'The Heartbreak of Psoriasis (and other things)' Returns

This is a rework from NEF of 'The Heartbreak of Psoriasis (and other

things) posted earlier, which I pointed had many technical defects

including some shakiness. Which do you like better, and is this one,

which still has technical defects, worthy of being shown. The other

is the only one in this same folder at present. I welcome your

ratings and critiques, and especially any comparisons; please let me

know if this shaky photo has become worthy or I should make a place

for it on my hard drive. Rotated and consequent trim. Thanks. John

In the prior post, I noted that it seemed there was camera shakiness. That apparently was wrong, and the photo was shot with V.R. lens at 200 mm at 1/20th of a second at f 3.2. I am a steady holder and a look at the poster shows it is pretty solid and not 'shaky'.

 

What apparently happened was this couple not only was kissing but they were moving to do so, and I caught them in mid-movement and their movement was rapid.

 

Rather than being an issue of my own shakiness (numerous other captures were very shaky on my part), this was a matter of subject movement. If I had taken several on C (continuous servo) drive, one at least would have caught them after their motions, I think.

 

I'm interested in your comparisons and feelings about the two before I make up my mind about both of these.

 

The 'defective' version currently stands at 5/6 for ratings, which totally surprised me; I expected a string of 3/3s.

 

I posted the previous, very shaky version, because I thought it had 'greatness' potential. This version, taken from the NEF, has greater range, and the couple has been 'sharpened' somewhat to minimize their appearance of shakinesss.

 

Live and learn.

 

Will this one do? Or should I just consign it to a 'good try?'

 

John (Crosley)

Taken on Veterans Day in L.A.

 

Hence the flag and the guy's uniform. Probably following a parade or gathering; I am unaware of the exact 'story' here, but this photo tells its own 'story' I think.

 

John (Crosley)

I think that rotation helps it quite a bit.

I also think it is definitively a keeper shot regardless of subject blur. On the other hand, I like WB of your other shot better then this one, as here you have fair bit of green without any obvious source of green light whereas reds and browns of the other shot feel more true to what i would expect the ambient would be.

All the best

B.

Personally I prefer the original version. Even though this one is less slanted at the base, the tones and better details of the other one are more appealing.

I agree with you, although the green actually has a source, it probably needs to be cleaned up, just for aesthetics (note the various lighting sources, especially the overhead light.

 

I just wish to heck the couple hadn't have moved; if then would certainly be a keeper and of the highest order; as it is not, who knows?

 

I do like it very much or I wouldn't have spent much time on it.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

John

I think actually the detail of this one is better, but it's also trimmed a little, so any insubstantialities in subject movement/focus are thereby magnified. It was sharpened the same way, as I recall, though the process was a little 'arch' -- meaning complicated, and step by step. I should have written down my steps, since I don't keep layers -- or even process by layers at all -- I just don't use 'layers'; I go through each photo step by step and if I have to undo/redo a step, I use the 'history' palette and rework everything else forward.

 

You probably are right about the tones, and I'll work on it. It's just a matter of moving 'white balance' slider in Adobe Camera Raw a little to the right, and not much at that.

 

I looked to get 'balance' on his face, and probably should have let it show 'reflected light' instead of true facial color.

 

Live and learn.

 

And thanks for helping me learn. I seldom go to the efforts I have here.

 

Truly, thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

 

Back in the good ol ussa.

In addition to preferring the color palette of the previous post, as mentioned by others and yourself here, I like the slant on the original. That slant adds downward pressure on her lips to his not found when the two are seated upright. And it isn't just the green cast in this version but also the saturation, which I find much stronger, richer in the original. Cheers -

Thanks for helpful comments; sometimes we learn from mistakes and other times the 'mistakes' are better than being perfect or even what some might consider 'the best'.

 

Your critique is most helpful.

 

I will consider it when I come to a 'final choice' if I do ever have a 'final choice.

 

I have an important person to me I will talk to about this, probably, but it may take some time --week or so.

 

Thanks again,

 

John (Crosley)

Don't remember seeing this before (it's been a long time since I visited your site). But you are clearly the master of the bigger-than-life poster next to a very live humanity. This is a superb example of your special approach. As I looked at it I thought of a movie poster I special ordered of Sally Potter's "the Tango Lesson." (a great movie, by the way, if you love tango). Check it out at http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_poster/tango_lesson_the_1997.htm (click to make large).

regards, Ransford

This always was a special capture to me, partially dogged by a technical problem (the male subject moved, which I mistakenly first believed was blur caused by my own camera movement.)

 

If you can believe, this was Veteran's Day -- when else are you going to find soldiers with decorations and dress uniforms sitting a bus stops, and probably he either was severely disabled or very poor (or had his license suspended) as this is Los Angeles and everybody has a car but just a tiny subset of individuals.

 

He obviously is not a new inductee -- see medals.

 

Welcome back, Ransford, you've been missed.

 

Always are lots of new things here, as you've probably noticed.

 

John (Crosley)