LPS4 - Choices, Choices?

seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
edited April 26, 2007 in The Dgrin Challenges
Here are a few of the concepts I've shot for LPS4 - feedback?

Thanks!

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Comments

  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Thomas,
    seastack wrote:
    Here are a few of the concepts I've shot for LPS4 - feedback?
    Thanks!

    Holy smokes, man, they are all incredible! bowdown.gif
    How on Earth did you get the 1st one? Was it mostly PS or was it there for real? ne_nau.gif

    I'd say #2 and #3 are very artificial. thumb.gifdeal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Nikolai wrote:
    How on Earth did you get the 1st one? Was it mostly PS or was it there for real? ne_nau.gif

    A little of both. The fog and the light were certainly there, I just enhanced a bit with a little dodging and a touch of a soft filter effect. It's my favorite tree, I go back to it often (and it's on my commute) even though the tree in the field shot is something of a cliche. The lighting here was so nice though that I couldn't resist.

    I also got to hang out inside a nuclear power plant cooling tower, how cool is that. I now glow smugmug green!
  • sherstonesherstone Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,356 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Wow!
    seastack wrote:
    I also got to hang out inside a nuclear power plant cooling tower, how cool is that.

    Very Cool!
    Sean
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    seastack wrote:
    A little of both. The fog and the light were certainly there, I just enhanced a bit with a little dodging and a touch of a soft filter effect. It's my favorite tree, I go back to it often (and it's on my commute) even though the tree in the field shot is something of a cliche. The lighting here was so nice though that I couldn't resist.

    I also got to hang out inside a nuclear power plant cooling tower, how cool is that. I now glow smugmug green!

    Thanks for the info! I must admit - it's a very cool tree! thumb.gif

    The cooling tower shot is also very nice, for from the challenge standpoint I think both #2 and #3 present more artificial impact.

    I can be wrong though..:-)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Nikolai wrote:
    Thanks for the info! I must admit - it's a very cool tree! thumb.gif

    The cooling tower shot is also very nice, for from the challenge standpoint I think both #2 and #3 present more artificial impact.

    I can be wrong though..:-)

    I appreciate that. I'm having a hard time picking between these which may mean I haven't nailed it yet. The tree may not be spot on for organic but it's my favorite so far. Maybe I'll go out into the garden tomorrow and see what squishes between my toes.
  • PaulThomasMcKeePaulThomasMcKee Registered Users Posts: 429 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    I like #1 for organic & #2 for artificial, although #1 is so surreal that it borders on the artificial. All four are wonderful images.
  • kingmamaof2kingmamaof2 Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    WOW! Your work is amazing. I agree with PaulThomasMcKee...the first picture is amazingly gorgeous but it borders on artificial because the sun seems a little small or too high up to have that much fog...ne_nau.gif I dont know what I'm trying to say here, just looks really soft. I think my favorite is either #2 or #4....great job on all of them!!!
  • richterslrichtersl Registered Users Posts: 3,322 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    All 4 are terrific!

    #1 is absolutely gorgeous! And I also agree that it looks so surreal that it borders on artifical. There's a bit of dead space on the right that throws it off balance just a bit so you might want to experiment with a crop.

    The colors in #2 are wonderful. But I'm not sure how these pipes fit into the theme. headscratch.gif

    #3 and #4 are my favorites. I love #3's quirkiness. The composition of #4 is flat-out amazing!!!!thumb.gif
    Linda

    http://lrichters.smugmug.com
  • ericgtrericgtr Registered Users Posts: 105 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    First off, wow! These photos are great. For this contest I would say 4 is a best fit from my perspective. I sure love #1 though. clap.gif
    My Photos http://www.ericsmedia.com
  • seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Geez, can we reach some consensus here! Laughing.gif

    Seriously, great input and much appreciated but I'm still conflicted. I'm leaning between #1 and #3 but I like #4. I like #3 'cause it's an artificial of an organic but #1 is a better image I think. Question is will #1 slip through under organic. Argghh.

    Pulling hair headscratch.gif
    Hmmm, we need a smiley for "pulling hair." We could call it LPS! Or maybe one with the guy banging his head against the wall.
  • sherstonesherstone Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,356 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    consensus attempt
    While I love the first one, I think it's a squeeze in for "organic"

    My favorite of the four is still number 4, and why it speaks “artificial” to me
    is probably the multiple images. The matching of the crescents of the celestial object to the stack light and shadow is masterful.


    My .02
    Sean
  • seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    sherstone wrote:
    While I love the first one, I think it's a squeeze in for "organic"

    My favorite of the four is still number 4, and why it speaks “artificial” to me
    is probably the multiple images. The matching of the crescents of the celestial object to the stack light and shadow is masterful.

