*Ch. 30 -Snappy

snapapple · January 11, 2005

I have not really had time to find a good subject, but I took some quick shots of flowers to practice with the set up. Does this look OK?

A second one:

I cropped my pictures to 5x7 and put them into a new image that is 12x28.
Later I reduced the size before uploading to smugmug. I always do this so it won't take too long anyway.

lynnma · January 11, 2005

snapapple wrote:

I have not really had time to find a good subject, but I took some quick shots of flowers to practice with the set up. Does this look OK?

A second one:

I cropped my pictures to 5x7 and put them into a new image that is 12x28.
Later I reduced the size before uploading to smugmug. I always do this so it won't take too long anyway.

Hi Snappy.. I like the first set.. its really pretty.. and nice border

landrum · January 11, 2005

I like the first one the best too, it's very pretty. Great symmetry and layout on both of them. Even if you don't use either of these, I think that you have your presentation down.

judyfuess · January 11, 2005

Hi Snappy,

I like the first one best. The coloring is great, but it seems to be missing something.

-judy

snapapple · January 11, 2005

Hi Judy

judyfuess wrote:

Hi Snappy,

I like the first one best. The coloring is great, but it seems to be missing something.

-judy

Where is something missing? In the pictures or in the framing? I just realized that a small drop shadow adds to the raised images. I got another rose pictures so I changed the rose out and added a drop shadow. Here's the new version. I can do that to the Nandina flowers too. Do you think I should add a title to each one saying, leaf, blossom, berry? All of the Nandina Domestica plant, of course.

GREAPER · January 11, 2005

I like the set up.

I was wondering, do all three images have to be shot durring the challenge period?

snapapple · January 11, 2005

Hi Greaper

GREAPER wrote:

I like the set up.

I was wondering, do all three images have to be shot durring the challenge period?

Yes, I believe thay do. My rose on the left was not, but I shot that other one in a hurry and I didn't like it. I will shoot another if I decide to enter this. I'm hoping to find something more interesting than flowers before the time period is over. It's been raining cats and dogs so I can't do much right now. We had a big mudslide across our driveway last night so there are two big boulders on the driveway and I can't get out. The guy is supposed to come tomorrow to clean it up and the weather man says, "Sun" for the rest of the week, so I may get out to shoot something. We'll see. Right now, I just want to get the hang of the set up.

I actually think people shots would be great for this. Portraits of two people with the two together in a casual shot in the center would be great. Or maybe a head shot of the two, with a casual full body shot of each one on the sides.

Or I'm thinking a wide landscape in the middle with some of the individual features on the sides, like a big tree or a barn or house.

I also like the way Andy titled his "Chamber Music" and had all three shots done in the same type of "chamber" - the subway. The title could be fun.

It's tough having to have three good shots, but it doesn't seem so hard if you shoot them all at once, one wide, two close ups. One crowd shot, two individuals. One person in three poses. My nandina bush had one branch with berries, one with blossoms and one with leaves. It was a cinch.

wxwax · January 12, 2005

Snappy, these are beautiful. This challenge seems to hit your aesthetic in the bulls eye, if you know what I mean.

snapapple · January 12, 2005

Gee, thanks..

wxwax wrote:

Snappy, these are beautiful. This challenge seems to hit your aesthetic in the bulls eye, if you know what I mean.

Sid,
That's such a nice compliment. I didn't even think they were very special. I just wanted to figure out a nice way to present the pictures. Maybe they are worth entering after all. We'll have to see what I come up with in the days to come. Thanks again for the compliment and for stopping by.

snapapple · January 12, 2005

Heavenly Bamboo in veritcal format
I'm wondering how this looks as a vertical panel. The horizontal pictures seem so small. Please let me know what you think. Also, are the flower pictures good enough or do flowers need to be more emphatic or more "macro" to make an impact. I can shoot more, but I'm not sure what a good flower picture should be.

Roger · January 12, 2005

I definitely like this vertical one best, Snappy.
The flowers look fine to me: pretty sharp with good detail and blurred background.

Roger

ginger_55 · January 13, 2005

I like them all. Horizontal and vertical.

going to bed, really nice shots, Snappy.

ginger

I am trying to critique. Really I am...........

Nice variety in the the one you put into a vertical.

