DSS #27 - One Basket of Flowers for Every Fallen Hero

nightpixels

I had this idea last week that I thought would fit the theme of the current dgrin challenge perfectly, so I decided to bring it to life. It turned out to be a pretty complicated project, especially with all the processing and the shadows that I did, but I kept going at it. Here it is and I would appreciate some C&C on it.


A few notes:

1) I have tried to carefully place shadows for every external object I have added to the image (umbrellas/flowes/flower basket).

2) The sun rays you see in the image is actually real, however if you look at the original image (when I post it), it won't be quite as apparent. The way I made it noticeable like this is I set the blending mode to “multiply” in Photoshop which helped the sky pop.

3) I darkened the trees on purpose so they become less distracting and don't interfere with the story of the image and the theme of the challenge.

4) The flowers were added to the flower basket separately to create a single object.

Katmitchell

My Take On It...
A +++ on creativity here Allen.clap

This is a beautiful idea... I will try to do my best on C&C for you, but there is a lot going on in this comp, so I may miss some things and see those as I come back to it.

Ok... the umbrella upper left, the darker one.. it is not illuminated right, it is lit towards the viewer and instead of off to the right hand side where the beams are flowing in..
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Just my thoughts, but maybe it is too distracting because the basket is bumping the tree line, and it is dark like the trees, plus look at it carefully. The basket is not flowing the right way, it is lifting up at an angle, and well if you consider the physical laws here, then it does not look right, the basket is pulling the umbrella downward, yet here it looks as if the basket is lifting up while the umbrella is coming down on it..
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The umbrella to the upper right is coming out of the blast of light, yet it is very dark....
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This is a difficult work > to C&C scratchbecause there is a lot of different light going on here and strong light too.. I am sure it’s a very difficult composite to work with.. Lighting is the one element that makes a composite hard to start with, and this composition is packed full of that challenge.. So kudos to you for getting it this far..

This is my take on it... The umbrella up top where just a tiny bit is coming into the frame. It is distracting but not sure if it works to give it “distance” or not.. I can see why you placed it there.. So, again I think you need to take a few umbrellas out.
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I would also love to see a version without the harsh punch with this "multiply" technique.. I am not saying it does not work, I am just saying instead of multiply; you use levels and curves to make the sky look stormy instead so it has a less harsh look. It may be worth a try to give it a more subtle after the rain appeal. Or perhaps you can tone down the opacity/fill ---on the multiply blending layer?? Or even mask the right side some before multiplying so it does not affect it as strongly as the rest of the sky?
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The clouds on the right hand side are just too harsh with that blow of light and I think it is the dark trees contrasting it that make it even more stark… can you give us some different versions on this sky and then clean up some of the umbrellas and (simplify) the composition for us? The sky on the right is really punched and study the beams and compare them to the blowout in the sky on the right.. I am a little confused as to where the sun is actually located behind these clouds. It looks consistent until I look at that right hand side tree line..
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Simple is going to be key here because there is so much going on for us to take in as a viewer…….Light and shadows, rays and beams, flying objects, baskets, tree lines and tombstones…





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Other than these things..
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I “love” this photo… this was super creative and a very moving peace of art.. Look forward to seeing what you end up doing here with it… and hope I helped some.. it would be easier to help if I saw what you started with on this sky…I am curious to see if it had all this blowout on its own, or if multiply is punching it that hard..
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This is my best take on it and personal opinion... Keep in mind I am being nit picky, only because I assume that is what you want…..


All in all, it could be entered into the gallery just fine because it looks wonderful.. Just trying to offer you some technical C&C…..
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Beautiful work Allen and super creative..
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Kat

Katmitchell

Sorry for the font variance issues on the formatting here Allen.. My Internet keeps bogging out due to storms and kicking me off... so I had to transfer it off hard drive out of microsoft word and it wont take right on post..

Kat

richtersl

I love this shot but I think you need to try refining this a bit more. If you can cut back on the highlights of the clouds on the right that would help. But here's an idea: how about making the light beam more pronounced, something along the lines of what Kevin did for the previous challenge. Then keep the umbrellas within that beam. This might help you get more drama to those clouds on the right.

nightpixels

Thank you Kat and Linda for great suggestions. I went ahead and implemented what you both suggested and came up with this. Is this any better?

richtersl

Most excellent! thumb

Just one minor nit: there's a teeny part of a headstone on the far left that's a bit more prominent in this version. You might want to clone that out.

I think you were going for plural in this shot, but I feel that singular also applies. I keep thinking "Divine Light" when I look at it.

Halite

The new version is graphically much cleaner and conveys your message much stronger (the prior version was darker and more threatening, looking more like a D-Day paratrooper drop).

Why do the god-rays in this version have a huge dark shadow on the left side of the image? It doesn't read right to my eye.

richtersl

If we're looking at the same thing, those are silhouettes of the trees in the background.

Halite

richtersl wrote:

If we're looking at the same thing, those are silhouettes of the trees in the background.

