Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: -Tom- on October 15, 2012, 05:09:11 am

Title: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: -Tom- on October 15, 2012, 05:09:11 am
Couple of shots I took few days ago

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8041/8068007087_fd78f9c2c8_b.jpg)

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8177/8068027299_a3df04e9c6_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: WalterEG on October 15, 2012, 06:56:22 am
I like them both Tom,

I am particularly enthusiastic about the second shot.

Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on October 15, 2012, 09:51:49 am
Me too. It's simple but nicely ambiguous.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: RSL on October 15, 2012, 11:23:05 am
Hi Tom, I agree with Walter and Eric, but your too bright trademark gets in the way. You might think about moving it to a less distracting location, and cutting down the opacity.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: nemo295 on October 15, 2012, 11:45:39 am
Tom, for the purpose of online display of copyrighted work I think your logo is fine the way it is.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: RSL on October 15, 2012, 12:16:16 pm
Hi Doug, First of all, under current international agreements a copyright notice isn't necessary to protect the work. Second, Tom's trademark isn't a copyright notice. For that you need to spell out "copyright" or use the international symbol "©".

I still put a copyright notice on the stuff I post (unless I forget), but I do it so that people don't inadvertently screw up and use copyrighted material without realizing it's copyrighted.

The problems with Tom's trademark are its brightness and location.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: -Tom- on October 15, 2012, 01:00:37 pm
Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. About the watermark, it might be somewhat bold, but I deliberaltey made it that way, mainly because I wanted people to see the link and check my site out :D

I put the originals in the separate folders, and the web versions with watermark go on flickr.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: nemo295 on October 15, 2012, 02:05:54 pm
Hi Doug, First of all, under current international agreements a copyright notice isn't necessary to protect the work. Second, Tom's trademark isn't a copyright notice. For that you need to spell out "copyright" or use the international symbol "©".


Russ, I didn't say it was necessary, only appropriate. I still say it's fine as-is for attribution of a copyrighted work.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: IanBrowne on October 15, 2012, 07:07:17 pm
#2 is a total eye stopper. I can see that BIG in some big up town office.

Simple and eye catching; what else do we need to make great photograph
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: francois on October 16, 2012, 05:48:49 am
#2 is a total eye stopper. I can see that BIG in some big up town office.

Simple and eye catching; what else do we need to make great photograph

Totally agree!
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: fike on October 16, 2012, 10:30:31 am
I love the first one...something about the juxtaposition of gold and jewels against the archetypal image of sacrifice and penance.  Very nice.  Potentially very contentious. 

I don't like your watermark banner.  I think it distracts from the excellence of your images.  I understand why you put it there, but I still don't like it.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: -Tom- on October 16, 2012, 01:25:07 pm
I sincerely appreciate your critiques, pros and cons. Can't lie I'm flattered with the comments, especially on the cross. I knew it was a cool shot right when I took it. I've never ever tried to blow up my shots on print, maybe I'll look into it. Selling the photo would be amazing I'm sure.

As for the watermark, I'll look into it, I know it's a bit punch in the face.

I need to make some kind of a slideshow on my site, not just blog. Also I'm motivated to start taking some more coherent and thought-out shots...I need to do better than just point n shoot :D
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: fike on October 16, 2012, 01:41:59 pm
...I need to do better than just point n shoot :D

no, you don't need anything.  keep doing what you are doing. there is no sin (pun intended)  in making fabulous photos with modest gear.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: RSL on October 16, 2012, 01:43:28 pm
Also I'm motivated to start taking some more coherent and thought-out shots...I need to do better than just point n shoot :D

Wrong, Tom. For the kind of thing I see you doing: don't think! Shoot! I suspect you go around throwing frames around scenes and shooting when you see something that grabs you. Both pictures here are that kind of picture, and they're both good. If you start trying to rationalize what's in front of you your work's going to go downhill. Keep pointing and shooting.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on October 16, 2012, 02:00:00 pm
Super, Tomislave!
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: -Tom- on October 16, 2012, 05:13:34 pm
I see what you're saying, but I do think some shots need to be more planned - for example today I was driving past one olive field and it was near sunset, and the sun was perfectly falling over the trees, grass...but I was driving and didn't react quick enough to stop...

So that's what I mean by planned...I'll go to that place tomorrow around 5PM and try to catch the sunset there.

