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Author Topic: What a World  (Read 2373 times)

Arlen

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What a World
« on: August 18, 2018, 09:11:41 pm »

A penny (or the market rate) for your thoughts.  :)

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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: What a World
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2018, 07:08:56 am »

I'll give you tuppence, at least. On my uncalibrated laptop screen, though, I can see enough detail in the ground to pique my interest but not enough to make anything out, which is rather frustrating. I appreciate the lighting decisions, but...

Jeremy
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degrub

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Re: What a World
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2018, 09:23:12 am »

impressive print i expect.
Looks straight out of science fiction
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KLaban

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Re: What a World
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2018, 09:25:53 am »

When viewed on my calibrated monitor I believe Arlen has the balance spot on.

Lovely.

« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 10:57:52 am by KLaban »
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Rob C

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Re: What a World
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2018, 09:33:53 am »

Beautiful imograph(?)

;-)

Rob

Rajan Parrikar

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Re: What a World
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2018, 11:49:55 am »

It is spectacular.

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: What a World
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 11:51:44 am »

Beautiful imograph(?)

The judgment depends on whether it is a composite or a result of the heavy smoke from forest fires.

Rajan Parrikar

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Re: What a World
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2018, 11:55:45 am »

The judgment depends on whether it is a composite or a result of the heavy smoke from forest fires.

My assumption is that a composite would be announced as such. Early morning fog can also create a sun visual like this.

Two23

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Re: What a World
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2018, 12:58:01 pm »

The judgment depends on whether it is a composite or a result of the heavy smoke from forest fires.

Since he lives in Oregon, I'm thinking forest fires.  I've just returned from Washington state and the sunsets reliably looked just like that.  The use of the gradient tool is pretty obvious, but none the less the image certainly has impact.


Kent in SD
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Arlen

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Re: What a World
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2018, 01:41:11 pm »

First, thanks to all of you for taking the time to comment. But let me jump back in now to make sure the nature of the image is clear, so that no one feels misled. It is a composite, and it has been my intention from the beginning to describe its genesis, after letting you take a look at it first. I thought there were clues in the image that might lead some of you to that conclusion. But in the end, I would like to ask how much does it matter, for what reasons, and to whom.

Degrub is on the right track with “looks straight out of science fiction”. So are Slobodan and Kent with their references to forest fires. The forest fire smoke-filtered image of the setting sun was captured recently in central Oregon. As I looked at it, I was reminded of images I have seen of rather dim red stars in other solar systems. I wondered if I could construct an interesting picture along those lines from images already in my collection.

I came up with several candidates, but one old Kodachrome of a misty evening at the Grand Canyon really seemed amenable to my vision. So that is what you see here, a reworked version of that slide and the smoky sun combined to bring the vision to life. Rather other-worldly, but on the edge so as not to be completely separated from reality. With the larger-than-life sun being both an enhanced visual element, and a clue that it may not be a “straight” photograph.

I knew I was taking a chance by posting it here, but this is the User Critiques section after all, not the Landscape Showcase. The main question I want to address is, is the image visually interesting and/or pleasing? If not, let it fall on its merits. If so, does it matter how it was made, so long as it’s not represented as a photographic record? That is a question I’ve been asking myself. The overwhelming majority of my images are straight photographs. But more and more, I am attracted to building images that occur first in my head, by whatever means necessary.
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Two23

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Re: What a World
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2018, 01:50:23 pm »

The main question I want to address is, is the image visually interesting and/or pleasing? If not, let it fall on its merits. If so, does it matter how it was made, so long as it’s not represented as a photographic record? That is a question I’ve been asking myself. The overwhelming majority of my images are straight photographs. But more and more, I am attracted to building images that occur first in my head, by whatever means necessary.


Unless a photo is taken with the intention of representing reality (e.g. a photo of something being sold on ebay,) for me a photo is all about eliciting an emotional response.  How you get there isn't a major factor for me.  I'm not a purist.


Kent in SD
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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: What a World
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2018, 02:35:20 pm »

It is a lovely digital illustration.

Having said that, I remember Pete Turner playing with color gels and sandwiching it with straight Kodachromes to achieve a similar effect, so it is not purely “digital.”

While I enjoy it, it does matter to me whether it is an illustration, or more or less straight photograph. The latter I would hold in higher esteem if having a similar feel and impact as an illustration. Authenticity matters.

Rob C

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Re: What a World
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2018, 04:41:06 pm »

To me, it matteres not a jot how it's been made: it's a beautiful image and that's what counts.

Stock library catalogues used to be full of similar shots, but this one is better than any I remember.

Congrats on a clever piece of work! And no, no disclosure is required: this is 2018!

Rob

Telecaster

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Re: What a World
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2018, 05:27:54 pm »

I think it's a terrific image. So long as you identify it as a composite if/when posting to photo-sharing sites, social media or offering prints, by all means do whatever works!

-Dave-
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Rob C

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Re: What a World
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2018, 04:04:00 am »

It is a lovely digital illustration.

Having said that, I remember Pete Turner playing with color gels and sandwiching it with straight Kodachromes to achieve a similar effect, so it is not purely “digital.”

While I enjoy it, it does matter to me whether it is an illustration, or more or less straight photograph. The latter I would hold in higher esteem if having a similar feel and impact as an illustration. Authenticity matters.


Slobodan, you're in extreme danger of slipping into pedantry.

Just as well the shot shows no streets!

Why do you give a damn how it was made? It grabs you, and that's that: it isn't a treatise on legal celestial/terrestrial proportionate representation, after all.

I could look at a lot of pictures shown on this forum and say bloody hell, what a load of crap! Water, clouds, skies, trees, corn, grass, desert never look like that; God is using the paints straight out of the tins today!

You see the problem with hitting other, strongly-held views on some genres?

;-)

KLaban

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Re: What a World
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2018, 04:32:14 am »

It is a lovely digital illustration.

Having said that, I remember Pete Turner playing with color gels and sandwiching it with straight Kodachromes to achieve a similar effect, so it is not purely “digital.”

While I enjoy it, it does matter to me whether it is an illustration, or more or less straight photograph. The latter I would hold in higher esteem if having a similar feel and impact as an illustration. Authenticity matters.

Then it's just as well the Gods didn't leave us a colour chart otherwise the authenticity of much we see here would be in question.

;-)

 

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: What a World
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2018, 09:43:59 am »

... Why do you give a damn how it was made? It grabs you, and that's that...

For the same reason people faint in the presence of, say, the original Mona Lisa painting, but are totally cold toward gazillion reproductions of it. Authenticity matters. Especially in photography.

langier

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Re: What a World
« Reply #17 on: August 20, 2018, 09:55:52 am »

It has an Asian, etherial quality to it regardless of how it was conceived or presented.
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Peter McLennan

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Re: What a World
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2018, 09:56:29 am »

For the same reason people faint in the presence of, say, the original Mona Lisa painting, but are totally cold toward gazillion reproductions of it.

Even if the faint-inducing “original” is a reproduction, as the one in The Louvre is rumoured to be?

In other words, it’s all in the mind.

Like others, I care more about the result than the method.

In this case, the result is excellent.  Even for us out here in the Scary, Smokey West.
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Martin Kristiansen

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Re: What a World
« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2018, 09:57:14 am »

Well it’s certainly eye catching. It’s well executed and a bit of fun. Not sure how I feel about it as a landscape, although it is a landscape.

It strikes me as commercial, and that’s not to denigrate the image. It would make a very striking cover for a sci-fi novel.

The one thing that does bother me, that I don’t like, is the dark grey border.

I would say well done on the image and for provoking a discussion.
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