Motorcyclist in the Mist

[zenguns]

We were riding up to Algonquin Park to enjoy the fall colour show and had stopped to take some pix at a beautiful river bend. I turned around to say something to my friend Kevin, and saw the sun/cloud effect. I told him not to move and I took a few shots.

The exposure was poor on all of them. So I used PhotoShop to enhance the shot, then I decided it would look better as a black-and-white picture. While I was looking at it, I thought to try a duotone, and I kind of like the result.

Now I'll find out if others agree or disagree...

[Chunk]

We were riding up to Algonquin Park to enjoy the fall colour show and had stopped to take some pix at a beautiful river bend. I turned around to say something to my friend Kevin, and saw the sun/cloud effect. I told him not to move and I took a few shots.

The exposure was poor on all of them. So I used PhotoShop to enhance the shot, then I decided it would look better as a black-and-white picture. While I was looking at it, I thought to try a duotone, and I kind of like the result.

Now I'll find out if others agree or disagree...

Hey Guns. Nice shot.

[Elysian]

Geez Chuck, do you really have to quote the complete post almost each time???

And why now? I mean, you are the first one replied, why the urge to quote?
Sometimes you quote even 30-50 lines my good man, why not quoting like this if you really have to quote a long comment:

"This is a picture I took when... so please, what do you guys think?"

It makes threads so much easier to read and it saves bandwidth.

I'm already having this discussion with John about bandwidth issues and long quotes is one part of it. Sadly he had to go away for 1-2 weeks, because otherwise it would have been the right moment to invite John in this discussion right now. ;)

[Clicker]

We were riding up to Algonquin Park to enjoy the fall colour show and had stopped to take some pix at a beautiful river bend. I turned around to say something to my friend Kevin, and saw the sun/cloud effect. I told him not to move and I took a few shots.

The exposure was poor on all of them. So I used PhotoShop to enhance the shot, then I decided it would look better as a black-and-white picture. While I was looking at it, I thought to try a duotone, and I kind of like the result.

Now I'll find out if others agree or disagree...

I think the effect is kinda cool.. but his face: the detail is not really all there, and it kinda makes it look strange. But the overall look is cool, the rays, the clouds and the trees... Even his outfit ( I know guys don't have "outfits") but his Outfit, adds to the photo.
The sticks on the left side kinda bother me. since they look sharper...

[>JJ<]

Nice picture, a little bit grainy.

I think you dont need the person!, the sun over the trees would be a very striking image, I think the fellow in the image is just a distraction to this.

[Chunk]

Geez Chuck, do you really have to quote the complete post almost each time???

And why now? I mean, you are the first one replied, why the urge to quote?
Sometimes you quote even 30-50 lines my good man, why not quoting like this if you really have to quote a long comment:



It makes threads so much easier to read and it saves bandwidth.

I'm already having this discussion with John about bandwidth issues and long quotes is one part of it. Sadly he had to go away for 1-2 weeks, because otherwise it would have been the right moment to invite John in this discussion right now. ;)

You mean like this?? Too bad you gave that bottle of much needed chill pills away.
Actually you are probably right although the opposite - no quotes so you can't tell what message is being responded to- is also distracting.
Bandwith? A few lines of text in a thread with 100K pics. If they want to worry about bandwith they could work on some of the irritating ads that screw up the display (while they pay the bills- I know).
BTW - nice critique. I know - my response was no more informative for Guns - but I just wanted to aknowledge a first post from a friend in another world.
Guns, I'm sorry your thread got highjacked for these purposes. I like the effect of your buddy walking out of the sunburst. It should have a trumpet flare for accompaniment. What does your friend ride?

[zenguns]

Nice picture, a little bit grainy.

I think you dont need the person!, the sun over the trees would be a very striking image, I think the fellow in the image is just a distraction to this.

I thought of it. But I guess I disagree, the picture would be ordinary without him.

.. but his face: the detail is not really all there, and it kinda makes it look strange... The sticks on the left side kinda bother me. since they look sharper...

If I had it to do over again I would have used some fill-in flash. In fact I did, in subsequent shots but the sky effect wasn't as pronounced. And I debated getting rid of the branches on the left (no problem for PhotoShop). That's the kind of advice I'm looking for here -- would the composition have been better with or without them?

[another view]

And I debated getting rid of the branches on the left (no problem for PhotoShop).

That's something I noticed. It would be nice to have something else there, like the tree that's there on the right. If there was, you'd have a symmetrical composition which would work well. Because the subject is in the center and you shot from a low angle, it makes him look powerful, especially with the sun in the background. Another option is to crop it vertically so you remove the tree on the right and the branches on the left but still get a centered shot.

Fill flash would have been good here to lower the overall contrast. I'm guessing that the "graininess" seen is probably from trying to get as much detail as you can from it (know this from similar experiences!). If you have Photoshop CS, the Shadow/Highlight filter can work wonders but might take a couple of minutes to get it right.

Signed -
Rider Wanna-be (I'll have to check out your websites)

[Jezz]

This reminds me of the terminator!
I like it alot but i think you should get rid of the branches!
Good pic

[Seb]

We were riding up to Algonquin Park to enjoy the fall colour show and had stopped to take some pix at a beautiful river bend. I turned around to say something to my friend Kevin, and saw the sun/cloud effect. I told him not to move and I took a few shots.

The exposure was poor on all of them. So I used PhotoShop to enhance the shot, then I decided it would look better as a black-and-white picture. While I was looking at it, I thought to try a duotone, and I kind of like the result.

Now I'll find out if others agree or disagree...

Hello Zenguns

Ultimately, I would prefer not to have the branchs at the left, they are slightly distracting (I say slightly because your picture have such a stong impact that the branchs don't "pop" as they would usually do).

That being said, I like both the duotone and the grain. It add to the surreal (almost spooky) mood.

regards

Seb