t37traveler

Exquisite illumination. The reflections and sheen are simply extraordinary. Great leading lines and perspective. LOVE IT!!!

FABULOUS HDR!!!! Lighting, detail, composition, as usual, all are superlative!

This one took a while...I'm pretty inexperienced in BW. Added a

warming filter, which went a long way towards achieving the look I

wanted. Comments/suggestions greatly appreciated!

Any comments/suggestions for improvement are greatly

appreciated.

Alf- thank you for stopping by and commenting.  I took all of your kind advice very much to heart, got Ferrell's book (fabulous!) and Photomatix Pro after playing with the demo version. You really made a difference in my approach to and understanding of HDR, and I very much appreciate all of your suggestions and guidance that you sent my way back in Feb. I've come up with a couple more photos I'm pleased with and will upload soon (I hope.) This photo was good enough to take first place in the March competition (which happened to be HDR)  intermediate color category at the photo club of which I'm a member.

Fabulous Image!It's got it all - symmetry and asymmetry, light and shadow,  geometric shapes and great flow.  Love the colors and the repetition of pattern. Composition works well to draw eye to the center of the image without excluding the rest of the picture elements. A lot of movement and interest to keep the viewer engaged. One of your best!

Tony- Thanks for commenting. You are so right about the spacing on the left and right! There is no room for the image to "breathe." This photo is about 5 years old. No way I would make this composition error today; fortunately, it can be fixed through the wonders of PS ; )   One of the biggest benefits of getting involved in a photo club that holds monthly competitions is the wealth of knowledge gained by listening to the different judges critique over 100 photos every month.  One of the most frequent comments is about cropping ( do it big and make a statement or leave ample room for the image to breathe.) Since I shot this in my neighbor's garden, I may well be "in town" as opposed to off cruising when these flowers bloom again si I will have the opportunity to redo the shot with a better camera and better photo skills.  We'll see.

oops - pardon the type-o;  that should have been "etch" not "echi"

Thank you, Tony. I thought a plain white background was a bit too bland.... and I liked the "echi" of the pitcher handle and lips in the blue.

Tony-

I really like the deep, rich hues of this photo. I think that adds to the overall sense of age and decay without creating a dark, depressing atmosphere. I also like the predominant color pallette being the 3 primary colors... simple and eye-catching. Well seen and photographed!

Gail - 

I can't decide if it's flowers of spun glass, jewels or a stained glass window.The colors, light and composition are all stunning. I keep saying this over and over - because you keep doing it,, but you've outdone yourself... again. A beautiful beautiful piece of work. Keep 'em coming!

Rashed and Beth - Thank you both for your comments and time. The two pots on the left are sitting on top of scuba diving weights that are little 4 pound mesh sacks of lead pellets. I was able to "pose" those pots  by nestling them into the weights under the black dropcloth. The large pot is sitting on a book, and the 2 pots on the left are on the table top.

Tony-

After you mentioned candles of a different color, I looked at had actually bought some cream colored dinner tapers for another photo I have in mind... do you know how HARD it is to buy tapered candles these days? I went to 3 stores before I found a very limited selection..... pillar candles are the current trend, I guess... next time I find a place that sells tapered candles, I'm stocking up!

Pierre-

thank you - that is high praise coming from the master of the abstract. You may put my work in any category you wish. : )  

Tony - One can look at photo sites, websites, coffee tables books and see dozens of winter scenes. This one is unique. The lighting is wonderful - love the red highlights in the trees. Also like the horizontal lines that create multiple horizons and the tree leaning into the photo; however, I think the most striking element is the large chunk of tree trunk in the foreground. So often this type of element overwhelms ore distracts in a photo, but you nailed it perfectly. I think is adds texture, mass, and a large area of color that really make this photo unique. You have a great eye and superb technique! A scene well seen and beautifully conceived! 

What a great poster this would make for Gap or some other kids clothing store! Very creative - great unity and balance in the color and overall composition, and the expression on the child's face is priceless. You really, really should think about doing something with this beyond PN and your personal archives. I think of all your beautiful work, this one is my personal favorite.

Hey Tony - Good to hear fro you again! You are absolutely "spot on" about the candlestick fading into the background.. I'm working on a revised version that corrects that problem. I also have a very desaturated (not really monochrome but not BW) version I haven't uploaded. This one is a little "over-cooked" I think... in part because the original is Raw, and this jpg was converted from a TIFF file. I got a set of Westcott studio lights and am loving exploring the creative possibilities  indoors while the weather rages outdoors. I just keep thinking of things to photograph.

Trying to capture the graphic beauty and impact of the artistry of the

Acoma Indians. Comments/suggestions greatly appreciated.

Pierre - thank you for your comments. I had thought about adding a cup of tea in another version! I tried a flaming candle - didn't like it, and thought about extinguishing the flame and getting the wispy curl of smoke... ideas for another shoot. The steaming teapot is a great idea.  Since this is an antique pewter pot, I will be careful with the boiling water. As for shiny, alas, this pot will never shine. I will have to borrow my grandmother's silver tea set back from my daughter(and polish it before use, I am sure). : )

Shooting reflective surfaces is not really the place to begin... I used

these materials for my second ever shooting session....

suggestions/critiques/recommendations greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Saleh for commenting. This is my favorite of the series also. I like to experiment with post-processing to see what different effects can be achieved. It really helps me to learn what the controls do, and helps me create images I can't do otherwise. I personally like the simplicity and contrast of this one, and the fact that it is a "real" image right out of the camera without extreme artistic alteration. 

Thank you, Saleh. I like this photo also, but truly you are too kind when you compare it to Ansel Adams (he didn't have a digital dark room). Thank you for your kind words.

Saleh - thanks for your comments. Yes, it looks a bit soft, but that is because there is a lot of fog and mist. That makes the photo look "dusty," but on the Oregon coast, there is no dust. It rains all the time up here.