DSS#26 Thoughts anyone??

ic4u

Here is an idea I am working on...a reshoot is totally possible. I actually wanted to include one or both of my boys partially in this shot, but at the time I was playing around with this, neither was home. I still plan to try some shots with them, but there has been no sun today. I have some other ideas in my head, but thought I'd throw this out there to see what you all thought. I'm thinking of "Magnified" for a title, but if I succeed with boy/s in the shot, I was thinking..."Boys will be Boys".
Thanks for looking, and any feedback is much appreciated!
Karin

whiterice

Awesome! I actually was thinking about this idea too, just wasn't sure how to implement.

I like it as is, but adding a human element (your boys) would really add a lot IMO. Also, the leaf blends in with the brick pavers, wonder what the comp would look like against some green grass or a cement sidewalk? BTW, love the perspective of this photo - beautifully done.

I had in mind the beam of light "chasing" an ant - though I didn't intend to harm any ants for the photo opp! That would be difficult though, you'd have to use a macro lens, and how would get the magnifying glass in the shot?

The Curious Camel

I agree, great idea.
I like the idea of your boys being in it as well and can't wait for that shot.

ic4u

whiterice wrote:

Awesome! I actually was thinking about this idea too, just wasn't sure how to implement.

I like it as is, but adding a human element (your boys) would really add a lot IMO. Also, the leaf blends in with the brick pavers, wonder what the comp would look like against some green grass or a cement sidewalk? BTW, love the perspective of this photo - beautifully done.

I had in mind the beam of light "chasing" an ant - though I didn't intend to harm any ants for the photo opp! That would be difficult though, you'd have to use a macro lens, and how would get the magnifying glass in the shot?

Thanks for the quick response. I had the same thought about it blending into the bricks, I just kinda liked the texture it added, however, I do have some other places in mind to try. Agree about the human element! Thanks again!

ic4u

The Curious Camel wrote:

I agree, great idea.
I like the idea of your boys being in it as well and can't wait for that shot.

Thanks Gail

bf2015

Yeah...I like this idea alot. I like the bricks but wonder what it would look like against a nice green grass (contrast) and the human element.

Maybe even showing some flames and more smoke.

Can't wait to see.

richtersl

bf2015 wrote:

Yeah...I like this idea alot. I like the bricks but wonder what it would look like against a nice green grass (contrast) and the human element.

Maybe even showing some flames and more smoke.

Can't wait to see.

ic4u

Thanks Brian and Linda!
Unfortunately my husband just told me the weather is supposed to be crappy the rest of the week, hopefully I can get some sun and hopefully when the boys are home!

Katmitchell

Nice work Karin....

I like it.. I agree, try some different backdrops.... I like the brick... and the way you chose to make the leaf match the brick color to tie the composition together.. and there is a lot you can do in PS with the brick to grunge it out and make it pop...

I also like the fact that you gave us the reflection of where the light is coming from in the magnifying glass, so don't get rid of that... it works well.. in my opinion..

however, you may try it without the reflection of the railing in it, just have the clouds and sun show...

Super job..Creative Idea..

Kat

Kinkajou

i'm gonna be the weirdo and say i like it as it is. i enjoy the warm tones of the image and think that it adds to the 'heat', if you will... a nice union of colors. and, i like it without the human element.

the way the shadow falls on the leaf (and maybe the orientation/size of the leaf?) is really all i would consider changing. i think it's great, though. very well done in my opinion!

Benjer

This is a fun take on the theme and nice shot as presented, but I think you could play around with the composition a little more to get it perfect. Having a kid in the shot might anchor it a little better, giving the viewer something to connect with - whether it be curiosity or mischief, we were all kids once!

ic4u

Thank you Kat and Kinkajou for your input thank goodness I still have time to play with it!

ic4u

Benjer wrote:

This is a fun take on the theme and nice shot as presented, but I think you could play around with the composition a little more to get it perfect. Having a kid in the shot might anchor it a little better, giving the viewer something to connect with - whether it be curiosity or mischief, we were all kids once!

Thanks Benjer....mischief, yeah that's kinda what I was going for, that's why I really wanted to get my boys in there, hopefully the weather will come thru for me, so i can try it out!

manbou

I like the idea for the shot, but the execution of the idea could be improved Some things to make it better would be:

-- I agree with the person who said a human element would help involve viewers in the picture. There are many ways you could do this; how about a wide-angle closeup of a little kid holding the magnifying glass, with the leaf in the extreme foreground?