I shoot with Lumix GH2 and Im aware of some flaws it has but with couple of ND filters I'll get and some Photoshop help, I'm fine :)

@Slobodan: hvala! :D

Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: fike on October 16, 2012, 05:17:41 pm
I see what you're saying, but I do think some shots need to be more planned - for example today I was driving past one olive field and it was near sunset, and the sun was perfectly falling over the trees, grass...but I was driving and didn't react quick enough to stop...

So that's what I mean by planned...I'll go to that place tomorrow around 5PM and try to catch the sunset there.
...

You are already lost.  You should have stopped.  You could be dead tomorrow, or worse...it could be overcast.  Planning photo shoots is often necessary, but it rarely matches serendipity. Make your luck by seizing the photo on the day you see it.  There is no tomorrow.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: -Tom- on October 16, 2012, 06:21:24 pm
Well, that's harsh but true...many times I went outside the house without camera on me and I would ALWAYS see something that made me wish I've taken the damn thing...
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: fike on October 16, 2012, 06:29:19 pm
Well, that's harsh but true...many times I went outside the house without camera on me and I would ALWAYS see something that made me wish I've taken the damn thing...

word
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: james-greenland on October 17, 2012, 02:33:26 pm
Well, that's harsh but true...many times I went outside the house without camera on me and I would ALWAYS see something that made me wish I've taken the damn thing...

That is my entire life in one line
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: Randy Carone on October 17, 2012, 03:49:24 pm
My wife calls my hand-held camera case (for my D90) my man-purse. It can be a nuisance but I carry it at all times. I even put a carabiner on the handle of the case so I can clip it on my belt loop to shoot. That way I don't have to ask my wife, "Can you hold this for a sec?" :)
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: IanBrowne on October 17, 2012, 08:36:11 pm
I need to do better than just point n shoot :D

Gear alone will not make you a better photographer, however (don't believe I'm about to type this) to make that BIG photo for the big office you may well need to consider better quality gear. I myself have no intentions of making BIG photos even for myself so I'm down sizing from Canon 5D11 to a canon G12 and a just purchased Panasonic FZ 200. Will I be happy with the FZ200 "photo quality"? Well that is yet to be seen but I love my G12!
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: Jim Pascoe on October 18, 2012, 07:58:04 am
Gear alone will not make you a better photographer, however (don't believe I'm about to type this) to make that BIG photo for the big office you may well need to consider better quality gear. I myself have no intentions of making BIG photos even for myself so I'm down sizing from Canon 5D11 to a canon G12 and a just purchased Panasonic FZ 200. Will I be happy with the FZ200 "photo quality"? Well that is yet to be seen but I love my G12!

Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought he meant 'point and shoot' as a technique rather than the sort of camera he is using.  Even most top DSLR's can be used "Point n Shoot".
For those fortunately blessed with good visual awareness, point and shoot can be a rather good method.

Jim
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: -Tom- on October 18, 2012, 10:18:00 am
Jim's right, by point and shoot I was referring to the way I shoot...I dont carry all my gear with me, it drives me mad because I don't have a proper backpack (yet) so hauling all the tripods, cell phone, wallet, keys, lens, camera in one little Lumix bag and pockets ruins my day before the day even starts.

So 95% of the time I just take the camera and walk around, look for something interesting, see it, focus, shoot and then move on. Sometimes I do take the tripod and stay in one location for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, depends, but most of the time I just walk around and shoot :)
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: RSL on October 18, 2012, 11:17:30 am
So 95% of the time I just take the camera and walk around, look for something interesting, see it, focus, shoot and then move on. Sometimes I do take the tripod and stay in one location for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, depends, but most of the time I just walk around and shoot :)

Unless you're doing landscape that's the way to do it. The idea, drummed into beginners heads by photo magazines and photo "workshops," that you  need to plan a photograph leads to some of the worst photography in the world.
Title: Re: Cross and prayer beads
Post by: fike on October 18, 2012, 01:10:07 pm
Unless you're doing landscape that's the way to do it. The idea, drummed into beginners heads by photo magazines and photo "workshops," that you  need to plan a photograph leads to some of the worst photography in the world.

Yes, I agree. Planning may consist of being in interesting places at interesting times with your kit. Beyond that, over-engineering a shoot is frequently a formula for disaster.  There are some exceptions to this rule, http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/2009/07/09/so-this-is-like-347-speed-lights/ .