Photo of the week 5/3/09

[htarragon]

<p>Dorus - forget what I said about your picture hanging up (is that a pun?). It seems my DSL line is down to 27K download speed. Verizon is checking on it.<br>

Howard</p>

[jaophotography]

<p>Some nice flowers this week!<br>

I just got around to processing these images this past week.<br>

This first image makes me think of what those guys with lenses 3 feet long and 16" in diamater are seeing through their viewfinder! This bird was fishing and let me get quite close with the Tamron 75-300mm & Tamron 1.4x teleconverter.</p><div></div>

[jaophotography]

<p>When the sun got too harsh for birds, I started looking for flowers. I have no idea what flower it is, but it grew on a plant that resembled a pineapple!</p>

<div></div>

[jaophotography]

<p>This last picture is the first HDR image that I've tried with success.<br /> -Jon</p><div></div>

[steve_t.1]

<p>3 from me. First one is from earlier in the week, downtown St. Paul, MN, along the Mississippi River. #2 and 3 from today, farm country southern MN while motorcycle touring.</p>

<p><img src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/stevet_010/K20D1953edit-1.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/stevet_010/K20D2015edit.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/stevet_010/K20D2017edit.jpg" alt="" /></p>

 

[john_behrends]

<p>Some shots I took tonight at sunset in the Columbia River Gorge</p><div></div>

[john_behrends]

<p>Another at Crown Point</p><div></div>

[mcmanamey]

<p>Well, some of you have seen this location in the snow. We got a lucky break in clouds today & ran down to Oxford, KS & the old mill there. There were some pretty clouds, and nice light. I hopped out of the car w/ the FA100mm macro and wished I also had a zoom, but frankly I wasn't going to haul myself back up the stairs to the car, and then back down to the mill (get over it, I'm very pregnant and lazy). I suggested Matt take something wider and go down there & shoot the gears. I think we'll see his next week.<br>

I should be asleep, so I'll comment tomorrow - I'm liking this week's stuff. </p>

<p>ROSE!!! Been a while!! Good to see you!</p>

<p>First - a screen door I almost gave up on, and put the camera in bracket mode. It was a challenge to me... keep details in the white paint w/o losing detail in the metals. Trickier than I thought it should be and a lesson to remember, too.</p><div></div>

[john_behrends]

<p>Last one</p><div></div>

[mcmanamey]

<p>#2 - The coffee can. I really really really wanted to up the contrast, but then the heavy dust layer disappears, which ruins a lot of the feel of the shot. This window wasn't broken over a year ago when we 1st visited - so we got to get some interesting peeks.</p><div></div>

[deaner66]

<p>Many great shots this week.</p>

<p>I have more amateur modeling shots. This is Cassie and Megan. Around Kansas City, Missouri.</p><div></div>

[mcmanamey]

<p>Last, and I think my favorite just because of the lighting. This is part of what I told Matt he needed to go shoot. I couldn't get far enough away for what I initially wanted, but that's what I get for not wanting to go down, back up, and then back down again. Oh well.<br>

I still love the light here.</p><div></div>

[deaner66]

<p>Swope Memorial</p><div></div>

[deaner66]

<p>Overlooking The Kansas City Zoo</p><div></div>

[michael_elenko]

<p>My comments:<br>

Subho B, I like the form of the foreground tulip and especially the stem on the first shot. The lighting is a bit dark on the tulip but I would think that software could help. A little more crop on the lower left would be beneficial too.</p>

<p>Leo P, love the subdued color of the Dutchman's Breeches. A little local exposure tweak would reduce the glare in the conter of the frame. I'd also even out the crop a bit and darken the background.</p>

<p>Haig, #2 rocks. She's got a pretty intense expression there, but most things about girls that age is pretty and intense I find.</p>

<p>Garry Ian Y, I like them all, really. No. 2 form, lighting, texture, and subject expression (especially her hands) make this exceptional. Could be the best of the week.</p>

<p>Robert C. your diversity of art expression is highly admirable. How did you do the first one? Looks like something out of Montana. Sunrise is also very pleasant on the eyes. The shades of the sky and the light on the lower clouds really compliment each other and stand out. Very nice.</p>

<p>Dorus O, Interesting high-key-esque approaches to let the textures and ancientness stand unobscured. Solid idea.</p>

<p>Jemal Y, Nice lighting and color on the woman's hair. I only wish I could see her head uplifted an inch more.</p>

<p>Christos C, That's a sweet shot. Does that old lens usually produce subdued, slightly blue-toned images? I've had older M42s that render in similar ways and find it attractive.</p>

<p>Karl K, As a former VW Bus owner ( a newer 1977 model) I gotta love that shot. Is that a '67? That Camaro brings back memories of my dad taking me to the NY Auto Show in the Colosseum in 1969 when I was a teenager. Muscle car heaven. My friend still has a '68 Camero, those front doors are long and heavy but no one cared about that stuff then.</p>

<p>Howard T, thank you.<br>

Very engaging and colorful shot outside Central Park. Perfect exposure.</p>

<p>Dan S., texture and light on the first shot caught my eye. One day I'll get there.</p>

<p>Dave H. Thank you. Those are just hilarious. So this is what I should expect in a year and a half?</p>

<p>Jon R., I'd be happy with that initial HDR too. Good poster shot.</p>

<p>John B. I love Latourell Falls. The Gorge is photographer's heaven if you can get the tourists out of the way. Oneonta Gorge is one of my favorite places on the planet.</p>

<p>Maria Mc, yes, rusty & peeling is a professional shot indeed. Among my favorites this week, I think the rectangle of light on the right just makes it. I probably woulda just given up or doped it up heavily in software. Kudos.</p>

