Sharing Comments and Criticism..

[TheBigE]

Really like the composition, and but it needs a lot of post-processing work.
I hate those types of skies in landscapes -- and that's what I was stuck with through out Alaska.
So you have a couple choices: You can go the photoshop route, and cut and paste an entirely different sky. Or, make the skies work for you -- Bring down the exposure of just the sky. You can also use a brush in lightroom with Dehaze (though be careful, a little bit goes a long way). This will bring out all the detail in the clouds, make them look foreboding. Meanwhile, increase the exposure of the rest of the image, except the clouds. Add more contrast, and lots of sharpening. Make all the rust and rivets in the bridge really pop. I suck at photoshop masking, but if you know how to build a good mask, it would be the best way to work with the sky as a separate element from the rest of the image. I'd probably just do it with lightroom brushes.

This is really a potentially standout image, with the right post-processing.

Thanks for the feedback, these are days where I really struggle...usually if there is just a touch of blue in the clouds I can pull it out with a little Saturation Adjustment. Not on these days....it was just cloudy. I will give it a go with the DeHaze...even just doing the Dehaze adjust overall did not bring out much in clouds.

Sharpening Wise I am at

Amount - 86
Radius - 1.3
Detail - 50
Masking - 24

I could push this a bit more I am sure. I will give it some more work and see what comes up

 

[fractal]

Interesting. 2 & 1 on the best and worst list?

Lol, my mood changes quickly.

corrected -

6,5,2,1,10,7,8,3,4,9

I find the composition of 6 and 5 the most interesting. they are the only two that capture an emotion in the eyes (not easy for a stone figure). Combine that with the darker background and they easily are the best to me.

 

[fractal]

So how do you handle a grey and gloomy day? I wish there was a touch of blue in the sky to bring this out...the grey nature of the sky really makes it difficult. I tried putting something in the foreground to give it a bit more UMPH. Fire away

Like the framing, try B&W to bring out the textures of the bridge and mountain and the contrast with the sky.

 

[fractal]

ok...... Let's try getting criticism on a shot that I mostly like..

Road Through the Yukon by Adam Brown, on Flickr

You have this beautiful scene in front of you and the most prominent thing in the frame is an ugly guardrail. I can't get past that. I think two steps forward and 5 to 10 steps to the left ( which would make the road more inviting and open up the lake ) would do wonders for this.

 

[dmaxphil]

So how do you handle a grey and gloomy day? I wish there was a touch of blue in the sky to bring this out...the grey nature of the sky really makes it difficult. I tried putting something in the foreground to give it a bit more UMPH. Fire away

This is a really good shot. Plenty of detail hidden in those clouds. You just have to massage out the amount that works for you.

Extreme example.

 

[havoc315]

Thanks for the feedback, these are days where I really struggle...usually if there is just a touch of blue in the clouds I can pull it out with a little Saturation Adjustment. Not on these days....it was just cloudy. I will give it a go with the DeHaze...even just doing the Dehaze adjust overall did not bring out much in clouds.

Sharpening Wise I am at

Amount - 86
Radius - 1.3
Detail - 50
Masking - 24

I could push this a bit more I am sure. I will give it some more work and see what comes up

Bring down the exposure in the sky.

 

[havoc315]

You have this beautiful scene in front of you and the most prominent thing in the frame is an ugly guardrail. I can't get past that. I think two steps forward and 5 to 10 steps to the left ( which would make the road more inviting and open up the lake ) would do wonders for this.

Hmm.... Interesting perspective. I liked the guardrail for the contrast it provided to the rest of the scene. I have shots where it is less prominent.

 

[fractal]

Hmm.... Interesting perspective. I liked the guardrail for the contrast it provided to the rest of the scene. I have shots where it is less prominent.

Sorry Adam, this shot has been bugging me since you posted it in the Nikon thread. In the end the most important opinion is that of the photographer. I see where you are going with contrast.

I think more of a close up macro type shot of the flora growing out of the guardrail with the mountain & lake blurred in the background would have given a better contrast look.

 

[TheBigE]

This is a really good shot. Plenty of detail hidden in those clouds. You just have to massage out the amount that works for you.

Extreme example.

So what envelope am I not pushing? Did you use the adjustment brush or something else?

 

[dmaxphil]

So what envelope am I not pushing? Did you use the adjustment brush or something else?

Something else, but only because it's easier for me to add certain characteristics to an image by using dedicated software. I sent it to Nik HDR efx to add some oomf to the sky. All can be done using lightroom, it just takes more playing.

So, in Lightroom, I would start by playing with your tone curve to see what you can get out of that. Then use the adjustment brush to selectively lower the sky's exposure (also play with clarity, contrast, dehaze, shadows and highlights on adjustment brush).

 

[fractal]

A couple goup portraits to shred. I'd be interested in hearing opinions on which one you like best and why.

 

[dmaxphil]

Lol, my mood changes quickly.

corrected -

6,5,2,1,10,7,8,3,4,9

I find the composition of 6 and 5 the most interesting. they are the only two that capture an emotion in the eyes (not easy for a stone figure). Combine that with the darker background and they easily are the best to me.

