Photo Critique and Edit Thread

[amirm]

Sometimes you have ideas but not sure if they will work out and this one of them. Take a picture you have taken and post it here for review. If it is excellent already, you will get that feedback. If not, I, and any other volunteers, can take a shot at improving it. Likely we will spend just a few minutes on it so no extensive re-working.

The goal is to have the thread be educational on the tools and approaches to improving images and for people to wind with a better version of their pictures.

Pictures can be anything. Your pets, family, landscape, etc. You choose. Just include it in your post and I can pull it down and edit it.

So let's have some volunteers please .

 

[gfroman]

Hope I'm not hogging this thread, but I thought I would add some more shots from our last trip to Patagonia.

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[gfroman]

We spent 2 weeks in New Mexico and Arizona on a 3200 mile car trip.
Camped out under the stars for many of the nights (hot as hell in Arizona).
Slot canyons and Horseshoe Bend (AZ) and slept on the sand dunes at White Sands (NM).

 

[gfroman]

 

[NorthStar]

Wow, my laptop's screen has never looked so beautiful!

 

[gfroman]

Thanks so much!

This is Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Grande.

 

[gfroman]

Storm coming…..
Chimney Rock at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

 

[ddk]

Nice collection of dramatic and interesting compositions gfroman but since critique is part of the title if I may , are ruined by the heavy handed HDR filtering and over sharpening the canyon IR one, the reflection is nearly pixelated...

david

 

[NorthStar]

David, what is the resolution of the screen you are viewing them on?

That's one of my favorites to look @ from Mr. gfroman

...The lens used, the angle, the color's contrast, the texture of the natural sculpture, the mist, the hues, the shadows, the majestic power ...
...And the reflection too, inside from the photograph, and outside in my eyes and travelling mind.

Out of 10? ...9.7 (almost 3D)

 

[ddk]

David, what is the resolution of the screen you are viewing them on?

2560 x 1600 & 1920 x 1200 both are calibrated photographic monitors.

david

 

[gfroman]

Thanks, guys.
I guess everyone has their own taste in how to present their photographs.
To me, this is how I see them and present my photos.
The last one, Santa Elena Canyon, was printed at 12"x36" and looks great.
Some of the others were printed at 20"x30".
The water reflection is on the Rio Grande River and flowing pretty rapidly (not still).
I sold 25 prints at my last photo show.

 

[NorthStar]

2560 x 1600 & 1920 x 1200 both are calibrated photographic monitors.

david

I'm lo rez. I am still looking @ all the pictures of gfroman (for over half hour additional now) and I am marveling with hypnotized delight.
They are photographic paintings, visual creative art with the tools of the trade, magnificent living memories. Each one is unique and magic.
Today his pictures enlighten my day, very. Through them I am in contentment and in awe @ the splendor of our natural blue planet.
It's not quite like an orgasm when listening in the mood of a Blues tune, but more than that.

Gfroman, anytime sir you want to share more with us, you'll be transporting us to a higher plateau. You just did.
_____

P.S. I am going to ask you this; do you have a website where people can visit and purchase.
And would you mind that I share some of your pictures on other social medias with your website address?
I know few art lovers who would really appreciate. And it would be adding to the possibility of increasing your public profile positively.

 

[NorthStar]

Hi Gregg, I surfed the Internet a little bit. I also saw some more of your beautiful pictures from the places you visited.

I also find those right around here:

Two more great shots.

 

[amirm]

We spent 2 weeks in New Mexico and Arizona on a 3200 mile car trip.
Camped out under the stars for many of the nights (hot as hell in Arizona).
Slot canyons and Horseshoe Bend (AZ) and slept on the sand dunes at White Sands (NM).

Your work is stunning Gfroman. Slot canyons is on my photography "togo" list. Seems like no landscaper's photo life work is complete without them.

