LPS#3: Change of directions

Nikolai

Irregular didn't work out thus far for me, so I decided to try for some picturesque.

Quiet pond



"harder" version



BW version



What do you think?

Swartzy

Here's my take
The first one rocks. Reason: The contrast between the water reflections, tree, angle draws the eye to a pinpoint to the end of (or rather continuation) the stream.

The second does not: Reason: Colors are too similar, taking away from the reflections, making the stream look similar to the actual...and.....the colors are subdued making the eye wander in comparisons of color rather than leading the eye to the continuation of the stream.

The third does not: Reason: The monochrome version lacks pop, contrast and interest. All things look too similar (as in the subdued green colored version). I can envision this with a midnight action (gorman technique) but again, this shot begs for focused clarity, separating the actual from the reflection...in fact I would even try to highten the first shot more. Also, if it were a bit darker in the foreground and a bit lighter towards the end, that would keep the eye focused.

I really like this Nik. A great shot.

Nikolai

Swartzy,

Swartzy wrote:

The first one rocks. Reason: The contrast between the water reflections, tree, angle draws the eye to a pinpoint to the end of (or rather continuation) the stream....

I really like this Nik. A great shot.

Thank you!

How about this? (Thanks Linda for the GG point!)



Or this (more dreamy one)

tsk1979

You can do better.
In your PP ones, the first one with CG point comment looks better, but overall, though they are good pics, you have much better ones in your gallery.

richtersl

The first one looks good -- I would try more blur on it, though. What you have there presently is too subtle.

Did you try the selective "gothic glow" on it, where you highlighted the point to which the eye is drawn?

ericgtr

I am still leaning towards the first pic you've posted out of all of these, that's just me thought. Composition is great here.

pyroPrints.com

ericgtr wrote:

I am still leaning towards the first pic you've posted out of all of these, that's just me thought. Composition is great here.

I concur! The lises all leading to the one one point is great

JillG

I think the first one is the best too. Conposition and exposure . It makes me want to be there.
Jill

Nikolai

Thanks, guys!
Appreciate the feedback!

eoren1

Hey Nik
I think all of them are a bit too dark to be picturesque (if that makes sense). The sky is obviously limiting you as it will be way overblown if you try to boost the exposure too much but maybe a bit of tweaking in photoshop will help. That or a reshoot when you can get more detail out of the area. Not to be harsh but this isn't quite up to the level of the entry you had last time....
E

Nikolai

E,

eoren1 wrote:

Hey Nik
I think all of them are a bit too dark to be picturesque (if that makes sense). The sky is obviously limiting you as it will be way overblown if you try to boost the exposure too much but maybe a bit of tweaking in photoshop will help. That or a reshoot when you can get more detail out of the area. Not to be harsh but this isn't quite up to the level of the entry you had last time....
E

Thank you very much!

I wanted it to be dark, actually:-)

As to the general level... I agree, it's not exactly where the sapling shot was
OTOH, I think it's far better than my irregular (shotglasses) attempts. If nothing else, this is a fairly decent shot (methinks) that I wouldn't get if I weren't playing.
Oh well, there is still a week and a weekend. I'll keep thinking.

Cheers!

BistiArt

Great Natural Focal Point
Nik,

Every fourth week of the month, I sit through judging of digital camera images. One of the strong points they emphasize is composition; your first shot "quiet pond" has a rather special compositional feature. Of course, there are as many opinions as people in the room...

Your tree at the end of the pond draws my eye like a magnet.
I decided to take your lead and play with it. So, I made a copy and let CS2 help me make a very, very crude first pass at strengthening the drama.

Hopefully, this wobbling burn tool and the stronger green show how my eye perceives those providential branches taking me to a logical, emotional, and provocative focal point.
I did not try to make a point of the sky.

Knowing the photographer you are, I just thought I'd add my two cents.

I'd also like to thank you for helping me get out of this Irregular box my mind seems to be in.
With a Bisti photo tour coming up next weekend, I'm going to play with some of my old images, then try to reshoot out in the wilderness during Magic Hour...

