DSS Mega 1...Tough decisions..critiques?

JAG

After 2- 8 hours days of shooting and reshooting and trying out different ways of interpreting the Elements theme....I came up with the elements of christianity. I will post it here....but I have entered it. I know its an unusual angle and set up....what do you think? Comments and critiques are appreciated.


Just so you can see this wasn't my only shot...here are others I came up with....

Element of surpize...


Elements of Christianity...






Rushing Spirit...

jeffmeyers

I love the concept. I actually thought about bread and wine as "the elements" of Communion, too. Great minds and all that . . . But I couldn't think of how to make it work. You're on to something here.

Tango

u even have the sky for air

JAG

thanks guys...its great what you can do with mirrors. I spent a whole day in the studio and finally came out for a break and saw it was just after a rain the the sky was clearing....had to lighten it up a bit and took the shoot outside!!

Tango

i guess next question is how did you do that cross?

JAG

AaronNelson wrote:

i guess next question is how did you do that cross?

simple lightening of the color using a dodge tool.

Tango

how do you stay straight?

eoren1

JAG-
Cool idea and great use of the mirror to add another element (pun intended this time). I was a bit stuck between the first and lost shot in this thread. I think I like your entry a bit more as it is an unconventional perspective.
I think it's amazing that the first three entries have such divergent takes on the theme.
Good luck,
E

JAG

AaronNelson wrote:

how do you stay straight?

Its like finger painting. One finger on the touchpad.

JAG

eoren1 wrote:

JAG-
Cool idea and great use of the mirror to add another element (pun intended this time). I was a bit stuck between the first and lost shot in this thread. I think I like your entry a bit more as it is an unconventional perspective.
I think it's amazing that the first three entries have such divergent takes on the theme.
Good luck,
E

Thanks E. I was also tossed between those two...but I liked this one better as it took much less processing...just sharpening, crop and lightening of a few pixels. Plus the angle kinda draws you into it to find balance.

I think that this is going to be a very tough competition. Good luck to you too!:D

richtersl

Awesome concept, Joyce! I like the first shot very much. The composition of the last one is also very appealing, but the cloud area around the bottle looks a little weird to me.

I say, with regard to the challenge, "you chose wisely".

Good luck to you!

JAG

richtersl wrote:

Awesome concept, Joyce! I like the first shot very much. The composition of the last one is also very appealing, but the cloud area around the bottle looks a little weird to me.

I say, with regard to the challenge, "you chose wisely".

Good luck to you!

Thanks. Yes I agree with you on the last pic. The way that one was done was I used two mirrors. One on the bottom and then one held up at an angle by my lil daughter to capture the clouds behind me. I had to bend way over to keep my reflection out of the pic.(I am unable to squat and had I been thinking I would have sat on a chair...lol). The problem with that shot is that there are fancy metal frames around the mirrors. I cloned them out...but not too successful as it became tedious. I also had taken two shots of the same image with one focused on the elements and one focused on the clouds then layered the images on top of each other and erased one of the images part way so that both were in focus. Spent alot of time on it and still wasn't happy completely. Thus another reason I went with the one I did. ty for looking and commenting.

JAG

Heres another take on the side shot with a new background instead of the original reflections of clouds. It cleans it up some....and its a closer look at the elements.....what do you think? I am still leaning on the cleaner look of the one that is entered...but trying all my options.

Llywellyn

I still prefer your first version. The angle really helps make the shot.

JAG

I'm thinking so too. I guess I should put this to rest and just stick with what I have. Been working on this for three days now....sometimes its just hard to stop! Know what I mean?

richtersl

JAG wrote:

I'm thinking so too. I guess I should put this to rest and just stick with what I have. Been working on this for three days now....sometimes its just hard to stop! Know what I mean?

I agree. Just relax for now. There's time to change your mind later this week if you really want to. You have a good solid entry in there now.

I'm sifting through a few that I took this weekend but I think I need to reshoot. Isn't it weird how they always seem to look good when you check them on the LCD and then when you bring them up on your computer screen they look blah :nah ?