Gerberas - A different take (9 images)
Posted 23/09/2010 - 00:21
Link
Fiona I love the colours in 1a and 2a, very nice. I slightly prefer the blue background.
However I completely agree with fatspider on all 3 points:
However I completely agree with fatspider on all 3 points:
fatspider wrote:
What I can comment on is the composition, its in this that I agree with other criticisms, the compositions are "wrong" too much stalk, too central, first images the flower is on the wrong side of the frame.
Many of these things can likely be fixed with crops. I'd avoid cropping too tightly though, your 1 and 2 are both a bit tight for my taste, 3 feels about right around the flowerhead (but the stalk is waaay too long )
What I can comment on is the composition, its in this that I agree with other criticisms, the compositions are "wrong" too much stalk, too central, first images the flower is on the wrong side of the frame.
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27, Macbook Pro 17, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr Fluidr PPG Street Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27, Macbook Pro 17, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr Fluidr PPG Street Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Posted 23/09/2010 - 06:11
Link
Hi Fiona,
From the set you first put on page 1 it goes 1st (by a long way) 1a the orange on blue is great and really works for me, but as has already been mentioned the offset flower and vignetting detracts from it. For me the flower shold be on the L/H side of the image (cause it looks like its leaning that way) the the offset would work
2nd is 3a, I really like the fact that it looks like a painting / sketch but there is way too much stalk. It just takes too long to go over to the R/H side.
Finally 3rd is 3c the fact there is more detail visible in the petals works well (for me) in this effect.
Unfortunately sepia is not an effect I am fond of with out additional PP work Like the example below (I hope you dont mind)
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/Sepia-gerbera.jpg[/IMG]
I do not know what software you have for PP work but you could try simply chopping up the image and seperating it like Below (I hope you dont mind)
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/splitgerbera.jpg[/IMG]
Or playing with layer blend modes and textures like below (again I hope you dont mind)
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/vintage-gerbera.jpg[/IMG]
Let me know if you like any of the above and I can write you some quick tutorials on what I did.
Regards
PaulM
From the set you first put on page 1 it goes 1st (by a long way) 1a the orange on blue is great and really works for me, but as has already been mentioned the offset flower and vignetting detracts from it. For me the flower shold be on the L/H side of the image (cause it looks like its leaning that way) the the offset would work
2nd is 3a, I really like the fact that it looks like a painting / sketch but there is way too much stalk. It just takes too long to go over to the R/H side.
Finally 3rd is 3c the fact there is more detail visible in the petals works well (for me) in this effect.
Unfortunately sepia is not an effect I am fond of with out additional PP work Like the example below (I hope you dont mind)
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/Sepia-gerbera.jpg[/IMG]
I do not know what software you have for PP work but you could try simply chopping up the image and seperating it like Below (I hope you dont mind)
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/splitgerbera.jpg[/IMG]
Or playing with layer blend modes and textures like below (again I hope you dont mind)
[IMG]http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb113/pnjmcc/vintage-gerbera.jpg[/IMG]
Let me know if you like any of the above and I can write you some quick tutorials on what I did.
Regards
PaulM
All cameras are equal but.....
Some are more equal than others
Some are more equal than others
Posted 23/09/2010 - 12:55
Link
pnjmcc wrote:
Hi Fiona,
From the set you first put on page 1 it goes 1st (by a long way) 1a the orange on blue is great and really works for me, but as has already been mentioned the offset flower and vignetting detracts from it. For me the flower shold be on the L/H side of the image (cause it looks like its leaning that way) the the offset would work
2nd is 3a, I really like the fact that it looks like a painting / sketch but there is way too much stalk. It just takes too long to go over to the R/H side.
Finally 3rd is 3c the fact there is more detail visible in the petals works well (for me) in this effect.
Unfortunately sepia is not an effect I am fond of with out additional PP work Like the example below (I hope you dont mind)
I do not know what software you have for PP work but you could try simply chopping up the image and seperating it like Below (I hope you dont mind)
Or playing with layer blend modes and textures like below (again I hope you dont mind)
Let me know if you like any of the above and I can write you some quick tutorials on what I did.
Regards
PaulM
Hi Paul,Hi Fiona,
From the set you first put on page 1 it goes 1st (by a long way) 1a the orange on blue is great and really works for me, but as has already been mentioned the offset flower and vignetting detracts from it. For me the flower shold be on the L/H side of the image (cause it looks like its leaning that way) the the offset would work
2nd is 3a, I really like the fact that it looks like a painting / sketch but there is way too much stalk. It just takes too long to go over to the R/H side.
Finally 3rd is 3c the fact there is more detail visible in the petals works well (for me) in this effect.
Unfortunately sepia is not an effect I am fond of with out additional PP work Like the example below (I hope you dont mind)
I do not know what software you have for PP work but you could try simply chopping up the image and seperating it like Below (I hope you dont mind)
Or playing with layer blend modes and textures like below (again I hope you dont mind)
Let me know if you like any of the above and I can write you some quick tutorials on what I did.
