Louisville viewed from Indiana

This is the first time I've ever attempted to do a digital

reflection. Very interesting experience. I know the shot of

Louisvile is not the best, (I took a photo I had taken and rejected

as just not very good). For my first digitally made reflection, I

was somewhat pleased. Any suggestions or critiques are welcome. I'd

love to hear from the digital pros.

Very nice shot!! I like the color!!

Hey - just saw this in the recent request list - beautiful shot. Should be able to sell prints of that - well done

Very nice!

Jayme - the original image has beautiful colors and it works very well with the reflection. I wonder if it would be even better if you tried making the reflection a little different than the original... possibly slightly rippled? Also, in real life, if it was reflecting so well, would the water in the reflection be tinted with the orange glow?

Good point about the oranage tint, I tried it and I didn't like it. And as for the ripples, I also thought of this, I am going to try the ripples. I decided on this one, if it was going to be fantasy, it might as well be a calm fantasy. LOL The Ohio River is always rushing and muddy! This is the "Fantasy" shot of Louisville. Thanks for the suggestions, they are good ones.

Very well made reflection. Ha, really neat.

Great shot Good clarity and nice color. I like the symetrical feel of the composition.

Very beautiful

Great photo. I am not sure that your digital reflection is plausible but this is not inevitably your aim.

Great work, the colours are superb.

Why do you want to master a digital reflection? Why not capture a real reflection? Why would you use a photo marked as "discarded", one that you don't like, to put time into trying to create an effect?

Photoshop is an incredible tool, for digital darkroom work; but it becomes cheesy when you go overboard. I would suggest sticking to basic photo detail techniques that will make your good photos POP. (Levels, Curves, Color Balance, Unsharp Mask...)

P.S.- The Ohio River isn't always muddy. It can become beautifully clear during the summer. Periods of rain cause the murkiness.

I'm not sure where you are from or what part of the Ohio river you are familiar with, but near Louisville, it may clear up, but it never slows down long enough for a perfect reflection. As far as my P/S work is concerned, I do it for FUN! Please don't take this wrong, but I love taking photos and I also love learning different techniques in PhotoShop. Of course, I know all about levels adjustment, contrast, curves, saturation, etc. That's pretty basic. I know a little bit about how to take a descent picture. Lighten up. You sound as though you are scolding me, hell I'm almost 50! Get a grip. And to answer your question, why would I like to master the digital reflection? Oh, I guess because I it's fun and I can! Sorry to sound so testy, the majority of the time I'm a very nice person, but I hate being talked down to! I'm just tired of getting comments from people with attitudes like yours. And this is how I took your comment, if it was meant otherwise, explain better! If you have a suggestion, or you just don't like my work, that's ok, I probably don't like yours either. But to SCOLD me! Give me a break! As far as real reflections, you can check out my "View from my Balcony" folder. So I can take a descent reflection! Ha. Now lighten up!

Please re-read my comment, and notice the lack of literary clues that I'm "scolding" you. Its easy to misinterpret written text, and easy to assume certain tones of voice. This is why I wouldn't write something with the intention of any tone of voice being conveyed.

I share your love for exploring photoshop, and photography. Critique is critique, not a personal attack, not a scolding. My comments were constructive criticism. This isn't about "liking" something, or such subjective matters.

I apologize if my comment was worded in a way that allowed it to be easily misunderstood. That wasn't the intention.

Well after re-reading your comment I still get the feeling you are "talking down to me". With a superior attitude. I guess it could be how you said what you said. Since I'm probably old enough to be your mother, let me explain.

For example:

P.S.- The Ohio River isn't always muddy. It can become beautifully clear during the summer. Periods of rain cause the murkiness.

Geez, like what, I don't know what causes the river to be muddy?, murky?

Or this:

I would suggest sticking to basic photo detail techniques that will make your good photos POP. (Levels, Curves, Color Balance, Unsharp Mask...)

Like I don't know what the Photoshop basics are. Are you a teacher or something?

Or this: Why not capture a real reflection?

If you'd have familiarized yourself with my work you would know I have captured a real reflecction a time or two.

 

This image was totally an exersize in PLAY! That's it! Nothing more. What I spend my time on is my time! So next time you might consider the following:

 

Instead of: PS: Yada, yada, yada, you might say, Well, I live in Cincinnati and here the Ohio becomes really clear in the summer during periods of draught. Great for taking reflection images.

 

Or Instead of: I would suggest you stick with Yada, Yada, Yada, how about. I've looked at your work and I can tell you know a thing or two about Photoshop. So you were just having fun! Right?

And instead of:

Why not capture a real reflection? Yada, yada, yada.... you could say, I see you already know how to capture a reflection with a wide angle lens without making it curved, like me.

Sorry to be so gruff, but it's not what you say, it's how you say it that's irritating. Consider this a lesson learned, I'm a really nice person and you annoyed me. Imagine some not so nice person. I sincerely hope you get my drift. I'm not being mean just honest. I usually take criticism very well. Especially if they're teaching me something. But your tone is so condescending and grating. I feel sure I'm not the only one who has pointed this out to you. So possibly you should consider how you are coming across to others. Re-read you own words. Imagine if you will, I went into one of your images and said, Well Brandon, you should consider what your lenses capabilities are before you take a shot! Like you obviously didn't consider this when you took the Cincinnati shot! Geez, I'm wasting way too much time on you. I will delete my comments tomorrow, you should probably do the same!

 

 

Why do you want to master a digital reflection?--

Not a mean question, easily answered, right?

 

Why not capture a real reflection? Why would you use a photo marked as "discarded", one that you don't like, to put time into trying to create an effect?--

Also not a mean question. You would only learn more by answering these questions to yourself.

