Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Cabrillo  (Read 6595 times)

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Cabrillo
« on: January 18, 2011, 05:15:46 pm »

Cabrillo National Cemetery, beautiful place very peaceful. Handheld shot while leaning on a fence.
Logged

wolfnowl

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5824
    • M&M's Musings
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2011, 05:48:05 pm »

Great blend of colours.  Curious that only one stone has visible engraving...

Mike.
Logged
If your mind is attuned t

Slobodan Blagojevic

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 18090
  • When everyone thinks the same, nobody thinks
    • My website
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2011, 06:05:33 pm »

The subject appears to be a promising location for the work-the-scene concept. In other words, multiple shooting from different angles, with different lenses, at different times. For this single attempt, I am not sure it does the full justice to the location. The post-processing appears to be too aggressive. For instance, I do not get how the cloud, just above the fiery sunset, remains colorless, while the tombstones in the shade are strong purple?

popnfresh

  • Guest
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2011, 06:29:13 pm »

I'm also curious about the post processing applied to this shot. The colors look unreal to me, despite the sunset light.
Logged

Paul Sumi

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1217
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2011, 09:00:47 pm »

Is this in San Diego?  I note a Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery near Cabrillo National Monument.

I agree, it looks like a promising site to continue working.  But I, too, am puzzled by the strong purple shadow.

Paul
Logged

Dave (Isle of Skye)

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2514
  • I've even written a book about it
    • SkyePhotoGuide.com
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2011, 08:34:56 am »

Hi, nice shot, but does not hit the right spot for me I am afraid.

It would be my guess that this is a single shot worked through as a Faux HDR, because the purplelish tones remind me of those that seem to arise from pushing an image through the tone mapper multiple times. So for me, the image has really great composition, but the pixels have been pushed a tad too far for me.

Photobloke  :)
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2011, 11:49:10 am »

Great blend of colours.  Curious that only one stone has visible engraving...

Mike.

Thanks Mike, the location was a lucky find, we went to see the lighthouse which was closed and stumbled on this gorgeous sunset and the lovely cemetery.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2011, 11:56:36 am »

The subject appears to be a promising location for the work-the-scene concept. In other words, multiple shooting from different angles, with different lenses, at different times. For this single attempt, I am not sure it does the full justice to the location. The post-processing appears to be too aggressive. For instance, I do not get how the cloud, just above the fiery sunset, remains colorless, while the tombstones in the shade are strong purple?

Thanks for your comment! Yes! I know saturation is like salt it varies according to the photographer :) I had only time to snap a few photos but I did get some good ones and I worked them less aggressively; the curious thing was that 98% of non photographers preferred the more colorful punchy ones. I did work the photo, more for shadow recovery than for effect but after a while I liked the mood and atmosphere of it. Here is one with more tradional colors which I also like.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2011, 12:01:16 pm »

I'm also curious about the post processing applied to this shot. The colors look unreal to me, despite the sunset light.

Yes it was a stylistic approach that depending on the viewer or forum it may score or fail. It is still wonderful to read the comments to balance your final decision as to the photograph.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2011, 12:03:00 pm »

Is this in San Diego?  I note a Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery near Cabrillo National Monument.

I agree, it looks like a promising site to continue working.  But I, too, am puzzled by the strong purple shadow.

Paul

Yes Paul, it is San Diego. We were blessed with beautiful sunsets this weekend.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2011, 12:19:15 pm »

Hi, nice shot, but does not hit the right spot for me I am afraid.

It would be my guess that this is a single shot worked through as a Faux HDR, because the purplelish tones remind me of those that seem to arise from pushing an image through the tone mapper multiple times. So for me, the image has really great composition, but the pixels have been pushed a tad too far for me.

Photobloke  :)
Thank you sir for your comment! Yeah I knew that the treatment of the photo was going to arise questions to the style or excess of it :) But as it turns out most non photographers preferred this rendition than the most traditional ones. They do not know about HDR or shadow recovery, they do know that tombstones are not purple but they are more spontaneous in their likes and dislikes. I have to balance the results with the different viewers. Here is a comment form another forum from a gentleman that likes photography but he is a writer.
"This is amazing! This is one of those shots that probably dates me, but it reminds me a bit of some of the stuff I'd seen in OMNI Magazine...most of that stuff was science or science fiction related, but they'd also do some of the most wonderful urban or "atmospheric" shots for their subscription advertisements. This reminds me of one of those "business reply mail" cards...I always wanted to frame them because they looked so good! This reminds me of those little cards; it's got a similar sense of brilliant, almost unreal color, and yet it's something real. This is quite fantastic, quite touching as well. I'm especially taken by the silhouette of the tree against the fiery sky. That and the vague purple of the headstones is what makes this image pop. Excellent work!"

Another photographer wrote " Very nice comp but a little over saturated cooked for my taste" So I need to find a middle ground maybe?
Logged

jule

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 738
    • http://www.juliestephenson.net
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2011, 05:08:35 pm »

Thank you sir for your comment! Yeah I knew that the treatment of the photo was going to arise questions to the style or excess of it :) But as it turns out most non photographers preferred this rendition than the most traditional ones. They do not know about HDR or shadow recovery, they do know that tombstones are not purple but they are more spontaneous in their likes and dislikes. I have to balance the results with the different viewers. Here is a comment form another forum from a gentleman that likes photography but he is a writer.
"This is amazing! This is one of those shots that probably dates me, but it reminds me a bit of some of the stuff I'd seen in OMNI Magazine...most of that stuff was science or science fiction related, but they'd also do some of the most wonderful urban or "atmospheric" shots for their subscription advertisements. This reminds me of one of those "business reply mail" cards...I always wanted to frame them because they looked so good! This reminds me of those little cards; it's got a similar sense of brilliant, almost unreal color, and yet it's something real. This is quite fantastic, quite touching as well. I'm especially taken by the silhouette of the tree against the fiery sky. That and the vague purple of the headstones is what makes this image pop. Excellent work!"

Another photographer wrote " Very nice comp but a little over saturated cooked for my taste" So I need to find a middle ground maybe?

I'm an advocate of finding one's own ground on how one creates an image rather than finding the middle ground from others' opinions.

Julie
« Last Edit: January 19, 2011, 05:10:12 pm by jule »
Logged

Dave (Isle of Skye)

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2514
  • I've even written a book about it
    • SkyePhotoGuide.com
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #12 on: January 20, 2011, 08:22:34 am »

I'm an advocate of finding one's own ground on how one creates an image rather than finding the middle ground from others' opinions.

Julie

Hi Julie - Yes I totally agree, you should do what you want to do and not what others tell you to do. But having said that and already having gone all the way down the HDR road myself before realising, that in terms of photographic longevity, that traditional looking images, are going to be around as long as photography is around, wheras HDR is a transient (albeit very popular) fashion and even though this type of image can be very pleasing in the short term, I just do not see HDR having the legs to remain so over time.

I mean we can all recite the names of famous photographers, but how many of us know the name of even one (if there is one) famous HDR photographer?

So my advice is yes go for it, HDR the hell out of it, but only as a way of getting it out of your system, so you can then concentrate on producing photographs that look like photographs.

But as I say, this is only my view of things and I do not want to start any kind of argument or discussion on the merits or otherwise of HDR, it is only my opinion based on my own experience and as such I post for you all, one of my HDR efforts from several years ago, for everyone to go "Ooh" and "Ahh" at, or alternatively bemoan the day that HDR was ever invented..

all the best and here it is:

Photobloke
« Last Edit: January 20, 2011, 08:30:38 am by photobloke »
Logged

stamper

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5882
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2011, 08:39:49 am »

Quote

I'm an advocate of finding one's own ground on how one creates an image rather than finding the middle ground from others' opinions.

Julie

He did put the photo up for critique so the comments are valid. :)

RSL

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16046
    • http://www.russ-lewis.com
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2011, 10:02:56 am »

Hi Julie - Yes I totally agree, you should do what you want to do and not what others tell you to do.

In the end, you don't have much choice. As Elliott Erwitt pointed out: "You don't 'study' photography. You do it."

Quote
But having said that and already having gone all the way down the HDR road myself before realising, that in terms of photographic longevity, that traditional looking images, are going to be around as long as photography is around, wheras HDR is a transient (albeit very popular) fashion and even though this type of image can be very pleasing in the short term, I just do not see HDR having the legs to remain so over time.