6, 5 same photo. Sony w/55mm Zeiss. F/1.8 6- Sony "Deep" profile, 5 - Sony "Clear"

2, 1 same photo. Fuji w/56mm f/1.8 . 2 - "Pro Negative" profile, 1 - "Classic Chrome"

 

[dmaxphil]

A couple goup portraits to shred. I'd be interested in hearing opinions on which one you like best and why.

I've always considered myself pretty terrible at group shots, so hopefully I'll learn something here.. I think you made the most of the top one. It's almost always necessary to cut out important body parts on that type of shot.

The bottom one is good, and might be even better in color. I find myself looking up to the right corner - the bright spot of sky. I wonder if a vignette of some sort would focus the attention back on the subjects..?

 

[havoc315]

You have this beautiful scene in front of you and the most prominent thing in the frame is an ugly guardrail. I can't get past that. I think two steps forward and 5 to 10 steps to the left ( which would make the road more inviting and open up the lake ) would do wonders for this.

Hmm.... Interesting perspective. I liked the guardrail for the contrast it provided to the rest of the s

A couple goup portraits to shred. I'd be interested in hearing opinions on which one you like best and why.

Groups are hard.... Too many people for careful posing of each.
I mostly LOVE the top shot. Natural looking poses, everyone looks comfortable. Arms and hands are well positioned. Bodies are angled. Minor issues -- The girl top left, should have opened up her arm, it's too close to the body. The guy on the left ... Should have brought his hand into the frame. You don't want to cut off a hand at the wrist. Same with the girl in the middle. But overall, these are minor issues... The difference between an "A" group portrait and "A+"

Bottom photo is ok. Guy in the middle needed to bring down his chin. He is also a little bit of a floating head... Should have brought his arms into the photo. Overall, everyone is a bit too directly facing the camera -- fortunately they are young and can get away with it a bit better.

 

[fractal]

Hmm.... Interesting perspective. I liked the guardrail for the contrast it provided to the rest of the s


Groups are hard.... Too many people for careful posing of each.
I mostly LOVE the top shot. Natural looking poses, everyone looks comfortable. Arms and hands are well positioned. Bodies are angled. Minor issues -- The girl top left, should have opened up her arm, it's too close to the body. The guy on the left ... Should have brought his hand into the frame. You don't want to cut off a hand at the wrist. Same with the girl in the middle. But overall, these are minor issues... The difference between an "A" group portrait and "A+"

Bottom photo is ok. Guy in the middle needed to bring down his chin. He is also a little bit of a floating head... Should have brought his arms into the photo. Overall, everyone is a bit too directly facing the camera -- fortunately they are young and can get away with it a bit better.

Thanks, great feedback! Things I've completely missed.

 

[Boski]

Great idea for a thread and lots of really good conversations going on. Here is one of mine:

Perhaps a little too much saturation on the blues? The sun/clouds were not really cooperating that day.

 

[havoc315]

Great idea for a thread and lots of really good conversations going on. Here is one of mine:

Perhaps a little too much saturation on the blues? The sun/clouds were not really cooperating that day.

I don't really do airshow pics, but it looks pretty good to me. Yes, a bit oversaturated, and you might want to bring down the exposure of the sky slightly. I'm seeing a little CA, which you might be able to take care of in lightroom.

 

[havoc315]

Sorry Adam, this shot has been bugging me since you posted it in the Nikon thread. In the end the most important opinion is that of the photographer. I see where you are going with contrast.

I think more of a close up macro type shot of the flora growing out of the guardrail with the mountain & lake blurred in the background would have given a better contrast look.

No apologies necessary! lol. It's good to hear varying viewpoints. In the end, it's about creating images that are pleasing to me, and pleasing to others. And part of my job, when receiving feedback, is to figure out which criticisms I should adopt, and which are just subjective differences of opinion. Sometimes you will hear contradictory feedback! (I've seen for example, 1 person saying a narrower aperture should have been used to get an entire portrait sharp, while for the same photo, someone else will say a wider aperture should have been used for more background blur).

So taking into consideration your feedback, what do you think of these 2:

Road Through the Yukon by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Yukon Road on a Rainy day by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Which do you prefer?

 

[fractal]

No apologies necessary! lol. It's good to hear varying viewpoints. In the end, it's about creating images that are pleasing to me, and pleasing to others. And part of my job, when receiving feedback, is to figure out which criticisms I should adopt, and which are just subjective differences of opinion. Sometimes you will hear contradictory feedback! (I've seen for example, 1 person saying a narrower aperture should have been used to get an entire portrait sharp, while for the same photo, someone else will say a wider aperture should have been used for more background blur).

So taking into consideration your feedback, what do you think of these 2:

Road Through the Yukon by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Yukon Road on a Rainy day by Adam Brown, on Flickr

Which do you prefer?

#1 rocks. The lines are sucking you into the frame.

 

[fractal]

Great idea for a thread and lots of really good conversations going on. Here is one of mine:

Perhaps a little too much saturation on the blues? The sun/clouds were not really cooperating that day.

Very nice. Not much to add to what Havoc said. Maybe try in B&W?