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Author Topic: Introduction & Iowa Photograph  (Read 3878 times)

BlackSmith

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« on: July 11, 2009, 02:06:53 pm »

This is my first post on the LL forum. For any interested, I've given a two paragraph description in the "About Me" space.
I figured it appropriate to contribute a photo here first, because User Critiques is my most often visited category. I've been following your comments for over a year now and know somewhat of your personalities & photographic styles.
[attachment=15323:_MG_0317__MG_0320.jpg]
Your honest opinions and advice would be appreciated.

Edited: replaced with higher resolution image adding copyright & creative commons license.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2009, 08:53:05 pm by BlackSmith »
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AndrewKulin

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2009, 02:37:10 pm »

Welcome.

I like the composition (with most of the interest weighted to the right), particularly the sky and clouds.  Is this a crop or a stitched panorama?

And where is the baseball diamond?  

Andrew
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[size=12p

dalethorn

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2009, 06:33:20 pm »

Sure looks like Iowa.  Being this is such a large perspective, and yet a very tiny image, I can't judge much about it at this size.  If I saw something larger it would help, but it does look promising in the meantime.
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byork

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« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2009, 07:32:28 pm »

Very pleasing image.....I like the composition also. As Dale said, a larger size would have been better for picking out detail, but looks good work nonetheless.

Cheers
Brian
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Bill Caulfeild-Browne

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2009, 10:03:30 pm »

Quote from: BlackSmith
This is my first post on the LL forum. For any interested, I've given a two paragraph description in the "About Me" space.
I figured it appropriate to contribute a photo here first, because User Critiques is my most often visited category. I've been following your comments for over a year now and know somewhat of your personalities & photographic styles.
[attachment=15323:_MG_0317__MG_0320.jpg]
Your honest opinions and advice would be appreciated.

Edited: replaced with higher resolution image adding copyright & creative commons license.


Very nice!
Bill
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BlackSmith

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2009, 12:20:14 am »

Andrew, it's an interesting story - I was familiarizing myself with the brand new 5D, and I was struggling with a cheap ball head (beginner's mistake, right?). So, I had no plans for stitching multiple photos. But the only lens I had at the time was the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. In order to span this angle, I took four shots each in portrait orientation.

Someone was criticized on this forum the other day for posting too large of images, resulting in too long download times. Is there a generally accepted limit (ballpark) to file size?

Smith
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Ed Blagden

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2009, 02:49:51 am »

Quote from: BlackSmith
Your honest opinions and advice would be appreciated.

Hi

Good image - what makes it work is the quality of the light.  

Regarding composition, I think you are almost there, but the problem I see is that there is a foreground (the corn), a background (the barn and the sky) with not much in between.  The sense of depth isn't there.  What I would suggest is raising the camera a few feet so you see the whole field in perspective.  This does not mean changing the balance of the composition, but just adding some perspective and depth.

Ed

ps Regarding image size the vast majority of forum viewers will be using a 1280 x 1024 monitor.  Allowing for browser window borders, the maximum size before you start wasting pixels is max width 1200, max height 850.  If you go bigger than this then the browser will resize and this will reduce sharpness.  Ballpark max file size is up to 500K.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2009, 02:52:06 am by Ed B »
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Jeremy Roussak

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2009, 05:19:13 am »

Quote from: BlackSmith
Someone was criticized on this forum the other day for posting too large of images, resulting in too long download times. Is there a generally accepted limit (ballpark) to file size?
I post a few shots, of rather variable quality! I have a preset in Lightroom that produces an 80% jpeg at 1200 pixels maximum side. Nobody's complained yet.

I liked your image, but I found myself feeling uncomfortably floating off the ground: I couldn't see enough of the field, and the tops of the near plants didn't give me an anchor. I suspect if you raised the camera a bit, or included more of the near plants, I'd feel better about it. Lovely light, though.

Jeremy
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popnfresh

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2009, 07:19:15 pm »

I like it. I almost expected to see Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion running through the field in the distance.
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ProPhotoInsights

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2009, 05:53:31 pm »

I personally like the composition but it looks a little soft did you crop into the captured image?
It could do with an increase in contrast and colour as it looks a little flat.
Lovely location and I agree with an earlier post it's crying out for a scarecrow in the foreground !
Cheers,
Simon

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John R

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2009, 06:38:44 am »

It's great. Love the subtle colours in the sky and the swirling pattern. Draws the eyes right across the image. Personally I don't understand the criticism regarding 'sharpness' or lack of depth. Lots of sky and house to create depth. It looks fine to me and is well cropped or stitched.

JMR
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RSL

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2009, 02:48:27 pm »

Black, You may be a beginner, as you say in your profile, but it's a very fine beginning. This composite deserves to be printed, matted and framed. Fine composition. Fine shooting.
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BlackSmith

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2009, 05:07:42 pm »

To everyone, I appreciate the kind words. They do encourage me.

Ed & Jeremy,
Your comments about the foreground address one of the challenges with this photograph. Corn can grow tall (elephant's eye and all that). Although I too wanted to have a downward looking view onto the field, in the end I was on tip toes to see through the viewfinder. A step ladder or Ansel Adam's classic standing on the car methods were briefly considered, but impractical for the specific situation. In the end I'm pleased, because the resulting effect does convey the sense of just being able to peek over the tops of the corn that Iowan's experience for the second half of the summer. But while contemplating the final image, I had not considered showing more of the front column of corn. That is a mind opening suggestion - Thanks.

Smith
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jdemott

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Introduction & Iowa Photograph
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2009, 05:53:54 pm »

A very fine shot well executed.  The light and the sky are very beautiful.  The composition naturally leads the eye through the scene and brings it back around for another view.  I particularly like the way the pattern of the darker clouds in the upper right mimics the shape of cornstalks.
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