Photo Corner

[dporter]

I'm a failure at this already and I haven't even started yet. I can't even resize these things properly to fit in the forum.

I resized it in photobucket to 560x640 but it shows up on here with a much bigger size. Anyways, I guess i'll direct link them:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e186/dporter52/Emmet.jpg

Love that look on his face. He was out in the yard last weekend helping me out. That is a cropped version. If you want a higher res version I can send one.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e186/dporter52/Hiding.jpg

His favorite hiding spot.

Edited March 21, 2008 by dporter

[Guest]

Haha D, looks like you got a pretty active kid there!

I think the max width on photos is 500px, but i'm not sure.

[Metal_Jacket]

Here's a shot I took at a flag retirement ceremony last summer. Something about fire always gets me, lol...

Now that’s a powerful image, excellent shot.

Did you take the shot as we see it, or was it manipulated with an imaging program?

[Guest]

Now that’s a powerful image, excellent shot.

Did you take the shot as we see it, or was it manipulated with an imaging program?

Shot was seen as-is. I don't think you can manipulate something like that and make it look real, or at least I can't do it anyways lol. I just upped the contrast and such. I had another with a soldier saluting but the angles were very wrong and didn't make a good impact. Unfortunately, this could be interperated as something altogether different than what it really was - A respectable ceremony for disposing of old, tattered American Flags.

[dporter]

The problem I think with the first photo of him is that it just seems a bit blurry but I'm not sure if there is anyway to fix that or lessen it some.

[Ruin]

Dporter, not much you can do at this point really. It was a combination of two main things. First, a shutter-speed slower than your subject, and your background taking priority on your camera. Play with it some more, make sure you learn how to choose your subject with focusing etc. and make sure your lighting conditions are ideal for action.

Durka, I think you made the right choice. No need to mess with something like that other than for contrast/color intensity. Just some minor tweaks, but that looks great as it is. Nice work.

So, I reopened my Flickr account, thought I'd add some photos.

I'll start with this one:

[Metal_Jacket]

Now that’s a powerful image, excellent shot.

Did you take the shot as we see it, or was it manipulated with an imaging program?

Shot was seen as-is. I don't think you can manipulate something like that and make it look real, or at least I can't do it anyways lol. I just upped the contrast and such. I had another with a soldier saluting but the angles were very wrong and didn't make a good impact. Unfortunately, this could be interperated as something altogether different than what it really was - A respectable ceremony for disposing of old, tattered American Flags.

I’m impressed, very nice, in my opinion the photo was taken just at the right moment and on the right angle.

Imagine if the flag wasn’t in the background, you will see a timber crate with something blue and white burning inside, it’s not clearly recognizable (especially to people that are not familiar with the flag).

The intensity of the flames and smoke overpower the right side of you image which gives you the correct amount of space to recognize the flag in the background.

The background I also find fascinating, even though the flag may be some distance from the fire, it seems that it’s leaning towards the crate and being overpowered by the flames.

I’m told that there is a program that overlays images, from background to foreground so that you can marry 2 or more images to create one.

In my opinion that type of imagery is not photography, it takes a lot away from the person behind the lens, the ability to enhance their visual creativity for that moment.

Please don’t misunderstand me; there are a lot of magnificent images that have been manipulated to portray its own message and are very well done.

@Ruin

I like your style, from what I’ve seen, it seems that you like to play with angles, truly fascinating and interesting, it bring out so much more.

I’m very interested to see what you guys can create within a millisecond of frozen time.

[Guest]

I like that shot Ruin, it wouldn't be nearly as appealing with the horizon cropped. It does a lot to lead your eye through the scene.

[Ruin]

@Ruin

I like your style, from what I’ve seen, it seems that you like to play with angles, truly fascinating and interesting, it bring out so much more.

I’m very interested to see what you guys can create within a millisecond of frozen time.

Thanks MJ,

I've never thought about it, I don't know what I would consider my style. I just see things and try to capture what I see.

I'm heading to this local event on April 18th I'm rather excited about. It's called Day In The Life Of Asheville. Unique premise - 12 hours of photography from several photographers, report back once you're done. Should be cool, and will hopefully yield great results for me.

I like that shot Ruin, it wouldn't be nearly as appealing with the horizon cropped. It does a lot to lead your eye through the scene.

Thanks Durka. That's what I loved about that particular dock, the lines were great. Some stuff leaning, some stuff different sizes, some stuff underwater, it was just really unique. I took that pic almost a year and a half ago, and I still remember what a challenge it was to try to figure out how to approach it. Lots of fun.

[Ruin]

Time for a Refresher:

[Guest]

one of mine from a few years ago

[Papa6]

Here's my 2008 cherry blossom pictures. The first set stunk, so I went back out today and got 124 more. the others are garbage

My redone 2008 Cherry Blossom pics

Edited March 27, 2008 by Papa6

[Papa6]

APR 7 2008 UPDATE: linky

a shot from awhile back but got it worked out.

[Ruin]

Looks sharp Chris. A great image with gorgeous colors. The only suggestion I would make... off-set the memorial a bit. It's dead center in the frame. Perhaps that's your intent, but I find I get more... dramatic pics when my subject is off-set from the center.

