The Lakes at the weekend

I don't know if it's just me but the horizons in some of your photos in this series don't quite look level to me. I think that would be an improvement.

I'm with Ems82 here; sorry mikew, IMO if you offer such negative feedback it would be useful to back this up with some helpful advice, which is the purpose of this forum.

To this extent, RR, take a bow in showing how it should be done

What is the definition of 'lavish praise'; if somebody likes a picture, comments as such, and another hates it, is the picture good or bad?
We all have different tastes.

Again IMO a new thread could be opened elsewhere on this forum, re: mikew's opinion on lavishing praise on photos. Here all could express their opinions without seeming to be picking on a certain image(s) (which I don't think was the case originally here).

Adrian

If people hadn't over-praised Emma's image, Mike's post would not have been necessary.

And it WAS necessary.

If we don't stop this ludicrous approach to critique, this forum will lose its value as a way of helping people to improve.

G

Woke up this morning to see this had moved on.

PP, While I understand where you're coming from about hijacking people's threads, I do feel both Mike's and my contributions here were quite justified (though I'm not sure whose you are referring to in your post). Whether or not this is the right place to address the trend towards uncritical (and IMO quite unhelpful) praise on the forum might be debatable. However, Mike did offer a critique of aspects of Ems photo:

This seems to me to be entirely constructive - it might be critical, but if I posted an image that had these faults (which it does, leaving aside the composition which I guess is a more subjective matter) I'd be grateful to anyone who pointed that out. Yes, it has some positive aspects which Mike doesn't mention - however, I personally don't feel that anyone who points out basic technical issues such as these is duty bound to offer more positive commentary (they might not like the photo but their technical advice would still be sound, and useful). RR's done a magnificent appraisal of the photos merits and demerits, however, we can hardly expect all people to be so generous with their time.

I felt my own post was justified because of how Ems interpreted Mike's comments:

a. suggesting the comments were not constructive (see above);
b. that they were rude (blunt perhaps, but not rude IMO, and qualified by the following );
c. apparently making the inference that there is no space for critical commentary here.

I dont feel this is constructive Mhuni as I said just negative comments.
Seriously need to move on from this as said above feel free to debate in another thread but this is for c & c, and believe it or not I would like to improve off to IOW tommorow but the way I feel about all this do not really see the point in taking my camera.

Emma, take your camera and enjoy.

The point is to improve and you are improving. You probably won't make the ISO1600 mistake again. Cayman probably won't be so gushing in future. We all make mistakes.

The main reason we're here is we all use Pentax, not because we're friends, or good at composition , or technically excellent and not because we're tactful.

Emma - you can't let one inept posting from me shatter your self confidence or your enthusiasm. Don't look at that phrase taken out of context take the post by Bob and use that as a springboard.

There's nothing I can say to repair the hurt I have inadvertently given so I'm not going to try.

Mike

PS I rather like Doug's closing words in his last sentence. If tact was a prerequisite I would be long gone.

Hey Ems, take pics for YOU first and foremost.

Thereafter, use forum feedback in a way that you see fit.

Apply it in a way that suits you, to improve images in a way that fits in with your own vision of where you want your photography to go.

You might choose to keep some pics to yourself, and that's fine - but don't let comments keep you from taking them in the first place. They are all opinions, mine included - no more and no less.

I believe (FWIW) that your photography is sufficiently robust to take on board the sort of feedback that is available.

This is the original shot no pp nothing How could I convert/improve the shot? Also how do people resize I think I may have done it wrong first time I tried resizing before uploading to photobucket?
[IMG]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss344/ems82_photos/20100612-IMGP7140-2.jpg[/IMG]

I always have my Photobucket settings selected for the 800 maximum size to comply with the Forum requirements and find that works well enough.

As to black and white conversion, you could try a number of variations and submit for comment, specifically just asking for critique on the b&w conversion.

For me, your original is way too contrasty, which is one of my own faults on occasions.

Please take your camera to the IOW an don't forget that it is the Round the Island Race on Saturday.

That's a most generous, thoughtful and kind thing to say Mike. I'm sure Emma will appreciate it.

The last thing anyone wants here is to put-off budding photographers from taking pictures and offering them for public view on this site.

Ems,

Not sure if you're using Photoshop or if you're already aware of this but there's a pretty handy "action" which gives several different mono conversions and takes some of the hard work out of the process...

http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/TLRB&WConversion.htm

Simon

Just had another go at converting. Does the blue duotone work?
Simon I use lightroom 2, elements and corel does it only work with cs?

[IMG]http://i590.photobucket.com/albums/ss344/ems82_photos/20100612-IMGP7140-3.jpg[/IMG]

My practice is to resize the image to 800 pixels on the longest edge, then do the sharpening as a last step before uploading to Photobucket. In that way I have full control, and no automatic resizing occurs.