Photo Critique Forum

Please post no more than five images a day and respond to as many images as you post. Critics, please be constructive, specific, and nice! Moderated by gahspidy and mtbbrian.
Featured Photo
Photo by hminx

Photo by hminx
Featured Photo Archive >>
By posting on the Photo Critique forum you agree to post only your own photos, be respectful, and give back as much as you receive. This is a moderated forum and anything abusive or off-topic will be removed.
Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: Campfire

  1. #1
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mineral Point, WI, USA
    Posts
    7,561

    Campfire

    I was looking at a photo I took the other day of some fall leaves, and I couldn't help to think that the way the leaves overlapped, it looked like flames come off of a campfire. That is the inspiration behind this image. The goal was to make a 'campfire' using the leaves as the flames. The smoke is milkweed seed. Any thoughts, or suggestions for improvements are welcome.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Campfire-_mg_5428.jpg  
    Mike

    My website
    Twitter
    Blog


    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
    Aldo Leopold

  2. #2
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mineral Point, WI, USA
    Posts
    7,561

    Re: Campfire

    Here is a 2nd version. I like the back lighting on this one better.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Campfire-_mg_5444.jpg  
    Mike

    My website
    Twitter
    Blog


    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
    Aldo Leopold

  3. #3
    n8
    n8 is offline
    Senior Member n8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Rockford, Il
    Posts
    1,604

    Re: Campfire

    I agree with you on #2 due to the back lighting giving the leaves a more luminous quality. If you could add more "smoke" I think that would be helpful.
    mostly Nikon gear

    Feel free to edit my images for critique, just let me know what you did.

  4. #4
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mineral Point, WI, USA
    Posts
    7,561

    Re: Campfire

    Thanks for the feedback. If I have time tonight, I will add some more smoke and play around some more with this a gain.
    Mike

    My website
    Twitter
    Blog


    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
    Aldo Leopold

  5. #5
    Member Adamo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Temecula, Ca, United States
    Posts
    259

    Re: Campfire

    WOW! I am so glad I joined this forum, because of creative shots like this. I agree with the last comment, #2 is much better and I would like to see more smoke, but that might jsut be nit picking. Excellent shot, thank you

  6. #6
    Junior Member mholderness's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Hudson
    Posts
    25

    Re: Campfire

    I love the creativity of this photo, very nice work.
    Photography is what Relaxes me, it makes me look at life in a whole new way.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Facebook Profile with all my photography
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    I love to help people out. Let me know what you need.

  7. #7
    Senior Member AgingEyes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    3,103

    Re: Campfire

    Given your title,which I suppose says something about your intention, the second one is better.

  8. #8
    Ken ksbryan0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Delphia, MT USA
    Posts
    1,160

    Re: Campfire

    Mike, your lighting on number 2 makes is much easier to "see the fire" in that image. The milkweed smoke is a great touch, but as you add more, don't get too carried away, or I think it will become too much pretty quickly. Rather than the steel pan, I think a ring of rocks, proportionately sized for the fire, would make the image more realistic. Really like the creativity and vision you put behind this!
    Ken

    My Website: His Creation
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Wayne Gretzky

  9. #9
    Senior Member readingr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Basingstoke UK
    Posts
    4,564

    Re: Campfire

    That second shot to me is perfect with just the right amount of smoke for the colour of the flames (leaves).

    Stunning shot, just wish I'd thought of it.

    Roger R.
    "I hope we will never see the day when photo shops sell little schema grills to clamp onto our viewfinders; and the Golden Rule will never be found etched on our ground glass." from The mind's eye by Henri Cartier-Bresson

    My Web Site: www.readingr.com

    DSLR
    Canon 5D; EF100-400 F4.5-5.6L IS USM; EF24-70 F2.8L USM 50mm F1.8 II; EF 100 F2.8 Macro
    Digital
    Canon Powershot Pro 1; Canon Ixus 100


  10. #10
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mineral Point, WI, USA
    Posts
    7,561

    Re: Campfire

    Thanks again for all of the feedback everyone.

    Ken, I did think about using a ring of rocks, but the metal pan was handy. I did set up a shot tonight using some rocks, but I'm not as happy with it as the other shot. I like the rocks better than the pan, but I like the flames better in the original. The leaves I used in the first image dried and curled up on me. I wet them down to soften them up to get them to uncurl, but all of the color washed out of them and they are now brown. Here is the best effort I was able to create tonight using a ring of rocks. Thoughts?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Campfire-_mg_5489.jpg  
    Mike

    My website
    Twitter
    Blog


    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
    Aldo Leopold

  11. #11
    Ken ksbryan0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Delphia, MT USA
    Posts
    1,160

    Re: Campfire

    I agree, this fire needs to be stoked! But the rocks are a great element. I think it is time to gather some new leaves, or photoshop fire #2 into the rocks.
    Ken

    My Website: His Creation
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Wayne Gretzky

  12. #12
    GB1
    GB1 is offline
    Moderator GB1's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    San Diego CA
    Posts
    9,960

    Re: Campfire

    Mike - Not too bad I think, getting there, starting to resemble a campfire. I think in the original that if the stick wasn't sitting in there that it may look more realistic. Also, perhaps if the 'smoke' was a little brighter and lighter colored. Finally, I'd prefer that the bowl wasn't touching or was so close to the bottom edge.

    Scenes like these are sooooooo creative. I wish I had a little studio in my pad to make them. Maybe I'll convert my garage ..

    G
    Photography Software and Post Processing Forum Moderator. Visit here!

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Feel free to edit and repost my photos as part of your critique.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    My Site

  13. #13
    Senior Member OldClicker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Mundelein, IL USA
    Posts
    4,075

    Re: Campfire

    Such creativity - just amazing. - Terry
    -----------------
    I am no better than you. I critique to teach myself to see.
    -----------------
    Feel free to edit my photos or do anything else that will help me learn.
    -----------------
    Sony/Minolta - way more gear than talent.

  14. #14
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Mineral Point, WI, USA
    Posts
    7,561

    Re: Campfire Revisited

    Thanks again for all of the feedback everyone. I spent some time tonight playing around with this idea again. I still like the 2nd image I posted in this thread the best, as far as the 'flames' go, but like the rocks in this one better than the steel pan the original was created in.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Campfire-_mg_5772.jpg  
    Mike

    My website
    Twitter
    Blog


    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
    Aldo Leopold

  15. #15
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Meridian, 中国
    Posts
    52

    Re: Campfire

    the 2nd one and the last one. very nice!

  16. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Gunnison, Co, USA
    Posts
    898

    Re: Campfire

    Really cool. Great work!

  17. #17
    Junior Member blondievp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Berkshire, UK
    Posts
    49

    Re: Campfire

    I love the back light in the 2nd image. The last image is brilliant .. just need to find my marsh mellows now.

    Congratulations on the pictures they are very good and I love the creativity behind them all. Keep up the great work.
    Victoria

    http://www.victoriapaxton.co.uk

    http://twitter.com/#!/vphotos


    I'll Critique yours if you Critique mine

  18. #18
    Liz
    Liz is offline
    Moderator Emeritus Liz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    5,982

    Re: Campfire

    Mike....this is so creative! You've also done an amazing job.

    My favorite is No. 2. The lighting is brilliant!

    I think the last one is also beautiful.......and it is totally different. I think you have two (very different) amazing photos here.

    As I said in the Project forum - worthy of publication.

    Liz

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •