No Place Like Home

[draymorton]

From a preliminary shoot last week. Not necessarily finished. Thinking of adding/changing a couple things... but then again, maybe not. Feedback on all aspects appreciated.

Thanks for looking.

[Overbeyond]

Brilliant.
One thought; I would like her hands to be clenching something just to make it more "realistic".

[draymorton]

Thanks, Tom. Yeah, I originally was thinking the hands should be flat, as though she were being blown up against the shed.

But clenching something would be cool, too. Will get on that idea for another image!

[Greg McCary]

I think you should clone the wires. To be honest I am not sure what to think of this one. Maybe lower the saturation? I know i'm not much help but I aint feeling this one for some reason, not like your other post.

[Greg McCary]

I think I know what it is. The processing doesn't look vintage. It just doesn't have your normal stamp on it. Maybe cut some off of the left side.

[draymorton]

Thanks Greg. Wasn't particularly going for vintage.

Glad that it doesn't have my stamp on it, actually.

Cropping from left - good idea. I'll try cropping out the opening.

Wires?

[gahspidy]

Real nice, Seth. I don't think you need to crop, personally. i like the open areas that are black creating a sort of path from the lower left frame up to our subject. Works for me.

The only thing that stands out to me as looking "odd" is the shadow of her face against the barn. Its too defined. It should be more ....soft or obscured with just a rough shape of the facer as opposed to the tight outline of her profile.

I think I see the wire that Greg is refering to but its not whats holding her up lol although it does not add and it might be best to remove it so no one thinks its a wire holding her up... Look, we saw how he did this trick!! ;)
Nice work

[draymorton]

Thanks, Gary.

Could you guys point out the wire?

What would you do about the shadow? It was really there, so I can't easily take it out, though I'm sure something could be done.

[gahspidy]

Thanks, Gary.

Could you guys point out the wire?

What would you do about the shadow? It was really there, so I can't easily take it out, though I'm sure something could be done.

Then leave it be, (shadow). Its more me trying to nitpik an excellent shot for something to offer. Its not a thing.

the "wire" that I'm seeing is on the edge of the roof to the right (viewers right) of the subject. Looks like a fine thin wire hanging down somewhat but could be something else

[draymorton]

Oh! That's a cobweb.

[BenWA]

I personally think this is awesome. In fact, my first impression when I opened it was, "Holy ####! That's $$$$$$$ awesome!" I love pretty much everything about it the way it is, except for one thing -- somehow the "geometry" of the legs looks slightly off/unnatural to me. You can kind of see the legs thru the somewhat transparent dress and something about them looks not quite right. I think one way to solve the issue (if you agree that it is an issue) would be to eliminate the skin tones showing thru the dress and make the dress appear more opaque where the legs are. Does this make any sense? The ankles/feet look fine where they are, it's just the hint of the legs under the dress that is somehow throwing me off. It almost looks like her legs are coming out of her rear end at a weird angle. Maybe what I am seeing isn't even her legs and is just the shadows in the folds of the dress...but either way, it is creating an illusion that is throwing me off. Other than that, I think this is a real winner. Awsome concept and execution!

[draymorton]

Thanks. And yes, it does make sense. I could just do a color layer and paint on the color of the dress.

The person who inspired this concept (you know who) thought the feet looked big/distorted. Any feedback there? It would be a fairly easy fix.

I'm also thinking about cropping in from the left and up from the bottom... and taking out the rooster. Thoughts?

And I'm wondering if the face looking out works okay. I would have had her hiding her face more, but I wanted a slightly "fashiony" element/expression going on...

Thanks again!

[ksbryan0]

I wish I had at least 10% of your creativity, Seth, I really like what you have going on here. I'm not sold on the left hand crop being essential, but it would be worth comparing. The left foot might look a little large, but I didn't really pay it much attention until you mentioned it, however I did notice the dirty heal - which convinces me that she may actually be out in the elements!