I think it depends on the particular HDR, Bloke. A properly done HDR looks exactly like a "traditional looking" image. You only recognize it as an HDR if you know something about the process. But, of course, if you push the tone mapping beyond sensible limits it becomes the kind of HDR everyone has learned to hate.
Logged
Russ Lewis  www.russ-lewis.com.

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2011, 01:40:30 pm »

I'm an advocate of finding one's own ground on how one creates an image rather than finding the middle ground from others' opinions.

Julie

Absolutely but you can not work in a vacuum without some sort of feedback from the audience of your work. Ultimately photography or art is an extension of your personality, your creative mind; it would be foolish to adapt your vision to someone else's opinions but out of all the comments you get a grasp of the impact of your work on the viewer.
Logged

Andres Bonilla

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 792
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2011, 02:09:09 pm »

Hi Julie - Yes I totally agree, you should do what you want to do and not what others tell you to do. But having said that and already having gone all the way down the HDR road myself before realising, that in terms of photographic longevity, that traditional looking images, are going to be around as long as photography is around, wheras HDR is a transient (albeit very popular) fashion and even though this type of image can be very pleasing in the short term, I just do not see HDR having the legs to remain so over time.

I mean we can all recite the names of famous photographers, but how many of us know the name of even one (if there is one) famous HDR photographer?

So my advice is yes go for it, HDR the hell out of it, but only as a way of getting it out of your system, so you can then concentrate on producing photographs that look like photographs.

 
 



Well to me HDR , Photoshop and all its filters, composites of multiple exposures etc are all just tools to get me where I want in terms of the vision I have for a particular photograph. Both Peter lik and David Hill manipulate their images heavily and they are both very famous. The problem with some of these tools is that they get abused by folks that are more interested in getting a psychedelic kick than to do serious work. When inkjet printers came out the same argument over the longevity and relevance of the work done in this new medium started; most photographers equated inkjets with snapshots printed on a “ nearly photographic “Lexmark printers. A photographer told me… is just ink; you will never get the tonalities of traditional darkroom process. We all know this is no longer true.
I visited a while ago Yosemite and in one of the books a famous critic called Ansel Adams and his work “unreal, manipulative and dark” and he predicted he was a fad and was going to disappear from the photographic arena not soon enough.

 
Logged

jule

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 738
    • http://www.juliestephenson.net
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2011, 06:13:29 pm »

Quote

I'm an advocate of finding one's own ground on how one creates an image rather than finding the middle ground from others' opinions.

Julie

He did put the photo up for critique so the comments are valid. :)
Most definately the comments are valid. My response was to the statement which was made .."So I need to find middle ground maybe"... which implied that Andres was tailoring his images to meet the middle gound of public opinion.
Logged

jule

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 738
    • http://www.juliestephenson.net
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #18 on: January 20, 2011, 06:17:04 pm »

Absolutely but you can not work in a vacuum without some sort of feedback from the audience of your work. Ultimately photography or art is an extension of your personality, your creative mind; it would be foolish to adapt your vision to someone else's opinions but out of all the comments you get a grasp of the impact of your work on the viewer.
Ah yes Andres, but there is a difference betweeen 'getting a grasp of the impact of your work on the viewer"...  and ...."so I need to find a middle ground maybe", which I interpereted that you were adapting your vision to the middle ground of public opinion.

Julie
Logged

RSL

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 16046
    • http://www.russ-lewis.com
Re: Cabrillo
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2011, 07:33:37 pm »

Julie, I don't think Andres or anyone else can find a "middle ground." Either you're shooting for a client, in which case his opinion of the work is all that matters, or you're shooting for yourself, in which case what anyone else thinks about it is nothing compared with its impact on you. I think Elliott Erwitt had the right idea. He'd go on a shoot for a client that put food on his table, but when he'd finished the day's grunt work he started shooting for himself. The finest part of his work is what he did for himself -- what he called "personal best." He once said something to the effect that he'd always been an amateur. Someone asked him how that could be since he made his living that way. He said, I love what I do. That's what amateur means.
Logged
Russ Lewis  www.russ-lewis.com.
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up