Not the tree silhouettes, but the dark vertical interruption on the left in the triangular shape of the rays. Given the direction of the light beam, it would seem that something visible in the image would need to be blocking that segment of light. Since there's nothing there blocking the light, it's confusing.

nightpixels

Halite wrote:

Not the tree silhouettes, but the dark vertical interruption on the left in the triangular shape of the rays. Given the direction of the light beam, it would seem that something visible in the image would need to be blocking that segment of light. Since there's nothing there blocking the light, it's confusing.

You mean the dark area in the left part of the sky? Hmmm, I will go back and dissect my Photoshop layers tonight to see what I may have missed.

Btw, I assume you don't mean the umbrella shadows on the ground, right?

Thanks!

nightpixels

richtersl wrote:

Most excellent! thumb

Just one minor nit: there's a teeny part of a headstone on the far left that's a bit more prominent in this version. You might want to clone that out.

I think you were going for plural in this shot, but I feel that singular also applies. I keep thinking "Divine Light" when I look at it.

I agree, I will fix that tonight.

bf2015

I see what Halite is saying about the shadow on the left.

Allen, I saw this thread right after you posted it, but I wanted to wait before I replied because there was something with the original that was somewhat distracting and I couldn't place it, so I wanted to think on it.

And after seeing the other C&Cs, to me I think the number of umbrellas and the brightness/contrast of the sky in the original was what was bothering me. With that said, I think your revised shot is definitely much better! To me, the number of umbrellas was overpowering the scope and magnitude of the cemetery itself which seems to me to be the cornerstone of the emotion that you are trying to convey. So kudos for the rework! And I really like the "solo" baskets that you placed in front of some of the markers. I think you have just the right amount of umbrellas now to convey your idea without overpowering the scene.

The only suggestion I think to me that would really make everything pop and get that really powerful WOW! factor that this capture could convey would be to soften the light ray (at the same time burn the left side to balance it out with the right), and maybe (this might be hard to do) dodge the markers in the center and the left so they aren't as blown. (IMHO)

All in all, I think you have created an outstanding composition! And yes...I'm nervous...:D You were right how close the comp and perspective is to mine. Can't wait to see the "How I Did It"!

nightpixels

bf2015 wrote:

I see what Halite is saying about the shadow on the left.

Allen, I saw this thread right after you posted it, but I wanted to wait before I replied because there was something with the original that was somewhat distracting and I couldn't place it, so I wanted to think on it.

And after seeing the other C&Cs, to me I think the number of umbrellas and the brightness/contrast of the sky in the original was what was bothering me. With that said, I think your revised shot is definitely much better! To me, the number of umbrellas was overpowering the scope and magnitude of the cemetery itself which seems to me to be the cornerstone of the emotion that you are trying to convey. So kudos for the rework! And I really like the "solo" baskets that you placed in front of some of the markers. I think you have just the right amount of umbrellas now to convey your idea without overpowering the scene.

The only suggestion I think to me that would really make everything pop and get that really powerful WOW! factor that this capture could convey would be to soften the light ray (at the same time burn the left side to balance it out with the right), and maybe (this might be hard to do) dodge the markers in the center and the left so they aren't as blown. (IMHO)

All in all, I think you have created an outstanding composition! And yes...I'm nervous...:D You were right how close the comp and perspective is to mine. Can't wait to see the "How I Did It"!

Hi Brian,

Those are all great points. This project has turned out to be a lot more complicated and time consuming than I imagined. You guys come up with the best suggestions to improve a photograph. I will fix all those tonight. Thanks!

p.s. When I saw your shot, I couldn't believe how close we both were conceptually. Funny thing is, we both entered sunset shots in the last round too

bf2015

nightpixels wrote:

p.s. When I saw your shot, I couldn't believe how close we both were conceptually. Funny thing is, we both entered sunset shots in the last round too

I would say great minds think alike, but I'm not quite there yet. These contests and C&Cs are so much help to me in growing as a photographer!

Mucho appreciated!

Katmitchell

HI Allen..


Looks much better.. you cleaned it up nicely..

I still have some things to share though...

I agree with Halite and Brian.. I saw it immediately and it jumped out at me...

Look at the right side of the sky, by right, I mean facing you.. and look at the way you did those beams and the way they diffuse and fall off softly.. that is what you want on the "Left" side.. right now on the left, I see a huge drop off shadow.. and it is making the photo look processed and photo shopped, instead of natural.. This harsh drop off in light is creating what looks like to me a door or chasm in the sky opening up. A tall vertical door.. however, "it will not look" that way "if you just make the left, look like the right".. then your set to go...

Nice job on the trees they compliment rather than hinder now.. and much better process on the consistent lighting on the umbrellas..

Your getting there... looking good..


P.S. I would crop or clone out that left tiny piece of tombstone sticking out on the far left, not the one in the foreground, the slither of white behind that one.... it is distracting.

Kat

nightpixels

Katmitchell wrote:

HI Allen..


Looks much better.. you cleaned it up nicely..

I still have some things to share though...

I agree with Halite and Brian.. I saw it immediately and it jumped out at me...

