Silvermine Lake ( reshoot)

[gahspidy]

This is a scene I had previously photographed but was not happy with. This is a slightly different composition and added a sort of soft focus to it to give it a painterly feel. what do you think?
thanks

[mjs1973]

Gary,

I love this picture. I think the colors are great, and I really like the composition compared to your last version of this scene. My only concern is that if feels like it is tipped to the right a bit which I find a little distracting.

Michael

[readingr]

Excellent composition, colours, the reflections in the water with the two trees forming an arch and river leading you to the background - Terrific.

It would have been nice to have a bit of blue in the sky but it doesnt detract from the photo.

The only bad thing - Its not mine!

Definately one for framing and selling

[gahspidy]

Micheal, Roger. . .thanks for the points and thoughts .Glad I went back because i like the scene alot but was not happy with the first comp and lighting.

[readingr]

Gary, Michael,

Hadn't noticed Micahels comments - I liked the barn being on a slight angle as it gave the photo a querkiness which I though added to the picture

[gahspidy]

Gary, Michael,

I liked the barn being on a slight angle as it gave the photo a querkiness which I though added to the picture

Roger. .not sure what you mean by your use of the past tense.

[readingr]

Michael posted as I was writing my reply so did not notice his response.

[Seb]

This is a scene I had previously photographed but was not happy with. This is a slightly different composition and added a sort of soft focus to it to give it a painterly feel. what do you think?
thanks

Gary, this is a solid photograph as the wide majority of your submissions are. I cannot really had anything to the positives comments that you have already received. I have few questions though:

Where and how have you applied the soft focus?

Was there any other kind of post processing involved?

It seems to me that the building was reworked. I mean this in a positive way, the whole scene have a strong visual impact on me. I get the feeling that you did some more post processing to your picture and that you knew exactly where you were heading. That is someting that I would like to understand better because I think that this is what I need to learn at that point.

best regards

Seb

[Chunk]

This is a scene I had previously photographed but was not happy with. This is a slightly different composition and added a sort of soft focus to it to give it a painterly feel. what do you think?
thanks

This is quite an improvement, very nice. I think the smaller building sits well within the frame now and adds to the scene.

[gahspidy]

Ok Roger, gotcha. Thanks for the comments, Chunk. I felt the comp was better this way too, but the lighting was still not as I would have wanted.


Seb . . actually another version I had was while I was using Jasc paint shop pro had a soft focus applied to it as it was an available filter in Jasc. I have recently started using Adobe PS 5.0 for various reasons and it does not have a soft focus filter ( that I'm aware of) so I had simulated its effect as best I could using a blur brush at different areas.( hence I stated a soft focus was applied, which was not entirely accurate) There is alot more processing in this image as you pointed out. Normally I first crop if I feel the need to and then do a basic levels adjustment and finished. But certain images I feel that I want to create further. This image I applied a duplicate layer ( I find working with layers to be very effective) and set its blend mode to multiply and opacity to about 60% ( which is quite high but I have my reasons for doing it on this image). This causes the image to get quite dark and saturated I then use an Eraser brush to erase the multiply effect from various areas, erasing the areas will make them lighter once again and in this way I can create or simulate lighting that I would have perhaps painted in if I were painting this. The technique is alot more involved than I can get into here as there are different degrees of opacity settings in the eraser brush for different areas and then blending and so on. After flattening the image ( combining the two layers into one layer. . the new image) I may use a dodge brush to further highlight some spots and also some burning in to enhance or even create shadows. The trial and error takes the longest but once I know what it is that I will do to the pic the actual work does not take more than 10 minutes or so. Yes, the barn door for example was worked to create the look of it being litpartly and the white gravel area in front of it was also brought out. The whole scene was originally very flat lighting from a somewhat overcast day, so any highlights or accents you see are editing.
Some may frown upon this type of thing, but I have no problems about it and feel the end result is what matters. Of course, it is necessary to get the shot as good as you can from the click, but after that, the tools we now have at our disposal offer us the means to enhance the image to our desired result. Sorry about the long winded reply. As always, Seb. . .thanks for your interest and thoughts.

