Radio Flyer--C&C welcome.

lizzard_nyc

I've seen many "cars" posts where the photographer zones in on parts of the car or not all of the car at least--that is what I'm going for, but #2 really strikes me as off--should I have gone tighter or wider?


1.



2.

lizzard_nyc

"I'll not be ignored, Dan!!!"--

Ha, that line only works when Glen Close says it.

Ok folks going by the old adage "no comment, is in fact a comment"-I'm taking it that these suck.

So perhaps tips on how to improve?
Is the PP just horrendous--is it the comp, does my rendering of shallow DOF hurt the eyes? Is it the whole package?

I can take it--I'm here to learn.

Dogdots

Hi Liz

I posted the three little piggies and no one commented on them even when I asked for some C&C Should of known better then to post the one I chose...it wasn't the one I liked the best. Shame on me

Onto your car photos. I like how your trying to do what other car photographers do, but I think its the editing that throws it off some. Keeping the car in its natural color seems to be the way they go. Not saying it needs to be that way And they like to tilt their photos focusing on one thing on the car. I swear they lay on the ground for 1/2 the shots they take

I like the composition in your last photo, but it might be cropped in a little to tight on the right and on the top by the bell. BW works well to me with this photo.

rainbow

Okay, let me try. I would normally not comment after opening this because the photos did not strike a chord with me either way. The title attracted me because a "radio flyer" is such an icon of American childhood.

To answer your question (not quite, cuz you are asking on the second photo), I would try wider on the first and tighter on the second. I know what you mean other photos focusing on parts, and they seem to work wonderfully well. I think you have to try many more different angles of this and see which begins to "work". Go for quantity first, then narrow down to the quality and understand why the better ones are better...

Hope this helps.

lizzard_nyc

Dogdots wrote:

Hi Liz


Onto your car photos. I like how your trying to do what other car photographers do, but I think its the editing that throws it off some. Keeping the car in its natural color seems to be the way they go. Not saying it needs to be that way And they like to tilt their photos focusing on one thing on the car. I swear they lay on the ground for 1/2 the shots they take

I like the composition in your last photo, but it might be cropped in a little to tight on the right and on the top by the bell. BW works well to me with this photo.

Thanks Mary Kim,
I think you might be right about the laying on the floor part--I took so many shots and these two are the best
Will keep trying and will experiment with toning down the PP--I tend to have a heavy hand with spicing things up, with photos and food. Thanks for commenting.

lizzard_nyc

rainbow wrote:

Okay, let me try. I would normally not comment after opening this because the photos did not strike a chord with me either way. The title attracted me because a "radio flyer" is such an icon of American childhood.

To answer your question (not quite, cuz you are asking on the second photo), I would try wider on the first and tighter on the second. I know what you mean other photos focusing on parts, and they seem to work wonderfully well. I think you have to try many more different angles of this and see which begins to "work". Go for quantity first, then narrow down to the quality and understand why the better ones are better...

Hope this helps.

Hi Rainbow,
Thanks for the reply.
You are right,I felt like I took a lot (maybe 15--but I prob could have taken more, and I prob should have been flat on the ground for a couple, just to see.
The radioflyer is home on my porch and rarely used, so I will keep taking photos til I get one that works--and I'll post it again--but only if I think it rocks!:D

eL eSs Vee

Liz. You chose these two out of fifteen shots? Not too bad when taking that into consideration.

When I shoot a single item (or person) my shooting generally starts at fifty frames and sometimes goes up to well over one hundred, shooting from different angles and distances. I watch the light and the shadows created therefrom. I experiment with depth of field and even movement blur. I then put all of my images (except those I chimped out beforehand, because they were obviously bad) into the computer and review each one - not always one at a time.

The more one shoots, the better one gets. Fortuantely, digital has made that financially possible. But, eventually one learns that seeing your image before you take it saves time and battery life. But, that takes a while to learn.

I like your images, but if they were your food they'd probably kill me. Yes, a tad heavy-handed for my tastes, but you do what you want to do.