Nikolai

Joe,

BistiArt wrote:

Nik,

Every fourth week of the month, I sit through judging of digital camera images. One of the strong points they emphasize is composition; your first shot "quiet pond" has a rather special compositional feature. Of course, there are as many opinions as people in the room...

Your tree at the end of the pond draws my eye like a magnet.
I decided to take your lead and play with it. So, I made a copy and let CS2 help me make a very, very crude first pass at strengthening the drama.

Hopefully, this wobbling burn tool and the stronger green show how my eye perceives those providential branches taking me to a logical, emotional, and provocative focal point.
I did not try to make a point of the sky.

Knowing the photographer you are, I just thought I'd add my two cents.

I'd also like to thank you for helping me get out of this Irregular box my mind seems to be in.
With a Bisti photo tour coming up next weekend, I'm going to play with some of my old images, then try to reshoot out in the wilderness during Magic Hour...

Thank you very much for your detailed comment and suggestions, appreciate it a lot!

That radial point was indeed my target, not the skies. I'm glad if I was able to deliver the message (my friend Asher Kelman from OPF calls it "the arc of intent"). I took a shot from a higher vantage point at first, then chimped and saw this "magnet" thingie... So I went to the lowest possible tripod position (this is a 10 sec exposure, in case somebody's interested:-), adjusted the CP for the maximum reflection and reshot.

Another "interesting" thing about this shot - it was taken "blindly".
I could not get to the VF since the tripod was set in the midst of a very sticky mudpool (you can see some of it on the bottom of the image) . So I had to set up everything "virtually" - thank God for the dual axis level and a decent tripod/ballhead combo.

I'm glad my image has helped you to get out of the "irregular box". I was stuck there myself for almost a week, so I know the feeling.


Good luck, hope to see your entry soon:-)

BistiArt

Loowww Down, Bisti

Nikolai wrote:

Thank you very much for your detailed comment and suggestions, appreciate it a lot!

That radial point was indeed my target, not the skies. I'm glad if I was able to deliver the message (my friend Asher Kelman from OPF calls it "the arc of intent"). I took a shot from a higher vantage point at first, then chimped and saw this "magnet" thingie... So I went to the lowest possible tripod position (this is a 10 sec exposure, in case somebody's interested:-), adjusted the CP for the maximum reflection and reshot.

Another "interesting" thing about this shot - it was taken "blindly".
I could not get to the VF since the tripod was set in the midst of a very sticky mudpool (you can see some of it on the bottom of the image) . So I had to set up everything "virtually" - thank God for the dual axis level and a decent tripod/ballhead combo.

I'm glad my image has helped you to get out of the "irregular box". I was stuck there myself for almost a week, so I know the feeling.


Good luck, hope to see your entry soon:-)

Hey Nik,

Thanks for the detailed reply!
Since the shot you took had a very high difficulty ranking, it opened another channel in my mind, going back to late last year.
My friend David Lyons (www.eXacteXposure.com) - a smugmug affiliate - is possessed of great photographic talent, works his a__ off to get the light right, and even stoops so he, too, can barely or not see thru his viewfinder.

But, like you, the exhileerating reward is clearly there.

In December, we began a collusion. He goes and takes a precarious shot; he writes it up; then he regales my somewhat imprecise grammar to make it somewhat more palatable for readers and photographers.

Having said all that, take a look at
www.geocompa.com/SubwayArticle.pdf

That was David's 2nd 9 mile, cold, water-filled trek for this particular shot. His tripod was roughly in the same position as yours; rather low, he was standing in cold, running water, and he was trying to get the right light.

I, for one, think he really did...

I suspect you will like his shot... but, then, I truly suspect others will as well.

I'm caught between taxes and resurrecting Bisti Images to get a repeat shot in the right time frame so I know where to go, what to shoot, and when to shoot it in the incredible Bisti.

Here is a rather Q&D effort to express northern New Mexico's Enchanted Light and Magic Hour. The formations are called hoodoos. I think they fit the Irregular theme, although some are quite picturesque, if your mind can consider Rocks Fine Art.

Can you find the Camel running from the Camel's Graveyard in the first, seeking life?
Camel'sGravestoneDSC_6988-lps3 copy.jpg
I'll send the second in another entry as we are limited to one attachment per entry... duh?


