jedcarlson

My first impression was "wow" because I like that dark contrasty envelop. After reading a good portion of the posters comments, I got the education I needed and I believe that education is the purpose of this forum discussion. Not just to "critique" Oliver on what he has so artfully put together but add to our collective thoughts of how others would approach the setup, the capture and post-processing. I can now imagine this photo using a baby, the toddler in this case, a young teenager in angst, a woman in love, a divorced person in pain, a caregiver, a widower and a great-grandmother with the wisdon of the years. In each case, I would be moving a few sliders back and forth to compliment my story. In this subject and story, I believe Olivers second effort in showing more detail in the hair, hands and clothing and moderating the lighter areas of the cheek is more in keeping with the tonal quality and range that I would expect to see in a toddler. Thanks all for comments and thank you Oliver for your efforts. Now I have to find those 40 year old B&W's that I have of my kids and bring them to the fore. Jed

My bias for viewing photos from left side to right side creates a tension in the photo that it does not need.  If you flip the photo horizontally and place the farm building at the right border, it flows beautifully for me.  That option doesn't portray the actual conditions when taking the photo, so it's an option that you have to be comfortable with from an artistic and photographic standpoint.  Either way, it's a great shot with nice thirds and an amazing sky.  I can almost smell the field.   

Alan: I was encouraged by my instructor at Tri-Community Photo Center (Los Angeles) to take the shot and then move 3 paces to the right and left for alternative shots to change my POV.  Compare this to the other very "static" photo of Lubkin Cyn with the cattle gate smack in the middle of the photo. Thanks for your comment. The change to a longer lens also gave the prominence to the Sierra Crest it so well deserves  Ed

Corrected yellow cast (K shifted) and back to "as shot" condition at

sunrise. Could cool it down more.

Edward - Thanks for comments

Sierra Nevada Mtn.Range near Lone Pine. Alternative to straight on

static photo. Tell me what you see.

Loaner lens gave me some reach to even try my 1st bird shot.

Ed

Cropped about 50% but not PS'd. Just a little tweeking. Direct sun a bit

harsh.

Shot at 400mm F/5.6 1/400 sec ISO 200 & handheld. 1st use of a

loaner lens.

An early morning photo session on the Owens River above Crowley Lake Ca. The temperature hovered between 9 & 12 degrees and fortunately was with little wind. It was so cold that scooping out and laying in 18" of snow to take the shot was not a problem: nothing melted. The warmer Owens River provided the moisture for some terrific hoarfrost.

My first forway into the monochromatic area. Appreciate your comments. Thanks, Ed

I took some shots without the cattle guard and the photo just didn't work. I was concerned about such a strong focal point so prominent in the foreground, but just told myself that it "anchored" the road and allowed you to step over it into the photo.  My rationlization.  My other concern was the tree-line at such a steep angle to the right. (actual slope) Any attempt to adjust it just made the cattle guard's actual lean to the left seem unreal. I'm going back to take other shots from the fence line, on a ladder, etc... just to break out the habit of standard formats.  My favorite road.

Yes, I see the difference in cropping out some of the foreground. With 2 inches gone, the shadow bands on the road have a better balance (almost fibonacci-like) and the end of road perspective is more closely aligned with the rule of thirds.  Good call. Thanks.

Thanks for your comments. After 42 years of hiking into this lake, it still takes my breathe away when it comes into view. It even gets better as you hike on.  There's 2nd lake in the depression just above the water cascade in the background and 3rd lake just beyond the tree lined ridge. 

Amazing place. Let's keep it a secret! 

Note: this is the kind of photo you can get with a point and shoot Kodax and a 2200kb capture.  Can't wait to get my Canon up there.

1st Lake: My favorite day hike destination along the trail leading to the

Palisades Glacier and seven 10,000 ft+ lakes. The green lake hue is

caused by glacial melt-water coming down from the 14,000 ft Sierra

crest and Palisade Glacier in the background.

An amazing and beautiful capture. As soon as technology catches up, we'll be able to listen to the sound of your capture as well. And then, a cool canyon breeze in the face: is it dry or damp?. Until then, reviewing your photo album is an adventure for all of us as you take us there.

It would be great for those of us getting back into or starting digital photography, for you to, on ocassion, detail out the specifics of your set-up, shoot and back story.  Not that you should reveal all of your secrets, but to share the artistic and technical skill you have mastered.  Possible?

After a tiring full day of fall photograhy in the Bishop Calif. area, we were

returning to Bishop via the North Lake road. As we drove through the

canopy of trees and I saw the difused and alternately striped shade

patterns on the road, I backed the car up, and with car door ajar,

grapped a few quick shots without much set-up and then continued our

drive home. I was presently surprised when I opened the file. As it turns

out, I have a wide-open lens and fast shutter speed and probably lost

some sharpness throughout the photo

Just a short distance upstream from my home in Bishop, the stream

flows lazily through pastureland many miles after it's origin from the

snowfields and lakes below the 13,000 ft. Sierra Crest. Refreshingly

cold and clear at this point, it's ironically on it's way to Los Angeles.

A warm September day along the Southern California coast highway

north of Malibu.

An old ranch road that relaxes the mind and body.A favorite place to

stop and sit along the side of the road to watch, listen and smell.

Holger: try a landscape crop that just includes the man on the right. I believe it simplifies the elements of the photo and the convergent lines are emphasized more. I also rotated the photo prior to crop to put the spar at a 45 deg. angle to the upper right corner. Some photo shop work will fill in the missing corners. The resultant "energy" completely changes the photos effect The man's position is now very dynamic and at peril. This is intended to be a critique, not a criticism.