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PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
edited February 23, 2010 in Street and Documentary
793469309_5TPP3-L.jpg
The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
... I'm still peeling potatoes.

patti hinton photography

Comments

  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    Nice
    If not now, when?
  • thoththoth Registered Users Posts: 1,085 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    rutt wrote:
    Nice
    Ditto. I'm enjoying the repetition of the urns. Well done!
    Travis
  • GrainbeltGrainbelt Registered Users Posts: 478 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    I like it!

    Is it slightly off-kilter, though?
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    Yes, Patti, really nice quality. I would like to get that crispness. What was the light like, and what gear and settings, if you would like to share. Much post?

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    Grainbelt wrote:
    I like it!

    Is it slightly off-kilter, though?

    I've had a hell of a time trying to get this one level. It ought to be easy enough and yet...ne_nau.gif I've posted it again and used the counter instead of the shelf as reference for the leveling. It seems to have worked.
    The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
    ... I'm still peeling potatoes.

    patti hinton photography
  • PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    NeilL wrote:
    Yes, Patti, really nice quality. I would like to get that crispness. What was the light like, and what gear and settings, if you would like to share. Much post?

    Neil


    Neil I shot it with my D90 and nikkor 35-70 2.8 through a window into a restaurant (pretty well lit) in the late afternoon of a very grey day. Here's the exif: 70mm ISO 1000 f/4.0 1/50sec All PP done in LR2 except a final HiPass in CS4. I upped the black to +7, used 'recovery' bring down the light overhead and played with the curves slightly. Hope that helps.
    The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
    ... I'm still peeling potatoes.

    patti hinton photography
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    Patti wrote:
    Neil I shot it with my D90 and nikkor 35-70 2.8 through a window in the late afternoon of a very grey day. Here's the exif: 70mm ISO 1000 f/4.0 1/50sec All PP done in LR2 except a final HiPass in CS4. I upped the black to +7, used 'recovery' bring down the light overhead and played with the curves slightly. Hope that helps.

    Great info, thanks, Patti. Those settings show it was pretty dim, though you had the help of some daylight getting into the shop, right?

    Your PP is effective. I hate it when I find myself trying to save an image, rather than enhance it. It's depressing. Your image looks like it was in pretty good health from the start.

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,952 moderator
    edited February 21, 2010
    Patti wrote:
    I've had a hell of a time trying to get this one level. It ought to be easy enough and yet...ne_nau.gif I've posted it again and used the counter instead of the shelf as reference for the leveling. It seems to have worked.

    Yes, that's better. I'm not compulsive about it, but a geometrical design like this kind of needs to be straight.
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    Patti wrote:
    I've had a hell of a time trying to get this one level. It ought to be easy enough and yet...ne_nau.gif I've posted it again and used the counter instead of the shelf as reference for the leveling. It seems to have worked.

    Good take on the repetition of the cannisters (I assume those are tea leaves in each one). With so many choices, sometimes a buying philosophy helps: buy the most expensive (it must be the best) or the cheapest (who can tell the difference) ne_nau.gif

    You will NOT be able to get a level/square shot on something like this IF your camera is not square on to the pattern. In this case, it looks like you are turned slightly right and pointed slightly upward. This takes away the right angles and now you might have to level by "touch" or "sight" until it feels right. Sometimes using a vertical near the center helps (and can be rotated afterwards if your program uses horizontals only).
  • PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
    edited February 21, 2010
    rainbow wrote:
    Good take on the repetition of the cannisters (I assume those are tea leaves in each one). With so many choices, sometimes a buying philosophy helps: buy the most expensive (it must be the best) or the cheapest (who can tell the difference) ne_nau.gif

    You will NOT be able to get a level/square shot on something like this IF your camera is not square on to the pattern. In this case, it looks like you are turned slightly right and pointed slightly upward. This takes away the right angles and now you might have to level by "touch" or "sight" until it feels right. Sometimes using a vertical near the center helps (and can be rotated afterwards if your program uses horizontals only).

    No indeed. When I shoot at an angle I usually correct on a vertical. I was sure I'd shot this one straight on. Thanks for noting the subtle angle of the shot.
    The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
    ... I'm still peeling potatoes.

    patti hinton photography
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    Patti wrote:
    793469309_5TPP3-L.jpg


    Well, I really hate to poop in the punch bowl - but if not me, who? rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif
    To me, Patti, this was a great idea that didn't translate into a great image. I find that all the junk in the middle of the image - and I realize you couldn't do anything about it - causes too much visual clutter, particularly in an image that depends for its impact upon a series of geometric shapes and vertical and horizontal lines.

    Sorry. ne_nau.gif
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    No need to apologize. The foreground of restaurant table & chairs was not ideal but unfortunately no way around it.
    The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
    ... I'm still peeling potatoes.

    patti hinton photography
  • Tina ManleyTina Manley Registered Users Posts: 179 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    bdcolen wrote:
    I find that all the junk in the middle of the image - and I realize you couldn't do anything about it - causes too much visual clutter, particularly in an image that depends for its impact upon a series of geometric shapes and vertical and horizontal lines.
    Sorry. ne_nau.gif

    I agree. So how about a crop.

    793469309_5TPP3-LEdit.jpg?t=1266859878


    Tina
  • michswissmichswiss Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,235 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    I agree. So how about a crop.

    Tina

    I was about to agree and suggest a square crop. If the clutter is there, might as well include it more actively. But I think any crop is likely to accentuate the slight skewing of the perspective.
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    michswiss wrote:
    I was about to agree and suggest a square crop. If the clutter is there, might as well include it more actively. But I think any crop is likely to accentuate the slight skewing of the perspective.

    The skewing you can probably fix. And square might work even better.
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • PattiPatti Registered Users Posts: 1,576 Major grins
    edited February 22, 2010
    Thanks for the suggestions. Your crop and PP look much better Tina. Thanks. My poor old untrained eyes are not detecting the skewing now. So much to learn.
    I thought about a square crop but decided against it because I thought it would remove the feeling of overwhelming choices that I had from this scene but now I see it will be stronger that way I think. I will give it a try.
    The use of a camera is similar to that of a knife. You can use it to peel potatoes, or carve a flute. ~ E. Kahlmeyer
    ... I'm still peeling potatoes.

    patti hinton photography
  • NeilLNeilL Registered Users Posts: 4,201 Major grins
    edited February 23, 2010
    Patti, I would trust yourself with this one. It's environmental after all , and street. To make it too tidy would take out much of the feel and ambiance, I think. I like it for its snapshot-of-scene quality, the "clutter" is authentic, we share your perspective. So cutting it out cuts out the narrative. The crisp quality of the image, and of course the main subject matter, have no trouble coming through, in my opinion.

    Neil
    "Snow. Ice. Slow!" "Half-winter. Half-moon. Half-asleep!"

    http://www.behance.net/brosepix
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