DSS M1, take one

NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
edited August 24, 2008 in The Dgrin Challenges
While I'm still looking for an Absolutely Perfect Image, decided to use my Sunday results from the Vampire Shoot and enter one.

I call it An Element of Surprise, hopefully it's self-explanatory why

354713902_xeE9X-L.jpg

Does the concept work? Does the treatment work? What do you think?
"May the f/stop be with you!"

Comments

  • davevdavev Registered Users Posts: 3,118 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    While I'm still looking for an Absolutely Perfect Image, decided to use my Sunday results from the Vampire Shoot and enter one.

    I call it An Element of Surprise, hopefully it's self-explanatory why

    Does the concept work? Does the treatment work? What do you think?

    I like the concept, but I think the treatment is just a bit over the top.

    That darn digital grain just doesn't look as good as film grain.
    I think you do need some, I just think right now you may have a bit to much.
    dave.

    Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
  • eoren1eoren1 Registered Users Posts: 2,391 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    15524779-Ti.gif about the grain...

    However, the guy looks more resigned to his fate than surprised by it imho ne_nau.gif.
    E
    Eyal
    My site | Non-MHD Landscapes |Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Smugmug photos
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    davev wrote:
    I like the concept, but I think the treatment is just a bit over the top.

    That darn digital grain just doesn't look as good as film grain.
    I think you do need some, I just think right now you may have a bit to much.

    Thanks, Dave! thumb.gif
    FWIW, I was going for more like an illustration than freeze frame..
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    eoren1 wrote:
    15524779-Ti.gif about the grain...

    However, the guy looks more resigned to his fate than surprised by it imho ne_nau.gif.
    E
    Thanks, E! thumb.gif
    He still doesn't know he's in in for surprise, does he? mwink.gif
    Oh well, I still have time rolleyes1.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • richterslrichtersl Registered Users Posts: 3,322 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    headscratch.gif The first thing that ran through my mind when I saw this was "lust". :feelgood

    I think to pull off the element of surprise, you need to have someone reacting to the vampire. mwink.gif
    Linda

    http://lrichters.smugmug.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    richtersl wrote:
    headscratch.gif The first thing that ran through my mind when I saw this was "lust". :feelgood

    I think to pull off the element of surprise, you need to have someone reacting to the vampire. mwink.gif
    Thank you Linda! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    I agree. I would title this: "Submission" which may be the next challenge Nik rolleyes1.gif

    Kidding aside, I like it. I especially like how you lit up her hair. clap.gif
    Dan
    http://danielplumer.com/
    Facebook Fan Page
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    dlplumer wrote:
    I agree. I would title this: "Submission" which may be the next challenge Nik rolleyes1.gif

    Kidding aside, I like it. I especially like how you lit up her hair. clap.gif
    Thanks, Dan! thumb.gif

    So, I guess the current consensus is that there is no surprise and henceforth no element, i.e. no theme. :cry
    Darn. :bash Back to the drawing board...headscratch.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 19, 2008
    Just out of curiousity, given the following is a more-or-less "original",
    does this image stand a chance at all, assuming some other treatment maybe?

    354038381_8CDV2-L.jpg

    TIA! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • PaulThomasMcKeePaulThomasMcKee Registered Users Posts: 429 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Just out of curiousity, given the following is a more-or-less "original",
    does this image stand a chance at all, assuming some other treatment maybe?
    TIA! thumb.gif

    Thinking outside the box to make it fit inside the confines of the theme - ...perhaps dark is the natural element of a vampire...or vampires are an alternative element of society...or blood thirst is a consuming element of a vampire's psyche...(hmm, maybe there are some idea seeds there)

    I like the "original" version best. Very nice work Nik.thumb.gif
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2008
    PaulThomasMcKee wrote:
    Thinking outside the box to make it fit inside the confines of the theme - ...perhaps dark is the natural element of a vampire...or vampires are an alternative element of society...or blood thirst is a consuming element of a vampire's psyche...(hmm, maybe there are some idea seeds there)

    I like the "original" version best. Very nice work Nik.thumb.gif
    Hmm, you got me thinking...headscratch.gifmwink.gif Thanks, Paul! Maybe it's not all lost. I have a few more shots from this shoot, mebbe I still get a fighting chance... rolleyes1.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • richterslrichtersl Registered Users Posts: 3,322 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2008
    In the original version you can see the vampire's teeth much better. In your B+W version they were obscured by the grain and I didn't see the vampire right off the bat.

    Have you played around with a non-grain B+W version?

    In a B+W version try darkening the vampire's lips and making her face paler. In the 1930's B+W movies with Bela Lugosi as Dracula his face looked pasty white in comparison to everyone else's and his lips and mouth stood out more.
    Linda

    http://lrichters.smugmug.com
  • LlywellynLlywellyn Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,186 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2008
    I think it will be a stretch for the theme in either state--the title will carry the bulk of the connection--but something in between the original and the grain-processed version might work. thumb.gif My only nit is the hand shadow near the left girl's mouth. I didn't notice it in the grain version, but it stood out for me in the original.

    Now hurry up and post the rest of the set! I wanna see! :D
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2008
    richtersl wrote:
    In the original version you can see the vampire's teeth much better. In your B+W version they were obscured by the grain and I didn't see the vampire right off the bat.

    Have you played around with a non-grain B+W version?

    In a B+W version try darkening the vampire's lips and making her face paler. In the 1930's B+W movies with Bela Lugosi as Dracula his face looked pasty white in comparison to everyone else's and his lips and mouth stood out more.

    Thanks Linda! I didn't realize the fangs were not visible in the grained version. I play more...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 20, 2008
    Llywellyn wrote:
    I think it will be a stretch for the theme in either state--the title will carry the bulk of the connection--but something in between the original and the grain-processed version might work. thumb.gif My only nit is the hand shadow near the left girl's mouth. I didn't notice it in the grain version, but it stood out for me in the original.