-- Since this is a contest about the appearance of light, you would get major bonus points if we could actually SEE a beam of light coming from the magnifying glass down to the leaf. Granted, this could be pretty hard to do. However, if there were some smoke or dust in the air in that area, the light might be visible as a beam.

-- the appearance of the fire itself on the leaf is indistinct and uncompelling. A shot of more well-defined flames bursting out on the leaf would be much more engaging. Right now, the fire (if it actually is fire, and not just very bright light) looks like a bright smear, not a flame.

Good luck!

manbou

A great book for photographers studying composition is... no, not any photography book, but How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way.

Comic book illustrators have to make each panel look as dramatic as possible. You may not be shooting pictures of Spiderman fighting the Green Goblin, but you can learn from their techniques.

richtersl

manbou wrote:

-- Since this is a contest about the appearance of light, you would get major bonus points if we could actually SEE a beam of light coming from the magnifying glass down to the leaf. Granted, this could be pretty hard to do. However, if there were some smoke or dust in the air in that area, the light might be visible as a beam.

This is a really good idea! Here's a PS Tutorial for creating a beam of light. Maybe there's something in there that help you or provide inspiration:

http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photoshop-tutorials/photo-manipulation/ray-of-light.html

ic4u

manbou wrote:

I like the idea for the shot, but the execution of the idea could be improved Some things to make it better would be:

-- I agree with the person who said a human element would help involve viewers in the picture. There are many ways you could do this; how about a wide-angle closeup of a little kid holding the magnifying glass, with the leaf in the extreme foreground?

-- Since this is a contest about the appearance of light, you would get major bonus points if we could actually SEE a beam of light coming from the magnifying glass down to the leaf. Granted, this could be pretty hard to do. However, if there were some smoke or dust in the air in that area, the light might be visible as a beam.

-- the appearance of the fire itself on the leaf is indistinct and uncompelling. A shot of more well-defined flames bursting out on the leaf would be much more engaging. Right now, the fire (if it actually is fire, and not just very bright light) looks like a bright smear, not a flame.

Good luck!

All good points, some I did think of, some not, so thanks for the input, I will see what I can do with it

ic4u

richtersl wrote:

This is a really good idea! Here's a PS Tutorial for creating a beam of light. Maybe there's something in there that help you or provide inspiration:

http://photoshoptutorials.ws/photoshop-tutorials/photo-manipulation/ray-of-light.html

Thanks you so much for this link, it will be very helpful!!! You guys are so great!

Katmitchell

Karin.. the light "is" being modified for the theme already.... #1st the light is being magnified, # 2nd it is being blocked by shadow and re-directed.. Plus, you have the "light source" already showing in the magnifying glass too as clouds and sunlight.. so in my opinion it fits the theme very well, something to think about before hacking into it with PS.. although, I'm not saying you would not make it look good that way too, I am saying it fits the theme already just fine...

Kat

ic4u

Katmitchell wrote:

Karin.. the light "is" being modified for the theme already.... #1st the light is being magnified, # 2nd it is being blocked by shadow and re-directed.. Plus, you have the "light source" already showing in the magnifying glass too as clouds and sunlight.. so in my opinion it fits the theme very well, something to think about before hacking into it with PS.. although, I not saying you would not make it look good that way too, I am saying it fits the theme already just fine...

Kat

Thanks for the reassurance Kat, because PS is not something I'm very good at, but I'm not afraid to play around with it. I will tell you that this is actually two images that i combined, and it took a seriously stupid amount of time on my part to get it to this point, something most of you probably could have acheived in 15 minutes!!

manbou

ic4u wrote:

Thanks for the reassurance Kat, because PS is not something I'm very good at, but I'm not afraid to play around with it. I will tell you that this is actually two images that i combined, and it took a seriously stupid amount of time on my part to get it to this point, something most of you probably could have acheived in 15 minutes!!

Hey, I never suggested PS. I think you should try to capture a beam of light in camera. (Of course, that might be very hard to do.)

Katmitchell

well capturing that beam would be interesting, I agree... but not easy..


Karin, I look forward to your "how you did it" looking at it, I am curious as to which parts of the photo are on layers..



kat