 

Photoshop is an incredible tool, for digital darkroom work; but it becomes cheesy when you go overboard. --

Is this not true?

 

I would suggest sticking to basic photo detail techniques that will make your good photos POP. (Levels, Curves, Color Balance, Unsharp Mask...)--

A suggestion and personal insight - good or bad, it's just advice.

 

P.S.- The Ohio River isn't always muddy. It can become beautifully clear during the summer. Periods of rain cause the murkiness.--

References to personal experiences, helping you plan another shot? Sounds like good advice to me.

 

You requested a critique, but it looks like you want a pat on the back. We're all here to help each other, but I don't think "Nice! I like it!" is a critique. Most members who give real critique aren't "talking down" to you, and while you are 50, you should employ more humility as an example for us youngsters. How you take a critique has little to do with how it was explained. Nevertheless, I didn't read any mean comments. Everything he said should've been a benefit to you. If anyone needs to lighten up, it'd be you. If you said, "Well Brendon, you should consider what your lens's capabilities are before you take a shot," it would help him make a better shot next time, and I'm sure he'd be quite appreciative of the advice. Maybe you should be too, whether or not you use it. :)

 

And now for my critique. I like the nonstandard look of it, and the dead on perspective; makes it look like graphic art. I did notice that the skies are two different colors, but I think someone already mentioned that. Also, perhaps you might want to try a different color instead of that blue-gray color, perhaps a deeper blue tone for increased depth and relation to the blue colors of the buildings. Also, just a suggestion for some future croppings, try putting the focal point somewhere else than the center. It works well here though, and I think that's partly because of this stylized approach. Pretty cool. Definitely not the average skyline, which is a good thing.

What part of his comment was a critique? I love honest helpful critiques, but his comment had NO critique in it. It was all a "for your information" assuming I know nothing. Did he offer any useful advice? If so I missed it. What? Sticking to P/S basics, now that's pretty lame. I think we all pretty much stick to the basics.

I'm my own worst critic, here's what I would have said.

Jayme- this doesn't look natural, but it it interesting. It drew me in to look. The overly saturated colors are nice, but definately not realistic. The reflection is nice, but not realistic. But then you mentioned this was a "fantasy shot". So then it's ok to be unrealistic. Nice choice of gradient sky, but I think it should also be in the reflection. For a first attempt, it's pretty darn good, but then I don't know a lot about computer generated reflections. Wouldn't it be nice if nature cooperated with us at all times! Maybe then you could get a real reflection to compare this to. Good because it made me look but not great. Definately worth retrying.

So in the end, who cares? I'm looking for help and concrete suggestions, not someones assumptions. You know what happens when we assume. Yada, Yada, yada. And I never mentioned I thought his critic was mean, just irritating.

Maybe it's just me, maybe I read the attitude in, maybe, maybe, maybe. Teach me something, but don't assume I'm stupid. Then you really piss me off.

1. Brendon - A wise man once said .. always sandwich a critique between two compliments. A wise guy chose to ignore his advice.

 

2. Jayme - When you are done being pissed, (arguably for good reason) you have to admit that, in his own way, Brendon did try to help.

 

3. I'm older than both of you and I still love this shot!

 

 

 

 

I love your advice. One of my very best attributes, is that I just can't stay mad! It's near impossible for me! Must be short term memory loss! Most times it's pretty darn hard to make me mad. And generally it involves something to do with someone under estimating my intelligence or thinking I have limits because I'm a woman. I need to research this. A character flaw? Or possibly, the product of being the child of a very assertive mother, who could do just about anything, without help! And might I add, told me I could do the same! And just like a kid, I believed her! Poor Brendon, he just happened to say the wrong thing x 3. But I am totally OK with it, I was the minute I said my 2 cents worth! LOL, more like a quarters worth! I even went in and critiqued one of his shots, and I think I was pretty objective. He seems like a good kid, maybe a tad pretentious. I should have been more understanding. Thanks for your 2 cents!

I understand how one might react to questions like this. Why you wanted to try to use your photoshop in any way you choose is probably not the issue. All reasonable people know that you owe no explanations for things like that. Maybe this guy really wants to say that he prefers capturing the real deal and doesn't like to manipulate his photos? It might be easier to swallow if delivered that way?

Advice is free. However, I just spent 2 1/2 hours trying to take a photo of plants on the side of the road. I walked through poison Ivy and didn't get a single good shot. So if you want me to yell at anyone for you... just tell me who :>}

So Tim, did you unlease the TICKS on him? LOL, just kidding Brendon. Rosi, I know the feeling, somedays you can just do no right and others no wrong. That's one reason my hard drive is getting very full. I keep saving all the bad shots too. Got to spend a day or 2 editing out the JUNK! But every once in a while I go back and look at some image, like this one, and decide to make it an exercise in P/S. So I hesitate to delete, delete, delete. LOL. I can't think of a single person I want you to yell at! I am mellowing out! LOL. Thinking of putting a paned window on one of Howard Dion's images, just for fun!

Jayme, a beautiful cityscape, all you have to do is get a frame. Cheers, Sondra

Jayme,

I love your photos. This one really caught my eye. I love the soap opera that is attached to the photo below. LOL Galo

After such a long time since you posted this photo, I discovered it and think it's great. Please keep doing what you do....because you do it so well.

As an aside, I have a foster-daughter who has grown up, left South Africa, and now lives in Cincinnati. I was there last March for her wedding and certainly discovered for myself that the Ohio River was very muddy, and flowed quite strongly. I guess any reflection would be almost impossible.

Have a great time with your photography.

Terry