#78 - One idea, three interpretations

billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
edited June 27, 2011 in The Dgrin Challenges
Yesterday, I had a chance to visit the Bernardo Winery in San Diego. Since the grounds are generally more interesting than the wines, I spent more time shooting than tasting. Here are my attempts at #78 from yesterday's visit.

These are all my first attempts are HDR. (I used HDR Pro within Photoshop CS5). I'd appreciate your response on a technical or aesthetic level. Ideas for titles also appreciated!

1.
20110604-Bernardo-HDR1-L.jpg


2.
06Tractor-HDR-L.jpg


3.
05Tractor-BW-HDR-L.jpg
Thinking of adding sepia to this one...
Bill Banning

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Comments

  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2011
    Hey, Mega has finished :)

    Very nice shots, but I'm not sure how strong on the theme they are...
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  • FrochFroch Registered Users Posts: 571 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2011
    I'm a fan of HDR in this manner. I like that it's not over the top.
  • bbjonesbbjones Registered Users Posts: 234 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2011
    15524779-Ti.gif
    I like #1. I like how you can see the engine, as well as the bright light, but that you don't know it's HDR unless someone tells you.

    I've only messed with HDR a very little, but I definitely like it best when your dynamic range increases without losing the realistic tone map.
    The goal of my photography is is the effective, original communication of a feeling expressing truth, beauty, or love.

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  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2011
    photo-bug wrote: »
    Hey, Mega has finished :)

    ne_nau.gif I guess once the weathered stuff gets in your head, it tends to stick. Rust never sleeps, as Neil Young once said. Wish I'd thought to go to the winery two weeks ago.

    Anyway, I was thinking the broken headlight and the abandoned farm equipment might evoke something like "the light at the end of an era."
    Bill Banning

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  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2011
    billseye wrote: »
    ne_nau.gif I guess once the weathered stuff gets in your head, it tends to stick. Rust never sleeps, as Neil Young once said. Wish I'd thought to go to the winery two weeks ago.

    Anyway, I was thinking the broken headlight and the abandoned farm equipment might evoke something like "the light at the end of an era."

    I like weathered stuff too and I shoot it whenever I get a chance - they are so attractive!

    I know, what you thought about - the end of the life of that machinery - only that I was thinking a little differently,
    to actual light (versus dark) - maybe that is not the only way to think though :)

    - I was just wondering if your idea will be "strong" enough in the contest... now that you explained it here, maybe it will.
    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
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  • WhatSheSawWhatSheSaw Registered Users Posts: 2,221 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2011
    I like the idea, but the photos don't quite work for me.

    I like the close up in #1. It needs something, but I am just not sure what.

    I think the 2nd would work better if it were cropped a bit. The stuff on the right clutters it up without adding to it. You might also try stepping to the right a bit and getting the right side of the tractor in addition to the right side of the front. The mottled BG is also a bit distracting. Maybe burn it a bit?

    I find the tire in the BG of the 3rd a bit distracting. I also find the style of this tractor to be less appealing than the 2nd. It looks like it is early 60s vintage, whereas the other looks 40s. Personal preference. :D I think the B&W should pop a bit more. I have been looking at Jiro's conversions in Other Cool Shots and really like what he does.
  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited June 6, 2011
    #1 one works for me. The something it needs, though, is a bit of the Rust Junkie crank it up PP'ing. to liven it a bit. But maybe not as much as usual for Us, since the light fixture is the focus here.

    Don
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  • rbustraenrbustraen Registered Users Posts: 127 Major grins
    edited June 6, 2011
    I like #1 as well with the busted light and the engine in the back and agree that the HDR processing is spot on...
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  • sapphire73sapphire73 Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 1,976 moderator
    edited June 6, 2011
    I like the way #1 conveys "light" and "end" but agree that it needs something more. I wonder whether it would help to crop just a bit off the left side or at the bottom? Perhaps bump up the saturation of the blue/green oxidation? Great texture there!

    I also like #2 but agree that it might work better with a bit cropped off the right, partly to focus our attention more on the light and partly because the right side is a bit distracting.

    Now I remember looking at these before and thinking that it would be great if there was a gleam off the light. There is some in the first shot, I see. Maybe you could boost that? I was just looking at lighting effects in photoshop elements last night and see that there are some tools there which might be helpful to you. Scott Kelby seems to like the flashlight preset with a soft, narrow beam. Wonder if that would help or not?

    Good luck with this!

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  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2011
    Thanks to all for the comments and suggestions. Below is my current entry. I hope the reprocessing and title will help. There's sure a variety of nice work in the gallery in forums for this topic!

    Fossil Fuel Economics
    20110604Bernardo-Winery-002-L.jpg
    Bill Banning

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  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2011
    As a Rustafarian, I love the current pp'd version! thumb.gifclap.gif

    Don
    Don Ricklin - Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was Pentax K7
    'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
    My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook     .
  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2011
    DonRicklin wrote: »
    As a Rustafarian, I love the current pp'd version! thumb.gifclap.gif

    Don

    Then you're gonna really like this set I just left in the Other Cool Shots forum.
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2011
    billseye wrote: »
    Then you're gonna really like this set I just left in the Other Cool Shots forum.
    Already been there before your post! thumb.gif

    #3 is yummy! :D

    Don
    Don Ricklin - Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was Pentax K7
    'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
    My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook     .
  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2011
    DonRicklin wrote: »
    Already been there before your post! thumb.gif

    #3 is yummy! :D

    Don

    Whoa... you rust lovers are quick to find your fix :D

    Thanks for the compliment...I like #3, too. Wish it had a bit more DOF, though.
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited June 11, 2011
    I think you did a very good job on the last one (Fossil Fuel Economics) - I would go for it thumb.gif
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  • theprincereturnstheprincereturns Registered Users Posts: 132 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2011
    The redone image is very nice. I am probably not a rustaholic, but i definitly like the texture and colors there!
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