There are a few things that don't fit with the action, and maybe a PP master like yourself can do something about them. The wind that has her up against the barn and the chickens stirred up is not fully convincing because her hair remains well-coiffed, the rooster and lower hen don't have their feathers ruffled, and the foliage in the background appears to be very still. A crop from the lower left would remove the rooster, taking him out of the equation. Maybe you can add some motion blur to the background shrubs and trees? Not sure what can be done about her hair.

[shootme]

Well I had to look at the other comments to actually be able to see if there is something to add. I think most is said. The only thing that looks a bit odd is the shadow of the face on the wall, blurring it and lightening it might help. Other than that I'm always impressed with your shots Seth.

[yairh20]

Great shot!

[BenWA]

Thanks. And yes, it does make sense. I could just do a color layer and paint on the color of the dress.

The person who inspired this concept (you know who) thought the feet looked big/distorted. Any feedback there? It would be a fairly easy fix.

I'm also thinking about cropping in from the left and up from the bottom... and taking out the rooster. Thoughts?

And I'm wondering if the face looking out works okay. I would have had her hiding her face more, but I wanted a slightly "fashiony" element/expression going on...

Thanks again!

I didn't notice that the feet looked big until you mentioned it... and even after you mentioning it I don't see it as much of an issue. But I guess I could see that making the feet smaller could be in an improvement. I'd have to see an updated version with smaller feet to make that call. I personally don't think the crop should be changed, and I don't think the rooster needs to go either. I think the face / expression are great.

Congrats on the sticky! Again, I love this one.

[hminx]

Congrats on sticky, just wondering is that dirt on her foot deliberate ?

[Grandpaw]

This is definitely an original but I have to say I don't get it and I have no clue at all how you did it. Trying to figure out the whole thing but I don't think that I would crop the left side, Jeff

[draymorton]

Thanks for the Sticky! I will be posting an "improved" version in a bit. I wish I could add to the right side, but I can't. Compositionally-speaking, is this a deal-breaker?

Thanks, Jeff. Would it make you feel any better if I said that I don't get it, either?

Thanks, Pete. No, not deliberate. I'm not that crafty. But I think it worked out for the best.

Thanks, yairh! Great to see you around again!

Thanks, as always, Peter. I'm torn on the shadow. I was thinking that the hard shadow had a sort of 1950s Hitchcock/Leigh vibe, but I could be wrong. I see what you're saying and will try softening/lightening to see how it looks.

Thanks, Ken. I'm sure you have a whole lot more than that. I added some blowing hair - just a little - and I'm going to try to add some ruffled feathers. I would rather not take that rooster (Ginger lol) out. He's such a looker.

As for the trees... I'm torn. And I'm really not sure how I would introduce implied movement in a way that looked credible.

Thanks, Ben. Well, I made the feet a little smaller (having a hard time arguing with B on that detail - I think she's right). I'm still wondering if I should crop out the vertical part of the opening. Glad you like the facial position/expression. I wanted an incongruous fashion model thing going on and if I had hid her face - although it might be better as an art piece - it wouldn't have the same impact.

Thanks for the feedback and the feature.

[shootme]

Congrats on the Sticky Seth.

[Coastal Flyer]

Dray,

I think the problem with this picture is that it is so "far out", so "out of the box", so....soooo....unconventional that we can't decide what to make of it. We just know it is fantastic, well done, fun, a mystery and quite worthy of a sticky.

Great shot. Well done!

CF

[draymorton]

Thanks guys.

Another edit. Posting mainly for feedback on the crop. I do wish I could add more to the right side, but there is nothing more to add.

I added in an alternate sky and some more hair, cloned out some of the cobwebs (except that main one, which I will probably clone out, as well), made the feet a little smaller, and pumped up the saturation a bit.

I don't know what to do about the trees. Still torn on the shadow and am not sure how to fix it, anyway. Nothing I did looked any better. And I'm not sure if that rooster should stay in there.

[draymorton]

p.s. I really don't know how to sharpen for the web... or at least this particular site. The uploads look awful compared to the original...

[draymorton]

p.p.s. Where'd the image in my original post go?

[dana m.]

I don't know where the original went either Seth...I was curious to see it after reading all these details.???????