 

[BruceD]

Hi there Gfroman--indeed the plaudits are genuine--some superb visuals and a fine eye for composition --I'm sure you are supremely happy with your prints

As the word Critique was mentioned in Amir's postie I can offer a word of possible same especially in regard to the prints you are keenly achieving--take this with a grain of salt or not but as couple of points I have

established may assist in the output you choose-- be it Photo Fibre based/ Inkjet/etc.

While the colour renditions are personal tastes --some like intense vibrant , others prefer muted--that is entirely up to the snapper and the output file as selected

I presume your files are shot Raw?( which are B+W anyway) and you can manipulate to your choosing the desired effects/colours that please. I may be a tad presumptuous here but you have penchant for the rich super saturated "feel" as is your prerogative

The Apps available to us have made this certainly easier to produce and while exciting files can be instantly obtained some caution needs to be exercised especially regarding over zealous use of colour enhancement /HDR /etc --remember all printing methods have a Gamut threshold

with ink layering and while some files may look fine on the Monitor-- the printer can see otherwise and labour to output the colour/density expected from the File.

As you are printing RGB , exceeding ink Gamut is not that much of a problem-- unlike the medieval CMYK which is still tormenting us since the 1920's!

OK anyway here is my tip--

Herewith two copies of one of your files

Print 1: You will see the total ink # in the Cloud is 255 therefore no Ink will be processed here--it will be "paper white"-as there is no information to collate

Print 2: Using Curves and the Eyedropper/Curves combo one can "cheat" and lower the White( basically over Gamut sections in the file) point to 245 thus bringing in Printer information and overriding paper white

This will allow the printer to process some data and print a smooth "tone" to compliment the finished Print.

No worries if this is nitpicking but thought to mention my observation( this also works with the Black Point( zero)

Please show us some more of your Files --Kudos indeed !

BruceD

 

[NorthStar]

Gregg, I keep exploring further: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...ting-a-drawing&p=321050&viewfull=1#post321050

I went back in that thread to look @ all your photographs. That post above and the one below, from the link I just posted...it was real nice to revisit.
_____

And I keep going back to this one ? from the first page here.

It is truly magic the pleasant/psychedelic movement it creates visually in my comfort zone...the brain.

But I love them all, and what you gave them extra I just don't know and it's fantastic.
I'm trying to pick one or two more ... that also have their unique imprint in my personal brain ...

_____

Test:



That worked! You also took that shot ? magic!

 

[gfroman]

Thanks for all the input, guys.
In all honesty, I use Photoshop to the point of what looks good to my eye, and then send the files off to be printed by a photo finisher.
If the large prints don't come out right I can make adjustments, but usually I am delighted with the results.

I don't have a web site yet except my Facebook page : Gregg Froman, Photographer.
My email is gfroman@yahoo.com if anyone wants to contact me about any of the photographs.

Here is a shot at an art opening last summer -

 

[NorthStar]

Thanks Gregg, I visited your page (awesome travelling pics and family you have).
The last picture of yours that I posted from my last post above (black&white - the four wisdom men), you can click right on it.

 

[gfroman]

Hey - That's kinda cool!
Click on the Moroccan Elders pic above and go straight to my FB page.
Thanks!

(That B&W photo of the Elders was taken in the small "blue" town of Chefchaeun, Morocco)

 

[NorthStar]

It's a great shot of these four elders. And you have many more photographs that tell life's stories.
You have great freedom of expression; your vision, your compositions, your subjects, your artistic choice.
And the interaction between the eye behind the camera (your eye) with what's in front of them, I find powerful; a strong presence with nature and people.
It's as if the photographs you are taking are taking pictures of you too; they reflect that deeper/stronger/harmonious communication level.
The photographer is part of the picture. The photograph's subjects are taking their own picture, of the cameraman.

Your photographs are very inspiring, you are inspiring.

* I used to include a link with images, music cover albums of the music I listen to. That way just by clicking on the front cover album you instantly get the music playing. You can do that with your photographs; telling a brief story on their origin, etc. ... just by clicking on them. ...Same as zooming.