Photo blog thread

[RDG_RCR]

Ok, I need to get back into the photo game, especially since I just bought some new (to me) gear. Here are the only rules:

 

1. NO CARS!! there are plenty of threads dedicated to the subject. Everything else is fair game.

 

2. Include a small description on what you were aiming for.

 

3. Multiple pics encouraged.

 

4. Constructive criticism allowed. Don't be a jerk, this is to help everyone step up their game. This goes both ways, don't post the photos if you can't handle a little heat.

 

5. When quoting someone, please don't quote the photos over and over again.

 

Have fun! I'll start us off in the next post!

[RDG_RCR]

These are a few shots from Central Park, I believe one of them has been a little touched up, the other two are right from the camera. I really really liked the lighting I was getting and was shooting into the sun to get that warm glow, to me it kind of looks like something out of a children's fairy tale book. These were taken with Canon T2i and a Canon 28-70 2.8L.

 

1.

 

2.

 

3.

[mbabischkin]

All three are gorgeous scenes, but they all seem a bit overexposed to me. I think I would darken them up a bit, possibly just targeting the highlights. To me, picture 3's hot spot in the upper right is big enough to be distracting.

 

I think I'd crop picture #1 down a bit tighter. The girl in the background in the center is out of focus while the branches in the foreground are in focus. The problem is that my eyes keep getting drawn to her... By cropping it in you can move her a bit lower in the frame and possibly not draw the eye to it. What I wouldn't do is sharpen it at all... The softer focus will preserve the ethereal lighting...

 

#2 is crooked...

 

And now that I've posted that, I'll also add that I'm just an untrained enthusiast myself and hardly a great photographer... Those suggestions are what I would do if they were my photos, but it doesn't mean that those changes are right or even would achieve what you were trying to achieve when you took the picture...

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

I'm a huge fan of backlit photography, it's tricky but does give some beautiful light. It's also a great way to get interesting images in full sun. it's a technique that I'm still working on.

 

The third one is my favorite, I like the flare in the bottom left. I would straighten it a bit and then in post bring back some contrast and detail. If you have Photoshop you can brush in some sharpness on the bridge and the reflection to bring more attention to it.

 

I love what you're doing with the light. I'll try to post some shots tonight when I get home.

 

Is it OK if things are highly edited or are we going more for realistic photography?

[RDG_RCR]

All three are gorgeous scenes, but they all seem a bit overexposed to me. I think I would darken them up a bit, possibly just targeting the highlights. To me, picture 3's hot spot in the upper right is big enough to be distracting.

 

I think I'd crop picture #1 down a bit tighter. The girl in the background in the center is out of focus while the branches in the foreground are in focus. The problem is that my eyes keep getting drawn to her... By cropping it in you can move her a bit lower in the frame and possibly not draw the eye to it. What I wouldn't do is sharpen it at all... The softer focus will preserve the ethereal lighting...

 

#2 is crooked...

 

And now that I've posted that, I'll also add that I'm just an untrained enthusiast myself and hardly a great photographer... Those suggestions are what I would do if they were my photos, but it doesn't mean that those changes are right or even would achieve what you were trying to achieve when you took the picture...

 

The overexposure was done on purpose, but should not be distracting, I will try and darken it a bit without losing the effect I wanted to achieve.

 

 

1. I'll give it a shot, I'll make the changes and add it under the original.

 

2. Easy fix, thanks!

 

3. I'll see what I can do about that hot spot, also, the reflection (retangular spot) at the bottom of the photo is distracting. I will get rid of that.

 

Ali, you can submit anything you want, as long as it is not a car.

[nharrison21]

#1: Pretty pic

 

#2: Very nice

 

#3: Good work

 

 

 

I have no idea what Im doing.....

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

OK, here goes two portraits. One is Sherman and Joanne's beautiful daughter Sasha and the other is our very own Stephanie with her friend Leah.

 

I like the shot of Sasha because the post processing seems to go well with her look and expression. I find the expressions on Stephanie and Leah interesting, as if they were disturbed during a moment of gossip.

 

I have the shots on my site, but I can't figure out how to show them embedded from the link. So I am updating the pictures

[Stephatron]

OK, here goes two portraits. One is Sherman and Joanne's beautiful daughter Sasha and the other is our very own Stephanie with her friend Leah.

 

I like the shot of Sasha because the post processing seems to go well with her look and expression. I find the expressions on Stephanie and Leah interesting, as if they were disturbed during a moment of gossip.

 

I have the shots on my site, but I can't figure out how to show them embedded from the link. So I am updating the pictures

 

1. I never saw that photo of Sasha and that came out INCREDIBLE

2. You know I automatically approve the one of Leah and I. Leah has such a good expression in it that I almost would like to even see her in focus.

[Stephatron]

These are a few shots from Central Park, I believe one of them has been a little touched up, the other two are right from the camera. I really really liked the lighting I was getting and was shooting into the sun to get that warm glow, to me it kind of looks like something out of a children's fairy tale book. These were taken with Canon T2i and a Canon 28-70 2.8L.

 

1.

 

2.

 

3.

 

My favorite is #3. I love the feel of it. I would almost burn the sun (ha, no pun intended) just a little since it is very distracting. I love the effect but just a smidge darker would look really nice. Great composition.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Edge
Edited to remove quoted photos

[Edge]

 

5. When quoting someone, please don't quote the photos over and over again.

In the spirit of Tyler's request, I edited Stephanie's post to remove the quoted photos... it sure makes the thread easier to scroll through!

