing special. Lacks saturation of the birds' feathers, IMO.

B3 comfortable. A cat picture. Enough said.
B3 Cat--I'm not happy with the focus. If there was more to the right side of the shot where the human and the feline are looking, it would have more impact. Even a larger portion of an empty room would increase the mystery, that is, what are they looking at? What could interest a boy on a computer and a cat on a couch at the same moment? What, indeed :)

B4 Chalk--I liked this one, too, but I think if it had been cropped smaller or larger, it would have more impact. That is, only the foreground hand, or a larger pull back and the word being chalked might be interesting, too.

B5 Churchfront--nice color on the cross, but it gets lost in the blah, washed out color of the window, which is so much larger. Again, a better cropping plan might help.

B6 coins--all around good shot.
B6 children's stage--good shot that could have been spoiled by the three lights, but wasn't. Good job lining up the angles on that one.
B6 cash--I don't like the color cast on this one. Other than that, it is a nice crisp shot of the folding money details.

B7 cat. A cat shot. Good focus.

B8 capecod bridge--I like the bridge, hate the foreground foliage. You needed to have been standing closer so the greenery didn't spoil the foregraound.

B9 Chicago--Nice shot. I like lights at night. Perhaps a tight crop of the tall buildings in the center would be dramatic.

B10 cloud caravan--cool shot. Increasing the contrst in PS would improve it, I think.
B10 Clouds all lit up--A really strong image that could be improved by cropping out the right one-third, de-saturating so as to make it a b&w, and then increasing the contrast.

B11 candyland--I like this one. the focus on the green marker and Kandy King is appropreate.
B11 cucumber One nice yellow flower, the rest murky background. Not all that interestin.
B11 cat tail--good idea that needed to be closer to one large frond with the pink flowers in the back ground lined up for fuzzy contrast.

the sharpened coke can is very professional. Keep up the good work.

B13 cruiseship--too washed out. Parasailing guy cropped into prominence might be interesting.
B13 coke--nice idea, but capturing two rows with the lower reflection being full size would be more interesting, IMO.

wade moore

09-16-2007, 09:02 PM

I'll discuss my photos later - after a long weekend I don't have time to go into detail now, but I was b11.