[Seb]

Ok Roger, gotcha. Thanks for the comments, Chunk. I felt the comp was better this way too, but the lighting was still not as I would have wanted.


Seb . . actually another version I had was while I was using Jasc paint shop pro had a soft focus applied to it as it was an available filter in Jasc. I have recently started using Adobe PS 5.0 for various reasons and it does not have a soft focus filter ( that I'm aware of) so I had simulated its effect as best I could using a blur brush at different areas.( hence I stated a soft focus was applied, which was not entirely accurate) There is alot more processing in this image as you pointed out. Normally I first crop if I feel the need to and then do a basic levels adjustment and finished. But certain images I feel that I want to create further. This image I applied a duplicate layer ( I find working with layers to be very effective) and set its blend mode to multiply and opacity to about 60% ( which is quite high but I have my reasons for doing it on this image). This causes the image to get quite dark and saturated I then use an Eraser brush to erase the multiply effect from various areas, erasing the areas will make them lighter once again and in this way I can create or simulate lighting that I would have perhaps painted in if I were painting this. The technique is alot more involved than I can get into here as there are different degrees of opacity settings in the eraser brush for different areas and then blending and so on. After flattening the image ( combining the two layers into one layer. . the new image) I may use a dodge brush to further highlight some spots and also some burning in to enhance or even create shadows. The trial and error takes the longest but once I know what it is that I will do to the pic the actual work does not take more than 10 minutes or so. Yes, the barn door for example was worked to create the look of it being litpartly and the white gravel area in front of it was also brought out. The whole scene was originally very flat lighting from a somewhat overcast day, so any highlights or accents you see are editing.
Some may frown upon this type of thing, but I have no problems about it and feel the end result is what matters. Of course, it is necessary to get the shot as good as you can from the click, but after that, the tools we now have at our disposal offer us the means to enhance the image to our desired result. Sorry about the long winded reply. As always, Seb. . .thanks for your interest and thoughts.

Gary, I am the one who should thank you for taking the time to provide such an in depth answer. While I would be absolutely unable to duplicate this final result I do have a better understanding of what you went through which is a good start.

By the way, I want to congratulate you for your incoming show at the Philosophical Box. Is this gallery located in NY??? I might spend the long easter week end in NY (which would be my first journey in NY ever). If the exhibit is running at that time, I'll be there.

Seb

[gahspidy]

[

By the way, I want to congratulate you for your incoming show at the Philosophical Box. Is this gallery located in NY??? I might spend the long easter week end in NY (which would be my first journey in NY ever). If the exhibit is running at that time, I'll be there.

Seb[/QUOTE]
Yes, it's in N.Y. I was hoping for a spring exhibit which would be for two weeks, but right now there are a few issues that PhilosophyBox is looking to address before any future exhibits can be planned.The director, Yu Whuan, is a very nice lady who is a renowned sculptor in Japan and also has some exhibits on display here in N.Y. You can see more about her and the gallery at PhilosophyBox.com
I hope it all works out, I think you would like N.Y. An old city just built for b&w photography ;)

[babaji]

Hi Gary

Beautiful image, and great job of fine tuning it. thanks for sharing you tech. for editing.

happy holidays, shane

[gahspidy]

Hi Gary

Beautiful image, and great job of fine tuning it. thanks for sharing you tech. for editing.

happy holidays, shane

Thanks , Shane. Welcome to the forum.

[dadas115]

I think the color is very nice in this one but I would certainly lose the border. I like the composition.

Greg

[gahspidy]

I think the color is very nice in this one but I would certainly lose the border. I like the composition.

Greg

Thanks for the points, greg. yeah, the black border is too heavy for the scene, but I usually do not include the borders when printing

[Mr.U]

This is the kind of Picture that I would have no problems droping $1,500-$2,000 dollars on in large format...I love the colours the depth the comp everything about it. Mr.U

[gahspidy]

Mr. U,
Thanks for sharing those positve comments.