<p>Steve D, was Cassie shot through a window? Her colors are a nice relief against the stone.</p>

<p>ME</p>

 

[htarragon]

<p>Steve,<br /> I like your models and their poses. I think you need a reflector 45 degrees to your right, opposite your light source to reduce or eliminate the shadows produced by the light source. This should also help with the reflections from Cassie's glasses if she turns her head enough to eliminate the strong reflections. The Cassie @ the Memorial shot looks much less "flashy" than the first one. Your exposure looks fine.<br /> <br /> Also, there are spots that look like water stains to the right on Cassie at the Memorial. Are they on the lens? I shouldn't throw stones, I've got stuff on my sensor that needs to be cleaned off.<br /> Again, I like your shots.<br /> Howard</p>

[k_kakkinen]

<p>To Michael Elenko....<br>

You know your VW Buses....... Yes, it's a '67<br>

I used to own a VW Transporter '81 that I made into a camper van which I did several "tours" with around Europe and the British Islands.....</p>

[arkadiy_chernov]

<p>To Dave Hollander,<br>

Hey thanks for the comments on the azaleas, I tried using the tips you gave me the time that I emailed you on how you achieved that lighting separation? (I mean, light on subject, total shadow or underexposure on the background) =)</p>

[daniel_berendt1]

<p>All these wonderful photos; they provide inspiration for me to go out and "do it", after I do my reports, help my sister with her crises, do this that and the other thing, wait for the sun to shine, feel better, stop reading the forum stuff, etc. I love photography, but I am having trouble with inspiration and time, but it seems that you are all providing the inspiration, so I'll provide the time. If I don't feel intimidated, and I probably do a little bit, maybe I'll dare to post something. Thanks.</p>

[hinman]

<p>Ice cream treat</p>

<p align="center"><strong>#1</strong></p>

<p align="center"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3409/3501055639_1e73ce84e5.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p align="center"><strong>#2</strong></p>

<p align="center">A funny expression</p>

<p align="center"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3501056117_513c2e575d.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>And we met this cat in hiking that looks quite attached to human, shot over a fence</p>

<p align="center"><strong>#3</strong></p>

<p align="center"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3501878418_ec2674f4ee.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[mcmanamey]

<p>Ok, time for some commenting.<br>

@ Subho - i really like the composition on your 1st tulips. The light is nice and soft, could maybe be brighter, but maybe....</p>

<p>@Markus - makes me want to see the rest of that cinema</p>

<p>@ Garry Ian - that is quite the return!! #2 is the best in my opinion. The framing & light just make it, and your subjects never hurt!! :-D</p>

<p>@ Robert - the horse is a stunner, and I think it's the clouds that make it so for me. Are those REAL? Is it smoke?</p>

<p>@Oshiva - keep bringing the pics of Egypt. Your way of PP gives us a view of Egypt we've never gotten from photos before. Very interesting.</p>

<p>@Michael E - E passage is cool because of the clouds, but Tangled is such a mess, it's cool! <br>

Thank you for the comments on rusty & peeling. I hadn't thought of it in the "pro" category. More the, "not as bad as I feared" category. I DID do some Aperture PP. A slight bump in exposure. I'm still thinking wider for it - we could spend hours out at the old mill. Really would like to sometime.</p>

<p>@Nick - cute. love seeing the kids (from everybody). Does getting older mean getting more sweet pics than goofy? I've got a 3.5yr old that barely lets us get a pic, let alone a non ridiculous one.... Does this mean there's hope for getting portraits of the booger?</p>

<p>@Dan S - #3 looks like a print ad. Good exposure job.</p>

<p>@Dave - you obviously survived the event.... but are you sure you're the same? I think some of your neurons may have gotten scrambled..... :D</p>

<p>@Steve T - I just really really like your cityscape. Probably because it's evening.</p>

<p>@Steve D - I think these are better (more interesting) than our last views of KC. 4th street is def the strongest of the 3, and the contrasting lighting really helps her pop. I like the use of the flash, and agree about using a reflector off to the side - more as a shadow eliminator, because I hate shadows coming off portraits. The seriously distracting glasses glare could have been nearly eliminated by simply having her tilt her chin down and the top of her head out a little, which would also help her pose, too. <br>

The 3rd shot needs a lot less headroom, and needs to not have random bits of fingers mysteriously appearing in the bottom of the frame. The light is just too harsh for this one - too close to cassie (she's washed out), and too many shadows w/ hard edges on megan (where'd her other eye go?). Making it just a head & shoulders isn't a bad idea, especially given how us chicks feel about our thighs, but having bits of knees and fingers appearing, and so much headroom just isn't quite the way to do it.<br>

#2 has a great composition & contrast. If you can use photoshop to get rid of the water drops, it will be a good portrait.</p>

[bob-c]

<p>Maria, yes they are clouds and they are real. It was one of those mornings where there were different layers of clouds. Stormy weather was moving in (it's still here!) Anyway, the horse was standing on the top of a hill as I walked up. I wanted to shoot him before he saw me and trotted away, which he did. So i am shooting up at him just as those clouds were coming into view. They really came out when I converted the picture into black and white and added a strong contrast orange filter. I then added a little coloring. If I can post a fourth shot, here he is a few seconds later. I couldn't decide which one I liked more. </p><div></div>

[subho basu]

<p>Hey Pentaxian Friends,<br>

Please keep posting. Great shots ............... so far. Thanks for sharing and for nice comments :-))<br>

I will re do my monitor calibration. It was done six months ago. The brightness is off I guess. </p>

[hagar]

<p>That shot is pretty nice one too Robert, I like how he got framed with the tree.. but it is not nearly as dramatic as the other one..</p>

[hagar]

<p>Thanks for all the comments by the way :-) Always nice to get feedback from this group.</p>