    My .02

    On #4, do you find the telephone pole distracting? I've got it without as well.
  • sherstonesherstone Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,356 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Nope
    seastack wrote:
    On #4, do you find the telephone pole distracting? I've got it without as well.

    No it does not bother me. Somehow, visualising it without the pole I feel the leading lines of it would be sorely missed. It would simplify the image for sure but it might just make it that much plainer too.
    Sean
  • kingmamaof2kingmamaof2 Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    15524779-Ti.gif #4 gets my vote
  • Manfr3dManfr3d Registered Users Posts: 2,008 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    All look fabulous, but only the horsie has sth to do with artificial for me.
    The others fall more into the category "photograph anything thats man-
    made and call it artificial" they dont have a kicking idea behind them
    that - at least I - associate with the theme of the challenge.

    Just my 2 cents of course :>
    “To consult the rules of composition before making a picture is a little like consulting the law of gravitation before going for a walk.”
    ― Edward Weston
  • ultravoxultravox Registered Users Posts: 776 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    Uh! I like #1 more. It's great! But it's up to you. Anyway, clap.giffor all of them.
    Cristian.
    [SIZE=-1]It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. - John Lennon.[/SIZE]
  • SwartzySwartzy Registered Users Posts: 3,293 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2007
    I like #4
    Would like to see the version without the phone pole as it makes no sense to me, hence don't get the artificial theme..but....with several moons above the power plant reactor....now that would be artificial. Just my take.
    Swartzy:
    NAPP Member | Canon Shooter
    Weddings/Portraits and anything else that catches my eye.
    www.daveswartz.com
    Model Mayhem site http://www.modelmayhem.com/686552
  • douglasdouglas Registered Users Posts: 696 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2007
    # 1 is my favorite shot, but i think i would pic # 3 for theme.
    Best regards,
    douglas
  • Tessa HDTessa HD Registered Users Posts: 852 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2007
    wow,
    how fortunate that were in so many places at the right time with right creativity working! i love them all. if i had to choose, eeeeeesh, hard choice! i guess #1 and #3. maybe check out the portfolios of the judges and see if you can guess which photo would catch their attention best. i actually haven't done this myself yet, but if i were in your "unfortunate" predicament of which awesome photo to enter, that might help.

    Tessa
    Love to dream, and dream in color.

    www.tessa-hd.smugmug.com
    www.printandportfolio.com
    This summer's wilderness photography project: www.tessa-hd.smugmug.com/gallery/3172341
  • ChrisJChrisJ Registered Users Posts: 2,164 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2007
    For me, #1 is the strongest shot. It looks like a landscape straight out of a Video card benchmark routine, so plenty artificial. There's a small amount of vignetting in the upper right corner, but that could just be the light. I really like it though!
    Chris
  • seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2007
    Comments?

    146442475-L.jpg
  • sherstonesherstone Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,356 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2007
    Nice revision
    I still really like this idea and this revision works quite well,
    I like the light on the concrete better than in the first version.
    and the cloud works well too.

    The first version spoke artificial to me more for some reason, probably the multiple moons?

    I am starting to wonder if the other opinions expressed here, that prefer the tree image might be correct in feeling the moons do not speak artificial. I still am very enamored with the starkness and strong feel to this moon and man made structure.

    In the end it's the judges that need to be convinced.

    (yes I know this probably does not help you much but just stating my thoughts)
    Sean
  • seastackseastack Registered Users Posts: 716 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2007
    sherstone wrote:
    I still really like this idea and this revision works quite well,
    I like the light on the concrete better than in the first version.
    and the cloud works well too.

    The first version spoke artificial to me more for some reason, probably the multiple moons?

    I am starting to wonder if the other opinions expressed here, that prefer the tree image might be correct in feeling the moons do not speak artificial. I still am very enamored with the starkness and strong feel to this moon and man made structure.

    In the end it's the judges that need to be convinced.

    (yes I know this probably does not help you much but just stating my thoughts)

    :D Thanks, good to know others are as conflicted as I am! I'm starting to lean back to #1 as well, although #3 is still calling. Thinking I'm :deadhorse with this one.
  • LiquidAirLiquidAir Registered Users Posts: 1,751 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2007
    I have been heming and hawing over these for a while. As is, I like your first cooling tower shot best of the lot. It is eye catching and the alien(ish) landscape of the cooling tower seems somehow appropriate for this somewhat surreal montage.

    The tree shot eats at me a bit. The fairly heavy hand in Photoshop makes the shot feel like is aspiring to be that classic cliche of the tree in a misty field without quite the sufficient taste of irony that would make it sing artificial. I don't have the chops in photo editing to suggest how to make it look natural enough to be solidly organic, but something like a hand with a paint brush on the right hand side might turn it into a clear satire of a whole genere of fantasy photographs and at the same time solidly land it in the artifical camp.
    Liquid Air - Gallery - Blog
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