peaceful hands

[villenadecorte]

Any thoughts?
I added a bit of "cloud" from photoshop -How do you combat such an intensely bright clear sky? (ofcourse, being in a better position with the sun at my back would have helped tremendously!).
I am rethinking shooting again at sunset, as I like the position of the hands this way.
Taken on Ilford 400- this was weeks ago so I've forgotten the rest of my settings.

PS- location is a cemetary.

[Chunk]

I think the clouds were a good addition that leave a nice serene feeling.
Now I'm shamefully thinking of what you could have substituted for those clouds that would have given a different meaning to the shot...like a tornado...

[drg]

I like the subject and did you consider some kind of off camera fill flash?

A couple of ideas regarding compostition come to mind with the hands position in relation to the horizon, and I'll think about them a bit and come back.

Depending upon the color of the material of the hands, a contrast color filter might bring up the detail and of course the standard color filters for that b/w sky effect.

[opus]

OMG Chunk, this could turn out like that "funniest photoshop thread ever!" thread. Did you see the link to that posted here?

[jar_e]

Rebekah,

Interesting shot. I love the tones here, and the composition is very strong! Nice full shooting,

Jared

[villenadecorte]

Kelly are you saying my photoshopping sucks? ;)

[villenadecorte]

Thanks Jared... these hands are so amazing, they just sit amongst the cemetary so peaceful like. I think they are cast with bronze? (DRG if you were asking what they were made of)

[jar_e]

Thanks Jared... these hands are so amazing, they just sit amongst the cemetary so peaceful like. I think they are cast with bronze? (DRG if you were asking what they were made of)

That's so neat. In the cementaries I have been in, I've never seen such a large statue of anything minus a cross. Great subject and wonderful shooting as always!

[Chunk]

I almost did that Kelly, but thankfully reconsidered when thinking about the solemn subject. I try not to crud up other peoples threads but it sure was tempting.

[Lava Lamp]

Any thoughts?
I added a bit of "cloud" from photoshop -How do you combat such an intensely bright clear sky? (ofcourse, being in a better position with the sun at my back would have helped tremendously!).
I am rethinking shooting again at sunset, as I like the position of the hands this way.
Taken on Ilford 400- this was weeks ago so I've forgotten the rest of my settings.

PS- location is a cemetary.

Filters can help with the intensely bight sky - graduated ND (neutral density). I think you have the subject for a great shot, but you don't quite have the angle and or the lighting to make it "pop" yet.

[villenadecorte]

LL Thanks for your input! This is definitely an area I'll be reshooting.

[opus]

Kelly are you saying my photoshopping sucks? ;)

No no no no no! It's just a thread someone posted here once where people put different backgrounds behind a scene, and some of them were really funny. When Chunk wondered about putting a tornado in the background, it reminded me.

[gahspidy]

Villena, excellent subject. I like your framing as well, although if you do a reshoot I would stand back a bit more to let the base have some space in the left frame area. The hands are a bit too contrasty and underexposed, because of the bright sky as you stated. Lavalamp is right, an split Nuetral Density ND filter would keep the sky in check and allow for greater exposure in the foreground. I just picked up a color graduated ND filter (.6 . . . 2 stops). Good shot still .

[PlantedTao]

This is a great subject and definetly a spot to do a re-shoot.
Personally I like the exposure and don't think the hands need anymore detail...the contrast is just right.
Of course you should always expose for the shadows and then develop to your taste.
I have to agree with gary that moving away from the subject some would be a big improvement.
I always shoot with a filter (yellow # 8 is my fav) to try and give my skies more texture, although I have not used a graduated as gary suggested.
Great shot and I look forward to seeing more of this subject!
Cheers.

[villenadecorte]

Kelly- I'm just messing with ya!

No no no no no! It's just a thread someone posted here once where people put different backgrounds behind a scene, and some of them were really funny. When Chunk wondered about putting a tornado in the background, it reminded me.