Regards
PaulM
I've removed the images from your quote to save on space.
Whilst I appreciate the efforts that you've gone to to demonstrate different PP, I'm not a big fan of the texturised sepia ones you've done. The flower loses it's sharpness in those, which everyone has been telling me is very important, and I don't like the idea of the images looking old. I like the idea of splitting the image up into panels, but will probably look into this when I finally reproduce them onto canvas. But thanks for the ideas!
For PP I use Aperture and Photoshop, so there are loads of options available to me, and I've only just started looking into it.
cardiff_gareth wrote:
When I said the C versions looked puke, maybe it was a little harsh
A version, great colours, really constrasty, especially the opener. The B versions have great tones, really emphasises the details and they have a lovely contemporary antique look about them. The C version are to dark, to distracting, to harsh on the eye, detial for me is lost, the softness of the flower has been lost and I don't really see any commercial value to them.
I don't want to be brutal to the C versions and there probably are others who disagree with me but I think they are a step in the wrong direction. In contrast these images (A & B versions!) are so much better than the first flower thread you had going so its still positive
On the plus side I never knew that the carrot look in puke was stomach lining
Gareth, thanks for explaining the whole "puke" thing! And thanks for saying this series is an improvement on the last.When I said the C versions looked puke, maybe it was a little harsh
A version, great colours, really constrasty, especially the opener. The B versions have great tones, really emphasises the details and they have a lovely contemporary antique look about them. The C version are to dark, to distracting, to harsh on the eye, detial for me is lost, the softness of the flower has been lost and I don't really see any commercial value to them.
I don't want to be brutal to the C versions and there probably are others who disagree with me but I think they are a step in the wrong direction. In contrast these images (A & B versions!) are so much better than the first flower thread you had going so its still positive
On the plus side I never knew that the carrot look in puke was stomach lining
Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams
Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
Posted 23/09/2010 - 13:24
Link
Fiona, I like the missing stalk version!
Now to get some perfect flowers (do such things exist?? :lol.
Keep on trying, but most importantly keep on enjoying!
Now to get some perfect flowers (do such things exist?? :lol.
Keep on trying, but most importantly keep on enjoying!
Posted 23/09/2010 - 13:39
Link
Hi Fiona, I think your second series is a lot better and I admire the effort you put into it.
Hope you don't mind (if so, I'll remove it asap), I had a play with one of 'em as well. All processing done in PS and should you like it, I can tell you exactly what I've done.
[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/jamie_gr/fotoos/gerbera-copy.jpg[/IMG]
Hope you don't mind (if so, I'll remove it asap), I had a play with one of 'em as well. All processing done in PS and should you like it, I can tell you exactly what I've done.
[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/jamie_gr/fotoos/gerbera-copy.jpg[/IMG]
Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. - Ansel Adams -
Posted 23/09/2010 - 16:56
Link
Or maybe you like one of these (better)?
[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/jamie_gr/fotoos/gerbera3.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/jamie_gr/fotoos/gerbera5.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/jamie_gr/fotoos/gerbera3.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y37/jamie_gr/fotoos/gerbera5.jpg[/IMG]
Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. - Ansel Adams -
Posted 23/09/2010 - 19:37
Link
Congratulations Fiona,
I think this a good challenging thread.
What a lot of different perspectives have been offered and none of us fallen out..yet
Dave
I think this a good challenging thread.
What a lot of different perspectives have been offered and none of us fallen out..yet
Dave
Posted 23/09/2010 - 19:54
Link
Give it time Dave!!
Lidy, thanks for posting your versions! I kind of like the first one, but would probably make it more of a shadow, than a faint repeat (note to self: try that later). The second one is cut a bit close on the right, but I like the idea of the frame, and I really like the third, I'll try putting 2 flower heads together on the same image, and I really like the black background with the flowers in colour.
Thanks again.
Fiona
Lidy, thanks for posting your versions! I kind of like the first one, but would probably make it more of a shadow, than a faint repeat (note to self: try that later). The second one is cut a bit close on the right, but I like the idea of the frame, and I really like the third, I'll try putting 2 flower heads together on the same image, and I really like the black background with the flowers in colour.
Thanks again.
Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams
Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
Posted 25/09/2010 - 09:24
Link
I think they are an improvement, well done. BUT you are still using the wrong aperture, f5.6 just isn't going to get you the depth of field you need, the pictures just aren't sharp enough. I'd try f16 for starters.
Ken
We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole. - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole. - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Add Comment
To leave a comment - Log in to Pentax User or create a new account.
7663 posts
17 years
Hertfordshire,
mostly.
Hope you dont mind Fiona...
What I am trying to demonstrate with above is a simple rule;
Fill the frame.
Davex.
If you are selling them, you need to think of your market. If you are targeting, for example, a greetings card company, images with space which allow room for text may well sell rather than a tighter crop. Just think of that space with "Happy Birthday Gran" written in it! I do agree, however, that the flowers need to be as perfect as possible. I did read an article once about copying a petal and pasting back to fill a gap!
Best wishes and good luck with it all. Kris.
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.