A Storm

Does this communicate...what?

Interesting. I like the way the flag carries my eye into the darker clouds.

This is a strong image. The color in the flag needs to be brought out more, its seems a little flat. In PS I would use the LAB mode to punch up the flag colors.

Cheers,

Jim B.

Thanks for the comments Don and Jim!

Jim, I'm not sure I know what LAB mode means. Can you explain? In adjusting this shot to expose for the clouds, I lost more color in the flag than I had planned. It would be great to know how to get some (not all) of it back.

Thanks again.

Make a copy of the original in layers and use a mask to allow the original flag colors through.

Or use history brush set to where the flag colors were original and paint over the flag.

Tim

I agree that the colors in the flag look flat, but for this photo, it seems to work. If you want to look at the photo with social criticism, it has a lot of meaning. The flag is not as bright and vibrant, with storm clouds moving in. The emotion of the shot is very strong.

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Originally Posted by Loupey

Does this communicate...what?

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I'm gonna say "no" on this one. I very much like most of what you post, but this is one of those really overdone sujects and the presentation is just like we've seen from most snapshooters many, many times. Seen the colorization/clouds, too.

I say that as a flag lover for what it represents and as someone who has taken my share of flag shots -- perhaps even more than my share. So please show us your flag shots, but find a different viewpoint.

I do like the concept, but if only the flag itself was illuminated better by some sunshine breaking though a gap in the clouds... That would be poetic. Also, the sky sure looks dark and threatening, but somehow, it doesn't look that stormy to me. Maybe this is just before the big gusts hit.

A few tweaks in PS might be good for it. Add a little color to the sky.

GB

I have to disagree with you guys,,I like the flag just the way it is..To me it is a very dark,dull day when colours are desaturated..If you oversaturate the colours of the flag it would look unnatural..The flag leads the eye into the beckoning storm clouds nicely..

Jurgen
Australia

The gathering storm and the flag, not in monochrome but really desaturated colour.
The leading lines of the flag into the storm clouds - well done.

Looks to me like an ideal editorial photo for a political commentary describing the rest of the world's view of US foreign policy?

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Originally Posted by SmartWombat

The gathering storm and the flag, not in monochrome but really desaturated colour.
The leading lines of the flag into the storm clouds - well done.

Looks to me like an ideal editorial photo for a political commentary describing the rest of the world's view of US foreign policy?

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Here here Paul!!

Jurgen
Australia

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Originally Posted by SmartWombat

Looks to me like an ideal editorial photo for a political commentary describing the rest of the world's view of US foreign policy?

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Now that you point it out, I can see that.

Another thought I had was even most americans attitude toward the government recently. Times are certainly gloomy in the U.S. lately.

I think your colors work fine, and as stated before, to boost them would make it look unnatural.

Thanks, everyone, for your time and words.

Sure, I knew the risk of taking pictures of such a common subject (I've commented on some in this forum too :) ). But this sky was so gorgeous and when I saw the alignment, I instantly thought it would say many different things to different people. Generally, I like to be more blatant in the messages that my photos communicate but I wanted to try a different approach with this shot.

While I did want a little more flag color to show, I didn't want it to be confused as a black-and-white to the casual observer. Therefore, I eliminated all other elements so as not to bring in color that would compete with the flag.

My immediate impression of this scene when I shot it was how symbolic it appeared regarding the current state of the country (take that anyway you want).

BTW, when I first showed my wife, she told me that the shot was "boring" :p