Compositionally, I like number one. I also like number two, but with the same caveats stated earlier. With automotive photography (even toy automobiles), it isn't always necessary to have the subject looking into the photo. Shoot it again. And again and again and again . . . and as they said during the disco days, "Get down!" Be sure to have even more fun this time! :smooch

lizzard_nyc

eL eSs Vee wrote:

Liz. You chose these two out of fifteen shots? Not too bad when taking that into consideration.

When I shoot a single item (or person) my shooting generally starts at fifty frames and sometimes goes up to well over one hundred, shooting from different angles and distances. I watch the light and the shadows created therefrom. I experiment with depth of field and even movement blur. I then put all of my images (except those I chimped out beforehand, because they were obviously bad) into the computer and review each one - not always one at a time.

The more one shoots, the better one gets. Fortuantely, digital has made that financially possible. But, eventually one learns that seeing your image before you take it saves time and battery life. But, that takes a while to learn.

I like your images, but if they were your food they'd probably kill me. Yes, a tad heavy-handed for my tastes, but you do what you want to do.

Compositionally, I like number one. I also like number two, but with the same caveats stated earlier. With automotive photography (even toy automobiles), it isn't always necessary to have the subject looking into the photo. Shoot it again. And again and again and again . . . and as they said during the disco days, "Get down!" Be sure to have even more fun this time! :smooch

Morning Lee,
50 shots, that sounds crazy!!! but explains so much
I really thought I was going overboard with 15 shots of the same thing. Ok so I learned something again.

"If they were your food they'd probably kill me" lol--wait til I learn HDR!

Thanks Lee,
And I will get down!

Kinkajou

Just for the record, the PP looks overdone to me and detracts from the image rather than adds. I think the composition of #1 definitely has potential, but the dark/grainy-ness just doesn't do it for me personally

I'm all about narrow DOF, so that works well for me... I would probably go much narrower, personally because I'm a DOF freak

If you reshoot with a similar composition to #1, would you be able to get more light on that dark side that's facing the camera?

rwells

Hey Liz,

First I'll applaud your tenacious approach to learning


As to these shots:

I'll say this, the first time that I looked at these images this is what popped into my head. ~ Some things are just hard to take good/interesting pictures of.

I thought to myself "how would I shoot this subject"? My answer: This is gonna' be a tough one, at least at this location.

I'd be inclined to take the flyer to a cool location, probably one out of complete context to the subject, then shoot some pics of it.

Second:

Personally, when I shoot cars/motorcycles, I like to use a wide angle lens and I make sure to have it up close to purposely get that great WA perspective distortion. To me, that's what a WA is for. YMMV

I also like to get down to a bug's level to make most of my car shots. A dog's view sometimes too. It's like you hear about shooting athletes. Shooting from below will make them look bigger than life, heroic if you will. Shooting at a different perspective than we normally view a "subject" makes the image immediately "different" to your eye/brain. Some may not like it, but it will be different. Oh, and I've become a bit crickety the longer I live, so to get the low shots, I don't lay on the ground any more, I just hold my camera down there. It doesn't seem to mind at all

Processing: Your processing doesn't bother me at all. You probably already realize that I'm not much of one for "normal" anyway. I see normal each and every minute of every day. I like a break from normal. Processing shows a little, maybe a lot, into the photographers personality.

Keep at it! And most of all ~ don't settle for what others think concerning your photography. Please yourself

lizzard_nyc

Kinkajou wrote:

Just for the record, the PP looks overdone to me and detracts from the image rather than adds. I think the composition of #1 definitely has potential, but the dark/grainy-ness just doesn't do it for me personally

I'm all about narrow DOF, so that works well for me... I would probably go much narrower, personally because I'm a DOF freak

If you reshoot with a similar composition to #1, would you be able to get more light on that dark side that's facing the camera?

Thanks for your reply:)
I get what you are saying about the PP--I do have a heavy hand and I actually do like the look of it, but I think it could benefit from slight "bringing it down a notch".