For now, Uncle Sam is winnin'; but your response certainly encourages me to get my own a__ movin'!

What's the rather hackneyed phrase
"So much to do, so Little time to do IT...!"

BistiArt

Jus' 'Nother Bisti Shot

Nikolai wrote:

Thank you very much for your detailed comment and suggestions, appreciate it a lot!

That radial point was indeed my target, not the skies. I'm glad if I was able to deliver the message (my friend Asher Kelman from OPF calls it "the arc of intent"). I took a shot from a higher vantage point at first, then chimped and saw this "magnet" thingie... So I went to the lowest possible tripod position (this is a 10 sec exposure, in case somebody's interested:-), adjusted the CP for the maximum reflection and reshot.

Another "interesting" thing about this shot - it was taken "blindly".
I could not get to the VF since the tripod was set in the midst of a very sticky mudpool (you can see some of it on the bottom of the image) . So I had to set up everything "virtually" - thank God for the dual axis level and a decent tripod/ballhead combo.

I'm glad my image has helped you to get out of the "irregular box". I was stuck there myself for almost a week, so I know the feeling.


Good luck, hope to see your entry soon:-)

Hey Nik 2,

Is Shadow Sibilance the backbone of an Ancient Continent, or just a surrealistic Bisti Hoodoo?
ShadowSibilanceDSC_6689-lps3 copy.jpg

Enjoy

Nikolai

OK, I entered :-)
It may not hit the top ten, but I like it, so as far as the primary goal goes, I'm happy..:D

Morning radiance, 6am.



EXIF:
Date Taken: 2007-04-07 06:28:01
Camera: Canon EOS 30D + EF-S 10-22
Exposure Time: 10s
Aperture: f/16.0
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 10mm
Photo Dimensions: 533 x 800

Nikolai

Joe,
Very nice shots, really.
Zion is one of the things I'd like to explore more. If nothing else, I never made it through the Narrows :-(
Thank you for all the encouragement!
Cheers!

ChrisJ

This is a cool shot Nik. I like how everything radiates from the stream. It's lacking a little "snap" in colors (I'm sure you tried B&W?), but it feels very serene.

Swartzy

True
Does lack in color a bit but that makes the mood. I like what you've done with it Nik and think it's a great composition. Good luck to you!

Nikolai

Chris,

ChrisJ wrote:

This is a cool shot Nik. I like how everything radiates from the stream. It's lacking a little "snap" in colors (I'm sure you tried B&W?), but it feels very serene.

Thanks!
"Snap" is what I can't afford here. It's 6 o'clock in the morning of an overcast day. Serene - yes, snappy - noooooo.
I tried BW (see the very first post in this very thread), it didn't work out.
I know it's lacking colors, but I'm hoping that the composition would give it some kick. Or, maybe not...
Thank you for looking!

Nikolai

Swartzy,

Swartzy wrote:

Does lack in color a bit but that makes the mood. I like what you've done with it Nik and think it's a great composition. Good luck to you!

Yep, that what I finally decided to go for with this shot: mood and composition. You've got it, pardner!

ChrisJ

Nikolai wrote:

I tried BW (see the very first post in this very thread), it didn't work out.

Oops, somehow missed that! Yep, I agree... B&W not working. Not enough contrast in the details you want to show.

amy wilburn

voracious vortex...get too close and it will suck you in like quicksand

(you posted the good one)

Nikolai

Amy,

amy wilburn wrote:

voracious vortex...get too close and it will suck you in like quicksand

(you posted the good one)

Thank you very much, appreciate it!

evoryware

Looks like a top 10 to me. Good Luck!

Nikolai

Evoryware,

evoryware wrote:

Looks like a top 10 to me. Good Luck!

Thank you, appreciate the compliment!

Flyinggina

Lps #3 -
Sorry. I misposted. I do love your entry, though, Nik. Another great one.

Virginia

Nikolai

Flyinggina wrote:

Sorry. I misposted. I do love your entry, though, Nik. Another great one.

Virginia

Merci beaucoup!