DoctorIt · January 13, 2005

maybe it is because I'm not an expert when it comes to plants, but in my opinion, there is more of a common theme in the roses than in the "heavenly bamboo". Same plant, different version/or mood in each one. "heavenly bamboo" is 3 lovely photos, but I don't get a good sense of connection between them, other than the obvious - colorful plants.

also, i may be wrong in this, but I feel like classically, the center triptych image should be the focus or attention getter. none of the above really jumped out at me.

(someone should correct me if i'm wrong about the central thing, i've used it twice already

)

obelix · January 13, 2005

The vertical shot was very good.

Minor nit, in the last photo, try to clone out the extra reds

judyfuess · January 13, 2005

Hi Snappy,

I like this one much better as a vertical! It didn't seem to balance very well for me as a horizontal. I think it was the leaf is much simpler than the berry or the blossom, it didn't seem to balance things to me. But as a vertical, they seem to go a lot better - not sure why.

I also like the new rose you put in. It goes with the color scheme more than the the other one did

Great job on both!

-Judy

snapapple wrote:

I'm wondering how this looks as a vertical panel. The horizontal pictures seem so small. Please let me know what you think. Also, are the flower pictures good enough or do flowers need to be more emphatic or more "macro" to make an impact. I can shoot more, but I'm not sure what a good flower picture should be.

snapapple · January 13, 2005

Thanks all for the feedback

DoctorIt wrote:

maybe it is because I'm not an expert when it comes to plants, but in my opinion, there is more of a common theme in the roses than in the "heavenly bamboo". Same plant, different version/or mood in each one. "heavenly bamboo" is 3 lovely photos, but I don't get a good sense of connection between them, other than the obvious - colorful plants.

also, i may be wrong in this, but I feel like classically, the center triptych image should be the focus or attention getter. none of the above really jumped out at me.

(someone should correct me if i'm wrong about the central thing, i've used it twice already )

Thanks Eric,

It's good to know how other people view these things. I believe that you are right "classically speaking". In the altar pieces the center picture was always the most important. However, in the context that we are using the word "triptych", it just means three pictures, related in some way. In one of the examples that Andy posted the titles gave a clue to the relationship. Vermilion Rhapsody had leaves with the same color. Illuminescence had three different kinds of flowers, all bright. Prairie Dancers had field flowers, not the same kind. Petal Places had flowers with soft petals. Andy's "Chamber Music" had three musicians, none more important than the other, all in the same type of "chamber". By the way, Andy, that's a great title. Very creative.

My panel titled "Roses" has three different kinds of roses. The Heavenly Bamboo panel has three parts of the "Heavenly Bamboo" plant. The common name for Nandina Domestica is Heavenly Bamboo. The panel shows the leaf, the blossom, and the fruit. All from the same bush in my yard by the way. I'm really into gardening and landscaping so I tend to forget that other people may not understand these things. In a botanical panel, perhaps each picture should be labeled, but it seemed like clutter to me. I put the brightest and heaviest in content in the center.

It does seem like a horizontal presentation lends itself best to the "center most important" idea. However, my thinking on it is that the composition should be balanced, with the end panels facing in or somehow leading the eye into the center. A curve or diagonal line works well here. I can visualize a group of things in the center picture with one element on either side. I can also see a landscape shot in the center with one element on either side.

For the vertical panel, it does not seem to matter as much. I can see the same type of organization or a progression of events, or the smallest on top with the heaviest on the bottom. It all depends on the content. I think people can be creative here. The total "pleasing composition" is what the challenge is all about.

I hope this helps others out. And, if anyone has some input here, it is welcome.

snapapple · January 13, 2005

Thanks Obelix,

obelix wrote:

The vertical shot was very good.

Minor nit, in the last photo, try to clone out the extra reds

You are right about the reds in the last picture. Those red areas distract from the focal point. I shot all of these as they were on the plant. Therefore, the backgrounds were full of leaves and rocks. The blurr doesn't really help. Now that you mention it, I think the background in the blossom shot is way too busy. Maybe I can shoot it from an angle that puts the sky in the background. I'll give it a try.

snapapple · January 13, 2005

Thanks Judy,

judyfuess wrote:

Hi Snappy,

I like this one much better as a vertical! It didn't seem to balance very well for me as a horizontal. I think it was the leaf is much simpler than the berry or the blossom, it didn't seem to balance things to me. But as a vertical, they seem to go a lot better - not sure why.