[Stephatron]

In the spirit of Tyler's request, I edited Stephanie's post to remove the quoted photos... it sure makes the thread easier to scroll through!

 

Sorry! I'm still learning the quirks of forums.

[Edge]

 

Sorry! I'm still learning the quirks of forums.

No biggie! It's not a forum "rule", it was just a suggestion that Tyler made at the start of this thread, and I think it's a good one... it makes the thread easier to read.

[RDG_RCR]

OK, here goes two portraits. One is Sherman and Joanne's beautiful daughter Sasha and the other is our very own Stephanie with her friend Leah.

 

I like the shot of Sasha because the post processing seems to go well with her look and expression. I find the expressions on Stephanie and Leah interesting, as if they were disturbed during a moment of gossip.

 

I have the shots on my site, but I can't figure out how to show them embedded from the link. So I am updating the pictures

 

1. Nothing to really say about this one, you know I'm not a huge fan of using alot of editing (unless it is correction type), so this is just a matter of taste. It doesn't look bad in any way, very sharp!

 

2. Another good one Ali, I agree with the others though, I wish Leah was in focus. She is so prominent in the photo and looking at the camera. If she was a little deeper in the background and focusing on something/someone else it wouldn't be as distracting.

 

 

Hope more people start participating with the photo aspect of the thread! Thanks for everyones comments so far. I hope this afternoon I will be able to put your suggestions to use!

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

I just looked at my comments, I meant the second was my favorite. Then my suggestions actually make sense. I have a thing for reflections and I like seeing them prominent in an image

[RDG_RCR]

I just looked at my comments, I meant the second was my favorite. Then my suggestions actually make sense. I have a thing for reflections and I like seeing them prominent in an image

 

That's what I figured once you mentioned the bridge.:itsme:

[mbabischkin]

Sadly it's been a few months since I've picked up my camera, hopefully in the next few days I'll go shooting again... Here's a few from last year...

 

The Whirlpool Rapids on the Niagara River:

 

The Maid of The Mist

 

USMC V-22 Ospreys at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland

 

Mackinaw Island:

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

Love the first one with the whirlpool rapids. It has a nice composition and great color.

 

I'm curious as to why you chose to convert the Osprey's to monotone. It gives it a cool old time feel that is cool, but I think it could use a little more contrast. But I always love contrast in monotone images.

[minime331]

Sadly it's been a few months since I've picked up my camera, hopefully in the next few days I'll go shooting again... Here's a few from last year...

 

The Whirlpool Rapids on the Niagara River:

I like this one. It got a good amount of leading lines in the picture. It looks like a little bit of hdr was done or were you using a filter?

 

Once I get back home ill add some pictures for everyone to bash on lol:p

[mbabischkin]

Love the first one with the whirlpool rapids. It has a nice composition and great color.

 

I'm curious as to why you chose to convert the Osprey's to monotone. It gives it a cool old time feel that is cool, but I think it could use a little more contrast. But I always love contrast in monotone images.

 

It was a challenging shot and I was experimenting with it... I took that shot from a little over 1/4 mile away and cropped it down to tighten the focus on the aircraft. What I had been going for when I took the shot (and converted it) was a newspaperish/photojournalistic look if that makes any sense. As I was playing with the conversions I ended up with this...

 

 

I like this one. It got a good amount of leading lines in the picture. It looks like a little bit of hdr was done or were you using a filter?

No HDR there. That was a single exposure. What I did was a bit of masking so I could brighten up and boost the saturation of the rocks only.

[mbabischkin]

BTW - is there a photo club in the DC area?

 

Back in Ohio I joined the Cleveland Photographic Society which got me some incredible access to places I wouldn't normally have been able to shoot at. Is there a similar group here?

[minime331]

BTW - is there a photo club in the DC area?

 

Back in Ohio I joined the Cleveland Photographic Society which got me some incredible access to places I wouldn't normally have been able to shoot at. Is there a similar group here?

 

I think there is one

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

It was a challenging shot and I was experimenting with it... I took that shot from a little over 1/4 mile away and cropped it down to tighten the focus on the aircraft. What I had been going for when I took the shot (and converted it) was a newspaperish/photojournalistic look if that makes any sense. As I was playing with the conversions I ended up with this...

 

 

 

 

 

You nailed the newspaper look :top:

[TGGRRR (Ali)]

BTW - is there a photo club in the DC area?

 

Back in Ohio I joined the Cleveland Photographic Society which got me some incredible access to places I wouldn't normally have been able to shoot at. Is there a similar group here?

 

 

There are several but I've never been. There are also meetup groups.

[RDG_RCR]

It was a challenging shot and I was experimenting with it... I took that shot from a little over 1/4 mile away and cropped it down to tighten the focus on the aircraft. What I had been going for when I took the shot (and converted it) was a newspaperish/photojournalistic look if that makes any sense. As I was playing with the conversions I ended up with this...

 

 

 

No HDR there. That was a single exposure. What I did was a bit of masking so I could brighten up and boost the saturation of the rocks only.

 

So did you just use a ND filter and/or slow shutter for the water? Looks great!

[mbabischkin]

Just a slow shutter for the water - and those rapids were moving VERY fast so I didn't need to go too slow....