[villenadecorte]

Gary and PT... thank you both for your input.
Been wanting to do a cemetary series.. there are some really great old ones out here and ... not to be too creepy... they are all ones where I have relatives buried so I wouldnt feel to weird about going in and shooting a cemetary. My mother's been on my case about going to visit the cemetaries where my father's parents are buried (as I never met them), and such, and constantly going to visit my greatgrandmother... where the hands were shot.
Here are a couple more from that day..

[jar_e]

Rebekah,

The kid on the tombstone is very moving and powerful. Subject matter is very strong, and seems like a shot I'd see in National Geographic or a news report.

Very touching,

Jared

[villenadecorte]

Jared thanks. Not to ruin the "magic" of the shot.. but thats one of my clan I have three boys.
My greatgram passed when I was 7... and I wish they could have known her. She was awesome... so I make them come along with me when I visit, and I tell them stories about her. (thats the stone we're on in that shot).

[jar_e]

Jared thanks. Not to ruin the "magic" of the shot.. but thats one of my clan I have three boys.
My greatgram passed when I was 7... and I wish they could have known her. She was awesome... so I make them come along with me when I visit, and I tell them stories about her. (thats the stone we're on in that shot).

Adds to it IMO. Having the great-grandson standing on his great-grandma's tombstone, very moving.

[gahspidy]

Villena, I too think the great grandson on the great grandma tombstone shot is a great one. Great shot ( I could use a thesaurus, heh Chunk)?

[Tuna]

Rebekah, I agree that your initial shot is nice and full of greater potential. I also agree that the shot of the young man is a very nicely captured moment.

Tuna

[drg]

I did get back for another comment before too much time had passed I hope?

When shooting sculpture made of metal (and I wondered based on the photo if that wasn't what it was as opposed to stone) there's another filter type that sometimes works wonders with b/w, and that is an intensifier. There are green intensifiers that hardly anybody uses anymore that will sometimes really make a scene with a big metal object pop. The sky remains problematic, but don't forget that a standard or circular polarizer is a very useful (probably the most generally useful) filter with b/w. Unless your using AF, a standard polarizer stacked with different combinations of the R-G-B-Y filters can (depending on the sky) do two things:

1: Provide the various contrast levels from what is directly in front of your (kill glare with the Pola and contrast the color in the sky )

2. If there are broken clouds or they are uneven (our eyes may not see them because of glare or theres not enough contrast) the Polarizer and contrast/complementary color will bring them "out" or "up" on the film.

If the sky is "severe clear" and the sun is closer to the horizon, below 9 or 3 o'clock high (not time of day), and you shoot at betwenn 45 and 90 degrees to sun location you can literally generate a gradient effect on film with only a a good dark polarizer. Just twist that filter until the sky looks as dark blue as you can get it and then turn it an extra few degrees and lessen the effect slightly. Chances are there's a just enough humidity left in the air to pick up a "gradient" effect.

Neutral density split/full filters will modify the the amount but not type (reflect, refract, or chromaticized(sp?) ) light.

Several good suggestions already about the hand photo and the others as well which I'll second or third, and add my opinion that the hands photo has some clutter on the horizon of a tree or so in an inconvienent/unattractive place. I'd like to see the horizon run across the photo differently. That's what I was thinking about as much before and still haven't come up with a better idea.

Hope this hasn't been to much of a diatribe.

[Dzerzhinski46]

Dear Rebekah,

I like this shot. It has a nice feel and the texture on the hands is good. One thing I can think of is use a split neutral density filter. Or go when the sun isn't so bright . I would imagine sunset would be a great time for this shot. Or another thing is use a red or orange filter. That would darken the sky conderably. But then you might not be able to pick out the hand from the sky. Good luck on the reshoot.

Drew

[LeeIs]

The original shot was great!! I also think the kid on the tomb stone shot has alot of "personality", it's alive. Nice shooting.

[paulnj]

Rebekah,

Sorry but I find an image of ANYONE on a grave stone/ plaque to be disrespectful to the grave owner. GREAT IMAGE none the less.

I am in no way saying your son doesn't have the right to stand there though, or that your son or you are disrespecting your great grandmother.

OH BTW.... HAPPY MOMMY's DAY ;)