I also like the new rose you put in. It goes with the color scheme more than the the other one did

Great job on both!

-Judy

I appreciate the feedback. Maybe the leaf picture needs more leaves. It doesn't have as much visual weight as the others. I liked the way the diagonal lines of the leaf and the blossom lent themselves to a "portrait" or vertical presentation to flank the "landscape" or horizontal presentation of the "heavier" berry picture. (In my first horizontal panel) But, in a vertical panel, with all pictures in "landscape" orientation, it seems like the pictures need to be more equal in weight.

Interesting points of view here, from everyone. It is showing me lots of important reasons for different presentations. This is a very complex challenge.

DoctorIt · January 13, 2005

snapapple wrote:

For the vertical panel, it does not seem to matter as much. I can see the same type of organization or a progression of events, or the smallest on top with the heaviest on the bottom. It all depends on the content. I think people can be creative here. The total "pleasing composition" is what the challenge is all about.

I hope this helps others out. And, if anyone has some input here, it is welcome.

well said. and i learned about some flowering plants today

snapapple · January 22, 2005

New Flowers
Here is my latest effort with a floral set. I really want some critique here. I don't have a lot of experience with super macro. How's the sharpness, DOF?

cmr164 · January 22, 2005

snapapple wrote:

Here is my latest effort with a floral set. I really want some critique here. I don't have a lot of experience with super macro. How's the sharpness, DOF?

Snappy this is the best so far and more to the point I think it is in fact good enough. I have no suggestion or criticism.

GREAPER · January 22, 2005

cmr164 wrote:

Snappy this is the best so far and more to the point I think it is in fact good enough. I have no suggestion or criticism.

I like it to Snappy.

My favorite of the three.

snapapple · January 22, 2005

Thank you
Thanks Charles and Greaper,

I appreciate your comments. I'm looking at it though and now I'm concerned that the curved edge is cutting into the edge of the petals. Maybe it needs some work on the framing. Do you have any suggestion there?

I tried it in white. I think I prefer the drama of black though. Any other ideas?

GREAPER · January 22, 2005

I like the small white borders around the pics, but I wonder what it would look like with the background black?

judyfuess · January 22, 2005

Hi Snappy,

The flowers are great!

I would also like to see a black background, with the small white boarders ..
-judy

ginger_55 · January 23, 2005

That's nice, Snappy. I like it!

Wish it looked that that here.

ginger

snapapple · January 24, 2005

Thanks for the comments Greaper, Judy and Ginger. I think you were right about the black background. I tried it and I like it.

I also took a few more today. About 60 or so. I came up with a new one. I have lots more, but this is all I could get done today. I really feel bad posting these flowers when there is snow in the forcast for the east coast. After all that rain we had, we had a week or so of hot sunny days. Some of the plants think it's Spring. One of our nectarine trees is a very early variety. It's in full bloom. Just beautiful. The fruit is supposed to ripen April to June. That's real early.

Of course the nasturtiums are always early, and the daisy-like flowers are a calendula, I think. They are also cool weather flowers. There are some wild flowers on the hill, little blue ones. And the ceonothus (wild lilac) are also blooming.

So here they are. The first one in black background and the second one with orange flowers. Please let me know which you like best. And especially if you see some flaws in the photos. I appreciate your critique.

gregneil · January 24, 2005

I like the first one - the colors and textures are more interesting to me.. I also think the pictures compliment each other really well, and it feels balanced. The second one is cool too, but something about it isn't as striking IMO... I think it's the first picture that I don't like as much - it feels over saturated, I think. I think the other thing that bothers me about it is that the other 2 pictures are pretty much "straight on", but the first one is at a slight angle... Maybe a different "straight on" picture there if you've got one would make it work for me. I do like how the second one has larger images (less black space) - perhaps you could try that with the first one?

ginger_55 · January 24, 2005

I like the second best, because I like daisys. But I think the first would be the best to submit. That is only my opinion, though.

I am being very careful giving my opinions, because the bar seems so high on the work this time. I think everyone should win,

ginger

*Ch. 30 -Snappy

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