glenn norris

Excellent work - and nice to see some helpful critiques etc. Glenn

Well done Donibane... these travel images of yours are very peaceful and simple - love the colors because even though they are manipulated it is still within the realm of possibility. Maybe the only thing I would have done would be too brighten up the boat on the left to bring it out a little more - but that is picky I know. Glenn

Very pleasant Donibane - not what we are used to seeing from you of course! And we all know that we can count on some easy high scores when we post a sunrise/sunset...lol. Just one of those things about photo sites - the new raters equate aesthetics with sunsets and rainbows. Anyway, good to see you adding 'width' to your current work my friend... I am just going to stand over here and watch a few more 3's appear on my 'Cafe Life'.... *wipes away tear*

Love the tones here - the image has the feel that you have photographed an empty city... Does Bilbao have a futuristic feel everywhere or is that just your technique? Good to make a change from the abstracts once is a while, ay? Glenn

Thanks Donibane - I know you are right! I am taking the day off today and hoping that I can find some balance... have a good day! Glenn

Sorry I have not stopped to comment on some of your most recent images. I like the techniques you apply in your recent shots - the photography is good, the graphics imaginative... the types of imagery that you choose to do always reminds me of a magazine advertisement - maybe that is where you intend to go, I don't know. I do however feel that sometimes you seem to impose you will on the camera a little too much... maybe you have ideas and you try to force them into an image. Sometimes perhaps it is better to head off into another direction and see if you can let the camera lead to way. I am not giving advice because this is exactly what I need to do too - I forget that the camera is trying to show me a world of magic and I need to let it! Anyway, I thought I would offer you an honest critique and hope you take it the right way... take care my friend - Glenn

Thank you both - thanks for the honesty Donibane. This shot was taken at the time I did the other antique store shots - no message intended. I am still in a little rut I guess and went looking to see if I needed to finish some earlier work. Yes, rut rut rut... lost my way... not sure what I should concentrate on... *sigh****************** Glenn

This is the first piece of new work I have done on my Interior

Abstracts for a while... I would be interested if you have another

name you can think of... if not, hope you enjoy anyway! Thank you

all - Glenn++++

Donibane, so the monkey just appeared? Funny! What makes this work, for me, is the area at the top right which gives the image that extra dimension and brings the viewer deeper into the scene. And also it looks like a mother and daughter! Take care my friend - I admire you for the amount of work you are getting out day after day! Glenn

Donibane, finally found a minute to catch up with your latest - I am putting the final touches on a gallery showing of my HDR 'abstracts' while working and all that... busy busy, and the worst thing is that I have not been able to concentrate on getting out some new work. Your image is a pretty good representation of the way my mind is working at this moment... I like how you mixed some of the primitive/natural with the coldness of the machine. Anyway, if I could add one criticism it would be that even though the left and right sides of the composition are not exactly the same, this piece (and some of your others) has a strong centered symmetry, and that should be used sparingly I believe. Also I like to see a composition that is balanced in terms of having some busy areas and also some quiet spaces. Looking at the work you have done recently, I think 'Game Over' and 'Psycho-puppet' and the two 'GAIA' images have the most balance and allow the viewer to walk right into the image. An image like 'Loco' can actually work like a shield to keep the viewer from entering the image and that is not usually what we want. Hope this helps! But most of all, just keep having fun. Glenn

Well, yes I figured out that you have to be pretty careful with those homemade lights - I blew one bulb when I had the light covered up too much and so I have learned to keep sufficient airflow. As for hdr, I have tried using hdr on 1, 2, and 3 blended exposures but I have not been able to figure out how to make it work on these closeup portraits. Sometimes I can tonemap one shot and apply hdr at around 20%... However, for this I actually discovered a technique by accident. I call it 'pixel displacement' but it has nothing to do with the displacement filters in photoshop. I am going to hang on to this secret though until I learn a little more... hehehe. Thank you for your interesting questions! Glenn

Thanks for the explanation, and for showing me the other shot. I think you are right that this one works much, much better; the diagonal sweep of her hair hanging loosely is what catches my eye first. I do not agree with above, that the model should be looking at the camera - I think her listless gaze to the side is consistent with the style of your image here. Enough said then - excellent work and I wish you the best! Glenn

Your work with the model is superb! Your presentation is a little confusing though, as far as composition goes... were you trying to present a barren/futuristic/abstract beautiful-model-in-a-bleak-environment kind of image? Otherwise I would think you would crop the right and a little of the top so that she is not perfectly centered. All said though, the image works for me (just wish I knew a little more about your intent here...)

I have seen a few writer's places but they did not have many participants - I have thought about joining one too, but I would love to figure out a way to join photography and writing together as one, possibly as collage...? Anyway, you know I am just messing with you on the 'culmination' thing; I think you and I both know that it is a double-edged sword hitting those peaks because then we have to endure a few months (or more) waiting for the next masterpiece... It is better to play each piece like it is the same as all the others. Well, best wishes, and may your wait until your next masterpiece be a short one! Glenn

*clears throat* Could this be the best rated image you have Donibane... LOL... Maybe you will believe me next time when I use words like 'culmination'!!! Take care my friend and enjoy your success! Glenn

Thank you both for finding my image a week after the post... it means alot that work still impresses. Anthony, I appreciate the words - that intensity plus the sense of creating a character with a story are what I wanted here. Thank you! Glenn++++

Excellent imagination!!!

These prairie images of yours are endlessly fascinating to me... maybe because I have always lived in the mountains. The sheer breadth of the space (broken only by these lingering structures) sends my stomach a little jolt because I just cannot comprehend the sensation... Take care - Glenn++++

Well Donibane my friend, as the score reads right now, 5 people who have given you 7's and a few more at 6/6 say that the composition works! LOL... so do you want to believe the pretty 20 year old instead then that is okay too. No disrespect intended Lucy! To me, the emptiness in the middle is consistent with the images of the man-made scourge you have pictured there. So maybe this won't be the culmination of all of your work - I am sure there are many more leaps for you to make - but you know you're on the right track!

One word Donibane - masterpiece! To me, this is the culmination of all of your work and techniques all on show in one piece. 10/10 for me. Glenn++++

I just saw your edit about the softbox... mine was Home Depot too - probably $15 but before everyone gets too excited please remember that you still have to do work with curves etc. and also - Please try to support your local small independant business before you give more money to the Corporation! *wink* - Oh, one more thing... Barry (or anyone else), is it 100% confirmed that Paul Dzik uses HDR?

Erwin, I would say that it is the MOST difficult thing to do - took me probably a year and a half before I was able to create an image that felt like ME... Donibane, you are famous!

So this is your self-portrait? Wow, this face is much more handsome than my recent self-portrait! LOL - Just kidding... I really like the color tones here - a little bit darker than recent. Good stuff Donibane! ps. Biliana said I was handsome but I will try for a better looking model next time!

Thank you all again! Cherlyn, very inciteful about the tunnel-like lighting... that is exactly the look I wish for. The idea was to create the look of an adventurer exploring a dark tunnel. I am heavily influenced by fantasy - Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons etc. - and I hope to do a whole album along those lines. I wish I were able to shoot this one with some props, perhaps a flaming torch or a sword, but not yet... ++++

Thank you all! The lighting is actually kind of a home-made soft box - a 1000 watt industrial halogen on the floor covered with a white/clear piece of underlayment for hardwood flooring... funny but true. I am hoping to invest in a softbox kit sometime soon. Thanks again! Glenn++++