Look at the right side of the sky, by right, I mean facing you.. and look at the way you did those beams and the way they diffuse and fall off softly.. that is what you want on the "Left" side.. right now on the left, I see a huge drop off shadow.. and it is making the photo look processed and photo shopped, instead of natural.. This harsh drop off in light is creating what looks like to me a door or chasm in the sky opening up. A tall vertical door.. however, "it will not look" that way "if you just make the left, look like the right".. then your set to go...

Nice job on the trees they compliment rather than hinder now.. and much better process on the consistent lighting on the umbrellas..

Your getting there... looking good..


P.S. I would crop or clone out that left tiny piece of tombstone sticking out on the far left, not the one in the foreground, the slither of white behind that one.... it is distracting.

Kat

Thanks! Yeah, I don't know what happened to the beam of light on the left. It looked good when I finished processing it, but I must have done cmd-z (which I do often) to undo something that probably ended up screwing up the light on the left. It was getting late so I didn't notice it before posting it. I will have a new version up tonight.

Chee

nightpixels

Ok, so I guess I will go with this one unless someone spots some glaring problems with it. Thanks a bunch for all the C&Cs.

Katmitchell

Gorgeous work Allen. you fixed that drop off.. very nice. Love the umbrella on the left with the beams hitting it..

Kat

nightpixels

Katmitchell wrote:

Gorgeous work Allen. you fixed that drop off.. very nice. Love the umbrella on the left with the beams hitting it..

Kat

... and of course I had to edit it one last time to make the rays a bit more even

Katmitchell

Simply a >> work of art

All lighting consistent.. see,,, there is a place in this world for nit pickers.. even though they get on everyone's nerves...:D

nightpixels

Katmitchell wrote:

Simply a >> work of art

All lighting consistent.. see,,, there is a place in this world for nit pickers.. even though they get on everyone's nerves...:D

As always, you are a great help, Kat ... much appreciated!

anonymouscuban

Allen,

I thought your first image was awesome... this one is just amazing. Great work on this. Honestly, there is nothing I can add that could make it better than it is.

It really is awesome to be able to interact, learn and compete with such a great pool of photographers. I've said it before but I will say it again, this forum has really pushed me as an ameteur photographer and I believe it has improved my skills more than any book or class I could read or take.

nightpixels

anonymouscuban wrote:

Allen,

I thought your first image was awesome... this one is just amazing. Great work on this. Honestly, there is nothing I can add that could make it better than it is.

It really is awesome to be able to interact, learn and compete with such a great pool of photographers. I've said it before but I will say it again, this forum has really pushed me as an ameteur photographer and I believe it has improved my skills more than any book or class I could read or take.

Thanks Alex. I agree with everything you said about this forum!

DsrtVW

A thing of beauty.clapbow

richtersl

DsrtVW wrote:

A thing of beauty.clapbow

Halite

Excellent pursuit of your vision! Beautiful.

anonymouscuban

Allen,<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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I just took a really long look at your photo... really taking everything in, you know. One thing struck deep... the sheer number of headstones in that picture. It's almost surreal. And then I contemplated the fact that for each of those headstones lays a man that fought for our country. It's moments like those that remind me how lucky I am to have been born and raised in America. <o:p></o:p>
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I am the first American born son in my family; my parents fled Cuba after the communist revolution. From as far as I can remember, my father has always reminded me how grateful he is to this country for giving him a home. He also made sure I understood how lucky I am to have been born in a place that allows such opportunity and freedom. I think there are too many of us today that take these things for granted. It saddens me sometimes to be honest. It also saddens me to think that there may never be another great generation like that of our fathers and grandfathers. I look around at the men of my generation and I can’t help to feel that they lack so much of what truly makes us men. <o:p></o:p>
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Sorry for the rant but I felt compelled by your photo to post this. Mods... please feel free to delete if you find this inappropriate.<o:p></o:p>

dnie

Too many take our country and freedom for granted...

nightpixels

anonymouscuban wrote:

Allen,<o:p></o:p>
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I just took a really long look at your photo... really taking everything in, you know. One thing struck deep... the sheer number of headstones in that picture. It's almost surreal. And then I contemplated the fact that for each of those headstones lays a man that fought for our country. It's moments like those that remind me how lucky I am to have been born and raised in America. <o:p></o:p>
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I am the first American born son in my family; my parents fled Cuba after the communist revolution. From as far as I can remember, my father has always reminded me how grateful he is to this country for giving him a home. He also made sure I understood how lucky I am to have been born in a place that allows such opportunity and freedom. I think there are too many of us today that take these things for granted. It saddens me sometimes to be honest. It also saddens me to think that there may never be another great generation like that of our fathers and grandfathers. I look around at the men of my generation and I can’t help to feel that they lack so much of what truly makes us men. <o:p></o:p>
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Sorry for the rant but I felt compelled by your photo to post this. Mods... please feel free to delete if you find this inappropriate.<o:p></o:p>

Good stuff, Alex. I couldn't agree with you more on what you said. That was part of the motivation when I did this photo. Glad to see that the photo has left a positive impact on at least one person.

Katmitchell

Well spoken Cuban... spot on...

A shame our country is currently in such trouble.. the constitution goes out the window a little more everyday..

Such emotion is a sign of a very successful piece of work Allen..