I will experiment with DOF and crops as well.

lizzard_nyc

rwells wrote:

Hey Liz,

First I'll applaud your tenacious approach to learning


As to these shots:

I'll say this, the first time that I looked at these images this is what popped into my head. ~ Some things are just hard to take good/interesting pictures of.

I thought to myself "how would I shoot this subject"? My answer: This is gonna' be a tough one, at least at this location.

I'd be inclined to take the flyer to a cool location, probably one out of complete context to the subject, then shoot some pics of it.

Second:

Personally, when I shoot cars/motorcycles, I like to use a wide angle lens and I make sure to have it up close to purposely get that great WA perspective distortion. To me, that's what a WA is for. YMMV

I also like to get down to a bug's level to make most of my car shots. A dog's view sometimes too. It's like you hear about shooting athletes. Shooting from below will make them look bigger than life, heroic if you will. Shooting at a different perspective than we normally view a "subject" makes the image immediately "different" to your eye/brain. Some may not like it, but it will be different. Oh, and I've become a bit crickety the longer I live, so to get the low shots, I don't lay on the ground any more, I just hold my camera down there. It doesn't seem to mind at all

Processing: Your processing doesn't bother me at all. You probably already realize that I'm not much of one for "normal" anyway. I see normal each and every minute of every day. I like a break from normal. Processing shows a little, maybe a lot, into the photographers personality.

Keep at it! And most of all ~ don't settle for what others think concerning your photography. Please yourself

Oh you guys don't know what you started.
That Radio flyer and I are going to be tight this weekend.
Will take all pointers into consideration and will reshoot and WILL come back with something worth posting.
I'm excited now. My imagination is going haywire, just the way I like it.

Now to go blow my kids college fund on a nice wide angle lens! Just kidding:)

As far as processing goes--I may decide not to burn my PP, but I'll still overcook! I like the look.

Dogdots

lizzard_nyc wrote:

Oh you guys don't know what you started.
That Radio flyer and I are going to be tight this weekend.
Will take all pointers into consideration and will reshoot and WILL come back with something worth posting.
I'm excited now. My imagination is going haywire, just the way I like it.

Now to go blow my kids college fund on a nice wide angle lens! Just kidding:)

As far as processing goes--I may decide not to burn my PP, but I'll still overcook! I like the look.

Go wild and overcook Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Miguel Delinquento

Use your Lensbaby
These both look like works in progress. I find it fun to work through mastery of a subject, even if it takes years.

I prefer the second one. The first does look overprocessed and very noisy. Way too much going on in the background, and I don't like that yellow ribbon as it interferes with the fine form of the Flyer.

The B&W take, however, I enjoy and see potential in. You got the lighting pretty good, and you framed the most interesting part of the "vehicle." I would lose the ribbon though.

From another thread I see where you just got a Lensbaby. They're a lot of fun. I would apply it to a similar shot as no. 2. Consider blurring out the left side and even some of the tire. I'd include a bit more of the Flyer within the frame too. The strong grill can be used to pop out of a blurred frame effectively. Experiment, take lots of shots, and keep having fun.

M

lizzard_nyc

Miguel Delinquento wrote:

These both look like works in progress. I find it fun to work through mastery of a subject, even if it takes years.

I prefer the second one. The first does look overprocessed and very noisy. Way too much going on in the background, and I don't like that yellow ribbon as it interferes with the fine form of the Flyer.

The B&W take, however, I enjoy and see potential in. You got the lighting pretty good, and you framed the most interesting part of the "vehicle." I would lose the ribbon though.

From another thread I see where you just got a Lensbaby. They're a lot of fun. I would apply it to a similar shot as no. 2. Consider blurring out the left side and even some of the tire. I'd include a bit more of the Flyer within the frame too. The strong grill can be used to pop out of a blurred frame effectively. Experiment, take lots of shots, and keep having fun.M

Hola Miguel,
I got my lensbaby Tuesday and I have not taken it off my camera--Is it wrong to love your gear?

I'm going to work on my little Radioflyer project this weekend and probably a few more weekends before posting it again. I will definately be using the lensbaby. Thanks for the post.

Also about the ribbon--I can see how little overlooked details like that have an impact and are so distracting.