marc_rochkind

Suggestion: The strong part of this image is the pattern of the sunlight. To emphasize this, experimentally see if cropping the top makes a stronger image. I experimented by holding up a card and it did.

Suggestions: The house isn't part of the main composition and, being very bright, is distracting. I'd crop at the top just above the bench. I experimented with this holding up a card and it was a MUCH stronger image. Tone down the bright leaves at the bottom, especially at the lower left. Increase the contrast and maybe the texture of the patio, to really emphasize the curves.

A few suggestions: 1. This may be due to the limited reproduction here, but perhaps there could be some more definition in the upper-left part of the spiral. The bands are merging together. 2. The partial oval at the left isn't part of the main subject and is distracting. I'd crop it away. 3. Increase the contrast. This may also address #1.

I've been away from photo.net for a long time, so I don't know to what extent this has already been discussed. Some obvious problems: (1) Technology has shifted so that nearly all the new cameras (e.g., Nikon Z) are mirrorless. Yet, the equipment discussion seem to be in the DSLR and Film area rather than the Mirrorless area. (2) The Mirrorless area seems to have been set up long ago, when mirrorless first began. There's no reason, for example, for Panasonic and Fuji to be the same forum. I'd be happy to propose a new alignment of the Gear & Equipment forums if the forum operators are interested.

Here I think the color works well. Suggestions: 1. Crop a strip off of the top. What's there doesn't add anything. 2. Saturate the colors a bit, without going overboard. 3. Experiment with cropping a strip from the bottom. 4. The strong visual elements are the curve of the branch and the large rock. The stuff at the right doesn't support this, so experiment with cropping if off.

The door is OK, but with no context it looks too much like a catalog shot.

Didn't see the link to the Schewe video.. can you repost it?

digitaldog: I did see that thread, but it is about a different question. My question is about B&W in LR alone vs LR + Silver Efex Pro. The question in that other thread is about processing in color prior to B&&W conversion vs. conversion right away.

I've been trying out Silver Efex Pro for B&W processing. I do some initial processing in color in LR (e.g., cropping, color balance, whites/blacks) and then I go into Silver Efex Pro for the rest. Some advantages of Silver Efex Pro: Lots of presets. More powerful brightness and contrast controls (e.g., Dynamic Brightness, Soft Contrast). Control points. Disadvantages: A separate TIFF with LR editing baked in. (Silver Efex Pro edits are nondestructive, but they apply only to the TIFF.) Control points much less precise than LR selections in the newest versions. (The brush is greatly improved, and select sky is remarkably good.) While I appreciate the power of Silver Efex Pro, I'm not sure that whatever it offers can't also be achieved fairly easily in LR, with seamless non-destructive editing. I'd appreciate any comments about this trade off from those who use the newest LR version along with Silver Efex Pro 3.

Different photographers sell different prints to different people for different purposes. For me, I sell only at art shows, and nobody is interested in buying as a collector. Only as a gift, or to hang on the wall to enjoy. Metal sells much better than a matted print, and to sell framed prints is much too difficult, considering the logistical problems of transport without damage, setting up, breaking down, packing, etc. Metal is extremely easy to transport from show to show.

I've gone to all metal. No frame, and they sell better than matted prints. Look better, too. I use Adoramapix.