    Now hurry up and post the rest of the set! I wanna see! :D
    Thanks Kerry!
    Yeah this shadow bugs me too. I may borrow the part from another frame:-)mwink.gif
    I'll post the series as soon as I'm done with a few things, DSS being one of them:-)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    Friday version of An Element of Surprise:

    357150001_bRtPA-L.jpg

    What do you think? headscratch.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • VelvtRideVelvtRide Registered Users Posts: 364 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    I like your current entry over your latest. I think the tone you set with the grain suits the mood of the photo - where I don't feel it's theme strong, the image itself kicks butt and I love the composition.

    In your latest work, the facial expressions seem *almost* out of place... but with the grain, they don't as I focus more on the story of the photo. Does that make sense? headscratch.gif
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    VelvtRide wrote:
    I like your current entry over your latest. I think the tone you set with the grain suits the mood of the photo - where I don't feel it's theme strong, the image itself kicks butt and I love the composition.

    In your latest work, the facial expressions seem *almost* out of place... but with the grain, they don't as I focus more on the story of the photo. Does that make sense? headscratch.gif
    Thank you, appreciate the C&C!thumb.gif

    How about a merged one ;-)?

    357183799_MW2oo-L.jpg
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • VelvtRideVelvtRide Registered Users Posts: 364 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    Still like the first one better. lol3.gif

    I think it's the expression the first girl has in the first photo - seems better suited to the mood. But I also like the closer version of your latest.

    Man, I hate it when I start nit picking! I agonized over mine before it went up, too.... and I'm still screwing around with PS work with others photos of the shoot. lol3.gif
  • richterslrichtersl Registered Users Posts: 3,322 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Friday version of An Element of Surprise: What do you think? headscratch.gif

    I love this version! The eye is pulled right to the mouth and fangs. The grain obscures them and takes away from the element of surprise you're trying to convey. ne_nau.gif
    Linda

    http://lrichters.smugmug.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    VelvtRide wrote:
    Still like the first one better. lol3.gif

    I think it's the expression the first girl has in the first photo - seems better suited to the mood. But I also like the closer version of your latest.

    Man, I hate it when I start nit picking! I agonized over mine before it went up, too.... and I'm still screwing around with PS work with others photos of the shoot. lol3.gif
    Thank you!thumb.gif
    Yeah, I know, last minute jitters... rolleyes1.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    richtersl wrote:
    I love this version! The eye is pulled right to the mouth and fangs. The grain obscures them and takes away from the element of surprise you're trying to convey. ne_nau.gif
    Thanks, Linda!
    That's the thing... I'm trying to highlight the whole "distraction - open neck - fangs" line. However I also have a gut feeling that a non-grained image is too "squeeky clean" if you will. Afterall, vampires don't really exist, so it's can't be a "photo", it's gotta either be a movie scene or an illustration...headscratch.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • richterslrichtersl Registered Users Posts: 3,322 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Thanks, Linda!
    That's the thing... I'm trying to highlight the whole "distraction - open neck - fangs" line. However I also have a gut feeling that a non-grained image is too "squeeky clean" if you will. Afterall, vampires don't really exist, so it's can't be a "photo", it's gotta either be a movie scene or an illustration...headscratch.gif
    headscratch.gif Have you tried one with less grain? Or a soft focus treatment instead, perhaps?

    Here are some stills from old B&W Dracula movies. The focus appears to be soft and the B&W not very crisp (perhaps they're duotone, I'm really not surene_nau.gif ): http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000509/mediaindex

    Whatever you come up with, I know it'll be SUPER!
    Linda

    http://lrichters.smugmug.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    FWIW I updated the entry, hit F5/refresh (copyright text should be dark bloody red in the new version)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • KurtPrestonKurtPreston Registered Users Posts: 285 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    After looking at both the illustrated version and the original ... I've come to the conclusion that I reeally like 'em both. (yea yea ... big help :D ). I do think it needs to be a dark and dangerous treatment which your illustrated version has in spades. Can you lessen or remove the grain in just the faces? That seems to be the main attractive element and it just lacks a little pop.

    It illustrates what happens when you invite Goth chicks to the party!
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    KurtPreston wrote:
    After looking at both the illustrated version and the original ... I've come to the conclusion that I reeally like 'em both. (yea yea ... big help :D ). I do think it needs to be a dark and dangerous treatment which your illustrated version has in spades. Can you lessen or remove the grain in just the faces? That seems to be the main attractive element and it just lacks a little pop.

    It illustrates what happens when you invite Goth chicks to the party!
    Kurt, thanks for commenting! thumb.gif
    Removing/lessening grain from faces has some ugly implications, I tried..ne_nau.gif I hope the updated version has enough "fang effect" to clearly explain what kind of surprise it is, and can still considered to be a photograph, albeit with certain FX applied.
    At this point I'm at peace with myself, so whatever judges will decide shall not affect my own vision. mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • VelvtRideVelvtRide Registered Users Posts: 364 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    At this point I'm at peace with myself, so whatever judges will decide shall not affect my own vision. mwink.gif

    Such a good attitude. thumb.gif
  • KurtPrestonKurtPreston Registered Users Posts: 285 Major grins
    edited August 24, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Removing/lessening grain from faces has some ugly implications, I tried..ne_nau.gif I hope the updated version has enough "fang effect" to clearly explain what kind of surprise it is, and can still considered to be a photograph, albeit with certain FX applied.
    At this point I'm at peace with myself, so whatever judges will decide shall not affect my own vision. mwink.gif

    Not to worry, I think you'll do quite well ... it's an enviable shot!
Sign In or Register to comment.