Otherwise, a fantastic pic!

[Papa6]

oh man everyone says ..."offset the memorial" I took the shot, I took the shot!!!! lol

BTW RUIN, let me know when you come back into town. we can link up. but bring the wife or is it GF?

Edited April 8, 2008 by Papa6

[Ruin]

GF... for now. She'll come around eventually, haha.

I'll be back in DC at some point. It will depend on what happens to me in the Fall. I've got friends still in DC I'd like to see some time this year. A summer trip definitely will not happen, too much going on, but a Fall trip might. I'll let you know.

Did you use a tripod for that pic?

[Papa6]

GF... for now. She'll come around eventually, haha.

I'll be back in DC at some point. It will depend on what happens to me in the Fall. I've got friends still in DC I'd like to see some time this year. A summer trip definitely will not happen, too much going on, but a Fall trip might. I'll let you know.

Did you use a tripod for that pic?

First comment: do women ever really come around!?! haha

Summer would be no good anyway, trip to Disneyworld, then family reunion in August...naw ain't happening.

Fall? that should be cool.

Did I use a tripod? yes- but the funny thing is, in PS, I had to rotate the pic CW(Clock-wise) arbitrarily because even though my tripod showed completely level, it was slanted a bit like 2 degrees CCW(counter). ISO 100 and I think F 9.0 with a 1-3 second exposure time.

[Guest]

Did I use a tripod? yes- but the funny thing is, in PS, I had to rotate the pic CW(Clock-wise) arbitrarily because even though my tripod showed completely level, it was slanted a bit like 2 degrees CCW(counter). ISO 100 and I think F 9.0 with a 1-3 second exposure time.

lol Trust me, when dealing with architecture, NOTHING is ever perfectly level. I find I have to use arbitrary rotation tool with every shot, just making sure I pick a spot in the middle of the frame to use as reference.

I really like the Jefferson Memorial shot, and I think it really works well centered as it is, although it would be great to see it more cropped to emphasise the subject. The lines in the cloud lead your eye to the right and it works really well. You guys got some great shots.

I'm headed to an air show this weekend and I'll post some shots that I took.

P.S. My wife lived in DC for a few years and gets all sad when she can't go to the Cherry Blossom Fest.

[Papa6]

Durka, Hey be sure to share some of your shots. I may be out of gaming but I'm just beginning my photography.

D, thanks for the comments. I got up around 430am to get that shot

[Forrester]

Squirrel I photographed on a terrain of an old chemical plant which is being torn down for house building

got some nice photos of the plant too, hope to make a map of it someday.

[Guest]

That would be awesome Forrester. Nice focus on the squirrel as well. Are you sure that isn't a dead one you just sat up there? He's perfectly posed lol. The pic is a little large though. You may want to resize it to 500px wide before the mods get a hold of it.

Papa,

I've always loved shooting lit-up architecture during cloudy weather. There's always a bit of reflection on the clouds to give a *little* fill light. But yeah, I can't wait for the airshow. I got my gear ready, just gotta get the batteries charged and I'll defenately be posting some. In the meantime, here's my daughter and wife I took yesterday...

[Forrester]

OK now for some smaller.....

left 3 kids are mine, my wife is in the background

Me in action

[Ruin]

Durka, beautiful baby girl. She's just too cute. I like the way your wife is kinda peeking out from around her. There's a feeling of almost, well, delirious love, I get from her as she's holding your daughter forward for the picture. She clearly wants your daughter to be the subject, but at the same time it's like she's conveying pride "that's right, look at my baby, she's cute huh?"

A lot of emotion in that picture, great work.

Forrester, those are some excellent shots as well. The squirrel is great, looks like you scared the ###### of him, hahaha.

Your last photo of the factory would be great, but it seems a little over-exposed. You were metering for the shadows, which is good, but it was too strong and it washed out the sunlit foreground. Change the exposure, make the background darker (but not invisible), and then keep natural lighting up front = gorgeous in my book.

Loving the pic of you with the kids too. Lots of action, seems like a lot of fun. Definitely sensing some great bonding going on there. Another great picture.

You guys are churning out some great work. Keep it up!

Okay, my turn:

[Guest]

I agree, Forrester's kids look like they have a lot of energy lol.

That would make a great stock shot Ruin. One minor suggestion would be to, if you had to do it all over again, show the rest of the letters on the tail. But I'm thinking with an advertising mindset lol. Either way, I love the colors.

Here's another one of my daughter I took last night. It's a good example of some creative lighting as well.

Basically, I waited till evening, around sunset or just after, and I metered the sky so things would be fairly dark. Then we took my girl out by the house and I pointed my flash at the side of it. It has white siding, so made an excellent reflector. The light bounces off and his my daughter, while the sky is still dark in the background. Easy and cheap set up if anyone wants to try it:)

Edited April 8, 2008 by durka-durka

[Ruin]

Durka, thanks. I was aiming for more of a "holy cow, look at all the craziness!" style photo. Just to show the business of ATL.